US172707A - Improvement in generating illuminating-gas - Google Patents

Description

3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

E. H. COVEL. GENERATING ILLUMINATING-GAS.

No.17Z,707.

Patented Jaz`1.25,1876.g

Zure hn' '6g N4 PETERS, PHDTOLITHOGRAPHER, WASMINGTQN. D4 c.

3 Sheets-Sheet 2. E. H'. COVEL. GENERATING ILLUMINATIN'G-GAS. No. 173,707. Patentek/ff FETERS, PMOTO-LITHOGRAPNER, WASHINGTON. D C.

Smeets-Sheet 3.

E. H. GOVEL. GE'NERATING ILLUMINATING-GAS.

Paten d Jan.25,18776.

No.17z,7o7.

METTERE', PHOTO-LITHOGRRPHER. WASHINGTQN, D, C.

UNTTED STATES PATENT QEEICE.

EDWARD H. covEL, or NEW YORK, iN. Y.

IMPROVEMENT lN GENERATING ILLUlVIINATING'-GAS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 172,707, dated January 25, 1876; application iiled January `7, 1876.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, EDWARD H. CovEL, of the city of New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and usef'ul Improvements in Process and Apparatus for Generating Illuminating-Gases5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the ac companying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which` form a part of this specification.`

This apparatus is composed, essentially, of two parts, viz: first, 011e or more cupolas for the generation of hydrogen; and/second, a carbureting apparatus, by vwhich a uniform carbonization, to any desired candle-power, of the hydrogen gas is effected.

It is necessary that I should describe each of these apparatuses and their associate devices in detail, as their construction and effects are somewhat peculiar.

In the drawings. Figure l is a vertical section of the cupolas, and an end view of the carbureter. Fig. 2 is an elevation ofthe apA paratus, partially in section. Fig. 3 is a trans verse Vertical section ofthe carbureter. Fig. 4 shows an elevation of the cupola, cooler, and carbureter, and a vertical section of the auxilary test-chamber. Fig. 5 is a modication of the auxiliary test-chamber.

In the manufacture of hydrogen and other gases by the decompositionof either wet or superheated steam, by being forced into contact with highly-heated coke, a matter of the rst importance is to maintain the temperature of the coke to a decomposingpoint.

This condition must be effectually secured in order to separate the well-known elements (hydrogen and oxygen) composing the heated water ori steam-the hydrogen being set free, and the oxygen combined with carbon of the coke to form carbonic oxide, both important basic constituents of illumiimting-gas.

lt is found that steam, however highly heated, practically will always be of a lower temperature than the incandescent coke, and

the, tendency of the steam, when forced in, upon, and among the lumps of heated coke, is

.to reduce the temperature of the heated coke Fig. 1,A is the cupolafurnace, in which the l steam, super-heated or otherwise, is to be decomposed. This furnace is constructed of firebrick, cased with iron, or common brick, and

`forming a deep cylindrical space for the reception of coke, coal, or any other l suitable substance.

At the bottom of the furnace is an openin g, A2, similar to the opening of a common gasretort, provided with a substantial and closefltting door. The object of this opening is to gain access to the interior of the furnace for 4the purpose of igniting the coke, and also for clearing out the furnace when required. This opening, when the coke is well lighted, is kept closedV (air-tight) by a door, until the coke in the furnace is exhausted and a new charge is required.

U1 is an opening made in the side of the furnace, near the bottom, to admit heated air into the furnace and upon the coke, its object being to keep up the combustion of the coke and restore heat to it when lost by the too constant use of steam. The air is supplied to the furnace by a common tight positive blower, located at any convenient point, and kept in motion, when required, by any of thewellf known means. This air may be heated by passing it from the blower through a heated pipe or other medium, or may be delivered" 1n to the furnace through the vopening or tuyere G1 at an ordinary temperature. lfthere is i' l any difference whether the air be heated or not, it is found to be in favor of hea-ted air, which may be heated by Vforcing it through a coil of heated pipe or conduits, through a G2, for superheated steam.

heated chamber filled with broken tire-brick,

' or by any of the'well-knohwn devices-for heatplace, and heated wholly or in part by thev heated gases, (carbonio oxide, &c.,) conducted from the furnace at G3 to a proper burner,

-which serves to heat the boiler 5 or the boiler maybe heated simply by the hot products of combustion escaping from the furnace.

When the coke in the furnace is well ignited, and the cupola has reached a high decomposing temperature, the supply of air is cut off by closing cock U1, and is replaced by superhe'ated steam, which enters through the tuyere O2. The steam, coming in contact with the highly-heated coke, isv transformed into a mixture of hydrogen a-nd carbonio oxide, which gases, when properly charged with the vapor of a Huid hydrocarbon andv subsequently subi jected 'to the. high temperature of a heated retort and lime purification, becomes a'permanent or fixed illuminating-gas, and is gathered into gasometers by well-known means.

-As thel admission of the superhejated steam into the furnace causes the rapid cooling of the cupola, it is soon suspended; then air is again introduced to thoroughly ignite the mass of coke, and bring it again to its proper high temperature, in order that the operation may be Irenewed, 'and so on, alternating air and steam indefinitely.

It will now be seen that the action of the apparatus must necessarily be intermittent. I thereforev avail myself of the use of one or more of these furnaces or cupolas, according to the amount of gas, required to be produced in a given time; and while one furnace is decomposing steamand generating gas, the other'will be getting up its heat, and vice ver sa,by which-means a constant supply ot' gas will be given olf from the apparatus. When but one is used, however, gas is being generated the greater portion of the time. It will also be seen that wheneock` Cl is opened to admit air into the cupola, cock C3 must be opened at thev same time, to discharge the products of combustion to the boiler or into the open air.

When steam is to be admitted to the cupola A,l cock G2 must be opened, and, at the same time, cock C4'must be opened, in order to discharge the hydrogen an-d'carbonic oxide from the cupola into the cooler Y, or into the carbureterand mixer, and thence to the retorts.

V This I regard as the first step in' my process.

The second I will now proceed to describe.

`In Fig. 2, A is the cupola. B is the carbureter. Gis thel exhauster and mixer. N isa bench of retorts'. O` is the air-blower, and P is the boiler.

In the manufacture of this gas, known as Water-gas]7 as above set forth, I have said I v nants now in use.

But there is still another feature or step in the process of this invention, equal in importance to the above-described step, that must receive serious attention where a uniform gas of a specified candle-power is desirable.

It is well known that all gaseous bodies employed in the vmanufacture of illuminatinggas receive their luminosity from the carbon contained therein. Hence it is very desirable that said gaseous bodies should receive their necessary carbon in a uniform and regulated manner, and that, too, at the option `of the operator. This is that other element or step referred to in my process above, which -I shall now proceed to describe.

The tlrst thing to be done after the gas has been generated inthe cupola and is being discharged` therefrom is to reduce its temperature, for it must be obvious that the gas is 'too hot When lit leaves the cupola to receive the carbon vapor in a4 regular and uniform manner. The' operator ,could not control the amount of carbon vapor to be added to the gals. It is, therefore, desirable that the heat in the fresh gas should be reduced in temperature, and that can easily be done' in any ordinary gas-Works by passing 'the gas from the cupola through a set of condensing-pipes, Y, or any other mode of cooling down the gas may be employed, and in very cold weather, and under some circumstances, this may be omitted. v

The gas having thus been prepared to re ceive the naphtha or other hydrocarbon vapor, it is admitted to the carbureter B. Here it is important that the carbon vapor should be added, at the will of the operator, to the cool hydrogen in ixed and definite quantities or proportions, and of about the same uniform specific gravity, in order to prevent that stratification of the gas, when it arrives in the holder, found so objectionable in the use of naphtha in gas-making. This previous formidable difficulty is entirely obviated by'this process, and by the following device, (see Fig. 2:)

Letter B isan apparatusv in which the light and heavy iuid hydrocarbons are used simultaneously by rotating at intervals the chamber in which they are contained, thereby causing a uniform carbonization, or nearly so, of the gas or air passing the apparatus, and utilizin g all the hydrocarbon duid contained therein. The gas or air, after leaving the rotary chamber, passes to the mixer G, where it is rendered uniform as to the photometric condition of the gas, and thence to the heated retort. This mixer Gr acts as an exhanster,`

i www y :i

sitions, will cause the whole, or only a part, of the gas passing through the machine to pass' lthrough the volatile liquid in the rotating carbonizing-chamber.

Rotating' carbureter B is a cylindrical vessel, built vof sheet metal,` except possibly its ends, which may be of cast-iron. On cachot' its ends, and concentric with the cylinder, is a hollow trunnion, B1, whichrests on the timbering or other fixed supports B2. One or I more levers, or a belt and pulley, H, are secured to either or both ends of the cylinder, for the purpose of turning it over a half-revolution on its trunnions.

-The vessel B is builtof two half-cylinders, each having an externally -projecting Bange, a, bymeans of which the two semi-cylinders are bolted together. `Screw-bolts should be used for this purpose, as it may be necessary to take the vessel apart at intervals for the purpose oi' clearing `or repairs. The joint made by the ltwo halicylinders should be very tight to prevent-leakage. Between these two anges a, as above described, there may be introduced the edges ot the diaphragm B3, which divides the 'chamber' into two equal, or nearly equal, compartments. rlhe bolt which holds the two tlanges a together will also pass through the diaphragm, and hold it in position. The diaphragm B3 is divided into two parts in the center ofthe vessel, so as to form a small cylinder concentric with the vessel B,

and through the center of the cylinder thus formed theregulatinggas-pipeX will be placed, so as to leave `an annular opening between the pipe and the cylindrical part ofthe diaphragm, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The ends ofthe gas-pipe X are joined with the ends or heads of the cylinder, and open ports x in the sides ot the said pipe, just inside of the front head al, perlnit the incoming gas to pass into the chamber B,V as required, and the gas so passed into the carburcting-chamber returns to the pipe X again through the open ports w', which are located at the other end ot' the chamber B, just inside of the head a2. The diaphragm b3 is to be iinel y perforated throughout its entire extent within the cha-mber b, both in its tlat and in its cylindrical parts. 4The induction gaspipe Disconnected with the hollow trunnion on the front end ot' the cylinder B by means ot' the stuffing-box a3, Iand the connecting gas-pipe Dl is attached to the other end ot' the rotary earbonizer by the stuffing-box a4. By this arrangement the gas to be carbonized may be conducted into and out of the rotary carbonizer without leakage, and the chamber B at the same time be left tree to turn on its axis, whether the chamber B is allowed to make a complet-e rot-ation around' its axis, or only a semi-rotation', or rocking motion is entirely immaterial, and will depend upon the arrangement of the lever H, which may permit a whole rotation o r not. At the front end ofthe apparatus is a valve,` X1, which-is arranged to close the front end of the pipe X, on which the said .valve is seated, as shown inV Fig. 2. This valve 'may be' opened or closed, or adjusted to suit,by means ofthe valve-rod X2 and the operatingwheel X3, which wheel is i-n an accessible position outside of the apparatus. The rod X2 passes through a stutling-box, a., on the inductionpipe l), and inside ofthe said pipeit is threaded, so as to engage the nut X4, which is lixed inside ot' the said pipe, or to the hollow trunnion on that end of the apparatus. Just inside of the two heads of the chamber B are placed two diaphragms, a5, which close down tightly to the pipe X, and also to the cylindrical sides of B, except in the 4small portspaces a6. (Shown in Fig. 2.) The spaces between the diaphragme a5 and the ends or' the chamber B are suciently large to accommodate the How of gas through the apparatus,

and are in open communication with the ports m x ofthe pipe X.

Within each of the compartments of B is placed a frame-work, E, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3, and between the ribs of this frame-work are stretched wires or strips ot' i'clt, or any other suitable porous substance, for the pur-l pose of extending the evaporating-surface, as represented by E in Figs. 2 and 3. The object oi these obstructions will further appear` ""in the description ot' the process.

rlhe connecting-pipe D connects the cylinder B with an ordinary rotary mixer or positive blower, G, Fig. 2, in the nature of an eX- hauster, the motion lof which, either faster or slower, will regulate the motion of the gas and controlits pressure. A. McKenzil blower willanswerall purposes,and,beingwellknown,

need not be further explained.

` ln the apparatus constructed as above described, the process ot' this part of my invention is as i'ollows:.A sufficient quantity of naphtha or other hydrocarbon luid (the quantity varying, ofcourse, with the size oi' the apparatus, but usually several barrels) will be putin the chamber B through Vits opening a8, and the` iiuid so introduced will pass through 'the pertbrations of the diaphragm in the direction of the arrowsk, and will fall into the lower ,halt-cylinder B in a tine shower,this operation being continued until all ot' the Huid shall have passed below the diaphragm, and then the cylinder will be given a haltrevolution by means ot' the lever H, when the iuid will again pass through the diaphragm, asbefore, and so on. The operation of turning the by the action of the heat, it becomes xed and permanent.

In order to properly regulate the quantity of carbonization of the gas, I introduce the gas-equalizi'ng pipe X, which Will, on the opening of the valve X1, admit the uncarbureted gas inacu'rrent, (represented by the arrows g.) This uncarburetcd current g will mingle With the carliureted current g in 'the pipe D' or the chamber F, lor the mixer, as may be the most desirable, the object being to thoroughly mix anddetermine the photometric value ot' the` 'gas before it enters the heated retort.

This I regard as a feature of vmuch mportance at this. stage of the process. It will be seen, therefore, it' the gas, un-carbureted, is forced to mingle with the carbureted gas, ei-

ther in the chamber F'orthe rotary mixer, or

bot-h, that the different gases 'will 'readily coin- `bine, 'and may Aeasily be rendered of a uniform quality, and of any photometric standard required, by simply adjusting the valve Xl, as may be desired, from time to time.

before it enters the heated retort, where the candle power of the mixture can be determined by the use of the pipe M, having cock my and regulated burner m.-

When the apparatus is in action, and the:

gas is under a certain amount'of pressure, the burner m may be kept lighted, vs'o that the operator mayproximately determine at once and 'at all times its candlepoiver; or a photometer- 'may be employed for greater 'accuf racy for that purpose, or both may be -found convenient and useful.

flers, in order to remove from it any stray sulphur which may arise from the use of coal or coke in the cupola, or any carbonio acid that may be present.

Al do not limit myself to the precise details This gas Will be con-- ducted from the heated retort to the lime'puriof the apparatus herein described, as it is evident that apparatuses of the nature specified may be combined 'in an analogous manner to effect the same result.

The auxiliary test-chamber may be constructed. as shown in Fig. 5, wltha flexible to'p or drum working in a water-seal, whereby it will accommodate different measures of gas and regulate its pressure.

The retorts for 'fixing the gas are filled with {ire-brick, or other refractory material,

for presentingan extended heating-surface and keeping the gas longer in Contact with such surface. l I

The steam may be superheated by passing it through coils of clay pipe located in a'furnace,

for through a chamber filled with lire-brick and located in a furnace, or lby other means.,

All the different parts of the vapparatus are,

l'connected bythe proper pipes and couplings, 'and are provided with cocks and plugs Where necessary.

Having thus described my inyention, what I.

claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The process 'of manufacturing illuminatinggas, which consists in producing Watergas bypassing alternate currents of 4airand steam through a body of incandescent carbon, cooling 'suc-h gas, and 4the-n carburet'ing it by passing it at a regulated flow through a constar'ntshower of liquid hydrocarbon, substan- The auxiliary chamber F, Whether placed beforeor after the rotary mixer, will be em-v ployed to receive the mechanically-mixed gas ing such gas, enriching it with a definite and regulated 'percentage of hydrocarbon vapor, mixing the gases andvapor uniformly together, 'and then fixing the mixture in aheated retoras set forth.

3. The primarygenerator. A, cooler Y, and carbnreter B, constructed as described, in

' combination with a test-chamber, F, exfhauster and mixer G, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. 'The primarygen-erator A, cooler Y, carburet'e'r B, test-chamber F, and exhauster and mixer G,.in coi'nbination with one or more re# torts, N ,substantially asv and for the purpose described.

5. The Combination of a rotary carburcter,

an adjusting pressure-.regulating chamber, provided with a test-burner or photometer, a

rotary exhauster and mixer, and one o'rmore heated re'torts, as set forth.

In testimony that Il claim the foregoing as my own I afiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

A. MooRE,

G. E. CARPENTER.

EDWARD GOVEL.

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