order to pass into the chamber, F', meets in the latter a second current
of air coming in through the pipe, N', and which burns it and produces,
in doing so, considerable heat. The strongly heated gases resulting from
the combustion traverse the regenerators, B', and give up to the bricks
therein the greater part of their heat, and finally make their exit,
relatively cool, through the pipe, R', which leads them to the chimney.
When the operation has been continued for a sufficient length of time to
give the refractory bricks in the chamber, B', next the regenerator a
high temperature, the valve, I, is closed, thus shutting off the
entrance of air through the pipe, Q. The valve, F, of the flue, E, is
also closed, and that of the pipe, M, is opened. The valves, G', H', L',
of the pipes, M', N', R', are closed, and that, F', of the flue, E', is
opened. The valve, J', of the pipe, P', is then opened, and a jet of
steam is introduced through the latter.
The steam becomes superheated in traversing the regenerators, B', and in
this state enters the bottom of the generator through the flue, E'. In
passing into the incandescent fuel that fills the generator, the steam
is decomposed, and there forms carbonic oxide, while hydrogen is
liberated. The mixture of these two gases with the hydrocarburets
furnished by the fuel constitutes water gas. This gas on making its exit
from the generator through the pipe, M', passes through the chambers, B,
and abandons therein the greater part of its heat, and enters the pipe,
R, whence it passes through Q into the purifiers, and then into the
gasometer.
As the production of water gas implies the absorption of a large
quantity of sensible heat, it is accompanied with a rapid fall of
temperature in the chambers, B', and eventually also in the generator,
A, while at the same time the chambers, B, are but moderately heated by
the sensible heat of the current of gas produced. When this cooling has
continued so long that the temperature in the generator, A, is no longer
high enough to allow the fuel to decompose the steam with ease, the
valve, J', of the pipe, P', that leads the steam is closed, as is also
the valve, K, of the pipe, Q, while the valves, L and H, of the pipes, R
and N, are opened. After this the valve, I', is opened, and a current of
air is let in through the pipe, O'. This air, upon traversing the
chambers, B' and T', is raised to a high temperature through the heat
remaining in these chambers, and then enters at the bottom of the
generator, through the flue, E'. The air gas that now makes its exit
from the pipe, M, in the chamber, T, meets another current of air coming
from the pipe, N, and is thus burned. The products resulting from such
combustion pass into the chambers, B, and then into the chimney, through
the pipe, R. The temperature then rapidly lowers in the chambers, B',
and rises no less rapidly in the generator, A, while the chambers, B,
are soon heated to the same temperature that first existed in the
chambers, B'. As soon as the desired temperature is obtained in the
generator, A, and the chambers, B, the air is shut off by closing the
valve, I', of the pipe, O'; the valve, F', of the flue, E', is also
closed, the valves, G' and K', of the pipes, M' and Q', are opened, the
valves, G, H, and L, of the pipes, M, N, and R, are closed, and the
valve, F, of the flue, E, and the valve, J, of the pipe, P, are opened.
A current of steam enters the apparatus through the pipe, P, traverses
the chambers, B, and enters the generator through the flue, E. The gas
produced makes its exit from the generator, passes through the pipe, M',
and the chambers, T' and B', and the pipe, R, and enters the gasometer
through the pipe, Q'.
[Illustration: WATER-GAS APPARATUS.]
When the chamber, B, and the generator, A, are again in so cool a state
that the fuel no longer decomposes the steam easily, the valves are so
maneuvered as to stop the entrance of the latter, and to send a current
of air into the apparatus in the same direction that the steam had just
been taking. The temperature thereupon quickly rises in the generator,