AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PREPARING AND APPLYING OXYGENATED AM FOR COMBUSTION
Year: 1876

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to William Morgan-Brown, of the Firm of Brandon and
Morgan-Brown, Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings,
London, and 1, Rue Laffitte, Paris, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED
PROCESS FOR PREPARING AND APPLYING OXYGENATED AM FOR COMBUSTION."
A communication from abroad by Charles Hornbostel, of the City, County,
and State of New York, United States of America, Engineer,
Sealed the 12th June 1877, and dated the 28th December 1876.
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION left by the said William Morgan-Brown at
the Office of the Commissioners of Patents on the 28th December 1876.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown,
Engineers and Patent Agents, of 3S, Southampton Buildings, London, and 1, Rue
Laffitte, Paris. "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PREPARING AND APPLYING OXY-
GENATED AIR FOR COMBUSTION." A communication from abroad by Charles Horn-
bostel, of the City, County, and State of New York, United States of America,
Engineer.
This Invention relates to an improved method of increasing the combustion of
fuel in various classes of furnaces, for the purpose of economizing fuel and intensi-
fying the heat and facilitating various metallurgical operations, such as the reduction
of ores and the melting, puddling, and working of metals.
This object has heretofore been accomplished by increasing the volume of air sup-
plied to the furnace by means of a bellows, fan, or other blast-producing machinery ;
but in such method, in order to supply the full amount of oxygen necessary to
insure complete and rapid combustion and obtain the greatest heating effect of the
fuel, it has been found necessary te employ a large volume of air, necessitating the
heating of the useless volume of nitrogen contained therein, which materially lessens
the effectiveness of the operation. The Invention is designed to overcome this
objection, and also to oxydize and carry off the impurities in inost varieties of fuel,
such as sulphur, &c., which materially interfere with metallurgical operations and
to assist in the combustion of fuel.
By the ordinary process of preparing oxygen gas from black oxyde of manganese
and sulphuric acid the complete decomposition of the materials can only be effected
by the aid of heat, which besides being expensive and requiring refractory and
highly non-corrosive vessels for its generation, offers no effective means of applying
the gas after it is generated to the purpose intended. Now by bringing a current

page_text: of air under pressure into violent contact with a mixture of sulphuric acid and
black oxyde of manganese, or by passing the air through or into contact with an
extended surface, that complete decomposition of the materials can be effected
without the use of heat, and at the same time the gas can be conveniently and
continually applied to metallurgical operations and to assist the combustion of fuel
in furnaces.
In carrying out the Invention I mix the sulphuric acid and black oxyde of
manganese in the proper proportions, which may be the same as usually employed,
although, for convenience, I prefer to employ the manganese slightly in excess of
the ordinary proportions, so as to form a thicker mass, taking care to have the
black oxyde of manganese as pure and as free from metallic manganese as possible
in order to form no unnecessary residuum in the vessels.
The materials I place in a vessel of any desired construction, into which leads a
pipe from a blast apparatus which projects downwardly towards the bottom upon
which the materials is placed or enters said vessel in such manner as to force the air
violently into contact with the material or through it. From the top or other
convenient part of the vessel extends a pipe, by which the admixture of gas and air
is conducted to the place of use. Upon forcing a current of air through the
induction pipe so as to violently agitate the mass of material, or pass through it or
otherwise come into contact with every particle of the same, the decomposition will
commence and continue until thoroughly completed without the assistance of heat,
and the gas will be taken up as it is generated and thoroughly commingled with
the air, and in this condition can be effectively applied to the intended purposes.
By means of this improved process I ain thus enabled to produce the gas without
the aid of heat, which effects a material saving in expense, and enables me to
employ in the construction of the generating vessels comparatively inexpensive
materials, such as wood and lead, instead of the expensive glass and platinum
vessels heretofore found necessary, and at the same time afford an effective means
of applying the gas continuously while the charge lasts, and when exhausted the
charge may be quickly replaced and the operation continued as before.
SPECIFICATION in pursuance of the conditions of the Letters Patent filed by
the said William Morgan-Brown in the Great Seal Patent Office on the 13th
June 1877.
WILLIAM MORGAN-BROWN, of the Firm of Brandon and Morgan-Brown,
Engineers and Patent Agents, of 38, Southampton Buildings, London, 1, Rue
Laffitte, Paris. "AN IMPROVED PROCESS FOR PREPARING AND APPLYING OXY-
GENATED AIR FOR COMBUSTION." (A communication from abroad by Charles
Hornbostel, of the City, County, and State of New York, United States of America,
Engineer.)
This Invention relates to an improved method of increasing the combustion of
fuel in various classes of furnaces, for the purpose of economizing fuel and intensi-
fying the heat and facilitating various metallurgical operations, such as the reduction
of ores and the melting, puddling, and working of metals.
This object has heretofore been accomplished by increasing the volume of air
supplied to the furnace by means of a bellows, tan, or other blast-producing
machinery; but in such method, in order to supply the full amount of oxygen
necessary to ensure complete and rapid combustion and obtain the greatest heating
effect of the fuel, it has been found necessary to employ a large volume of air,
necessitating the heating of the useless volume of nitrogen contained therein, which
materially lessens the effectiveness of the operation. The Invention is designed to
overcome this objection, and also to oxydize and carry off the impurities in most
varieties of fuel, such as sulphur, etc., which materially interfere with inctallurgica!
operations and to assist in the combustion of fuel.

page_text: By the ordinary process of preparing oxygen gas from black oxide of manganese
and sulphuric acid the complete decomposition of the materials can only be effected
by the aid of heat, which besides being expensive and requiring refractory and
highly non-corrosive vessels for its generation, offers no effective means of applying
the gas after it is generated to the purpose intended. Now by bringing a current
of air under pressure into violent contact with a mixture of sulphuric acid and
black oxide of manganese, or by passing tho air through or into contact with an
extended surface, that completo decomposition of the materials can be effected
without the use of heat, and at the saine time the gas can be conveniently and
continually applied to metallurgical operations and to assist the combustion of fuel
in furnaces.
In carrying out the Invention I mix the sulphuric acid and black oxide of
manganese in the proper proportions, which may be the same as usually employed,
although, for convenience, profer to employ the manganese slightly in excess of
the ordinary proportions, so as to form a thicker mass, taking care to have the
black oxide of manganese as pure and as free from metallic manganese as possible
in order to form no unnecessary residuum in the vessels.
The materials I place in a vessel of any desired construction, into which leads a
pipe from a blast apparatus which projects downwardly towards the bottom upon
which the material is placed or enters said vessel in such manner as to force the air
violently into contact with the material or through it. From the top or other
convenient part of the vessel extends a pipe, by which the admixture of gas and air
is conducted to the place of use. Upon forcing a current of air through the
induction pipe so as to violently agitate the mass of material, or pass through it or
otherwise come into contact with every particle of the same, the decomposition will
commence and continue until thoroughly completed without the assistance of heat,
and the gas will be taken up as it is generated and thoroughly commingled with
the air, and in this condition can be effectively applied to the intended purposes.
By means of this improved process I am thus enabled to produce the gas without
the aid of heat, which effects a material saving in expense and enables me to
employ in the construction of the generating vessels comparatively inexpensive
materials, such as wood and lead, instead of the expensive glass and platinum
vessels heretofore found necessary, and at the same time afford an effective means
of applying the gas continuously while the charge lasts, and when exhausted the
charge may be quickly replaced and the operation continued as before.
In some cases it is found practicable to draw the air over a surface of the man-
ganese and sulphuric acid by the suction of the air pump, blower, or bellows, and
then the suction inlet of the blowing apparatus is connected with the vessel holding
the materials instead of as described in the previous part of the Specification.
Having now described and particularly set forth the nature of the said Invention,
and the manner of carrying the same into effect, I would have it understood that
what I claim is,―
First. The process herein described of producing oxygen for metallurgical
purposes and the combustion of fuel by conducting a current of air under pressure
through or into violent contact with a mixture of black oxide of manganese and
sulphuric acid, substantially as described.
Second. The process herein described by applying oxygen gas to metallurgical
operations and to assist in the combustion of fuel by conducting a current of air
under pressure through or into violent contact with a mixture of black oxide of
manganese and sulphuric acid, substantially as described.
In witness whereof, I, the said William Morgan-Brown, have hereunto set
my hand and seal, this Sixth day of June, in the year of our Lord One
thousand eight hundred and seventy-seven.