US595858A

US595858A - miller

Info

Publication number: US595858A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1897-12-21
Anticipated expiration: 1914-12-21

Description

4 SheetsSheet 1 G. R. MILLER, GAS PRODUCER.

(No Model.)

' No. 595,858, Patented De0.21,1897.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-S'heet4.

0-. R. MILLER. GAS PRODUCER.

.No. 595,858. Patented Dec. 21 1897.

i ll? wrmssses: I INVENTOR,

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

COMMODORE R. MILLER, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR, BY

DIRECT AND MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE \V. J. MCCLURG GAS CON- STRUCTION COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

GAS-PRODUCER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 595,858, dated December 21, 1897. Application filed May 11, 1895. Serial No. 548,941. (No model.)

T0 on whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, COMMODORE R. MILLER, a citizen of the United States,residi n g at Pittsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and useful Improvements in Gas- Producers, of which improvements the following is a specification.

The invention described herein relates to certain improvements in apparatus for the manufacture of fuel and illuminating gas, and has for its object a construction whereby the gases arising from the distillation of coal and the decomposition of steam are thoroughly combined and rendered fixed and whereby such gases when poor in illuminating properties can be enriched to any desired degree.

In general terms the invention consists in the construction and combination substantially as hereinafter more fully described and particularly claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, Figure 1 is a view .in side elevation of my improved apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation of the same, the plane of section being indicated by the line II II, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a similar view, the plane of section being indicated by the line III III,

Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view, the plane of section being indicated by the line IV IV, Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a top plan View of the apparatus. Fig. 6 is a sectional plan, the plane of section being indicated by the line VI VI, Fig. 1; and Fig. 7 is a sectional detail View illustrating a modification in the manner of connecting the generating and carbureting chambers.

In the practice of my invention the

fuelchambers

1 and 1 are charged with fuel, preferably coke, and when these charges have been brought to a state of incandescence by the admission of an air-blast through the

pipes

2 and 2", which are provided with regulating-valves 3 3, a suitable quantity of coal is charged into one of the chambers, as 1*, through a feed-hopper 4 and the valves 3 3 closed. Steam is now forced into the chamber 1 through the pipe 5, entering the chamber above the normal level of the fuel. The steam passes down through the incandescent fuel in said chamber into the closed ash-pit 6, thence through the opening 7 in the partition between the ash-pits 6 6 into the latter, and thence up through the incandescent fuel and'distilling coal in the fuel-chamber 1. The steam in passing down through the incandescent fuel in chamber 1 is decomposed, and hydrogen and carbon monoxid gases are formed. These gases are further heated in passing up through the incandescent fuel in chamber 1 and assist, materially, in the distillation of the coal in said chamber. The gases produced by the decomposition of the steam and the distillation of the coal are th0roughly commingled in the chamber 1 and escape therefrom through the pipe 8 to tank 9 and thence through the pipe 10 to the scrubbers or holders. The

pipes

8 and 8 project down nearly to the bottom of the

tanks

9 and 9, in which suflicient water is maintained to form an eificient water seal. The tanks 9 9 are connected by branches to the pipe 10, as shown in Fig. 1. As soon as the charge in the chamber 1 is reduced in temperature to such a degree as to render it incapable of decomposing the steam the valve in the pipe 5 and the valve 11, controlling the opening in the partition between the ash-pits, are closed. As the charge in the chamber 1 was not chilled, but further heated by the passage of the hot gases from chamber 1, the heat thereof can be utilized for the decomposition of an additional quantity of steam, which is admitted into the ash-pit 6 through the pipe 12. After the steam has been cut off from the chamber 1 and the valve 11 closed the valve 3 is opened to blast up the charge in the chamber 1, and as soon as the charge in chamber 1 has been cooled down by the passage of steam,by which time the coal charged thereinto at'the beginning of the operation will have been coked, the valve in steam-pipe 12 is closed and the valve 3 in the blast-pipe '2 is opened to blast up the charge in chamber 1. During the blowing up of the charge in the

chambers

1 and 1 the

valves

13 and 13 in

pipes

8 and 8 are closed and the

valves

14 and 14 in the

vertical pipes

15 and 15 are opened, so as to permit of the escape of gases produced in the blowing of the charges. As soon as the charges in the fuel chambers have been brought to the desired state of incandescence the valves 3 3 and 14: 11 are closed and a suitable supply of coal is charged into the chamber 1. Steam is nextadmitted into the chamber 1" through the pipe 5 and the

valves

11 and 13 are opened. The steam is now decomposed in chamber 1 and the resulting gases pass up through chamber 1, where they commingle with the gases distilled from the coal therein, the combined gases escaping through the pipe 8 and tank 9 to the pipe 10,

as hereinbefore described. lVhen it is desired to enrich the gases generated in the manner described, the

valves

13 and 13 are closed and valves 16 16 in branches 17 and 17, conmeeting the

pipes

8 and 8 with

carburetingchambers

18 and 18, are opened. These carbureting-chambers are preferably built on top of the fuel-chambers, from which they are separated by an arch 19, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The chambers are connected at their lower ends by a passage 20, and each of the chambers is provided with a series of inclined overlapping baffle-plates 21. These bathe-plates are centrally supported by a wall 22, built on arches 23 at the lower ends of the chambers. As shown in Figs. 2 and 3, the supporting-wall does not extend above the upper baffle-plate, and openings 24: are formed under the arches 23, thereby permitting of free communication between the two compartments of each chamber.

In describing the operation of the carbureting apparatus it will be considered that the gas is being generated in chamber 1. The valves 13 13 and 14 14 in the pipes 8 and discharge-pipe are closed and the valve 16 in branch pipe 17 is opened, thereby permitting the gases to flow into and up through carburetiug-chamber 18. At the same time oil is forced through the pipe 25 into the upper end of chamber 18 by means of fluidpressure connected to the injector by a pipe 26. The oil is partially vaporized by the steam and partially by the highly-heated baffle-plates 21. The oil and gases flow down along the bathe-plates of chamber 18 and through the passage 20 into the lower end of chamber 18, where they meet and commingle with the gases from the fuel-chamber 1. The commingled gases flow up between and along the highly-heated bafiie-plates 21 in chamber 18, whereby they are more thoroughly mixed and rendered stable. From the upper end of the chamber 18 the gases flow through the pipe 27 through the water seal in tank 9 into pipe 10.

hen the gas to be carbureted is generated in chamber 1, the

valves

13, 13 14:, 14:, and 16 are closed and valve 16 is opened, so as to cause the gas to fiow into chamber 18. Oil

is introduced in the manner described into the upper end of chamber 18, and the gases produced from the oil flow from said chamber through passage 20 into chamber 18 and from the upper end of said chamber through pipe 27, water seal in tank 9, and to pipe 10, which, as before stated, conducts the gas to the scrubbers, holder, or distributing-main.

hen it is desired to heat the carburetingchambers and their baffle-plates, (usually effected during the blowing-up operation,) the valves 13 13 and 14 1 1 are closed, and the valves 16 16 and 28 28 at the upper ends of the carbureting-chambers 18 18 are opened, thus causing the products of combustion from the generating-chambers to flow up through the carbureting-chambers. In order to insure the combustion of the gases produced in the generating-chambers during the blowing-up operation, air-blasts are introduced into the carburetingchambers through pipes 29 29 and 30 30. The pipes 29 29 are arranged so as to meet the gases as they enter the carbureting-chambers, and the pipes 30 30 are 1ocated so as to supply additional quantities of air to the gases while passing through the carburetingchambers. A thorough combustion of the gases is thus provided for and at such points as to utilize the heat generated by such combustion in heating the carbureting-chambers.

In lieu of conducting the gases from the generating to the carbureting chambers by pipes 8 and 17, as hereinbefore stated, openings 31 may be formed through the arch 19, thereby directly connecting each generatingchamber with the carb u reting-chamber above it, as shown in Fig. 7. The passage of gases from the generating-chambers is controlled by valves 32, arranged in the openings 31.

As shown in Figs. 1, 5, and G, thewaterseal tanks 0 9 are provided with valved pipes 33 33 for filling the tanks and with valved outlet-pipes 3 1 31 for drawing the water from the tanks. A water-gage 35 35 is arranged on the side of each tank to indicate the depth of water therein. The tanks are also provided with valved outlet-pipes 36 36, which are connected to a reservoir 37 for the reception of tar, &c., separated from the gas during its passage through the water in the sealingtanks. While it is possible to so arrange the apparatus that both pipes 8 8 and 2727 will pass into one tank and be sealed by the water therein, it is preferred to useindependent sealing-tanks, as shown, for the reason that they can be operated in such manner as to avoid the use of valves in the pipes 27 27- as, for example, if the gas is being carbureted in chamber 18 and the gas flowing out through pipe 27 water is admitted into the tank 9 until it has attained sufficient depth to overcome the pressure of fluid in the carburetingchambers, thereby compelling the gas to pass out through pipe 27 and tank 9, wherein there is only sufficient water to seal the lower ends of

pipes

8 and 27. Then the operation of the apparatus is reversed, the tank 9 is filled to a height sufficient to counterbalance the pressure in the gases in the carbureting-chambers, and the water in tank 0 is allowed to escape until the water therein will seal the IIO of the gas more difficult and expensive.

ends of pipes 8 and 2'7 without presenting any material resistance to the flow of gas through pipe 27"-.

It is customary to employ steam for injecting oil into the carbureting-chambers but its use is objectionable, for the reason that the baffle-plates and walls of the chambers are rapidly chilled by the steam, and, further, as there is not sufficient highly-heated carbon where the steam enters to properly decompose the steam and combine with the oxygen of the steam a large percentage of carbonic-acid gas is formed, which renders the purificatign 11 order to avoid these objectionable features, a combustible gas under pressure-such, for example, as is generated in the practice of the inventionis employed for spraying the oil into the carbureting-chambers. The employment of gas not only avoids the objectionable features above referred to, but is not attended by any waste, as it passes back to the point from which it was drawn.

It is the usual practice in the manufacture of gas to force steam up through the bed of incandescent material with the result of chillin g the lower portion of the charge to a greater extent than the upper portions, and in blowing up the charge the air-blast is also forced upward. Hence the heat is carried away from the portion of the charge which has the lowest temperature, so that there is always a portion of the charge, approximately two to three feet, more or less, in thickness, that is practically inoperative, not having sufficient heat to decompose the steam, and in some cases the temperature of this part of the chargeis so low as to have a chilling effect on the steam. It is characteristic of my improvement that the steam is forced down during one portion of the operation through the incandescent material, so that the heat is carried down to the lowest portions of the charge, the highest portions being chilled to the greatest degree, so that when the air is forced up through the charge the heat will be carried up to and through the chilled portions. It results from this method of operation that much less time is required in blasting up, thereby effecting a saving in fuel, and the whole of the charge is brought to an eifective temperature. It is true that during the latter part of each operation or turn the steam is forced up through one of the generating-chambers, thereby chilling the lower portion of the charge therein; but when the operation of the apparatus is reversed, aft-er blasting up each generatingchamber, steam is forced down through the same chamber, thereby forcing the heat down through the previously-chilled portion and raising it to operative temperature.

It is characteristic of my invention that the gases generated by the distillation of the fresh fuel pass directly from the generator as soon as formed, so that all the valuable heat and illuminating qualities of the gas are preserved. The distillation of the fresh fuel is effected in part by the underlying bed of incandescent material and the heat radiating from the walls of the generating-chamber, but principally by the hot gases formed by the passage of the steam through the first body of incandescent material and further heated during theirpassage through the second body of incandescent material.

I claim herein as my invention 1. A gas-producer having in combination two generators having a valved connection with each other at their lower ends, pipes for injecting steam into the upper and lower ends of the generators, blast-pipes for forcing air into the lower ends of the generators, two carbureting-chambers connected at their lower ends, valved connections from each generator to one of the carbureting-chambers, pipes for injecting oil into the upper ends of the carbureting-chambers, and valved connections from the upper ends of the carbureting-chambers to the place of use or storage, substantially as set forth.

2. A gas-producer having in combination two generating-chambers having a valved connection with each other at their lower ends,

, pipes for injecting steam into-the upper and lower ends of the generators, blast-pipes for forcing air into the lower ends of the generating-chambers, valved connections from the upper ends of the generating-chambers to the place of use or storage, two carbureting-chambers connected at their lower ends and each having a valved connection to one of the generating-chambers, pipes for injecting oil into the upper ends of the carbureting-chambers, valved connections from the upper ends of the carbureting-chambers, to the place of use or storage, and a valved escape-opening at or near the upper ends of the carbureting-chambers, substantially as set forth.

3. A gas-producer having in combination a shell having a partition-wall, thereby forming two generating-chambers having independent ash-pits, a valved opening connecting the ash-pits, pipes for injecting steam into the ash-pits and the upper ends of the generating-chambers, blast-pipes for injecting air into the ash-pits, and valved connections from the upper ends of the generating-chambers to the place of storage or use, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

COMMODORE R. MILLER.

Witnesses:

F. E. GAITHER, DARWIN S. WoLooTT.