US1941678A - Electric gasifier - Google Patents

Description

Jan. 2, 1934. H, GAMARD ELECTRIC GASIFIER Filed May 22, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Jan. 2, 1934;

H.GAMARD ELECTRIC GAS IFIER Filed May 22, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 2, 1934 PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC GASIFIER,

Henri Gamard, Bourges, France Application May 22, 1930, Serial No. 454,783, and i in France May 30, 1929 4 Claims. (Cl. 48-403) In the actual apparatus producing hydrocarbon-gases, except those utilizing a wick for ascension of the hydrocarbon by capillarity, the

static level of the. hydrocarbon is situated above 5: the level of the nozzle for gas-outlet, owing to the factthat the reservoir of hydrocarbon is placed for natural load, or. owing to a pressure exerted upon the free surface of the hydrocarbon, the ,efiect'being of course the same in both 01 cases. If, in such cases, the burner is extinguishedfor some fortuitous reason, without the cocks being shut, a dangerous out-flow of the liquid is produced, followed by obvious incon veniences.

The, present invention relates to a gasifier heated, electrically and securing a constant level of the hydrocarbon below the level of the escaping gaseous fluid, even during the utilization.

i The gasifying of the hydrocarbon in a tube dipping freely into the reservoir of hydrocarbon is produced by electrical heating of this tube, which heating is adjustable by contacts and a hand-lever, the heating tube together with the heating resistance wound upon this tube by ,2 joined turns, being constituted especially for the purpose to develop the greatest heat at the moment of starting, and to distribute thereafter the heatregularly and judiciously during run.

The main feature of the gasifier according to the inventionconsists in that it contains itself all means for admission, filtration, heating and gasifying of the hydrocarbon, the gasifier constituting in such manner an independent body which is; removable and exchangeable at any moment, locked by a multipolar jack serving for admission of the electric current, so as to ensure an automatic breaking of the circuit when removing the gasifier. r

Further features will bealluded to in the course of the following description referring to the ac companying drawings representing, in the way of anexample, a preferred embodiment of the subject-matter of the invention.

In the drawingszr i Fig. 1 is a diagra matic vertical sectional view of the apparatus with the electrical contacts and switch lever detached and shown in plan.

Fig. 2 is a vertical section through a burner provided with a gasifier according to the invention; i v I q Figs. 3 and 4 are two perspective views of the head part of the gasifier. i

In Fig. 1, a is a reservoir for liquid hydrocarbon, communicating freely at b with the atmos- 51 "phere and adjoining a casing 0 containing atube d dipping freely into it and serving for the upward flow and for the gasifying of the liquid hydrocarbon.

In the interior or, preferably, upon the outer surface of the gasifying tube (1 an electrical resistance e is provided, furnishing the heat necessary for gasifying, the. current being controlled either by an independent resistance or, preferably, with regard to the dissipation of heat, by subdivision of this resistance into three parts e1, e2, '63 included in the circuit either separately or simultaneously by a suitable switch comprising contacts f1, f2, fa, f4 and a hand-lever g.

If the hand-lever is upon the dead contact f4, no current flows and the level of the hydrocarbon, n1i, in the tube is the same as in the reservoir (1.

If the resistances heat the hydrocarbon and gasify it (by vaporization, by catalysis or in any other way) the gas escapes, at one part, through the nozzle h and drives, at the other part, the liquid back in the tube d, owing to the relatively small size of the aperture h, down to an equilibrium-level n'r n, the difference H between nn and n'n' affording a measure of the pressure of the gas at d in the-tube d. The variation of the current increases or diminishes this pressure and consequently the output at the nozzle h-.

According to a preferred embodiment the tube d open at'the bottom and closed at the top consists of red copper and is contained within a protecting sleeve i having an annular bottom 1'', so that an insulating air-layer is maintained between the liquid column contained in the tube d to be heated, and. the liquid situated around the sleeve i and in the reservoir.

Upon the tube 11 covered by a layer (1" of mica, the resistance wire which is insulated is wound, its adjoining turns or spires covering wholly the surface to be heated, which arrangement has the advantage of securing the emission of a very great heat by a very small mass.

The first fraction e1 of the resistance, the so called starting resistance, (contact f1) covers the tube region contained between the maximum level n-n and the minimum level n"n" of the hydrocarbon in the reservoir.-

This starting resistance draws more current than the resistance of utilization and is concentrated in a limited zone in order to carry rapidly this region to a high temperature so as to obtain a nearly instantaneous gasifying.

Theutilization resistances can be multiple; two

of them are supposed in the embodiment dealt with.

1. For the accelerated run-contact fz-use is made of two fractions e1 e2, viz at one part, of the starting resistance and, at the other part, of a fraction e2 adjoining it at the lower part and wound with the same wire. Consequently the tube is heated in the region e1+e2 extending itself at least'up. to the highest level w-n of the hydrocarbon, in order to avoid the formation of gas bubbles in the lower regions of the tube.

Such a formation of gas bubbles in the lower part of the tube is objectionable because it could drive the liquid and cause its out-flow'through' With'the purpose to avoid driving of the liquid toward the nozzle and to heat more'effectlvely the upper part of this tube, which condition is important for slowrun, in order to avoid'condensation.

The electrical distribution is obtained in the following way:

9' are the plugs of a contact plug carried by the head is of porcelain (Fig. 3) surmounting the gasi her, the wire 0 being connected to this plug, whereas the following wires 1, 2, 3 (Fig. 1) are connected to the contacts f1, f2, f3 situated below the head (Fig. 3).

The-contacts f1, f2, f3 are rubbing against the spring contact I of a hand-lever g of the switch, the contact 1 being constantly connected to the other pole of the current-source by a-contact Z' rubbing against a segment q appropriately placed in the circuit. 7

The hand-lever g pivoted at g is drawn constantly by a spring 9" toward the contact f2 so as to avoid a useless continued contact with the starting contact f1 and consequently an exaggerated consummation of current. The spring g" places hence automatically the lever g upon the contact f2 as soon asthis lever is let out.

The cap k of the gasifier, of insulatingmate rial, such as porcelain, protectsthecontacts and serves as support for the pipe m of the burner m (Fig. 2) which pipe is suitably centering in the basin 7c (Fig. 4) with regard'to' the spraying hole h.

The protecting sleeve 2" is surrounded at the top'and at the bottom by asbestos rings i"'in order to insulate thegasifi'er from the case 0 of the reservoir while securing thecentering of the gasifier (sufficient play being of course left for the passage ofthe liquid).

The gasifier constituted in such manner forms an independent whole which is readily accessible and demountable and whichremains-out of electric contact with the rest of the furnace even if a resistance wire touches fortuitously any. metallic part within the gasifier.

The head k of the gasifier reposes on a base element p of porcelain or any other insulating material, connected'to the reservoir and carrying the contact-segment.

Locking of the head'k' upon the base element p is effected by the socket member r of the contact The last free-- plug (Fig. 4), serving for conducting the current to the gasifier, so as to break the current automatically when removing the gasifier for inspection or exchange.

For the filtration of the hydrocarbon a filter s is provided in the tube d, this filter supported by a wire 5' or the like (for inspection) serving accessorily for the transmission of heat by conductibility into the interior of the liquid. mass and for dampening the oscillations of the liquid level in the interior of the tube d.

The invention is of course not limited to the sole embodiment described and represented, since it'per'mits; without deviation from its scope, the most manifold modifications with regard to the whole arrangement, to the details to the shape dimensions and the material employed.

The burner can be straight or of the horizontal type, as represented.

The gasifying tube d can consist of an insulating material (instead of a'tube with a; double wall d',.i).

Finally, use could be made of the-conductivity oi-a metal piece heated by the flame itself ol 'the burner; so as to permit employment of a part of thisfla-me or-of its heat'for gaslfy'ing the llquid column contained in the tube 13.

What I claim, is:

1; A hydrocarbon gas producer comprising a. reservoir fonliquid hydrocarbon, a sleeve closed! at its lower end and open' at: its upper end and provided at its upper end with a suppottfllg plate, a gasifying. tube in the and cawned thereby, said tube being open at its lame-end and provided with a;- -jet orifice at its upper and, a: base" element on 1 the reservoir, a; headcon prising a lower member and an upper member detachable from the" lower member, the said supporting plate of the sleevebeing secured to the lower member of the headand said lmbr' member being detachably mounted onthe'base element, a mixing tube into whieh the' jet mute of: the gasifying tube discharges, said mixing who being detachably mounted on the upper member of the head, heating means for the gasifying tube comprising an electrical resist ance on said tube and including contacts ed onthe lower-member ofthe' headand'aswlttm lever mounted on-the reservoir, each member of the head having an electrode on one" side ms thereof and an contacting cord having a socket member common to b'othpf said e1e'ctroees,-- sothat When'saidsocket member is applied-tame" electrodesit= coactstherewith to det'acliably'' secure the members of' the head' to'gethe'r.

2; In combination withareservoir for liquid hydrocarbon, having an openingin the upper wall thereof, a gasifying tube, resistances mm! the said tube, a support flxedtosaid wall, a -l'read reposing removablyon said support, a mixingtube supported by said head, meansto said tube andsaid resistances-to said headtope'rmlt' removal of the whole against the'actlonofgraivity, and a contact plug to admivcurr'envto said resistancesand toalso flx said head to said support. v

3. In combinationwith a-reservoirfor liquid hydrocarbon, having awn aperture in the upper horizontal wall thereof, a sleeve closedat 'the bottom, to plunge vertically through said aper ture into said reservoir, a gasifyingtube within said sleeve, having an opening in saidbottbm to establish communication of said: tube with said reservoir; filtering means-in sald'tulie; electrlcal reslstancesin the space betweensalwtube and said sleeve, a. supporting member fixed to said wall, a head memberv to repose removably on said supporting member and to support said sleeve, said tube, said resistances and said filtering means and to permit the withdrawal of the whole against action of gravity, means on said head part to support a mixing tube, and a contact plug arranged with one of its contacts in said member and with the other of its contacts in said head part to admit current when inserted and to permit withdrawal of the head part with its adhering parts when withdrawn.

4. In combination with a reservoir for liquid hydrocarbon, having an aperture in the upper horizontal wall thereof, a sleeve closed at its lower end and open at its upper end, a gasifying tube in said sleeve and carried thereby, said tube extending down to the bottom of said sleeve and communicating through an opening in said bottom with said reservoin'a jet orifice in said tube near its upper closed extremity, electrical resistances between said tube and said sleeve, a supporting member fixed to said wall, ahead member to repose removably on said member and to support said sleeve, tube, resistances and filtering means and to permit withdrawal of the whole against action of gravity, means on said head part to support a mixing tube, contacts on said head part, a switch lever in said supporting member-to cooperate with said contacts to control the resistances to be included in circuit, and a contact plug insertible with one of its contacts into said supporting member and with the other of its contacts into said head part to admit current when inserted and to permit of the withdrawal of the head part with all its adhering parts when withdrawn.

HENRI GAMARD.

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