IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS
Year: 1884

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION,
I, SILAS COVEL SALISBURY of the City and State of New York, United States
of America, Consulting Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my Invention
for IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS, and in what manner the same
is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by tho
following statement :—
The said Invention relates to the process of and apparatus for making
illuminating gas, from hydro-carbon liquid and hydrogen vapor as well as from
coal and hydrogen vapor. The ordinary coal gas works inay be utilized in
carrying into practice iny Invention. The hydro-carbon gas may be made for
consumption separately or for enriching coal gas. By my Invention gas may be
produced of any desired quality and the cost of production is reduced to a minimum.
The coal gas retorts after being charged, at first yield rapidly a rich gas and tar
is formed by condensation to the extent of several gallons to each ton of coal. In
my process this tar is converted into gas by the introduction of hydrogen vapor and
the rich gas is thus reduced to the desired quality, while the poor gas of the later
stage of distillation is enriched by the introduction of hydro-carbon vapor.
The apparatus is so constructed with valves that the amount of hydrogen and
hydro-carbon vapors' introduced may be regulated to render the coal gas of uniform
quality. The carbon liberated in the apparatus forms a perfect union with the
hydrogen, producing a fixed gas. The hydro-carbon gas made separately may
be mixed with coal gas the combination will make a gas free of sulphur and
comparatively free of carbonic oxide which may be consumed in ordinary burners
without smoke,
In the accompanying Drawings making a part of this Specification
Figure 1 is a front view of an ordinary bench of retorts, with my appliances
partly in section. Figure 2 is a vertical central section of the same. Figure 3 is a
vertical contral section of one of these retorts of a modified form. Figure 4 is a
vertical central section of the retort designed for making gas from coal and hydrogen
vapor or coal and hydro-carbon vapor. Figure 5 is a sectional view of an injector
designed for injecting oil and hydrogen vapor into the distributing pipe.
Tho
Figures 1 to 4 inclusive are made to a scale of 1 and Figure 5 to a scale o
full size.

page_text: "
A is a steam pipe which admits steam into superheating pipe B. The pipe B is
encased in pipe G. The steam impinges against the lead of pipe C, returns
through the space between the pipes B, C, and enters pipe D from which it passes
through pipe E. into the large pipe F which forms a decomposing retort. This
retort is filled with refuse iron such as iron borings or small pipes. The steam
heated in its passage becomes decomposed into hydrogen and other gases which
pass into the distributing pipe G and through the small service pipes H into the
several retorts and also into the furnace.
An injector I is interposed at each point of entrance into the retorts and furnace.
This injector is shown detached Figure 5... The steam entering through pipes H
into the inner section K of the injector meets at its exit a supply of hot hydro-
carbon oil or vapor which is admitted through pipes I into the surrounding
section M of the injector. This hydrogen carbon vapor is then forced into pipes N,
one of which is placed inside each retort where it is mixed and again heated to
about 1000 degrees. The pipes N discharge at the rear end of the retorts the
hydrogen-carbon vapor which on its return encounters the division plates O cach
provided with a number of short pipes o or perforated brick tiles. These partitions
form mixing chambers O¹ and cause perfect mixture of the vapors forming a fixed
gas which passes through pipe P into a suitablo reservoir. The plates O are cast
in one piece with short pipos o through which the vapor passos. An extra
bydrogen pipe H' which is for the purpose of reducing the quality of the rich
hydrogen-carbon vapor which is admitted by pipe N into the rear portion of the
retort is placed in said retort as shown. This pipe H¹ connects with the general
distributing pipe G in the same manner as the other hydrogen supply pipes H
which lead to the injector.
A modified form of one of the retorts is shown in Figure 3. The division plates O
are omitted and the super heating steam pipes A, B, C, D, and hydrogen generating
pipes E, F, are placed within the retort. The distributing pipe N in this retort is
connected and supplied in the same manner as pipe N in the other form of
construction. The modified form shown in Figure 4 is designed for the use of
coal and is provided with a pipe N' which discharges bydrogen vapor at the end
of the retort for reducing the rich gas at the carly stages and hydro-carbon vapor
for enriching poor gas at the later stages of distillation.
The retorts and other parts of the plant are first heated to about 1000 to 1200
degrees, the steam is then admitted into the superheating pipes, and when super-
heated is conveyed to the retort where it becomes decomposed the gases being
liberated. A portion of the oxygen is absorbed by the decomposition of refuse
iron such as iron borings or small pipes, forming the oxide of iron. These
liberated gases are then carried to the distributing pipe G and thence to the
branch pipes H and thence to the inner shell of the mixing and heating injector.
The oil is first heated to about 500 degrees by means of superheated steam in
the main oil pipe or otherwise and is then distributed to the branch pipes leading
to the outer shell of this injector where it is further heated by the red hot hydrogen
contained in the inner shell before they come in contact. There is a space of
about 3/4 of an inch in length where the hot oils and hot hydrogen gas are mixed.
The compound in form of a vapor is then discharged from the delivery end of
the injector through a pipe into the pipe leading to the heated retort and is
discharged into the rear end of the same under a regulated pressure and when
thus discharged is fully 1000 degrees temperature and then it has to pass through
the opening in the iron division plates or holes in the plates that form the
mixing chambers. The pressure is in all cases regulated by valves of ordinary
construction. The passage of the vapor through these holes and mixing chambers
thoroughly mixes the same and forms a permanent fixed gas of such quality as may
be desired. The quality is regulated by valves at the hydrogen and oil pipes
attached to the injector. It will be observed that a continuously increased heat is
administered first to the steam, then to the superhoated steam then to the oil and
.

page_text: vapor gas and then to completed gas. The whole process is automatic easily
arranged and when regulated requires little attention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
Invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is,
First. The process of making gas from hydro-carbon oil and hydrogen vapors
which consists in first decomposing steam by passing the same through a retort
charged with pieces of iron and afterwards forcing the hydrogen with heated
bydro-carbon oil through a mixing retort substantially as described.
Second. The process of making gas, which consists in supplying hydrogen vapor
and hydro-carbon vapor to the hot coals through a pipe inside the retorts, for the
purpose and substantially as described.
Third. The process which consists of heating, reheating and decomposing steam
and then combining the liberated gases with the hot vapors of hydro-carbon and
forcing the mixture through the heated mixing pipe thon discharging the hot vapor
at the rear end of the fixing retort when it is again heated and perfecting the saino
by passing it through perforated division plates thus forming the hydrogen and
bydro-carbon vapors into a permanent gas substantially as described.
Fourth. The method of heating the furnace of a bench of retorts by the use of
hydro-carbon vapor forced into the same by an injector substantially as described.
Fifth. The decomposing retort charged with pieces of iron having a super heated
steam pipe with an outlet at rear end of the retort for the purpose and substantially
as described.
Sixth. The combination of the steam decomposing retort the injector and a
mixing pipe and fixing retort for the purpose and substantially as described.
Seventh. The injectors in combination with the pipes connected therewith for
the purpose and arranged substantially as described."
Eighth. The separate hydrogen pipe in each of the retorts for the purpose and
substantially as described.
Ninth. The cast iron division plates with short pipes cast therewith for the
purpose and substantially as described.
Dated the Seventeenth day of June 1884.
ALLISON BROS.,
Agents for tho Applicant.