Improvements in Gas Producers.
Year: 1899

page_text: Improvements in Gas Producers.
I, FRANCIS RADCLIFFE, of 15, Vernham Road, Plumstead, in the County of
Kent, Chief Foreman of Forges, do hereby declare the nature of this invention
to be follows: :-
This invention relates to gas producers in which gas for heating purposes is
generated by means of the action of air, or air and steam, on incandescent
carbonaceous fuel; and its object is to effect improvements in apparatus of this
class, whereby the gas generated therein is both more uniform in quality and
of higher calorific value, than that which has hitherto usually been produced in
such apparatus.
In apparatus of the class referred to, the fuel is usually placed either directly
over the fire or on a sloping side thereof, while air, or a mixture of air and
steam is supplied to the lower part of the producer, and passes upwards through
the fuel, the gases thereby generated being withdrawn through an exit port near
the upper end of the producer. Under such circumstances, whenever fresh fuel
is added, a poor weak and watery gas is given off until the added fuel has
attained to incandescence. This is due to various causes; in the first place the
freshly added fuel is unable to enter into combination with the gases passing
through it, and aid in the production of gas until it has attained to a red heat,
while the quality of the gas meanwhile produced in the lower portion of the
furnace is also deteriorated by contact with the cool fuel through which it must
pass before it can leave the producer.
Shortly after the added fuel has attained to a red heat, and while good heating
gas is being produced, fresh or green fuel has again to be added, thereby im-
poverishing the gas, and as this cycle has to be continually repeated, the gas thus
generated must necessarily be variable in quality and intermittent in supply.
In such apparatus, moreover, heavy deposits of clinkers are likely to be formed,
in consequence of the intense local combustion which takes place on account of
the uneven distribution of the air. This has the effect of damaging the walls
of the producer, and of causing scaffoldings to form on the sides, thus pre-
venting a regular supply of fuel from reaching the fire. Moreover, fire bars
when used are liable to rapid destruction. Under such circumstances the gas
given off is irregular and of poor heating quality, in consequence of
the large volume of air which is able to pass through the producer without
acting upon the fuel.
Now this invention has for object to obviate the foregoing disadvantages and
it has reference for this purpose to an improved construction of gas producer
whereby the air or mixture of air and steam to support combustion and cause
the production of gas when the producer is in full operation, can be supplied
directly into the midst of the glowing fuel in such a manner as to bring about a
practically equal and uniform combustion within the range of the blast, while
the gas thereby generated is drawn off at a point or points in the wall of the
producer between the top and bottom thereof so that it has to pass only through

page_text: I, FRANCIS RADCLIFFE, of 15, Vernham Road, Plumstead, in the County of
Kent, Chief Foreman of Forges, 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:-
This invention relates to gas producers in which gas for heating purposes is
generated by means of the action of air, or air and steam, on incandescent
carbonaceous fuel; and its object is to effect improvements in apparatus of this
class, whereby the gas generated therein is both more uniform in quality and
of higher calorific value, than that which has hitherto usually been produced in
such apparatus.
In apparatus of the class referred to, the fuel is usually placed either directly
over the fire or on a sloping side thereof, while air, or a mixture of air and
steam is supplied to the lower part of the producer, and passes upwards through
the fuel, the gases thereby generated being withdrawn through an exit port near
the upper end of the producer. Under such circumstances, whenever fresh fuel
is added, a poor weak and watery gas is given off until the added fuel has
atiained to incandescence. This is due to various causes. In the first place the
freshly added fuel is unable to enter into combination with the gases passing
through it and aid in the production of gas, until it has attained to a red heat,
while the quality of the gas meanwhile produced in the lower portion of the
furnace is also deteriorated by contact with the cool fuel through which it must
pass before it can leave the producer. Shortly after the added fuel has attained
to a red heat, and while good heating gas is being produced, fresh or green fuel
has again to be added, thereby again impoverishing the gas as herein before
explained, and as this cycle is continuous, the gas thus generated must necessarily
be variable in quality and intermittent in supply.
In such apparatus, moreover, heavy deposits of clinkers are likely to be formed
in consequence of the intense local combustion which takes place on account of
the uneven distribution of the air. This has the effect of damaging the walls
of the producer, and of causing" scaffoldings" to form on the sides, thus pre-
venting a regular supply of fuel from reaching the fire. Moreover, fire bars
when used, are liable to rapid destruction. Under such circumstances the gas
given off is irregular in quantity and of poor heating quality, in consequence of
the large volume of air which is able to pass through the producer without
acting upon the fuel.
Now this invention has for object to obviate the foregoing disadvantages and
it has reference for this purpose to an improved construction of gas producer
whereby the air or mixture of air and steam to support combustion and cause
the production of gas when the producer is in full operation, can be supplied
directly into the midst of the glowing fuel in such a manner as to bring about a
practically equal and uniform combustion within the range of the blast, while
the gas thereby generated is drawn off at a point or points in the wall of the
producer between the top and bottom thereof so that it has to pass only through
ine hottest part of the fire before it leaves the generator on its way to an outlet
pipe which is or may be situated near the top of the producer, the arrangement
being such that the gas generated is practically uniform in quality and free from
light smoky vapours, tarry compounds, and other like impurities so that it will
not form sooty deposits after leaving the producer.
In the accompanying illustrative drawings, Figs. 1 and 2 are central vertical
sections taken in planes at right angles to one another, the latter being partly

page_text: the fuel, thereby enabling clinker to be expeditiously removed from the fire bars
with the loss of very little fire or fuel. 16, 16 is a pipe which supplies cold
water to the bosh 10, and 17 is the water exit pipe from said bosh; this exit pipe
drains into a tank 18, which is situated in the ash pit and is provided with a
suitable overflow not shown.
Upon reference to the drawings, it will be seen, that the construction and
general arrangement of my improved gas producer is, except as hereinbefore
described, similar to that of the ordinary gas producers at present in use, the
usual pokering holes, sight holes, and other fittings being provided as well
understood.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
I claim is:
1. A gas producer wherein the air or mixture of air and steam to support
combustion and cause the production of gas is supplied directly into the midst of
the fuel in such a manner as to bring about a practically equal and uniform
combustion of such fuel within the range of the blast and the gas thereby
generated is drawn off at a point or points in the wall of the producer between
the top and bottom thereof so that it has to pass only through the hottest part
of the mass of fuel before leaving the generator on its way to an outlet pipe,
substantially as herein described for the purposes specified.
2. A gas producer having centrally suspended within its fuel chamber a water
jacketted pipe provided at intervals along its length with small nozzles or tuyeres
through which air supplied to the upper end of the tube can pass directly into the
midst of the fuel within the fuel chamber and the wall of the said chamber is pro-
vided at intervals around the lower portion of the water jacketted air pipe with gas
exit ports each of which is connected to a separate passage that leads to a gas exit
opening and is or may be controlled by a valve or damper, substantially as
hereinbefore described.
3. The improved gas producer, constructed, arranged and operating substantially
as hereinbefore described with reference to and shown in the drawings annexed.
Dated this 26th day of April 1900.
Dated this 26th day of April 1900.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.
For the Applicant,
W. LLOYD WISE,
46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, W.C.,
Chartered Patent Agent.