USRE11036E - Process of and apparatus for the manufacturx of gas - Google Patents

Description

8 Sheets-Sheet 1.

. B. LOOMIS'. v

PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFAUTURE OF GAS.

Reissued Oct 22, 1889.

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3 Sheets- 811661; 2.

' B. LOOMIS. PROCESS OFAND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE 01? GAS.

Reissued Oct. 22, 1889.

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. B. LOOMIS. PROCESS OF AND APPARATUS FOR. THE MANUFACTURE OF GAS.

No. 11,036. Reissued Oct. 22, 1889.

* I aw UNI'TE D STATES P TENT O FICE.

BU'RDETT LOOMIS, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

PROCESS or AND APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE or GAS.

SPECIFICATION "forming part of Reissued Letters Patent No. 1 1',O36, dated October 22, I889, Original Ho. 404.207, dstur1 Kay 28, 1889. Application for raising filed September 10,- 1889. saw No. 323,562.

foiavll whom it may concern: Be it known that I, BURDETTLOOMIS, acitizen of the United States, residing at Hart (rd, in the county of Hartford and State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Process of and Apparatus for the Manufacture of-Gas; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,

I clear, andexact descriptionof the invention,

such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the manufacture of illuminating and heating gas in cupola generating-furnaces in which a downdraft of air is used in the operation of heating 'up the fuel, the said air-draft in my present inv'ention being drawn into and down through'the fuel by an exhausteninstead of .being forced in by a blower, asset forth in my patents, Nos. 338,990 and.-. 3 38,992', dated May '80, 1886, whcrebyimportant advantages are-gained in the ease and economy of workin; the generator-such as permitting the workmen to open the coalfeeding passages at the top and supply coal, or clean down the sides ,of the fuel-chamber with clinkeringbars, or inspect th condition of the fuel to determine its heat and to properly arrange and distribute it for giving the best-effect, all while;

the exhauster is in operation and drawing air through the fuel without the danger and de;

lay caused by flame and smoke being blown into the operators face, as in the old way of operating. I also gain the important advantage of relieving the generator and body of fuel from the'accnmulatidu of airandgas therein under pressure and, prevent 'the resuiting undue combustion of the fresh bituminous coal at the top of the -body of fuel and the formation of hard crusts before proper coking can take place, s results when blasts of air are forceddownnpon the top of the fuel. While I was able in practice to heat a body of fuel to incandescence by the air-blast forced down upon the surface of the fuel in accordance'with my former-patents,- yetttheair-blast would often cause much annoyance by accumulating under pressure and rolling or circulating around above-the fuel, causing such active combustionthat the fresh coalwas melted and formed into hard cakes or crusts, which became so dense as to prevent the passage of air or gas, so that holes or channels were formed along the side walls and the air and steam escaped through them 5 5,

without proper reaction with the body of fuel, and of course without the proper production of gas. The operation of, gas-making then had to be interrupted and the crusts broken up and the fuel arranged to close the channels along the walls. By-drawing the air draft is inward. when the stoppers of such tubes are removed. By means of the exhaust hot gaseous products drawn off from 1 the generator air is heated in a tubular heater and then flows into the generator, so that-part proved construction I'provide for better keeping'the-ashes out of the superheati'ng and fixing chamber and I'Gmtf'lngillfimffOIIl the cupola, 1' I My cupola generator is made double-that is,

' with twofuel and-decomposing chamber-sand :of the heat is restored, By means of my im- 7 'two superheatingkvand fixing or regenerating chambers in onels hell so connected by pipes and-'valvesvthat each, set composed of a'fuelchamber and a superh'eating and fixing chamber can be, operated separately,or the two-sets can be operated together as one apparatus for manufacturing gas. The cupola is provided with suitable supply-pipes for air and steam,

up or down through the fuel as its varying conditions require-and 1 products of combus' tion or gas can be passed off either at top or bottom.

The matter constituting my invention, herein will be defined in the claims.

The details of construction and operation will be fully described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 represents a vertical section from front to back through the cupola generator and the boiler and air-heatenpartly in elevation and partly in section. iFig. 2 represents a rear view, on an enlarged scale, of the v -9 and with take-oil pipes leading from the top and bottom, so that air or steam can be passed roe eupola and the valve boxes and pipes, partly in section. Fig. 3 represents a'horizontal seetion'through the cupolaabove the grates,

' and a top plan view of other portions of the V removing the'clinke r, &c.

apparatus. Fig. 4 represents a" horizontal section throdgh-the ash-pits, gas-fines, and tuyeres of the'cupola.

The cupola generator A is built of brick, with a lining of fire-brick and ran-; inclosing iron jacket which is tightly riveted in the usual manner. A central vertical fire-brick partition Y, having ineased withinthet briek.

the tightiron plate .3 which is riveted to the outergiroirjaeket, divides the cupola from front to back, as shown in Fig. 3, and the horizontal" brick partition W divides it across from front to rear, forming at the top the two fuel-chambers B B andat bottom the two superheating and fixing .chambers C C. The usual grates b b and ash-pits w w are provided; An opening X and door at are provided for each ash-chamber for giving access to clean out the ashes. Side openingsX X, having doors a: w, are provided above the grates for convenience in kindling the fires, Annular fines P are formed in the walls of the ash-pits, and

.areprovided with ports or tnyeres '1), openinginto the ash-pits, and a short flue 1)" connects each flue P with vt-he verticalflue 0 below' partition-floor W, whereby products of combustion or gas maybe passed from the fuel-chamber into the superheating and fixing chamber, and superheated steam may be" passed from the latter into the fol-men, By

the arrangement of fiue'P' and tuyeres p,- as

shown; the dust and ashes are better depositedin aslrpit w than would-be the case if there were a direct connection from the ashpit to-ch'am'b'er C, and it is quite important to prevent the accumulation of ashes in chamher .0. Fuel-supply openings b" b,- having tight-closing lids aware provided at the tops of chambers B B. p

The steam-superheating and. gas-fixing chambers or .regenerators C0 are for convenience and eiiiciency arranged in the base or lower half of the cupola. The main firebrick partition 0' at one side forms flue C connecting with fine P and chamber B, for

the'passage of superheated steam up into the fuel, or gas down into the fixing-chaniber,-and

an opening to in the bottomof such partition. leads from the flue into chamber '0.

In order to provide'an effective and convenient heating-surface, chambers C C are provided with vertical fire-brick partitions or pheckwalls 6 c, extending alternately from top and bottom nearly the height oftheghamber and at the proper distance apart toform vertical eonnectingpassages or fi'ulesr The partitions resting upon-the bottomover fl-ue Z rise to within a distance of two to five inches from the top of the chamber, and the partition, extending from the top projects to within a similar distance .from the bottom of the chamber, thus providing passage-ways alter- .boiler.

nately at top'and bottom and between the partitions. When laying up the partitions, the oil-vaporizing chambers or rctdrts D D are set in position, extending transversely through chambers C C and the contained partitions and opening into passage-ways Two or more retorts' maybe sctin each chamher, and two, as shown, will usually be suflicient. Their outerprojectiu g ends are closed with tight-fitting lids, and with such ends the oil-supply pipes N,- having valves n, are' connected. Pipes 7r, for supplying water-gas, also connect with the. ends of the retorts through the medium of the gas and oil mixing chamber K, having suitable mechanical mixing apparatus. (N 0t shown.) An Oilsupply pipe N, having valve n,- conneets' with chamber K, and when oil is supplied by such pipe to the-chamber the pipe N need not be used. A gas take-off pipe leads from each fuel-chamber and each superheating and fixing or regenerating chamber, so that gas or products of combustion can 'be passed off in either direction. Pipes .1? F connect the bases of chambers C C with the base of the vertical steam-boiler E, one pipe connecting on each side of the vertical partition. of the The gas take-01f pipes of thefuelchambers are peculiarly arranged and connected, whereby important results are secured, as described below.

- At a distance about one-third the height of each fuel-chamber. below its top, a circular horizontal flue P is provided in the brickwork, and'is connected with the interior ofv the chamber by numerous short ports or tuyeres p, inclined downward, as shown, so that fuel will not lodge in them. Inoperatin with bituminous coal for the manufacture 0 gas in a cupola furnace it has been found quite advantageous to conduct off the gases below the surface of the fuel, and the latter is therefore maintained at a height of from ten to twenty-five'or thirty inches abpve the ports p. By this arrangement thecondensable tarry vapors distilled from fresh charges of bituminous coal are compelled to pass down into the heated fuel below, and are thus converted into fixed gas. Another important advantage arising from this arrangement and method of operating is, that the coal is not hal-zedat the top into a hard crust or arch, since the hot-water gas rising fromthe incandescent fuel below does not pass through the fresh charges, and the latter arethere fore distilled at a more moderate heat, so as to produce good coke. Where the hot-water gas has been passed otf directly through the freshfuel't-he heat was so high as to'melt the coal and cause it to run together-into coherent cakes, which retarded the flow of gas and passage of air and otherwise interfered with the operation of the generator. By my present improvement-s1 overcome these difficulties and secure much better results, Gaseduction pipes G G lead from flues P at the rear of the cupola and connect with the ver-' hydraulic seal-box P" for conducting gas 0&-

direct from either chamber of the cnpola when it is not desired to pass it through the boiler E. 'Pipes 0, having ball-valves 0 at the top, connect with pipes H H below valveboxes U U'for the escape of products of coinbustion when the exhauster is not in opera;

tiop or when it is not desired to pass the products through the boiler; a a a.

Valve-boxes U U are connected in pipes H H above and below cross-pipe g, and are provided with upper seats 9" and lower seats 8 to accommodate the ball-valves h h'and i 1;". Each ball-valve is suitably hungtupona lever-arm attached to a rock-shaft,' which passes through. the casing and is provided externally with an operating-handlalso that the valves can .beraised or lowereduponeither seat, as desired. Simflarvalve-boxes V V, having openings closed by lids v, are bolted to the pipes F F, and'fare' rovided with seats 0 e and with ball-valvesghun'g and operated like those above described.

A pipe K, having valve 1', leads 1mm, each of the pipesG G, and connects by. means of branch pipes k with gas and oilniixing-chambers K, which connect with retorts D D for supplying them with mixed hot-water gas and oil-vapor.

Steam-supplypipe's J J having' valves j connect with the bases or chambers C C. Pipes L supply steam'direct to the fuel-chamber, one branchL'having valve l connecting near.flue ,1?,- and one branch L" having valve-l connecting with the lower part of the chamber above the grate.

Air-supply pipes connect with tlie'wps of the fuel-chambers and with'the super-heating and'flxing or regenerating. chambers through tion of hot gaseous :products c; from the Incl through flue P at the time of heating up the chambers. The tubular heater the medium of chamber T and verticalflueO' The air-supply pipe R, provided withvalves 0', leads 'from the. tubular air-heaterv E and connects with the annular flue m, built in the brick walls at the top of each fuel-chamber B B, and numerous tuyeies m open, from the flue to the'fuel-chamber. A pipe R'Q FiflB; leads from-the ga ler andair-heater E, and may connect by pipes (not'shown) with chamberl 0'. Numerous sinall ports Lipcjpeddownward, open from chamber '1 into vertical fine 0-, so that numerous fine be mingled with and cause complete corgbusown E acts as a cooler for products of combustion after passing through. the boiler. It is provided with the usual smoke-boxes .at the ends and with a vertical pa'n'fltion e extendinggpm its top to near e lobar ends of the to and with an inlet prevent the esca moved, ,fires are kindledon in, the front wall ot'chambers C streams of air-may" and air-heater, in which i the u ppertube-plate, so that air will circulate down around the. tubes on one side of the partition and up on the other side to pipe R, while hot gaseous products pass through the tubes and finally off through pipe M" tothe exhauster Q; by which they are drawn 0d and delivered to the stack ora holder or afurnace for immediate use. The exhaustion ofgaseous products from the generator draws the air through the heater and into the fuelchamber. 'An outlet-pipelil leads from the top of the boilerE into the hydraulic sealbox P", and a branch 181', having ball-valve d, connects with the top of cylinder E \Vhen valve dis open, products of combustion or-gas escape into heater E, but when it is closed gas passes through pipe M into the seal-box.

Sincepthe end of pipe M is sealed by liquid in the box, the resistance is suflicient to prevent the flowof products of combustion in that direction when valve (1 is open, and also to e of 'gas by back-pressure; but when valve' I pipe M through the liquid seal in the usual manner. A steam dome or drum S is con- 'nectd with'thetop of the boiler; "An oil pump-N' -aud elevated tank 0" supply oil to the va'pbrizing-retorts D. ;A flue z, having a stopper z,is arran'ged'at the .base of chamber 0 for giving access to pipe F: for cleaning it when desired.

is, closed gas, passes from.

In order to make. illuminating-gas, an the chambers of the c ipola are preferably operated together, as follows: The Lids being'rethe grates; and at firstallowed to burn byvnatural draft. Coal or coke is gradually fedin till deep beds of fuel are formed and well ignited. Then all' they lids and doors of the cupola are closed, valves 3 f! raised upon The 'exhauster Q is now started and draws gaseousprodncts down through the fuel into chambers C C, and causes air to flowinto the top of the fuel-chambers thronghflue m'and tuyeres m, and into fine (3 through chamber and ducts T t. into the fuel and the resulting producer-gas through ports p' and lines P and.

The air-draft passes down seats e, valves h h dropped upon seats 8, and. valve cl opened,

into flue C; from which'it may be drawn oflE- by the'exhauster and stored'or used directly i .n.;.| healing-tnr r acez" or such producergas as it flows into flue-"0* may be ignited by air from chamber T and complete combustion caused in chambers CC, resulting in highly heating the. contained fire-clay partitions, and the products. then pass out through the boiler v theyare cooled by the air circulating around the tubes; and

finallypass through theficxhauster t9 the stack. (Not' shown.) I

' The a1r-dratts are continued till; beds of fuel of sufficient depth are-heatedto incandescence and chambers C Ware-heated to the proper temperature for super-heating steam and convertin hydrocarbon vaporin'tb for air just below Ifixed gas, after whic inch dr'alts are shhtiei! and the exhauster maybe stopped, valved is -closed, valves 72. h' are suspended between vthe upper'and lower seats, thusprovidi ng open passages" to cross ipe 9, while valves 1" are closed down. Va ve f is closed-down; upon seat -a., and valve f is'opened, providing an open passage from chamber 0' and pipe F tothepoiler and'seal-box. mittedlthroughpipe J into thebase of chamher 0, through which it passesandbecomes highlysuperheated, and then passes,.by way of flue P'- 'aud tuyeres 1 up into the incandescent fuel in chamber B, where it-is decompipes-ed, -fiolming water-gas, which passes by 35 .p'ortsj 16 belowthe surface of the fuel into flue P; and thence by pipes G, g, and G, the second flue P, and ports pinto fuel-chamber B, some distance below the surface of the fuel. In passing down through the fuel in this seeond chamber carbonic acid which may be present in the gas is converted into carbonic oxide, and hydrocarbon vapors given off from the fresh charges of bituminous coal are convertedinto fixed gas. 1 By this method of opcrating bituminous coal in the'form of lump or slack or dust can be successfully fed onto the fuel above :portsp and there distilled,

since the hot-water gas does not pass through and melt it, and the hydrocarbon vapors evolved pass into the hot fuel below and are converted'iuto fixed gas. Good coke is thus produced, which descends into the chambers asthe ash is removed below. 3

By the use of bituminous coal much car.-

jbureted-hydrogeu or marsh gas is produced,

w ichji #:zvaluable addition to the water-gas. flhe. mixture of": water-gas and carbureted hydrogen passesfrom chamber B through ports p' and fluesIY'and-p? into chamberC',

whereit is-carbureted and fixed. As gas passes from chamber B through pipe G, valve c in pipe K is opened and a'regulated portionof the gas is passed by pipe K and branches 7; into the gas and oil mixing chamber K, into which hydrocarbon oil is alsoadmitted and mechanically mixed with the gas,.and the carburetedgas is passed into retorts D, where, under a moderate heat, theoil vapor cn'gas. is thoroughly diffused, imthe water-gas and carried thereby into'flueO where it meets --and;carburets ;the gas passing down from the fuel. --:"Ihe-carbureted gas passes through...

fixing-chamber C, where it is combined and converted into a fixed gas,which passes through the boiler and pipe M to the seal-box, from which it is conducted by pipe M" to cooler E", from which it enters scrubber G". The gas-cooler E" is made tubular, like chamber E, and acts asa heat'er for air which is passed through it. At the time gas is passed through the second fuel-chamber B a limited supply of steam may be'admit-tedby pipe L into the chamber and decomposed. This will be advantageous when the fuel is at avery high heat. The manufacture of gas is continned, as above described, so longas thefuel and the fixing-chambers remain atth'e proper Steam is new addecomposing and converting temperature; but when they become too much-cooled the steam and oilare shut off,-the valves; for the escape of products of combustion me ndjusted, as before described,,and the air-drafts again admitted by starting the exhauster till vthe bodies 0E, fueland chambers G jQ"are again properlyheated. Duriug'the second gas-making-runthe direction of gas and steain through the chambers mitybe'reyersed-that the currents may be IGVOYSSd'QllliDg the run.

By? this method of operating, carbon which may-be deposited in the'fixing-chambers during one run or, period-is taken up by the steam during a subsequent run or period, and thechambers thus kept oleau Both sets of chambers maybe operated-in this way at the same'time,

Should it be desired to make illuminatinggas by the use of aseparate set of chambers, they are first heated. Then valve f is raised against seat e, while valves d and h are closed down, and steam is admitted into'the upper portion of the fuel through pipe L",'is decomposed by passage downward, and the resulting gas is carbureted and fixed in chamber 0 and conducted off through pipe F and the boiler to the seal-box; or valve f maybe closed in chamber C andthe gasbe carb t down and valve i opened'and the gas passed up through pipes F, H,' g', until. 1 In this latternvay'one set of chambers, as B (3, may be used for making illuminating-gas, while the ,pther set, as B C, is being heated up by drafts of air; or both sets'i'nay be simultaneously heated and independently used for a ins s" When the'water-gas for heating purposes is-desired as the fiualproduct of the generator, and the body-of fuel; has been heated to incandescence and the.superheat-ing-cliamber'C properly heated, then valve h is raised from its seat a, so as to open a passage from the -fue'l 1chamber through pipes G, g, and I to the seal' bo x. Valves f and 1'- are closed down upont-heir lower seats'aud steam is admitted by ),into superhefling-chamber where it is superheated and then flows up into the bodyof incandescent ifucl in chamber B,

where it is decomposed. 1. The resulting wa- (er-gas, together with gas distilled from thetbplayers of bituminous coal, escapes by flue P audpi' es G, g, and I to' the seal-box. Both setso'f c ambers may bjefloperatedin this way to roduce-wateisgas torheating pur- 'posc's.

water-gas in sufiicient quantity to give it the, desired odor and increase its heating-power. f Wheu'it is desired to generate producer-gas and utilize it for heating purposes outside of the generator, the air is admitted to the top.

of the body of fuel and by operation of the exhauster is drawn down into it, causing comverted into fixed carbureted-hydrogen gas.-

hustion and the production of carbonic oxide. Oily and tarry vapors distilled from the fresh layers of bituminous coal are also drawn down into the heated fuel below and conhi} prod uc'er gas, composed of carbonic oxide and carburetcd hydrogen, is drawn down into chamber G, where it imparts its heat to the brick-Work, but is not burned, since the airsupply to chamber 1 is closed, and is thence drawn through the tubula-r boiler E, where it is cooled by the circulating water, thence through the tubular air-heater E", where it is, further cooled by-the circulating air, and is finally discharged from the cxha-uster into a holderor into a furnace for immediate use. It is advantageous to cool the gas by passage through a tubular water or air chamber before it reaches the exhauster, in order that the latter may not be injured by undue heat.

By means of the downward air-drafts ashes are blown or, drawn down through the grate into the ash-pit, and the fuel is kcpt' clean and lcft porous, so that it will better decompose steam. An additional advantage of a downdraft drawn by an exhauster through the fuel is tha-tthe generator is thereby made coolest at the top, and consequently can be. easily-supplied with coal, cleaned of clinker, the fuel inspected and arranged to the best ad vantage without delay and annoyance caused by smoke and dame, which usually interfere with the operator and prevent the p'roper management of the fire. The vaporizing-retorts passed through the fixing-chambers afford increased carbureting-surface and provent the tee sudden exposure of the oil-vapor;

to the highi 3 -h sated brick, whereby waste by burning-is prevented. The ball-valves afford g'reai convenience and the apparatus,

Having thus described my-i IlVGIllilOll, what I chiiimand desire to secure by. Letters Patent, 1s-

1. The process of manufacturing gas which consists in heating abody of fuel to incandescence by drafts of air drawn downward into the f ucl and by drawing off the gaseous products by an exhauster, whereby the fuel may be better fed, iuspected,'aud arranged in the generator during the operation of heating up, then shutting oi? the air-draft and decomposing steam in contact with the fuel,

.ihereby producing water-gas.

2. The process of manufacturing gaswhich consists in heating a body of fuel to incandcsccncc by downward drafts of air, and by meansof the rcsultiu g gaseousproducts heatin g a superhcating-chamber and drawingoi! ihc prpducts by an cxhaustcr, whereby thefurnace may be charged and cleaned during the operation of the cxhauster, thcn shutting facility 'in operating off the air-drafts and supcrheating steam by passage through the superheating-chamber and decomposing it by passage through the incandescent fuel, thereby producing wateras. I a 3. The process of producingfixed combustiblegas which consists in forming a bed of incandescent fuel in a generating-chamber, supplying fresh fuel at suitable intervals to the top of said bed of fuchadmitting atmosphcric air to the..gencrating-chamber above the fuel and drawing or'exhaustingit down,- ward into said fuel, drawing or exhausting the oily and tarryflapors and products of combustion down into and through the incandescent fuel, and drawing or exhausting the resulting irxedgaseous products outiof the generating-chamber, at or near its bottom, as described.

4. In. combination with a gas-generating cupola or furnaee,a-n air-supply pipe or opening connecting with the top above the fuel, means for controlling the supply of air through such pipe or opening, and an outlet for gaseous products leading from the bottom, and an exhauster connecting with such outlet-pipe for drawing-off gaseous products from the bottom of the generator, as dcscribed. y

5. In combination with the gas gcnerating furnace, a tubular air-heater and gas-cooler with the top of the generator, an exhaustpipefor gaseous products leading from the having an air-inlet and pipe. connecting it bottom of the generator and connecting with nation with the valved takeoff pipe F, leadheating and fixing chamber below, in combi ing from the superheating-chamber, outletpipe G, leading from the fuel-chamber, valved pipe H, connecting pipe G withpipe E, and escape-pipe 0, having a closing cap or valve leading from pipe ll, forthc purpose described.

7. In a cupola gas-geuerating furnace, the two fuel-chambers and the two superheating and fixing chamber-sin combination. with valved pipes F F, pipes "G G','conuectingpipes H II, having valves h 'i', cross-pipe g, connecting the pipes If H between the valves, and pipe Llcading from pipe g to the-- seal-box, as and for the purpose described.

Iii testimony whereof I'aflix my signature in the presence of two witnesses. V

BURDETT LOOMIS. Witnesses:

J. L. Rumour,

B. .L Cums. I

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