US323840A - Method of conveying and supplying gas - Google Patents

Description

{No Model.)

G. WEsTmGH UsE, Jr. METHOD OF CONVEYING AND SUPPLYING GAS. No. 323,840.

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INVENFOR.

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llnrrn TA'rns GEORGE XVESTINGHOUSE, JR, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

METHOD OF CONVEYING AND SUPPLYING GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 328,840, dated August 4-, 1885.

Application filed February 3, 1885. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE TESTING- HoUsE, Jr., a citizen of the United States, residing at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Conveying and Supplying Gas, of which improvements the following is a specification.

In the accompanying drawings, which make part of this specification, Figure l is a diagrammatic plan of a pipe-line embodying my invention; and Fig. 2 a similar plan, illustrating a modification thereof.

The object of my invention is to increase the delivery capacity of a main for conveying gas from awell or generator to desired points of supply for heating and illuminating purposes, as well as to maintain a low average pressure of gas in. the main, in order to reduce, as far as practicable, the tendency to leakage therefrom or rupture of the pipes.

To this end my invention, generally stated, consists in a novel method of conveying gas through aseries of adjacent longitudinal divisions of a conductingmain, and reducing the average pressure therein, by exhausting gas from the delivery end of one section and forcing the same into the receiving end of an adjoining section; also, in conveying gas by exhaustion from one to another section of a conducting-main, in which an average pressure below that of the atmosphere is main: tained, forcing the same, at relatively-increased pressure, into an auxiliary supplymain, and delivering the same at such increased pressure, or a regulated proportion thereof, from the auxiliary main to desired points of supply. Theimprovements claimed are hereinafter fully set forth.

In the conveyance anddelivery of gas, furnished at comparatively high pressureas, for. example, natural gas, which is ordinarily evolved from the wells at a pressure considerably above that at which it is required for utilizationthe gas has heretofore been led, under the pressure at which it is supplied, through mains, from which it is delivered under such reduction of pressure as may be necessary (which is effected by the employment of pressure-regulating devices) to supply or service pipes leadingto heating or illuminating apparatus in which it is to be utilized. The maintenance ofhigh pressure in the mains is objectionable, in respect of involving waste and liability to accidents through leakage and,

average high pressurewould be necessary.-

Such objections are obviated under my invention by the employment of the system of conveyance and idistribution hereinafter described.

In the practice of my invention the gas delivered at comparatively high pressure from a well or generator is led into a conductingmain divided into a series of longitudinallyadjoining sections or compartments, which are separated one from another by suitable valves, and is reduced to a desired average low pressure, which may be at or slightly above that of the atmosphere, by being exhausted by any suitable apparatus from the delivery end of the compartment nearest the well or generator and forced therefrom to the receiving end oi'the adj acent compartment, and consecutively conducted in a similar manner throughout the several compartments of the main. The relief of any excess of pressure in the receiving ends of the several compartments is provided for by the connection of valves loaded to a determined safe pressure thereto, and the operation of each of the ex hausting devices is governed and regulated by a pressure-regulating mechanism actuated by the pressure'of gas within the conductingmains so as to vary the rate of exhaustion exerted thereon in correspondence with variations of supply or delivery pressure or both. A plenum of low pressure, which may be fixed at any desired point slightly above atmospheric pressure, is thus maintained through out the conducting-main. The maintenance of low pressure in the conductingmain has the advantage of reducing in a like proportion the tendency to leakage of gas therefrom, or to rupture of the pipe from internal pressure. The gas is led from the conductingmain through service-pipes provided with regulators for delivering the pressure that may be desired to the several points at which it is required for consumption.

A further advantage may be attained by reducing the average pressure in the compartments of the conducting-main below that of the atmosphere, and supplying gas from each of the exhausters at slightly above atmosphere-pressure to an auxiliary or supplemental main, in which such increased pressure is maintained, and from which the gas is delivered at regulated pressure, as required, to the points of consumption.

The drawings illustrate the general arrangement of a series of devices suitable for the operation of my invention, the same not being, however, herein claimed, as they constitute'the subj ect-matter of a separate application by me of even date herewith. Gas is admitted through a supply-pipe, 1, leading from a well or generator to the first section of a conducting-main, 2, which is divided into a series of separate and longitudinally adjoining chambers or compartments,3-:t 5,by gate, stop, or check valves 6.

- Esca )e-valves 7 are fitted in casin s communicating with the compartments of the conducting-main adjacent to their receiving ends, said valves being loaded to such degree as to admit of the relief of any excess of pressure in the compartments above that determined as safe, and being provided with escape-pipes 8, leading to proper points of discharge. A suitable exhausting device, 9--as a reciprocating or rotary pump or blower-which may be driven by steam, compressed air, or high pressure gas, conveyed in properly-protected pipes, or a jet apparatus actuated by hi ghpressure gas located adjacent to the delivery end of each of the compartments,exhausts the gas therefrom through a pipe, 10, and forces it through a pipe, 11, into the receiving end of the next succeeding compartment, thus effecting a reduction of pressure toward the dclivery end of one compartment and a relative increase toward the receiving end of the next. The speed of the motors by which the exhausters are actuated is increased or diminished or their operation stopped, as may be required, in accordance with variations of pressure in the compartments, preferably by automatically-acting pressure-regulators 12, of any wellknown description, upon which. the pressure of the gas in the compartments acts through pipes 13,leading therefrom,and which are conneeted with the throttle or supply valves through which operating-fluidas steam or compressed air-passes to the motors. Upon the stoppage of the exhausters, gas passes from one to another compartment, either through the openings governed by the valves 6, which valves may, in such case, be automatic checkvalves, opening toward the receiving ends of the compartments, or be provided with supplemental valves of such character,or through the valves of the exhausting mechanisms, which may be so arranged as to admit of the passage of gas through the pipes 10 and 11 during the stoppage of the exhausting mechanisms. Upon the reduction of pressure in the compartments to the normal point, the pressure'regulators 12 increase the opening of the supply-valves, and the exhausters resume or accelerate their operation, as the case may be, in accordance with the conditions of de ivery instituted by the degree of pressure in the main. Service-pipes 14, controlled by pressure-regulators 15, convey the gas to the locations at which it is required for consumption.

I11 the modification illustrated in Fig. 2 an auxiliary or supplemental main, 16, islaid adjacent to the conducting main 1, and is supplied with gas through connecting-pipes 17, leading from the delivery sides of the exhausters 9, and provided with eheck-valves 19 to prevent any return of gas, or from separate exhausters of sufficient capacity to supply the supplemental main for local use.

In operation an average pressure below that of the atmosphere is maintained by the exhausters in the compartments of the main Z, and gas is supplied at a pressure slightly above the atmosphere to the auxiliary main, from which it is delivered through servicepipes 18 for supplying mills or manufactories or small quantities for domestic use.

I am aware that the employment of forcing or forcing and exhausting apparatus, in conncction with a gas-main, for the purpose of deli ering alarger quantity at a given point,is not new and I am further aware that it has been proposed to combine, with a system of gas pipes or mains, two exhausters, one of which forces gas from a supply-holder into the mains and the other draws out the gas from the opposite extremity of the mains and forces the excess into a second holder. I disclaim, therefore, broadly, the combination of an exhausting apparatus with a gasmain; and I further disclaim herein the apparatus set forth and shown, as the same constitutes the subject-matter of a separate application by me filed of even date herewith, Serial No. 154,830.

I claim herein as my invention- 1. The improvement in the method of 0011- veying and delivering gas, which consists in supplying gas under pressure to a conductingmain divided into a series of longitudinal sections or compartments, reducing the average pressure therein by exhausting gas from the delivery end of one section and forcing it into the receiving end of an adjacent section, the rate of exhaustion being varied proportiom ately with variations in pressure in the main, and delivering the gas at regulated pressure from the compartments of the main, substantially as set forth.

2. The improvement in the method of conveying and delivering gas, which consists in supplying gas under pressure to a conductingmain divided into a series of longitudinal sections or compartments, reducing the pressure therein to an average below the pressure of the atmosphere by exhausting gas from the ICO delivery end of one section and forcing itinto In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 1:) the receiving end of an adjacent section, forcmy hand.

ing gas at increased pressure from the reoeiving ends of the sections into an auxiliary main GEO. WESTINGHOUSE, JR.

in which a pressure above thatof. the atmosphere is maintained, and delivering gas at YVitnesscs:

such relatively-increased pressure or a regu- J. SNOWDEN BELL,

lated proportion thereof to desired points of R. H. WHITTLESEY.

supply, substantially as set forth.

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