US425977A

US425977A - Water gas

Info

Publication number: US425977A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1890-04-15
Anticipated expiration: 1907-04-15

Description

(No Model.)

0. E. BURDELL. APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING WATER GAS. No. 425,977. Patented Apr. 22, 1890.

WITNESSES: A I/VVEA/TOI? ATTORNEY UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcE.

CHARLES E. BURDELL, OF NEXV YORK, N. Y.

APPARATUS FOR MANUFACTURING WATER-GAS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 425,977, dated April 22, 1890.

I'Application filed May 26, 1888. Serial No. 275,194. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

that I, CHARLES E. BURDELL, of the 5; county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Apparatus for Manufacturing ater-Gas, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to an apparatus for the manufacture of gas in which superheated steam and oil are simultaneously injected into an incandescent mass of anthracite coal, thereby decomposing the superheated steam and combining the oil-vapor to form oil and water gas.

If a mass of coal is brought to an incandescent state, the combustible materials enter into combination. First, the water is expelled, and then the hydrogen in the volatile combustible matter unites with the oxygen, forming carbonic acid if the temperature is sufficiently high and enough oxygen is present, or under less favorable circumstances forming carbonic oxides, or passes off unconsumed in smoke. The combination of the fixed carbon. next begins, and generally takes place as follows: The first combustion of the carbon with the oxygen produces carbonic acid, which in passing through the bed of coal sometimes, but not always, takes up more carbon, and is converted into carbonic oxide. By furnishing sufficient oxygen, however, this carbonic oxide will be burned. or converted into carbonic acid.

Heretofore in manufacturing water-gas the following objections existed: First, loss of time and expense were incurred in the output, owing to the oleaginous matter and superheated steam notbeing entirely decomposed; second, a large percentage of carbonic oxide remained in the product, and, third, the fuel was not fully utilized as a decomposing agent.

Where steam is introduced into an incandescent mass of fuel in manufacturing watergas the mass loses its life at the point of 111- duction of the steam to a greater or less degree, and in a short time at this point becomes worthless as a decomposing agent,while at the point of escape of the product of decomposition, which acts to a certain extent as a draft-producer, the fuel to a considerable depth is still in an active state.

To avoid the foregoing objections, 1 provide the herein-described apparatus, so constructed and arranged that the oil and superheated steam are alternately introduced at the bottom and top of the fuel, the oil being introduced within the fuel adjacent to its top and bottom and the steam just below and just above the bottom and top of the fuel.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which similar figures of reference indicate corresponding parts in the view.

The figure is a vertical section of the generator with supply and discharge connections.

In the construction of this apparatus the generator consists of a chamber 1, in which the gases are evolved, the lower portion thereof forming the furnace, the structure having its walls 2 formed of fire-brick with an outer sheathing 3 of iron. At the top of the chamber 1 is located a hopperor chute 4t for the admission of the fuel, which is provided with an air-tight valve 5, opened and closed by means of mechanism which need not be herein specifically described. Access is also had to chamber 1 by means of an opening 16 in its top provided with a cover 17, secured by a screwclamp 18, mounted in a bracket 19.

The steam is delivered by means of the main supply-pipe 20, connecting with the pipe 21, having branch pipes 22 23, connecting with the superheating-coil 2i, located in the walls 2, surrounding the fuel-chamber, and

discharge-pipes 25 26, the discharge-pipe 25 opening into the chamber 1 above the top of the fuel, (indicated by dotted line 27,) and the discharge-pipe 26 having its outlet located beneath the grate 28. The direction of movement of the steam is controlled by the valves 20.

The oil or naphtha is supplied through the main deli very-pipe 30, having discharge-pipes 31 32 extending into the chamber 1, the out let of discharge-pipe 31 being located in the chamber 1 adjacent to the top of the mass of fuel. and about a quarter of its depth, and

the outlet of discharge-pipe 32 being located in the chamber 1 adjacent to the bottom of the fuel mass, about a quarter of its height.

To indicate the supply of oil and any stoppage thereof which might occur during the generation of gas, the pipe 30 is provided with glass tubes or gages 33 34.

The direction of the flow of the oil is governed by valves 34.

Two gas-mains are employed in this apparatus, the upper one 35 leading from the hopper 4 to the hydraulic 1nain (not shown) and provided with a suitable valve 36, and the lower gas-main 37 leading from the chamber 39 beneath grate 28 to the hydraulic main above mentioned, and provided with a suitable valve 38. The chamber 39 is tightly closed by means of a door 40, secured by a screw 41, mounted in abracket 42. Artificial draft is supplied to the chamber 1 through the air-tube 43, projecting into the chamber 39 beneath the grate 28.

Gas is manufactured in the hereinbeforedescribed apparatus as follows: The furnace being charged with anthracite coal to the height of the line 27, the fuel is heated to an incandescent state by means of an air-blast through the pipe 43, the valve 5 of hopper 4 being open, and the hopper serving as a chimney and draft-flue, and by this means all carbonic oxides are carried off in the smoke that is, the free carbon to a great extent is expelled. The air-blast through pipe 43 is then out off and the valve 5 closed, thereby shutting off the artificial draft, and steam is introduced through the

pipes

20, 21, 22, and 23 to the coil 24, where it is superheated. The

valve 29 of the upper steam-discharge pipe 25 and the valve 34 of the upper oil-discharge pipe 31 being closed, and the valve 38 of the lower gas-main 37 being closed, and the valve 36 of the upper gas-main 35 being open, oil is discharged through the discharge-pipe 32 and superheated steam through the discharge-pipe 26. The oil coming in contact with the incandescent mass of fuel is evaporated, while the superheated steam ascending through the incandescentmassis decomposed. Theamount of oxygen contained in the steam introduced is sufficient in quantity to keep the percentage of oxides very low. The hydrogen gas generated from the decomposing of the superheated steam min gles with the oilgas and the mixture passes off through the gas-main 35 to the hydraulic main an d from thence to the holder. This process is continued until the lower portion of the mass of the fuel ceases to be active, when the gas-main 35 and discharge-pipes 32 and 26 are shut off. The gas already generated will be foundto contain about thirty-three per cent. of carbonic oxide. The life of the fuel is renewed by an artificial draft from the pipe 43, the valve5 being open and the hopper 4 serving as a chimney and draft-flue, which requires but half the time necessary to supply fresh fuel. The air-blast through pipe 43 is then cut. oif and the valve 5 closed, thereby shutting off the artificial draft and rendering it incandescent. The valve 38 of the gas-main 37 and the valves 29 and 34' of the steam and

oil discharge pipes

25 and 31 are then opened, and the oil and superheated steam are discharged downward through the incandescent fuel mass, the steam being decomposed and the oil evaporated. The hydrogen gas and the oil-gas therefrom mingle together and the mixture passes off through the gas-main 37 to the hydraulic main and thence to the holder, where the gas mingles with the gas of the first charge. In the second or reverse blasting of the charge the reduction of the ratio quantity of oxides takes place-vi'z., no new fuel is added-and the second application of the artificial draft with the hopper open eliminates every remaining vestage of free carbon, and consequently reduction in the ratio of carbonic oxides follows. Accordingly, the gas generated from the second charge mingling in the holder with the gas of the first charge containing thirty-three per cent. of carbonic oxide causes a reduction of the latter, leaving but a small per cent. of carbonic oxide present in the gas. It will thus be seen that by means of this invention the full value of the fuel is obtained in the decomposition, and also there is a saving in fuel, together with a saving of time and labor required in adding new fuel, and a gas is obtained having but a small portion of deleterious matter.

I am aware that apparatus for manufacturing gas constructed with a generating-chamber having gas-mains and oil and steam induction pipes with outlets located at the top of the generating-chamber is old, and I am also aware that apparatus for manufacturing gas constructed with a generating-chamber having its walls surrounded by a heating-coil, gas-mains opening into the top of the generating-chamber and beneath the furnace-grate, a steam-pipe opening into the generatingchamber above the incandescent mass and beneath the furnace-grate, and a hot-air pipe opening into chambers above the generatingchamber and beneath the furnace-grate is old,

and to neither of such apparatus above men- I tioned do I lay any broad claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

An apparatus for making gas, consisting of a furnace having a grate and a gas-generating chamber having a superheating-steam coil located in its walls and surrounding the fuelspace and connected with a steam supply pipe, a valved induction steam-pipe connected with the superheating-steam coil and having its outlet located adjacent to the top of the fuel-space, a valved induction steam-pipe connected with the superheating-steam coil and having its outlet located beneath the furnace grate, a valved oil-induction pipe with its ICC outlet located ajaeent to and Within the top generating chamber, serving as a chimney of the fuel-space, a valved oil-induction pipe and draft-flue, and a valved gas-main eom- 10 with its outlet adjacent to and Within the municating' with. the gas-generating chamber, bottom of the fuel-space, a chamber located substantially as shown and described.

beneath the furnace-grate and having an air- CHAS. E. BURDELL. tight door and an air-blast tube, a valved gas- Witnesses:

main opening into the chamber beneath the E. C. JONES,

furnace-grate, a hopper at the top of the gas- 0. SEDGWICK.