Improvements in and connected with the Working of Gas Producers.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 10th Nov., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 28th June, 1893-Accepted, 26th Aug., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Working of Gas Producers.
PIERRE ANATOLE FICHET, Civil Engineer 98 Rue d'Assas, Paris, France
RENÉ HEURTEY, Civil Engineer 98 Rue d'Assas, Paris, France do hereby
declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:---
The well known advantages which are secured by the addition of steam to
the air which passes through the gas producers are to prevent the smelting of the
ashes, and to increase the calorific power of the gas by the transformation of the
steam into hydrogen and carbonic oxyde.
As soon as the proportion of steam becomes somewhat strong, this steam causes
an excess in the cooling which produces a great trouble in the working of the
apparatus, and the production of carbonic acid increases at the prejudice of that of
carbonic oxyde.
We intend to correct that inconvenience through devices that enable us to
increase the proportion of steam used up to this date, and to obtain a gas very rich
in hydrogen and quite convenient for operating gas engine.
Such a result can be obtained by superheating strongly the mixture of air and
steam before its admission into the gas producer.
That superheating can be realised in many different ways, either with a special
furnace, or by taking hot air from a recuperator; but in most of the cases we find
advantage to produce it through the heat which the gas possesses when it comes
out from the gas producer and to find use of such heat without operating the
combustion.
The result is generally that this superheating costs nothing, because most
often the gas gets cool during its long course between the gas producer and the
gas furnace.
The gas being produced at a temperature from 700 to 800 degrees centigrades,
possesses more heat than is necessary for the superheating of the mixture of air and
steam intended to feed the combustion in the gas producer.
We have ascertained that the heat to be disposed of was sufficient to produce
the necessary steam for the insufflation of air, to superheat the same before sending
it into the injector, and to superheat also the mixture of air and steam in a
convenient way.
In order to obtain that result, we let the hot gas circulate in a tubular boiler
which produces the steam, and afterwards round a serpentine pipe in which the
steam gets superheated, and at last in a tubular bundle intended for superheating
the mixture coming from the injector. The order of that circulation can be
inverted. Calorifuge envelops prevent cooling from outside.
Through the use of a great proportion of steam the injector gives a strong
pressure to the insufflated mixture; it results the possibility of operating the gas
producer at very high speeds, which can even exceed 100 kilos. of fuel burnt per
hour and per square meter of section.
Dated this Eighth day of November A.D. 1892.
A. FICHET.
R. HEURTEY.

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in and connected with the Working of Gas Producers.
PIERRE ANATOLE FICHET, Civil Engineer 98 Rue d'Assas Paris France
RENÉ HEURTEY, Civil Engineer 98 Rue d'Assas Paris France 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 :-
The well known advantages which are secured by the addition of steam to
the air which passes through the gas producers are to prevent the smelting of the
ashes, and to increase the calorific power of the gas by the transformation of the
steam into hydrogen and carbonic oxyde.
As soon as the proportion of steam becomes somewhat strong, this steam causes
an excess in the cooling which produces a great trouble in the working of the
apparatus, and the production of carbonic acid increases at the prejudice of that of
carbonic oxyde.
We intend to correct that inconvenience through devices that enable us to
increase the proportion of steam used up to this date, and to obtain a gas very rich
in hydrogen, and quite convenient for operating gas engine and heating furnaces to
high temperatures.
Such a result can be obtained by superheating strongly the mixture of air and
steam before its admission into the gas producer.
That superheating can be realised in many different ways, either with a special
furnace, or by taking hot air from a recuperator; but in most of the cases we find
advantage to produce it through the heat which the gas possesses when it comes
out from the gas producer before its combustion.
The result is generally that this superheating costs nothing, because most often
the gas gets cool during its long course, between the gas producer and the gas
furnace.
The gas being produced at a temperature from 700 to 800 degrees centigrades
possesses more heat than is necessary for the superheating of the mixture of air
and steam intended to feed the combustion in the gas producer.
We have ascertained that the heat to be disposed of was sufficient to produce
the necessary steam for the insufflation of air, to superheat the same before
sending it into the injector, and to superheat also the mixture of air and steam in
a convenient way.
In order to obtain that result, we let the hot gas circulate in a tubular boiler
which produces the steam, and afterwards round a serpentine pipe in which the
steam gets superheated, and at last in a tubular bundle intended for superheating
the mixture coming from the injector. The order of that circulation can be
inverted. The cooling from outside is prevented by a thick layer of asbestos,
ashes or other calorifuge substances.
Through the use of a great proportion of steam, the injector gives a strong
pressure to the insufflated mixture and it is possible to operate the gas producer at
very high speeds which can even exceed 100 kilos. of fuel burnt per hour and per
square meter of section.
It is sometimes profitable to produce the steam in a special boiler which can be
heated with a common hearth or a gas hearth. This steam boiler is not shown in
the annexed drawing.
The gases furnished by the gas producer A are going through a canal C round
the pipes V in which the steam gets superheated and afterwards in the tubular
bundle T, and they arrive in the cash S for deposit of the dust from which they go
out through the valve R.
The steam comes through the pipe a in the pipes V in which it gets superheated
and goes to the injector I which is fixed on the basis D of the tubular bundle T.

page_text: The mixture of air and steam is insufflated by the injector I round the pipes of
the tubular bundle T; it goes from this bundle away through the tubes td and
comes to the hearth which is on the under part of the gas producer.
This hearth is not shown on the drawing because its disposition is variable and
the superheating can be applied to all kinds of insufflated producers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :
1. The use of the heat of the gas before all combustion, for the production and
the superheating of steam, and for the superheating of the mixture of air and
steam which feeds the gas producer, and also the whole of the means and devices
employed for realising that purpose.
2. The application for industrial purposes of rich gas obtained by using a great
proportion of steam, and specially the use of gas so enriched with hydrogen for the
engines provided with poor gas.
A. FICHET.
R. HEURTEY.