Improvements in or relating to Gas Generators for Motor Engines.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Mar., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 10th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 30th Jan., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Gas Generators for Motor Engines.
A communication from COMPAGNIE DES FONDERIES ET FORGES DE L'HORME
(also known as "Chantiers de la Buire," Lyons,) and Monsieur ALEXANDRE
LENCAUCHEZ, Engineer, of 156, Bd. Magenta, Paris, both in the Republic of
France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
:-
Gas motors have at the present time attained a very high degree of perfection.
deriving, as they do, a much greater amount of motive power from a unit of heat
than the best steam engines.
<6
Hitherto, however, gas engines have more frequently been operated by gas
obtained by the distillation of the species of coal known as
gas coal," than by
other combustible gases, capable, when mixed with atmospheric air, of forming the
required explosive. Such coal gas (being the ordinary lighting gas), while it is
convenient enough in cities, where it can readily be procured through a branch pipe
of a few metres length, becomes very expensive where a sufficient supply is required
for powerful engines, and is to be paid for at the usual rates of municipal gas
It is there-
companies, besides, outside a certain radius, no gas is obtainable at all.
fore of the greatest importance that both excessive costliness and scarcity of
ordinary gas should be provided against by the discovery of a suitable substitute
for the same.
It has long been a well known fact that the gas yielded by existing works,
becomes capable of feeding motor engines the moment its calorific power exceeds
1200 units of heat per cubic metre, and as, in practice, it is possible by means of
good apparatus to produce 1300 and even 1350 units of heat, with the worst fuel,
and as many as 1500 units with choice fuel, it is desirable that gas generators
should be so constructed as to supply as rich gas as possible.
For this purpose, we have devised a series of apparatus comprising certain novel
devices and combinations the most important of which we shall now proceed to
describe, and in which air, after passing through a small regulating dome enters a
superheater. This superheater is a heat producing tubular apparatus in which the
hot air tubes may or may not be provided with wings according to the importance
of the gas generator. It receives the heat from the gas (which issues from the
generator at a temperature of about 600 to 800° C.) before such gas passes into
the lixiviating or purifying apparatus. In passing through the superheater the
gas therefore yields part of its available heat to the air blast, thereby warming it
to a temperature of about 200 or 300° C. From the superheater the air after being
thus heated enters the hollow base of a special arrangement presently to be
described upon which is erected the gas generator. This base is filled with hot
water supplied from the cylinder of the gas engine. By coming into contact with
this water the air becomes saturated with it and superheated, whereupon it passes
through the generator and is converted into rich gas.
The gas thus produced passes on into the superheater and then into the purifier.
This latter apparatus consists of a column of coke moistened by a continuous
current of cooled water. The coke it contains should be finer the nearer it is to its
top. This lixiviating or purifying apparatus is provided with a perforated conical
distributor arranged to spread water evenly all over the filtering surface.
Similarly to what takes place in an ordinary apparatus of this kind the water and
gas move respectively in opposite directions whereby thorough lixiviation and a
gradual and methodical cooling are ensured.

page_text: From this purifier the gas escapes into a gas distributor provided with a valve
or trap which enables the required amount of gas to be supplied to a gasometer in
working order through a sluice-valve, or discharged into a chimney during the
short periods of lighting and cleaning. This gas-feeder may be replaced if desired
by valves or any apparatus adapted to reverse the course of the gas.
The characteristic features of a plant of gas works for motor engines such as is
herein sketched out are as follows:-
1. The means employed for saturating the air under pressure with steam and
superheating it.
2. The means employed for supplying the generator with gas under pressure so
as to store up gas for the renewal of the operation after the period of rest or when
the grate loses somewhat its brightness as it is apt to do from time to time in
consequence of the cooling which results from the decomposition of the steam or
through any other cause, and
3. The means employed for controlling the air-blast.
In regard to the first of these three features, the gas-generator proper is erected
upon a hollow base containing the ash-pan. This base forms around the ash-pan an
annular basin or jacket the water level in which is kept constant by a suitable over-
flow cock or valve.
This water being discharged from the cylinder of the engine and the temperature
of which is about 65° C., is first conducted by a pipe to the upper part of the grate
within a head piece forming a distributing reservoir, from which it subsequently
flows in the condition of spray into the ash-pan after having cooled the metallic
portions of the grate.
The hot water falling into the ash-pan passes through openings in the latter into
an annular jacket. In this jacket the air under pressure having already been
heated by contact with the heater is introduced into a conduit. As it flows in
contact with the surface of the heated water contained in the said jacket the air
becomes saturated with such water and superheated. This mixture of hot air and
superheated steam which now passes through the gas generator is in so doing
converted into combustible gas rich in hydrogen.
Although we prefer the employment of an air heater by reason of the saving of
fuel resulting therefrom, we wish it to be understood that we do not limit ourselves
to this addition as in some cases for economical or other reasons it may be deemed
preferable to dispense with such superheater and use only the gas generator as gas
suitable for driving motor-engines may be obtained in this manner also, though
involving an increased expenditure of fuel.
Turning now to the second feature above mentioned it sometimes happens that in
consequence of the units of heat necessary for the decomposition of the mixture of
steam and air being consumed, the grate is found to lose its brightness to a certain
extent. To enable it to recover this brightness and to make the fuel in this part
of the furnace red-hot throughout, a gas-coil or ring is arranged so as to receive
gas under a pressure higher than that of the gasometer or that of the blast
underneath the grate. This ring is then lighted and instantly develops an intense
heat capable of rendering the grate and fuel incandescent in a few minutes without
stopping either the supply of air or the operation of the engine. It is hardly
necessary to point out moreover that this is a remarkably advantageous method of
restoring the brilliancy of red heat to the grate in cases where the operation of the
plant has been discontinued for a time.
In order to feed the said ring or coil with gas we arrange a small storage
gasometer similar to the small gasometers used in laboratories which is besides
surmounted by a vessel which may be filled with any desired quantity of water and
evacuated wholly or partly by means of suitable cocks. When this vessel is
emptied gas from the gasometer is introduced into it which upon raising the dome
fills the apparatus.
When it is filled with combustible gas the gas-inlet cock is turned off and the
water inlet cock is opened. Water will then fill the vessel and the dome charged

page_text: to a higher degree of pressure than that existing in the main gasometer. The dome
or auxiliary gasometer being thus charged the cock of the ring or coil is turned on
and the gas lighted underneath the grate as stated above so as to keep up the red
heat during operation and accelerate the production of operative gas in the
generator. When the operation has been stopped for a certain time the filling of
the secondary gasometer may be repeated if necessary two or three times in order
to supply the gas for brightening up the grate of the generator. Instead of water
a weight or equivalent may be used, in which case a cord and pulley arrangement
or similar means may be used for operating it so as to produce alternately suction
and compression in the auxiliary gasometer.
Referring to the third point the means used for controlling the supply of air
under pressure consist in a dome provided with window-like apertures and removably
mounted upon a tube which forms a branch of the main pipe. By raising this
dome one or more of the said apertures is opened, thereby enabling the air blast,
the pressure of which is by that time diminished to a certain extent, freely to pass
through.
Dated this 17th dev of March 1901
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to Gas Generators for Motor Engines.
A communication from COMPAGNIE DES FONDERIES ET FORGES DE L'HORME
(also known as "Chantiers de la Buire "), of Lyons, and Monsieur ALEXANDRE
LENCAUCHEZ, of 156, Boulevard Magenta, Paris, in the Republic of France.
I, ALFRED JULIUS BOULT of 323 High Holborn in the County of Middlesex,
M.I.M.E., do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
Gas motors have at the present time attained a very high degree of perfection
deriving as they do a much greater amount of motive power from a unit of heat
than the best steam engines.
66
Hitherto however gas engines have more frequently been operated by gas
obtained by the distillation of the species of coal known as 'gas coal" than by
other combustible gases capable when mixed with atmospheric air of forming the
required explosive. Such coal gas (being the ordinary lighting gas) while it is
convenient enough in cities where it can readily be procured through a branch pipe
of a few metres' length becomes very expensive where a sufficient supply is
required for powerful engines and is to be paid for at the usual rates of municipal
gas companies; besides outside a certain radius no gas is obtainable at all. It is
therefore of the greatest importance that both excessive costliness and scarcity
of ordinary gas should be provided against by the discovery of a suitable substitute
for the same.
It has long been a well known fact that the gas yielded by existing works
becomes capable of feeding motor engines the moment its calorific power exceeds
1200 units of heat per cubic metre (when brought down to 0 and up to 760); and
as in practice it is possible by means of good apparatus to produce 1300 and
even 1350 units of heat with the worst fuel and as many as 1500 units with choice
fuel it is desirable that gas generators should be so constructed as to supply as rich
gas as possible.
For this purpose we have devised a series of apparatus comprising certain novel
devices and combinations the most important of which we shall now proceed to
describe by referring to the accompanying drawings in which
Fig. 1 is a vertical section and

page_text: Fig. 2 is a view partly in plan and partly in horizontal section of the complete
apparatus and
Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the air regulating valve.
From these drawings it will be seen that air after passing through a small regu-
lating valve or dome a enters a superheater A. This superheater is a tubular
apparatus in which the hot air tubes may or may not be provided with wings
according to the importance of the gas generator B. It receives the heat from the
gas (which issues from the generator at a temperature of about 600 to 800° C.)
before such gas passes into the lixiviating or purifying apparatus C.
In passing through the superheater A the gas therefore yields part of its avail-
able heat to the air blast thereby warming it to a temperature of about 200 or
300° C. From the superheater the air after being thus heated enters the hollow
base of a special arrangement presently to be described upon which is erected
the gas generator B. This base is filled with hot water supplied from the cylinder
of the gas engine. By coming into contact with this water the air becomes
saturated with it and superheated whereupon it passes through the generator B
and is converted into rich gas.
The gas thus produced passes on into the superheater A and then into the
purifier C. This latter apparatus consists of a column of coke moistened by a
continuous current or shower of cooled water. The coke it contains should be
finer the nearer it is to its top. This lixiviating or purifying apparatus is provided
with a perforated conical distributor arranged to spread water evenly all over the
filtering surface. Similarly to what takes place in an ordinary apparatus of this
.kind the water and gas move respectively in opposite directions whereby thorough
lixiviation and a gradual and methodical cooling are ensured.
From this purifier the gas escapes into a gas-distributor D provided with a valve
or trap which enables the required amount of gas to be supplied to a gasometer
in working order through a sluice valve E or discharged into a chimney F during
the short periods of lighting and cleaning. This gas feeder may be replaced if
desired by valves or any apparatus adapted to reverse the course of the gas.
The characteristic features of a plant of gas-works for motor-engines such as is
herein sketched out are as follows:-
1) The means employed for saturating the air under pressure with steam and
superheating it.
2) The means employed for supplying the generator with gas under pressure so
as to store up gas for the renewal of the operation after the period of rest or
when the grate loses somewhat its brightness as it is apt to do from time in con-
sequence of the cooling which results from the decomposition of the steam or
through any other cause. And
3) The means employed for controlling the air blast.
In regard to the first of these three features it will be seen from the drawings
that the gas generator proper B is erected upon a hollow base containing the
ash-pan or pit. This base forms around the ash-pan an annular basin or jacket the
water level in which is kept constant by a suitable overflow cock or valve.
This water being discharged from the cylinder of the engine and the temperature
of which is about 65° C. is first conducted by a pipe to the upper part of the grate
within a head-piece e forming a distributing reservoir from which it subsequently
flows in the condition of spray into the ash-pan after having cooled the metallic
portions of the grate.
The hot water falling into the ash-pan passes through the openings h in
the latter into the annular jacket f. In this jacket the air under pressure
having already been heated by contact with the heater A is introduced into the
conduit i. As it flows in contact with the surface of the heated water contained
in the said jacket the air becomes saturated with such water and superheated.
This mixture of hot air and superheated steam which now passes through the gas
generator in so doing is converted into combustible gas rich in hydrogen.
Although we prefer the employment of an air heater A by reason of the saving

page_text: of fuel resulting therefrom we wish it to be understood that we do not limit our-
selves to this addition as in some cases for economical or other reasons it may be
deemed preferable to dispense with such superheater and use only the gas generator,
as gas suitable for driving motor-engines may be obtained in this manner also
though involving an increased expenditure of fuel.
Turning now to the second feature above mentioned it sometimes happens that
in consequence of the units of heat necessary for the decomposition of the mixture
of steam and air being consumed the grate is found to lose its brightness to a
certain extent. To enable to recover this brightness and to make the fuel in this
part of the furnace red-hot throughout a gas coil or ring burner d is arranged so
as to receive gas under a pressure higher than that of the gasometer or that of
the blast underneath the grate. This ring d is then lighted and instantly develops
an intense heat capable of rendering the grate and fuel incandescent in a few
minutes without stopping either the supply of air or the operation of the engine.
It is hardly necessary to point out moreover that this is a remarkably advantageous
method of restoring the brilliancy of red-heat to the grate in cases where the
operation of the plant has been discontinued for a time.
In order to feed the said ring or coil with gas we arrange at G a small
storage gasometer similar to the small gasometers used in laboratories which is
besides surmounted by a vessel which may be filled with any desired quantity of
water and evacuated wholly or partly by means of suitable cocks. When this
vessel e is emptied gas from the gasometer is introduced into it which upon raising
the dome fills the apparatus.
When it is filled with combustible gas the gas inlet cock is turned off and the
water inlet cock is opened. Water will then fill the vessel e and the dome charged
to a higher degree of pressure than that existing in the main gasometer. The
dome or auxiliary gasometer being thus charged the cock of the ring or coil d
is turned on and the gas lighted underneath the grate as stated above so as to
keep up the red heat during operation and accelerate the production of operative
gas in the generator B. When the operation has been stopped for a certain time
the filling of the secondary gasometer G may be repeated if necessary two or
three times in order to supply the gas for brightening up the grate of the
generator. Instead of water a weight or equivalent may be used in which
case a cord and pulley arrangement or similar means may be used for
operating it so as to produce alternately suction and compression in the auxiliary
gasometer.
Referring to the third point, the means used for controlling the supply of air
under pressure as shown in Fig. 3, consist of a dome a provided with window
like apertures a¹ and adjustable by means of a rod a², in a tube or sleeve a³ which
forms a branch or part of the main pipe. By raising this dome a one or more of
the said apertures a¹ are exposed thereby enabling the air blast to pass through,
its pressure by these means being regulated to any desired extent.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion as communicated to me by my foreign correspondents and in what manner the
same is to be performed I declare that what I claim is :-
1. The herein described combination of various apparatus enabling gas for the
operation of gas engines to be manufactured substantially as described and
illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
2. The apparatus described for saturating the air under pressure with steam
by causing it to pass over the surface of the water contained in the hollow base
supporting the gas generator while the air may or may not be heated by means of
heating apparatus such as A substantially as described and illustrated in the
accompanying drawings.
3. The herein described means of supplying the gas generator with gas under
pressure while extinguished fuel is being lighted again or when it is desired to
render the fuel more incandescent than before substantially as described.

page_text: 4. The means herein described for controlling the pressure of the blast conveyed
into the gas generator substantially as described.
Dated this 9th day of December 1891.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.