Improvements in the Manufacture of Gas for Lighting and Heating Purposes.
Year: 1886

page_text: Date of Application, 4th Dec., 1886
Complete Left, 25th Jan., 1887.
Complete Accepted. 5th Apr., 1887
[Communicated from abroad by JAMES J. JOHNSTON, OF
States of America, Attorney at Law.]
anorama, Umo, Onta
Improvements in the Manufacture of Gas for Lighting and Heating
Purposes.
1, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows :-
My invention consists in a method of and means for generating gas for heating and
illuminating purposes by mixing oxygen and nitrogen of the atmosphere with hydrogen
and carbon in a liquid condition whereby a combination is effected resulting in a fixed
gas consisting of about 19 per cent of oxygen, 70 per cent of nitrogen and 11 per cent
of hydrocarbons. These proportions however will vary according to the fluidity and
specific gravity of the liquid hydrocarbon, that is to say, the greater fluidity and
the lighter the liquid hydrocarbon the greater the proportion of hydrocarbon in the gas.
In the manufacture of gas by my method, the proportion of ogygen, nitrogen and
hydrocarbons before mentioned is deemed the best for a heating gas which, in burning,
will require a large proportion of atmospheric air; said gas may also be changed to a
most excellent illuminating gas by passing through burning or heated coke, coal oil-
bearing shale, or other highly heated substance rich in carbon. The operation of
forming the combination of gases herein mentioned consists in partly filling a series of
vessels with liquid hydrocarbon, heating the liquid by a hot water bath to about
95° Fahrenheit, then forcing atmospheric air into the first vessel, conducting it up
through the liquid hydrocarbon, and separating the resulting gas therefrom in the
same vessel, then conducting the gas through each remaining vessel successively and
separating the gas from the liquid hydrocarbon in each vessel.
The vessels may be varied in number according to the richness of the gas required,
but in practice I have found six (6) vessels to produce a very good heating gas. By
introducing air under pressure into the vessel containing liquid hydrocarbon, and
separating the resulting gas from the liquid hydrocarbon I obtain a fixed gas which
will not condense in a holder or in the gas mains, and which may be utilized for
general heating purposes.
Dated this 4th day of December 1886.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London,
Agents for the Applicant.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Gas for Lighting and Heating
Purposes.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent Agents,
Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, 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:--
My invention relates to the production of a cheap fixed gas for heating and
illuminating purposes, as a substitute for the gases and the various kinds of fuel used
in the arts, and also as a fuel for fire-places in dwelling houses, offices and buildings
generally where it is desirable to use what is known as the "open fire-place," or for
furnaces for general heating purposes.
of
The state of the art reveals the fact that for the purpose above stated, the production
gas has been attended with great trouble and always with considerable expense, and
for the purpose of making such gas various materials have been employed, such as
coal, the slacks of coal, oil bearing shale, petroleum oil, and the volatilo products
.obtained therefrom, such as benzole and gasoline.
Apparatus of various constructions have been employed in connection with the
manufacture of such gas all of which are more or less costly, and as a rule complicated
in their structure, often requiring a high degree of skill and long experience to
operate them.
In the use of petroleum oil and its volatile products, air, solid hydro-carbons, heat
and steam have been employed in various ways, and by a variety of means for the
purpose of producing a cheap gas. Atmospheric air has been passed through a body
of petroleum oil and its volatile products, and has been caused to pass over the
surface of said oil and its products, and traverse a series of surfaces arranged in
different horizontal and vertical planes.
Air has been heated and applied to petroleum oil and its volatile products in the
same manner, air has also been heated and superheated and applied to said oil and its
products. Steam has been applied to petroleum oil and its products in the same
manner as air above described; and air and steam combined have been applied in line
manner. Petroleum oil has also been heated to a degree to vaporise it and atmospheric
air forced through it.
The various gases resulting from such applications of air and steam to petroleum oil
and its products have been employed in the arts for heating and illuminating purposes.
And air and steam treated as above described have been combined with solid hydro-
carbons, such as coal, oil bearing shale and asphaltum, and subjected to high degrees
of heat and employed for the purposes stated.
Superheated steam and air have been applied to the surface of heated petroleum oil
contained in a vessel and mingled with the vapors of said oil evolved by heat and

page_text: subsequently subjected to a high degree of heat for the purpose of making a fixed gas
therefrom.
In all of the various processes referred to, the gases arising from the air, heated air,
or steam and petroleum oil or its volatile products, have been condensible, unless fixed
by subjecting them to a high degree of heat subsequent to the mixing of the gases.
Air and petroleum oil each have their peculiar properties and we can not impart to
them other properties than those which they possess, but my object is to so apply the
laws that control them as to produce a fixed gas for heating and illuminating purposes.
What I mean by a "fixed gas," is, gas which for practical purposes will not condense
in a holder or pipes, and is made without the application of a high degree of heat, as
in the case of making ordinary coal and water gas and gas from oils, but is made
under pressure and with a low degree of heat as compared with other systems.
It is a fact well known that atmospheric air consists of oxygen and nitrogen, and
petroleum oil consists of carbon and hydrogen, and that the particles of these clements
have each their own atomic weight and combining quantity. It is also well known
that these elements and their particles are unlike, and that chemical affinity acts only
upon unlike particles; therefore these elements will unite and form a gas. The
purpose of my invention therefore, is, to unite the elements contained in atmospheric
air and petroleum oil, by causing atmospheric air and petroleum oil to act, the one
upon the other in the manner hereinafter described for the purpose of producing a
cheap fixed and efficient heating and illuminating gas.
In practising my invention I have discovered that by a union of about nineteen (19)
atoms or parts of oxygen, about seventy one (71) atoms of nitrogen, and about ten
(10) atoms of hydro-carbons, a fixed gas of great heating power is produced, when
burned under proper conditions, with devices suited for the burning of said gas; and
that its luminosity is equal to about fourteen (14) candle power when burned with
the ordinary Argand gas burner with its inner air inlets somewhat diminished.
I have also discovered that the luminosity of the gas may be increased to about
twenty five (25) candle power, by subsequently increasing the atoms or parts of hydro-
carbons to about twenty (20) atoms, instead of ten (10) as above stated.
I have further discovered that the union of the atoms or parts of oxygen, nitrogen
and hydro-carbons, hereinbefore mentioned for making a fixed gas having the properties
specified, can only be effected at a low degree of heat, (as compared with the degree
of heat usually employed in making gas) under the natural law that the different gases
have their own combining quantities, time and conditions in forming unions or
combinations, therefore, for the purpose of effecting a union of these different gases in
their proper proportions, for the purpose stated I will now proceed to describe the
process, and the apparatus employed for carrying out said process.
the
In the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification-
Figure 1 represents a diagrammatic plan.
Figure 2 a diagrammatic side elevation.
Figure 3 a side elevation partly in section, of the air pump, the receiver and one of
Figure 4a sectional view of the carbon enriching furnace and washer or dust
arrester, and showing a portion of the connecting pipe between the last generator and
said furnace, and
Figure 5a sectional view of the fixing furnace, and showing the washer in side
elevation connected therewith.
Reference being had to the drawings, and the letters marked thereon, A, represents
an air pump provided with a by-pass valve B. From the air pump extends a pipe C,
which communicates with the upper chamber D, of the receiver and heater E. The
pipe C, is encased within a pipe F, leaving a space between the two pipes for the
reception of a heating medium.
The air receiver E, is divided into compartments or chambers D, and G, by means
of heads, or partitions a, b, and said compartments communicate through a large
number of tubes c, which are secured in said heads, in the manner common to the
construction of flue boilers.
Figure 4a sectional view of the carbon enriching furnace and washer or dust
arrester, and showing a portion of the connecting pipe between the last generator and
said furnace, and.
Figure 5 a sectional view of the fixing furnace, and showing the washer in side
elevation connected therewith.
Reference being had to the drawings, and the letters marked thereon, A, represents
an air pump provided with a by-pass valve B. From the air pump extends a pipe C,
which communicates with the upper chamber D, of the receiver and heater E. The
pipe C, is encased within a pipe F, leaving a space between the two pipes for the
reception of a heating medium.
The air receiver E, is divided into compartments or chambers D, and G, by means
of heads, or partitions a, b, and said compartments communicate through a large
number of tubes e, which are secured in said heads, in the manner common to the
construction of flue boilers.

page_text: To the shell or wall of the receiver, at a point between the heads a, b, is attached a
pipe H, for conducting steam into the chamber I, between said heads. There is also
attached to said shell, a pipe J, for conducting the steam from the chamber I, into the
casing K, which surrounds the generator L. The lower chamber G, of the receiver E,
communicates with the bottom of the generator I, through the medium of a pipe M,
having a regulating valve N, and a back pressure valve O. The generator Lis
provided with a concavo-convex partition P, near the lower end thereof, and between
which and the bottom of the generator is formed a chamber R. The partition P, is
provided with a series of short tubes S; the area of the bore of which tubes should
be about equal to the area of the bore of the pipes C, and M.
In the upper part of the generator L, are placed two or more finely perforated
diaphragms T, for preventing the foam or spray of the oil being carried from one
generator into another; and the space between said diaphragm may be filled with a
substance such as coke, to still further prevent any foam or spray passing from one
generator to another, or from the washer to the holder.
The generators U, V, W, Y, and Z, are each constructed in every respect the same
as the generator L. The upper end of the several generators communicates with the
lower end of the next succeeding generator by means of a pipe A¹, which is also
provided with a back pressure valve O, of the same construction as that shown in the
pipe M, in Figure 3.
The casings K, of the several generators communicate with each other by means of
pipes B and the several casings should be provided with suitable valves (not shown)
for drawing off the water of condensation. The pipe A', leading from the generator Z,
communicates with a retort C, having a charging pipe D', at its upper end, and a
discharge pipe F at the bottom, and a pipe E which communicates with the upper
end of the retort and extends down to near the bottom of the washer G¹. The
retort (, is contained within a furnace H, and is filled with bituminous coal, oil
hearing shale, or coke, and lime, which may be arranged in separate layers or strata,
as shown in Figure 4, or the solid hydro-carbons may be mixed with the lime in a
body. The luminosity of the gas may be greatly increased by using lime or the milk
of lime alone in said retort.
The pipe I, communicates with the upper end of the washer G', and the fixing
chamber or retort J₁, which is contained within a furnace L', and is provided with a
discharge passage Ki, for withdrawing any refuse matter which may accumulate in
said chamber. The chamber J¹, is filled with short sections or pieces of pipe or other
material to increase the heating surface within the chamber, as shown in Figure 5.
To the upper end of the fixing chamber J¹, is attached a pipe M, which communicates
with a washer N¹, which may be of the same construction as the generator L, and
from the upper end of said washer extends a pipe O', which communicates with a gas
holder.
The several generators are connected by a pipe P¹, and its branches, which are
provided with valves for controlling the supply of oil to the generators, from the
tank R, as shown in Figure 1. The tank should be sufficiently elevated to allow the
oil to flow from its lower side to the proper height in the several generators by gravity.
To the lower side of the cases of the several back pressure valves O, are connected
branch pipes having controlling valves, and all of said branches communicate with a
pipe S, (as shown in Figure 2) for drawing the oil from the generators when desired.
The washer N¹, is provided with a pipe T', which communicates with a water
supply, as shown in Figure 1.
When it is desired to make gas for heating purposes only, it is not necessary to
conduct the fixed gas from the last generator of the series, to the carbon enriching
furnace or the retort containing the bituminous coal and lime, it may therefore be
conducted directly to the holder, or it may be conducted through the washer N', and
then to the holder by placing a valve in the pipe between the last generator Z, and the
carbon enriching furnace, and in the pipe between the fixing furnace and the washer N¹,
and connecting said pipes by a pipe as U¹, shown in dotted lines in Figure 1.
In the practising of my invention, I have observed that the liability to carry oil

page_text: over from one generator to another in the form of spray or foam is lessened according
to the increased height given to said generators, and that the space above the oil
should be about four times the height of the depth of the body or column of oil in
generators from two to three feet in diameter. When the diameter of the generators
is reduced, the space above the oil should be increased accordingly. I have also
observed that any oil carried over with the gas from the last generator of the series
may be arrested in the washer N. Two or more washers may be used, instead of one,
as shown in the drawings, and when more than one is used the last of the series
should contain warm milk of lime, and the preceding one or ones warm water.
When only one washer is used preference is given to the milk of lime. The several
generators and the washer or washers are provided with pressure gages of ordinary
construction, and the gas holder is such as is common to the art.
The several parts being constructed and arranged substantially as herein shown and
described, the operation is as follows:-
The several generators L, U, V, W, Y and Z, are charged with crude petroleum oil
through pipe P', and its branches, to a depth of about three (3) feet, where the .
generators are from two (2) to three (3) feet in diameter and about fifteen (15) feet
high, the height of the oil being indicated by ordinary sight gages, (not shown), such
as are used in connection with steam boilers. The carbon enriching, and the fixing
retorts C, and J₁ are charged as hereinbefore described, and the washers G¹ and Ni
with water. The oil in the generators should be heated to from 80° to 90° F, that is
to say, to a point much below that of vaporizing the lightest product of the oil, which
heat is gradually increased as the specific gravity of the oil increases, but in no
instance must it be heated to such a degree as to evolve vapor from the oil. The
heating of the oil increases its fluidity and facilitates the passage of the air through it,
and the union of the oxygen and nitrogen of the air with the carbon and the hydrogen
of the oil. The fluidity may also be increased (if desired) by adding benzole to the
oil. The necessity for increasing the temperature of the oil may be ascertained by
test lights connected to the generators, or pipes leading therefrom (not shown). In
practice I have found that it has never been necessary to heat the oil above 315° F,
which may be done with steam at 80 lbs. pressure. The retort C in the carbon
enriching furnace is heated to about from five hundred (500°) to seven hundred
(700°) F, and the retort J' in the fixing furnace to about twelve hundred (1200°) F.
The air receiver E, the generator, the pipe between the receiver and the first generator,
and the washer or washers N¹, (which may be connected with the casing of one of the
generators) are all heated with exhaust steam from the engine which propels the
air pump A, or they may be heated with live steam direct from the boiler. The
temperature of the liquid in the several vessels may be regulated by the quantity of
steam permitted to flow into the air receiver and through the casings of the vessels.
The pump A, is then put into operation and air forced into the receiver and
heater E, entering the upper chamber D, it passes down through the tubes c into the
lower chamber G, the air being heated by steam filling the space around the tubes c
between the heads a, b, and the casing around the pipe C. The air is then conducted
from the receiver E through pipe M, into the chamber R of the first generator L,
from which it passes up, through the tubes S into and through the body or column of.
oil, and is separated therefrom between the surface of the oil and the diaphragms T.
Any foam or spray of the oil carried up by the air is arrested by the diaphragms and
the arresting bodies (not shown) in the space between or above the diaphragms. The
resulting gas from the first generator then passes on through the pipe A¹ into the next
generator, entering at the bottom, as in the first generator, the gas is forced up through
the oil, and again separated therefrom between the surface of the oil and the
diaphragms. The gas is thus conducted through all of the generators in the series,
and by the time it leaves the last generator a fixed heating gas has been formed which
will not condense in the holder or the mains leading to the place or places of consump-
tion. As heretofore stated the gas thus produced may be taken from the last generator
directly to the holder, or it may, by preference be conducted through the pipe U¹ to
the washer N', and from it into the holder.

page_text: When it is desired to produce a richer quality of gas for illuminating purposes, the
gas from the last generator is conducted into the retort C, where it is further enriched
with hydro-carbons from the coal, and the sulphur and the carbonic acid evolved with
the gases from the heated coal are taken up or separated from the gas by the lime.
The gas is then conducted through the pipe E' into the washer or dust arrester G' and
discharged into the water, rising through which it passes out of the pipe I' into the
retort, in the fixing furnace; where it is superheated and permanently fixed.
From the retort J¹, the fixed gas is conducted through one or more washers N',
containing warm water or milk of lime, and from the washers it is conducted to the
gas holder where it is stored ready for use.
In practice I have worked the air pump under from twelve (12) to fifteen (15)
pounds pressure per square inch, and have found that under twelve (12) pounds
pressure in the pump, the gage on the first generator indicated about ten (10) pounds
pressure, the second about eight (8) pounds, and thus gradually diminishing in pressure
until it reached the holder. The pressure in the holder determining the gradual
diminution of the pressure from the first generator to the holder. The pressure of the
gas in the holder and the main should be regulated with reference to the uses to which
the gas is to be applied. For use in furnaces and other heating purposes the pressure
should be greater than when used for illuminating purposes. The pressure in the
holder and the mains must in all cases be greater than that under which coal gas,
water gas, natural gas, and gases manufactured from gasoline and the lighter products
of petroleum oil, for the reason that gas manufactured under my process is of greater
specific gravity than any of the gases enumerated; and for this reason the mains and
supply pipes throughout the system should be of greater diameter than those ordinarily
employed.
The mean size of the generators which contain the oil, is about three feet in
diameter, and about fifteen feet in height, and the conduits between the several
generators are about six inches in diameter.
The aggregate pressure exerted upon the surface of the oil in the first generator is
about ten thousand one hundred and seventy (10,170) pounds, and in the second
generator eight thousand one hundred and thirty-six (8,136) pounds, and in the third.
generator about six thousand one hundred and two (6,102) pounds, and thus gradually
diminishing throughout the whole series of generators. But if it is desirable to
maintain a uniform pressure in all of the generators, (which will frequently occur) the
conduit from the last generator should be provided with an automatic pressure
regulating valve, adapted to be set at any pressure under which it may be desired to
generate the gas.
Experience has demonstrated that the instrumentalities employed for burning the
gases above enumerated, are not well adapted to burn the gas produced by my process,
but burners especially adapted thereto are required.
Having now particularly described & ascertained the nature of my said invention,
and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me by my
Foreign Correspondent I declare that what I claim is-
First. The process herein described of combining atoms of hydrogen and carbon of
crude petroleum oil, with atoms of oxygen and nitrogen of atmospheric air and thereby
forming a fixed gas, which consists in forcing atmospheric air under great pressure
through crude petroleum oil, heated in a vessel to a degree that will not evolve vapor
therefrom, separating the resulting gas from the oil in said vessel, then conducting the
gas through a series of bodies of said oil contained and heated in other vessels and
separating the gas from the oil in each vessel, substantially as described.
Second. The process of generating gas from crude petroleum oil and solid hydro-
carbons, which consists in heating said oil to a degree below the point of evolving
vapor therefrom, compressing air to a high degree and conducting it through a body
of said oil contained in a vessel, separating the resulting gas from the oil in the same
vessel, conducting the gas successively through a series of other vessels containing
heated oil and separating it therefrom in each vessel, then conducting the gas through

page_text: heated solid hydro-carbons, and finally superheating the combined gases for fixing
them substantially as described.
Third. The process of generating gas from crude petroleum oil and solid hydro-
carbons, which consists in heating said oil to a degree below the point of evolving
vapor therefrom, compressing air to a high degree, heating the air and conducting it
through a body of said oil contained in a vessel under pressure, separating the
resulting gas from the oil in the same vessel, conducting the gas successively through
a series of other vessels containing heated oil and separating it therefrom in each
vessel, then conducting the gas through heated solid hydro-carbons and a detersivo
agent, then superheating the gas, conducting it through liquid, and finally storing it
in a holder, substantially as described.
Fourth. The combination of an air pump, and a series of vessels provided with
means for heating the same, pipes communicating with the top of one and the bottom
of the next vessel, and air distributing, and foam arresting devices within said vessels,
substantially as described.
Fifth. The combination of an air pump, an air receiver and heater, a series of
vessels provided with means for heating the same, pipes communicating with the top
of one and the bottom of the next vessel, and air distributing, and foam arresting
devices within said vessels, and a suitable holder, substantially as described.
Sixth. The combination of an air pump, a series of vessels provided with means for
heating the same, pipes communicating with the top of one and the bottom of the
next vessel, and air distributing, and foam arresting devices within said vessels, a
carbon enriching retort, a superheater, a washer and a holder, substantially as
described.
Seventh. A generator provided with a partition having a series of perforations
therein, a chamber below said partition and a supply for said chamber, a perforated
diaphragm near the upper end of the generator, and a discharge pipe above said
diaphragm, substantially as described.
Datad this 5th day of Ton 1007
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.