US175536A - Improvement in apparatus for the manufacture of gas - Google Patents

Description

SShe-ets-Sheetl. A. WEBER,'I. HERZOG 8 A. T. SCHUESSLER.

APPARATUS Fon THE MANUFACTURE oF GASh No.175,536. Patented March 28,1876.

r I I X' lz Y v N. PETERS, PHOTOLITHOGRAPHER WASHINGTON, Dv C.

Y l SShets-Sheetl A. WEBER, I. HERZOG & A. T. SCHUESSLER.

AP RA'IUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS.

No.175, Patented March. 28,1876.

v v vv v v sweets-sheets'. A. WEBER, I. HERZOG & A. T. SCHUESSLER. 'AP ATUS FOB. THE MANUFACTURE 0F GAS. NO 1755 Patented March 28,1876

UNI'I*En'5v STATES ADAM WEBER AND IGNATZ HERZOG, on NEw YORK, NQY'. T. scHUEssLER, 0E NEWARK, NEw JERSEY.

IMPROVEMENTVJN APPARATUS Fou THE MANUFACTURE oF eA's.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. l 75,536, dated March 28, 1876 application filed January 28, 1876.

To all whom it may ooncern:

Be itv known that we, ADAM WEBER and IGNATZ HERZOG, both of the city, county, and State of New York, and .AUGUST TH. SCHUESSLER, of Newark, in the county of Essex .and State of New Jersey, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for the Manufacture of 'Gas for illuminating and heating purposes, which improvement is fully set forth in the following specication, reference being had to the accompany drawin whicht Figure l represents a vertical section of the apparatus used in carrying out this invention, the line a: zo, Fig. 2, indicating the plane of the section. the same in the plane y y, Fig. 1.` Fig. 3 is a vertical section in the plane z z, Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a plan or top view. Fig. 5 is a vertical section in the plane w x', Fig. 2. Fig. 6 is a side view.

Similar letters indicate corresponding part-s. This invention' relates to certain improvements in apparatus for the manufacture of gas by the decomposition of steamand liquid hydrocarbons, its object being to provide for the superheating of the steam, and the decomposition of the same and the liquid hydrocarbons in a more thorough and economical manner than has heretofore been accomplished.'

' Our invention consists, first, in the combination, with said longitudinal superheaters, and alseries or bench of two or more vertical retorts,-located at one or both sides ofthe furnace, of a series of vertical heaters located on the outside of each series of vertical retorts, and" communicating with the same, as hereinafter moreA fully set forth; second, in the combination of the longitudinal and vertical superheaters with a series of two or more vertical retorts, provided with superheatingchambers in their walls communicating with the vertical superheaters and with the interiorA of said vertical retorts, as hereinafter more fully set forth; third,^in combination with each pair of the vertical steam-decom posing retorts, of branch pipes leading to an intermediate pipe, and two or more 'vertical oil-decomposing retorts communicating with said intermediate pipe by similar branch Fig. 2 is a horizontal section of torts, an intermediate' pipe colnmunicating with said retorts and the hydraulic main, and:

provided with a partition below the branch pipes which form the exit from the oil-decom A posing retorts, as more fully hereinafter set forth.

In thev apparatus shown in the drawings,

.six pairs of retorts are shown, three on each side of the fire-place, and in this figure the letter A designates the fire-place, which occupies the middle of the furnace A', in which are placed the steam-decomposing' retorts B B C C', and the hydrocarbon-retorts D D.

On each side of the fire-place is a brick wall, r E, which is perforated with a number of aper' tures, a a, through which the iames can freely circulate. In each of the brick walls E are two retur11-channels,b c, one above and the other below the apertures a, and one branch of each of the return-channels communicates with a steam-supply pipe, F, while the other branches of said return-channels connect, by means of pipes G, with the upper parts of the .steam-decomposing retorts B and C.

All the retorts in the furnace A are placed in avertical position, and they are retained in the proper positions by partitiouwalls d, each of which is provided with a return-channel, e, one branch of which connects with the steam-supply pipe F, while 'the other branch connects with one of the steam-decomposing retorts B or C.

In the bodies of the steam-decomposing retorts .B BC C', next to the fire-place, are return-channelsf, one branch of each of which connects with the steam-supply pipe F, whilethe other branch thereof communicates with one of the retorts B or C.

As the -steam circulates through the returnchannels b, c, e,and f itbecomes superheated, and in this state it enters 'the retortsB C. By

the action ofthe steam the bricks which form the walls E on the sides of theiire-place, and the partition-walls d, are cooled off and preserved against the destructive action of the lire, and,

by passing steam through the return-channels f inthe bodies of the retorts, those portions of Y said retorts which are exposed tothe greatest AND Auensiiy A open at their bottoms, and they arel placed.

over tlues g h t', which 'are' so formed that the flues g form connections between the retorts' B B', while the ues h connect the retorts C C', and the fines i theretortsD D'. (See Fig. 5.) If the furnace A' is built von columns H,

I as shown in Fig. 1, the flues g h i are provided with openings j, which openings can be closed below by suitable covers, and through which, -When the covers are removed, the ashes and the spent contents of the retorts can be removed. If the furnace is built on the ground, the iues g h communicate with the lateral fines 7c, which can be closed by suitable doors, and through which, when the doors are open, the ashes and spent contents of the retorts can be removed.

The retorts B B' C C' arelilled with coke,`

coal, or other carbon, and they are provided at their bottoms with grates l, formed of bricks, so that the coals or coke cannot drop out raked out, and at the same time the communication between said retorts and the lues g is not stopped. The retorts D D' may also be provided with similar grates at their bottom ends, or with any other device suitable for the purpose.

In the example shown in the drawing, two perforated bricks, m, are placed transversely across the bottoms of the retorts D D', and on said transverse bricks is placed a longitudinal brick, n. These retorts are filled with pumice-stone or other incandescent porous material, and after they are closed at the top hydrocarbons are introduced in a liquid or vaporous form.

0n the top of the furnace A" is situated a pipe, .1, which is closed at one end, and conmain J. From this pipe extend branch pipes K L M N, which connect, respectively, with the retorts B', C', D, and D', the branch pipes M and N being cut off from each other by a partition, o, so that the gases which pass from the retorts B' and G' into the pipe I are compelled to enter the retort D, pass down through this retort and up through the retort D', before they can escape into the hydraulic main.

, After the retorts B B' and C C' have been charged with coal or coke and the retorts D D' with pumice stone or other incandescent porous material, the covers of all the retorts are firmly closed and the re in the furnace is started. When the retorts have become heated to the desired temperature the steam-supply pipe is opened and steam is permitted to pass through one or more of the superheaters b, c, e, and f, all said superheaters heilig employed by preference, so that the parts containing them are protected against the de structive influence yof the re. The d steam passes down through" the retorts Bland-G, and up through the retorts B G',- and vin its-"passage through the incandescent coals contained in said retorts it becomes decomposed, and the gases resulting from this decomposition pass down through theretorts D and up throughrthe retorts 1)', where the same come 'in contact with the hydrocarbon, which is admitted in a liquid or vaporous form into said retorts, as above stated. Bythe action of the porous material contained in said retorts the hydrocarbon vapors are distributed over a large surface, and they readily combine with the gases resulting from the decomposition of the superheated steam, and thereby a fixed gas is produced, which can be used for illuminatin g or heating purposes.

By using two or more benches of retorts the operation can be made continuous, since each pair of steam-decomposing retorts and each pair of carbonizing-retorts can be shut off and `cleaned out and recharged without stopping =the operation. In practice the steam-pipes and other exposed parts will be covered by asbestus or other suitable material to prevent g undue radiation and Waste of heat. whilethe ashes formed in the retorts can be Another advantage o'f our apparatus is that #an abundance of superheaters are provided, i so that if one of the superheaters should give l out it can be thrown out of action without dis- ;turbing theroperation of the apparatus, and

furthermore, the steam can be employed at a -low pressure, and comparatively small quantities of steam have to be passed through each superheaten so that all the steam becomes thoroughly superheatcd before it enters the decomposing-retorts.

The retorts B B', C C', and D D' are provided with intermediate braces, so that they .support each other, while the flames can circulateall round the same.

By connecting the several retorts and .thehydraulic main by vmeans of a common dip a uniform product is obtained from our apparatus. nects at its opposite end with the hydraulic v ranged the steam is compelled to take atortuous course throughout the furnace by which itis most Athoroughly heated, and isbroug'ht to a state fit for immediate decomposition by the time it reaches the rst series or bench of retorts. In these retorts it is thoroughly decomposed, and the resultant gas lis passed on to the oil-decomposing retorts, the gages being finally discharged through the branch pipes and central pipe into the hydraulicmain or the holder, or otherwise carried 0E for consumption. It will be perceived that the steam-decomposing retorts are arranged in pairs, which can be operated wholly independent of each other, by which we are enabled to decrease or increase the amount of gases generated by the decomposition of the water, as occasion requires; and, further, that the gases generated by the decomposition of the water can be employed alone, Without being enriched by the oil-gas,when the gas is re'- quired for heating purposes simply.

What We claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In combination with the longitudinal superheaters, the vertical superheaters and having valves, the central pipe I, and the vertical oil-decomposing retorts, the whole connected together and communicating with each other, substantially as described.

4. The combination, with the vertical retorts, of an intermediate pipe communicating with said retorts and the hydraulic main, and provided With a partition below the branch pipes, which form the exit from the decomposing-retorts, substantially as described.

In testimony that we claim the foregoing v We have hereunto set our'hands this 24th day of January, 1 87 6.

ADAM WEBER. I. HERZOG. AUG. TH. SCHUESSLER.

Witnesses:

W. HAUFF, E. F. KASTENHUBER.

Images