improvement in Process of Generating Hydrogen Gas.
Year: 1885

page_text: improvement in Process of Generating Hydrogen Gas.
J, HERBERT JOHN ALLISON, of the firm of Allison Brothers, Patent Agents, of
52 Chancery Lane, London, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the
nature of my invention for IMPROVEMENT IN PROCESS OF GENERATING HYDROGEN
GAS, which invention has been communicated to me from abroad by Charles Carroll
Yeaton, of the City and State of New York, United States of America, Gentleman,
and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly described and
ascertained in and by the following statement :-
This invention relates to the generation of hydrogen gas by the action of diluto
acid upon turnings or other scrap of metal, such as iron or zinc.
The object of the invention is to greatly increase the effectiveness of the acid
solution in its action upon the metal, both as to the duration of its activity without
renewal, and as to the volume of gas generated in a stated time, and thereby
cheapen the production of the gas evolved and secure improved results in the
continuous generation thereof without the frequent attention of a skilled operator
heretofore required.
In the manufacture of hydrogen gas by the acid process as heretofore conducted
much difficulty has been experienced in keeping up the generation of the required
volume for more than a few hours and in some cases for more than fifteen or twenty
minutes, and it has been deemed necessary to frequently draw off the spent acid-
water from the generator and replace
the activity of the apparatus, upon the theory that the first charge of acid was
by fresh acid-water in order to maintain
spent or weakened and must be replaced by a fresh charge in order to maintain
the generation of the desired volume of gas. This theory and practice appear to
bave been erroneous, and the present invention is based upon the newly discovered
fact that the decreasing activity of the generator, its running down, and the rapid
falling off in the volume of gas evolved is due to the diffusion and circulation
through the acid-water of a sulphate of the metal (iron or zine) used, and to the
presence of other impurities, in fine particles, which so interferes with the action of
the acid upon the metal as to prevent the generation of gas.
Price r

page_text: The invention consists in the addition of a small per-cent of an alkaline salt,
such as carbonate of soda or carbonate of ammonia, to the acid-water used for
generating the gas, whereby the sulphates will be precipitated to the bottom of the
generating tank as fast as formed, and remain there, leaving the acid-water and
the metal, clear and free from impurities, so that the generation of gas may proceed 5
with undiminished activity.
A charge of acid-water thus treated will last a long time without renewal, and
without attention of the operator and the generation of pure hydrogen by the acid
process is thereby rendered practical and economical.
The generation of gas by this invention may be carried on in any suitable form 1
of apparatus.
The accompanying drawing, illustrates by a vertical section a form of apparatus
well adapted to the purpose.
A, represents the tank for containing acid-water and which encloses the other
parts of the generator. This tank is mounted upon the base, B, which contains the
carbureter of any desired construction, and is provided with an inclined bottom, h,
and with a draw-off stop-cock, i, placed adjacent to the lowest portion of the
inclined bottom; also with locking lugs, n, projecting from its inside near the top
to engage with similar lugs, o, on the bell, C. This bell, C, is made sufficiently.
smaller than the tank, A, to slide freely inside of it, and after being placed in the.
tank it is turned so that its lugs, o, will engage with lugs, n, and be thus held in
position over the basket. The basket, D, for containing the metal scrap is per-
forated and provided with a central tube, I, and also with legs, d, for supporting it
at a suitable height above the bottom of the tank. The bell, C, extends a sufficient
distance below the bottom of the basket to form a water seal when the acid-water
is forced down out of contact with such basket by non use. The gas eduction
pipe, E, is open at its upper end and extends down through the tube, I, of the
basket, and through the inclined bottom of the tank into the carbureter below; it
is provided with a valve, e, having a handle, 8, extending beyond the outer wall of
the tank. It may also have a branch pipe for conducting heating gas without
illuminants away to a holder or to burners without passing through the carbureter.
The basket, D, being supplied with metal scrap either of iron or of zinc and the
parts adjusted as shown, the acid-water is supplied to the tank in the usual way.
For the purpose of carrying out iny invention there is added to the acid-water the
alkaline carbonates, preferably in the proportion of two parts of carbonate of soda
to one part of carbonate of ammonia. Either the carbonate of soda or carbonate
of ammonia may be used alone or some other alkaline carbonate may be used with
advantageous results, but I prefer the mixture of carbonate of soda and carbonate
An ounce of carbonate of
of ammonia, the proportions of which may be varied.
soda with half an ounce of carbonate of ammonia may be used for every gallon of
acid-water, though a less quantity will produce good results, and I do not limit
myself to any particular quantity of alkaline carbonate to be used. The alkaline
carbonate acts upon the particles of sulphate of iron so as to cause them to be
thrown down and deposited in such a form as to remain at the bottom of the
generator below the basket containing the metal during the generation of gas.
The acid-water being freed from sulphate particles at the point of contact with the
metal will act upon the iron to generate gas with nearly uniform energy for a very
long period of time.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, & in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that wha
I claim is
1. The process of generating hydrogen gas by subjecting iron or zinc to the
action of dilute acid and maintaining the activity of the acidulated water by
adding thereto an alkaline carbonate whereby one charge of acid-water may b
used for a much longer time and the yield of gas may be more uniforml
maintained.

page_text: 2. The process of obtaining a uniform yield of hydrogen gas and economizing
acids used in the generation, which consists in subjecting iron or zinc to the action
of dilute acid containing in solution an alkaline carbonate, for freeing the acid-
water from floating or mixed particles of sulphate of iron or zinc.
3. In the manufacture of hydrogen gas the method of maintaining the yield or
volume of gas generated and economizing acid, which consists in subjecting iron or
zinc to the action of acidulated water and adding to such a water, carbonate of
soda and carbonate of ammonia for freeing it from floating or mingling particles
of sulphate of iron or zinc.
4. In the generation of hydrogen by the action of dilute acid upon iron or zinc
the method of precipitating floating particles of sulphate of iron or zinc which
consists in adding to the dilute acid carbonate of soda, or carbonate of ammonia, or
both, whereby the dilute acid is rendered more active and can be used an increased
period of time.