US1781766A - Method of and apparatus for generating combustible gas and coke - Google Patents

Description

Nov; 18,1930. H FSWH v 1,781,166

METHOD oF AND vAPPAlwvus FOR GENERATNG COMBUSTIBLE GAS ANDVCOKE Filed sept'. 9, 1922 f @723255555 I ZH/@UTUT- Patented Novh 18, 1930 HARRYF. SMITH, OE DAYTON,

OHIO, ASSIGNOR TO THE GAS RESEARCH COMPANY, 0Fl

-DAYTON, OHIO, jA CORPORATION or OHIO METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR GENERATING COMBUSTIBLE GAS AND COKE Applicationvfued september 9, 1922. kserial No. 587,075.

i This invention relates to the production of a combustible gas and ofcoke or charcoal from carbonaceous fuel such as coal, wood, peat and the'like. f

One of the principal Objects of theinvention is to provide a method for continuously producing acombustible gas,.and at the same time .producing coke or charcoal.

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of producing a combustible gas which is in water gas-coal gas-producer gas method.v

Another object of the invention is to provide a method of making a combustible gas from carbonaceous material in which the character of the gas generated may be controlled to give a gas ofidesired composition and heating'valaie.

Still anotherl object of the invention is to provide an improved form of apparatus for carrying this method into effect.

.A Other objects and advantages of the invention-will be apparent from the description means of a top 12 and set out below when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing.; in which is illustrated in section, and somewhat diagrammatioally, a form of apparatus for carrying out a method of gas and coke making according to this invention. A

This apparatus consists essentially of a metallic shell 10,'supported upon suitable foundations ll, its upper end being closed by its lower end by means of a closure member 13 which is preferably pocket or trough 'shaped and which serves to receive the ashes and coke generated during the gas making operations. This member -13 which may be of any desired construction, is, preferably, as shown, 'a pocket or trough shaped metallic pan supported from the foundations l1 and having an opening 14, controlled by a suitable form of gate l5, in the bot-tom thereof, through which material within this ash pit may be withdrawn. This discharging mechanism, as shown is coni nected to the lowest part of the member 13 and ash and coke therefore readily slide out of the discharge opening when the gate is opened. rPhe arrangement is such that removal of the ash or coke inthe pit 13 may be the nature of a continuous of any suit-able character,

readily accomplished without interruptiiig the continuous carrying on Of the'gas and coke making reactions. But if desired another type of discharge may be used-any of the well known types of fuel feeders which are capable 4of'passing coal or the likel therethrough without permitting substantial leakage of air or gas through the feeder, being suitable. C

The shell 10 isprovided, throughout partV of its height, with a lining 20, which may be and is therefore shown diagrammatically. This lining is preferably of firebrick, or other similar refractory material, and has a centrally arranged passage or chamber therein-which is constructed to receive a. fuel bed of carbonaeeous material. AS shown this chamber has its least diameter intermediate its upper and lower ends, the walls 'deining the chamber being ared: outwardly toward'the bottom and the top-thereof, as shown in the drawing. The lower .end of this chamber is closed by means of a revolving grate designated generally by the numeral 25, which is of less diameter than the lower open end of this chamber, this revolving grate 25 being surrounded by sections of grate designated generally by the numeral 26, which sections of grate mav be of any suitable and conventional character. consist of pivoted grate bars which arevprovided with means, shown generally at 27, so constructed that they may be actuated from outside the shell 10 to shake down the ashes 'Or fuel bed resting upon them.` Tlhe central grate 25 is preferably of the stepped form shown, the angle of inclination of one side of the grate being greater than the angleof inclination of the other side so that the various steps forming the grate are positioned eccentric -to the axis of rotation of the grate as a. whole. Bymeans of this construction of eccentric grate, rotation of the grate will cause a compacting of the fuel bed resting upon it and also suitable agitation or breaking up'of the coked mass of that fuel 'bed to permit of such compacting as will maintain the bed of material substantially continuous throughout. The grate is prefer- As shown the sections of grate 26' ably mounted upon a hollow standard 28, which is connected to a steam supply pipe 29,

by means ofa' swivel coupling, designated generally by the vnumeral 80, which may be of any suitable type. The hollow standard 28 carries a gear wheel 3l, with which meshes a worm pinion 32, mounted upon a shaft 33 driven from -any suitable source of power7 this construction being such that the grate 25 may be continuously rotated during operation of the device.`

Fuel is introduced into the` chamber by meansof fuel feeding mechanism 85, which pas.sages 46` open into the chamber just below Ythe zone of minimum diameter.' Also connected to the manifold 45.is a pipe 47, the other end of which opens into the bottom of a heat interchanger, or recuperator 48, which is provided with a plurality of pipes 49, over which the gases passing through the pipe 47 into the heat interchanger flow, passing out through the pipe 50 which has positioned therein a blower or`pump 5l, of any suitable construction. The heat interchanger 48 is provided at each end with achamher 52, into each of which each of the pipes 49 opens, one of these chambers 52beingconnected to the atmosphere through the opening 53, the other having'afgpipe 54-,connccted thereto, which pipe opens into the manifold. 55, this ma-nifold.in turn being positioned adjacent the lower end ofthe chamber, and having a plurality of pipes -or passages 56 which open into the lower endof that chamber.V During oper- .4 ation 4`of the device the pump 51 willcreate a suction drawing the airthrough the opening 53, pipes 49, pipe 54, manifold 55 andpassages156 into the fuel bed within the lchamber whence it will pass upwardly along the wall or surface of the lining 20, and through any space which exists during operation between the outer zone of the fuel bed and the lining, the resulting gases passing out through the passages 46 into the manifold 45 and thence through the pipe 47and heat interchanger 48 and then out through the pipe 50 which connect-s to vent or stack. j Valves 57 and 58 are positioned in the pipes 54 and 47 respectively to control flow through those pipes.

In the carrying on of thisl method a fuel bed of carbonaceous material, such as coal,

vbeing subjected to intense heat.

wehrte resulting from such blasting passing outwardly through the pipe' 47, and heat interchanger 48 to the stack, or upwardly through the remainder ofthe fuel and 'thence outwardly through the oifta-ke pipe' 40. Ubviously the relative proportion of these prod- 47 may be readily controlled by manipulating the valve 58, .within the offtake .47, to thuli` cause all orany desired proportion to pass upwardly and out through the pipe 40.

" This outer zone is designated, somewhat diagrammatically by the letter A, this Zone constituting in effect a cylinder or layer of highly heated incandescent fuel, which surrounds the central portionor zone of the fuel.

bed, which is designated generally by the letter B. Because of the high temperature which is maintained within this zone A heat vucts which pass off through the pipes 40 and l is transmitted therefrom, by radiation and,2

conduction, into the central portion B of the fuel bed. Fresh green fuel is introduced into the chamber through' the fuel feed-ers 35, this portion of fuel being designated generally by the numeral C.. As the blasting of the Zone yA continues, with consequent development of considerable quantities of heat, the fuel within the zone B is heated and the volatile matter therein driven out to form incandescent coke, this coke, during rotation of the grate 25 being gradually fed over the edges of that grate and into the ash pit 13 whence it is removed, asdesired, through the opening- 14. Y

This is a particularly desirable method of making coke. It has been the general prac- `tice heretofore in the manufacture of coke to utilize retorts, constructed of some refractory material, which are so constructed that the fuel to be coked is fed into the interior of the retort, the outside of the retort Obviously this methodis inelicient since an excessive amount of heat must befused in order to raise the temperature of the coal within the retorts sufficiently high to secure the desired coking action. This is true not only because of the resistance of the material of the retort .itself to the conduction of heat therethrough,

but is probably even moredue to the fact that as the coal. is heated it tends to sh'rink away from the vwalls of the retort to greatly increaseV the resistance to heat transfer into this coal. A second objection to the conventional type. of coke oven retort is that conlsiderabletemperature shockstend to break fuel in the zone lar in construction to the ordinary gas pro! ducer, and, therefore th'e danger attendant upon shutting down the apparatus is entirely obviated, and it may be shut down and st-arted up again at will. Furthermore because of the fact that the fuel bed is continuous throughoutV without any retort walls separating the burning fuelfrom the fuel being-carbonized the efficiency of the device is considerably increased, the quantity of coal consumed in the zone A perton of coke produced being-less than would be tliecase with the conventional retort apparatus. The retort illustrated is Ycylindrical in form, but of course this general shape is not essential. But since the heat is transmitted into the central Zone B principally by `conduction and radiation from the, fuel within Zone A, the thickness of the layer of materialin the zone B is quite limited. Of couise, where the gases generated within the lZone A pass upwardly along the 1lining 20 andout through thel pipe 4() they tend to highly heat that lining and as a result the C wil'lbe heated by radiation from this heated lining. If it is desired to increase the capacity of aretort, therefore, it would in practice be accomplished by mak- .ing the chamber within the retort rectangular, instead of cylindrical, and making cor respondingchanges in the grate, blasting mechanism, discharge mechanism, etc., all of which changes are obvious ones.

But this form of apparatus not only lends itself to the carrying outof a very efficient and satisfactory method of producing coke, it also permits of at the same time producing a very useful and satisfactory type of combustible gas` W'ith the ordinary coke oven retorta combustible gas is of course produced, this gas consistingof the volatile material which is driven off. during the distillation of the coal to form the coke. This gas is of a very high heat value, and while it is of course avery good gaseous fuel, nevertheless it is of unnecessarily high heat value and shouldy ordinarily be diluted. with some other gas of lower heat value before it is used. The form of apparatus described above lends itself particularly to the production of a combustible gas which is of very desirable character.- The zone B being incandescent is in such condition that if steam is passed in contact therewith chissa@ Win be broken down aad 'hydrogen and carbon monoxide will-tbe produced,'1n other words so called. water-gas pipe. 29, which -is connected tov the hollow standard 28 by means of the swivel joint 80 is also connected to a suitable'source of supply'of steam which may be introduced, under pressure; into the fuel within the zone B, through suitable openings within the grate 25. These openings vare notv specifically shown, but lthe grate25 is of conventional design, servingboth as a grate to support` the fuel bed, and also asa blast tuyre through which steam under pressure is introduced into the fuel resting upon it.. As this steam is introduced into the fuel .within the zone B,

'and comes in contact with that incandescent Y .fuel it is decomposed and forms a gas consistingf essentially of hydrogen and carbon-monoxide. Of coursethe temperature of this gas is quite high and as it passes upwardly through the fresh or green fuel in the zone C it heats that fuel and causes an initial dise tillation of thevvolatile hydrocarbon therein vto form so called coal gas, which mixes with the water gas and carburates it, or increases y its -lieat value. The resulting mixed gas passes off through the'oiftake pipe 40 to'any desired place of use or storage. By properly lcontrolling the quantity of steam with which thev incandescent coke in the lower portion of the zone B is blasted, through manipulation 'of the valve 34, or in any other way, the rela-- tive proportions of watergas and coal gas may be controlled to give a gas of desired heat value.

1 By properly manipulating the valve 57 the blasting of the-outer zone A may be controlled to effect complete combustion of the fuel within that zone, orto generate producer gas; And, as stated above, by properly manipulating the valve 58 all, or any desired fraction, of this gas may be caused-to pass off through the pipe 47, or all, or any fraction, of it may be admixed with the water gas and coal. gas evolved within the zones B and C, to dilute those admixed gases, the resulting diluted gas passing off through vthe pipe 40. Thus a gas of any desired'heat value over a wide range may be secured-this gas, as desired, consisting of coal gas, coal gaswater gas, coal gas-producer gas, coal gaswater gas-producer gas, or, where coke, or the like is used as fuel instead of a material having volatile hydrocarbons therein, then water gas alone, lor a mixed water gas and producer gas maybe obtained. Consequently Y will begenerated.' .As described above the i As Will be noted the pipe 4T, Where it opens into t-he hottolnof the heat interchangcr 48, is provided with a burner element 60, which `is covered over by refractory material 6l.

'Certain refractory materials, such as fire brick, act as catalysts, and will cause to freely burn a mixture of air and a combustible.

gas 'which is'so leanfthat it will not under normalconditions burn at all. During operation of this apparatus even When the Zone A is being blasted to; complete combustion, the gas resulting from the reactions Within that zone Will generally be, in fact, a poor producer gas, with aneXcess of air. Because; of the `leanness of the mixture this gas would probably not burn .under normal conditions, but when it is brought into contact With the refractory material 6l, at high temperature,"

' lit is just as applicable to other carbonaceous fuels. n

While themethod herein described, and the form of apparatus for carrying this method into-eifect, constitute preferred `embodiments of the invention, it is to be understood that the-invention is not limited to this precise method or this precise form of apparatus, and that `chan-ges may be made in either- Without departing from the scope of the invention which is defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In the distillation of solid carb'onaceous material, so as to generate a combustible gas and alsoproduce coke, in which a substantially continuous charge of the material being distilled is maintained Within a retort, the method which comprises blasting 'the outer zone ofv said .charge of ignited material with air to incandescence to generate heat for raising the temperature of the Contiguous central zone of said-material to cause the driving off of the volatile constituents therefrom; and concomitantly blastingwith steam the 4material Within the central zone .from which thelvolatile constituents have been evolved.

2. In the distillation of solid carbonaceous material, so as to generate a combustible gas and produce coke, in which a substantially continuous charge of the material being distilled is maintained Within a retort, the method which comprises blasting the outer Zone of said charge of ignited material With air to incandescence to generate heat for raising i the temperature of the contiguous central zone of said material to cause the driving off off from the fuel Within the central zone;'

and removing at another point products of combustion resultingfrom the blasting of the outer zone of said charge of material.

. rfhe method of continuously generating combustible gas including Water gas which comprises maintaining a substantially con tinuous fuel bed of solidcarbonaceous material Within a generating chamber5'blastiiig lone zone of said bed of ignited material With air to incandescence; heating the remaining contiguous portion of said bed of material by conduction and radiation from said incandescent zone to raise the said remaining portion of said fuel bed to incandescence; and continuously blasting the said remaining portion of the fuel bed with steam to effect the generation of Water gas. e

'4. The method of continuously generating combustible gas including Water gas Which comprises maintaining a substantially continuous fuel bed of solid carbonaceous material Within a generating chamber, blasting the outer Zone of said bed of ignited material with air to effect combustion thereof to thus generate heat to maintain the contiguous central Zone of said bed of material in incandescence;

continuously blasting the said central `zone With steam to effect the generation of Water gas; removing at one point products of the combustion formed in the outer zone of said fuel bed, and removing at another point generated Water gas formed in the central Zone of the fuel bed.

5. The method of producing combined Water gas andl coal gas Which comprises maintaining. a substantially continuous bed of solid carbona'ceous material Within a retort, blasting the outer zone of said bed of ignited carbonaceous material With air to effect com bustion thereof to thus generate heat for distilling the volatile constituents from the ma- .terial Within the contiguous central zone of said. bed to carbonize said `material and for heating such materialtoincandescence; blasting the incandescent material Within said central zone with steam to effect the generation of Water gas, removing the carbonized material from the bottom ofsaid bed and introducing fresh solid carbonaceous material tolbe carbonized on top of said bed, passing highly heated Water gas upwardly through v the fresh fuel upon the top of the central Zone to assist in' distilling the volatile constituents from the fuel Within said upper part of the central zone; removing at one point products resulting from the combustion in the outer within a retort, blasting the outer Zone of saidignited fuelbed with air to generate producer gas and to, at the same time, raise the temperature of said outer zone to heat the material within the contiguous-central zone of said fuei bed to effect distillation of thatportion of the fuel which is in the central Zone to drive off the volatile constituents therefrom to carbonize said fuel and to raisethe result ing carbonized fuel within the lower portion of said central zone to incandescence; concomitantly blasting the carbonized fuel within the said lower portion of the central zone of the fuel bed with steam to effect the generation of water gas, and passing the water gas and the producer gas generated in the'said outer Zone upwardly through the fuel within' the upper portion of the fuel bed to effect driving olf of the volatile constituents from that fuel.

7. The method of continuously producing a combined coal gas,^water gas, and producer gas which comprises maintaining a .substan' tially continuous fuel bed of solid carbonaceous material within a retort, blasting the outer Zone of said ignited fuel bed with air to generate producer gas and to, at the same time, raise the temperature of said outer zone to heat the material lwithin the contiguous central'zone of said fuel bed to effect distillation of that portion of the fuel which is in the central zone to drive off the volatile constituents therefrom to 'carbonize said fuel and to raise the resulting carbonized fuel within the said central zone to incandescence; concomitantly blasting the carbonized fuel within the said central portion of the fuel bed with steam to effect Athe generation of water gas, passing the water gas and the producer gas generated in the said outer zone, upwardly through the fuel within the upper lportion of the fuel bed to effect further driving off of the volatile constituents from that fuel; 4removing the ash resulting from the blasting of the outer zone to generate producer gas, and the coke resulting from the carbonizing action within the lcentral zone, from the lower portion of said fuel bed and adding fresh fuel to the upper portion of said fuel bed to take the place of the material removed from the lower portion of said bed.

8. The method of continuously generating a combustible gas comprising water gas and producer gas which comprises maintaining a substantially continuous bed of solid carbonaceous materialwithin a generating chamber,

blasting one ignited zone of said bed of material with air to generate producer gas and to raise the temperature of said one zone to incandescence; heating the remaining contiguous portion of said bed to incandescence, by conduction and radiation from said incandescent zone; concomitantly blasting the incandescent material within the said i'emaining portion of the fuel bed with steam to effecttlie generation of water gas, and withdrawing generated-producer gas and water gas together.

9. The methodl of generating a gas of controlled heat value from carbonaceous material, which' comprises maintaining a substantially continuous fuel bed of solid carbonaceous material within a retort, blasting one ignited zonev of said bed with air to incandescence; heating the remaining contiguous zone of said fuel bed by conduction and radiation 'to distil-l off volatile constituents from the material within said remaining zone, to produce coke and to raise the temperature of said coke to `incand`escenceg concomitantly blasting the incandescent coke with steam to generate water gas; admiXing. generated water gas and distilled volatile constituents, withdrawing at one point products of the combustion formed in the one zone of the bed of material, withdrawing at another point admixed water gas and distillation products formed in the remaining contiguous ,zone of the fuel bed; and vcontrolling the steam blast to vary the generation of water gas to ,thus give a combustible gas of controlled heat value.

10. The method of making gas of con# trolled heat value from so-lid carbonaceous material, which comprises maintaining a substantially continuous fuel bed of carbonaceous material within a retort, blasting the outer ignited zone of said fuel bed with air to generate producer gas, and to raise the temperatureV of said outer Zone of the fuel bed to incandescence; heating the contiguous central portion of the fuel bed by conduction and radiation from the said outer zone, to distill off the volatile constituents from the fuel within the said central portion of the fuel bed, to generate coke and to raise lthe temperature .of said generated coke to incandes- 'cence; concomitantly blasting said incandesing said fuel bed; an otake pipe leading off from the upper end of said retort; asecond o iftake pipe leading o from about the perlphery of the fuel bed within said, retort a substantial distance below the saidv first named offtake pipe; means for operating the said grate to cause removal from the fuel bed Within the retort ofthe carbonized material resting upon that grate, means for introducing fuel into said retort to take the place of the carbonized fuel removed therefrom through the said grate; means for introducing a blast of air into the outer' zone of said fuel bed adjacent the wall of the retort to maintain said outer zone in a state of incandescence to heat the contiguous central zone ofthe fuel bed and drive off the volatile constituents from the fuel within said central zone; and means for concomitantly blasting I the resulting carbonized fuel within the central zone of the fuel bed with steam,lthe posiltioning of the two said olftake pipes being such that evolved volatile products 'and products resulting from blasting-the carbonized fuel within the central zone of said fuel bed will pass off through the first named oiftake pipe and products of combustion resulting from blasting the outer zone of the fuel bed with air Willv pass off through the second named pipe. y

which carbonizinof of a substantially continuous bed ofmaterlal isaccomplished by blasting the outer zone of said material to generate suflicient' heat to carbonize the contiguous central zone of saidbed of material, comprising a shell having a carbonizing chamber therein, a refractory lining for said shell, the inner Wall of said lining within. which the combustion of the outer zone of the bed of material takes place being upwardly tapered; a grate/for supporting said bed of material,

` comprising plvoted grate bars operable from outside the shell and adapted to support the outer zone of the said bed of material, and a rotary eccentric grate having means for cotinuously rotating said grate during operation of said device and positioned for supporting the central zone of material.

13. A retort of the character described, in which carbonizing of. a substantiallycontinuous bed of material is accomplishedby blasting the outer zone of said material to generate the said bed of bed of material with air to effect combustion thereof; and means for concomitantly blastlcomprising a shell having aV carbonizing chamber therein and adapted to contain a substantially continuous bed of solidcarbonaceous material to be carbonized, a refracj' tory lining for said shell, means for introducing a blast only into the zone of material adjacent the liningof thesaid shell toefi'ect combustion of the outer zone of the bed of material, and offtake forthe products of combustion formedin said outer zone 0f the hed of material, the inner wall of said re-' fractory lining within Which the'combustion of the outer zone iolf the bed of material takes place being upwardly tapered substantially gf, 'throughout the extentv of said zone, whereby the blast is confined to said outer zone of the material andthe contiguous-central zone of the material is carbonized by vradiation and conduction of heat from said outer zone.

` 15. A retort of the character described, comprising a shell having a carbonizing chamber therein andA adapted to contain a substantially continuous bed of solid car- 12. A retort of the vcharacter descrlbed, 1n

bonaceous material to be `carbonized, a regr,- fract'ory lining for said shell, means for introducing a blast only into the zoneof niaterial adjacentthe lining o f the-said shell, an oiftake for the products of combustion formed in said outer zone of the bed of Ina- ,un terial, the inner wall of said lining within which the combustion of the outer Zone ofA the bed of material vtakes place being up- Wardly tapered substantially throughout the extent of said zone,.whereby the blast is conmy, fined to the outer zone of the bed of material and the contiguous central zone of the material is carbonized by radiation and conduction of heat therefrom, and a rotary grate for supporting the bed of material Within the 1m carbonizing chamber, said grate'being adapted to effect compacting of the material Within the said tapered 4portion of the said chamber.

In testimony whereof I hereto aHiX my sig- H 5 nature.

HARRY F. SMITH,

sufficientv heatto carbonize Athe contiguous central zone of said bed of material, comprisingl a shell `having a carbonizing chamber therein, a refractory lining for said shell, the inner wall of said lining within which the combustion of the outer zone of thebed f material takes place being upwardly tapered; a grate for supporting the outer zone of the said bed of material, and a. grate supporting the central zone of the material, means for separately operating the said1 two grates; means for blasting the said outer zone of the

Images