US1249864A - Manufacture of coal-gas. - Google Patents

Description

A. WADDELL.

MANUFACTURE OF COAL GAS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 29. ISIS. I 1,249,864. Patented 1m 11,1917.

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A. WADDELL.

MANUFACTURE OF COAL GAS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 29. me.

1,249,864. PatentedDec. 11,1917;

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"141' fomvb' A. WADUELL. MANUFACTURE OF COAL GAS.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 29. 1916.

1,249,864. Patented Dec. 11, 1917.

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flrromrsr ALEXANDER WADDELL, 0F DUNFERMLINE, SCOTLAND.

MANUFACTURE OF COAL EAS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

'latci'itctl Ucc. 11.1, 191. 7

Application filed Fcbruarv 29, 1916. Serial No. 81,108.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it. known that I, ALEXANDER VADDELL, a subject ot the King of the United Kingdoni of Great Britain and lreland. and 1e siding at Duufcrmline, Fitesliire. Scotland, ha e invented a certain new and useful Improi'cinent in the Manufacture of Coal-Gas, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a process of and apparatus for the manufacture of coal The process as practised may consist of either of the following combinations of steps:-

(1) Passing the coal downward through a retort, subjecting the coal to carbonization in the retort while so regulating the heating action that the temperature at which carbonization is eifected is progressively increased from the upper endot the retort downward, repeatedly changing the direction while contracting the cross-secti nal area of the desounding mass toward the lower end of the retort, the changing of tiated before the hottest Zone is reached. dis charging the coke at the lower end of the re tort, and withdrawing the gas at the. upper end of the retort and bringing the gas into contact with the entering coal. whereby tar may be condensed and returned to the retort with the descending coal for carbonization therewith. Or,

(2) Passing coal downward through a retort, subjecting the coal to carbonization in the retort while so regulating the heating action that the temperature at which carbonization is effected is progressively increased from the upper end of the retort downward, repeatedly changing the direction and at the same time contracting the cross-sectional area of the descending mass toward the lower end of the retort, the changing of direction being initiated before the hottest zone is reached and withdrawing gas freed from tar as far as may be at a point toward. the lower end of the retort.

The construction of retort employed consists of a vertical upper section and an inclined lower section comprising subsections inclined in opposite directions, both of such sub-sections being heated.

direction being inip The invention thus provides a constructron wherein completion of the carbonizae tion initiated in the vertical section. of the retort is effected by reason of the selection of the inclination of the lower section so as to effect. sufiicient change of direction of the material passing through the retort, and by reason of the large area of the inclined sur face exposed to heating action.

It is understood, of course, that conse qucnt on each change of direction of the de scending mass the uncarbonized or partly carbonized core is brought in part at least to the exterior of the charge in the retort so that more complete or more rapid carbonization of the charge is effected. Whether the tar which has been condensed out adheres to the coal, or runs down the comparatively cold uncarbonizcd core in the vertical scetion it must at least come into contact with a suflicient extent of the heated sloping surface to carbonize it, avoiding the running out of tar from the lower mouth piece.

A subordinate feature of the invention consists in an improved construction of regenerator comprising individually removable upright tubes fitted into upper and lower tube-sheets- In the accomphnying drawin there is illustrated a construction embodying theinvention and comprising several retorts, it bein understood that the improvements are equally applicable to single retorts.

Figure 1 is a vertical'section on the line CC of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 comprises a vertical section on the line AA of Fig. 1. Figs. 3 and 4C are vertical sections at right angles to each other and Fig. 5 a plan showing the improved construction of regenerator.

It is understood that the vertical sections 1 are heated externally by the combustion of gas supplied from a producer or producers 2.

The retorts proper rest on the arches 3 which also form the roofs of the producers. The arches 3 are formed with a. number of ports 4 through which pass. the producer gases which are mixed with air in various sections of the lines and ignited to heat the retort as desired.

At the lower end of the vertical sections 1 is disposed at flue 7 of pentagonal form in section, through which flue heating gases are led, the sides of the flue being spaced from the walls and floors of the retort so as to form at the lower end of each vertical retort section a section comprising oppositel inclined sub-sections 6 and 6 heated a 1 around by combustion of producer gas as above described, the cross-sectional area of the passage being contracted with the change in direction.

Normally closed openings 10 in the retort walls permit access for stirring or poking the charge.

Exterior to, and alongside, the producers 2 is a chamber 11 into which the hot coke is withdrawn, part of the coke pushed along a chute from 15 and 16 to the producer 2; the remainder being cooled by steam within the chamber 11.

This arrangement permits of the removal of the coke in trucks traveling on a single set of rails.

Gas off-takes are shown at 12, 13 and 14. The gas is taken off at it when it is desired to employ the process first above described, While gas is taken off at 12 when the second process is to be performed. The most usual position for the gas off-take in a vertical retort is at 13.

The charging hopper forming an extension of the upper end of each retort is or may be so dimensioned as to be capable of holding a charge of coal of a capacity sufficient to effect condensation of tar.

The regenerator shown comprises vertical tubes 15 preferably of polygonal section, for example, of square or diamond section, inserted in tube sheets 16 and 17 fitted in a flue 18 surrounding the retort structure and constitutes a heat exchanger for transference to the combustion-supporting air of part of the heat which would otherwise be conducted by the flue gases to the chimney.

In order that the tubes 15 may be readily accessible and capable of convenient inscrtion. replacement or renewal without interruption of the operation of the regenerator, I employ a large number of individually removable tubes of small size, and in single lengths, and therefore readily portable, which are held in the lube sheets 16 and 17 without. any permanent joint, being simply inserted in orifices of the tube-sheets. i\. cover 19 is fitted above the upper tube-sheet 16 so as to be readily removable, a sufficient free space being left for inspection removal and renewal or replacement of tubes or for the repair of the sheets constituting the interior Walls or upper and lower floors of the regenerator.

' To avoid loss of heat by radiation. the outside walls of the regcncrator may be jacketed and the air passed through the jacket on its way to the regenerator.

The air to be heated, being practically free from matter liable to be deposited, may be passed through the tubes, the direction of flow being indicated by arrows in full lines, the flue gases bein led around the exterior of the tubes as in icated by dotted arrows; but the converse arrangement may be adopted.

To prevent formation of lanes the tubes are preferably disposed in staggered relationship as shown.

Columns 20 serve as supports for the tube sheets and as baflies for diverting the flow of the flue gases.

Before insertion, plastic jointing may be applied to the lower end of each tube, which is then passed through a slip socket in the upper tube sheet 16 and entered in a stop socket in the lower sheet 17, the plastic jointing being pressed between the lower end of the tube and the stop end of the socket, sand or other dry jointing material being then run through perforations in the bottom of the upper socket to fill up the vacant space and form a oint in the lower socket.

The upper joint may be formed by asbestos rope or the like covering the perforations in the bottom of the upper socket, the residual space being filled with dry jointing material.

It will be seen that the joints may be conveniently formed in situ and that any and every tube may be conveniently withdrawn and replaced without stopping the operation of the regenerator.

What I claim is 1. A process of obtaining coal gas consisting in passing a mass of coal downward through a retort, subjectin the mass to carbonization in the retort w ile so regulating the heatin action that the temperature at which car onization is effected is progressively increased from the upper end of the retort downward, repeatedly changing the direction of movement of the mass in process of being carbonized while contracting the crosssectional area of the descending mass toward the end of its travel through the retort, the changing of direction bein initiated before the hottest zone is reache ,discharging at the lower end of the retort the coke produced, and withdrawing the gas practically free from tar.

2. Aprocess of obtaining coal gas consisting in passing a mass of coal downward through a retort, subjecting the mass to carbonization in the retort while so regulating the heatingaction that the temperature at which carbonization is effected is rogressively increased from the upper en of the retort downward, repeatedly changing the direction of movement, of tho masr: in proc- In iosfimony when-hf I have signed my Qss of being carlmnizml and at thv mime time name to this spevificntion in the presence of 10 com acting the Lil0F '0vli0lln1 :u'va ofltiu; twn subscribing witnesses.

descendilw mass t()\\'ill'ii tho imvvi' 0m 0 Y 1 the retort? the changing n1 (iiitlfliflll living ALEXANDLR \VADDELL- initiated bvfm'v the hottest 7.0110 is reached, \Vitnessos:

and \vithdrmving gas at =1 point mwiml the WALLACE CRAXSTON FAIRWEATHER, lower end of the retort. IIENRY MASON.

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