Improvements in the Electrolysis or Electrical Treatment of Gases and Gaseous Mixtures or Compounds.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 6th Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 24th June, 1899--Accepted, 2nd Sept., 1899
Improvements in the Electrolysis or Electrical Treatment of Gases
and Gaseous Mixtures or Compounds.
I, REGINALD JOHN YARNOLD, of 64, Upper Tulse Hill, Surrey, Electro-Chemist,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows;-
-
This invention relates to improvements in the electrolysis or electro chemical
treatment or allotropic modification of gases and gaseous mixtures or compounds,
and has particular reference to an improved method and means to be employed
in the production of high potential electric induction discharges to be employed
in such treatment, and is applicable to the modification of gases or gaseous
mixtures, such, for example, as oxygen, hydrogen, carbonic acid, atmospheric
air and chlorine, or for the electrolysis or modification of gaseous compounds
such, for example, as hydrochloric acid, coal gas and hydrocarbon gases, and for
the like treatment of all other gases and gaseous mixtures or compounds which
are capable, when subjected to such discharges, of being electrolysed, modified
or rendered nascent; the objects of the invention being to obtain a more uniform
electric induction discharge through the gases or gaseous mixtures or compounds
under treatment and to more constantly maintain the electric potential or tension,
and thus to produce a higher electro chemical efficiency of action on the gas
or gaseous mixture or compound under treatment than is possible with existing
means of similarly treating such products, and whereby the chemical activity of
the latter will be more highly increased and their utilization in the various
industrial arts will be more efficient and will be considerably extended.
To this end. the invention consists, as regards the apparatus to be employed
in carrying it into effect, mainly in the interposition between metallic or other
electric conducting surfaces connected respectively with the poles of the source
of the electric energy, of a compilation, arranged in parallel, of alternating
layers of dielectric mediums having different inductive capacities, one of the
alternating dielectrics being in each case the gas or gaseous compound or mix-
ture under treatement and flowing between the other alternating dielectric, and
in the employment of high potential electric alternating or pulsating currents of
electricity in connection with such apparatus for the purpose of the invention.
The other alternating dielectric may, for example, consist of glass or mica or
any other suitable substance, and may be arranged vertically, horizontally or
otherwise, and flatwise or cylindrically or otherwise, in parallel and equidistant
relation or otherwise in any suitable formation, always so as to allow of a con-
tinual flow there between of the gas or gaseous compound or mixture under
treatment.
The improved means are particularly applicable in the utilization of high
tension alternating currents of electricity in the modification of gases for increas-
ing their chemical energy, but, in the electrolysis of gaseous mixtures or com-
pounds, I may advantageously employ a high potential direct and pulsating
Current in connection with the above described means.
With such improved means, moreover, in addition to the advantage of the

page_text: attainment of the objects above mentioned, a high potential electric induction
discharge can be propagated between conducting surfaces placed at a relatively
greater distance apart than they could be if the interposed dielectric was of
uniform inductive capacity.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents, 321, High Holborn, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in the Electrolysis or Eletrical Treatment of Gases
and Gaseous Mixtures or Compounds,
I, REGINALD JOHN YARNOLD, formerly of 64, Upper Tulse Hill, Surrey, but
now of 44, Sternhold Avenue, Streatham Hill, Surrey, Electro-Chemist, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be per-
formed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:
This invention relates to improvements in the electrolysis or electrical treat-
ment or allotropic modification of gases and gascous mixtures or compounds, and
is applicable to the modification of gases or gaseous mixtures, such for example,
as oxygen, hydrogen, chlorine and atmospheric air, or for the electrolysis or
modification of gaseous compounds, such, for example, as carbonic acid, hydro-
chloric acid, coal gas and hydrocarbon gases, and for the like treatment of all
other gases and gaseous mixtures or compounds which are capable, when sub-
jected to such discharges, of being thereby modified, electrolysed or rendered
nascent and chemically active; and has particular reference to improved means
or apparatus to be employed in the production of high potential electric induc-
tion discharges to be employed in the aforesaid treatment of such gases and
gaseous mixtures or compounds; whereby I am enabled to obtain a more uniform
electric induction discharge through the gas or gaseous mixture or compound
under treatment and to more constantly maintain the electric potential or tension,
and thus to produce a higher electro chemical efficiency of action on the gas or
gaseous mixture or compound than is possible with existing means of similarly
treating such products, and whereby the chemical activity of such products will
be more highly increased and their utilization in the various industrial arts will
be more efficient and will be considerably extended; the improved means or
apparatus also enabling a high potential electric induction discharge to be
readily propagated between conducting surfaces placed at a greater distance apart
than that across which, in existing means of similarly treating such products, a
like discharge could be propagated.
The accompanying drawing represents the improved means or apparatus, show-
ing the same in section, and, by way of example, as cylindrically arranged.
To the end aforesaid, the invention is characterized by constructing the
improved means or apparatus in such manner that the gas or gaseous mixture or
compound under treatment is caused to flow in thin layers between a compilation
of respectively insulated dielectrics, a, which form the channels, b, through
which the gas or gaseous mixture or compound flows, and are of different electric
inductive capacity to that of the gas or gaseous mixture or compound under
treatment, and are arranged or sandwiched between two outer or outside covering
conductors, c, d, which are connected respectively by terminals, e, f, with the
poles of the source of the electric energy, so that, when in operation, the

page_text: insulated channel-forming dielectrics, a, and the layers of the gas or gaseous
mixture or compound under treatment and circulating therebetween through the
channels, b, are together caused to constitute a parallel compilation subdividing
the space between the two outer or outside covering conductors, c, d, into alter-
nating layers, a, b, of respectively different inductive capacities; and by the
employment of high potential alternating or pulsating currents of electricity in
connection with such an arrangement of apparatus for the purpose of the
invention.
The channel-forming dielectrics, a, are respectively insulated from each other,
as at g, and may consist of glass or of mica or of any other suitable substance,
and may be arranged cylindrically, as represented, or flatwise, or otherwise, and
horizontally, vertically, or otherwise, in parallel and equidistant relation, always
so as to constitute intermediate channels adapted to allow of a continual flow
therethrough and in thin layers of the gas or gaseous mixture or compound
under treatment.
The improved arrangement of apparatus is particularly applicable in the utiliza-
tion of high tension alternating currents of electricity in the modification of
gases or gaseous mixtures for rendering them nascent or increasing their
chemical energy, but, in the electrolysis of gaseous compounds, a high potential
direct and pulsating current may be advantageously employed.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:-
Apparatus for electrolyzing or electrically treating gases and gaseous mixtures
or compounds characterized by being formed with two outside or covering con-
ductors (respectively connected with the source of the electric energy) the space
between which is divided by a compilation of respectively insulated dielectrics
into a series of through channels, in such manner that each adjacent pair of the
dielectrics forms and is separated by one of the said channels and that each of
the channels is bounded at its sides only by the insulators, so that the said
dielectrics and the channels alternate without any intermediate insulators of
conductors, and that, when the apparatus is in operation and submitted to high
potential alternating or pulsating currents of electricity, the alternating dielec-
trics and layers of the gas or mixture or compound under treatment will con-
stitute a parallel compilation dividing the entire space between the two covering
conductors and between the end insulators into alternating layers of respectively
different inductive capacities without any intermediate insulators or conductors,
so producing high potential uniform electric induction discharges from con-
ductor to conductor through the intermediate alternating dielectrics and layers
of gas or mixture or compound, as set forth.
.
DAY, DAVIES & HUNT,
Chartered Patent Agents, 321, High Holborn, London, W.C.