US97632A

US97632A - Improved mode of generating illuminating-gas

Info

Publication number: US97632A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1869-12-07
Anticipated expiration: 1886-12-07

Description

APATENT OEEICE.

` i ALEXANDER EAMAE, or PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IMPROVED MODE oF GENERATING lLLuMINATlNe-GAS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent N o. 97,632, dated December 7, 1869. l

To all 'whom it mar/"eoncemf Be it known that I, ALEXANDER HAMAR, of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented anew and `useful Improvement in the Mode of Generating Gas, and devices connected therewith; and I do hereby declare that the following isa clear and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to'makeandl use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, `forming part of the specification.`

Figure 1 represents a set of retorts with steam-pipes. Fig. 2 represents a sectional View. 7

The nature of my invention consists in the introduction of jets of steam into the gas-retorts while generating gas; also, in the means by which it is accomplished, whereby the car- `bonization of the retorts is prevented, and a f larger quantity and better quality of gas are `produced from the same amount of coal, and

less lime is used for purifying the gas.

Iconnect a set of retorts, bpb b, with small pipes a a a, which are provided with stop- .cocks. Each of these pipes is set into the mouth-piece of "a retort, with the bend a' facing toward the rearof the retort, which enables meto force the steam toward the opposite end and through the entire length thereof. The same result may be accomplished by introducing the steam-pipes through the rear of the retorts, as shown in Fig. 2 5 but I prefer to set them in the mouth-pieces.

The operation is as follows: The retorts are charged with coal in the common way, and one hour subsequent tothe charge being introduced l open the stop-cocks d and force the steam into the retorts for two minutes, after which the steam is shutoff again, and the gas is left to generate for another hour, when the introduction of steam through the pipes is renewed. The length of the flow of steam being a little more than at first, the quantity of steam to be introduced depends on the quality of coal, harder quality requiring more. Subsequent to the second introduction of steam the gas is again permitted to generate until a few minutes previous to the time for lifting the lids from the retorts, which is done for the purpose of removing the coke, when steam is again introduced fora minute or two.

rIhe chemical process is as follows: When the coal has no more hydrogen to give ofIn freely its gases, hydrogen is supplied by means of steam, these combining thehydrogen with the carbon, (which latter otherwisewould remain lying on the inner surface of the retort,) and carrying it off through the exhaust-pipes as carbureted hydrogen, and thereby increasing the production of gas.

Another and very material gain in the quantity of gas produced by my means is, that the steam introduced into the retorts previous lto the lifting of the lids drives the gas into the gasometer, whereas by the old process the retorts were always full of gas, which at the time of 'lifting the lids escaped.

The saving by means of my process is twenty per cent. over the ordinary method.

Another advantage is the prevention of accumulation of carbon in the retorts.

In the common way of generating gas the accumulated carbon in the retorts has to be burned out, the process of which takes from eight to ten days, the expense of fuel, and often injury to the retorts themselves.

Claims. y

A. HAMAR.

.Witnesses T. G. GoNNoLLY, TES. G. WooDwAED.