IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COAL GAS
Year: 1883

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Henry Edward Newton of the Office for Patents
66 Chancery Lane in the County of Middlesex Civil Engineer for an
Invention of " IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND ARRANGEMENT OF
APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COAL GAS" Communicated to him from abroad
1.
T1
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said Henry Edward Newton
at the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 13th March 1883.
<<
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex, Civil Engineer IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND
ARRANGEMENT OF APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COAL GAS" [Communicated to him
from abroad by Auguste Klönne of Dortmund in the Empire of Germany]
This Invention relates to Improvements in the construction and arrangement of
the regenerative gas furnaces described in the Specification of Letters Patent
granted to Carl Pieper and dated the 22nd day of March 1880 N° 1220.
In order to more perfectly heat the forepart of the retorts above the generator
and to prevent the waste of heat by radiation, an inclined arch is formed over the
generator and at the lowest part of this arch an opening is made to allow for the
passage of the carbonic oxide.
The generator has an inclined filling door which is capable of being hermetically
closed and is also provided with a grate partly inclined and partly horizontal, and
a clinkering door with two Morton lids which will allow of perfect combustion of
the fuel the air for effecting the same being heated before coming in contact with
the fuel by the spent gas. The firebridge is protected from being melted and
burnt by an open water tank placed underneath. The steam generated by the beat
renders the firebridge sufficiently cool. As a modification of the generator, the
fire grate may be formed of horizontal plates in connection with a horizontal grate.
The same fire and clinkering doors with Morton lids are employed.
The primary air for assisting in the combustion of the fuel to produce the
carbonic oxide and the secondary air for combining with the carbonic oxide in the
regenerator are intensely heated by the waste heat of the spent gases on the way
downward to the exit flues, the primary air being heated in the front part of the
furnace by the side of the generator and the secondary air in the back or the
primary air may be heated in the top part and the secondary air in the bottom
Dr

page_text: part of the furnace. The regenerator for heating the air is made of special bricks
which are perforated in cross directions. These bricks and therefore the holes in
the bricks are separated by a flue and are arranged so as to cause the spent gas to
take on its way downward a serpentine course, the same bricks forming a zigzag
passage for the air which ascends through the hot bricks to and passes through the
channel bricks as described in the Specification of Letters Patent No 1220. 1880
before referred to, or through plates provided with slits which may be closed or
opened to regulate the flow of air and cause the same to enter into the regenerator
in equal proportions with the live heat as the gas issuing from the generator may
be termed.
The air flues are separated from each other and from the spent gas flues by
special bricks of such a shape that they will at the same time form the passages
and also a good and strong support for the regenerator bricks.
The air before entering into the regenerator passes, through a series of passages
which distribute it equally over the whole length of the regenerator while the
spent gas before entering into the regenerator passes through plates provided with
slits for the same purpose.
The interior of the retort furnace is divided by partitions, and the live heat
ascends and descends without passing any horizontal flues to the regenerator.
The regulation of the heating gas in three divisions is effected by slides which
allow of an increase or reduction of the temperature in the different divisions as
desired. The retorts are supported by cross walls
To avoid a loss in the heating surface of the retorts, the firebricks forming these
walls are serrated on the surface of contact so as to allow the application of a
greater number of walls.
All partitions or supports of retorts forming single chambers are provided with
little holes, which cause a part of the heating gas to pass and effect a side draught
and prevent the gas from stagnating in the single divisions.
To prevent the support for the lowest retort occupying an important part of the
heating surface, the same is formed of stretchers placed in cross directions to each
other, of which those in longitudinal direction are:likewise provided with holes to
prevent a stagnation of the gas. The cross walls are provided with keys to
facilitate the setting of retorts.
Above the retorts a row of plates is provided partly to prevent the retorts from
being damaged by cinders falling upon them from the arches and the arches from
becoming too highly heated and partly to serve as protection against waste of heat
from radiation.
The crown of the arch over the fire may be provided with three rows of nozzles
of which the middle ones are generally closed and reserved.
The retort placed above the crown of the generator is protected against being
damaged from the direct flame by a support consisting in three special bricks.
Underneath the regenerator, two gas flues may be provided which will cause the
gas to pass to the colder front parts of the furnace to heat those parts. The flues
are provided with slides and allow for a regulation of the gas supply.
The exit flue may if desired pass through the side walls. This arrangement of
the regenerator and the gas flues allows of working with but slight draught and
therefore no high chimneys are required as each setting is provided with two
small exit flues which cannot be stopped up with coal dust..
The retorts are divided in the middle by a brick wall so as to prevent the gas in
case of an irregular dip being caused to pass the whole length of the retort and to
rise on one side only whereby the gas may be decomposed and cause stoppages in
the ascension pipes and deposits of pitch in the hydraulic main.
For the same purpose sets of perforated plates are placed into the mouth pieces
which retain all dust and small coal pieces:

page_text: :
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed
by the said Henry Edward Newton in the Great Seal Patent Office on the
13th September 1883.
HENRY EDWARD NEWTON of the Office for Patents 66 Chancery Lane in the
County of Middlesex Civil Engineer "IMPROVEMENTS IN THE CONSTRUCTION AND
ARRANGEMENT OF APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COAL GAS a communication to
me from abroad by Auguste Klönne of Dortmund in the Empire of Germany.
"
This Invention relates to improvements in the construction and arrangement of
the regenerative gas furnaces described in the Specification of Letters Patent granted
to Carl Pieper and dated the twenty second day of March One thousand eight
hundred and eighty N° 1220.
In the accompanying Drawings Fig: 1 Sheet I is a longitudinal section taken
on the line A B Fig: 2 of a furnace and bed of retorts constructed according to
my Invention Fig: 2 Sheet II is a general view of three beds of retorts partly in
vertical section and partly in front elevation Fig: 3 is a sectional plan of Fig: 2
taken on the line C. D. E F G H I. J K L and Fig: 4 Sheet I is a longitudinal
section taken on the line N. O. Fig: 2.
G is the generator which is placed preferably on the centre line of the setting
and is provided with an inclined felling door capable of being hermetically closed.
d. d. is a grate composed of two parts each of which is supported at suitable
angles one a little in advance of and above the other by cross. bars suitably
arranged in the furnace. The furnace is provided with clinkering doors fitted
with Morton lids, the air to support combustion, which is heated before coming in
contact with the fuel by the waste heat, being admitted to the furnace through
openings in the side walls of the furnace as will be hereafter more fully explained.
The fuel support A is protected from being melted and burnt by an open water
tank b. placed below it the steam generated by the heat serving to keep the fuel
support cool. As a modification of the generator the firegrate may be formed of
horizontal plates in connection with a horizontal grate. The same fire and clinkering
doors with Morton lids are employed.
The products of combustion or carbonic oxide pass from the furnace or
generator G through openings g. on the crown of the furnace arch into a passage g¹.
which runs the whole length of the setting see Fig: 1-From this passage the
carbonic oxide passes by the side openings g. into a number of combustion
chambers m. formed by the cross walls p. which also serve to support the retorts.
The secondary air combines with the carbonic oxide as it issues from the openings g².
and enters these chambers m. which extend up to the top of the highest row of
the retorts and are all connected together by openings p². The combined
carbonic oxide and heated air spreads in the chambers and perfectly heats
all the retorts and then passes over the top of the outermost retorts into a
passage n. between the retorts and the setting and ultimately finds its way
to the main flue. having served on the way to heat the primary and secondary air
as will be hereafter more fully explained. The passage n. is formed by ineans of
the longitudinal partitions n¹-In order that the beating medium shall not
stagnate between the retorts small openings n². are made in the partitions n'. and
a series of similar openings p². in the cross walls p.
The primary air for assisting in the combustion of the fuel to produce the
carbonic oxide and the secondary air for combining with the carbonic oxide in the
combustion chambers are heated by the waste heat on its way to the exit flues as
before mentioned, the primary air being heated in the front part of the furnace
.

page_text: by the side of the generator, and the secondary air in the back. If desired
however the primary air may be heated in the top part, and the secondary air in
the bottom part of the furnace.
The primary air to support combustion enters the furnace by openings in the
front wall of the furnace and passing along a passage t (see the left hand section
Fig: 2 Sheet II) where it is partially heated, rises into a chamber t¹. the heat
being gradually increased during the passage. From this chamber it passes by
'the tubes or passages R which are heated by the waste gases and where it receives
its maximum heat, to a second chamber t from whence it passes by the openings t³.
to the furnace.
That portion of the waste heat which heats the primary air passes from the
passage or flue n. by the openings z. into the fue C whence it passes in the
direction of the arrows round and between the tubes R and finally escapes by
the flue C¹. to the main flue or chimney D. see the front part of Fig: 4. A baffle
plate C². is used in the flue C to break up the downward current of heated gases
and so ensure that all the tubes R shall be properly heated.-The down draft is
regulated by the sliding plate or damper C³ in the flue C¹. The secondary air
enters the furnace by openings in the front wall of the furnace and passes through
channels or passages similar to those just explained for the primary air into a
chamber 8. From this chamber it passes by the tubes R* in a serpentine course as
shewn by the arrows in the centre section Fig: 2 Sheet II to the chambers m.
where it combines with the carbonic oxide issuing from the side openings g².
That portion of the waste: heat which is intended to heat the secondary air
issues from the openings z. at the bottom of the flues or passages n. and heating
on its way the series of tubes R*. (see the rear half of Fig: 4) descends through
an opening capable of being regulated by a damper E' into a flue E and thence to
the main flue or chimney D.
It will be understood that the openings into the chambers m. may if desired be
provided with slides to regulate the admission of heated air as it is desirable that
the air should enter the combustion chambers in the same proportions as the live
heat, as the carbonic oxide may be termed.
.
The regenerator for heating the secondary air or that portion of the furnace
containing the tubes R and R* is constructed of special bricks, which are perforated
in two directions. R' and R² the perforations or tubes R¹ serving for the passage
of the fresh air and the perforations or flues R2 for the waste heat.
The bricks are so placed that the flues R² shall not be in the same line and the
waste heat as it descends will therefore pass in a serpentine course. The bricks
are shown in sectional plan and elevation at Figures 5 and 6 Sheet I. The zigzag
passages for the fresh air is formed by means of the horizontal partitions 'R³ as
clearly shown in the centre section Fig: 2 Sheet II.
The partitions R³ are formed of bricks of a special shape as clearly seen from
the drawings and they serve not only to form the passages but also a good and
strong support for the regenerator bricks, to maintain them in their proper position
in the setting.
To prevent the support for the lowest retorts occupying too much of the heating
surface the same is formed of walls o. placed at right angles to each other, of which
those in longitudinal direction are likewise provided with holes n³ to prevent a
stagnation of the gas. The cross walls p. are built up as shewn in the drawings
with key pieces k. which will greatly facilitate the construction of the furnace
and the setting of the retorts.
Above the retorts a row of plates m¹. is provided, partly to prevent the retorts
from being damaged by cinders falling upon them from the arch, and the arches
from becoming too highly heated, and also to serve as a baffle to deflect the heated
gas and thus form a protection against loss of heat by radiation.
Instead of forming the crown of the furnace arch G with openings g placed
centrally only, three rows of openings may be provided one extra row being on
either side of the central openings which will be generally closed and reserved.

page_text: The retort placed immediately over the openings g. is protected against damage
from the direct flame, by a support consisting of three special bricks as seen in the
drawings.
The exit fluc may, if desired, pass through the side walls.
This arrangement of
the regenerator and the gas flues allows of working with but slight draught, and
therefore no high chimney is required, as each setting will be provided with two
small exit flues, which cannot be stopped up with coal dust.
The retorts may if desired be divided transversely at the middle of their length
by a brick partition q. so as to prevent the gas, in case of an irregular dip, being
caused to pass the whole length of the retort, and to rise on one side only, whereby
the gas may become decomposed and cause stoppages in the ascension pipes and
deposits of pitch in the hydraulic main.
If desired, sets of perforated plates may be placed in the mouth pieces, so as to
retain all dust and fine coal from entering the ascension pipes.
The arrangement of the ascension pipes will depend upon the number of the
retorts on a setting.
31
Having now described the nature of this invention for "Improvements in the
construction and arrangement of apparatus for producing coal gas' as communicated
to me from abroad and explained the manner of carrying the same into effect
I claim.
First The use of an open pan to contain water the steam from which serves to
keep the fuel support A cool substantially as herein described.
Second-The arrangement of the regenerative portion of the furnace as herein
shewn and described which permits of the primary air being heated in one part
and the secondary air in another part as set forth.
Third; The construction of perforated bricks R R* with the tubes R¹. and the
flues R2 and their application to regenerative gas furnaces substantially as and for
the purpose set forth.
Fourth-The application of the specially shaped bricks R³ to regenerative gas
furnaces substantially as and for the purpose set-forth.
Fifth Dividing the interior of the setting into a series of chambers m. n. and
the mode of constructing or building up partition walls substantially as herein
shewn and described for the purpose setforth.
Sixth-The use in the partition walls of a number of small openings n². n³ and p²
to prevent the stagnation of the heating gases substantially as herein described.
Seventh-The general construction and arrangement of regenerative gas
furnace substantially as herein described and shown with reference to the
drawings
In witness whereof I the said Henry Edward Newton have hereunto set my
hand and seal the twelfth day of September in the year of our Lord, One
thousand eight hundred and eighty three.
HE NEWTON (L.S.)