USRE6878E - Improvement in processes and apparatus for manufacturing illuminating-gas - Google Patents

Description

E. H. COVEL.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS Fon MANUFACTURINGILLUMINATING GAS.

Ressued Jan. 25, 1.876.

a on

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE EDWARD H. covEn, 0E NEW Yoan, N. Y.

I IMPROVEMENT IN PROCESSES ANDAPPRATUS FOR MANUFACTURING ILLUMINAlfING-GAS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 169,423, dated November 2, y1875; reissue No. 6,878, dated i J auuary 25, 1876; application iiled January "l0, 1876.

To all whom -it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD H. COVEL, of the city of New York, in the county oil New rYork and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Process and Apparatus for the lvlanufacture of Illuminating-Gas; and l do hereby declare that thel follow-'ingl is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, lthat will enable others skilled in the art to which it appert-ains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters ot' reference marked thereon, which" form a part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 is a sectional elevation of the improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is an end elevation of the rotating carbonizing-ehamber. Fig. 3 is a central transverse sectional elevation of' the rotating chamber.

The invention consists in an apparatus in which the light and heavy linid hydrocarbons are used simultaneously, rotating at intervals the chamber in which they are contained, thereby causing a uniform carbonization, or nearly so, of' the gas or air passing' themachine, and utilizing all ofthe hydrocarbon.

The gas or air, after leaving the rotary chamber, passes through another chamber, which may be used as a mixer or carbonizer, or both, at pleasure.

The degree of carbonization may be regulated, at the will of the operator, by means of an adjustable valve, which, in its'diiferent positions, will cause the whole or only a part of the gas or air passing through the machine to pass through the rotary carbonizing-chamber.

The invention also consists in passing the mechanical mixture ot air or gas, and the vapor ot a iuid hydrocarbon ot a determined ,and definite photometric value, into a fixingretort, where it is made permanent illuminating-gas. Y The invention will be. readily understood by reference to the accompanying drawings and the detailed description set forth in this speciiication.

The rotary chamber A is4 a cylindrical vessel, constructed of sheet metal, except, probably, its ends, which may -be made cast-iron.

0n each of its ends, and concentric with the cylinder, is a hollow trunnion, Al, which rests on the timbering or other fixed supports A2. One or more levers, B, are secured to either or both ends of the cylinder, for the purpose of turning it over a haltlrevolution on its truunions. v

The vessel A is built ot' two half-cylinders, as shown in Fig. 3, each half-cylinder having an externally-projecting flange, a, by means of which the two semi-cylinders are bolted together, so as to form a firm air or gas tight joint. Screwbolts should be used for this purpose, as it may be necessary to take the vessel apart at intervals, for the purpose of cleaning or repairs.

Between the two iianges a, as above described, there may be introduced the edges ot' the diaphragm A3, which divides the chamber A into two equal, or nearly equal, compartments.

The bolts which hold the two flanges a together will also pass through the diaphragm and hold it in position.

rlhe diaphragm A3 is divided into two parts in the center otl the vessel, so as to form a small cylinder concentric with the vessel A, and through the center of the cylinder thus formed therregulating gas or air pipe c will be placed, so as to leave an annular opening between the pipe and the cylindrical part of the diaphragm, as shown in Figs. l and 3. The ends of the gas-pipe U are joined with the ends or heads ot' the cylinder A, and open ports c in the sides ot' the said pipe, just inside of the front heada, permit the incoming gas to pass into the chamber A as required, and the gas so passed into the carbureting-chamber returns to the -pipe C again through the open ports o', which are located at the other end of the chamber A, just inside ot' the head a?. The diaphragm A3 is to be finely perforated throughout its entire extent within the chamber A, both in its fiat and in its cylindrical part.

The induction gas-pipe D is connected with the hollow trunnion on the front end of the cylinder A by means of the stuffingfbox '113,'.

and the connecting gaspipe l)l is attachedto the other end of the rotary carbonizer by the stalling-box a4.

By this arrangement the gas to be carbonized may be conducted into and out of the rotary carhonizer without' leakage, and the chamber A be at the same time left free Vto turn on iis axis. W'Vhether the chamber A is allowed tomake a complete rotation around its axis, or only a semi-rotation or rocking motion,A it is entirely immaterial, and will depend upon vthe arrangement of the lever B,

which may permit a whole-rotationI or not.

At the front end of the machine is a valve, C1, which is arranged to close the'front end of the pipe C, on which the said valve is seated, as shown in Fig. '1.

rlhis valve may be opened or closed, or adjusted to suit, by means of the Valve-rod C2 and the operating-wheel G3, which. wheel is in an accessible position outside of the apparatus.

The rod C2 passes through the stuffing-box d on the induction-pipe D, and inside ot the said pipe it is threaded, so as to engage the nut C4, .which is xed inside ot' the said pipe,

or the hollow trunnion on that end ot' the apparatus.

Just inside of the two heads ofthe chamber A are placed two diaphragms, a?, which close down tightly to the pipe C, and also to the cylindrical sides of A, except in, the small port spaces c6. (Shown in Figs. 1 and 3.) The spaces a7, between the diaphragms a5 and the ends ott-lie chamber` A, are sufficiently large to accommodate the ow of gas through the apparatus, and' are in open communication with the ports c c of' the pipe C.

NVithin cach of the compartments of A is 'placed a frame-work, E,as shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and between the ribs oi' this frame-work are stretched wires, cords, or other suitable appliances, as' represented by E in Fig. 8. These obst-ructions are made ot' either wood or iron, and are important to divide the currents ot'air or gas into small portions, so as to el'ectually secure the perfect carbonization of the'gas, and every part of it, as it passes through the machine, vwhich will more fully appear in the description of the process. The 1connecting-pipe D! connects the cylinder A nvth a secondary chamber, F, which is divided into three compartments, Flv F2 F3, by the perforated diaphragms f f1. The pipe D1 leads into Fl, the lowest of these com partments, a short` distance below the lower daphragmf, and a sufhcient distance above the bot-tomy f F to form a basin for the drippings, which fmay be drawnl ott through the wastecockf2lf^ The middle compartment F2 is partially filled witlh branches of trees, shavin gs, or some other suitable material, for stripping 0E from thegas vany globulesr of fluid or other impurities that "may havebeen carried mechanically with it'frotn A, and this material will also act as a stationary mixer to give uniformity to the gas produced. The upper compartment F3 is usedl'as' a reservoir to hold a hydrocarbon iu'd todd tothe carbonization in case vthe carbonizationin 'vessel A should at` times' prove insufficient.

It must be borne in mind that the gas is frequently delivered to the carbonizer. Ain large quantities-in a given space ot'- time,` and must Areceive its proper amountof carbon, or remain uncarbonized.'

It is to meet this necessity that employ an additional means by the use otreservoir F3, that all the gas in eithersnlall orla-rge quantities may be carboni'zed `on its way to the heated retort.

The -ednction-pipe D zleadsjout from the upper part of chamber F2, and conveys the carbonized gas or air to the holder direct, or

iirst through a heated retort, andjthence through an ordinary gas-puritien-provided with the proper purifying materials, and thence through a condenser to the distributi'ngholder, so as to render the gas permanent; or the heated retort-may be omitted, and also the holder, and the gas or vair be passed directly to the burners, as may be found most desirable.

The man-hole'plugs a8 and f3 are used to till the chambers A and F with some duid hydrocarbon.

In the apparatus Vconstructed as above' described, the process is as follows: A suicieut.

quantity of fluid hydrocarbon (the quantity varying, of' course, with the size of `the apparatus, -bnt usuallysereral barrelslwill he pnt vin the chamber A througlnts man-hole'a, and

the fluid so introduced will pass through the perforations'of the diaphragm in the'directionl of the arrows k, and willffall' intov the lower half of cylinder Ain ahne mism-spray, or shower, this operation being continued until allot' the huid shall fhave passed below the diaphragm, and then the cylinder will be given a halt-revolution by means of the Teile" B, when the huid will again pass throdgh the diaphragm, as before,and so on. Thissprayl or shower yields a 'very large amount ot' carbon vapor, evolved with great rapidity, and mingles with the passing gas, and every part ot it with remarkable facility and in great abundance, holding the vapor and the fluill at about the same specific gravity throughout the entire operation, and fusing up the full amount of lnid l iydrocarbon placed in the carbureter. This operation of turningthe cylinder will be repeated throughout the proces's untilfthe fluid shall have'been exhausted.

1f fear-'e b e taken Aby'not allowing any im' purities topass into the carburetor `withY the fluid'cah'on in the act of charging the carbureter, there will be no occasion 'to clean the carbureter, as itwill remain in action along time withoutany attention in` that respect.

By. the alternate filling of both the upper and lower compartments :of A, as aboredescribed, all of the obstructionsEtwill;at intervals, become submergediu the ftluid, and. be thereby saturated with the? heavier parts of the hydrocarbon, and by the alternate fillingof each of the compartments, as described, all ot' the light and heavy parts of the hydrocarbon will be subject vto simultaneous combination with the gas passing through the machine, and there will, therefore, berno waste or residuum, but the gas will receive the amount. of carbon vapor intended for it at about the same specific gravity at all times.

The hydrocarbon being placed in A and agitated, as above described, the air, hydrogen,

or other gas to be carbureted will be turned on through the pipe D inthe direction of the arrows g.

The gas willjpass through the ports c, thence vthrough the passages a7 and the openings as at sides of diaphragm a5, and thence through both of the chambers of A, until the lower opening a s-hall have become sealed by the fluid rising to the edge of the diaphragm a5, after which it will only pass through the upper compartments until the machine shall have been again turned over. After passingthrou gh the compartments of A the gascurrents qwill pass through the openings a, passages ai, and open ports c at the back end of the machine, and so on into the pipe Dl, and thence to the chamber F1 of the secondary apparatus.`

The gas will pass from the compartment Fl in the direction of the currents g, up through the perforations ot' diaphragmj', and through the obstructions of the chamber F2, and out of said chamber through pipe D2, which will conduct it to the xing-retor'ts, holders, or burners, as may be found most desirable, and by the usual pipes, coiiductors, andvconnections employed in lighting buildings.

In passing through the chambers of A the air or gas will take up from the shower through which it passes, and from contact with the saturated obstruction or channels ot' E', (the gus or air having been divided, in its passage, into very small portions by the action ot' the partitionchannels or obstructions,) a very` large amount ot' hydrocarbon vapor, thereby charging the entire body of gas or air with the atoms ot' the hydrocarbon, and allowing no part .ofthe gas or air to escape without becoming carhonized to a high degree. i p

lhe gas having now becomel highly charged with the vapor ot' liy1.l1'ocar'bon-and it may happen too largely for practical use without making a'smoky lightit is very important to control or regulate the amount of vapor to be delivered to the air or gas that the nal mixture shall be of about the candlepower desired.

In order to properly and eff'ectually regulate the carbonization of the gas or air I introduce the gasregulating pipe C, which will, on thc opening ot'the valve U1, admittheuncarbureted air or gas in a current, (represented byy thc arrows g.) The gas or air will Aenter the pipe C, and naturally pass through said pipe with greater ease and rapiditythan around through the chamber A under a given prt:v

This uncarbureted current g will minngle with the carbureted currept g in the pipe D1 and chamber F1, where the diti'erent gases and vapor will blend together and pass on together into the chamber F2, which will act as a mixer, and the gases and-vapor so combined may easily be rendered of a uniform quality at the pleasure ot' the operator, and of any photometric standard required, by simply adjusting the valve C1 as may be desired from time to time.

rA test-burner or photometer may be used for showing thecandle-power of the mixture before it enters the heated retort.

The mixture, in passing through the obstrucltions in the chamber F2, will be stripped of any globules oi'tluid or mechanical impurities that it,A may have become charged with in passing through A, and these fluid strippings will fall into the bottom of the airechamber Fl, whence they 'maybe drawn ot't' through the cock f2.

ln case'the carbonization in the chamber A shall not at any time be sucient, the auxiliary chamber F3 is provided which, when used, 4will be lilled with a iiuid hydrocarbon, which `vvvillpass through its perforated bottom f1 in the direction ot' the arrows k', and fall in a shower upon the obstructions in F2, andthe gas passing through the said chamber will thereby be carbonized to a very high degree.

In lieu ot the mixing and carburetiug chamber F2, what is known in the art as a gas-A mixer may be used, as the principal object of this chamber is to thoroughly mix the air or gas with the vapor ot' a Ahydrocarbon fluid,v

and render the mixture geneous character. p

The mixer' spokeuof. is of the character of produced of a homoa revolving exhauster. A McKenzie blower i or exhauster will answer the purpose.- Neither the mixing and carbnreting chamber F, nor any other mixer, need be used under certain circumstances, for there are cases where the .rotary carbonizer A will be all that will be required,fand the regulating-valve C1 may be so adjusted as to produce a sufficiently homogeneous gas for lall necessary purposes in certain uses. Neither will yit be necessary always to se'nd the gas carbonized in this machine to a fixing-retort, as the carbureted gas passing this machine in certain localities maybe used as a mechanical mixture. 1t may be found, also, that in certain localities it will be necessary to heat, to a moderate degree, the carbonizer, or the air or the gas sent into it; and when such is required the carbonizer may be heated by means of a steam-jacket placed around the apparatus, or steam-pipes may pass through it, the object being simply to overcome the cold produced by the rapid evaporation of the fluid hydrocarbon, which cold has a tendency to retard the carbonization of the gas.

The gas-or air may be heated by any of the ordinary means employed for such pur pose.

apparatus pl' ced l nent illuminating-gas The heated retorts referred to may be arranged in a satisfactory manner, so as to effectually {ix'the mixture of gas and vapor, and render it strictly permanent, by partially filling the retort with brick, so arranged on the inside of the retort as to allow the gas to pass around and between the heated bricks,

'and thus secure the object sought.

`A chambered retort may be used for this purpose, or pipes, channels, or other similar in the retort may be employed. 7

`l'clavi what I claimas my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In the manufacture of illuminating-gas, the process of Aproducing a mechanical mixture of water-gas and the vapor of a duid hydro-- carbon, which consists in passingtstiiwater-f gas, in regulated quantities, through a constant shower of liquid hydrocarbon, maintained at about the same specific gravity, and then diluting it, or not, with regulated quantities of uucarbureted gas or air, and then thoroughly mix-ingthe vsame and determining the photometric valuev df the mixture, substantially as described. i Y

2. The process of manufacturing a permafrom non-illuminating gases and theyapor of a fluid hydrocarbon, which consists in passing the nolrilluniinating gases. in a regulated Bow, through a shower of iiuid hydrocarbon, and then subjecting this V mixture, nnder'regulated pressure, to a fixingheat, as set forth.4

3. The method of preventingstratification in illuminating-gas, which consists in forming a mechanical mixture of non-illuminating gas o'r gases and the vapor of a duid hydrocarbon,

which mixture shallv have a n niform specific gravity-anda definite photometric value, by

tirstrpassing 'a regulated .dow .of the nou-illuminating gas or gases throughf'a yconstant shower of liquid hydrocarbon, oi,'if desired, into a mixture of gases andraporslso formed,

uniformly mixing'the gases orvapors, and

, e bon fluid vhas passed from the upper to ngdesobed m'yprocessand apparatus,

maintaining that uniformity, and, finally, subjecting the mixture to a fixing-heat, whereby a permanent gas of a uniform gravity and yluminosity is made, substantially as set forth. 4. A reversible carbnreter,'wl1ieh maintains a constant-How and shower of the carbureting material, as and for the purpose described.

5. The reversible carbureter A,`eonstrncted `with a diaphragm, A3, passing through its di-b ameter, and hung in hollowtrunnions A1, so that it may be reversed when the 'hydrocarthe lower section, bringing the fluid in position to again pass through the diaphragm, substantially as set forth. y 6. The regulating gas-pipe G, arranged concentrically with the carbureter tially as and for the purpose set forth.

7. The combination of the valve Cl with the dilutingair or gas pipe G, arranged substantially as described, and for thepurpose set forth.

v 8. In a reversible carbureter, the combina.- tion of a perforated diaphragm, a dilutingpipe, and regulating-valve, as`and for the pur pose described. v v

9. Areversible carbureten'proviiied with a perforated diaphragm, a dilutingpipe, and regulatingvalve, in combination with a mixer, asand for the purpose described. y

l0. The carbonzation and arrangement of the carbnreter A and the dripping and mixing .chambers F1 F2, substantially as and for the purpose set forth. l

' 11. The auxiliarycarbonizing and mixing apparatus, consisting of the chambers F? F3,

in :combination with `the rotary carbonizer A,

substantially as set forth'.

In testimony that 1 claim the foregoing I have hereunto set my hand this 20th day of lJanuary, 1876.

vnorman n. cover..V Witnesses: f 'A' f ABRAHAM Moons., S. M. Poor..

A, substan-

Images