US2157487A - Apparatus for producing comustible gas - Google Patents

Description

May 9, 1939. A. HOLDEN ET AL APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COMBUSTIBLE GAS Filed April 17, 1956 INVENTORS afiimq/ mm ji/awn/ "fi ATTORNEYs Patented May 9, 1939 UNlTED STATES PATENT OFFiCE APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING COMBUS- TIBLE GAs nia Application April 17,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to an apparatus for producing combustible gas, and refers particularly to an apparatus for producing a combustible gas by contact between air and a low boiling point 5 hydrocarbon oil so as to produce a rich, substantially dry mixture of hydrocarbon vapors and air, which may be utilized in substantially the same manner as natural gas or artificial gas, such as. coal or water gas.

It is a general object of the present invention to provide a simple and economical form of apparatus for generating a gas fuel for domestic purposes, which apparatus is especially adapted for the manufacture of gas for an individual ZiLus-e or establishment where there is no general distribution of gas fuel.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus which is easy and simple to operate and which can produce economically 2 a gas fuel from low boiling point hydrocarbons, such as gasoline, without the danger incident to -..susual apparatus of this kind which require heating of the gasoline or low boiling point hydrocarbon oil to vaporize the same.

Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus capable of producing a rich mixture of vapors of a low boiling point coinbustible oil with air under low pressure.

Various further objects and advantages of the 30 present invention will be understood from a description of a preferred form or example of an apparatus embodying the invention, and for this purpose we have hereinafter described a preferred form or example of an apparatus embodying the invention, the description being given with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which,

Figure 1 is an elevation mainly in vertical section.

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2--2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is an enlarged elevation, partially in section of one of the priming pipes.

Referring to the drawing, the apparatus there illustrated is shown as preferably comprising a vertical well 2, the lower end of which is spherically curved and provided with an opening 3, into which is fitted an inlet pipe 4 for convey- 50 ing air under pressure into the apparatus. Within the well 2 and at the lower end thereof the air inlet pipe 4 is provided with a head 5 having air distributing apertures 6.

At its upper end the well 2 joins the rounded bottom 7 of a main tank, which is preferably pro- 1936, Serial No. 74,950

vided with slightly tapering conical side walls 8 and with a rounded head 9 at its upper end. Within the main tank there is provided a conical dividing bafile iii, the lower end of which is sealed to the rounded bottom 7 spaced somewhat from the side Walls 8. The upper end of the conical dividing bafile Ill terminates in a pipe I! passing through the head 9, and there is provided with a filling cap l2.

At the lower end of the tank and within the conical baffle i6 there is provided a perforated and dished distributing baffle l3 which, on its lower end surface, is provided with a plurality of circular flanges id for supporting the distributing baffle above the bottom 1 of the tank. Within the well 2 there is provided a plurality of priming pipes I5 which lie against the walls of the well 2 and at their lower ends are curved, as indicated at E6, to bring their ends adjacent the discharge aperture 6 in the head 3 of the inlet pipe 4. At the upper end of the well the pipes i5 are bent back, as indicated at H, to lie against the bottom 1 of the tank, and this portion of the priming pipes is split, as indicated at I8 (Fig. 3), so as to direct hydrocarbon oil into the priming pipes from the tank.

The pipe i l connecting with the upper end of the conical bafiie ill connects with a pair of diametrically opposite pipes or lines l9, which extend downwardly between the dividing baflle l0 and side walls 8 of the apparatus to the lower end thereof, at which they are connected into T portions 26 (Fig. 2), which are curved and provided at their lower end with spaced apart openings 2| for distributing gas. At the upper end of the apparatus is indicated a gauge 22 and a gas fuel outlet line 23 provided with a valve 24.

In the operation of the apparatus herein described, the apparatus may be substantially filled with a low boiling point hydrocarbon oil, such as gasoline, through the removal of the cap !2. The pipe 4 is then connected to a source of air under low pressure, such as 4 or 5 pounds per square inch. Any suitable or usual form of apparatus for distributing air under a predetermined pressure may be connected with the pipe i, the apparatus preferably, however, being designed to deliver air at a predetermined pressure. The gas outlet line 23 leads to different places in consumption of the gas fuel. The valve 24 may be opened and the gas then will be. automatically produced and withdrawn from the apparatus as it is required by the consumers through opening valves leading to burners, etc., in the usual manner.

13, which causes the uprisingmixture of air and 'oil to be spread out over the plate and subdivides the entering air intominute streams passing through "the'perforations in the plate 13. From the plate It the air rises upwardly under the conical dividing baffle H], the separation of the air from oil with-which it 'is-commingle'd being restricted because of the converging :walls of the dividing plate,--so that.within the .bafile In a thorough contact between the air and oil is attained. At-the upper end of the conical baflie ill the aidmixedair and oil vapors are directed downwardly through the conduits of lines againlbeingcdistributed in small streams at the llower end of the tank by the T heads and per- ;iora'tions 2| on said pipes, the air then rising upwardly in contact with oil between the baffle ii! and side walls 8 to the upper end of the tank where it may be withdrawn from the line 23.

By the arrangement of the apparatus shown, it has been experimentally found that a gas fuel is produced which is very high in heating powers and can be passed from the line 23 over a considerable distributing distance and used in various burners or appliances in the ordinary manner of consuming gas, but the gas remains substantially dry throughout the system and the apparatus can be used continuously with little attention. One filling of the tank with oil is sufficient in order for the apparatus to produce satisfactory gas until the oil within the tank has been lowered in the space betweenthe walls It] and 8 and almost to the T pipes 20, after which .pri'sing'an .oil containing tank having a depending well :of reduced size therebelow, an inlet for air into said well, priming pipes extending from the main tank with outlets for priming oil adjacent the air inlet, and means within said tank for spreading the air in the tank and contacting the same with oil therein.

2. An apparatus for manufacturing a gas fuel.

from a low boiling point hydrocarbon oil, which apparatus comprises an oil containing tank h a ing a well at its lower end, an air inlet haying a plurality of discharge ports at the lower end of said well, priming pipes extending down' into said well from said tank discharging oil adjacent said air ports, a perforated spreader plate above said well having depending baffle members;

3. An apparatus for manufacturingjjal'gas fuel from a low boiling point hydrocarbon oil, which apparatus comprises an oil containing tank having a well at its lower end, an air inlet having a plurality of discharge ports at'the lower end of said well, priming pipes extending down into said well fromv said tank discharging oil adjacent said air ports, a perforated spreader plate above said well having depending baflle members; and an upwardly converging divider plate above Said ,A;

spreader plate.

ARTHUR HOLDEN. WILLIAM A. BROWN.

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