GB321234A - Improvements in plant for generating, storing and supplying acetylene gas - Google Patents

Abstract

321,234. Simonis, O., and Liquid Air, Ltd. Aug. 7, 1928. Solid supply to liquid; removing sludge from generators.-To prevent access of air to an acetylene generator during the charging with carbide or the removal of sludge, the carbide hopper has a double closure including an internal sell-closing valve operated bv the weight of the carbide charge, and the sludge valve is associated with means for supplying gas to the generator during the removal of sludge. As shown, the carbide hopper b is supported on a water container a and is closed at the top by a lid c and also by a valve: m pressed upwards by a spring n. The spring n is supported by a tube n<1> suspended from the top of the hopper. The hopper is charged from a bucket p, Fig. 3, closed at the bottom by a valve q, the bucket being superposed on the hopper after the lid c has been removed. The weight of the carbide then depresses the valves q, m, but the valve m returns to its seat as soon as the bucket empties or is removed. The carbide is discharged intermittently from the hopper by a bucket wheel f driven through mechanism (not shown) operated by the rise and fall of the gas holder or bell. The unnecessary free spaces in the hopper are filled with concrete r moulded so as to provide guiding surfaces for the carbide. The carbide is received by a screen t and the evolved gas passes through a pipe h, water seal j, and pipe k to a holder; a siphon l acts as a safety device. The sludge is withdrawn through a valve u mounted in a stem u<1> which passes through a tray v containing water. The valve u is pressed against its seat by a lever w and weight w<1>, and a link z connects the lever w with a cock y on a pipe x leading from the gas pipe k back to the generator. The arrangement is such that when the valve, u is opened and the sludge is discharged, acetylene flows back into the generator to maintain the pressure.