IMPROVED GAS GENERATORS OR PRODUCERS
Year: 1884

page_text: BENJAMIN HOWARTH THWAITE F.C.S. Civil Engineer and Consulting Chemist
23 Fountain Street Tranmere Cheshire do hereby declare the nature of my
invention for IMPROVED GAS GENERATORS OR PRODUCERS to be as follows:-
My Invention relates to certain improvements in gas generators or producers, in
which there is employed new arrangements or assemblages of constituent parts by
which the gas known as water or heating gas, has its calorific value considerably
increased, and is rendered cleaner, and more suitable for gas motor purposes-and
by which a greater production of gas in a given space is obtained.
The main feature in my invention-is the system of constructing gas producers,
by which the gas generated in one producer, is made to traverse through-or
permeate through the incandescent fuel in another producer, to effect this,
I construct the gas producers in stories,-by this arrangement I economise space
which is an advantage of primary importance in the application of gas for firing
marine boilers the gas generated in the lower producer is made to pass through
the fuel in the producer immediately over it-by this arrangement the following
advantages will be obtained,-any free oxygen or carbon dioxide in the gas evolved
in the first producer will be rearranged as carbonmonoxide, and thus reduce the
percentage of these former gases, in the gas as finally led from the producers.
The volatile gases, evolved in the first producer, in traversing the incandescent
fuel in the second producer will become fixed, and the liability of the gas to deposit
tar will be considerably reduced.
In the application of my system of generating gas when intended for firing
marine boilers I proceed as follows.
The plan of the gas generators or producers may be circular hexagonal or square,
but preferably of the latter form, but with rounded corners, and to still further
economise space I place each double producer side by side to the other double
producers the partition dividing the two serving as one of the sides to each
producer.
Three sides of the producers I waterline or water-jacket, the fourth side has
a cavity through which air is drawn through--by means of a steam jet air
injector the inside of the producer casings may be lined with ordinary refractory
Jumps or tiles, which I attach to the iron casing plates by means of dovetail ledges

page_text: or ribs bolted to casings-one of the tiles is made to form a Skewback to support
the arch forming the roofs of the producers.
The upper part of the roof forms the floor of the second producer the sides of
which are formed in a similar manner to the lower furnace or producer as already
described, with the exception that the cavities or spaces on the sides of the
producers may be utilised for drying the fuel preliminarily to its being fed into
producers.
The gases evolved in the lowest producer are led upwards by cavities in the
brickwork lining, and distributed by flues around the walls-into the fuel,-at the
part where it is in a state or condition of incandescence and the gases in traversing or
permeating through a second zone of gas production become as already explained
considerably enriched calorifically-and are then led away by means of cavities or
flues which open into the producers at a level below that of the surface of the fuel
in the second producer-the gases after leaving the producers enter a branch main
from which they are led; after passing through a regulating valve; into the
collecting main which consists of wrought or cast iron, rectangular or square
casings lined with fireclay tiles.
The producer casings as already explained, may either be water jacketted―or be
arranged to dry the fuel, or be arranged for heating the air necessary for com-
bustion, the air can be drawn through the cavities by means of a steam jet injector,
which forces the air into special shaped cavities built in the brickwork, where, by
special openings sloped in such a way as to prevent the entrance into them of the
fuel, it is distributed into the fuel, the steam from the blower or injector, is split up
or decomposed in contact with the incandescent, carbon-the oxygen entering into
combination with the carbon-setting the hydrogen free.
The gases are led from the collecting main into specially devised condensers -
which consist of a series of large pipes arranged in a water filled casing in such a
manner, as to provide a large coiling surface and permit the condensed aminoniacal
liquor to be drawn off into a collecting vessel.
I use by preference two of these condensers through which I cause the gases to
alternately traverse, so that the temperature of the water may be continually kept
below that of the gas, by this arrangement the feed water intended for the boiler,
may be led into the condenser, and after it is heated to a temperature equivalent to
a pressure of one atmosphere, by the passage of the gas through the condenser, the
gas may then be directed into the other condenser-by this arrangement the water
can be heated until it attains a temperature sufficient to deposit the minerals it
holds in suspension in one condenser, whilst the water in the other condenser minus
the mineral is being fed into the boiler.
In order to prevent the fuel or clinker from adhering to the firebars-I use the
following method; along and on the underside of the firebars I fix a shaft square in
section which is set in motion from the outside of the producers by any well known
mechanical method-onto the square shaft I attach a series of cast iron discs placed
excentrically to the centre of the shaft; in revolving these discs or cams lift up the
ends of the firebars alternately and shake off any adherant clinker.
When I desire the gases generated-to be still further enriched I employ liquid
hydrocarbons petroleum or naptha which I inject by means of a steam injector,
into the body of the incandescent fuel, in the producer,-to prevent the hydrocarbon
from firing back I make use of a special non-return valve-which only opens into
the producer when the pressure of the steam is sufficiently high.
The hydrocarbon liquid is forced by the steam in the form of a jet of spray into
the fuel and in passing through the fuel in a state of incandescence, it becomes
volatised and fixed-and greatly enriches the gas-which can be purified by the
ordinary methods of purification in use for coal gas and used for illuminating
purposes.
The following is a summary of the principal features of a gas generator or
producer constructed according to my invention.; I obtain a gas with a reduced

page_text: percentage of carbondioxide, free oxygen nitrogen and watery vapour and a
greater percentage of carbonmonoxide and of fixed hydrocarbons, which will reduce
the liability to tar deposition, and render the gas more suitable for gas motor
purposes.
The fact of the gas producers being built in stories, gives double the firegrate
surface in a given area, and therefore double the production of gas.
The method of enriching the gas, is free from danger and will permit the perfect
volatilisation and fixing of the hydrocarbon gases.
My invention will permit marine boilers to be fired by gas, and will provide gas
for illuminating purposes as well.
Data thin Kel.

page_text: Improved Gas Generators Especially for Marine Purposes.
GAS
I, BENJAMIN HOWARTH THWAITE of Dartmouth Villa 23 Fountain St Tranmere
Cheshire do hereby declare the nature of my invention for IMPROVED
GENERATORS ESPECIALLY FOR MARINE PURPOSES 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 certain improvements in gas generators or producers in
which there is employed new arrangements or assemblages of constituent parts by
which the gas known as water or heating gas has its calorific value considerably
increased and is rendered cleaner and more suitable for gas motor purposes and by
which a greater production of gas in a given space is obtained, one feature of my
invention is the system of constructing gas producers by which the gas produced in
one furnace is compelled to partly pass through the incandescent fuel in another
producer, to effect this I construct the gas producers one over the other or in
storeys and this allows me to effect another feature of my invention that is, the gas
issuing from the lower furnace can be made to pass through the fuel in the upper
furnace by which the following advantages will be obtained, any free oxygen or
carbondioxide issuing from the lower furnace or producer will be rearranged as
carbon monoxide.
Further the rich volatile gases being compelled to traverse through the
incandescent fuel will become fixed, and will not therefore deposit so much
tar, and the gas will be of a higher calorific efficiency, and be more suitable for
gas motor cylinders. In the application of my invention for firing marine boilers
I proceed as follows; The plan of the gas producers may be circular, hexagonal or
square, but preferably of the latter form, with rounded corners, and cach double
or two storeyed producer is placed side by side to economise space. Three sides of
the furnace or producers are water lined the fourth side has a cavity wall through
which the air is drawn into the space under the firegrates of the producers by
means of steam jet air injectors.
The inside of the furnace casings may be lined with ordinary refractory bricks,
but I prefer to use firebrick lumps or tiles attached to the iron casing plates by
means of dovetail ledges bolted to casings one of the tiles is made to forin
a Skewback to support the arch forming the roofs of furnace, the upper part of the
roof forms the floor of the second producer the sides of which are formed in
a similar manner to those of the lower producers as already described (with the
exception that the cavities may be utilised for drying the carbonaceous fuel) and
covered with an arch in an identical manner. The gases evolved in the lower
producers I may make traverse or pass through the incandescent fuel in the upper
producers; but I do not ordinarily adopt this arrangement, I lead the gas separately
from each producer into a distributing main, by means of a connecting pipe provided
with a mushroom or lift valve. The branch and distributing gas mains consist of
wrought or cast iron rectangular or circular tubes lined with firebrick or refractory
tiles, The casings of the producers may either be water jacketted or be arranged
as cavities for heating the air necessary for producing carbon-monoxide gas or for
supporting combustion.

page_text: The air is drawn through the cavities by means of a steam jet injector which
forces the air into special shaped cavities built in the brickwork these cavities
distribute the air around the fuel where by special outlets sloped to prevent the
entrance of any portion of the fuel, it is distributed into the body of the fuel, the
steam in passing through the incandescent fuel is split up by a well known
chemical action, the oxygen enters into combination with the carbon to form
carbon-dioxide which in contact with the incandescent carbon is converted into
carbon monoxide the hydrogen being set free. The gas is led from the collecting
main into specially devised condensers which consist of a series of large pipes
arranged in a water tight casing in such a manner as to provide a large cooling
surface and permit the condensed ammoniacal liquor to run into a collecting
vessel.
I preferably use two of these condensers through which I cause the gases
generated to alternately traverse, so that the temp" of the cooling water may be
kept continually below that of the gas.
By this arrangement the feed water intended for the marine boiler is led into
the casings or condensers and after it is heated up to a temp equal to 212° Fah the
gas is directed into the other condenser, another advantage is obtained by this
arrangement, the saline constituents will become deposited in these condensing
casings where they can be easily blown off, whilst the water in the other condenser
minus the salt can be fed into the boiler.
When I require the gas to be still further enriched I use liquid hydrocarbon
petroleum or naptha which I inject by a steam injector into the centre of the
incandescent carbonaceous fuel, in the gas producers for this purpose in order to
ensure safety I provide a non-return valve to the pipes leading the hydrocarbon
into the injectors above mentioned, which said non returm valve only opens .when
the pressure of steam and suction on the oil is sufficiently powerful to prevent
firing back through the oil pipes.
In order to prevent the fuel or the clinker from adhering to the firebars I use
the following mechanical arrangement,-under the ends of the firebars I fix a shaft,
square in section which is revolved by any ordinary mechanical means, on this shaft
I place a series of cast or wrought iron discs excentrically to the centre of the
shaft and to each other, consequently as the shaft revolves it lifts up the ends of
the firebars alternately and shakes off any ahering clinker.
In order to supply my producer with fuel I utilise vertical and hollow shafts in.
which are revolving archimedian screw's, by means of these shafts I elevate the fucl
from the coal bunker up to the top of the gas producers where they are transferred-
to a hollow shaft or trough also provided with an archimedian screw, by means of
this trough the fuel is fed into each of the producers into which it falls by means
of openings in the botton of the trough, each of these openings is provided with
a quick closing slide which is withdrawn by mechanical means every few minutes
allowing the coal to descend from the trough into the shoots of the producers the
action of this slide can be regulated to work at any desired speed, its mechanical
arrangement consists of a cam and spring the cam closing the slide, the spring
opening or withdrawing it.
The accompany ing drawings which are intended to form part of this specification
shew the application of my invention for the purpose of firing marine boilers but
I wish it to be under: tood that I do not confine myself to the exact arrangement
shewn.
Referring to the drawings fig. 1 is a vertical longitudinal section through
producers.
Figure 2 is a cross section figure, 3 is a side elevation, shewing connecting
distributing gas flues and regulating valves.
Figure 4 is a part front elevation shewing clinkering doors movable floor and
stean jet air injector or blowers.
Figure 5 is a part plan of top shewing feeding hoppers.
Figure 6 is a plan in section

page_text: Figure 7 sbews the general arrangement in its application for firing marine
boilers.
The following letters of reference refer to all the figures:-
a the movable firebars b the rocking or shaking shaft actuated by the pulley o
The eccentric discs are shewn at de are the lower producers e¹ the upper
producers. fare the gas outlet connections-g is the mushroom regulating valve,
h the gas distributing flues, i the refractory lincing joggled into each other, j the
joggled arch. k the clinkering doors fastened with cross bar and screw 7.
m the
steam jet injector n the water casings, o the coal feeding hoppers p the movable
floor for clinkering upper 9 the regulating valve standards r main leading gas
to boilers, s gas tuyers regulating valve. t marine boiler; u refractory flue
linings in marine boiler fue for accumulating heat up to to the temp" of
incandescence.
The producers are lighted in the ordinary way and the fuel is charged into them
until it attains a depth of at least three feet the steam air jet injectors are then
turned on at the pressure desired, and combustible gas is then produced which is
led into the boiler flue for combustion.
The flues are clinkered in the ordinary manner by driving in false bars above
the ordinary or rocking bara and then withdrawing these latter the clinkers fall
into the ashpit from which they can be withdrawn each producer fire can be
clinkered separately without arresting the production of gas by simply shutting off
its valves.
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
Clause 1st The construction of gas producers in Storeys or one over the other
substantially as described.
Clause 2. The application of such gas producers for the firing of marine boilers
substantially as described.
Claim 3. The general arrangement of producers condensers and flues substantially
as described.
Claim 4. The mechanical rocking producer firebar arrangement substantially as
described.
Claim 5. The method of increasing the calorific intensity of the gas by the
injection of fluid hydro-carbon under pressure and with safety non-return valve
arrangement, substantially as described.
Claim 6. The arrangement of feeding producers with fuel substantially as
described.
Anat