US863730A - Method of making and delivering gases. - Google Patents

Description

No. 863,730. PATENTED AUG. 20, 1907..

B. LOOMIS & H. PETTIBONE. METHOD OF MAKING AND DELIVERING-GASES.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 15,1906.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

l. 0 I I L m 10. 'p dLl" PATENTED AUG. 20; 1907. B. LOOMIS & H. PETTIBONE'. METHOD OF MAKINGAND DELIVERING: GASES.

APPLIOA'I ION IIEED 8321215, 1906- 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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UNITED snares Prvrnnr heron.

BURDETT- ooms, or HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT, AND HAWLEY PETTIBONE, or NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK.

nnrnon or Max ne AND nnmvnnrne eases.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Au so, 1907.

' Driginal application filed December 7 1903, Serial No. 184,144. Renewed March 14, 1906, Serial No. 306,014. Divided and this 1 applicationfiled September 16, 1906- Serial No. 334,792.

To all whom it may concern: I

Be it known'that we, Bunnnrr Looms and HAWLEY 'PErr1noNn-,. citizens oithc United States, residing, re-

spect'ively; at-Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State oi; Connecticut, and at New Rochelle, in the county of Westchester and State. of New York,'have invented certain new and useful lmprovements'in gas-engines, and to improvements int-he method of opera-ting such engines in connection with an apparatus such as aforesaid.

The object of the invention is to provide for generating a gas of the nature of that generally termed producer-gas and also gas of the nature of that termed Water-gas, drawing thern'irom the generating or producing furnaces by exhaust action or equivalent means and, during the manufacture, and while they are subjected to the action of exhaust, mixing the gases of the two kinds in a-predetermined proportion to have them give the most effective and economical results as a motiveagent in an explosive engine of several hundred horsepower.

' Heretofore gas engines have been operated by i1lu minating gas, and attempts have been made to operate engines otone hundred horse-power and more with wator-gas. But the flame. temperature and heat units of such gas have been found to be too high to give satisfactory results. The explosions produced by watergas, owing probably to the large percentage of hydrogen therein, are too sharp and quick; the inertia oi the heavy engine parts is too great to be eficiently overcome; the gas is'apt to fire back; and the engines are so strained and racked that an uneven power is generated.

Water gas ignites at so low a temperature that when properly mixed with air for the explosive charge in a gas engine the charge will explode prematurely during com ressio'n, due to the heat caused b com ression.

P Y P and the hot internal parts. The effect of a premature explosion is to immediately slow down the engine and put undue strain on. its working parts Since the efi'iciency of a gas engine increases with the compression of the charge it is important. to have a gas that will stand high compression,

0n the other hand, a gas having the characteristics I of producer-gas, has also been found to be not available because of the large percentage of carbonaceous constituentsunfixed carbon and nitrogen, these not only causing sluggishness in the explosion, but also tending to leave so large a quantity of residual matter in the form of sooty or tarry bodies as to seriously interiere with, and finally render inoperative the various ports or passageways and the valves and small moving parts of the engine.

By varying the calorific value and constituents of the gas produced and delivered by the one apparatus, a mixture can be made of such quality as is best adapted for use in the particular engine it must operate.

We have found that a mixture of water-gas and producer-gas in predetermined proportions (varied to meet the variations in the constitution of the gases due to variations in the constituents of the initial luel mate rial and to variations in conditions of production) gives a substantially uniform body which can be used with great efficiency in high power explosive engines.

The various steps-which we follow and the various devices which we employ from the time the fuel is initially introduced to the time that it is exploded in the engine will be readily understood from the description below, taken in connection with the drawhigs herewith presented which illustrate mechanism that can be used for this purpose, and illustrate also a series of steps such as conform to our improved process.

Figure 1 shows in side elevation one form of apparatus by which our improved method can be carried out, of operating a gas engine and supplying it with a proportioned mixture of produceras and water-gas. Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the connected generators anda steam boiler, parts being shown in sections. Fig. 3 is a top plan view of Fig. 1, showing an apparatus containing our improvements.

' The generators A and B are constructed of brick inclosed in iron. jackets in the usual manner and are pro vided with grates b, of any desh'edeonstruction, and with ash pits The. generators are connected at the top by a pipe or fiue O, and are gonnected at the base or ash pits X by gas outlet pipes D, D having valves 03, d.with the base of the tubular steam boiler E, having at top and bottom, the gas chambers e, e and tubes 5 connecting the upper and lower tube sheets. A gas outlet pipe F, having a valve f, connects with the up per gas chamber 6 and with the base of the scrubber G, and a gas outlet pipe H, having a valve 31, leads from the top of the scrubber down to the main gas exhauster K The main gas takeoff pipe L leads from the under side of the exhauster and connects by thebranch pipe L, having a valve Z, with theholder O for producer-gas or a mixture of producer-gas and water-gas. A branch 40 branch pipemay take gas to any other place of use.

2 seame- 5 The pipe T, having'a valve t, leads from the holder P and connects with the top of the small exhauster It. The discharge pipe T from exhauster R is provided with a valve t and connects with pipe L beyond its valve 1 for supplying a definite proportion of Watergas and mixing it with the producer-gas which is being passed through pipe L into the holder 0. A by-pass and circulating pipe 1, having a valve r", connects the outlet pipe T with the inletpipe T ofthe exhauster R. A- by-pass and circulating pipe k connects the outlet pipe L with the inlet-pipe H of the exhauster K, and is provided with the valve is. The exhauster, K is driven by the engine I having a shaft a whichgi's coupled directly to the shaft of the exhauster. The opposite end of the shaft i is provided with a cone pulley g, which connects by a belt 0 with a cone pulley g on the shaft of the auxiliary exhauster B. When both holders are full, or holder 0, only, is full of gas, or if for other reason it is desired to stop,. or reduce the generation of gas, the valve k in by-passpipe kmay be opened,

while the exhauster is kept running, and gas will be v drawal of gas. In a similar manner the by-pass pipe 7 and valve 1 may be used for circulating water-gas instead of stopping the. exhauster R. Steam supply pipes S and S connect by branch pipes s and s, each having a valve, withthe top and bottom of each of the generators A and B for supplying steam to -be passed either up or down through the bodies of incandescent fuel in making water-gas. A gas outlet-pipe Q, having a valve q, leads from holder 0 for taking mixed producer-gas and water-gas to a gas-engine W, and. a

W indicates a' gas engine connecting by pipe to with holder U. This engine W may be of any of the usual styles or of any preferred sort so far as concerns the principle of construction ,of its several parts. The

present invention is more particularly applicable to exerts a powerful suction action, by means of which gas is drawn through pipe Q which communicates with ,3 holder 0.

With the apparatus shown in Fig. 3, the operation of making and mixing producer-gas and water-gas and supplying the engine may be conducted as follows:

Fires are kindled on the grates in generators A and B, and at first allowed to burn by natural draft while fuel is gradually fed. in and ignited. The valves l and n being closed, and the stack valve 1 and other valves beftween'the stack and generators being open and the lids a; wholly, or partly, open, the exhauster K is operated to draw air down into the bodies of ignited fuel, and

draw the resulting gas off from the bases of the generators, through boiler E and scrubber G, and discharge '65- it up the stack M. soon as good producer-gas is geherated the stack valve Z is closed, valve-l opened, and the producer-gas is discharged into the holder 0.- Tue stack valve 1 is only open while the bodies of fuel ar being heated to the proper condition for making gas.

D eeplbedies of fuel in generators A and B l iaving been heated to incandescence, water-gas may e made, and for this purpose the top lids x are clostd, valve d closed, valve Z closed, valvem opened and steam valve s opened, admitting steam into the ash pit of generator A. Steam passes up into the body of incandescent fuel in generator A where it is decomposed and the resulting water-gas passes through top pipe G into generator Randthence down through the body of incandescent fuel thereiirwhere any ac companying vapors are decomposed, and carbonic acid converted into carbon monoxid, making a we1lfixed I high grade water gas. This gas is drawn off by the exhauster through pipe 1), boiler E, and scrubber G and discharged into the water-gas holder P. .Watergas is thus made till the temperature of the fuel is reduced too low for effectively decomposing steam and then the steam is shut off, the top lids a: opened, valve (I opened, valve n closed and valve 1 opened and pro- 4 ducer-gas again made and delivered into the holder 0.

When it is again desired to make water-gas we preierably close valve 11'' in gas outlet pipe D, and admit steam into the base of generator B. Steam is then docomposed by passage up through the incandescent fuel in generator B, and the resulting gas down through the bed of fuel in generator A, and the resulting watergas is drawn off by the exhausts r through pipe I), the steam boiler and scrubber, and discharged into holder P.

A sufficient quantity of watergas having been stored in the holder P, the auxiliary exhausterR is used to deliver a fixed proportion of. watergas with producergas into the holder 0 for mixed gas. The exhauster R and the valves 1" and t are operated as follows:

When the exhauster K is operating and delivering producer-gas through valve Z, the valves t and Z are "opened and the by-pass valve 1 is closed, and the exhauster R will operate to draw water-gas from the holder P and deliver it through pipe Tl into the holder 0 at a rate proportional to the delivery of producergas by the exhauster K.

By shifting the belt 0 on the cone pulleys g and g the proportion of Water-gas to producer-gas can be increased or decreased. The mixture oi water-gas and producer-gas in definite and any desired proportions can thus be stored in the holder 0 and delivered to gas engines or other places of use.

When Water-gas is being delivered through-valve n to the holder P, valve i may be closed and the bypass valve r" may be opened, so that no water-gas passes into the mixed gas holder 0, except when producer-gas is also being delivered into said holder 0.

After a measured volume of producer-gas has been stored in holder 0, the supply of producer-gas thereto may be stopped, and then a measured volume of watergas is passed into holder O, being drawn from holder P, or directly from the generator. The gases will mix by diffusion in holder 0 and may be delivered, in a suitably mixed condition, therefrom to gas-engine W. It will be understood that the dimensions of the parts which generate the gas, as well as those by which the gas is carried from. point to point and those of the storing vessels or holders, and also the speeds of the several operative parts, will be particularly related to the capacity and demand of the gas engine W so'that there will be as near as practicable a constant quantity of accurately proportioned and comiriingled gases in the holder U, ready to sustain the operation of the engine..-

Gas-engines of the heavy power class require, first, explosions of a peculiar character, second, cleanliness alter explosion, and, third, that the explosion should be relatively prolonged in time. If a gas similar to producer-gas and having only the qualities and characteristics of that gas be delivered, alone, to the gas englue it may furnish material for explosions, but these are accompanied by, or result in, several disadvantageous matters, as for instance, a slowness and slug-- 'gishness in the firing of the gas or explosion with liability of incompleteness ot' combustion, secondly, the depositing of carbonaceous matters of a sooty or tarry character. On the other hand, ifa gas having the qualities and characteristics of water-gas be delivered alone, to a gas engine explosions will occur which, though they may not result in the disadvantages incident to the producer-gas, and will leave the valves and other parts of the engine in a cleanly condition, are, nevertheless, not efficient with engines of the larger sort, as the inipulscsare too quick, short, sharp and \'iolent, and will not work advantageously in a long or laterally expanded explosion chamber or piston-driving chamber.

instead of operating a gas-engine with gaseous bodies of the above sorts We provide an explosive agent containing intelligently ,and accurately predetermined proportions of these two widely differing gaseous bodies with the result that the producer-gas is, by the water- 'gas, caused to niore'thoroughly and uniformly and somewhat more rapidly explode than would be the commingling them in proportions subject to variation corresponding to the variations in their constitution which result from different fuel materials or from different conditions in production, the gas engineer is prd vided with a. means for obtaining explosions with complete combustion and of such character that he can impart to his large and relatively slowly moving piston exceedingly eflicicnt energy impulses.

We do not herein presen u specific claims for the com? bination of generator, exhauster, a holder for the producer gas, a holder for water gas, and means for sup plying gas from one holder to .the other, preparatory to supplying the mixture to the gas engine, as wehave presented that specific subject matter in claims in our application Serial No. 306,014, originally filed Decemher 7 1903, and co-pending with this present case, and on which application Patent'No. 833,137 was issued, October .9, 1906, of which application, Serial No. 305.014, the present is a division.

Having described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is'

1. The method of operating a gas engine and supplying explosive mixed-gas thereto, consisting in first passing air through a chamber containing a body of ignited fuel and drawing from said chamber a volume of producer gas. cleaning said gas, and storing it in a holder, forming a volume of waterqzas by passing steam through said body of fucl and storing it separately from said producer gas, then cornmingling in a gas holder or otherwise predetermined quantities of each of said gases and withdrawing volun'ies of the mixture and delivering them directly to a gas engine and exploding them therein, substantially as described.

2. The method of operating explosive gas engines and of supplying explosive gases thereto, which consists in depositing carbonaceous material ina gas-producing chamber. forming therewith during intervals gas substantially such as is termed producer-gas, withdrawing the said gas and temporarily storing it as a separate body in a holder and at intervening intervals generating in said fuel water gas. withdrawing said water-gas and storing it in a separate temporary holder, subsequently commingling volumes pf the producer-gas and volumes of the Water-gas in variable but predetermined proportions at will, drawing charges of the said commingled gases into, and exploding them in, the explosion chamber of a gas engineQsnid steps being prosecuted substantially as set forth, whereby the sharpness and quickness of the explosions of pure watergas are avoided and said water-gas is utilized to cause the complete and uniform explosive reaction of the constitin cuts of the producer-gas, substantially as described.

The herein described method of operating gas engines and supplying gas thereto, consisting in first producing a volume of gas of the character of producer gas, cleaning, cooling and storing it in a holder, forming separately a volume of water-gas, cleaning, cooling and storing it: in a separate holder, causing variable quantities of the'sald separately collected gases to be commingled in predeiermlucd proportions, and delivering the mixture to, and ,gcausing its explosion in the engine, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereot ive uflix our signature in presence of two witnesses.

/ BURDETT LOOMIS.

- HAWLEY PETTIBONI Witnesses:

HARRISON B. FREEMAN, J12,

Emu, R. i'oULsoN.

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