Improvements in the Manufacture and Storage of Illuminating and Heating Gas.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Sept., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 14th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 21st Nov., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture and Storage of Illuminating
and Heating Gas.
I HENRY FOURNESS of 14 Thorncliffe Grove, Oxford Street Manchester in
the County of Lancaster Gas Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this
invention to be as follows:-
.gas
My said invention relates to improvements in the manufacture and storage of
illuminating and heating gas composed of an admixture of water gas and oil gas as
is well understood. According to my invention provide means whereby the g
carburetted in the producer can be additionally enriched in its passage through a
fixing chamber or retort and whereby the producer can be cleared of explosive
mixtures, previous to blowing in air to re-heat the coke or contents of the producer.
My invention further relates to improvements in the construction combination and
detail of the apparatus and means whereby gases can be mixed in the storage
vessel or holder in certain fixed and easily ascertainable or measurable porportions.
In an apparatus constructed to carry my invention into effect 1 provide the usual
main portions which constitute apparatus for manufacturing gas from steam and
oil. 1 arrange a water gas producer containing the usual quantity of coke or
other decomposing material and connected at the foot to a steam generator.
The producer has also a furnace or combustion port beneath the coke to render
the same incandescent when required. I also connect a vessel containing crude
or heavy oil or petroleum by a syphon leg to the upper part of the producer so
as to feed a constant supply of oil to the top of the incandescent coke. The upper
part of the producer is also connected to a retort or series of retorts contained in
a brick setting and fired by a furnace or by furnaces beneath the retort or retorts.
I also lead a pipe into the front of each retort which pipe extends for a short
distance along the interior of the retort terminating in an open end. A light oil is
fed through syphon legs into these tubes and the oil so supplied is vapourised by
the heat of the retorts. The back of cach retort is connected to a pipe leading
to the holder or to a purifier if such is thought necessary. In working the apparatus
the coke is first placed in the producer and heated by the furnace until it becomes
incandescent. The producer gas so evolved is preferably led beneath the retorts
and helps to heat thein. When the coke has become incandescent the blast is shut
off and the steam from the generator admitted to the coke. At the same time the
heavy crude oil is fed into the top of the producer upon the hot coke and becomes
vapourised thereby. The steam is decomposed into water gas as it ascends the
producer and meets and mingles with the vapourised oil, the mixture then pro-
ceeding to the retorts to be fixed. Within the retorts the carburetted water gas
becomes further enriched by the addition of the vapourised lighter oil admitted as
aforesaid by the pipes to the front of the retort. By this subsidiary and secondary
enriching process I am enabled to supply any insufficiency of curburetting as
effected by the heavy oil in the producer. When the coke is becoming too cold to
further decompose the steam into water gas I do not immediately shut off both
heavy oil and steam from the producer and at once admit air to blow up the coke.
This is a fruitful source of accident as the air being suddenly admitted to the
carbonaceous gases in the producer forms a highly explosive mixture which is fired
by the coke and frequently blows the producer to pieces. To avoid this I first
shut off the heavy oil and continue to blow steam through the producer for a short
time thereby carrying off the explosive elements and rendering it safe thereafter to
shut off the steam and blow the coke again into incandescence by the aid of a fan
or the like. The passage of so much nearly pure water gas through the retort

page_text: would greatly injure the gas in the holder were it not for the presence of the secondary
vapourising oil supply pipe in the retorts which sufficiently enriches the water gas to
maintain its illuminating power. This is an advantage attendant upon the use of
this secondary enriching means in the retorts. I might however enrich the gas
more or less according as I intended it for heating or for illuminating purposes.
For some purposes I might lead different gases such for example as water gas and
oil gas by separate conduits to a common storage vessel or holder and allow them
to mix mechanically. In connection with the holder I provide an index either
rising and falling or revolving and operated from the holder so that the index will
indicate upon a scale or dial the exact quantity of one gas or the other admitted
to the holder so that the gases can be mixed in any required proportions according
to the uses for which the mixed gases are intended. I have found that oil and
water gas so mechanically mixed and stored are practically constant and may be kept
and carried long distances without becoming condensed.
Dated this 11th day of September 1891.
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture and Storage of Illuminating
and Heating Gas.
1 HENRY FOURNESS of 14 Thorncliffe Grove, Oxford Street Manchester in
the County of Lancaster Gas Engineer 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 and accompanying
drawings
My said invention relates to improvements in the manufacture and storage of
illuminating and heating gas composed of an admixture of water gas and oil gas
as is well understood. According to my invention I provide means whereby the
gas carburetted in the producer can be additionally enriched in its passage through
a fixing chamber or retort and whereby the producer can be cleared of explosive
mixtures previous to blowing in air to re-heat the coke or contents of the producer.
My invention further relates to improvements in the construction combination and
detail of the apparatus and means whereby gases can be mixed in the storage
vessel or holder in certain fixed and easily ascertainable or measurable
proportions.
To render my invention clearly understood will now proceed to describe
the same more particularly reference being had to the annexed sheet of illustrative
drawings:
Fig. 1 of the drawings represents a front view of a complete apparatus for
carrying my invention into effect..
Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the front of one of the retorts.
Fig. 3 is a section of the upper part of the producer taken at right angles
to Fig. 1 showing the valves for opening and closing the upper part of the
producer.
The producer in which the water gas is evolved and carburetted is marked A.
The brick setting containing the fixing retorts is marked B. The hydraulic main
and stand pipe is marked C and the gas holder in which the gas is stored is
marked D. The producer A is constructed in the ordinary manner that is to say
it consists of an outer casing of metal lined with fire-brick or other refractory
material. At the top there is a hopper a through which coke or the other materials
employed in such producers is fed into the interior. The said material reaches
nearly to the top and is represented in the drawing by the dotted indications.
the foot of the hopper a is a sliding damper a¹ which is opened to admit the coke
to the producer and closed when a sufficiency has been placed therein. Beneath
1
At

page_text: the damper is a sliding valve which also is drawn out when the coke is being
supplied and is kept drawn out after the damper has been shut to allow the pro-
ducer gas to pass along the pipe e to the flue g and furnace when the coke is
being blown up. In the drawing both the damper and the valve are shown closed
as is the case when carburetted water gas is being produced as will be hereinafter
explained. At the foot of the producer A there is a combustion port d in which
lighted fuel is placed and blown up by an air blast through the pipe which is
connected to a fan or other air forcing means. Thus the coke in the producer can
be rendered incandescent, a couple of spy holes enabling the operator to judge
when it is sufficiently hot. During the process of rendering the coke incandescent
the producer gas evolved is led through the producer gas pipe e to a flue y in the
side of the brick retort setting through which it is passed to the furnace beneath
the retorts and is therein consumed thereby reducing the consumption of fuel in
the retort furnace and utilising the producer gas. When the coke is rendered
thoroughly incandescent the valve is closed so as to cut off the supply of pro-
ducer gas to the furnace h. The blast is at the same time cut off. To produce.
water gas I now take steam from any suitable generator and lead it by a pipe i
preferably through the flue g so as to superheat the steam and then direct it into
the bottom part of the producer A among the incandescent coke. The steam in
rising through the incandescent coke becomes decomposed and forms water gas..
At the same time I send a supply of crude heavy oil of the cheapest description
through the pipe and let it fall upon the top of the hot coke. The pipe is
preferably formed with a syphon bend to prevent the crude oil from being at
times forced back. The crude oil begins to vapourise as soon as it touches the hot
coke and is entirely vapourised as it permeates downward except the very heavy
carbonaceous residuum which adheres to the coke. As the water gas rises upward
it meets and mixes with the oil gas or vapourised crude oil. The mixture of oil
and water gas is next led through the pipe & as indicated by the arrows to the
pipe from which branches 13 project to the several retorts m m m. These
retorts have the usual mouth pieces and are fitted with luted covers as most clearly
shown in the small detached sectional view Fig. 2 on the drawing. As already
said the retorts are heated by a furnace h, and their function is to fix and render
stable the mixture of water and oil gas which is caused to enter them from the
producer A. The retorts are empty and do not contain any of the usual checker
work or broken bricks or materials ordinarily supposed to be essential to the fixing
operation. In vapourising the crude heavy oils which it is my purpose to utilise on
account of their cheapness, I find that as a rule the mixture on leaving the producer
is deficient in richness and an important part of my present invention refers to
means whereby I am enabled to make good this deficiency in richness by
vapourising in the retort a further supply of lighter oil which confers the necessary
illuminating power upon the mixture, the whole being fixed by the hot retorts so
as to constitute a stable gas of a high illuminating power. The means whereby I
confer this additional richness upon the gas are as follows:- provide a cistern n
containing a quantity of light oil and lead the oil through a pipe o governed by a
stop valve o¹ as shown, through an oil meter to a stand pipe from which taps
extend to fillers mounted on syphon bends by which the oil is run into the front
of the retorts the pipe s extending a short distance along the interior of each
retort and terminating in an open end as clearly shown in the aforesaid detached
sectional view Fig. 2. The heat of the retort vapourises the light oil in the tube.
and the vapour issues from the end of the pipe into the retort where it thoroughly
mixes with the carburetted water gas already admitted from the producer A. As
it passes through the retort the enriched gas is exposed to the full heat and is fixed
and changed into a stable gas which can be stored or carried for distances in pipes
without deteriorating. To further improve its quality the gas as it leaves the
back of the retorts through pipes ttt is led to the stand pipe and hydraulic
main, C where it is further purified and thence through the pipe u to the holder D.
A standard marked with figures representing cubic feet of gas is erected close to

page_text: the holder D and an index w raised and lowered by the holder indicates the exact
quantity of gas in the holder. A noteworthy feature of my apparatus is that
owing to the particular arrangement, I am enabled to avert the explosions which
sometimes take place in producers in which the water gas is also carburetted by
the admission of oil. These explosions are caused by the admission of air to blow
up the coke again into a state of incandescence at a time when oil vapours are
still present in the producer. According to my method when the coke is becoming
too cold to properly decompose the steam or vapourise the oil, instead of shutting
the connection to the retorts by screwing down the stop valve and then opening
the producer gas pipe e previous to turning on the blast, I simply stop the supply
of crude oil and continue to blow steam through the producer A and into the
retorts. By this means the carbon and oil vapours are entirely carried off and the
coke is cleansed from a good deal of the carbonaceous residuum, while the retorts
are also cleansed by the blow-through. The water gas as it passes through the
retorts is sufficiently enriched from the light oil pipes to prevent it from having a
deteriorating effect
upon the gras in the holder. Indeed were it not for the presence
of these secondary and subsidiary light oil vapourising pipes I could not thus
blow pure water gas through the retorts to the holder without seriously affecting
the quality of the gas in the holder. Having thus cleared the producer of oil
vapours I can now with safety turn on the blast and this is done after closing the
valve so as to cut off the way to the retorts and opening the valve b to allow the
producer gas to find its way to the furnace. When the coke has been thus
sufficiently re-heated, the oil and steam is again turned on and the process of gas
making resumed. Instead of having only one producer I might have two or any
greater number so as to keep the retorts going uninterruptedly. The apparatus I
have illustrated is on a comparatively small scale but it will be evident that any
number of retorts and producers and of any size might be arranged in a similar
manner.
S
In some cases I might lead carburetted water gas or pure water gas direct from
the producer to the holder. After having by means of the index measured a
certain quantity of water gas or imperfectly carburetted water gas into the holder
I would shut off the supply and then admit a quantity of pure oil gas to the holder
from the retorts. By means of the index I am enabled to regulate the proportions
of each gas to a nicety and according to the uses for which the gas is required
whether heating or illuminating. I have found that oil and water gas so
mechanically mixed and stored are practically constant and may be kept for some
time and carried long distances through piping without becoming condensed.
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 general arrangement construction and combination of gas making
apparatus substantially as herein before described and shown.
2. In apparatus for making and fixing carburetted water gas vapourising a
secondary supply of light oil in the fixing retorts so as to further enrich the gas
in the retorts substantially as described and shown.
3. In the process of gas making, sending separate supplies of water gas and oil
gas into a holder such holder being fitted with an index whereby the respective
proportions of the different gases can be easily ascertained and regulated sub-
stantially as described and shown.
101 1
1001
DUTTON & FULTON,
1, St. James Square, Manchester, Agents.