Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas from Liquid Hydrocarbons.
Year: 1898

page_text: Date of Application, 29th June, 1898-Accepted, 23rd Dec., 1898
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gas from
Liquid Hydrocarbons.
I, SYDNEY PITT, of Sutton, in the County of Surrey, Gentleman, do hereby
declare the nature of this invention (which has been communicated to me from
abroad by the Compagnie Internationale des Procédés Adolphe Seigle, of
147, Rue de Courcelles, Paris, France), and in what manner the same is to be
performed to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the following
statement:-
This invention has for its object an apparatus for obtaining gas by the distil-
lation of oils such as bituminous schist oil, oils derived from the distillation of
petroleum or coal and other heavy or light liquid hydrocarbons.
This invention is characterized by:-
A special arrangement for heating retorts by means of a combustible liquid;
this arrangement enables the bye products of the distillation of oil, or heavy
and light tars to be solely utilized the quantity of bye products collected being
sufficient to feed the burner or burners without the addition of any combustible
whatsoever; this fact results in a considerable economy.
The retorts are also preserved from the direct action of the flame by a refractory
casing an arrangement which assures a long life to the retorts.
This invention thus has a character of absolute novelty not only on account
of the particular grouping of the parts constituting the apparatus as will here-
after be seen but on account of the economic results obtained.
The said apparatus is shown in the annexed drawings in which
Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of the distilling apparatus properly so
called.
Figure 2 shows the condenser and
Figure 3 is a front view of the apparatus shown in Figure 1. It is composed:
1. Of the furnace A enclosing the combustion chamber B and the retorts C.
This furnace is supported upon a metal frame in which the vaporizing
apparatus E Figure 1 is lodged.
2. Of the sprayer or burner G of usual construction injecting the pulverized
combustible into the combustion chamber B.
The cylinder H projecting from and opening into the combustion chamber
confines and guides the flame before its entrance into the combustion chamber
Figure 1.
3. Of a mechanical condenser or purifier I Figure 2, which cools the gas at
its exit from the retorts. The condensed residue of distillation is deposited at
the bottom.
Cooling is effected by means of an internal or external circulation of water in
the condenser I. Figure 2 shows an arrangement with an internal circulation
of water.
4. Of a chemical purifier J enclosing the material such as lime and oxide of
iron necessary for complete purification of the gas.
This annaratus directly precedes the gasometer K.

page_text: WORKING OF THE APPARATUS.
The working of the heating apparatus will first be described.
It is composed of four parts; the range of gas jets L, the vaporizing tubes E
the pulverizer G and the cylinder H which may be called a cylinder for guiding
the dame.
The range of gas jets L and the vaporizing tubes E may be replaced by the
apparatus for heating by means of a liquid combustible previously described in
the Specn. of Patent No. 817797.
In a reservoir M containing water to a given level, air is compressed by means
of a pump into the space remaining free. This water passes into the tubes E
under a suitable pressure.
Pipes connect the gas range L to the gasometer, from which the gas employed
for heating the tubes E in which water is vaporized is taken.
A reservoir placed at a suitable height leads the oil to the burner G. This oil
is reduced to a state of fine spray by the steam passing from the tubes E and
easily ignites on its exit from the burner G.
The flame traverses the inside of the guiding cylinder H and passes at once into
the combustion chamber
If for any cause for instance the starting or repair of the gasometer there be
no gas for feeding the range L there is placed under the vaporizing tubes E in
order to heat them, a grate in which any combustible such as coke, wood and the
like may be burnt.
The gas jets L may therefore be momentarily replaced by this special grate for
so long as there is no gas in the gasometer.
A chimney № allows the products of combustion to pass away.
The retorts C, in which the oil employed for the manufacture of the gas is
distilled, are as already stated placed inside a furnace A of refractory bricks
covered by a metal casing.
They may be constructed of metal or other refractory material. Figure 1
shows metal retoris.
They are four in number but form two separate elements communicating
vertically at O. These elements form therefore two independent vaporizers in
which the inlet of the oil at l' and P¹ and the outlet at Q and Q' are distinct for
each element.
The two elements are united by an elbow piece R forming a collector into
which the gas passes to go to the washing and purifying apparatus.
The combustion chamber is of refractory material.
It supports the two lower retorts and protects them from direct action of the
fire.
The flame passing from the guide cylinder traverses the combustion chamber,
and in passing upwards licks the retorts, passing out at S by the chimney, having
given off almost all its heat.
The retorts have at each end a manhole for cleaning purposes whilst at work
this is closed by a cover maintained tight by a screw and stirrup.
Sight holes T, suitably arranged in the lateral walls of the furnace, allow the
degree of heat to be observed. Oil is not caused to pass into the retorts until
they have attained a well ascertained temperature.
The path of the gas at its exit from the retort has been above described.
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 apparatus shown in Figure 1 constituted by a furnace, a combustion
chamber and retorts grouped and combined as described for the purpose of
utilizing in a perfect manner the radiant heat of the combustible for the distil-
lation of oils. These retorts being heated solely by the bye products of
distillation.

page_text: 2. The combination of the heating apparatus constituted as described, with the
distilling apparatus claimed in Claim 1.
3. A producer apparatus of gas consisting in the combination of the con-
denser described and shown in Figure 2 or of other suitable condenser, with the
two apparatus above claimed for the purpose specified.
T
1000
SYDNEY PITT.