US766553A - Apparatus for the manufacture of gas and coke. - Google Patents

Description

No. 766,553. PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904.

J. G. H. STUT.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS AND COKE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 27, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

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J. O. H. STUT. APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS AND COKE.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 3 SHEETS-$111531 2.

N0 MODEL.

\f/ O wch wz/ No. 766,553. PATENTED AUG. 2, 1904. J. G. H. STUT.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS AND (JOKE.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY 27.1903.

no MODEL. 3 SHEETSSHEBT a.

Patented August 2, 1904.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN C. H. STUT, OF OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS AND COKE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 766,553, dated August 2, 1904,

Application filed July 2'7, 1903. Serial No. 167,123. (No model.)

To NJ] 1/41/0777 it ntrty concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN (J. H. S'IU'I, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Oakland, in the county of Alameda and State of California, have invented new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for h [anufacturing Gas and Coke, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a gas-making and coking apparatus of the type employing a series of ovens disposed side by side and connected with each other and. having carbureters at each end of the series, a regenerator in relation to each carburetor, and conductingpassages connnunicating with the several chambers, whereby air and steam may be passed alternately from one regenerator to the other through the intervening carbtn'eters and ovens and over the fuel.

It is usual in apparatus of the above general type to convert the coal charge within the ovens into coke and intermittently to recover gas from the charge while being coked, alternately heating or renewing the heat of the 'ovens and connecting-fines by the admission of atmospheric air above the body of coking coals, where bya combustible mixture is formed with the evolved gases, then shutting otl the air, so as to arrest combustion, and admitting steam into and through the ovens above the body of coking coal and recovering the gases produced from the coking coal and the decomposing steam, providing any steam is decomposed. It is common to admit oil to the ovens to produce oil-gas as well. The process is essentially a coking process, since the ovens remain entirely closed during the gas-making periods, except for the admission of steam and oil above the fuel, and the heat in the ovens is entirely revel-berated heat, the ovens becoming, in fact, reverberatory furnaces. The shortcomings of this process incident to the furnace construction wherein the heat, air, and steam can be applied only from above are as follows:

First. The coking of the coal is very slow, because the furnace being of the reverberatory type the heat provided for the. coking comes only from the top and is produced by the consumption of the gases evolved from the coal.

Second. The production of any water-gas is dependent solely on the decomposition of steam in the presence of whatever carbon may be in the gases above and evolving from the incandescent coal. By actual practice it is found that very little water-gas is thus formed, because the contact of the steam and gases is not su'tliciently intimate, the amount of carbon present is inadequate, and, above all, the period of contact of the steam and gaseous carbon is not sutliciently prolonged to cause the necessary chemical disruption of any considerable quantity of steam. It is well known that to produce water-gas the steam must be brought into the immediate presence of a surplus of incandescent carbon, (otherwise carbon dioxid instead of carbon monoxid will result,)and the period of contact should be prolonged suflicient to give the steam a chance to be split up and liberate its oxygen.

Third. hen oil is introduced into the ovens for the purpose of making oil-gas to be mixed with coal and water gas, there is no way of regulating the proportion of these several gases. \Vhile oil-gas made from crude oils of asphaltum base is rich in illuminating power, it is generally too expensive when used by itself, but mixed with water-gas in proper proportions proves eminently satisfactory as an illuminant and is very much cheaper to the manufacturer and to the consumer. Inasmuch as so very little water-gas is actually generated under the above process for the reasons just mentioned, the desired result is not obtainable.

Fourth. Moreover, where oil is introduced as above a very heavy deposit of lampblack or line carbon appears in the superheaters and carburetors, while still another considerable portion is carried 0a with the gas into the washer and lost, the heat that could be obtained from the combustion of this lost carbon being itself lost to the process.

The object of the present invention is to devise a system of heating the ovens and ma nipulating the fuel-supply so as to get the fullest etliciency from the ovens in the manufactnre of coke and illuminating-gas. This.

object is obtainable by an apparatus wherein there is added to the general structure previously indicated means for introducing air or steam-also from the bottom of the furnaces. whereby it may pass upwardly through the body of. incandescent coal and by observing certain conditions in the attention of the ovens and the government of the air, steam, and fuel supply, as will be more fully explained hereinafter, having reference to the accom panying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a view showing a partial side elevation and exterior view, a partial section on line m y of Fig. 2, and partial section on line 6 .7) Z r of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a View showing a plan of the left portion, a section adjacent thereto on lines R a 0 p of Fig. 1 and the remainder on lines (1 s of Fig. 1. Fig. .3 is a transverse section on lines f e d 0 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a horizontal section, one portion being taken on line A b and the remainder to the right of section Z m of Fig. 2.

For the purposes of illustration I have shown here a series of four ovens, (marked 1, 2, 3, and 1,) though it is obvious this number may be varied in practice, if desired.

5 and 6 are the carbureters or superheaters located at each side of the oven series, and 7 and 8 are regenerators located beyond the carbureters at each end and surmounted .by respective stacks 9 10, having the respective dampers 11 12.

13 represents a washer, of which thereis one at each end of the apparatus. although but one is here shown.

In the present case the ovens, carbureters, and regenerators are shown arranged side by side and the ovens separated from each other by walls of fire-brick. The upper parts of the ovens and carbureters are connected by passages 14, and the bottoms of the carbureters and regenerators are connected by passages 15.

In the present invention the ovens are provided with hearths perforated, as at 16,-up through which air or steam may pass from the tines 17, which extend lengthwise of each oven.

18 is a main air-supply pipe extending over the top and outside of the ovens, from which air may be supplied to the ovens both above and below the fuel by means of the branch pipes 19 20, which open, respectively, into the flue passages 21 above and betweenthe ovens and into the ends of the fines 17. The pipes 19 20 are provided with suitable controlling-valves, (indicated at 20.) The regenerators have also branch air-pipes 22, leading from the air-main 18, and the passage of air through them is controlled by valves 23. Goal fuel is admitted to the ovens as needed through the top doors 24.

The ends of the ovens are closed by the main doors 25, provided with the smaller doors 26 to allow the operator to have access to spread a fresh charge of coal over the ovens. The main doors are hung on swinging arms 27, as shown. Below the hearths are the doors 28, which allow for the cleaning of the ovens. The carbureters and regenerators are provided with respective doors 29 and 30.

The carbureters and regenerators have formed Within them a checker-work of brick or the like so laid as to form tortuous passages through which the gases from the ovens and the air admitted from pipes 22 are caused to pass.

Oil may be sprayed into the ovens upon the incandescent body of coal through pipes 31. 32 represents similar oil-inlets opening into the upper part of the carbureters.

Steam may be admitted alternately to the top of the regenerators through pipes 33, passing down through the checker-work in one regenerator, up through the checker-work in the corresponding carbureter, and thence traversing the oven-space to mingle with the evolving gases from the fuel. In the present apparatus steam is also adapted to be admitted below each oven, as at 3 1, and to pass through the body of solid incandescent carbon above. I

37 is the main gas-pipe leading from each regenerator to its respective washer and having a controlling-valve 38, while 39 is the outlet from the washer.

The ovens, carbureters, and regenerators are inclosed in gas and air tight iron casings, as shown at 35 and 36. These casings are well rivetedtogether and made air tight, braced by backstays and tie-rods in any suitable manner to resist the expansion and con traction due to the heat of the ovens. The

.latter are made of the very best of fire-brick.

The manufacture of gas by this apparatus, either under the old process or by my process, contemplates two periods-first, the heating period, and, second, the gas-making period. For the heating period coal or other fuel is fed, as required, into the charging-holes 2 1. The covers of these holes being then closed the ovens are assumed to be hot. Supposing the operation to be from left to right, damper 11 in stack 9 at the left will be closed and damper 12 at the right opened. Valves 38 in gaspipes 37 and also air-valve 23 in pipe 22 at the right will be closed; but air-valve 23 at the left will be opened, as likewise will be upper valves 20*, and if it is desired to heat up the ovens quickly lower valve 2O also will be opened, though in the ordinary closed-bottom furnace air in the heating period and steam in the gas-making period can only be admitted from above and allowed to pass over the fuel and never through the fuel. Air under pressure or by induced draft is introduced from the main supply-pipe 18. By induced draft is meant a draft which either results from high chimneys or from an exhauster that will draw the gases of combustion from the ovens by the production of a partial vacuum therein, whereas a forced draft produces a pressure within the ovens in excess of the atmospheric pressure.

From the hot fuel the gases are now evolved, and these combine with the oxygen of the air, making gases of combustion or waste gases. The gases of combustion pass through the openings M from oven to oven to the top of the carbureter 6 at the right, thence passing down through the brick checker-Work of this carbureter, through the flue 15 into the bottom of the regcnerator 8, and up through its checker-work and through the open stackvalve 12 into the smoke-stack, and thence to the atmosphere. During this time the airvalve 23 in the pipe 22 of the right-hand regenerator will remain closed; but the air-valve for the left-hand regenerator has been opened. The air then introduced into the left hand regenerator will become highly heated in passing through the hot checkerwork and will burn off all the lampblack or fine carbon that has been deposited from the previous run of gas working from right to left. During this period of heating with the present construction of apparatus air under pressure might also be introduced under any fuel in any oven in which it is not designed to produce coking, so as to heat up the ovens more quickly and to a higher temperature, and the heat from the ovens having this additional draft will be transmitted through the walls intermediate between said ovens and the contiguous coking-ovens upon each side. This produces a greater heat and also a heat upon each side as well as upon the top of the fuel, and the period necessary for coking is thus greatly reduced.

It will be understood that the heating-fuel may be either gaseous, liquid, or solid and the coking material may either consist of the solid fuel, as coal, or the heavy crude petroleum-oil or residue therefrom, which also makes an excellent coke.

As shown in the present drawings, the ovens 2 and -.t contain coke, and the oven 1 is designed for the burning of oil or gas, while the oven 3 is filled with coal above the fuellevel of ovens 2 and at, so that the single apparatus may illustrate each part of the operation. As soon as the ovens have been properly heated all the air-valves to the ovens, carbureters, and regenerators are closed; also the stackvalve 12 and the gas-valve 37 on the right is opened. This brings us to the gas-making period. Coal-gas is now evolving from the heatedcoal in the different ovens. The steam-valve on the top of the regenerator T is opened and also in the present apparatus the steam valve under the hearths of those ovens that are not being used for coking. By opening these latter valves the steam is admitted and caused to pass through a large body of white-hot coal or other fuel and the steam is here decomposed, so that what is termed water-gas is formed in much larger quantities than can possibly be produced by the passage of the steam over the surface only of the hot coal. Any proportion of water-gas to the coal-gas can be made by regulating the amount of steam introduced through the lower part of the ovens and the depth of the hot coal above the hearth. Vhile a small quantity of water-gas may be produced by the steam from pipes 33 coming in at the top of the regenerators and striking the hot carbon or lampblack deposited on the checker-work and passing thence over the hot ovens, still by far the main portion of water gas is formed by the steam from pipes M coming from below and passing up through the body of incandescent fuel.

By introducing steam above and below the fuel in the ovens it is brought into intimate contact with all the fuel both in a gaseous and in a solid state, so that'the oxygen of the steam has ample opportunity to become united with the carbon,frming thereby carbon monoxid and hydrogen, or so-callcd watergas, which mixes with the other gases produced, and thence passing through the highlyheated carburetors and regenerators to become fixed.

As the coal and water gases pass through the openings between the ovens they may be brought into contact with oil, which is introduced over the fuel in the ovens, and, if necessary, also into the carburetor. This oil also is vaporized, and by its contact with the hot coal in the ovens and the passage through the hot brick checker-work in the carbureter and the regenerator the gas is lixed and rendered permanent with the other gases. The oil introduced into the carburetors is for the purpose of enriching the mixture generated in the ovens.

Some lampblack or line carbon will always be deposited from the heavier oils, and to save this deposition of carbon and also to retain the greater portion of heat that is in the illuminating-gases and in the gases of combustion formed during the heating period the regenerators are made very high and with a large amount of brick checker-work in them. This provides a large body to retain the heat and a large surface for the deposit of carbon.

When the gases have passed up and through the regenerators, they discharge through the gas-valve at 38 and into the washer 11,, as previously stated, and from the washers to the scrubbers, purifiers, &c., in the same manner as in other gas-works.

After a certain period of operation in one d irection the ovens \vill cool down somewhat,and as soon as this occurs the gas-making will cease. At this point the heating of the ovens must be again effected; but this time the heating will take place from the opposite end, or, as at present described, from right to left, because the carbon and heat deposits are now located in the'right-hand regenerator. This heating process is carried on in exactly the same manner as previously described when the operation takes place from left to right, and it is therefore not necessary to repeat it here.

By means of the apparatus herein described I am enabled to perform several different operations with practically no change further than to observe certain conditions of fuel, air, and steam feed. Thus I may manufacture gas from coal, oil, and steam; or, secondly, I may make coke and gas from coal, oil, and steam; or, thirdly, I may make coke and water-gas and oil-gas from crude oil; or,

fourth, oil-gas and water-gas may be made from crude oil and steam without the production of coke. These results may be effected as follows:

First. If an operation is to be carried on for making a mixture of coal-gas, oil-gas, and water-gas only, theoven 4, as shown in the drawings,will contain some hot coal. On the top of this coal fresh green coal will be introduced, and this coal will give off coal-gas. Of course it isunderstood that the air above and below has been shut off to all the ovens. Oven 3 will be already full of incandescent coal, and underneath this coal steam will be introduced. This steam passing through the thick layer of hot carbon will liberate water-gas, as previously described, and crude oil being introduced on the top of this hot carbon the oil will make oil-gas. The three gases@'. 6., the oil-gas and water-gas of oven 3 and the coal-gas of oven 4'thus produced combine and passing over the hot brick checker-Work in the carbureter 6 and regenerator 8 will become a fixed gas. After a considerable period of gas making and heating, as above described, the gas-making will cease and another charge of fresh coal may be introduced into the oven 3 to fill it up to the level of oven 4 at the beginning of the operation. During the previous gas-making period the coal in the oven 3 has been gradually consumed until the top will stand at about the same level as the hot coal in oven 4 stood at before the charge of green coal when the process commenced. The operation in the ovens is reversed and steam may now be introduced under the hot coal of the oven 4, and watergas will be produced in this oven and coalgas will be produced from the oven 3, the latter being suitably charged with green coal, the oil being introduced at this stage into the oven 4, as was previously described for 3. It will thus be seen that any two ovens can be used in such a manner as to alternately make coal-gas, water-gas, and oil-gas and produce no coke, for all the carbon is consumed in the gasmaking and heating process.

Second. With the ovens 3 and 4 in the condition first described-that is, the oven 4having a small quantity of coal and the oven 3 being full of coalcoke may be produced in the oven 4 and a mixture of coal-gas, oil-gas, and water-gas also produced, as follows: During the heating period the valves for the admission of air or steam under the hearth of oven 4 will be closed; but air will be admitted over all the ovens, but only under the coal in oven3, to give a quick and strong heat. This heat will be transmitted through the wall between ovens 3 and 4, thus adding the heat through the sides of the body of coke in addition to that which is applied from above during the operation, and this very materially reduces the time necessary to produce coke. After the body of coal in oven 3 has been heated to the desired point of incandescence and air under and over all ovens cut off to discontinue combustion steam will be introduced under the oven 3 and water-gas will be made in this oven, while the oil will be delivered upon the top of the coal of the same oven to produce oil-gas. The coking of the coal in oven4 throws off the coal-gas, and these three gases become fixed in the carbureter and the regenerator, wherein the surplus carbon and heat will also be deposited. If it is desired to produce any oil-gas in addition to that which may be produced as heretofore described, it may be effected by introducing oil into either of the carbureters, as required. It will thus be seen that any two alternate ovens can be used to make any proportion of the three gases and a good hard coke, because every alternate oven being charged with the highly-heated coal will produce a large amount of heat to be transmitted through and over the walls for the coking of the coal in the adjacent oven.

Third. If the oven 4 has a small amount of solid fuel, preferably coal, oil may be introduced upon the top of this coal through openings 31 at either end of the oven. This oil will liberate oil-gas, and the residue will remain on the top of the layer of solid fuel, and when the coking is to take place this will form the very best hard coke. In this case oven 3 having some hot coal, oil may also be introduced upon the top of this coal; but steam will also be introduced under the hearth, and water-gas and oil-gas will be formed in this oven. These gases from oven 3 mix with the oil-gas arising from oven 4 and are all transmitted to the carbureter 6 and the regenerator 8 to be fixed, as hereinbefore described, thus making water-gas and oil-gas and producing coke in the alternate oven.

Fourth. The process of making water-gas and oil-gas from crude oil without making coke will be carried on as just described for the third method, except that the ovens will change oif alternately for the introduction of air and steam under the hearth for heating purposes and for the making of the water'- gas, so as to consume all the coke for the IIO purpose of making water-gas. For instance, if oven at is gradually filled with coke produced from the successive introduction of crude oil and the coke produced from the crude oil in the oven 3 is gradually consumed in the water and oil gas making then the introduction of air and steam for heating and gas 1 making will be changed from underneath oven 3 to oven t, the process being repeated, as previously stated.

myself not only of the revel-berated heat from the coking-ovens, but in addition thereto I use the heat that is diffused through the walls of the non-coking ovens, in which an intenser heat is generated by reason of the upward draft through the fuel. The coking process is thereby greatly expedited. Since in all these processes some of the ovens are thus actively engaged both in generating gas and producing fresh heat simultaneously, the actual gas-making period of the whole apparatus is prolonged over what it would be were no air admissible at the bottom of the ovens. Consequently it is that an increased gas-malt: ing capacity is claimed for the apparatus in addition to its advantages of gas-supply control previously specified.

It is to be noted that during the heating period air is introduced over the fuel in all the ovens, so that heat can be produced by the consumption of the gases arising from the fuel; but air is only introduced underneath those ovens that are not used for coking purposes. During the gas making period steam is introduced from the top of the regenerator over all the fuel in all the ovens, whereas steam in only introduced underneath those ovens that are not used for coking purposes. Thus. for example, in process three during the heating period air was introduced over all the ovens, but only under oven 3 or ovens 3 and 1, since in oven 4. or ovens t and 2 coke was to be produced. During the gas-making steam was introduced under the hearth of oven 3 or ovens 3 and 1 to produce water-gas and oil-gas, but not under oven & or ovens a and 2, as the case might be, where the entire battery was in operation, for while 1 have described each of these processes in reference to ovens 3 and L only it is obvious that what is true of oven 3 relative to oven et would be true of ovens 1 and 3 relative to ovens 2 and at and the operations between these pairs would alternate just as between single ovens. In fact, it is desired to work the ovens in pairs and alternately to charge one pair above the fuel-level of the others and secure all the advantages of heat diffusion through the walls to heat the intervening coking-ovens.

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

1. A series of ovens with intervening diaphragms capable of transmitting heat from one oven to another, perforated hearths upon which fuel material is placed within the ovens, passages connecting said ovens above the normal fuel-line, valve-controlled passages through which air may be admitted over the ovens, and fines below the hearths and extending lengthwise of the ovens and forming other passages whereby air is admitted to l either of the series from below whereby the In all these processes where coke 15 to be made in some ovens and not in others I avail heat developed in one of the ovens is transmitted to form coke in the other oven in conjunction with the heat which is applied from below.

2. A series of ovens having intermediate heat-transmitting walls, passages connecting said ovens above the fuel line, perforated hearths within said ovens upon which the fuel is supported and supports beneath the hearths and channeled to form passages for the admission of air beneath the hearths, other passages located above the fuel-line and also below the hearths for the admission of steam, carbureters having a checker-work interior, connections between the upper parts of the ovens and said carburetors, rcgenerators also having the checker-work interior, passages connecting with the lower part of the regenerators whereby the gases are transmitted to pass up through the regencrators, a chimney connecting with each regenerator and valve-controlled passage thereto for the escape of gases of combustion, valve-controlled air-passages connecting with the upper parts of the regenerator and valve-controlled gas-delivery passages leading from the regenerator to the point of gas collection.

3. A series of ovens with intermediate heattransmitting walls, passages connecting said ovens above the fuel-line, means for admitting steam, air and oil into the ovens or passages above the fuel-line, supports underlying the hearths and having lines or channels disposed transversely beneath the hearths, and connections with said channels whereby either steam or air or both may be admitted into said channels and distributed upwardly through the fuel.

4. The combination of a plurality of ovens in tandem series, intermediate passages forming communication between the several ovens above the fuel-line, air-inlet ports to said ovens at different points along the series, perforated hearths upon which the fuel is supported, channeled supports for the hearths and having the channels extending transversely beneath said hearths and in open communication with the perforations, air and steam passages with controlling-valves, said passages being connected with the channels beneath the hearths.

5. A plurality of ovens in series having connecting-passages above the fuel-line, perforated hearths upon which the fuel is supported in said ovens, transversely-disposed chansteam either above or below the fuel is con-' trolled.

6. In gas-making apparatus, a plurality of parallel contiguous ovens, flues connecting said ovens above the fuel-line, perforated hearths in said ovens, means for admitting oil above the fuel from opposite ends of said 5 ovens, and means for admitting air or steam or both from opposite ends of the ovens and beneath the fuel.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing wit- 2O nesses.

JOHN G. H. STUT.

l/Vitnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, JESSIE C. BRODIE.

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