US2522922A - Process of making a composite oil gas having approximately the characteristics of natural gas - Google Patents

Description

Patented Sept. 19, 1950 \enoonss OF MAKING A oom-osrrn on.

GAS HAVING APPROXIMATELY -'rr m onAaAc'rnaIs'ncs or NATURAL GAS Hugh M. Blain, Jr., New Orleans, La asslgnor to The Gas Machinery Company, Cleveland, Ohio, v

a corporation of Ohio Application January 7, 1947, Serial N6. 120,592

'7 Claims.

I The invention relates to processes of making a composite oil gas having approximately the characteristics of natural gas, The oil gas manufactured by the instant improved processesis a reformed oil gas and its field of use includes its use as a substitute for natural gas or the blending thereof with a natural gas supply to take care of peak loads of a gas system without the necessity of readj-usting burner appliances that have been adjusted for the satisfactory consumption of natural gas. The process is designed to be worked in converted solid fuel fired standard 1 carburetted water gas apparatus, or in new apparatus of similar design, having generator, carburetor, and superheater shells. carburetted water gas apparatus can be converted by slight structural changes or additions to render it suitable for making the oil gas therein.

This application is a continuation in part of my pending application on Methods of Making Oil Gas, Serial No. 435,457, filed March 20, 1942,

'now abandoned. This pending application Serial No. 435,457 discloses and claims two improved processes of making a composite oil gas, one, by using the generator and carburetor in series operation, and, two, by using the generator and carburetor in parallel operation. This continuing application is directed to the parallel operation disclosed in said application Serial No.

By developing the process so it can be worked in standard carburetted water gas apparatus, there is already at hand in most gas-generating plants suitable equipment for working the process, 5

with minor changes in such standard equipment, and the reconstructed carburetor of such standard equipment can serve as an additional generator and be worked in multiple with the standard reconstructed generator and thus there can be produced in one gas set a volume of composite reformed oil gas approximating double the volume that would be produced by using the set with a single generator.

The characteristics of natural gas which are approximated by the composite reformed oil gas produced by the instant improved process are its B. t. u. heating value, specific gravity, and its burning, i. e., the gas produced by the present improvements has a B. t. u. heating value of approximately 1000, and will burn in appliances set for the burning of natural gas without the production of an untoward amount of yellow flame which would indicate too high an illuminant content and a B. t. u. heating value too large for a burner adjusted for natural gas, and also without untoward flashing back in the mixers which The standard 15 would indicate an undue percent of hydrogen content, and a B. t. u. heating value too low for a burner adjusted for natural gas. In other words, in shifting from the use of natural gas in burners adjusted for satisfactory use of the latter to the use of the composite reformedoil gas, it would not be necessary for the burners properly adjusted for natura1 gas to be readjusted in order for the composite reformed 0111 gas to be satisfactorily burned therein.

The oil gas made by the improved instant process is well fixed and stable, loses only a small amount of its thermal value on cooling, compression and distribution, and presents no lampblack troubles.

The range of temperatures utilized in the present improved processes is such as to control the respective percentages of illuminants and hydrogen so as to produce a composite reformed oil 20 gas having a suitable B. t. u. heating value. In

fact, the temperatures utilized are fairly critical for producing the proper ratio between. the slowburning constituents of the composite oil gas,

such as the illuminants, methane and ethane, and 25 the fast-burning constituents, such as hydrogen and carbon monoxide.

Incidental advantages of the improved process, in addition to the production of a superior composite reformed oil gas having substantially the characteristics of natural gas, are the following:

1. An increase in the quantity and quality of the by-product, tar, produced;

2. An increase in the quantity of the makerun production in a method of the cycle tyipe utilized for the manufacturing of a composite reformed oil'gas;

3. Elimination of the smoke commonly met with in the blast portion of the gas making cycle employed in producing oil gases; and

4. Elimination of the following equipment and labor necessary for heating solid fuel fired gas making sets, by reason of the use of oil requiring only an oil pump for supplying the fuel for heating the apparatus and producing the reformed oil gas:

The railroad'track hopper for dumpingsolid fuel 1] bin and weighing and charging it into the solid fuel fired generators; The ash handling and disposal equipment; and

The labor for handling solid fuel, charging the generators wiith the same, clinkering the generator fires, and handling the ashes.

pence. w

- In the use of the standard three shell set for manufacturing carburetted water gas, I employ for the practiceof my improved process an openwork checkered layer of rectangular bricks spaced far enough apart so that they could not possibly screen out any carbon, if the latter were formed.

This is a radical departure from the present day methods in use which depend upon the use of a thick compact layer of small ceramic particles sometimes called a carbon filtering screen. By the use of large units, such as bricks, for the heating elements, I am enabled to maintain the heating faces at uniform temperatures since they store up a comparatively large quantity of latent heat and, since they are regular rectangular figures, they provide a comparatively small proportion of radiating surface whereby the temperaof the standard set act as twin generators, the two shells 50 and 60 performing alike and in parallel. Thus, the set has a gas-making capacity approximately double that which it would have if the chambers of the three shells 56, 60, and III ture of radiation will be maintained at the de- The annexed drawing and the following description set forth in detail certain reconstructed carburetted water gas apparatus illustrating means in which my improved process can be practiced and certain steps by which the same may be carried out, such steps constituting only a few of the various series of steps by which the improved process may be worked.

In said annexed drawing:

Figure 1 is an elevation, in part in cross section, of a standard three shell carburetted water gas set slightly reconstructed so as to serve to carry out the instant improved process; and

Figure 2 is a diagrammatic view illustrating the respective periods of time that may be utilized in performing the respective operations constituting a whole cycle of operations.

Referring to the annexed drawing, what was a standard solid fuel fired carburetted water gas set is shown in converted condition serviceable for practicing the instant improved process, and has a converted generator 50, a converted carburetor 60, and the superheater 10. The top of the generator 50- is connected directly to the top of the carburetor 60 by a duct 80, and the bottom of the carburetor 60 is connected directly to the bottom of the superheater 10 by a duct 59 Hereinafter, when the generator 50 and the carburetor 60 are referred to, the reference will be to these respective shells converted as shown. In the use of this standard converted carburetted water gas set to practice the present improved process of v making reformed oil gas, the duct 80 is closed off by any suitable means, such as a brick A duct 59 is provided which leads partition 8|. from the bottom of the generator 50 to the bottom of the carburetor 60, so thatthereby there is formed a duct 5959 which passes through the bottom of the carburetor chamber, and-thus extends from the bottom of the generator chamber to the bottom of the superheater chamber, and serves to convey both combustion products and make-gas from the respective bottoms of the generator 50 and the carburetor 60 to the bottom of the superheater III. The resulting effect of the flow of these products would be substantially the same if the bottom of the generator 50 were directly connected by the duct 59 to the bottom of the superheater 10 without the duct 59 communicating with the standard duct 59 through the carburetor 60, but this modification of a standard carburetted water-gas set might or might not be as convenient, satisfactory, and economical as the one shown in the annexed drawing.

were connected in series with the generator 60 a solid fuel-fired heating unit for heating the chambers of carburetors 60 and superheater 10, as per former practice.

The generator is provided with'layers of closely spaced oil cracking rectangular checker-' These checkerbricks 5| are in close bricks 5|. overlapping position so as toprovide a maximum number of heat passages to give a maximum area of heat surface for the gas to contact. By overlapping the cracking checkerbricks 5| a large amount, the cracking brick structure forms a unified porous mass. Since this cracking brick structure is unified, its temperature throughout its volume will remain substantially constant, bringing about a uniform effect upon the gaseous products being transformed into oil gas.

The carburetor 60 is supplied with layers of closely spaced oil cracking rectangular checkerbrick 62 which serve the same purpose as the oil cracking checkerbrick 5| in the generator 50.

Ample mixing spaces 82 and 83, respectively, are provided in the generator 50 and the carburetor 60 above the checkerwork structures therein to permit proper burning of the heating oil and thorough mixing of the make steam and make oil admitted thereto in the manner hereinafter fully described.

Thermocouples 52 are introducd through the side walls of the generator 50 and the carburetor 60 into theoil-cracking checkerbrick area, and at other places in the gas set, as indicated in the annexed drawing, or as may be required, to permit a constant check of the temperatures throughout the gas set.

In the structure shown in the accompanying drawing, a controlled generator supply pipe 53 for the make-gas oil, a controlled generator burner pipe 54 for the heating oil, and a controlled generator pipe 55 for the make-steam, all communicate with the generator 50 through the top thereof, and all of them extend through a generator branch air intake pipe 56 which is under controlof a generator air valve 51 and a hand-set butterfly valve 51 The branch air intake pipe 56 receives itsair from a main air pipe 58 which also serves the carburetor 60 through the branch air pipe 56 controlled by the valve 6| and a handse't butterfly valve 6 I. A controlled burner steam l pipe 54 communicates with the oilburner pipe Ill! 54, and a controlled steam purge pipe 63 com-' municates with the make-gas oil pipe 63.

A controlled pipe 63 for make-steam, and a controlled pipe 64 for make-gas oil are both introduced through the top ofthe carburetor 60.

A controlled burner pipe 65 for heat oil is introduced through the top of the carburetor 60 in the path of the air supply from the branch conduit 56 for the carburetor 60. A controlled pipe 66 for burner steam communicates with the oil burnsprays. feeding the generator and carburetor is a matter of convenience, availability of burner,

pipe, and spray designs, etc., and may necessarily, or from the standpoint of convenience, assume different forms than the one shown in the accompanying drawing, and just described. For instance, it has already been ascertained, as a matter of convenience for installation and/or opera- "'tion, and as amatter of availability of suitable designs, that the make-oil sprays may be used in multiple and feeding through the cone top of the generator and carburetor shells,' and water:

I cooled, if desirablejwith the heat-oil burner pipesextended through the generator top nozzles.

The superheater is provided with closely and carburetor spaced layers 'of rectangular checkerbrick II in which a complete evaporation intogas of all oil particles that are carried over into the superheater Ill is effected and in which the oil gases produced by the cracking of the oil in the twingenerators 50 and 50 are completely reformed and-blended. The superheater 1'0 terminates at its upper end in a stack 12 provided with a control seal pot 18 and a drain pipe 19. These elements 12-13-74-15-46-11-18-19 are all parts of a standard carburetted water gas set.

Supporting arches 5|, 62 and H are provided for supporting the checkerwork structures 51, 62, and I I, of the generator 50,.the carburetor 60, and the superheater 10, respectively.

In working theimproved methods of making a composite reformed oil gas, the blast or heating part of the cycle is carried out by simultaneous burning operations by means of the burner pipes 54 and 65 and the branch air pipes 58 and 56 downwardly from the tops of the generator 50and the carburetor 60, entirely therethrough and out therefrom through the duct 59-59 Burner steam is simultaneously admitted through the pipes 54 and 85 to the tops of the generator 50 and the carburetor 60, respectively. The com-,- bined products of combustion from the generator 50 and the carburetor 60 are conducted upwardly through the superheater 10 and out through the openstack 12. By this heating, the checkerworks in the twin-generators 5n and 60 are heated totemperatures sufilcient to crack oil into gas, which temperatures are from about 1500 F. to 1800 F.,

depending upon the grade .of make-oil which is to be cracked and the rate at which it is to be fed. The checkerwork in the superheater Ill is raised to from about 1450 to 1650 E, which temperature will evaporate oil particles carried over,

and blend and reform the gases generated from menced by introducing steam to the tops of the twin -generators 50 and through the pipes 55 continued .until the temperature of the twingenerators 50 and 60 fall's; depending upon the grade of make-oil, to about'lgoo to 1600 degrees. The'temperature of the bottom of the superheater falls somewhat'less and the temperature of the top of the superheater remains fairly constant.

When the. temperatures of the shells have fallen, as described, themake-run part of the cycle, as also, the whole cycle, iscompleted by steam and air purges effected by shutting off the make-oil from the pipes 53 and 64, and effecting a short steam purge and cleaning the make-oil sprays through purge steam pipes 53 and 64 This is followed by shutting of the purge steam from the pipes. 53 and 64 and the make-steam from the pipes 55 and 63 and effecting an air purge by admitting air at the tops of the twin generatorsSU and 60 for a few seconds through, the branch ducts 56 and 55 before the stack control valve 13 is opened, and the generator oil burner pipe 54 and the carburetor oil burner pipe are turned on to commence the heating portion of the next cycle.

An important economy may be effected by us ing a cheaper grade of 011, if available, for heating for the blast than the oil which is used for generating the composite oil gas.

When carrying out the above cycle of operations to malie the composite reformed oil gas,

a close control of the blast, heat oil, and temperatures, and a close control of the make-steam,

make-oil, and the purge steam are maintained.

By the above-described process of making a composite reformed oil gas the oil is subjected to a single stage of cracking, which procedure cuts down the producton of hydrogen and the production of carbon which are undesirable constitutents in a gas which is designed to have the characteristics of natural gas.

By way of illustration, the cycle'for the use of a standard 3-shell 11-foot reconstructed carburetted water gas set for working the improved instant processes therein by a twin-generator used thereof with a certain grade of make-gas oil is as follows, bearing in mind that 2.4 seconds, or .04 minute, equals 1% of the entire time cycle, and also referring to Figure 2 of the'accompanying drawings. This converted 11-foot carburetted I water'gas set has twin-generator shells and a superheater shell each about nine feet inside diameter of fire-brick linings, and the twin-generator shells are each about seventeen feet high superheater shell is about thirty one feet high.

The set is started up and initially operated and brought to permanent satisfactory operating condition by such manually controlled conditioning procedures as are deemed advisable, whereby satisfactory heats are made in about 137 seconds from the time of opening the valves of the heatoil pipes 54 and B5 to the closing of said valves. such heats being about a maximum of 1750 F. in the twin- generators 50 and 60, and about .1600" F. in the superheater 10. These temperatures will vary with the grade of oil used and the location of the thermocouples 52. The oil burners: and

" greats a f'thrown onto and operated by a well-known 7-- valve automatic control, which is timed to make a complete cycle in about four minutes, of which cycle 63 or, about 151 seconds, is an air purge A and. heat period, and 37%, or about 89 seconds,

is a make period.

About [2 seconds of the so-called heat period is first consumed for a short blow-run air purge of the gas made by the make-run period of the preceding cycle and'is effected by opening the top blast branch conduits 55 and 55 before the stack valve 13 is opened. Then about I51 seconds is consumed by the heating effected from the oil heat pipes 54 and 65. The burner steam pipes 54 and 65 are also open during the heatingefiected by the burner pipes 54 and 65. In fact, these burner steam pipes 54 and 55 are open during the whole 4-minute cycle. During the four minute cycle covering both the heat period and the make period, the oil heating burner pipes 54' and 65 each are supplied with .this burner steam from the pipes 54 and 65 at about 15 lbs.

per minute or what is proper for burning the grade and'quantity. of heat oilused so that the two burner pipes are furnished during the entire four minute cycle with about 120 lbs. of heat steam.

The sequence of the operations incident to heating, which sequence is effected by three of the control valves of the 'l-valve automatic control, is as follows:

The two top blast valves 51 and 6| controlling the branch . air pipes 56 and 56 are opened for passage of air at the rate 01' about 10,000 0. F. M. for the two branches 56 and 58 constituting a blow-run -air purge for about twelve seconds. Although this part of the cycle produces run oil gases, it is considered a part of the heating period because the gases produced are simply a residue of the gases made during the previous'run period and are collected by this blowerun air The stack valve 73 is then opened and the two oil heat burner pipes 54 and 65 are opened, the two burners consuming about 10.4 gallons of oil per minute, the air stepping up automatically to about 16,000 0. F. M. incidentto the opening of the stack valve;

After a heating period of about 137 seconds,

the heat burner pipes 54 and 65 are shut 011;

Then the valves 51 and GI to the branch air pipes 56 and 56 are closed; and finally l The stackwalve I3 is closed.

- The above-described heating procedure effects a maximum temperature of about 1750 F. in the twin- generators 50 and 50, and about 1600 F. in the superheater 10, using heating oil either of gas oil grade, 32 to 36 gravity, or a heavier oil for economy, if available, and supplied at the rate and over the period of time mentioned. v

The burner steam pipes 54 and 65 which are open throughout the whole four minute cycle and are adjusted for the grade and quantity of oil 0, new furnished in about 137 seconds to: heat- The make period comprisesthe following oper ations in sequence: I v Theprocess steam lines 55 and 63 are opened for about 1.44 minutes to pass about 150 lbs.

steam per minute for the two pipes;

The process oil pipes 53 and 64 are opened to sprays;

, These process steam and process oil pipes are opened in, quick succession; l

The blower turbine is immediately slowed down j to idling speed to save steamuntil just before the process oil pipes 53' and 64 are closed, when it is again speeded up to be ready for the next blow-run or heat period.

Then the process oil pipes 53 and 04 are closed; The live steam purge pipes 53 and 54 of the make-oil sprays are opened for about seven seconds;

The live steam purge pipes 53 and 54 are closed; and

Then the process'steam pipes 55 and 83 are closed. During the afore-described make-gas part of the cycle, by using gas oil of 32 to-36 gravity for the make-oil, supplied at the rate noted, the temperature in the twin- generators 50 and 50 falls to about 1550 F., the temperature at the bottom of the superheater I0 falls to about 1450 F., and

remains fairly constant. The use of other grades of make-oil and/ or supplied at other rates would vary the period of time during which the temperature would fall to a degree not satisfactory for oil-cracking, oil-particle evaporating, blending, and reforming; as also, the temperatures at which'such unsatisfactory results would be obtained from the use of such other grades of makeoil. 1

During the make period, the process steam is on for about 1.44 minutes, at 75 lbs. per minute for each of the pipes and 63, representing a total of 216 lbs. During the whole of the four minute cycle the burner steam furnished by the pipes 54 and 65 has been on at about the rate of w 30 lbs. per minute for the two pipes, representing a feeding of 120 lbs. Therefore, the total burner 50 and process steam supplied is about 336' lbs.

The oil sprays areon for about 1.32 minutes, at 56.5 G. P. M. for each of the pipes 53 and 64, representing the consumption of a total of 149.2 gallons of oil. The degree and extent of crack- 55 ing of the make-oil efiected in the generator is dependent upon both the temperature of the generator and the period of time that the oil and the oil vapors and oil gas derived therefrom, remain in the generator. This period of time will 6 be termed residence time and it varies inversely with the oil injection rate and directly with the size or volume of the generator.

- The above sequence ofoperations for the make period is automatically effected by the remaining 6 four control valves of the 7-valve automatic control.

The gas make per cycle of the aforegoing operations is about 14,000 0. F., or at the rate of 210,000 C. F. per hour.

The consumption of heat oil per 1000 feet of make-gas is about 1.70 gallons, and the consumption of make-oil per 1000 feet of make-gas is about 10.66 gallons, total oil per 1000 feet of gas 12.36 gallons.

The consumption of heat steam per 1000 ,C. F.

pass about 113 gallons-per minute for the two the temperature at the top of the superheater l0 ffeet of make gas, total steam 24.00 lbs.

I 1000 C. F. of make gas.

gravity is about .66.

- sh m of make gas is about 8.57 lbs, and the consump tionof' process steam is about 15.43 lbs. per 1000 The consumption ofair is about 2764 c. F. per' of operations is about 1000,

The amount of tar produced is from one'and one-half to two gallons per 1000 C; F. of gas and has about the consistency of coal tar.

When it is noted that the gas'making set is opcrating satisfactorily, the blast air, the burner steam, the heat oil, the process steam, and the make oil can be slowly increased above the amounts above given provided no excessive back pressure is experienced during the make period.

The following are analyses of composite reformed oil gases which have been produced by the described process, these gases having a comparatively high methane content with comparatively low contents of hydrogen, and illuminants, and are well fixed and stable, all conditions which are most suitable for an oil gas which shall serve as a. satisfactory substitute for natural gasfor use in burners adjusted for consuming the latter Per cent Carbon dioxide 1.1 Oxygen 1.0 Nitrogen 4.0 Hydrogen 24.2 Carbonmonoxide 2.6 Methane 43.8 Ethylene 16.4 Ethane 2.2 Propylene 1 1.1 Propane and heaviers 3.6

Total 100.00

Calculated B. t. u Y 977 Specific gravity/n--. .633

1 Make up illuminants.

, Per cent CO N, .88 Ill. 22.45 -.L 1.18 002 1.62 Hz 22.90 CH4 and CzI-Ie 42.70 N2 8.27

Total 100.00

Calculated B. t. ii. 1000 Specific gravity .66

The analysis of a specific oil gas made by the instant process will depend upon the grade of make oil used and the particular thermal value twenty hours daily when a solid fuel is used inthe generatorior heating the checkerbrick.

What I claim is: 1. A cyclic process for making oil gas having approximately the same characteristics as natural gas with respect to B. t. u. heating. alue and burning, comprising heating a checkerbrick structure contained in at least one generating zone by burning blast-air and heat oil in said structure and passing the combustion products into and through a checkerbrick structure contained in a superheating zone, the heating of the structure in eachgenerating zone being to a temperature of from about 1500" F. to about 1800 F. and of the structure in said superheating zone to a temperatureof from about 1450" F. to about 1650 F., then introducing steam into eachgenerating zone and passing the same through the structure therein and through the structure in the superheating zone, and then in quick succession introducing make oil with the steam into each generating zone and passing the mixture of steam and make oil through the structure therein and through the structure in the superheating zone. the make oil being introduced at a rate which provides substantially the same residence time andextent of cracking as when 56.5 gallons .of gas oil per minute are introduced into an oil gas generating zone containing checkerbrick heated as defined above andhaving the capacity of a generating zone having a height of about 17 feet and an internal diameter of about 9 feet, whereby substantially no carbon is formed while producing reformed oil gas in a steam atmosphere, and finally purg'ing the structures and repeating the cycle.

2. A cyclic process as claimed in claim 1 in which the introduction of make 011 is continued until the temperature in each generating zone has fallen not more than. about 200 F.

3. A process as claimed in claim 1 in which the checkerbrick structure in each generating zone is heated to a temperature of about 1750 F. and

the checkerbrick structure in said superheating zone is heated to a temperature of about 1600 F.

and in which the introduction of said steam. and,

. make 011 is continued until the temperature in each enerating zone has fallen to about 1550 F. 4. A cyclic process as claimed in ,claim 1 wherein the make oil has a gravity of from about 32 to about 36.

5. A cyclic process for making oil gas having approximately the same characteristics as natural desired. This thermal value is usually about 1000,

and can be regulated by varying the temperature of the checkerbrick at the beginning of the run period, and/or by varying the rate of injection of.

store-described twin generator method of using it. Also, all labor for charging generators, and clinkering is eliminated, whereby the set can be run twenty-four hours daily instead of the about gas with respect to B. t. u. heating value and burning, comprising heating a checkerbrick structure contained in at least one generating zone, each zone having a height of about 17 feet and an internal diameter of about 9 feet, by burning blast air and heat oil in said structure and passing the, combustion products into and through a checkerbrick structure contained in a superheating zone, the heating of said structure in each generating zone being to a temperature of about 1750 F. and of the structure in said superheating zone to a temperature of about 1600 F., then introducing steam into each generating zone and passing the same through the structure therein and through the structure in the superheating zone, and then in quick succession introducing gas oil of from about 32 to about 36 gravity at the rate of about 56.5 gallons per minute with the steam into each generating zone and passing the mixture of steam and gas oil through the structure therein and through the structure in the superheating zone, whereby substantially no carthe cycle.

a M 11 bon is formed while producing reformed oil gas in a steam atmosphere, discontinuing the introduce tion of gas oil when the temperature of the structure in each generating zone has fallen to about 1550 1'2, purging the zones, and repeating A cyclic process for making oil gas having approximately the same charactertistics. as naterating zone and passing the same through the structure therein and through the structure in the superheating zone, and then in quick succession introducing make oil with the steam into each generating zone and passing the mixture of I steam and make oil through the structure therein and through the structure in the superheating zone, the make oil being introduced at a rate which provides substantially the same residence timeland extent of cracking as when a total of 113 gallons of gas oil per minute are introduced simultaneously into two oil gas generating zones each containing checkerbrick heated as defined above, each generating zone having the capacity of a generating 'zone having a height of about 1'7 feet and an internal diameter of about 9 feet, and the products passed through a superheating zone containing checkerbrick heated as defined above and having the capacity of a superheating zone having a height of about 31 feet and an internal diameter of about 9 feet, whereby substantially no carbon is formed while producing reformed oil gas in a steam atmosphere, and finally purging the zones and repeating the'cycle.

7. A cyclic process as claimed in claim 6 wherein the make oil is introduced at a rate which provides, substantially the same residence time and extent Qfcracking as when a total of 113 gallons of gas oil per minute are introduced simultaneously into two oil gas generatingzone's each containing checkerbrick heated to about 1750: F., each generating zone having thempacity of a generating zone having a height of about 17 feet and an internal diameter of about 9 feet, and the products passed through a superheating zone containing checkerbrick heated to about1600 F. and having the capacity of a superheating zone having a height of about 31 feet and an internal diameter of about 9 feet) HUGH M. BLAIN, JR.

REFEaENcEs CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date I 817,126 Lowe Apr. 3, 1906 833,182 Smith Oct. '16, 1906 883,466 Lowe Mar. 31, 1908 a 1,157,225 Jones Oct. 19, 1915 1,460,046 'Vuilieumier June 26, 1923 1,644,146 Pike Oct. 4, 1927 1,841,201 Odell Jan. 12,1932 2,131,696 Brandegee et a1. a Sept. 27, 1938 35 2,205,554 Brandegee et a1. June 25,1940

Duncan OTHER REFERENCES American Gas Practice, by J J. Morgan, second 49 edition, published by J. J. Morgan, Maplewood,

New Jersey (1931) pages 580-616.

July 16, 1940 Y

Claims (1)

1. A CYCLIC PROCESS FOR MAKING OIL GAS HAVING APPROXIMATELY THE SAME CHARACTERISTICS AS NATURAL GAS WITH RESPECT TO B. T. U. HEATING VALUE AND BURNING, COMPRISING HEATING A CHECKERBRICK STRUCTURE CONTAINED IN AT LEAST ONE GENERATING ZONE BY BURNING BLAST AIR AND HEAT OIL IN SAID STRUCTURE AND PASSING THE COMBUSTION PRODUCTS INTO AND THROUGH A CHECKERBRICK STRUCTURE CONTAINED IN A SUPERHEATING ZONE, THE HEATING OF THE STRUCTURE IN EACH GENERATING ZONE BEING TO A TEMPERATURE OF FROM ABOUT 1500*F. TO ABOUT 1800*F. AND OF THE STRUCTURE IN SAID SUPERHEATING ZONE TO A TEMPERATURE OF FROM ABOUT 1450*F. TO ABOUT 1650*F., THEN INTRODUCING STEAM INTO EACH GENERATING ZONE AND PASSING THE SAME THROUGH THE STRUCTURE THEREIN AND THROUGH THE STRUCTURE IN THE SUPERHEATING ZONE, AND THEN IN QUICK SUCCESSION INTRODUCING MAKE OIL WITH THE STEAM INTO EACN GENERATING ZONE AND PASSING THE MIXTURE OF STEAM AND MAKE OIL THROUGH THE STRUCTURE THEREIN AND THROUGH THE STRUCTURE IN THE SUPERHEATING ZONE, THE MAKE OIL BEING INTRODUCED AT A RATE WHICH PROVIDES SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME RESIDENCE TIME AND EXTENT OF CRACKING AS WHEN 56.5 GALLONS OF GAS OIL PER MINUTE ARE INTRODUCED INTO AN OIL GAS GENERATING ZONE CONTAINING CHECKERBRICK HEATED AS DEFINED ABOVE AND HAVING THE CAPACITY OF A GENERATING ZONE HAVING A HEIGHT OF ABOUT 17 FEET AND AN INTERNAL DIAMETER OF ABOUT 9 FEET, WHEREBY SUBSTANTIALLY NO CARBON IS FORMED WHILE PRODUCING REFORMED OIL GAS IN A STEAM ATMOSPHERE, AND FINALLY PURGING THE STRUCTURES AND REPEATING THE CYCLE.

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