IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND PURIFICATION OF GAS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH
Year: 1878

page_text: "
LETTERS PATENT to James John Shedlock, of Golborne Road, Notting Hill, in'
the County of Middlesex, for the Invention of IMPROVEMENTS IN THE
MANUFACTURE AND PURIFICATION OF GAS, AND IN APPARATUS CONNECTED
THEREWITH."
Sealed the 17th December 1878, and dated the 25th June 1878.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said James John Shedlock at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 25th June 1878.
JAMES JOHN SHEDLOCK, of Golborne Road, Notting Hill, in the County of Mid-
dlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND PURIFICATION OF GAS, AND
IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
The object to be attained by this Invention is an increased make and more perfect
purification of the gas produced from a given quantity of coal or other solid or
liquid hydrocarbon. This is effected by conveying the tar as it condenses from the
gas into suitable retorts, filled with coke or other material and heated to the required
temperature.
The ammoniacal liquor (water saturated with ammonia), as it condenses, is also
conveyed into retorts, where the ammonia being vaporised passes off, and the water
becomes decomposed, its oxygen combining with the coke or other material contained
in the retorts, and the hydrogen uniting with the nascent gases or vapours produced
from the tar.
Water or its vapour, or any other liquid or solution may be, if desired, introduced
into the retorts, and the quantities so introduced, regulated by means of the pump
or forcing apparatus herein-after explained.
The gasses and ammonia are conveyed by means of pipes to a suitable chamber or
vessel, where they are intimately mixed with the gas from which the tar and
ammoniacal liquor were condensed. The combined gases and vapours are then
treated in an apparatus by hot or cold water, or any other liquid or solution having
the power of causing a combination to take place between the acid and alkaline
impurities, and the extraction and absorption of the resultant salts.

page_text: The apparatus in which the gases and vapours are treated is so constructed that
in passing through it they cause an inner vessel to revolve, raising at each revolution
a quantity of the water or other liquid or solution in a finely-divided state, and
thereby intimately mixing it with the gases or vapours passing through, removing
therefrom the impurities and causing the required reduction in temperature.
Fresh purifying materials may, as required, be introduced into the apparatus, and
the saturated solution withdrawn and treated for the abstraction of the salts therein
contained.
In manufacturing gas from a liquid hydrocarbon it becomes necessary to subject
it to a certain temperature, and to combine with the nascent gases or vapours given
off a sufficient quantity of hydrogen to form a permanent gas. This is effected by
injecting into retorts filled with coke or other material, and heated to the required
temperature, definite and well ascertained quantities of the liquid hydrocarbon and
water or its vapour. For that purpose a pump or forcing apparatus is provided,
having two or more barrels or chambers, the capacity of cach stroke or revolution of
which can be adjusted to the greatest nicety. This pump or forcing apparatus may
be of any construction, driven at the required speed by any known power, the sole
condition necessary for its successful performance being that the barrels or chambers
shall deliver into the retorts the exact required quantities of liquid hydrocarbon and
water or its vapour.
The liquid hydrocarbon injected into the heated retort is converted into gas or
vapour, and the water or its vapour being also injected into the retort will in passing
through the heated coke or other suitable material become decomposed, its oxygen
combining therewith, and the hydrogen in its heated state combining with the nascent
gas or vapour from the liquid hydrocarbon, and forming a permanent and uniform
illuminating gas.
Any impurities in the gas so produced may be removed by passing it through the
apparatus herein-before described, and the waste heat from the retort furnaces may
be utilised for evaporating the residual liquor or solution from the purification of
the gas.

page_text: .
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said James John Shedlock in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 23rd
December 1878.
JAMES JOHN SHEDLOCK, of Golborne Road, Notting Hill, in the County of Mid-
dlesex. "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE MANUFACTURE AND PURIFICATION OF GAS, AND
IN APPARATUS CONNECTED THEREWITH."
The object of this Invention is the production of an increased quantity of gas of
greater purity than that obtained by the process as usually adopted in the distilla-
tion of solid or liquid hydrocarbons.
In carrying into effect this Invention the coal or other solid hydrocarbon is first
treated in the ordinary manner for the abstraction of its gases, and then treating the
liquors condensed from such gas, so as to convert them also into gases, and combining
such gases with those given off from the coal. For that purpose the tar, as it con-
denses, is conveyed into a retort charged with coke or other suitable material, and
heated to the required temperature.
The ammoniacal liquor condensed from the gas in being conveyed to the retort is
subjected to a certain temperature for the purpose of vaporizing the ammonia, and
the remaining water may be either conveyed directly to the retort, or on its passage
it may be converted into steam and superheated, in which state it passes through
the coke or other suitable material contained in the heated retort, and by which
means it is decomposed into its elements.
The hydrogen, in its highly heated state, is brought into contact in the upper part
of such retort with the nascent gas or vapour produced by the distillation of the
tar, and in which condition a combination will take place between the hydrogen and
the heavy hydrocarbon gases or vapours. These gases are then conveyed by pipes
to the chamber or vessel, where they are intimately mixed with the gases first
produced and the gaseous ammonia; the combined gases are then conveyed by pipes
to the apparatus in which they are brought into contact in minute quantities with
the liquid contained in the apparatus, which will cause a combination to take place
between the acid and alkaline impurities contained in the gas. This liquid may bo
water, or, if preferred, an alkaline solution for the purpose of neutralizing the acid
impurities contained in the gas.
In producing a gas by the distillation of a liquid bydrocarbon, then a similar
retort and apparatus may be used, omitting the retorts in which the coal or other
solid hydrocarbon was treated, and using only that in which the tar was distilled,
and the water or its vapour was decomposed.
In order that the gas produced from the liquid hydrocarbon may be of an uniform
quality, it is necessary to carefully regulate the relative qualities of water, or its
vapour and liquid hydrocarbon entering the retort.
The accompanying Drawings illustrate the method proposed to be adopted for
carrying into effect my said Invention.
A, A, are retorts as ordinarily used for the distillation of coal, A¹, A¹, being the
pipes by which the gas is conveyed from the retorts A, A, as it is evolved from the
coal; B is the vessel or hydraulic main filled to the required level with a liquid, and
into which the ends of the pipes A', A', dip.
The liquid in the hydraulic main B is maintained at its proper level by means of
the pipe Z connecting it with the chamber D'. The gas is conveyed from the
hydraulic main B by the bend pipe B¹ into a series of pipes C, C, C, C, in passing
through which the gas is reduced in temperature, and deposits its condensable
liquids, which are delivered into the chamber D' by the pipe E'. The gas, after
passing through the pipes C, C, C, C, is conveyed by the pipe C¹ into and through
the vessel D, by which means the gas is made to pass through the ammoniacal liquor
contained in the chamber D'. The ammoniacal liquor and tar held by the cham-
ber D' is that which was condensed from the gas in its passage through the

page_text: pipes C, C, C, C, the tar by its higher density falling to the bottom. The gas leaves
the chamber D by the pipes E, E, and enters the chamber or vessel F, where it is
intimately mixed with the gases and vapours produced by the other part of the
process. The tar is conveyed from the chamber D' by the bent pipe G¹ into the
retort N, which is filled with coke or other material having the power of decom-
posing water or its vapour.
The ammoniacal liquor from the chamber D¹ is conveyed by the pipe G into the
vessel F, where it falls upon the hollow shelves H, H, H, passing over the whole
series until it reaches the lower part of the vessel F, whence, being freed from its
ammonia, it passes off by the pipes H¹, H¹, into the boiler I, and is regulated in its
passage by the cock fitted to the pipe H. The water in the boiler I is convorted
into steam by the waste heat from the retort furnace, such hent being regulated by
the dampers J and J'. The steam from the boiler I is conveyed and regulated by
the pipe K, and the cock connected thereto in its passage to the hollow
shelves H, H, H, and by which means the ammoniacal liquor, in passing over them,
is heated to the temperature necessary for vapourizing the ammonia contained in
the ammoniacal liquor, and any water condensed from the steam is reconveyed to
the boiler I by the pipes H', H.
Steam is conveyed from the boiler I by the pipe K' into and through the
pipes L, L, L, L, placed in the furnace which heats the retorts, and by which means
the steam is superheated and then conducted into the retort N by the pipe L¹. The
retort N is connected at its lower end with the chamber M, fitted with a door or
cover M', which may be removed when necessary for regulating the materials con-
tained in the retort N, and the cover Q is arranged for the purpose of charging the
retort N with fresh materials as required.
The retort N and its contents are raised to the required temperature by means
of the heated gases from the furnace p passing round the retort N through the
flues Y, Y, and thence, after heating the retorts A, A, are carried to the shaft by the
main fluo d.
The superheated steam in passing through the heated materials in the retort N
will be decomposed into its elements, the oxygen combining with the material con-
tained in the retort and the hydrogen in its highly heated state, coming in contact
with the vapours produced from the tar, will form therewith a highly illuminating
and permanent gas.
The pitch or solid carbon from the tar will in its heated state supply a suitable
material for combining with the oxygen of the superheated steam, and the gases so
produced will pass off from the retort N by the pipe O into the chamber P, and
thence by the pipe O' into the vessel F, where they are intimately mixed with the
other gases and ammonia.
These combined gases pass from the vessel F by the pipes R and R' into the
apparatus S, in which is an inner vessel fitted with a shaft or spindle, and supported
by bearings. This inner vessel is fitted with divisions similar to the drum or
wheel of a wet meter, the outlets from the divisions being covered by perforated
plates, through which the gas, in causing the inner vessel to revolve, is made to
pass.
The apparatus S is filled to the required level with water, or if preferred, an
alkaline solution, which is raised by the perforated plates at each revolution of the
inner vessel, and thus brought into intimate contact with the gas passing through.
The gas, being freed from its impurities, is then conveyed by the pipe W to the gas
holders.
Water or alkaline solutions may be introduced when required by the pipe T, and
the neutralized solution is withdrawn by the pipe and cock T, and run into the
tank V.
Any salts that may have passed with the water into the boiler I arc withdrawn
by the pipe and cock U, and discharged into the tank V, from whence they are
withdrawn as desired for further treatment. If necessary, a pump or injector may
be used for the purpose of supplying water to the boiler I.

page_text: In the production of gas from a liquid hydrocarbon by this process, it will be
necessary only to use retorts of a similar construction, as shewn at N, charged with
coke or other suitable material, and heated to the required temperature, the liquid
hydrocarbon being introduced into the retort N by the pipe C, which is connected
with the pumping apparatus, and the requisite quantity of water or steam being
injected into the retort N by the pipe K, or the pipe X, also connected with the
pumping apparatus.
The pumping apparatus may be of any known construction, the sole condition
necessary for its successful performance being that the barrels or chambers shall
deliver at each stroke or revolution the exact quantities of liquid hydrocarbon and
water, or its vapour, as will supply the elements necessary for the production of gas
of the required illuminating power. The liquid hydrocarbon receives the same
treatment as the tar herein-before described.
Having now explained the nature of my said Invention, I would have it under-
stood that I do not confine myself to the precise details as delineated by the
Drawings, as the same may be varied to suit the requirements of any special case,
but that which I claim and desire to have secured to me is the method of producing
and purifying gas from solid or liquid hydrocarbons, and the apparatus, singly or
combined, for carrying the same into effect, as herein-before described.
In witness whereof, I, the said James John Shedlock, have hereunto set my
hand and seal, this Twenty-third day of December, in the year of our Lord
One thousand eight hundred and seventy-eight..
JAMES TOHIN SHEDLOCK