An Improved Method of Storing Acetylene for Lighting and othe purposes."
Year: 1896

page_text: Date of
Kingdom), 24th Dec., 1896
Complete Specification Left, 8th Sept., 1897-Accepted, 24th Dec., 1897
"An Improved Method of Storing Acetylene for Lighting and othe
purposes."
We, GEORGES CLAUDE of 2, Rue de Bérulle, Saint Mandé (Seine) France, En-
gineer; and ALBERT HESS of 46. Rue Notre Dame de Lorette, Paris, France,
Engineer; Do hereby declare the nature of this Invention to be as follows:-
This Invention relates to an improved method of storing acetylene for lighting
and other purposes in a small volume in order that it may be supplied in portable
form to the consumer and it consists in dissolving the acetylene under pressure
in certain liquids, the effect of pressure being to increase the solubility of the
acetylene and so enable a considerable quantity of acetylene to be stored in a
small volume in readiness to be supplied for any purpose for which it may be
required.
Liquefied acetylene occupies the least volume but the pressure is very high and
may become excessive should the critical temperature (370.5) of acetylene be
accidentally exceeded. On the other hand simple compression of the gas enables
dangerous pressures to be avoided, but the quantity which can be stored in this
way is too small. For these reasons we avail ourselves of the great solubility of
acetylene in certain liquids, and increase this solubility by pressure, and this
method of storing acetylene gas is. the Invention which we hereby broadly claim
as our Invention, whatever may be the liquid employed, the kind of apparatus
used, or mode of operation.
As examples of the liquids which may be employed for the purpose may be
mentioned methylic, ethylic, amylic, and other alcohols, acetic acid, benzene,
toluene, xylene, etc. Certain of these liquids dissolve, according to the conditions
of temperature, from four to upwards of six times their volume of acetylene at the
ordinary pressure and this solubility increases about as the pressure. There are
however certain well defined chemical groups of substances which are unsuitable
for the purpose, owing to absence or insufficiency of solvent power, namely:-
Primary, secondary, tertiary, amines of the fatty series as well as phosphines and
arsenious derivatives.

page_text: The higher members of the faatty acid series (oleic acid, oils).
Amidic acids of the fatty series (glycocoll).
Russian petroleums.
The derivatives of cyanogen other than hydrocyanic ethers.
Pyridic and quinoleic bases.
Chlorine, bromine, iodine, and their oxygen derivatives, hydrochloric, hydro-
bromic, and hydriodic acids.
Oxygen derivatives of nitrogen.
Oxygen derivatives of sulphur (sulphuric acid, etc.).
Solutions of metallic oxides.
Solutions of alkali salfs and alkali-earth salts (potassium, sodium, lithium,
barium, etc.).
Solutions of salts of magnesium, zinc, iron, nickel, cobalt, manganese, chromium,
copper, lead, etc..
Solutions of metallic chromates and bi-chromates, manganates, and perman-
ganates.
The exclusion of the substances comprised in the above classification confine
the list of substances which may be used, within woll defined limits. But certain
of the substances which may be used, surpass their congeners, for instance methyl
formate, acetal, ethylic aldehyde, acetate of ethyl, oxalic ether,, acetone, succinic
ether, butyrate of isobutyl, acetate of amyl, methylallyl, methylic alcohol. These
bodies are merely given as examples and we do not limit ourselves thereto, or to
their mixtures or combinations.
Between these two limits of substances which are unsuitable and those having
a marked superiority as regards their solvent and other qualities, there is a whole
series of bodies which may be used, but with less advantage. The bodies which have
as yet been found to answer the purpose in practice are comprised in the following
groups:
In the fatty series liquid liydrocarbons; acetylenic hydrocarbons, and their
derivatives, alcohols, ethers, the lower members of the acid and oxy-acid aldehydes,
and particularly acetones.
In the aromatic series benzenic hydrocarbons and their derivatives, phenols,
aromatic amines.
In the higher series liquid hydrocarbons and their known derivatives, tri-methy-
lene, furfurine, thiophenol, pyrrol, furfurol, essences, etc.
Mixtures and combinations of these bodies vary their solvent power and in
certain cases we avail ourselves of this property.
With a pressure about equal to that used in a soda-water syphon we are able
to store a considerable volume of acetylene in a receiver of relatively small dimen-
sions. With a liquid dissolving m times its volume of acetylene, we can thus
store at equal pressure about m times more gas than if it were simply compressed
without being dissolved in a liquid, which is the principle of our Invention.
When gas is withdrawn from a receiver containing a solution of acetylene under
pressure, the pressure necessarily falls constantly, and to obtain a regular supply
of gas we provide the vessel with a pressure regulator. The process may be carried
out as follows, for instance, although subject to modifications.
The acetylene is dissolved in the liquid chosen, by the means or-
dinarily employed in making soda-water, the solution of the gas being facilitated
by agitation under pressure in contact with the liquid: The solution under
pressure, however obtained, is filled into a receiver of metal or of glass. (such as
used for soda-water) capable of resisting the pressure employed. The receiver
has a cock and the necessary adjuncts for connection, directly or through an
expansion chamber, with the appliances in which the gas is used by the consumer,
the substitution of charged for empty receivers being readily effected.

page_text: The storage receivers may vary in dimensions from a small portable, to a large
fixed, gas-holder.
Dated this 24th day of December 1896.
A. M. & WM. CLARK,
Chartered Patent Agents. 53. Chancery Lane, London.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION..
led-
"An Improved Method of Storing Acetylene for Lighting and other
purposes."
We, GEORGES CLAUDE of 2. Rue de Bérulle, Saint Mandé (Seine) France, En-
gineer; and ALBERT HESS of 46. Rue Notre Dame de Lorette, Paris, France,
Engineer; Do hereby declare the nature of this Invention and in what manner..
the same is to be performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and
by the following statement:-
This Invention relates to an improved method of storing acetylene, for lighting
and other purposes, in a small volume in order that it may be supplied in portable
form to the consumer, and it consists in dissolving the acetylene under pressure
in certain liquids, the effect of pressure being to increase the solubility of the
acetylene and so enable a considerable quantity of acetylene to be stored in a
small volume in readiness to be supplied for any purpose, for which it may be
required.
Liquefied acetylene occupies the least volume but the pressure is very high and
may become excessive should the critical temperature (370.5) of acetylene be
accidentally exceeded. On the other hand simple compression of the gas enables
dangerous pressures to be avoided but the quantity which can be stored in this
way is too small. For these reasons we avail ourselves of the great solubility of
acetyleno in certain liquids, and increase this solubility by pressure, and this
method of storing acetylene gas is the Invention which we hereby broadly claim
as our Invention, whatever may be the liquid employed, the kind of apparatus
used, or mode of operation.
As examples of the liquids which may be employed for the purpose may be
mentioned methylic, ethylic, amylic, and other alcohols, acetic acid, benzene,
toluene, xylene, etc. Certain of these liquids dissolve, according to the conditions.
of temperature, from four to upwards of six times their volume of acetylene at the
ordinary pressure and this solubility increases about as the pressure. There are
however certain well defined chemical groups of substances which are unsuitable
for the purpose, owing to absence or insufficiency of solvent power, namely:-
Primary, secondary, tertiary amines of the fatty series as well as phosphines and
arsenious derivatives.
di-hydroxyl alcohols (glycols)
tri-hydroxyl alcohols (glycerine) and their chlorine derivatives.
Solutions of polyhydroxyl alcohols (sugars):
The higher members of the fatty acid series (oleic acid, oils).
Amidic acids of the fatty series (glycocoll).
Russian petroleums.
The derivatives of cyanogen other than hydrocyanic ethers.
Pyridic and quinoleic bases.
Chlorine, bromine, iodine, and their oxygen derivatives, hydrochloric, hydro-
bromic, and hydriodic acids.
Oxygen derivatives of nitrogen.
Oxygen derivatives of sulphur (sulphuric acid, etc).

page_text: corations of metac oxides:
Solutions of alkali salts and alkali-earth salts (potassium, sodium, lithium,
barium, etc).
Solutions of salts of magnesium, zinc, iron, nickel, cobalt, manganese, chromium,
copper, lead, etc.
Solutions of metallic ohromates and bi-chromates, manganates, and permanga-
nates.
The exclusion of the substances comprised in the above classification confine
the list of substances which may be used, within well defined limits. But certain
of the substances which may be used, surpass their congeners, for instance methyl
formate, acetal, ethylic aldehyde, acetate of ethyl, oxalic ether, acetone, succinic
ether, butyrate of isobutyl, acetate of amyl, methylal, methylic alcohol. These
bodies are merely given as examples and we do not limit ourselves thereto, or to
their mixtures or combinations.
Between these two limits of substances which are unsuitable and those having
a marked superiority as regards their solvent and other qualities, there is a whole
series of bodies which may be used, but with less advantage. The bodies which have
as yet been found to answer the purpose in practice are comprised in the following
groups:
In the fatty series liquid hydrocarbons, acetylenic hydrocarbons, and their
derivatives, alcohols, ethers, the lower members of the acid and 'oxy-acid aldehydes,
and particularly acetones.
In the aromatic series benzenic hydrocarbons and their derivatives, phenols,"
aromatic amines.
In the higher series liquid hydrocarbons and their known derivatives, tri-methy-
lene, furfurine, thiophenol, pyrrol, furfurol, essences, etc.
Mixtures and combinations of these bodies vary their solvent power and in
certain cases we avail ourselves of this property.
With a pressure about equal to that used in a soda-water syphon, we are able
to store a considerable volume of acetylene in a receiver of relatively small dimen-
sions. With a liquid dissolving m times its volume of acetylene, we can thus
store at equal pressure about m times more gas than if it were simply compressed
without being dissolved in a liquid which is the principle of our Invention.
When gas is withdrawn from a receiver containing a solution of acetylene under
pressure, the pressure necessarily falls constantly, and to obtain a regular supply
of gas we provide the vessel with a pressure regulator. The process may be carried
out as follows, for instance, although subject to modifications.
The acetylene is dissolved in the liquid chosen, for instance by the means or-
dinarily employed in making soda-water, the solution of the gas being facilitated
by agitation under pressure in contact with the liquid. The solution under
pressure, however obtained, is filled into a receiver of metal or of glass (such as
used for soda-water) capable of resisting the pressure employed. The receiver
has a cock and the necessary adjuncts for connection directly or through an
expansion chamber, with the appliances in which the gas is used by the consumer,
⚫ the substitution of charged for empty receivers being readily effected.
The storage receivers may vary in dimensions from a small portable, to a large
fixed, gas-holder.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said Inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed we declare that what we
claim is:-
1. The utilization for the purpose of storage, in a small volume, of large
quantities of acetylene gas, of the solubility of said gas in certain liquids by the
application of pressure so as to increase the quantity of gas dissolved per unit
of volume of liquid as specified.
2. The novel application as solvents of acetylene under pressure for the purpose
of storage, transport, and utilization for industrial purposes, of the bodies con-

page_text: tained in the following groups belonging to the fatty serios:-liquid hydrocarbons,
acetylenic hydrocarbons, and the chloro, bromo, iodo, and nitro derivatives of said
hydrocarbons as well as the lower members of the acids and oxy-acids and their
solutions: aldehydes, mono-hydroxyl alcohols and unsaturated alcohols of the
fatty series: ethers (oxides, cyanides, cyanates).
3. The novel employment as solvents of acetylene under pressure for the pur-
poses of storage, transport, and industrial utilization, of the following groups of
bodies belonging to the aromatic series:-benzenic hydrocarbons (benzene, toluene,
xylene, etc), chloro, bromo, iodo, and nitro derivatives of said hydrocarbons,
phenols, aromatic amines (aniline, toluidine, etc).
4. The novel application as solvents of acetylene under pressure for the purposes
of storage, transport, and industrial utilization; of the following groups of bodies
belonging to the higher series:-liquid hydrocarbons and their derivatives (tri-
methylene, furfurine, thiophenol, pyrrol, furfurol, essences, etc).
5. The application, for the same purpose, of mixtures or combinations of the
bodies specified.
6. The employment of a receiver containing a liquid charged with acetylene
under pressure and from which the acetylene is evolved when required for use
as specified:
7. The herein described method of storing acetylene gas in a small volume for
lighting or other purposes, which consists in dissolving the acetylene gas under
pressure in a suitable liquid solvent such as described from which it can be
evolved when required for use.
A. M. & WM. CLARK
Chartered Patent Agents. 53. Chancery Lane. London.