USRE5149E - Improvement in the manufacture of illuminating-gas - Google Patents

Description

A. w. WILKINSON Improvement in ivi 'anutactureof Illuminating-Gas.

Reissud Nov. 19,1872.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. V

ASA wfwlmtmsos, or NEW YORK N. Y., AssIesoR r0 HIMSELF AND PHILIP H. STEVENS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 123,538, dated February 6, 1872; reissue No. 4,821, dated March 19,1812; reissue No. 6,149, dated November 19, 1872.

To all whom it may concern: Be it known that I, Ass W. WILKINSON, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Manufacture of Illuminating-Gas; and I do view of the apparatus which I have used in carrying out this invention.

Thls invention consists in manufacturm g illnmin atin g-gas by mixing hydrogengfi'swhich is free from impurities, particularly such containing oxygen, with hydrocarbons derived from naphtha, gasoline, bituminous coal, or other suitable materials, and tbenpassin g the mixture through one or more retorts heated to the desired degree, whereby a permanent gaseous compound is obtained of superior illuminating power.

In the preparation of hydrogen gas by the mutual action of acids and metals, or of steam or vapor of water in contact with metals or carbon in some form at orabove a red heat, or carbonic oxide and hydrate of lime at the same temperature, or by any other of theknown I processes, the hydrogen gas is contaminated with vapor of water, carbonic oxide, sulphureted hydrogen, or other undesirable products, which should be removed for the accomplishment of the result I seek. Thus, if hydrogen associated with the vapor of water he passed througha carbureter charged with hydrocan bone, and then through heated retorts, the water combines with aportion of the hydrocarbon vapors, producingvarious acids and other compounds, which, when mixed with the illuminating-gas, materially deteriorates its illuminating power. So, likewise, if hydrogen is =mingled' with carbonic oxide and passed through a carbureter charged with hydrocarbons, and then through heated rctorts, a reaction ensues, producing carbonic and other acid gases, which, as in the preceding case,

impairs the photometric value of the illuminating-gases with which it is mingled. In freeing the illuminating-gas of these deteriorating gases and vapors by various purifying processes many of the most highly=valued illuminatin g agents are abstracted; hence I avoid their production by employing pure hyof lime, hydrate of soda or p'otassa, or hydrate of iron at a red heat,toabsorb this impurity. If the hydrogen gas contains the vapor of wa ter I pass it from the receiver H (which, by being kept-cool, will partly condense the WW ter) through one or more purifiers containing chloride of calcium or caustic lime, or other suitable material capable of absorbing the watery vapors. After the hydrogen gas has been purified I pass it, either at the common temperature or heated to from 500 to 1500 Fahrenheit, through a carburetor, 0, containing the hydrocarbon, said carburetor being so constructed that the temperature can be raised to any point that may be required to generate the vapors and gases of the hydrocarbon in sulii cient quantity. By these means, however, in part, a mere mechanical mixture is formed, which cannot be passed through pipes and con sumed like a permanent gas, because, on being passed through pipes exposed to a low temperature, these hydrocarbon vapors condense, and the illuminating power of the mixture is lost or greatly diminished. The mixture of hydrocarbon gases, vapors, and hydrogen gas is finally converted into a permanent gas by passing it through one or more retorts, R, heated to a red heat, and filled with coal,pieces of brick, iron-turnin gs, or other refractory ma terial, whereby the current of the gas is broken, and the same is uniformly heated. On leaving the retort the gaseous mixture has become a permanent gas of superiorilluminatin quality, as will be readily understood from the fol- .lowing formula-as, for example: One of the hydrocarbon vapors is composed of (5H,

and if it bedeccmposed in the presence of hydrogen gas in proper quantities there will be formed olefiant gas (0 11 acetylite (0 th,) and percarbiueof hydrogen (0 11 gaseswhich give great illuminatin g power, and may be subjected to a low degree of heat without condensation, the excess of hydrogen gas preventin g a deposit of carbon or coal-tar in the retort, thus utilizing every particle of the hydro carbon, and supplyin g the best possible diluent.

By regulating the quantity of hydrogen gas I have within my power the facility to make a gas of any illuminating standard that may be required; and, since the illuminating power depends upon a proper mixture of illuminatin g and non-illuminating gases, it will be readily conceded that a gas thus constituted will have great advantages, not only in illuminating power, but in requiring a much smaller quantity of oxygen for itscombustionthana gas derived from the distillation of bituminous coal alone- -a fact too often neglected in the use of gas for the purpose of illuminating in our dwe lings. And, furthermore, it is a wellknown act that coal gas is contaminated with chloride of sodium, sulphur compounds, and

other impurities, which impart to the flame a yellow tint and contaminate the air of the apartments in which it is burned with deleterious and destructive Vapors, whil'e the' flame of my gas is white and brilliant, and, being made of pure hydrocarbon, cannot produce any of these destructive compounds.

In passing illuminatinggas through water and lime purifiers some of the most valuable illuminating compounds are absorbed.

'My gas requires no purification; but at the same time it contains a sufficient amount of odorous materials to be recognized in case of leakage. v

I do not claimas my invention the manufacture of illuminating-gas by passing watergas (which is a mixture of hydrogen, carbonic oxide, and vapor of water, and which is sometimes erroneously termed hydrogen gas) mixed with hydrocarbons through a heated retort; but.

W'hat I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is g The process of manufacturing illuminatinggas by mixing hydrogen gas which is free from impurities, particularly such containing oxygen, with hydrocarbons and then passing the mixture through a red-hot retort-,sub'stantially as described. A. V. WILKINSON.

Witnesses: W. HAUFF, v

CHAS. WAHLERs.

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