US1995921A - Process for the manufacture of carbureted water gas using heavy oil - Google Patents

Description

March 26, 1935. E. L. HALL PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBURETED WATER GAS U SING HEAVY OIL Filed Feb. 9, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 "a m rcwroe March 26, 1935. E. L. HALL 1,995,921

PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF CARBURETED WATER GAS USING HEAVY OIL Filed Feb. 9, 1931 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 I I fa con flat/Z I 8 irramvsvj Patented Mar. 26, 19:35

v UNITED STATES" PAT'ENTN F, a

' PROCESS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF M BUBETED WATER GAS USING HEAVY n;

' Edwin L; mu, Philadelphia, Pa, assignor to The United Gas Improvement Company, Phlladelplaid, Pa.,*a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 9, 1931, Serial No. 514,463

Claims. (01. 48-208)- The present invention relates to the manufacsteam supplied to the base of the generator, the

ture of carbureted water gas.

' "The principal object of the invention is the provision of an improved method of and appara- 5 tus for the manufacture of carbureted water gas which is especially adapted to the employment of heavy oils and residuums as carburetin'g material.

an example'may be mentioned the so-called bunker oils. These may consist of topped crude oils and may or may not contain varying quantities of cracker tar. On vaporization and cracking to produce gas they yield comparatively large .quantities of coke as compared with gas oil.

Due to the undue deposition of material in the checkerbrick with consequent stoppage of the gas' passage, the vaporization of these heavy oils in the ordinary checker-filled carburetor is not the best practice. Bettermethods have been developed. For instance, vaporizing the oil on the top of the generator fuel bed after the top of 30 the fuel bed has been especially heated by secondary combustion of the producer gas generated by the primary air blast during the blow-or vaporizing the oils by spraying them through a nebulizing spray into an empty carburetor or the employment of both of these methods. Whichever method is employed it is a characteristic of these oils that although their rapid vaporization requires a high tem rature the resultant oil vapors, for proper g, should not 40 be exposed to as high a temperature as the vapors .of ordinary gas oil.

' In the use of ordinary'gas oil the oil is va porized during the run (often only during the uprun) in the higher temperature heat storage in the top of the carburetor, and-with the waten gas the resultant oil vapors traverse the path of the blast gases through the carburetor and superheater without overcracking. The temperature conditions set up in the carburetor and superheater by the blasting operationare not excessive for the proper fixing of the gas oil vapors.

The usual'cycles of operation comprisean air blasting of the fuel bed, combustion of the resultant producer gas andthe storing of its heat in the carburetor and superheater, an uprun with 'washbox.

carbureting of the resultant water gas in the carburetor and the superheater, with oil sprayed into the carburetor, and a down or back run. In. the case of the down run, steam is supplied to 5 the 'top of the fuel bed, and the resultant water gas either led through the carburetor and superheater and carbureted with oil sprayed into the carburetor, or led directly from the base of the generator to the washbox. In the case of the 1 back'run, the steam is supplied to the superheater top and superheated in passage through the superheater and carburetor, the resultant water gas passing from the base of the generator. to the In the use of heavy ofl however, the customary methods of gas and vapor flow, lead to overcracking of the oil vapors, and to the production of a relatively poor tar. e This overcracking is especially vantageous o whereit is desired to use the tar or the manufacture of road compounds. It is present commonrpractice in such manufacture to usewater gas tar as a thinning medium for coal gas tar.

The water gas tar p oduced under the above described conditiom of overcracking is likely to. be heavier than coal gas tar and valueless as a thinner for it. Its value as a fuel is only a fraction of its value as a road compound material.

' When the heavy oil is vaporized on the generator fuel bed by spraying it onto the fuel bed top, which has beemheated by secondary combustion of. the producer gas generated by the primary blast and the ordinary directions of gas and. vapor flow recited above are employed, the oil vapors encounter excessive temperatures in the carburetor; especially its top, and in the bottom of the superheater to alesser degree. If the oil is vaporized in the empty carburetor, the vapors encounter excessive temperatures in the'base 4,0 of the superheater.

The use of the back run and its application of the well known counterflow principle is ordinarily advantageous in water gas manufactur as it recuperates heat from the heat storage vessels and returns it to the generator; In the use of heavy oil, however, it tends to aggravate the excessive local temperature conditions above described,

It is an object of the present invention to obviate the setting up of such excessive temperso ature conditions and at the same time to refor the heavy oil vaporization. It isthe further object of the invention to control the temperature in at least a portion of the heat storage by selectively controlling the direction of the flow of the down run steam therethrough.

The invention will be more particularly described in connection with the attached figures which form a part of this specification and in which,

Figure-1 shows a partial elevation and partial vertical cross section of a carbureted .water gas set equipped with means for vaporizing heavy oil on the top of the fuel bed.

Figure 2 shows a partial elevation and partial vertical cross section of a carbureted water gas set with heavy oil vaporized in an empty carburetor.

Referring to'Figu're 1,

1 is the generator, 2 an ignited fuel bed, 3 and 4 are air and steam supply means for up air blasting and steam running respectively. The generator is further provided with the secondary air supply means 5, including the bustle pipe 6 and pipes '7 for marginally air blasting adjacent the top of the fuel bed. 8 is an oil supply means arranged to spray heavy oil onto the marginally heated ring at the top of the fuel bed. The top of the generator thus forms a hydrocarbon vaporization apparatus. The generator is further provided with the gas oi'ftake 9 provided with valve 10 leading to the carburetor 11.

The carburetor may or may not contain the checkerbrick 12. 13 is a steam supply means at the top of the carburetor and 14 a steam supply means at its base.

The carburetor is connected by pipe 15 to the superheater 16, which is provided with checkerbrick 17. The superheater is provided with the stack valve 18. The gas oiitake 19 leads through the reversing valve 20 to the washbox 21, connection 22 provided with valve 23 leads to storage or other disposal. The superheater may be further provided with the gas offtake 24 leading to the waste heat boiler 25 and thence to the stack 26. 27 is a stack valve.

The superheater is provided with connection 28 provided with valve 29 leading to the top'of the generator. 30 is a steam jet. Carburetor 11 and superheater 16 thus form heat exchange apparatus. I

The generator is provided with the gas oiftake 31, leading through the reversing valve,20 to the washbox 21. superheater 16 is provided with steam inlet 32 near its base and with steam inlet 333 near its top.

In operation-the fuel bed is blasted with air supplied through 4 and the resultant producer gas burned with secondary air supplied through 5, 6 and 7, thereby storing heat in the fuel bed and producing a marginal hot zone at the fuel bed top. The blast gases are led through the carburetor and superheater and waste heat boiler buretor and superheater where the vapors are fixed to oil gas, the. resultant carbureted water gas passing byway of ofitake 19 to the washbox and thence by connection 22 to storage.

are closed, valve 10 is open and the reversing valve setto openconnection 19 and close connection 31.

After the uprun, valve 10 is closed, valve 29 opened and the reversing valve reversed to close oiftake 19 and open offtake 31. A down run is made with steam admitted to the carburetor at 13. The steam passes down through the carburetor and up through the superheaten thence by way of connection 28 to the top of the fuel bed and down through it. The resultant water gas passes by way of connection 31 to the washbox and thence to storage.

After the down run a short uncarbureted ,uprun is made as a purge and the cycle repeated.

In the down run above described, the down run steam admitted to the top of the carburetor reducesthe high temperature there. Steam may also be admitted during the down run at 14 or 32 for ensuring a reduction of the temperature in the base of the superheaten The desired tendency of this method of operation is the leveling of temperatures throughout the carburetor and superheater. Heat is carried from the hotter portions to the cooler portions instead of the reverse, as in the back run operation, and the maximum temperature in the heat storage vessels is closer to the average temperature.

Although other steps of the cycle, as for instance the blow, may intervene between the down run and the uprun carbureting step the maximum temperature to which the oil vapors are exposed is lower than if ordinary directions of steam flow are followed. According to the present invention although the total heat in the heat storage need not necessarily be less than, when operating according to ordinary methods, the maximum temperature to which the oil vapors are exposed is less and overcrackingis avoided.

As an example and purely for illustration, with the introduction of down run steam at 13 and if the temperatures of the carburetor top, car-P buretor base and superheaterbase are 1800" F. and 1500 F. and 1500 F., respectively at the start of the down run, they may be reduced by the down run steam to 1500 F., 1500 F. and 1300 F. respectively.

If the continued employment of the above described operation results in too high a temperature at the superheater top, back runs may be made as needed with steam supplied at'333 and passed through the superheater and carburetor and down through the fuel bed, the resultant water gas passing by way of connection 31 to the washbox. and 23 are closed and valves10 and 22open. The reversing .valve 20 is set to open line 31 and close line 19.

Referring to Fig, 2, v

33 is the generator, provided with an ignited fuel bed 34. 35 is an air supply means for up air blasting. 36 is a steam supply means for uprunning. 3'1 is a secondary air supply means.

The generator is further provided with the gas ofltake as leading to the carburetor 39. The carburetor is devoid of checkerbrick and is pro-' vided with the oil supply means 40 including a nebulizing spray. Carburetor 39' thus forms a hydrocarbon vaporization apparatus. The connection 41 provided with valve 42 leads from the carburetor to the superheater 43. The superwith the stack valve 45. The superheater thus During this operation, valves 18, 23 and 29 forms a" heat exchange apparatus. Gas ofltake In such operation valves 29, 18

- heater is provided with the checkerbrick 44 and.

48 leads fro'm the superheater to the waste heat boiler 47 which is provided with the stack 48 and stack valve 49.

The superheater is also provided with the gas oil'take50 leading through the reversing valve 51 to the washbox 52. Olftake 53 provided with van/e 54 leads from the washbox to storage or other disposal.

The superheater is further provided with the connection 55 provided with valve 56 and leading to the base of the carburetor and is provided with the steam supply means 57 for introducing steam to the superheater base for down running. Steam supply means 58 for introducing steam to the top of the superheater may also be provided for back running.

The generator is provided with the gas off ducer gases burned in the carburetor and superheater with secondary air supplied at'B'l, storing heat in-the carburetor andsuperheater, passing from the superheater through the waste heat boiler and thence to the stack.

After the air blow step, an uprun is made with valves 45, All and 56 closed and valves 42 and 54 open and the reversing valve set as before. Steam is supplied to the fuel bed at'36, the resulting water gas passing through the carburetor and superheater in series, where it is carburetedby spraying heavy oil into the carburetor through oil supply means 40. The resultant water gas passes throughconnection to the washbox and to storage. 7 h

After the uprun, the reversing valve is reversed, opening line 59 and closing line 50. Valve 42 is closed and valve 56 opened. Steam is admitted to the base of the superheater at 57, passed up though the superheater reducing the high temperature in the superheater-base and superheat ing the steam which passes by way of connection the generator top by way of connection 38. The

superheated steam passes down through the fuel bed, the resultant water gas passing to the washbox by way of connection 59.

After the down run a short uncarbureted uprun is made as a purge and the cycle repeated.

As described in connection with Figure 1, back runs may be made as desired with steam supplied at 58, superheated in passing down through the superheatera'nd up through the carburetor and thence passing down through the fuel bed, the resulting water gas passing through connection 59 to the washbox. In this step valves 45, 49 and 56 are closed, valves 42 and 54 open and the reversing valve set to'open connection 59 and closeconnection 50. a

I do not intend to be limited in the practice of my invention save as the. scope of the prior art and of the attached claims may I I claim; 1. A process of manufacturing carbureted water gas in a deviceincluding a generator containincandescence, burning theblast gases and conductingthem in one direction through said vaporization' apparatus and said heat exchange apparatus', and storing heat'therein; another step being, introducing steam ,to'said fuel bed, generating blue water gas therein, vaporizing oil in said vaporization apparatus, carbureting the said water gas with said oil vap'ors,-and fixing said carbureted water gas in said heat exchange apparaand another step being, passing steam through said heat exchange apparatus in the same direction as the blast gases, and passing saidsteam' and the resulting gases through said vaporization apparatus and said fuel bed in a direction opposite to that of the blast gases, therebygenerating gas in said fuel bed.

2. A process of manufacturing carbureted water gas in a device including a generator containing an ignited fuel bed, a hydrocarbon vaporization apparatus, and heat exchange apparatus, which process includes the following steps: one step being, air blasting the ignited fuel bed to 'incandescence, burning the blast gases, and con-' ducting them in one direction through said vaporization apparatus and said heat exchange apparatus, and storing their heat therein; another step being, making an uprun with steam through said fuel-bed, generating blue water gas therein, vaporizing oil in said vaporization apparatus, carbureting the said water gas with said oil vapors, and fixing said carbureted water gas in said heat exchange apparatus; and another step being, passing steam through said heat exchange apparatus in the same direction as the blast gases,.and passing said steam and the resulting gases through said vaporization apparatus and said fuel bed in a direction opposite to that of the blast gases, thereby generating gas in said ing an ignited fuel bed, a hydrocarbon vaporization apparatus, and heat exchange apparatus, which process includes the following steps: one step being, air blasting the ignited fuel bed to incandescence, burning the blast gases and conducting them in one direction through said vaporization apparatus and said heat exchange apter gas in a device including a generator contain- I paratus, and storing heat therein; another step being, introducing steam to said fuel bed, generating blue water gastherein, vaporizing oil in said vaporizingfapparatus, carbureting the said water gas with said oil vapors, and fixing said carbureted-"water gas in said heat exchange apparatus;' another step being, passing steam through said heat exchange apparatus in the same direction as the blast gases; and passing said steam and the resultinggases through said vaporization apparatus and said fuel bed in a direction opposite to that of the blast gases, thereby generating gas in said fuel bed; and anotherv step being, making a back run with steam through said heat exchange apparatus, through said vaporization apparatus, and through said fuel bed, in a direction opposite to that of said bI ast gases, thereby generating gas in said fuel bed.

4. A process of manufacturing carbureted water' gas in a device including a generator containing an ignited fuel bed, a hydrocarbon vapor-.

ization apparatus, and heat exchange apparatus, which process includes the following steps: one step being, air blasting the ignited fuel bed to incandescence, burning the blast gases and conducting them in one direction through said vaporization apparatus and said heat exchange apparatus, and storing heat therein; another step being, introducing steam to said fuel bed, generating blue water gas therein, vaporizing oil in said vaporizing apparatus, carbureting'the said water gas with said oil vapors, and fixing said carbureted water gas in said heat exchange apparatus: another step being, equalizing thetemperature in said heat exchange apparatus by introducing steam to-the heat exchange apparatus adjacent the hottest part of the apparatus, passing said steam through a part of the apparatus in the same direction as the blast gases, and passing said steam and the resulting gases through said vaporization apparatus and said fuel bed in a direction opposite to that of the blast gases, thereby generating gas in said 'fuel bed; and another step being, making a back run with steam through said heat exchange apparatus, through said vaporization apparatus, and through said fuel bed, in a direction opposite to that of said blast gases, thereby generating gas in said fuel bed.

5. A process of manufacturing carbureted water' gas in a device including a generator containing an ignited fuel bed, a hydrocarbon vaporization apparatus, and heat exchange apparatus, which process includes the following steps: one step being, air blasting the ignited fuel bed to inca'ndescence, burning the blast gases and conducting them in one direction through said vaporization apparatus and .said heat exchange apparatus, and storing heat therein; another step being, introducing steam to said fuel bed, generating blue water gas therein, vaporizing heavy oil in said vaporizing apparatus, carbureting' the said water gas with said oil vapors, and fixing said carbureted water gas in said heat exchange apparatus; and another step being, preventing the exposure of the oil vapors and oil gas to too high a degree of heat by equalizing the temperature in said heat exchange apparatus by introducing steam to theheat exchange apparatus adjacent the hottest part of the apparatus, passing said steam through a part of the apparatus in the same direction as the blast gases and passing said steam and' the resulting gases through said vaporization apparatus and said fuel bed in a direction opposite to that of the blast gases, thereby generating gas in said fuel bed.

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