US2029774A - Oil gas generating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Feb. 4, 1936. a HA 2,029,774

OIL GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Filed March 24, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. L E UNARD B.HARR/S BY & M w

W ATTORNEQI.

5- L. B. HARRIS OIL GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Filed March 24, 1935 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

LEONARD B-HARR/S ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 4, 1936- L, B HARRIS 2,029,774

OIL GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Filed March 24, 1935 4 Sheet-Sheet s xw INVENTOR.

L EU/VARU B.HARR/5 B X? /w l ATTORNES Feb. 4-, 1 936. v B HARRIS 2,029,774-

OIL GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Filed March 24, 1953 4 Sheets-Shet 4 1N VENTOR L EUNARO B. HARE/5 Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE OIL GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Application March 24, 1933, Serial No. 662,485

5 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved Oil gas generator and process of manufacturing oil gas. One of the objects of the invention is to generate high B. t. 11'. oil gas formed through the dissociation and recombination of the elements of steam and hydrocarbon oil. This invention is an improvement on my oil gas generator described in my application, Patent 1,957,535 of May 8, 1934.

The retorts disclosed in my prior application comprised tubular members having straight walls. By the present invention means are provided for causing the vapors or gaseous materials in the re-. torts to be subjected to turbulence or increased agitation and to provide augmented surface contact for fixing the gases. For this purpose I have incorporated in the walls of the retorts a series of parallel annular corrugations all along the length of the retorts. The gases in their travel from the retorts are caused by the corrugations to flow in wave-like motion when adjacent the corrugated walls of the retorts and to flow in a steady stream when adjacent the straight walls of the inner tubes. There are thus provided two streams of gas flowing in the same outward direction with unequal velocities which causes turbulence, intermixing and increased surface contact.

Spaced jets of steam as described in my prior application are disposed in a circular row and are directed so as to converge towards the center of i the respective inner tubes. I find that more desirable results may be obtained by providing jets of steam intermediate the converging jets but flowing in a direction parallel with the axis of the inner tubes and positioned adjacent the inner surfaces of the inner tubes. The converging set of jets of steam causes intermixing of the steam with the oil while the parallel set of jets of steam adjacent the innersurfaces of the inner tubes act as conveying means for the atomized oil jet to prevent the oil jet from contacting with the walls of the inner tubes until the steam acquires a temperature high enough to-dissociate."

I have also found it desirable to cause a more uniform distribution of the products of combustion against the retorts all along their entire length. For this purpose I have provided a cylindrical column of refractory material such as fire brick positioned in central relation with the retorts and resting] on the base of the furnace.

The products of combustion in their flow upwards into the stack are in this way constrained to circulate in the space formed by the refractory column of brick and the peripheries of the retorts, thus providing a uniform and concentrated application of intense heat all along the entir length of the retorts.

An important contributing factor in the eiilciency of my oil gas generator is derived from operating the retorts intermittently to provide short intervals of time for dissociating the steam into hydrogen and oxygen before the atomized oil spray is permitted to enter the inner tubes, but instead of operating the retorts disclosed herewith in a timed sequence, I have provided means for operating all the retorts simultaneously as a unit and provide the necessary intervals during which the steam is dissociated without hydrocarbon admission by providing a common oil supply for the retorts and interrupting the flow of the oil to the retorts simultaneously and at predetermined periods.

By this invention there is introduced a continuous supply of convergingly directed jets of steam, disposed in a circular row and spaced apart, there is also introduced intermediate parallel jets of steam into respective inner tubes in each of a plurality of closed retorts which are subjected externally to a costant source of intense heat. The steam being in direct contact with the heated walls of the retort tubes becomes superheated. The retorts are preferably made of a metal cone taining a high percentage of material such as nickel having catalytic properties. The steam travels downwards towards the lower portion of the inner tubes and reaches a temperature of approximately 1800 F. and-in the presence of the catalyst a major portion of thesteam becomes dissociated into free hydrogen and oxygen, thus providing hydrogen in the retorts that is available for combining with the hydrocarbon oil.

In carrying out this invention, the hydrocarbon oil supply is atomized-in a separate atomizing mechanism for each retort. Each atomizer has a movable spindle. Oil is supplied from a common oil supply such as a pressure pump to a multiple distributing and regulating apparatus. This distributing apparatus subdivides the oil flow equally to all the atomizers and interrupts the circular rowsof jets of steam. Each atomized, 9

oil spray is introduced periodically or intermit tently into the retorts, thus preventing continudesired high temperature to be reached.

In each retort the parallel jets of steam surrounding the central intermittent oil jet function as conveying means for the atomized oil flowing downward throughthe central portion of the inner tube of the retort and prevent the oil from coming in contact with the walls thereof until the steam reaches a temperature high enough to become dissociated, so that the formation of carbon on the walls of the retorts is avoided.

The converging jets of steam surrounding the oil are caused to issue in a conical direction so as to cause the steam to be projected across the oil. The thoroughly atomized oil and the superheated steam become intimately mixed.

The oil in the inner tubes of the retorts is subjected to an intense heating by a heating medium that is applied externally of the retorts so that it does not come into actual contact with the oil. The heat causes a suilicient temperature .rise .to crack the complex hydrocarbon oil into lighter hydrocarbons. The cracked hydrocarbons combine with the hydrogen from the dissociated steam already present in the retorts and forms high B. t. u. oil gas in'the retorts intermittently, the retorts being operated simul-.

taneously. A continuous supply of high B. t. 11. oil gas may be taken from the generator as a whole.

With this general statement of the invention, the invention will be hereinafter more particularly described, as well as the operation of a preferred form of apparatus in which the process may be carried out.

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in

. which Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an improved form of apparatus comprising my high B. t. u. oil gas generator in combination with a gas scrubber shown partly in side elevation and partly in section attached to the oil gas generator.

' Fig. 2 is a plan view of the oil gas generating plant.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a retort and inner tube.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through an inner tube, retort and atomizer partly broken away.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of a multiple-jet nozzle having converging and parallel steam passages.

Fig. '7 is a top view of the multiple-jet nozzle having convergmg and parallel steam passages.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the multiple-jet nozzle, the section being takenas on line 8-8 in taken as on line ous flow steam distributing apparatus in operative relation to two atomizers.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the oil distributing ap-. paratus with the coverremoved.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the steam distributing apparatus with the cover removed.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, reference character I indicates a metal container, preferably "circular in cross section, that is lined on the inside with refractory material such as fire brick 2, and is lined at the top with refractory material 2'. The stack outlet from the container I is lined with refractory material Fig. 9 is a side elevation partly in section show-- ing the oil gas generator and an intermittent oil distributing apparatus together with a continu- 2,029,774 ous chilling of the retorts and enabling the said 2". The lower portion 3 of the container I represents the furnace or combustion chamber proper into which fuel can be introduced through the side walls of the device by means of an oil burner 4 (Figs. 3 and 9) positioned in tangential relation to the furnace. The top of the container I is covered by means of a metal plate 5 that is provided with an outlet at the center to which the stack 6 for waste products of combustion is connected. A damper I is provided in the stack.

An annular header 8 made of high heat resisting metal containing a high percentage of material such as nickel, for example, that will act as a catalyst, is mounted on the upper side of the cover 5 exteriorly of the furnace and is secured to it by the bolts 9. The header 8 surrounds the opening through which waste products of combustion pass to the stack 6. A circular row of retorts I9, made of high heat resisting metal, which may contain a high percentage of nickel, for example, to act as a catalyst. The retorts I0 have their lower. ends closed. They depend from the cover 5 and have theirupper open ends extendingdnto the header 8. A cylindrical column II of refractory material is positioned on the base of the container I within the row of retorts I 8 and terminates below the opening for the stack 6. An angular brick or refractory block I2 is located on the base of the furnace 3 adjacent the oil burner 4.

Metal tubes I2 .made of high heat resisting metal, containing a very high percentage of nickel or other catalystycorresponding in numbers and centers to the retorts I0, having smaller external diameters than the internal diameters of the retorts I0, extend through the header 8 and through the cover plate 5, almost to the bottom of the retorts I0, and have their lower ends open. The upper ends of the tubes I2 are threaded and are screwed into threaded openings in the header 8, as shown in Figure 1. Lock nuts I4 clamp the tubes I 2, in place. Or, preferably, the tubes I2 are screwed into flanged glands 33, as shown in Figure '5, that are seated in the top of the header 8. v

Atoniizer's I5, to be described later, are located at the upper ends of each of the respective tubes I2. A pipe I6 (Fig'. 9) from a source of water (not shown) leads to a heating coil I1 that is located outside'of the lower endv of the stack 6.

A pipe I8 leads from the coil I! to a steam distributing device I9, to be described later, and branch pipes leadfrom the steam distributor I9 to the lower portions of the respective atomizers I5. An oil distributing device 2I, to be described later, is provided. .A plurality of branch pipes 22 lead from the oil distributor 2I to the upper portions of the respective atomizers I5.

An oil gas outlet pipe 23 (Fig. 1) leads from the header 8 to a gas scrubber 24. The outer pe riphery of the scrubber 24 is partly broken away to show a water leve therein, as indicated by W. L. A valved branch pipe 25 is connected to the pipe 23 and a branch pipe 26 leads into a sump 21 that contains liquid of sufiicient depth to seal the lower end of the branch pipe 26. A valve 28 serves to admit water to a spray-ing device 29 so that water is distributed over the entire area of the scrubber 24. A pipe 30 for -washed gas leads to a gas main or place of consumption of the gas (not shown).

Each one of the atomizers I5 (Figs. 5 to '7) at the upper ends of the tubes, I2 comprises a body portion 3| having a flange 32 that rests upon the upper end of the tube I 2. A threaded thimble A multiple-jet nozzle 31 having a circular series of spaced holes 38 arranged in inclined and converging conical formation therethrough is screwed upon the lower threaded end of the body portion 3| of the atomizer so that the holes 38 communicate with the annular space 36. Intermediate the inclined holes 38 is a circular series of parallel holes 38 (Figs. 6, '7, and 8).

A central hole 39 for oil extends through the body portion 3| and a conically shaped valve seat 40 is provided at the bottom. An atomizer spindle 4| with a conically shaped lower end to form a valve is located in the hole 39. A head piece 42 is threaded upon the upper end of the body portion 3| and is provided with a central opening through which thespindle 4| extends. A hole 43 is provided in one side of the head piece 42 for the oil pipe 22. A flexible diaphragm 44 is clamped to the spindle 4| by threaded nuts 44 and 44" on opposite sides of the diaphragm. The peripheral circumferential edge of the diaphragm 44 is clamped in place against a shoulder in the head piece 42 by means of a hollow threaded nut 45 screwed into the internally threaded recess 46 in the head piece 42. A compression spring 41 is interposed between the top of the hollow nut 45 and the upper nut on the spindle 4|, tending to keep the valve 48 closed. The hole 43 enters an annular space 43 in the head piece 42 below the diaphragm 44, so that oil under pressure entering through the pipe 22 will cause the diaphragm 44 to move upwardly sothat the atomizer spindle 4| will rise and its lower end will be lifted off of its seat 40 when the oil is forced in through the pipe 22. Oil may be intermittently forced into all of the atomizers during the same periods of time.

The retorts Ill may be provided with a plurality of annular corrugations 58 (Fig. 4) substantially all along their entire lengths. Each inner tube I2 extends downwardly within a retort l and stops short of the closed lower end of the retort and forms about itself an upward passage 53 for the hydrocarbon vapors. These vapors pass upwardly through the elongated annular spaces 53 that are formed between the retort l0 and the inner tubes l2. The gases in their upward travel in the retorts ||l are caused by the corrugations 50 to flow in an unsteady wave-like stream adjacent the corrugations and to flow in a steady stream adjacent the straight walls of the inner tubes |2.'i There are thus provided streams of gases flowing in the same outward direction with unequal velocities, thus causing agitation or turbulence, intermixing of the gases and increased contact with solid surfaces.

' The lower end portion and the upper end portion 52 of the retort ID are straight. The straight lower end portion 5| allows the outwardly flowing gases from the inner tube |2- to reverse their direction of motion freely. The straight upper end portion 52 of each retort I0 is provided with a conical enlargement 54, preferably tapering at an angle of approximately thirty degrees to its axis, these conical enlargements being designed to seat in respective conical seats 56, in the cover plate 5.

'As shown in Figs. 9 and 11, the steam distributor l3 comprises a. stationary housing 65, having a circular series of apertures 66 corresponding to the number of retorts l0, and a disk member 51 having apertures 68 of the same diameter and spacedin the same circumference as the apertures 66 in the housing. The disk member 61 is fixedly mounted on a shaft 69 which may be given a limited rotary displacement by means of a crank handle "ill to cause a variation in the alignment of the apertures 68 and 55. in the disk member and in the housing and thus regulate the quantities of steam entering the branch pipes 20 and the retorts Ill. The steamentering the steam distributor I!) through the single inlet passes through the apertures 68 in regulated quantities and finally passes through the holes 38 and'38 in the multiple-jet nozzles 31 into the retorts ID in a circular series of small continuous converging jets and intermediate parallel jets.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the oil distributing device 2| comprises a stationary housing 59 having a circular series of apertures 60 corresponding to the number of retorts l0 and a disk member 6| having an equal number of apertures 62 of the same diameter and spaced in the same circumference as the apertures 68 in the housing. The disk member 5| is fixedly mounted on a revoluble shaft 5'| that may be rotated by suitable means-63. When the shaft 51 is rotated the oil supplied under pressure by the pump 49 enters the oil distributor 2| through a single inlet 54 and passes through the apertures 62 in the disk 6| and the apertures 60 in housing 59 and is injected simultaneously into all the pipes 22 and into all atomizers l5 in intermittent streams depending on the speed of the shaft 51. i i

The refractory material 2' (Fig. 1) at the top of the container insulates the plate 5 which constitutes the lower surface of the header 8.

Also that the refractory material 2" around the stack outlet 6 insulates the annular portion of the header adjacent the stack outlet. The provision of these insulating materials and the placing of the header 8 entirely outside the furnace provides effective means for preventing exposure of the portion of the inner tube l2 passing through the header 8 to direct heat from the furnace gases and for preventing preheating and premature cracking of the oil that is injected into the inner tubes l2. s

The operation is as follows:

The oil gas generator I is heated by combustion of fuel from the oil burner 4 and'the hot products of combustion circulate around the cylindrical refractory column H and contact with the angular brick or block I2 on the base of the furnace and rise above the oil burner 4 in a spiral path. The oil burner being in tangential relation to the cylindrical column causes the products of combustion in their upward flow to the stack fi to circulate in a spiral path in the space formed between the column H and the peripheries of the retorts l0 and causes a more nearly uniform and a more concentratedapplication of intense heat all along the entire length of the retorts. Water passes into the heating coil where steam is generated and the steam passes into the steam distributor l9 which subdivides the steam supply equally to the branch pipes 20 finally passing through the series of henverging holes 38 (Fig. 5) in the multiple-jet 'nozzle 31 as small continuous jets of steam means 48 through the branch pipes 22 into the atomizers '15 below the diaphragms 44, thereby causing the diaphragms to move slightly due to the fluid pressure at each'impulse through the superheated steam and oil become intimately mixed. The jets of steam passing through the holes 38' parallel to the inside walls of the tubes l2 prevent the oil from contacting with the hot solid surfaces and depositing carbon thereon. The vaporous mixture continues farther down to the lower end of the inner tube l2, where in the presence of the catalyst the steam becomes heated to a sufficiently high temperature of about 1800 F. to cause dissociation of the major portion thereof into free hydrogen and oxygen and reaction takes place between this hydrogen and hydrocarbons of the oil, thereby generating high B. t. u. oil gas. This gas passes intermittently out of the lower ends of the respective inner tubes l2 into the annular spaces '53 between the corrugated retorts land inner tubes l2 where the gas is subjected to turbulence and prolonged surface contact, and thence passes as a continuous supply of high B. t. u. oil gas from the generator as a whole through the common header 8 and the outlet pipe 23 into the gas scrubber; 24 and finally to the gas mains.

I claim:

1. An oil gas generating apparatus comprising a furnace having an exit for waste gases at its upper portion, a header outside of said furnace through which said exit passes, a plurality of retorts around said exit opening into said header and extending into said furnace and having their lower ends closed; a plurality of tubes extending respectively into said retorts and stopping short of their closed ends, a multiple jet nozzle having a circular row of openings positioned at one end of each of said inner tubes and adapted I Y to introduce a circular row of jets of steam into each one of said tubes, and individual atomizers adapted to introduce oil within each of said cir- I cular rows of jets, a portion of said nozzle openings being positioned so as to cause steam jets to project longitudinally adjacent the inner walls of said tubes to shield the same and prevent contact thereof with said oil, and another portion of said nozzle openings being positioned to cause converging steam jets to be projected lntermediate said longitudinal steam jets, and an oil distributing device for introducing an intermittent stream of oil into each of said atomizing devices 2. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein the inner tube surfaces are straight and the retorts are provided with parallel annular corrugations along their lengths to cause turbulence and intermixing of the different flowing gases generated in the retorts, said corrugations being exposed to said waste gases.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a fuel burner is positioned in tangential relation to the furnace and extends into said furnace and a refractory column is located in central relation with respect to the retorts and terminates below the furnace stack opening, and an inclined refractory member is positioned in the furnace in position to be struck by fuel entering from said fuel burner.

4. An oil gas generating apparatus comprising a furnace having an exit for waste gases, a header located outside of said furnace, a plurality of retorts disposed in said header and extending into said furnace and having their lower ends closed, a plurality of tubes secured to the outer wall of said header and respectively extending into said retorts and having open ends stopping short of the closed ends of said retorts, a multiple-jet nozzle having a circular row of openings and being positioned at the header end of each of said inner tubes for introducing a continuous supply of jets of steam ina concentric row into said tubes, a portion of said nozzle openings being positioned to cause steam jets in said circular 7 row to be projected longitudinally adjacent the inner walls of the tubes to shield and prevent contact thereof with said oil, and another portion of said nozzle openings. being positioned to cause converging steam jets to be projected intermediate the said longitudinal jets, a movable spindle atomizing apparatus located along the axial line of each of said inner tubes for introducing oil intosaid inner tubes, and an oil distributing a paratus for introducing an intermittent stream of oil into each of said atomizers in predetermined quantities for supplying oil to all of said retorts simultaneously and at predetermined periods.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which each of said retorts is corrugated, said corrugations terminating short of the inner ends of said tubes and being exposed to said furnace gases.

LEONARD B. HARRIS.

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