US1340495A - Process of producing carbon-hydrogen gas - Google Patents

Description

- Patented May 18, 1920.

T..0'coNNELL. PROCESS 0F PRODUGING CARBON HYDROGEN GAS.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I0, |919. 1,340,495.

TIMOTHY OCONNELL, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

PROCESS 0F PRODUCING CARBON-HYDROGEN' GAS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 18', 1920.

Application filed September 10, 1919. Serial No. 322,934.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, TIMOTHY OOONNELL, citizen of the United States, and residentof Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of` Producing Carbon-Hydrogen Gras, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the art or process of producing carbon-hydrogen gas.

One object of my invention is to provide an improved method for operating a gas generator, whereby a greater quantity of coal and hydrogen gas may be produced, from the same amount of coal.

Another object of my invention is to provide an improved method of treating the coal to produce not only a greater quantity of gas, but also, to eliminate the formation of hard, solid clinker.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved method for producing gas in a considerably shorter time than is possible to produce through the present operation of a generator; to produce so called soft clinker, formed by the burning of the coal, and to cause the clinker to collapse in such a way, as to permit the reacting agents, passing through the coal, to freely act upon a greater number of coal particles, than is possible by the methods used to-day.

A still further object of my invention is to provide a certain way of coaling the generator during the operation of my improved gas-producing process.

Other objects of the invention will appear more fully from the following description, reference being made to the accompanying drawing, in which an appropriatev machine for producing gas is diagrammatically illustrated, and in connection with which my process will be better understood.

Referring to the drawings, a basement Hoor is shown, designated by 10, upon which rests a generator 11 equipped with the usual grates 12. Beneath the grates enters into the generator a blast pipe 13, provided with a valve 13, and which conveys air,under pressure in the coal above the grates enterin through hand operated nozzle 113.

pposite the blast pipe 13, and located also beneath the grates, is a pipe connection 14, through which steam under pressure may be forced into the burning coal, while a similar pipe connection 15, is provided near the top of the generator, through which steam may be forced downward into and through the burning coal. Opposite the pipe connection 15, is located the producer or water gas pipe 16, which deflects downward at 1T, terminating in the dust pocket 1.8. Another portion 19, of the producer or by way of independently `operable nozzle 113 and through pipe 13, the valve 21 is opened; when steam enters through pipe 14, valve 21 is opened while valvev 13 has been closed; and when steam is forced through pipe 15, valve 21 is to be closed and valve 13 is to be opened.

The produced producer or water gas passes .through the producer or water gas pipe 19 into the carbureter 20, on top of which is provided a pipe connection 22 through which oil is sprayed at certain intervals into the gas.

The oil1niXed gases then travel downward between the outer wall of the carburoter and the dividing wall 23 into the superheater 24, the top of which is provided with a duct 25, which may be opened or closed by valve 26. Above the duct 25 a purge stack 27 serves for receiving and conveying draft-gases when the valve 26 is opened. Vhen producing producer or water gas the valve 26 remains closed and the gas is forced to travel through the pipe 29, the wash-box 30 into the gas main 31. An operating valve 32 in the gas main 31 serves for closing the latter, when an air blast is made through the machine, during which period the valve 26 is opened. At the bottom of the superheater, a cleaning door` 28 is provided.

The usual equalization or balancing means, consisting of pipe 33, the seal pot 33", the branch pipe 34 and the main pipe 35, are connected with the wash-box.y Pipe 33 is open at its upper end through which water in the wash box 30 is conveyed to seal pot 33. When the water in the seal pot reaches the height of pipe 34 it overflows therethrough into the main pipe 35, which leads to a separator, lnot shown in the drawings. From this separator the water is forced into the wash-boX again through convenient means, not shown, and the oil gained is reused afresh.

The construction of a producer or water gas generator is well known and its dlagrammatieal plan shown in the drawing is to serve purely for the purpose of explanation.

The dashed lines 3G and 3T indicate where solid clinker is formed by operating the generator with present processes, while 38 is the highest mark up to which coal is deposited.

It is important to generally explain the heretofore used methods of operating generator in order to comprehend the significance of my improved process, based upon actual and personal experience.

It will be also easier to understand how the different operations follow each other, when a few technical terms are first eX- plained.

For instance by the word run is generally meant a time period, consisting of two equal parts, for example a run may consist of a period of eight minutes, which are divided into a blast, which means a four minute period during which air is forced into the generator, and a make, which means a four minute period during which steam is forced for say 3 minutes from the top through the coal, and for one minute from the bottom.

During such run oil is sprayed into the carbureter, and as this forms a part of each rum it will not be mentioned specially hereafter. During the blastf7 valves 13 and 21 and 26 are opened, while valve 32 is closed.

During the first period of the make, which is called down-blow, the valve 2l is closed and the valve 13 is opened.

rIhe gases generated during` the down blow pass through blast pipe 13 into the producer gas pipe 19 behind the then closed` valve 2l, as indicated at 113.

During the second period of the make, which is called up-blow, the valves 2l and 32 are open, while the valves lf3 and 26 are closed. All of the valve operations in conjunction with the different runs are self explanatory and self-evident and will therefore not be referred to hereafter.

The old operation, now in use, provides, within one run compa 'atively long periods of down-blows against blasts of inadequatelengtli, and up-blows of too short a duration.`

The result is that a hard, solid clinker is formed directly above the grate and similar clinker formations take place upon the walls of the generator, preventing, together with the grate-clinker, the desired penetration of steam through the burning coal. Moreover the contact surface, upon which the reaction of the steam is to take place, is reduced to a considerable extent. Consequently a reduction of producer or water gas generation follows. Through the eX- cess supply of steam during the down-blows, the fire is unduly quenched, and clinker forms, containing unburned and unused coal particles, and covers the fire. The unburned coal particles represent actual waste.

In order to prepare the coal for generating gas again, a longer blast period is required and the coal nearest to the grates totally burns before having served to produce hydrogen.

lVhen cleaning the fire, the mass of clinker, forming practically a solid sheet over the burned coal, has to be removed by force, which operation consumes a considen able length of time.

My improved process is designedto eliminate all of the foregoing defects of the heretofore applied methods of firing, coaling and treatments of the coal, and the produced gases.

After starting fire in the generator and having supplied the first layer of coal upon the grates, I make two runs, each consisting of one air blast and one steam up-,blow of equal duration, called a blast-run.

These I follow with two runs, each of air one blast and one make, the latter consisting of a down-blow of of a make, and,

an up-blow of 3g of a make, which run I may call a make-run. Then a blast run follows.

Then three make-runs are made. Another blast run takes place and again three make-runs follow. After the last make coaling takes place in such a manner as to distribute the coal in as nearly a horizontal plane as possible.

The coaling is followed by two blastruns and the foregoing process is repeated until the 24th run is made and another coaling in the similar way takes place. The process is again repeated up to the last coaling before cleaning the fire, which might be at the 72nd run.

After that last coaling the usual two blast runs take place; the following runs, however, are different and consist of a blast and a make of equal length, the make however being divided into a down-blow of of a make and an up-blow of fr of a make.

The last kind of runs, which I may call final runs, continue until the fire is cleaned. A

In the aforeexplained method I correctly consider a run as a time unit, as I have experienced that, when the runs7 are made in the described succession, and are properly divided into blasts and steam up-blows, and blasts and makes, and when the proportion of down and up-blows within such makes is made in the prescribed proportion, the desired results are obtained.

Nevertheless I shall endeavor, for clearness sake, to repeat my process of operation once more, at the point when the first layer of coal is ignited, taking as'base a run of eight minute duration and using a table for simplicity.

Multa Steam. RunNo. Blast. Oil.

Up. Donn Up.

Jilin. .Mira .Min M'zvz illz'n.

4 2e n, s

4 2% 1% Scoalng.

4 222 is 3, etc.

4 2% 125 3 last coaling before cleaning fire.

4 3, 3, etc., until fire iscleaned.

It will be found that, by followingmy improved method of operation, usable gas will be produced almost immediately at the first make-run, that the clinker will not contain any unused coal particles, that the clinker will form a fine, porous, light and very brittle substance, that the Contact surface of the burning coal will be increased, whereby the reaction of steam upon the coal is amplified,r and that a reduction of fuel consumption is taking place, while gas of better quality and of increased volume per pound of 'coal is produced.

Owing to the fact that very light and spongy clinker is formed the cleaning of the fire is greatly facilitated especially because the clinker clinging to the generator walls will collapse by its own weight and does not necessitate its being broken up by force. The cleaning process will consume therefore a minimum length of time with a negligible exertion of strength, and efforts.

It is not to be forgotten that, together with the air and steam reaction process upon the coal, a peculiar coaling operation is required, which consists of depositing fresh coal at the center of the fire and keeping the burning coal in as nearly a perfectly horizontal plane as possible during the entire process.

Having thus described my improved method, I claim 1. A process of eiiciently producing carbon-hydrogen gas in a generator, which comprises subjecting the first layer of ignited coal to an air blast and a steam blow, both of equal length and directed from beneath the coal, to another air blast and steam blow similar to the former, to an air blast, to a steam-blow directed from the top and lasting fg of the air blast, to a steam blbw from the bottom lasting g of the blast, to a succession of two periods of operations, each period comprising an airblast and a steam up-blow of equal length, followed by three operations, each consisting of an air blast, a steam down-blow of of the blast period and a steam up-blow of g of the blast period of depositing coal in the center of the fire after the last steam 11p-blow, following the coaling up with 2 periods of air blast and steam up blows of equal length and continuing the process in the above described order, including the coaling until the last coaling operation before cleaning of the fire has taken place and has been followed up by a double air blast and steam up-blow, subjecting the thus prepared coal up to the point of cleaning to a series of operations consisting of air blasts, steam down-blows of g of the air blasts, and steam up blows of of the air blast periods.

2. A process of producing carbon-hydrogen gas in a generator as set forth in claim l spraying oil into and mixing it with the produced gases for a period of 12 of each air blast and at each steam blow period.

3. A process of producing carbon-hydro` gen gas in agenerator, as set forth in claims l and 2, depositing fresh coal at each coaling period substantially at the center of the fire and spreading the newly ignited coal in a substantially horizontal plane.

4. The process of producing carbon-hydrogen gas in a generator, which comprises subjecting the first layer of ignited coal to a series of reactions called runs, each comprising a period of air blast of half duration of a run, the other half of the run comprising either `a steam up-blow of the length of an air blast, and called a blast run, or of a make comprising a period of Si of a blast for a steam down-blow and of a blast for a steam 11p-blow, called a make run, or of a make proportioned 'gv to g, called a final run, said series of runs progressing vas follows: two blast-runs, two make-runs, one blast run, three make runs, one blast run, three make-runs, coaling, two blast runs, and so on until the last coaling before cleaning the fire has taken place, two blast runs after the last coaling and finalruns continuing until the cleaning takes place.

5. The process of producing carbon-hydrogen gas as set forth in claim 4 spraying oil into and mixing it with the gases at each run for a period of g3; of a run.

6. The process of producing carbon-hydrogen gas in a generator, which comprises subjecting the first layer of ignited coal to a series of reactions called runs, each run lasting for 8 minutes and divided into a 4 minute air blast period during which air is forced through the coal from its bottom, and another 4f minute period Consisting either` of a. four minute steam up-blow7 in which oase the run is called a blast run, or of a 295 minute steam down-blow and a lminute steam up-blow period, such run being called a make-run, and finally of a 39j minute steam down-blow and a 145 minute steam up-blow period, called a fina-l run, starting with two blast runs7 and continuing with two make runs, one blast-run, three make-runs,one blast run, three other make-runs and ooaling after the last make-run 5 two blast runs, and so on until the last eoaling before cleaning the and a series of final runs until the cleaning of the fire takes place, spraying oil into and mixing it with the gases at each run for 3 minutes per run.

7. The process of producing carbon-hydrogen gas in a generator as set forth in claim 6, depositing at each coaling period a layer of fresh coal substantially in the center of the fire and spreading the newly ignited coal in a substantially horizontal plane.

Signed at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, this 5th day of September, A. D. 1919.

TIMOTHY OCONNELL.

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