Improvements in. Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gases.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 12th Nov., 1895-Accepted, 3rd Oct., 1896
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in. Apparatus for the Manufacture of Gases.
I, WILLIAM CALVER, of 207 A Street, S.E., in the City of Washington, District
of Columbia, United States of America, Gentleman; 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:-
This invention has relation to an apparatus for utilizing the rays of the sun in the
manufacture of gases resulting from the decomposition of water.
Water being composed of only two gases-oxygen and hydrogen-the former
being the great proinoter of combustion and the latter the best known fuel, the
decomposition of water has been the basis of the production of gas for heating and
lighting purposes. But the apparatus required was more or less complex and the
fuel employed principally coal contaminates the gas produced by the commingling of
the products of combustion therewith.
One of the prime objects of my invention is to produce pure oxygen and
hydrogen gases and another object is to produce them by means of a simple method
which will require an equally simple apparatus, and a further object is to secure the
products of the process or method at a minimum cost.
Other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter appear and the novel
features thereof will be specifically defined by the appended claims.
My invention is based upon the well-known law in chemistry that temperature
alone may make or destroy the chemical affinity of two elements. For instance to
ose as an illustration two elements often used in chemical illustrations or experiments.
Mercury at ordinary temperatures has no affinity for oxygen. At a temperature of
about 300° Centigrade or 572° Fahrenheit these elements combine and form mercuric
oxide, while again at a much higher temperature-that of the alcohol lamp or Bunsen
burner-the affinity is destroyed, and the elements separate. This is analogous
exactly to what occurs with iron and oxygen for example. In ordinary dry air and
at ordinary temperatures there is little affinity between iron and oxygen, at a low
red heat-750° to 1000° Fahr.-the elements begin to combine and the iron becomes
oxidized. This occurs when concentrated solar heat is used and, of course, more
readily in the presence of steam:
When, however, a very highly concentrated and powerful solar heat is thrown
upon oxidized iron at a temperature of say from 1800 to 3000° or more Fahr. the
oxygen is driven from the iron, even in the open air, and the metal returns to its
original condition and colour.
When this process is performed in the presence of CO-and CO, the CO is
converted into CO', C having a very strong affinity for O. A powerful heat alone,
is however, sufficient to separate O and Fe; and this is also the case in many other
instances, one of which I have mentioned.
Figure 1 is a substantially central-vertical section of one-form of apparatus adapted-
to practice the method of my invention.
Figure 2 is a substantially central horizontal section of the same.
Like letters of reference indicate like parts in both of the views.
A represents a heating chomber, the upper portion of which is separated from the
lower portion by a diaphragm A" The-heating chamber is provided with openings A 2
for the passage of heat rays into the chamber; these openings are closed by glass
or other heat-conducting plates A 3 spaced from each other and the spaces between

page_text: the glasses of the several openings are connected one with the other by a pipe B,
while pipes B' B 2 communicate with a coil B 3 located in an exterior tank B4 provided
with a supply pipe B 5 and a discharge pipe B 6. The object of this construction of
heat openings and the communicating pipes and coil is to maintain the circulation
of a cooling medium such as filtered water or any other suitable liquid or other
refrigerator within the heat openings and to maintain a comparatively low temperature
of such cooling medinm by means of any other suitable like medium such as cold
water which is conducted by the pipe B5 into the tank B 4 and flows therefrom through
the pipe B6 continuously. The entire heating chamber except at the heat openings
is.covered by a jacket of non-conducting substance C, and may or may not as desired
be provided with an exterior casing C. Such openings as are not in use may also
be temporarily covered or closed by a movable or other shutter.
The upper compartiment of the heating chamber constitutes a steam boiler so called,
the water line of which is represented by the dotted line D, and the supply of
water thereto being conducted thereto by the pipe D'. Instead of a plain steain-
producing compartment as shown any form of steam boiler or system of coiled pipe
may be used. A steam pipe E passes through the diaphragm A' and projects into
the steam space of the upper compartment and communicates with a pipe or pipes E'
which in turn communicate by a pipe E2 with an interior vessel F located at any
convenient point within the beating chamber. Any suitable arrangement of pipe
connections may be employed and I have shown one form which exposes a pipe E
or more than one if desired to any heat passing through the heat openings.
In this form a head G gives communication with a series of pipes E' for the steain
passing through the pipes E and E2. These hoads and the vessel F are supported in
this instance by pillars H of any suitable material. Within the vessel Fa desired
quantity of iron is placed and the iron is preferably, in comminuted or scrap form.
The upper part of the vessel. F may have openings F formed therein or it may
terminate at a short distance from the upper head G, or the vessel may be entirely
omitted and a mass of iron may be piled upon the lower head G or upon any other
suitable support, the main purpose being that the steam formed in the upper com-
partment shall be conveyed into the mass of iron. and although it may be at any point
thereof still it may be solely at the bottom as shown.
Lrepresents a pipe, communicating with the interior of the heating chamber and
provided with a valve I¹ and,terminating in a tank J. A branch pipe K having a
valve K' extends to another tank, not shown.
Instead of utilizing the upper portion of the main heating chamber for the pro-
duction of steam I may employ any ordinary steam-producing apparatus arranged
exteriorly or a steam-producing, apparatus having heat openings A 2 similar to those
shown and described with reference to Figure 1; in either case provision being made
for the conduction of the steam to the iron of the heating chamber, for example by
the pipe L shown in dotted lines.
The heating chamber is arranged concentric with a curved track M on which a
car N is mounted and upon the car a serios of reflectors O for reflecting the solar
rays through the openings A 2 into the main heating chamber.
It is well known that iron at a red heat decomposes water rapidly; the oxygen of
the steam combining with the iron when at a red heat to a greater extent than when
the iron is hotter or colder. I deem it proper to state at this point that although
1 have designated iron as the material through which to pass the steam any other
suitable material for decomposing the steam may be substituted. The oxygen of the
steam combining with the iron the hydrogen is set free and is conducted by the
pipe I into the tank J which may be a gas holder of any ordinary construction.
When the iron or other substance, becomes oxidized the steam is shut off by
any suitable means, for example by the hand wheel Q communicating with a valve Ŕ
on the steam pipe E and the substance P is heated by means of the reflectors acting.
directly thereon to such a degree as to expel the oxygen from the substance and the
valve J is closed, the valves I¹ and K¹ opened so that the oxygen may be conducted
to a separate tank or gas holder, not shown. After deoxidization steam is again

page_text: passed into the substance and hydrogen again produced. As constructed the steam
is superheated in the upper head G and pipes E' although any other form of piping
or arrangement for superheating the steam may be employed if desired. It is
apparent that the deoxidization of the substance P might be accomplished by the
introduction of carbonic oxide and acid made in a separate coal or wood furnace,
but for reasons above stated this is not the preferred manner of accomplishing this.
result.
While I have shown one form of apparatus for producing oxygen and hydrogen
gases free from contamination and noxious ingredients my invention is not limited
to the apparatus shown as it is apparent that I can separate the steam-producing
apparatus from the main heating chamber; I can employ the lattor solely for heating
the decomposing or deoxidizing substance P ; or I can combine the steam-producing
and the deoxidizing apparatus in one as shown, or these various arrangements may
be modified in numerous particulars and especially in the construction and arrange
ment of the connecting pipes and their appurtenances. So also instead of introducing
steam directly into or onto the deoxidizing substance I may cause water to be forced
or ejected onto or into the same, or it may be allowed to run thereonto to generate.
steam.
It is apparent that the hereindescribed method or process may be employed in
the production of gases from other substances by decomposing the same through.
the instrumentality of solar rays impinged upon the decomposing material impreg
nated with the substance to be decomposed and the invention is therefore not limited.
to the production of any particular gas or gases.
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 combination of a closed heating chamber provided with means for supporting
a deoxidizing material and for the supply of steam thereto and with closed openings
adapted for the passage of hoat into the chamber, of an apparatus for directing the
solar rays into the chamber through said openings, substantially as specified.
2. A non-conducting shell provided with an inner retort with a steam supply
thereto and means for water circulation to heat confining and diathermanous windows
thereto, substantially as specified.
3. The combination with the non-conducting shell having diathermanous openings,
the inner retort and means for water circulation to said openinga, of a steam chamber
with pipe connections for filling and for discharging steam into the retort receptacle,
substantially as specified.
4. A closed heating chamber provided with means for supporting a deoxidizing
material and for the supply of steam thereto and with diathermanous openings.
adapted for the passage of heat into the chamber, substantially as specified.
5. The combination with the non-conducting shell, the inner retort and means for
water circulation and the steam chamber with its pipe connections for filling and
for discharging steam into a retort receptacle, of heat confining and diathermanous
windows connected with the water circulation, substantially as specified.
6. The combination with the non-conducting shell the inner retort provided with
a steam supply, means for water circulation and diathermanous windows in said shell,
of a solar reflector, substantially as specified.
7. The combination with the non-conducting shell the steam supply, inner retort,
means for water circulation to diathermanous windows, of a solar reflector mmovably
mounted whereby it may be adjusted with relation to the apertures to reflect solar
heat upon the retort, substantially as specified.
8. A closed heating chamber provided with means for supporting a deoxidizing
material and for the supply of steam and with diathermanous openings adapted for
the passage of heat into the chamber combined with a movably mounted solar
reflector, substantially as specified.
9. A solar furnace provided with heat openings adapted for the circulation of clear

page_text: water and a system of piping communicating with said openings and passing
through a tank whereby the clear water may be maintained at a desired temperature
by an independent body of water, substantially as specified.
Dated this 19th day of Navamban 100K
BOULT & WADE;
Agents for the Applicant.