GB371108A - Improvements in or relating to the manufacture of combustible gas and apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

In the treatment of a fuel gas comprising mainly hydrogen carbon monoxide and hydrocarbons such as methane, with steam in an electrically heated reaction chamber, a constant ratio of gas and steam is maintained by varying the steam supply in response to the temperature of the mixture in a mixing chamber before entry into the reaction vessel. Steam from a supply pipe 5 flows through a valve 6 to a mixing chamber 4 where it intermingles with gas from a supply pipe 3. The valve 6 is controlled by a temperature-responsive device 7 which operates in accordance with the temperature of the chamber 4. The mixture <PICT:0371108/III/1> <PICT:0371108/III/2> passes to the reaction chamber 8 where it is subjected to a temperature of 700-1100 DEG C. to give a mixture comprising about 75 parts hydrogen and 20 parts carbon monoxide. The reaction chamber comprises an insulated vessel containing a resistor 18 of nickel-chromium alloy which acts incidentally as a catalyst. The gas mixture, entering by pipe 9, passes through iron tubes 20 and is deflected by the deflector 14a, in contact with the resistance heater before emerging for use by conduit 21. In a modification a higher content of inactive gas is obtained by incomplete combustion with air of some of the gas to be treated. Specification 9155/15, [Class 55 (ii), Gas manufacture &c.], is referred to.