US1733623A - Gas-producing process - Google Patents

Description

Oct. 2 9, 1 929. J. QCQNNOR 1,733,623

GAS PRODUC iNG PROCESS Filed April 8, 1929 @Vezazar.

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W h'sfiwzyzeys 50 the gas outlet pipes,

Patented Oct. 29, 1929 JOHN J.

O'CONNOR, OF JANESVILLE, WISCONSIN GAS-PRODUCING PROCESS Original application illed April 14, 1928, Serial No. 632,007. Divided and this application filed April 8, 1929. Serial No. 353,402.

This application is a division of my application Ser. No, 632,007, filed April 14, 1923, and the purpose of this invention is to provide an improved process for producing combustible gas from carbonaceous material such as bituminous coal, coke, lignite, and the like. It is the object of this invention not only to produce gas more cheaply than it is now being manufactured by" apparatus in common use, but also to provide a process which will operate efficiently on a small scale so that it may be employed in .an individual lant of any large commercial user .of gas or heating or power, and will not be conlifined to large municipal gas plants and the like. The process COIlSl ts in the various steps and features hereinafter described as practiced in apparatus of the type shown in the drawings, and in accordance with the appending claims.

In the drawings, which are diagrammatic: Figure 1 is a top plan view of an apparatus adapted for this process showing only the vparts-above the plane in icated by line 2-2 on Figure 3.

Figure 2 is a transverse or horizontal section of the a p'aratus taken as indicated at line 2-2 on 1gure3. Figure 3 is an elevation of said apparatus. For understanding the process, it is sirable first to describe the apparatus indicated by the drawings. This consists of a ,pair of twin gas producers or generators, 1 and 2, which are structurally similar and contain the usual grate bars and fire pots common in gas generators as more fully illustrated in my co-pending application, Serial No. 507,288, filed October 12, 1921, and in my application Serial No. 632,007, above mentioned.

The generators are coupled together both above and below the fire pot or combustion zone by pipes, 3 and 4, respectively, provided with valves, 5 and 6, whereby the flow of gas from one generator to the other may be controlled as to its path.

Each generator also has upper and lower discharge or off-take pipes, 7 and 8, respectively, leading to water seals, 9, from which 10, may be understood as common gas holder, not shown. For illustrating the present invention, which is generic in character, I show an apparatus and describe a process specifically adapted to make what is known as producer gas; for this purpose each generator also has a steam sup ly connection, 11, with inlets, 12 and 13, opening into the generator res ctively above and below the fire pot; and in addition, each of the steam lines is fitted with an air pipe, 15, so that either steam alone or a mixture of air and steam may be injected at 12 or 13, as desired. Suitable valves are shown in these pipe connections for directing and controlling the steam supply.

An air blast pipe, 16, has branches, 17, each controlled by a valve, 1&, for supplying air to either of the generators at will.

Ordinarily, the connections described are adequate for producing fuel gas of various qualities, but when illuminating gas is required, the proper enrichment is secured b the addition of such material as tar, fuel oi or the like, supplied through injectors at 19, inthe top of each generator.

The operation of the process as specificall iidapted for making producer gas is as fol: ows:

connecting with a v Up-rwh operation The fuel chambers or fire pots of the two gas producers or generators, 1 and 2, are filled to a height of about nine feet with carbonaceous material,-for example, bituminous coal, preferably broken to nut coal size. A

fire being'started in one of the generators, say the chamber 1, the charging doors, 20, are closed; the valves,'5 and 6, are closed, and the valves 21, 22, and 23 are closed. The blast mixer, 14, connected in a by-pass.

controlling valve, 18, leading to the generator,

1,-is open, so that an air blast is supplied to the fuel to induce and accelerate the combustion until the body of fuel becomes incandescent, reaching a temperature of from 2000 F. to 2500 F. It may be understood that while an air blast is at present the most economical means of inducing combustion, there may be some conditions under which substantially pure oxygen or ozone might be supplied for -ing a p this purpose, or other chemical reagents might be employed to react with the 'carbonaceous material for bringing it to incandescence.

During this operation, the cap valve 24, which surmounts the stack, 25, leading from the gas off-take pipe, 7, is left open, so that the gaseous products of combustion, during this blowing up process, pass out through the stack.

' When the desired temperature is reached, the air blast is shut off at the valve, 18, andv the cap valve, 24, is closed. The valve, 5. connecting the two generators is opened, and the valve, 26, in the off-take, 8, of the generator, 2, is opened to give access to the water seal, 9. The cap valve, 27, and the valves 28 and 29, are closed to confine the out-flow of gas to the path through the valve, 26.

A mixture of steam and air is now admitted to the generator, 1, at the lower inlet. 13, below the grate, so that as the steam and air pass up through the hot fuel bed, they are decomposed and united with the carbon, formroducer gas. This hot producer gas passes into the chamber, 2, through the valve 5, and is drawn downward through the mass of fresh fuel therein, tending to coke it and drive oil the volatile matter, which unites or mixes with the gas coming from the generator, 1. The' resultant mixed gas passes through the grate of the generator, 2, and out through the valve. 26, into the water seal, '9, and thence through the outlet, 10, to a gas holder, not shown. i

In this mode of operation, air being supplied with steam, the temperature of the fuel mass in the first chamber is not materially reduced and this step of the operation can be continued for an honor an hour and one-half, during which time the fuel in the second chamber, through which the, producer gas is passed, will be thoroughly coked.

Down-run operation After a gas-making period, the mixed air and steam blast is shut off and the valve, 5, is closed. The air blast or other oxidizing means is again admitted by the valve, 18, for reheating the fuel bed, with the cap valve, 24;, open. When this is done, the air blast is shut off and the stack valve is closed. Then the valve, 6, is opened and a mixture of steam and air is admitted to the generator, 1, at the upper opening, 12, so as to drive the gaseous products downward through the fuel bed out past the valve, 6, and upward throughthe partially coked fuel in the generator, 2. The combustible gas thus produced is led out through the off-take, 7, and, with the valve 26 closed, and the valve 29 opened, passes into the water seal, 9, and thence through the outlet, 10, to a gas holder.

More' lgas is made in this down-run than in- -the'up-run because of the natural tendency 'sulting gas at the lower outlet,

of the hotgas or steam to rise, whereas the.

admissio of steam at the upper inlet, 12, forcing t e gaseous products to take a downward course through the fuel retards its movement, so that the gas remains longer in operative contact with the incandescent fuel mass and acts upon surfaces of the fuel which were not attacked in the preceding up-run. The down-run is also more effective than the up-run because it tends to carry the ash and clinker down toward, and through, the grate; making the fire easier to clean and rendering the incandescent mass freer from the blanketing effect of the ash which would otherwise accumulate as the combustion and decomposition proceed.

Reversal After several runs have beenmade in alternate directions, as above described, making producer gas in the generator, 1, and passing it through the coal in the chamber, 2, said coal will be thoroughly coked and the fuel in the chamber,

hausted. Said chamber, 1, is then recharged with fresh coal or other fuel through the to prepare for making producer gas in this.-

generator.

When the desired temperature is attained in the chamber, 2, the cap valve, 27,.and the air blast valve, 18, are closed and the valve, 5, may be opened and the up-run operation will proceed in the generator, producer gas to the fresh fuel in the chamber, 1, for coking it and delivering the re- 8, the valve, 21, being opened and the valves, 22 and 23, being closed for directing'this gas through the water seal. 9. and outlet, 10, to the gas holder. It will be understood that in this up-run of the generator, 2, the mixed steam and air is admitted to said generator at 13 in the same manner as described up-run of the generator 1.

After the up-run has cooled the fuel bed in the chamber, 2. the valve, 5, is closed and the fuel is again blown up with the air blast, whereupon a down-run is made by admitting steam and air at the upper inlet, 12, of chamber. 2, and passing the gas out through the valve, 6, and up through the partially coked fuel charge in chamber, 1.

After a number of up and down runs in the producer, 2, with delivery of the producer gas through the off-take, 7, or the off-take, 8, of the chamber, 1, the fuel in chambe'r,'2,

for the a 1, will be practically ex- 2, furnishing heated to inc'andescence withan air blast and creased by reason of t the process again reversed with a fresh charge of fuel in the producer, 2. It is thus evident that the process is practically continuous, inasmuch as the recharging of either producer may be accomplished during the blowing up of the other, and the time for cleaning out ash and clinker is reduced to a minimum by virtue of the alternating up and down runs in each producer.

The provision of upper and lower connec- 'tions, 12 and 13, permits making of up and down runs with the mixture of air and steam at will, so that any undue accumulation of ash in the fuel may be prevented by alternating the direction of flow of the gas in the first producer.

Or, if it be desired, each generator may be operated independently of the other by supplying the mixture of steam and air and leading ofi the producer gas through the valve, 23, or the valve, 28, as the case may be, instead of passing it to the other chamber.

ing the flow of gas through the first mass, where it was generated. i

2. The process of making combustible gas from carbonaceous material, which consists in providing two masses of such material in separate chambers, inducin combustion in one of said masses, thereby eating it to incandescence, passing through the incandescent mass mixed air and steam for making producer gas; passing said producer gas through the other mass and thence to a receiver; alternating the direction'of the gas movement through the second mass, periodically but less frequently reversing the order of gas movement through the two masses, and replenishing the mass from which the producer gas has been last formed.

JOHN J. OCONNOR.

It will be recognized that the close couproducers insures the consensible heat of the gases throughout the process, thus securing efiiciency without the addition of such special apparatus such as recuperators or stoves.

It should also be noted that the frequent reversal of direction of. gas fiow'through the second mass of fuel results in three special advantages. It increases the gas yield from a given amount of fuel,- because the carbonaceous material is attacked first iromone direction and then fromthe other, insuring thorough chemical decomposition. It tends to loosen and carry down the ash or clinker formed in the second the repeated agitation of the mass produced by alternating the direction of gas movement.

pling of the two servation of the admission in one direction only.

pler hour will be inis frequent reversal in the second producer.

- I claim:

Thus the gas output 1. In a process of making combustible gas from carbonaceous material, which includes the provision of two masses of such material in separate chambers and the production of partial combustion in one mass resulting in the generation of gas therefrom, the procedure of passing the said generated gas im mediately and directly through the second mass without substantial change or diminution of its sensible heat, and thence to a gas outlet, and at frequent intervals reversing the direction in which the gas generated from the first mass passes through the second mass, such reversal being accomplished by reversproducer, 'by virtue of And it results in quicker coking of the coal than would bepossible with a con- 'tinuous gas

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