AN IMPROVEMENT IN GAS PRODUCERS
Year: 1884

page_text: I, RICHARD Howson, of 2 Exchange Place, Middlesbrough-on-Tees, in the
County of York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of said invention for
"AN IMPROVEMENT IN GAS PRODUCERS" to be as follows:-
My invention relates to that class of gas producers in which the formation of
combustible gas is assisted by a blast of air injected. among the burning fuel by
means of a steam jet or a mechanical blower.
According to the ordinary construction the air nozzle is placed at the lower part
of such a producer, and the current of gas rises upwards while the fresh fuel is fed
on the top of the charge.
"
According to my invention the nozzle is placed at the top of the producer and
above the charge of fresh fuel, through which the air is forced, and the current of
gas passes downwards.
I have found that this change in the position of the air nozzle is an improvement
from which are derived several important advantages in the working of the
apparatus and in the production of combustible gas.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per F. J. Brougham,
Applicant's Agent.

page_text: I, RICHARD Howson, of 2 Exchange Place, Middlesbrough-on-Tees, in the County
of York, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "AN IMPROVE-
MENT IN GAS PRODUCERS" and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
My invention relates to that class of gas producers in which the generation of
gas is assisted by a blast of air injected among the burning fuel by means of a
steam jet, or a mechanical blower, or it may be by the suction of a chimney or
exhausting apparatus. I shall confine my description to the method of employing
a steam jet, because all other contrivances for the same purpose are already
sufficiently well understood.
According to the ordinary mode of construction the steam and air nozzle is placed
at the lower part of such producers, and the current of evolved gas rises upwards,
while the fresh fuel is fed on the top of the charge. According to my invention
the steam and air are introduced at the top of the producer chamber, above the
charge of fresh fuel through which they are forced, and the current of gas passes
downwards finding its exit at the bottom of the producor.
I have found that this application of a, downdraught instead of an updraught is
an improvement from which are derived important advantages in the production 'of
combustible gas.
I will only refer to a few of these advantages. In the first place the nuisance of
dense sinoke which usually issues from every orifice of the upper part of the
producer, is entirely avoided. Secondly it is impossible for the charging apparatus
to get unduly hot, hitherto a common occurrence. Thirdly all the tar and coal
dust issuing from a fresh charge of fuel is carried through a mass of glowing coke,
thereby becoming decomposed and rendered gaseous. Consequently the choking up
of the flues is avoided. Fourthly the labour of cleaning out the ashes is less severe
than in the ordinary plan, while generally the attention which the producer
requires is much diminished.
.
I will now proceed to describe my invention more particularly referring to the
drawings hereto annexed.
Figs 1 and 2 are vertical cross sections of the producer taken at right angles to
each other..
Fig 3 is a horizontal section through the line w, x and Fig 4 a similar section
through the line y, z. A is the chamber in which the fuel is placed and B is a
feeding hopper through which it is introduced. C is a steam jet apparatus, and
D is the pipe or channel by which the air with its mixed steam is conducted into
the chamber above the charge.
The direction of the current of steam and air, and of the generated gases is clearly
indicated by the arrows. The steam and air pass downwards first through the
layer of unconsumed fuel, and then through the mass of glowing and partially
burnt fuel below, by the heat and chemical action of which they become decomposed.
The resulting combustible gases, consisting mainly of hydrocarbons and carbonic
oxide, find their exit, first through the passages E. F at the lower part of the
producer, and then finally into the main flue G which conducts them to the point
or points where they have to be utilised. H. Hare two doors which are used for
cleaning out the ashes from time to time, and I is a door for raking out any deposit
which may be carried over into the flue. J is a valve for shutting off the gas
when necessary, and for preventing the return of gas from the main flue when two
or more producers are in connexion with each other.

page_text: The upper level of the fresh fuel is indicated by the uneven line K, and above
that is a slight hole L through which its surface can be examined, while there are
other openings M. M for manipulating the charge according to the usual practice.
The above description will enable any one conversant with the production of
combustible gas (mixed with nitrogen) to understand the essential and novel
feature of my invention, while he will at once see that the details thereof are capable
of various modifications. In fact I do not confine myself to any particular shape
of gas producer, or to any particular method of feeding, or blowing, or arrangement
of flues. It is almost unnecessary to say that the general form as well as details
may be varied in many ways. I will therefore only refer to one or two modifications
which will be obvious to any skilled person. In Figs 1, 2, 3, 4, the current of
evolved gas is shewn to leave the chamber by channels situated outside the charge.
In Figs 5, 6, 7, 8 which I have added, the current takes a central exit. In Figs 5, 6
which are a vertical and horizontal section respectively, the current of gas, as
indicated by the arrows, passes underneath a central bridge N, and then upwards
and through the side of the producer. In Figs 7, 8 the current passes underneath
a similar bridge, and then downwards into the flue below. I will also note that
these central bridges are here supposed to be of fire brick, but. they may also be
made of cast or wrought iron, or steel, in the form of a hollow box, into the interior
of which steam or air, or both, may be introduced in order to preserve it from being
over-heated, and at the same time to superheat such steam and air before being
conducted to the upper part of the chamber. The diagram Fig 9 shews a cross
section of one form of such hollow box. With regard to the mode of feeding
I have here shown a bell and hopper of the usual construction, but other apparatus
may be employed either for feeding by hand or by self acting means.
Having thus described the nature of my invention and the mode of performing
the same, I would have it understood that I do not claim a downdraught in
combustion generally as being new and original. I am aware that domestic fire-
places, as well as fireplaces for furnaces have been constructed in which a portion
of the air required for combustion has been allowed to pass downwards through the
fresh fuel, but these arrangements are entirely distinct from my invention, inasmuch
as. they are ordinary fire places with a modified method of combustion, whereas it
is an essential feature of my invention that it is a separate gas producer, or isolated
apparatus, in which gas is generated capable of being conducted to a distance and
by a number of ramifications before it is ignited. Moreover I am aware that
certain gas producers have been made in which a down current has been employed
which is intermittent in its action-that is to say-the charge of fuel is first
brought to an incandescent state, and then alternately, and for a certain period,
utilised as a gas producer. Again other gas producers have been made with a
partition in the interior so as to constitute two chambers, the current passing up one
chamber and down the other, and the action is reversible. Now it will be seen
that according to my invention the action is neither intermittent nor reversible.
On the contrary the action is simply that of a current moving continuously
downwards first through the unconsumed portion of the charge, then through the
incandescent portion, and finally through that which is more or less consumed, to
its exit.
What I claim therefore as being new and of my invention is the application of
a down-draught, instead of the usual updraught, to a gas producer which is fed
from. the top and the action of which is continuous.
W. LLOYD WISE,
Applicant's Agent.