AN IMPROVED LIGHTING AND HEATING GAS, AND IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME
Year: 1879

page_text: LETTERS PATENT to Paul Aube, of Paris, in the Department of the Seine, in
the Republic of France, for the Invention of "AN IMPROVED LIGHTING AND
HEATING GAS, AND IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING THE SAME."
Sealed the 19th December 1879, and dated the 16th August 1879.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION filed by the said Paul Aube at the Office of the
Commissioners of Patents on the 16th August 1879.
4
PAUL AUBE, of Paris, in the Department of the Seine, in the Republic of France.
"AN IMPROVED LIGHTING AND HEATING GAS, AND IMPROVED APPARATUS FOR PRO-.
DUCING THE SAME."
My system consists in the generating and manufacture of a lighting and heating
gas by the decomposition of steam of water and of the vapours of any unctuous or
fatty matter.
In order to obtain in certain cases a considerable lighting power from this gas I
burn it conjointly with a current of oxygen gas, led to the mouth of the same burner
through a different pipe.
I will first proceed to explain the theory of my Invention, and then the working
of my apparatus.
'
When the steam is in direct contact with the ignited coal it is immediately;
decomposed into hydrogen gas and carbonic acid, but it must not be forgotten that
the hydrogen is always the first product generated; on the other hand, if the car-
bonic acid remains in contact with the ignited coal it becomes in its turn decomposed.
into oxide of carbon. Moreover, at a high temperature the hydrogen decomposes.
the carbonic acid, and further generates oxide of carbon by absorbing an equivalent
of the oxygen of the carbonic acid to compose water. Proceeding from this principle
I necessarily deduce the following inference :-
If I inject steam of water into a retort, this steam will be instantaneously con-
verted into hydrogen, and if I immediately again inject steam of water, this steam
being 0-622 in density, and consequently weighing more than the hydrogen, of which
the density is 0.0692, will drive this latter out of the retort to take its place and be
converted into hydrogen.
Therefore in order to generate this hydrogen it is necessary to employ a method
which drives this hydrogen out of the retort under certain fixed conditions, and the
means of thus producing it are afforded by my apparatus..
-

page_text: For this purpose I use very light charcoal mixed with quenched charcoal, or either
of them; or I may use parings of iron, taking care in such case to lay a sheet of
amianthus over the bottom of the retort.
It is well known that when any fatty matter is allowed to fall drop by drop upon
a fire brick, or upon an iron, copper, or steel plate heated to a cherry red heat, this
matter is converted into vapours, which also naturally decompose, and if the decom-
position of these vapours is effected into hydrogen it will be evident that carburetted
hydrogen will be generated.
Consequently it is theoretically easy to generate carburetted hydrogen gas which
will be extremely cheap, since a litre of water in the state of steam will generate
1,700 litres of gas, and that one litre of fatty material will generate on an average
750 litres of very rich and very dense gas.
It is evident that I may at pleasure more or less increase the quantity of fatty
matters to be introduced into the retort, but 5 litres of fatty matter to 100 litres of
steam of water will be sufficient to obtain this gas, which reduces the price of my
carburetted gas almost to nothing.
On the other hand, I have alluded to oxygen, which I burn conjointly with car-
buretted hydrogen gas, which must necessarily give me a light of remarkable
intensity and of great fixity.
< In order to obtain cheap oxygen I may employ the two following means:-
The first means consists in the purifying and decomposing of natural air dissolved
in water, and of extracting therefrom azote and carbonic acid, from which to obtain
oxygen. It is known that when air is introduced into water the oxygen and the
azote that it contains are dissolved in the proportion of their respective solubility in
relation to water, and that therefore, oxygen being more soluble than azote, air
dissolved in water is richer in oxygen than common air; consequently by using air
dissolved in water, and causing it to pass through one or more layers of potashed
coal and of caustic potash, I shall free the air from the azote it contains, causing it
to be absorbed by the potashed coal, and I clear it of the carbonic acid by the
moistened potash; there will therefore then remain pure oxygen.
.'
The second means consists in the using of manganate of soda sprinkled with
copper salts.
Manganate of soda has the property, under a temperature of 450 degrees, of
throwing off the oxygen that it contains, and of becoming converted into oxide of
manganese; but if a current of air is caused to pass on this oxide of manganese,
if it be then heated again to 450 degrees, and if a current of steam is caused to
pass upon this oxyde of manganese, it is recomposed into manganate of soda, and
by alternately repeating this operation I generate oxygen almost indefinitely, and as
long as may be desired, with the same quantity of manganate of soda, but as
I introduce air into the manganate of soda in order to aid its recomposition, and
as this air contains azote, I free it therefrom by causing this azōte to be absorbed by
potashed coal.
I use copper salts to sprinkle the manganate of soda in order that this manganate
may not harden during the period of renovation.
I have stated that any new gas is composed of carburetted hydrogen burning con-
jointly at the mouth or outlet of a same burner with a current of oxygen, these two
gases issuing from two different pipes or conduits. If these gases burn in equal
quantity, the light thus obtained is of very great intensity, but if I desire so to do,
I may without any kind of danger introduce an excessively small quantity of oxygen
into the carburetted hydrogen, which will enable me to obtain a gas of a very con-
siderable lighting power, which I estimate at seven times and a half that of coal gas.
I am aware that if I light a gas composed of one volume of oxygen and two
volumes of hydrogen a very loud detonation will be produced, and nothing would
remain, both gases being wasted, but I am also aware that if the composition
is in indefinite proportion the hydrogen may be lighted without detonation, deve-
loping sufficient caloric to burn the successive layers of the two gases. Thus if. I
light a gas composed of two volumes of hydrogen and five volumes of air the deto-.

page_text: nation will be faint, because the air contains but a fifth of oxygen; with still greater
reason therefore, if I light a gas composed of eighty or a hundred volumes of hydro-
gen and one volume of oxygen, I shall have no kind of danger to fear, and shall
obtain by this mixture a beautiful brilliant lighting-gas.
I may also in the same proportions mix my oxygen with coal gas, or with hydro-
gen or carburetted hydrogen gas, or simply carburetted gas.
I will now proceed to describe my apparatus, by which it will be seen how easy
it is to obtain hydrogen gas, carburetted hydrogen gas, and the aforesaid new gas
resulting therefrom, reference being had to the accompanying two Sheets of Drawing
and to the figures and letters of reference marked thereon.
this
A, Figure 1, is a steam boiler, of which X, Z, Figure 10, shows the section;
boiler by the pipe B, G, H, Figure 1, injects steam into the serpentine or worm pipe
G, H, superheated by the gas escaping from the fireplaces to the chimney V. C
shows the purifier.
I turn on the cock D, allowing the steam to penetrate through the pipe D, M,
into the retort K, while by turning on the cock F, I cause steam to penetrate through
the pipe F, R, into the retort J, of which Figure 2 shows a section.
I will now describe the action of the retort J.
The steam is admitted into the pipe D', E¹ (Figure 2), and penetrating through a
perforated iron grate F, G, filled with incandescent coal or coke, is decomposed. I
then open the communication between the receiver L (Figure 1) containing the
fatty matters and the retort J. The perforated pipe B', G', (Figure 2) allows these
matters to run drop by drop into the retort J, Figure 2. The gases arising from the
decomposition of the vapours of the fatty matters and of those of the steam pass
through the opening A¹ (Figure 2), or through the pipe T, N (Figure 1), and tra-
versing a purifier containing whitewash or lime white and soda salts go into the
gasometer or gas holder.
The purifier, which contains the whitewash or lime white and soda salts, is an
ordinary case in which the gas dabbles, and is purified in a peculiar manner.
When the gas has passed through this purifier I may, if desirable, cause it to pass
through another purifier, shown Figure 11, specially made to expend or absorb the
oxyde of carbon, the gas passing from thence into the gasometer or holder. I will
bereinafter further describe the purifier represented by the Figure 11.
I may also employ for the retort J a very peculiar inner construction (see Fig. 9),
which will enable it to generate carburetted hydrogen with much greater rapidity.
For this purpose I place on the bottom of the said retort a layer of coal of about
15 centimetres thick, and bring the steam of water introduced into the pipe F111,
G, H, in connection with the coal. This steam of water is supplied by the boiler
A, Figure 1, in the following manner :-An iron tube bringing the steam from the
boiler penetrates vertically into this horizontal retort through the part H, Figure
9, and rising up to a little more than the middle of the retort, joins at the point G¹¹¹
Figure 9, and forms a right angle with a tube of which the two ends reaching nearly
to the bottom of the retort are stopped up. This U shaped tube, of which the
Figure 3 shows a horizontal section, is consequently set over the layer of coal; its
two branches F¹, G¹, and K', L1, are bored beneath with holes, into which are fitted
numerous short tubes or nipples of steatite, such as represented in Figure 14, which
is a part section showing one of the nipples fitted in.
I may replace the steatite by pipe clay, or by small tubes or nipples of fire proof
material, or by any other more durable material; the apertures of these small pipes
should be exceedingly small, nearly capillary, and prepared for that purpose.
The steam under a sufficiently high pressure is ejected or caused to issue down-
wards upon the coal in a great number of small jets, its decomposition being thereby
well effected.
At Figure 1 I have shown the more economical position which I may give to the
steam pipe E¹, bringing the steam into the U shaped tube (c, a, b, d).
The steam directed upon the coal generates hydrogen, which driven out imme-
diately by a new jet of steam escapes through the opening A¹¹1, Figure 9, and so

page_text: forth, and by means of these continuous injections of steam I continually obtain
-hydrogen.
Therefore, with this system of retort and its peculiar inside construction I may
obtain carburetted hydrogen in as large a quantity, as I may desire.
If I now introduce fatty matters through the pipe B, Figure 9, and cause it to
run drop by drop on to a plate or a fire proof brick K, I may obtain any required
quantity of carburetted hydrogen. I would here observe that to purify either
hydrogen or carburetted hydrogen from any traces of oxyde of carbon I have but to
cause these gases to pass through the purifier, Figures 11, 12, and 13, which I will
hereinafter describe.
The question is now the obtaining of oxygen.
I have also stated in my preliminary and theoretical description that to obtain
oxygen I could employ air decomposed in water and purified by means of potashed
coal, or that I might use manganate of soda.
I will now proceed to explain how I arrange my retort when I use manganate of
soda, and the manner in which the operation is to be effected.
The retort K, of which the Figure 6 shows a section, is also horizontal.
B, C, indicate a pipe bringing air; K", G", a perforated partition; H", a per-
forated grate upon which is spread manganate of soda sprinkled with copper salts;
D, J, is a perforated pipe bringing steam, which pipe I may make like one of the
branches of the U shaped tube, shown Figures 3 and 4, the small pipes or nipples
being however placed beneath the manganate.
I spread the manganate of soda on the grate H; I heat the retort, Figure 6, to
450 degrees; this causes the oxygen to escape from the manganate of soda, which
is thus converted into oxyde of manganese; I then admit air by the pipe B, C,
which air penetrating the potashed coal surrounding the pipe G₁ throws off in it
the azote that it contains, crosses the perforated partition K", G", and penetrates
into the second part of the retort, where it vivifies the oxyde of manganese; I then
admit steam into the pipe D", J, which steam moistening the oxyde of manganese
decomposes it into manganate of soda; I again heat the retort to 450 degrees, and
thereby cause the escape of the oxygen from the manganate of soda, which is thus
re-converted into oxyde of manganese.
Consequently, in recommencing the operation, I shall again obtain oxygen, and
always oxygen; and in fact as the manganate of soda impregnated with copper salts
may be desoxygenated and reoxygenated infinitely, I may obtain with the same
manganate of soda as much oxygen as may be desired. This oxygen may be purified
from all traces of azote by passing it again through one or more layers of potashed
coal.
I do not confine myself to the use of manganate of soda for the generating of
oxygen, as the bioxyd of barium, as well as any other suitable material which will
produce oxygen, may be employed.
I have now explained the means by which I obtain my new gas; these means are
divided into several stages :-
1. Generation of the hydrogen.
2°. Generation of the carburetted hydrogen.
3º. Generation of the oxygen.
In describing my system. I stated that I purified in a particular manner the
hydrogen and the carburetted hydrogen from the oxyde of carbon that might
be contained in it, although they should not contain any if the U shaped tube
(shown Figure 3) is employed.
I will now explain the manner in which. I proceed in such case.
I will take Figures 11, 12, 13, which represent plans and sections of my system
of economical purifier for the absorption of the oxide of carbon gas.
In Figure 11 H, H¹, H", are sheet iron boxes two thirds filled with an ammo-
niacal solution of subchloride of copper. The gas issuing from the purifier enters
the pipe B, A, and by means of the perforated pipe a, b, (box H) passes through the
ammoniacal solution of subchloride of copper contained in this box. This solution

page_text: completely absorbs the oxyde of carbon gas, separating it from the other gas, which
passing through the perforated pipe P proceeds to the gasometer or holder through
the pipe J, K.
When the box H has been in use for several hours I turn on the small cock O, which
admits into the pipe O, N, the already made gas issuing from the pipe L, M, which
pipe may be in direct connection with a gasometer. I then turn on the cock D and
turn off the cock G, and the gas now being generated then goes by the pipe a¹, b',
to the box H¹ to be purified, and so on in the box H". As soon as the gas in
generating has passed through the pipe a¹, b¹, I light the burners X, X',X", X", of
the pipe O, N, and unscrew the aperture G; the ammoniacal solution of subchloride
of copper under the influence of heat then throws off the oxide of carbon that it has
absorbed. I then turn off the cock O in order to extinguish the burners X, X',
X", X, of the pipe O, N, and let the box get cold; after which, by screwing up the
aperture G, I may again employ the box H.
The same operation is to be repeated with all the other boxes, whereby the puri-
fication of the gases is effected in a continuous manner. I may of course place in
this purifier as many boxes as I may deem necessary.
By unctuous material or fatty matters I mean any unctuous materials, such as oil,
tallow, fat, resin, petroleum, schist, boghead, and others of whatever kind.
..If I use thick unctuous material or fatty matter which is not sufficiently fluid to
run like oil into the retort, I remedy this.inconvenience by mixing it with tar.
If I use tar as fatty matter I cause the gas issuing from the retort to pass through
a large bulk of water, whereby it is instantaneously freed from the carbonaceous
matters, and thus the pipes will not become choked.
I may also employ the thick greasy waters derived from wool washing or from
soap works.
If I use resin I place the receiver containing this material in the furnace near a
retort in order to liquefy the resin and cause it to pass through a wire gauze with
close meshes, thus causing the resin to leave on the wire gauze all the foreign matter
which it may contain. I adopt the same arrangement when operating upon the
[residuums arising from the distillation of the unctuous acids extracted from fats.
I may also use the waste of cork and of old corks or stoppers unfit for service by
distilling. them, causing the gas thus obtained to pass through the pipe B¹, C₁,
Figure 2, and carrying on the operation as if a liquid fatty matter was running
through this tube.
The decomposition of pounded olive stones and of any kind of oil seeds from
whatever source they may be derived will give me when distilled the same results
as those arising from the distillation of the waste of cork, the method of fabrication
being the same. In short, I may employ every kind of unctuous, fatty, or oilý
bodies.
I may easily give to my new gas a delightful pale red or pink white colour. To
effect this it suffices to cause the gas issuing from the retort to pass immediately
into an ordinary carburator containing oil or benzole, from which the gas is
immediately directed to the purifier, containing whitewash or lime white and soda
salta.
I may also mix my carburetted hydrogen with coal gas or with gas arising from
boghead, and cause it to burn at the mouth of the same burner with a current of
oxygen, and I then obtain very remarkable lighting gas.
If I mix eighty or a hundred volumes of carburetted hydrogen or of coal gas with
one volume of oxygen I obtain also a very fine lighting gas.
I may therefore, as regards the caloric, obtain a wonderful intensity of heat by
burning at the same opening or outlet of the burner hydrogen and oxygen gas
coming from two different receivers through two different pipes.
As I may make the pipes of any diameter I may also regulate the precise quantity
of each gas supplied to the burner. I may also employ a gas regulator or governor to
regulate in a precise manner the quantity of each of these gases. This also applies
to carburetted hydrogen gas if I desire to burn it with a current of oxygen. In
'

page_text: short, the intensity of the light is optional, as I have two different gasometers, the
one containing carburetted hydrogen and the other oxygen.
I may obtain pure oxygen cheaply and in as great a quantity as I may desire,
and therefore may alter the degree of heat according to requirement by increasing
or decreasing the volume of each of the two gases. The following arrangement may
also be adopted for my apparatus :-
Figure 15 is a boiler set on a furnace; this boiler is provided in its firebox with
a serpentine pipe or worm ending at the point B, where it is divided (see Figure 16)
into two branches C', P, D, and C', P¹, D'; these two branches provided with cocks
P and P¹ are used to inject dried steam into the retorts F' and Ġ³.
The retort F', intended to generate hydrogen or carburetted hydrogen, is repre-
sented at Figure 17 by the retort P; the steam injected through the branch
C¹, P, D¹, Figure 10, penetrates upwards into the retort by means of a pipe L, E,
Figure 17, which starting from the lower part of the retort is divided at the point E
into two branches. This pipe is provided with holes in which are screwed bits of
pipe or nipples of steatite, iron, or copper, with capillary apertures. The dried steam
issuing from the tube L, E, D, is decomposed on the coal, and escapes through the
aperture R of the retort by the turning on the steam cock P, Figure 16. The gene-
ration of the hydrogen is continuous.
The vessel Q, Figure 17, is destined to receive the unctuous material or fatty
matter running drop by drop from the tube G, F; this fatty matter is decomposed
on the red hot bottom of the vessel, and the vapours arising from this decomposi-
tion mixing with the hydrogen thus generate the carburetted hydrogen.
The pipe K, J, H, is a pipe perforated inside of the retort, and used to inject air
in order to quicken the fire.
M, N, and M' are dampers intended to regulate the issuing of the gases coming
from the fire grates of the retorts, Figures 17 and 18.
The Figures 19 and 20 show a section and a view of the purifier with white-
wash or lime white and soda salts used to purify the carburetted hydrogen gas.
I may employ retorts of a round, oval, or any other form, and either of cast
iron coated externally with fireproof clay or of steatite, which will last a very long
time.
I may also use as many retorts as may be necessary, superpose them, and place
them close to or distant from each other without altering my system.
Whether for lighting or heating I may easily place my retorts in works or
factories, on shipboard or upon the tender of an engine, without altering the prin
ciples of this apparatus. The lighting of a camp therefore becomes an easy and
convenient matter, as the different parts of the apparatus might be placed on carts
and be put together and taken to pieces with the greatest ease.
Having now described and ascertained the nature of my said Invention and in
what manner the same is or may be performed, what―
I claim as of my Invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,―
1°. My new lighting and heating gas generated by means of my apparatus with
carburetted hydrogen, and if required burning conjointly with a current of oxygen
issuing from the same burner through a different pipe, substantially as hereinbefore
described.
2° The means by which 1 generate these gases, that is to say, the hydrogen, the
carburetted hydrogen, and then the oxygen, substantially as hereinbefore described.
3°. The apparatus employed, whether in part or in the whole, for the generation
of these hydrogen, carburetted hydrogen, and oxyen gases, substantially as herein-
before described and shown on the accompanying Sheets of Drawing.
4°. The use of manganate of soda sprinkled with copper salts for the generating
of oxygen, substantially as hereinbefore described.
5°. The adoption of potashed coal for the absorption of azotic gas, substantially
as herein before described.
6°. The economical purifier, shown Figures 11, 12, and 13, for the absorption. of
the oxide of carbon gas by means of an ainmoniacal solution of subchloride of copper,

page_text: substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the accompanying Sheets of
Drawing.
7°. The actual principle of this Invention and the various means by which I have
arrived at the result, substantially as hereinbefore described and shown on the
accompanying Sheets of Drawing.
In witness whereof, I, the said Paul Aube, have hereunto set my hand and
seal, this Thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord One thousand-
eight hundred and seventy nine.
PAUL AUBE. (L.S.)