Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas for Illuminating or Heating Purposes, applicable also for the Distillation of Liquid Hydrocarbons.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 27th Apr., 1892-Accepted, 18th Mar., 1893
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas for
Illuminating or Heating Purposes, applicable also for the
Distillation of Liquid Hydrocarbons.
I, PAUL DVORKOVITZ of Fernwood North Hill, Highgate in the County of
London Chemist, 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 :-
My invention has for its object to provide an apparatus of simple and economical
construction readily managed and cleaned in which gas for illuminating or heating
purposes can be produced from water gas and petroleum or other liquid or liqui-
fiable hydrocarbon (which I will hereinafter refer to as "oil"). Such gas is referred
to in the Specification of Letters Patent No. 13506 granted to me and dated the
10th August 1891 as "oil-water gas." A further object of my invention is to cause
the tar and products carried thereby (I will refer to these hereinafter generally as
the "tar") to be deposited or in great part deposited before the gases or vapours
reach the fixing chambers the arrangement being such that the tar can be readily
removed and the parts wherein the tar and products are deposited be readily
cleaned. According to my invention the apparatus consists of a system of tubes
in which the oil is vaporized and of other tubes in which the vaporised oil is further
heated and the tar separates and deposits in a chamber or tube with which the last
named tubes are in communication the tar being readily removeable from the said
chamber or tube and the vapourous or gaseous products from the oil meeting
water gas in the said chamber or tube and passing with the said water gas through
a fixing chamber containing heated material affording an extended surface. The
deposited tar can be readily removed from the chamber or tube when desired and
by the admission of superheated steam to the tubes and chamber wherein the tar
separates and is deposited, an efficient cleaning thereof can be effected. The
apparatus can be used for making fixed gas from oil alone or by omitting the
supply of water gas or for distilling the oil then using of course a temperature suffi-
ciently lower than that used in making the illuminating and heating gas so as not
to convert the oil vapours into fixed gas; superheated steam being introduced into
the apparatus to assist in the distillation of the oil. The apparatus may all be
set in one furnace if desired so as to be heated by one fire and simplify the
construction.
The accompanying drawing represents an apparatus constructed according to my
invention in which I have shewn by way of example two sets of the apparatus set
in one heating chamber and furnace but I may use one or other number of sets of
such apparatus as may be desired.
Figure 1 is a plan, Figure 2 a longitudinal section on the line 1, 2 Figure 1 and
Figure 3 is a transverse section on the line 3, 4 Figure 1.
A is the heating chamber and B is the furnace having a roof extending from the
front but leaving an opening at the end furthest from the furnace by which opening
the hot gases pass into the chamber A on their way to the chimney which is in
connection with the opening at a. C are tubes set in the roof of the furnace and
extending through and projecting from each end of the chamber. At intervals
throughout the chamber A are mounted tubes D which extend to outside the
chamber and are connected by tubular connections & so as to form a continuous

page_text: passage for the oil which enters by the pipe d³. These tubes and tubular connec-
tions may have removeable plugs at their ends for cleaning purposes as described in
my aforesaid Specification of Letters Patent 13506". The end tube of the series
is in communication with a pipe E from which branch pipes e open into tubes F
which descend through the chamber A. and open into the tubes C. I have shewn
two series of the tubes F in connection with each tube C but I may use one or
more than two such series if desired. The further ends of each tube C communicate
with a fixing chamber G filled with fire bricks or other material presenting an
extended surface for the contact of the gases. 9 are the outlets for the gases from the
fixing chambers on their way towards the place of utilization or storage. care flanges
to which pipes for conveying water gas can be connected to the tubes C and c² are
valves which can be closed when the water-gas is not to be supplied. ³ is a valve
which prevents the gases or vapours from passing too near to the rearward ends of the
tubes C. care pipes provided with cocks by which tar which deposits in the
tubes C can be removed. The tube E has a tube e provided with a stop cock e³
by which superheated steam can be admitted when desired. The tubes e are
provided with cocks e by which they can be closed when desired. When the
apparatus is in use for enriching water gas with oil gas the pipe for the inlet of
water gas is attached to the flanges c and the valves care opened. Oil is admitted
by the pipe and passes along and becomes heated in the tubes D and thence the
oil vapours pass into the tube E and by the tubes e into the tubes F wherein tar
separates and, passes down the said tubes F and deposits in the tubes C the oil
vapours meeting the water gas and passing with it through the fixing chambers G
wherefrom any remaining tar which may deposit passes down into the tubes C the
combined water gas and oil gas passing off by the openings 9 and tubes connected
to the place of utilization or storage passing if so required first through any usual
or convenient apparatus for purification or other treatment before being used or
stored. The tar can be removed after closing the cocks by which the gas and oil
are admitted by opening the cocks c' and the valves c³ by means of the handles as
shewn at and by opening the cock e superheated steam can be admitted to
thoroughly clean out the apparatus. If the water gas be omitted the apparatus
will make fixed gas from oil alone. If the apparatus is to be used simply for
distilling oil the valves which are for admitting water gas are closed and oil is
admitted at d² superheated steam being admitted (by opening the cock e³) to meet
the vaporized oil in the pipe E and assist the distillation. The tar deposits as
aforesaid in the tube C and the vapourised oil and steam pass out at the openings g
and the oil distilled is condensed and separated in any ordinary or convenient
apparatus for the purpose. The temperature will of course be lower where
distillation only is to be effected than it will be when the oil is to be converted into
a fixed gas. The fixing chambers G in distilling act as continuations of the
heating arrangement by which the gas is vapourised. By closing the cocks e on
the pipes e which communicate with the pipes F in connection with one of the
tubes C, the pipes F can be cleaned by removing the stoppers at their upper ends
whilst the process is carried on in the other half of the apparatus.
I have shewn the tubes D and C as being horizontal but they may be otherwise
arranged and the tubes F need not be vertical provided they be so disposed as to
allow the deposited tar to pass into the tubes or chambers.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is :-
1. The arrangement and combination of parts constituting an apparatus for the
manufacture of illuminating or heating gas or for the distillation of petroleum or
other liquid or liquifiable hydrocarbon substantially as hereinbefore described and
illustrated by the accompanying drawings.
2. In apparatus for the purposes described the combination in a furnace or

page_text: heating chamber of tubes in which the hydrocarbon is vapourised and other tubes
in which tar separates the said tubes leading to a chamber or tube from which the
tar can be readily removed substantially as hereinbefore described and illustrated
by the accompanying drawings.
DJ Amil 1900
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.