US829876A - Process for effecting chemical action in gases. - Google Patents

Description

No. 829,876. PATENTED AUG. Q8, .1906.

D. R. LOVEJOY. PROCESS FOR EFFEOTING CHEMICAL ACTION IN GASES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 27.1903. RENEWED JULY 5, 1906.

UNITED STATES .DIMMITT R. LOVEJOY, or NIAGAR ATMOSPHERIC PRODUCTS COMPANY, OF YORK, A CORPORATION'OF NEW YORK.

TENT anion,

A FALLS, NEW YORK, ass'rcnoa TO NIAGARA FALLS, new

PROCESS FOR EFFEGTENG cesarean. ACTBON m eases.

Specification of Letters Patent.

I Patented Aug. 28, 1906.

Application filed January 27, 1903. Renewed July 5. 1905. Serial No. 324,830.

and State of New York, have inventedv cer' tam new and useful Improvements in Processes for Efleeting Chemical Action in Gases, of which the following is a full, clear. and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in processes for effecting the union or chemical action of gases by the agency of electric arcs formedwithin or in connection with a charm ber in which are contained the mixed gases to be chemicall cbmbined.

In United btates Patent No. 709,867, granted to C. S. Bradley and D. R. Lovejoy September 30, 1902, and my application Serial No. 109,443, filed May 29, 1902, apparatus for this pur ose is described, in whlch cases a series 0 electrodes is moved past another series of electrodes oppositely charged to a high tension, so as to successively form, 'elongate, and break arcs between such electrodes within a chamber in which the mixed gases to be united are confined.

I have discovered that the desired eifect maybe more successfully roduced by sub jecting the gases individual y to the act on of electrodes charged to a high degree ofelec trical potential in such a manner that the respective molecules of the two gases shall be given an electrostatic charge of high potential, the molecules of ne gas being given a positive charge and t e molecules of the other gas a negative charge previous to subjecting the gases, after mixing the same, to the action of electric arcs.

In the accompanying drawing I have shown diagrammatically the apparatus for carrying this invention into effect, in which the chamber 1 is provided with two distinct sets of inlet-ducts, which are preferably of insulating material, and included in the path in each gas is an electrifying-chamber 53 and" -54, thege containing electrodes 55 and 56,

which are adapted to electrostatically charge the molecules of the gases in contact therewith and which are connected to the source of high unidirectional potential 57. The two gases after being electrified are mixed in the chamber 1 in the presence of the arcs or just previously to coming into the presence of said arcs. The chamber 1, above referred to and in which the electrical arcs are formed, may be essentially the same as that set forth electrodes 2, mounted around the inner peripheryof said chamber; a shaft 3, mounted to rotate within the said chamber, and movthe said shaft and connected electrically thereto; afiexhaust-fan y or other means causing flow of gases through the chamber; a

either unidirectional or alternating; a series of inductances or choke-coils 9, each having one terminal connected-individually to one of the fixed electrodes 2 and having their remaining terminals grouped together and connected to one pole of the generator 8,'the cireuit being completed by connecting the shaft 3 to the remaining pole of the generator.

it may be stated that equal volumes of nitrogen and oxygen gases may be conducted into to ass in contact with the char ed electro es 56, respectively,,by whic the res ective gases are separatelyelectrostatically c arged to a difference of potential of about fifty thousand volts. The limits of voltage maintained between the arc-terminals 2 and 4 may in this case be about ten thousand volts, for instance, with a current of .01 of an ampere. It has been found that with the above conditions chemical combination is efiected and satisfactory yields areobtained. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to any definite or fixed potential difference between the molecules of the respective gases or that the current values Having thus described my. invention, what I claim as new therein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

. in thepatent granted to C, S. Bradley and D. R.

Love oy, No. 709,867,1nwhich the apparatus consists of a cylindrical chamber 1, fixed The character of gases it is desired to'combine, &c.

able electrodes 4, mounted mechanically upon connected to the outiet duct or ducts for source 8 of high-tension electrical currents,

As an illustrative example of the invention,

the chamber 1, these gases being first caused given with respect to the arc-terminals are in rod 1. The process of effecting the combination of gases Which consists in separately charging the molecules of said gases electrostatically and leading charged gases into a common chamber and SEC '2. The process of effecting chemical com- 1 bination of gases Which consists in separately charging the gases electrostatically to oppo 1 said separately- 4. The process of effecting chemical com bination of gases Which consists in SGIEeiilllCl'f charging the gases electrostatically to opposite potentials, mixing said oppositelyi charged gases, subjecting the mixture to the sub ecting them to the action of the electric site potentials, mixing said oppositely-1 charged gases, and subjecting the mixture to mg said opposrtely-charged gases, and subthe action of attenuated electric arcs.

3. The process of effecting chemical comblnatlon of gases which c0ns1sts'1n sepa rately charging the gases electrostatically to w opposite potentials, mixing said opriositelycharged gases, subjecting the mixture to the action of the electric current in the form of an arc of minimum volume, and maintaining such are at a minimum volume sufiicient to l prevent ts breaking.

actionof an electric arc, and successively and repeatedly elongating, interrupting and reestablish'ing-said arc.

5. The process of effecting chemical combination of nitrogen and oxygen gases, which consists in separately charging said gases electrostatically to opposite potentials, mixjecting the mixture to the action of electric arcs.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention l have signed my name in presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

D. R. LOVEJOY.

Witnesses CLAUDE K. Mums, VVM. GIRLING.

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