Improvements in the Manufacture of Illuminating and Heating Gas and in Apparatus therefor.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 26th Jan., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 22nd Oct., 1892-Accepted, 26th Nov., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Illuminating and Heating Gas
and in Apparatus therefor.
I, AUGUST KLÖNNE of Dortmund in the Empire of Germany, Machine-builder,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to an improved method of eliminating the impurities of the
gas in such a way and at such a stage of the process that the heavier illuminants
cannot be absorbed by tar. These impurities are,-tar, carbonic-acid, sulphuretted
hydrogen, bi-sulphide of carbon, ammonia, and other sulphur compounds.
The heavier illuminants are propyleu, butyleu &c. and benzol and naphthaline
vapours, which latter give the gas a great illuminating power but which are readily
absorbed by tar as soon as the temperature of the tar falls below 95° F.
This process and apparatus removes the tar in such a way that the gases cannot
come in contact with tar wetted surfaces when the cooling and purifying process
proper begins.
Having now given a general outline of the process I will now commence to
describe same.
In carrying the invention into practice there are employed a washer which will
hereinafter be called the cooling washer, a compensator, an ammonia extractor, a
cooler, a pump and a storage tank.
The cooling washer and ammonia extractor are apparatuses of the style known
as immersion washer. The compensator is similar to an apparatus known as gas
condenser and tar separator.
The cooler is a surface condenser and an apparatus similar to one for cooling and
condensing anhydrous ammonia vapours used in ice and cold storage factories."
The pump is specially constructed for pumping ammoniacal liquor or gas
water.
The storage tank is an ordinary storage tank into which the cool ammoniacal
liquor is pumped.
All the pipes and valves are so arranged that the gas and ammoniacal liquor can
be conveyed from one apparatus to the other, with the necessary amount of by-pass
valves to admit of the temporary cutting-out of the series and cleaning of one
apparatus while the others are in use, and which will readily be understood by
anybody familiar with the manufacture of gas. I will now commence to describe
the process,
-
The gas after it has been manufactured in the retorts or producer and having
passed the exhausters, passes a friction or air or water surface condenser or both or
all three apparatuses. But it is not absolutely necessary to use one of these latter
three apparatuses, as long as the gas reaches the inlet at a temperature of from 75
to 100 degrees F. preferably at from 90 to 100° F. and as long as the solid impurities
such as coke dust, heavy pitch &c. have been removed which can be done by either
one of the aforesaid condensers, or by the necessary length of gas mains, as the
gas will deposit all these impurities in a very short time by passing through
conduits.
From the inlet the gas enters into the bottom section of the cooling washer where
t immediately has to plunge through ammoniacal liquor, whereby part of the tar
Irops into the liquor without having a chance to absorb any of the heavy hydro-
carbons, mentioned in my general explanation. The temperature of the gas is
hereby lowered also.

page_text: The gas then passes consecutively into the other sections of the cooling washer
where it loses all its tar, and all the carbonic acid and as much sulphur as the
ammoniacal liquor which contains a great amount of caustic ammonia, is able to
absorb and transform into carbonates and bi-carbonates of ammonium and sulphates
and bi-sulphites of ammonium.
The gas in the meantime has given up part of its heat to the ammoniacal liquor
and leaves the cooling washer at a temperature of from 60 to 70° and is absolutely
free of tar. The number of sections in the cooling washer may be varied to suit
requirements.
The gas passes from the cooling washer through the necessary pipes and enters
the compensator. The gas there is kept at an even temperature of preferably
60 degrees F. and this compensator has only the duty to fulfil of keeping the gas as
near as possible to a steady temperature of 60°, which otherwise would not be
possible as the flow of ammoniacal liquor is nearly constant, while the quantity of
gas manufactured at different periods during a twenty-four hours run is always
variable. For economy's sake this compensator might be omitted but it is advisable
that one should be used.
The gas leaves the compensator and enters the ammonia extractor and passes the
different sections of said ammonia extractor consecutively and leaves the extractor
free of ammonia. This apparatus is also not limited in the number of its compart-
ments and may consist of five or more or less.
To extract the ammonia, clear water, as free as possible of lime, is admitted to
the ammonia extractor. This water flows from section to section till it leaves the
said ammonia extractor. It is then thoroughly charged with the ammonia, originally
contained in the gas, and partly with sulphates of ammonium, and it flows thence
to the cooling washer together with other ammoniacal liquor, coming from storage
tank. It goes then from section to section till it leaves the first or lowest
section of the cooling washer. The water has naturally taken up part of the heat
originally contained in the gas. The water then passes into a tar and light oil
separator where the tar and light oil are separated from the liquor and flow to the
tar well while the ammoniacal liquor leaves the separator and enters a cooler passing
through the pipes of which it is cooled preferably by cold water down to between
60 and 65 degrees F.
After the ammoniacal liquor leaves the cooler it enters a distributing tank where a
quantity of ammoniacal liquor equal to the quantity of clear water, admitted into
the ammonia extractor is discharged into the ammonia well and the balance passes
through a pipe to the pump and is then forced into the storage tank for the repetition
of the process. The position of the pump may be optional either ahead of or
behind the cooler. Also the distributing tank may be ahead of the cooler if
desired.
Instead of using only the cooling washer it might under certain conditions be
advisable to use two, cither together or consecutively. It is not necessary to use
a cooling washer or ammonia extractor of any particular construction for any good
plunger or immersion washer may be employed and if a rotating washer should be
available such a one may be substituted for ammonia extractor.
'
For the before described compensator any multitubular condenser having
sufficient water capacity may be substituted and any desired construction of water
cooler may be used.
If it is deemed advisable to remove all the sulphur impurities out of the gas
with this purifying apparatus it is necessary that there should be enough ammonia
in the gas to chemically bind all the carbonic-acid and sulphur compounds contained
in the gas.
This condition is scarcely ever fulfilled. To increase the capacity of this purifying
machine, it is necessary to make more caustic ammonia available to do this work.
This is done by letting all the ammoniacal liquor which comes from the hydraulic-
main and condensation ahead of this machine, which liquor contains a large
amount of caustic ammonia, enter either by gravity, or by pumping it into the

page_text: cooling washer or aminonia extractor. This introduction can be done in any way
which might suggest itself. This amount of caustic ammonia will generally not
be sufficient to free the gas of all its impurities by forming carbon and sulphur
compounds of ammonia.
If therefore the complete purification of the gas by this apparatus is deemed
necessary and advisable instead of as is now generally done, passing the gas through
iron oxide or lime purifiers after leaving this apparatus, then an additional quantity
of caustic ammonia in the shape of either aqua ammonia in its crude or purified
state or in the shape of anhydrous ammonia, the latter preferably in gas form, has
to be procured.
As there are different processes well known to those conversed in the art, I will
not try to explain the processes of manufacturing either aqua or anhydrous
ammonia here, but only the way they have to be used. If aqua ammonia is used
it is preferable to use a weak solution not containing more than from 10 to 18% NH³
as otherwise the loss by evaporation would be too great. This solution could best
be introduced in the necessary quantities at either the lower part of the ammonia
extractor or the upper part of the cooling washer. If anhydrous or an ammonia
gas is used, then it should best be mixed with the gas before it enters the cooling
washer.
The quantity of ammonia required for the complete purification of the gas
would differ according to the impurities originally contained in the gas manufactured
as all the time sufficient ammonia has to be present to absorb by neutralisation or
chemical combination the impurities of the crude gas.
I am perfectly aware that plunger washers have been used before but do not
know to my best knowledge and belief that they have ever been used for cooling
the gas by which is meant to bring the gas from a high temperature to such a
temperature where the rational elimination of ammonia is possible.
This work has up to now been done by what is known as air or water condensers
which presented to the passing gas large tar wetted surfaces which tar being at a
lower temperature than the passing gas readily absorbs the heaviest of the olefiant
gases and the benzol and naphthaline vapours which latter are the best illuminants.
Furthermore by so chilling the gas in the presence of tar the condensation into
and formation of naphthaline crystals, commonly known as naphthaline is made
possible, while as is done in my apparatus and process the formation of such
naphthaline crystals by cooling the gas through the medium of direct contact with
more or less caustic ammoniacal liquor becomes impossible and the naphthaline or
benzol vapours remain as a more or less permanent vapour in the gas.
Dated this 26th day of January 1892
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Manufacture of Illuminating and Heating Gas
and in Apparatus therefor.
I, AUGUST KLÖNNE of Dortmund, in the Empire of Germany, Machine-builder,
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 relates to an improved method of eliminating the impurities of
the gas, in such a way and at such a stage of the process, that the heavier
illuminants cannot be absorbed by tar. These impurities are,-tar, carbonic-acid,
sulphuretted hydrogen, bi-sulphide of carbon, aminonia, and other sulphur
compounds.
The heavier illuminants are propylen, butylen &c. and benzol, and naphthaline

page_text: This process and apparatus removes the tar in such a way that the gases cannot
come in contact with tar wetted surfaces when the cooling and purifying process
proper begins.
Having now given a general outline of the process I will now commence to
describe same.
In the accompanying drawings,
Figure 1 is a side view and Fig. 2 a plan of the apparatus.
Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.
In carrying the invention into practice there are employed a washer A herein-
after called the cooling washer; a compensator B, an ammonia extractor C, a
cooler D, a pump E, and a storage tank F.
The cooling washer A and ammonia extractor C are apparatuses of the style known
as immersion washer. The compensator is similar to an apparatus known as gas
condenser and tar separator.
The cooler D is a surface condenser and an apparatus similar to one for cooling
and condensing anhydrous ammonia vapours, used in ice and cold storage factories.
The pump E is specially constructed for pumping ammoniacal liquor or
gas water.
The storage tank F is an ordinary one into which the cool ammoniacal liquor
is pumped.
All the pipes and valves shown in the drawings are so arranged that the gas and
ammoniacal liquor can be conveyed from one apparatus to the other, with the
necessary by-pass valves to admit of the temporary cutting-out of the series and
cleaning of one apparatus while the others are in use and which will readily be
understood by anybody familiar with the manufacture of gas. I will now
commence to describe the process,-
The gas after it has been manufactured in the retorts or producer and having
passed the exhausters passes a friction or air or water surface condenser or both or
all three apparatuses; these are not shown in the accompanying drawings. But it
is not absolutely necessary to use any of these latter three apparatuses, as long as
the gas reaches the inlet G at a temperature of from 75 to 100° F. preferably at
from 90 to 100° F. and as long as the solid impurities such as coke-dust, heavy
pitch &c. have been removed which can be done by either one of the aforesaid
condensers or by the necessary length of gas mains, as the gas will deposit all
these impurities in a very short time by passing through conduits.
From the inlet G the gas enters into the bottom section A¹ of the cooling
washer A where it immediately has to plunge through ammoniacal liquor whereby
part of the tar drops into the liquor without having a chance to absorb any of the
heavy hydrocarbons mentioned in my general explanation. The temperature of
the gas is thereby lowered also.
The gas then passes consecutively into the other sections A2 A3 A4 A5 of the
cooling washer where it loses all its tar and all the carbonic acid and as much
sulphur as the ammoniacal liquor, which enters at H, and which contains a great
amount of caustic ammonia is able to absorb and transform into carbonates and
bi-carbonates of ammonium and sulphates and bi-sulphites of ammonium.
The gas in the meantime has given up part of its heat to the ammoniacal liquor
and leaves the cooling washer at I at a temperature of from 60 to 70° and is
absolutely free of tar, which it generally is, after passing section A2 or A³. The
number of sections in the cooling washer may be varied to suit requirements.
The gas passes from the cooling washer I through the necessary pipes, following
the direction indicated by the arrows K K K K³ and enters the compensator B.
The gas there is kept at an even temperature of preferably 60° F. and this
compensator has only to fulfil the duty of keeping the gas as near as possible to a
steady temperature of 60° which otherwise would not be possible as the flow of
ammoniacal liquor which enters at H, is nearly constant, while the quantity of gas

page_text: manufactured at different periods during a 24 hours run is always variable. For
the sake of economy this compensator might be omitted, but it is advisable that
one should be used.
The gas leaves the compensator at L, follows the direction indicated by the
arrows M M M M M and enters the ammonia extractor at N and passes the
different sections C¹ C³ C³ C+ C³ of said ammonia extractor C, consecutively, and
leaves the extractor at O, free of ammonia. This apparatus is also not limited in
the number of its compartments, and may consist of five or more or less.
To extract the ammonia, clear water, as free as possible of lime, is admitted to
the ammonia extractor at P. This water flows from section to section till it leaves
the said ammonia extractor C at R. It is then thoroughly charged with the
ammonia, originally contained in the gas, and partly with sulphates of ammonium.
From R it flows in the direction of arrows Q and enters the cooling washer A
at H together with other ammoniacal liquor coming from storage tank F through
pipe S. It goes then from section to section till it leaves the first or lowest
section A¹ of the cooling washer A at T. The water has naturally taken up part
of the heat originally contained in the gas. From T the water then passes into a
tar and light oil separator U, where the tar and light oil are separated from the
liquor and flow through Z and Z, to the tar well, while the ammoniacal liquor
leaves the separator U and goes through V and pipe V₁ and enters the cooler D
at V and passing through the pipes which are continually cooled preferably
by cold water is cooled down to preferably between 60 and 65° F.
After the ammoniacal liquor leaves the cooler D at V₁ it enters a distributing
tank W where a quantity of ammoniacal liquor equal to the quantity of clear
water admitted into the ammonia extractor Cat P is discharged at W₁ into the
ammonia well and the balance passes through a pipe W to the pump E and is
then forced through pipe Ws into the storage tank F for the repetition of the
process. The position of the pump E may be optional either ahead of or behind
the cooler D. Also the distributing tauk W may be ahead of the cooler D if
desired.
Instead of using only the cooling washer A it might under certain conditions
be advisable to use two, either together or consecutively. It is not necessary to
use a cooling washer A. or ammonia extractor C of any particular construction,
for any good plunger or immersion washer may be employed and if a rotating
washer should be available such an one may be substituted for the ammonia
extractor C.
For the before described compensator B any multitubular condenser having
sufficient water capacity may be substituted and any desired construction of water
cooler may be used.
If it is deemed advisable to remove all the sulphur impurities out of the gas
with this purifying apparatus it is necessary that there should be enough ammonia
in the gas to chemically bind all the carbonic-acid and sulphur compounds contained
in the gas.
This condition is scarcely ever fulfilled. To increase the capacity of this
purifying machine, it is necessary to make more caustic ammonia available to do
this work. This is done by letting all the animoniacal liquor which comes from
the hydraulic-main and condensation ahead of this machine which liquor contains
a large amount of caustic ammonia, enter either by gravity or by pumping it into
any of the compartments of the washer A or ammonia extractor C preferably in
compartments C C¹ or A'. It naturally must not be introduced in C+ or C³.
This introduction can be done in any way which might suggest itself or as shown
on Fig. 1. at P and H. This amount of caustic ammonia will generally not be
sufficient to free the gas of all its impurities by forming carbon and sulphur
compounds of ammonia.
If therefore the complete purification of the gas by this apparatus is deemed
necessary and advisable instead of as is now generally done, passing the gas through

page_text: iron oxide or lime purifiers after leaving this apparatus, then an additional
quantity of caustic aminonia in the shape of either aqua ammonia in its crude or
purified state or in the shape of anhydrous ammonia, the latter preferably in gas
form has to be procured.
As there are different processes well known to those conversed in the art, I will
not try to explain the processes of manufacturing either aqua or anhydrous
ammonia here, but only the way they have to be used. If aqua ammonia is used,
it is preferable to use a weak solution not containing more than from 10
to 18% NH³, as otherwise the loss by evaporation would be too great. This
solution could best be introduced in the necessary quantities at either CA³ or A'.
If anhydrous or an ammonia gas is used, then it should best be mixed with the gas
before it enters the cooling washer A.
The quantity of ammonia required for the complete purification of the gas
would differ according to the impurities originally contained in the gas manufactured
as all the time sufficient ammonia has to be present to absorb, by neutralization or
chemical combination the impurities of the crude gas.
I am perfectly aware, that plunger washers have been used before but do not
know that they have ever been used for cooling the gas, by which is meant to
bring the gas from a high temperature to such a temperature where the rational
elimination of ammonia is possible.
This work has up to now been done by what is known as air or water condensers
which presented to the passing gas large tar wetted surfaces which tar being at
a lower temperature than the passing gas readily absorbs the heaviest of the
olcfiant gases and the benzol and naphthaline vapours which latter are the best
illuminants.
Furthermore, by so chilling the gas in the presence of tar, the condensation
into and formation of naphthaline crystals, commonly known as naphthaline, is
made possible, while as is done in my apparatus and process the formation of such
naphthaline crystals by cooling the gas through the medium of direct contact with
more or less caustic ammoniacal liquor becomes impossible, and the naphthaline
or benzol vapours remain as a more or less permanent vapour in the gas.
In the following claims the cooling of the gas is always understood to be the
process of bringing the gas safely over its critical cooling moments, which lie for
the formation of naphthaline crystals below 95° F. in the presence of tar; and
which formation is impossible when all the tar is removed by immersion of the
gas in more or less caustic ammoniacal liquor, before it reaches the temperature
of 74° F.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,
1. The process of cooling and completely or partly purifying coal or carburetted
water gas by passing through an immersion or plunger washer while it is yet at
a temperature which would prevent the partial condensation of benzol and
naphthaline vapours or the absorption of same by tar cooling the gas gradually by
immersion in and passing through ammoniacal liquor and then passing it through
an ammonia extractor substantially as and for the purpose described.
2. The process of directly cooling gas with ammoniacal liquor by using the same
liquor or part of the same liquor over and over again and artificially cooling the
ammoniacal liquor substantially as and for the purpose described.
3. The process of cooling gas thoroughly by immersion in ammoniacal liquor
thereby preventing the contact of the foul gas with tar wetted surfaces substantially
as and for the purpose described.
4. The combination of a plunger washer and ammonia extractor consisting of
two separate apparatuses with cooler D and pump E substantially as and for the
purpose described.

page_text: 5. The combination of a cooling washer A a compensator B an ammonia
extractor C cooler D pump E with or without storage tank F substantially as and
for the purpose described and illustrated in the accompanying drawings.
Dated this 22nd day of October 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.