US1736586A - Gas-generating apparatus - Google Patents

Description

E. L. FISCHER GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Nov. 19, 1929.

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Edward L.

Patented Nov. 19, 1929 UNITED sra'rss EDWARD Ii. FISCHER, OF DAVENPORT, IOWA GAsGiENERA'rINe APPARATUS Application filed 4February 21926. Serial No. 85,562.

This invention relates to an improved process and apparatus for use in the manufacture of gas in which process coke, coal or other carbonaceous matter are employed.

An important object of the invention is to utilize a considerable quantity of heat usually wasted in the manufacture of gas.

A further object of thel invention is to employ the blast gases escaping from the generator for heating an auxiliary apparatus so as to materially increase the elieiency of the process as a Whole.

A still further vobject of the invention is the pro-vision of apparatus Which will utilize the gases passing from the generator to the best possible advantage so as to reduce the loss of heat. p

A still further object of the invention is the provision of apparatus which will utilize the heat discharged from the generator to the utmost advantage Without affecting the efficiency and operation kof the generator structure.

Other objects and advantages oi the invention will become apparent as the description progresses.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which lilie numerals are employed to denote lil-:e parts throughout the same:

Figure lis a vertical sectional View through an apparatus constructed in accordance with my invention,

Figure 2 is' a transverse sectional vieu7 taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1and Figure 3 is a top plan vieW of the apparatus.

As Will be Well understood by those familiar Withthis art, it is customary, Linder the present practice, in the manufacture of coal gasI and Water gas for illuminating, heating or power purposes to exhaust to the atmosphere gases of relatively high temperatures, often attaining a temperature of 1300o to 1400O F. Thus, it is readily apparent, that considerable energy inthe form of heat is Wasted, and my present invention contemplates utilizing the heat of these gases by conducting the Water from the generator chamber' to an auxiliary chamber ot'suitable construction in Which are arranged aplu-raL ity of coal gas retorts adapted to contain coal or other carbonaceous matter. The heated gases are distributed about the coal contaii'iing retorts in such manner as to obtain the greatest transfer of heat from' the gases to the retorts. As has been: Well established in the art, very rich gases can be Adistilled from coal at a temperature ranging from 800O to 1200o F., andy it is proposed to employ gases from the Water gas generator to heat the'coal in the retorts, c'oking the same and producing rich Coal The gas thus produced by the auxiliary apparatus may be utilized for an entirely distinct purpose from the gases generated in the Water gas generator or, these gases may be conducted tothe same receiver after proper treatment' and mixed with leaner gases from the generator. p

Referring. now to the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred form of apparatus, the'numeral 10 generally designates the Water gas generator provided at its top with charging opening 11 normally closed by a removable door 12". This opening is arranged? to permit convenient charging of the generator With coke which is deposited upon transversely extending' grate bars 13 which are disposedv above the bottom of the Water gas generator',r for a purpose which Will. presently be made apparent.

Extending from the upper'en'd: of the Water gas generatorlO at one side thereof is a con= duit 14 embodying upper and loWer' horizontally extendingllegs 14a and' 14" and a vertical connecting portion which constitutes' a secondary or auxiliary combustion chamber.

The upper leg' of the conduit 1'4 connects with the lower portion of a retort chamber l5, in the present instance disposed above-the water gas generator' "10. This retort chamber is provided with a pair of battles 16, which extend horizontally inwardly from opposite sides of the retort chamber.

It will be observed by reference to Figure 1 of the drawings that the battles 16 terminate short of the wall of the ret-ort chamber opposite the wall from which they extend, so that there is a tortuous passage of the heated gases from the generating chamber upwardly through the retort chamber and about the coal gas retorts therein, the said retorts being indicated in the drawings by the numeral 17 and being preferably arranged in the manner f shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 8 of the drawings and, as illustrated in Fig. 1, eX- tending upwardly through the baffles 16 and having their upper ends extending through and slightly above the top of the retort chamber, their lower ends extending through and slightly below the bottom of the retort chamber as shown in the said ligure.

The tops of the coal gas retorts 17 are closed by hinged covers 18 which may be opened to Vpermit convenient filling of the said coal gas retorts, the lower ends of the retorts being provided with suitable closures 17 which may be opened to permit of discharge of the coke which remains after the 'volatile content of the coal has been removed.

With particular reference to Figure 1, it will be noted that the lower end of the water gas generator 10 and the conduit 14 are provided with openings to accommodate the ends of air conducting pipes 19 and 20, the pipe 20 comprising a branch extension from the main conducting pipe 19. These pipes have interposed therein suitable control valves 22 and 23 respectively by which the air blast admitted to the chamber and the lower leg of the conduit may be controlled.

rlphe opposite side wall of the water gas generator is also provided with openings located near the upper and lower ends thereof to accommodate the ends of outlet gas conv ducting pipes 24 and 25 provided with control valves 26 and 27 respectively, the pipe 25 being connected to the pipe 24 and the latter pipe conducting the gases to a receiver, not

" shown, preparatory to passing the said gases through suitable scrubbing and purifying equipment.

As the type of generator forming a part of the present apparat-us is of the character employed for generating what is commonly known as water gas, suitable openings 28 and 29 are formed in one wall of the water gas generator, to accommodate the discharge ends of steam conducting pipes, not shown, so as to permit the passage of steam into the water gas generator. This steampermeates the mass of coke in the water gas generator and, as a result of the usual reactions, water gas is formed.

The structure embodying the water gas generator and coal gas retorts and conduits communicating therewith is preferably built of refractory material such as fire brick and covered by suitable heat insulating material. The entire structure is then enclosed by a tight iron jacket or shell, thus lproviding a durable gas-tight construction.

After the gases from the water gas generator have been passed through the conduit 14 and the retort chamber 15 they are conducted to an outlet chimney, not shown, through an outlet pipe 30 provided with a suitable closure adapted to be opened during the air blast and closed during the steaming period. lith particular reference to Figure 3 of the drawings, it will be noted that a suitable piping system communicates with the upper projecting ends of the retorts 17, this piping system embodying a pair of main gas conducting pipes 31 having extensions 32 communicating with the retorts. Each of these connecting extensions 32 is provided with a control valve 33, by means of which any retort may be shut olf from the pipes 31 so that the closure 17 may be opened for removing the coke and, after closing of this closure, the closure 18 may be opened for the purpose of replenishing the retort with coal without disturbing the operation of the other retorts.

While I have shown the particular form of generator construction especially adaptable for the formation of water gas, the invention is not restricted to this particular use, and it is intended to apply my improved process and apparatus in association with various types of gas generators and similar structures.

The operation of the apparatus is as follows:

A suitable amount of coke or other carbonaceous matter is delivered into the water gas generator 1() through the opening 11, and deposited upon the grate bars 13. The valves 26 and 27 mounted in the outlet gas conductingl pipes 24 and 25 are closed and the carbonaceous fuel properly ignited. Air is forced into the coke by opening the valve 22 of the air conducting pipe 19, causing a blast of air to be forced through the coke to heat the same to incandescence. At this point it will be understood that opening of the valve 22 will effect an upward blast of air through the coke and that opening of the valve 23 will establish an upward draft through the conduit 14, effecting complete combustion of the gases. lt will be evident that the vertical portion of the conduit therefore constitutes an auxiliary combustion chamber. lVhen the necessary heat has been obtained, the air blast valves 22 and 23 are closed and the valve for controlling the supply of steam through either opening- 28 or 29 is opened so that steam is admitted into the water gas generator to pase upwardly or downwardly through the coke in the water gas generator depending upon which valve is opened and the usual reaction takes place to form water gas, which is conducted to the receiver heretofore referred to by opening the valve 26 if steam is admitted through the opening 28, or the valve 27 if steam is admitted through the opening 29 and discharging the gas through the pipe 24 or 25 as the case may be. This operation of alternately blasting the water gas generator with an air blast and then admitting steam is repeated at regular intervals.

The highly heated gases generated in the water gas generator pass upwardly into the retort chamber where the heat from the gases will heat the retorts 17 suliicienty to eli'ect the generation of coal gas in the retorts. The gas generated in the retorts 17 may be conducted through the pipes 31 to a vsuitable receptacle for separate utilization or, may be conducted to the same relief holder in which the water gas is collected. The gases will, in the latter instance, be passed through separate scrubbing equipment so that the tar, ammonia, light oils, etc., from the coal gas can be recovered. The gases can then be passed through suitable purifiers into storage containers from which the gases may be piped to the main distributing system.

The colte formed in the retorts 17 may be delivered, by any suitable means to the charging opening 11 formed in t-he water gas generator l0 and deposited in the chamber to replenish the colte supply therein and as the colic delivered to the water gas generator would be of a relatively high temperature it would soon reach incandescence and permit ol' rapid generation of the water gas.

It is readily apparent, from the foregoing description specifically describing the operation of the apparatus presented in this application, that a novel process for utilizing the air blast gases of gas generating apparatus has been disclosed. This process generally consi of conducting the blast gases through a suitable conduit, in which the gases are' completely burned by a secondary blast of air, so that the conduit substantially forms absecondary combustion chamber. The gases are then passed through the conduit into a secondary chamber in which are mounted a pluraltiy of coal containing retorts. This secondary chamber is formed to baille the gases as they pass therethrough in order to efficiently heat the ret-Orts mounted therein. As these gases are of a relatively high temperature, the retorts and coal contained therein will be heated and the coal converted into coke, and coal gas generated in the retorts. This coal gas is then conducted, either to a separate receptacle or to the same receptacle in which the gas formed in the water gas generator is. collected,I and the gases properly treatedl for utilization.

. The thermal efficiency of the apparatus may be further increased by passing theblast gases from the outlet of the retort chamber 15. through. an economizer ,through which water under pressure will be conducted.

The-gases issuing from the outlet 30 would be tor to the auxiliary combustion chamber are i of unusually high temperature, the water could be discharged into the conduit or secondary combustion chamber where the steam would be highly superheated and conducted by suitable means into the water gas generator, thus utilizing to the greatest advantage the heat carried from the generator during the blast.

The colte in the retorts may be used to replenish the supply of coke in the water gas generator, and as this coke will be delivered in a heated condition, the retorts may be brought to the required temperature very rapidly. Thus the blast gases which are ordinarily released to the atmosphere are utilized to great advantage and the efficiency of the gas generating operation greatly increased.

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herewith shown and described is to taken as the preferred example of the same and is susceptible of modification for application upon various types of generating apparatus.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

A gas generating apparatus having in combinat-ion, a water gas generator, a retort chamber arranged above the same, a plurality of retorts arranged in parallel series within the retort chamber with their upper and lower ends extending respectively through and above the top and bottom of the retort chamber, displaceable means normally closing the upper ends of the retorts, displaceable means normally closing the bottoms of the retorts, a gas conducting pipe having branches communicating with the retorts at their projecting upper ends, a valve in each branch, an outlet from the retort chamber, a conduit having horizontal legs establishing communication between the upper portion of the water gas generator and the lower portion of the retort chamber and having a section constiics tuting a combustion chamber, means for delivering a blast of air into the water gas generator at the lower portion thereof below the .mass of carbonaeeous material in process of combustion therein, means for delivering a blast of air into the conduit at the lower leg of the said section constituting the auxiliary Combustion chamber, means for delivering steam into the water gas generator at the lower portion thereof, means for delivering steam into the water gas generator at the upper portion thereof, and water gas outlets leading from the water gas generator at the upper and lower portions thereof.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

EDWARD L. FISCHER.

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