Acetylene, the Principles of Its Generation and Use / A Practical Handbook on the Production, Purification, and Subsequent Treatment of Acetylene for the Development of Light, Heat, and Power

by F. H. Leeds; W. J. Atkinson Butterfield

Maker: THE RURAL DISTRICTS GAS LIGHT CO., 28 VICTORIA STREET, S.W.

Type: Automatic; water-to-carbide; contact, superposed trays.

The "Signal-Arm" generating apparatus made by this firm comprises a bell gasholder A, from the tank B of which water is supplied through a swivelled pipe C to a generating chamber D. One end of the swivelled pipe is provided with a delivery nozzle, the other end is closed and counter-weighted, so that normally the open end of the pipe is raised above the level of the water in the tank. A tappet E on the bell of the gasholder comes into contact with, and depresses, the open end of the swivelled pipe when the bell falls below a certain point. As soon as the open end of the swivelled pipe has thus been lowered below the level of the water in the tank, water flows through it into the funnel-shaped mouth F of a pipe leading to the bottom of the generating chamber. The latter is filled with cages containing carbide, which is attacked by the water rising in the chamber. The gas evolved passing into and raising the bell of the gasholder causes the open end of the swivelled pipe to rise, through the weight of the counterpoise G, above the level of the water in the tank and so cuts off the supply of water to the generating chamber until the bell again descends and depresses the swivelled pipe. The tappet on the bell also displaces a cap H which covers the funnel-shaped mouth of the pipe leading to the generating chamber, which cap, except when the swivelled supply-pipe is being brought into play, prevents any extraneous moisture or other matter entering the mouth of the funnel. Between the generating chamber and the gasholder is a three-way cock J in the gas connexion, which, when the gasholder is shut off from the generator, brings the latter into communication with a vent-pipe K leading to the open. The gas passes from the holder to a chamber L under grids packed with purifying material, through which it passes to the outlet of the purifier and thence to the service-pipe. Either heratol or chloride of lime is used in the purifier, the lid of which, like the cover of the generator, is water-sealed.

Maker: ST. JAMES' ILLUMINATING CO., LTD., 3 VICTORIA STREET, LONDON, S.W.

Type: (1) Automatic; water-to-carbide; contact, superposed trays.

This plant consists of the generators A, the washer B, the equalising gasholder C, the purifier D, and the water-tank E. The carbide is arranged in baskets in the generators to which water is supplied from the cistern E through the pipe F. The supply is controlled by means of the valve H, which is actuated through the rod G by the rise and fall of the gasholder C. Gas travels from the gasholder through the purifier D to the service-pipe. The purifier is packed with heratol resting on a layer of pumice. The washer B contains a grid, the object of which is to distribute the stream of gas through the water. There is a syphon-pot J for the reception of condensed moisture. Taps K are provided for shutting off the supply of water from the generators during; recharging, and there is an overflow connexion L for conveying the water to the second generator as soon as the first is exhausted. There is a sludge-cock M at the base of each generator.

(2) Non-automatic; water-to-carbide; contact, superposed trays.

This resembles the preceding plant except that the supply of water from the cistern to the generators takes place directly through the pipe N (shown in dotted lines in the diagram) and is controlled by hand through the taps K. The automatic control-valve H and the rod G are omitted. The gasholder C is increased in size so that it becomes a storage holder capable of containing the whole of the gas evolved from one charging.