465 CHEMISTRY AND INDUSTRY

nnd lcno\vlcdgc of tlic requircnients design of an cfficient and rclinhlc elec

A typc of ccll \vliich lins prow cfIicicnt and econoluicul is tlie Ho: generator, designed by C. F. H o l ~ managing ciircctor of Do Nor&kc F A/S, in Frcdrilisstad, Nor\vay. TI1 tliesc cells wcrc started up in 1010, in continuous operation sincc, dny out stop. Tho cells ha\~c up to thc bccn o~~cned for inspection nor lias rcpnircd or rciicircil. Tlicy hnvc bccu with distillcd wntcr, which is all thc 1

Fig. 1 illustrntcs tlic battery of Ho gencmtors, instnlled a t tlic Dcnofa

THE HOLMBOE ELECTROLYTIC HYDROGEN GENERATOR

By MARC HANSSEN Chief Ens., Fredriksstad, Norway

Thc usc of hydrogen in the chclnical industr3 for Olic hyclrogcnnt~ion of oils and fats and hi various synt.liet,ic processes as in the innnufacturc of precious stones, lias becn considcrably incrcnsccl during the last ten ycars, nnd i t seeins as if tlic successful dcrclopnic~it of ninny important brnnclics of t,hc chcniicnl industry will, t o a largc extent, dcpcnd on tlic snfc product,ion of large qnnnt,ities of purc nnd cheap hydrogen.

cfficicnt electrolytic cell and a larg

drawing-board or tlie cxpcrimenta

use, most arc limited by their s comparatively small specific outp commercinl usc on n large scale. '

years, nnd thcrcforc lack thc pr

h v c co~icent~ratecl their attention

alrcady covcrs this subject. Th .suggcstcd types, Iiowcvcr, has not

few t j y s which liave found tlicir

limitcd success may depend upon a fcw inventors liavc liad the oppo running large clcctrolytic plants 1

2-10. 1

Tlic purity of the gas is of tlic greatest importnncc, and it is gcncralIy rcquircd that hgdrogcn shall ham a purity of 100 per cent., and bc frec from moisture. The only proccss, \diicli up to thc present has bcen ablc to comply with this requircmeiit., is tlic clectro- lytic proccss, as most of the electrolytic plants can producc hydrogen with n purity close to 100 pcr ccnt., tlic impurities being osygcn, uoisturc nncl probably traces of tlic alltali used as clcctrolytc. Tlic gas is mostr!,. purified by passing it through n furnacc contnining nn electrically licnted catalyst, hi orclcr to combine the csccss of osygcn with liyclrogcn to form water.

Owving t o tlic inerensing dcninnd for Iiydrogcn, it great iiuiubcr of iiivcnfors in all parts of tlic world

3L1y 2, 1024 GHEMI8TRY AND INDUSTRY 459

riksstnd. The. cells, which are 'of .the 3000-amperc type, are totnlly enclosed.* In the cell-room, shown in Fig. 1, are 400 cclls. On cadi shift only om ninn is rcquired to look after the plnnt, his work consisting in tlie control-analysis of the gases, keeping the cclls filled with distillecl wntcr, and looking nftcr the stills for tlic procluction of distillcd witcr.

Thc clcctrolytic clliciciicy of thc Holinboc hyclrogcn generator is cqual to nbout 7.3 cb. ft. of liyclrogcn pcr l;w.-hr., nicnsurcd n t 90" C. nnd .iGO iuin. tnltcii ns nil avcrngc over one p a r . Tlic cfticiency vnrics with the output 1)ctivccn 7.1 nncl i . 0 cl). ft. hydrogen

I F I G . 2

1)er lcw.-lir., mid is rcninrknbly coiistnnt, nltliougli the gas output fro1n lllolltll t o month cnn fluctuntc 30 per cent. nborc niid below tlic mcdiuni output. This fact is due to €he clcctrothcriiinl storngc in the cc4s thcmsclves, which is n spccid fcnture of tlie Holmhoe hydrogen gcncrntoy.

The hydrogen leaves the cells with n purity of 100 pcr cciit., tlic triiccs of iiioisturc being sc~~~irntct l by II spccial dcvicc. The oxygen hns nil nrcrngc purity of 99.75 pcr cent., and cnn bc coaiprcsscd direct into cylinders. A spccinl purification of tlie two gnscs is tlicreforc not necessary. The Boor- space and building rcquircd for tho Holniboc hydrogal

building with norriiiil foundntions only nbout 30- .TI per cent. of the cost of the plnnt, dcpcnding up011 the size. Tlic totnl power of tlic potrcr sttition attnclicd to tlic p l n n t is 7500 Iw: d. c .

Owing t o the high cl'ficicncy niitl the simple nnd tlurnblc design of thc Holniboc hytlrogcn gcncrntors, tho totnl prorluctioii cost is \ ~ r y motlcrntc. The pliiiit illustrated in Pig. 1 produces 1000 cb. it. of Iiydrogcn in tlic gns-lioldcrs of tlic worlrs n t a totnl C o s t of Is. Od., including cost of power, distilled

* S o tliut csciLpo ot nlkitlino p ~ t i c l r s froin 1110 elootrolylo (which Iiirs pt'o\~otl so unplcsh.c~iit n fcirturo of opon colls) itl qiiitu iiiiposHiiblv, iuid fitted w i t l i IL spxiril cqwilising duvico for tlm gicr pwcsliures.

generators are \.cry lllodcrntc nnd thc cost of tl1c

water, lnbour, uundry cspenses, interest on capital invested in the plant nnd mnintenance.

It is very important that the cells are supplied with purc distilled water. A new method of pro- ducing distilled water, pnrticulnrly in cases vhcrc cheap power is n\vtilnblc, is illustrntcd the drawing, Fig. 2. Thc still is fitted with clcctroclcs E (in this type 3 elcctrodcs for 3-phnsc nltcrnnting ciirrcnt) and n systcni of coils. When tlic current. ~ S S C S through the clcctrodcs the water in the still Ilcgins t o cvnpornte. The stcnni so produced pnsscs through n p i p conncctcd to n motor-dri\-en centri- f ugnl-comprcssor in . which tlic stenni prcssurc is incrcnscd. This stcnin, n t n prcssurc 'higlicr tlinn atmospheric, flows through thc coil-systcm in tlie still and in condensing gircs off most of its h a t to the wntcr in tlie still. From the coil in tlic still

pass through n hcntcr and thus into tlic large stornge tniilc for distillcd wnter. Tlie elcctrodcs carry in :ictunl opcration only n littlc niorc thnn the currcnt equal to the hcnt rcquircd for rnising tlic tcmpcrnturc of tlic fccd-wntcr to nbout 110" 0. plus tlic lient lost hy radintion. Tlic frcsli water cntcrs the licater at '' 11," is prc-hcntcd ant1 pnsscs t o the Hont-vnlrc which k e e p tlie wntcr-lc\-cl constnnt in tlic still. 'l'liis Incthod of producing distillcd water is very simple, cfiicicnt ant1 highl>* cconoinic!il irlirre \niter p w r n t iiiotlerotc cost is at Iia~id.

thc condcnsnte arid whnt niny be left of the stcnni

PULVERISED FUEL FOR STEAM GENERATION

(From a Correspondent)

rrlic North Jlctroliolitnii Electric Power Supply Co. linrc now plncccl ivitli 3lcss~s. Tlic Undcrfcctl Stolicr L'o., Ltd., for tlicir TVillcstlcn clcctricit,y stnt.ion, tlie lirst order in Crciit Britnin for n inodcrri * * Lopiilco '' pulrcriscd fucl cquilmcnt, to he n1)plic.d to oiic *. Clayton " water tube boilcr of IL noriiinl duty of (i0,OOO lb. water cvnporntcd per hour, to bc ruiming in Octobcr. This fnct is sigiiificant, iis i t iiicniis that tlic struggle between pulvcriscd fucl nnd niccliniiicnl stoking (of wliich tlic two gciicrnl types iirc tlie iniprovcd travelling gratc and tlic iuultiplc [retort) for supretiiucy in the watcr tube boilcr world hiis s p r c d in cnrncst to Grcnt .Britain, follo\riiig oil the cnorinous d c ~ ~ l o p ~ i i c ~ i t s in tlic United Stntcs during the pnst t.hrcc years, mid the wry rccciit ortlcrs in l h n c c for tlic W r y ant1 tlic Gcniicvilli~rs stntions.

Tho iiiatter is pirticultirly iiitcrcstiiiy to tlic ' cliciiiicd ciigiiiccr, bccnusc tlicrc sccnis to I)c c ~ e r y intlicnt,ioii tlint tlic iiinny cliflicult problcnis of btuniiig fucl in n p u l \ w h t l condit,ion undcr witcr tubc, hoilcrs hnvc bccii solvcd, iind one limy cspcct inoiier , or later cqunl progress not only in inctnllurgicnl ant1 gc~ierd furniicc work, but also for cylindricti1 boilers oii land a i d sen, ns well ns locoinot,ivcs.

lie instiillation nt ~\ri l l~sdcii is to consist. of tlml ltitcst type of " Clayton " bent t ibe typo wnti.l;-tuliy boilers, is suitulk for the p i c s t fccd water, with i ~ : 1icntii)g surfncc of 7200 q. ft.,'wyorlriiig' >it. 290 ll?., pressure, ancl (ii55" J',., siipcrlient~, ,' tlio tcipiwi.jkturu. of tlic. ! tilet fccd-ivntcr h iuk 1W" I?,' tlio r i'ting i4 t ) i

, ' ,

. "b . . , . ... . . . .

+diiia.ry me~haiiical stoking being 50,OOO Ib. of steam

Loptilco ” pulveriscd fuel equipment will consist of one of tlic nciwst vertical gravity coal clriers, ut.ilisHig only the hot exit flue gascs in tho chinincy IJRSC, iiiiscd with air to give a temperature of about 215‘ F., \vorkhig in coiijmiction with a “ Riiyiiiond ’* pillreriser of t,ho G-roll, low-sided type, the comliiiicd set, having a duty of G t . 0 ~ of bitu- minous coal 1)cr hour, reducing thc moisture frolii 10% to 4”/b. It. is intcrcsthig to note that one of tlic lntcst, tlrvelopnieiits in pulrcriscd fuel fixing is that oiily t,lic iiiceliaiiical iuoist.ure is now fount1 to bc of iinportaiice, aiid csccssive drying is 110 longer rcgiwded as iieccssnry. Tlie fiiiciicss of the griidiiig is to be WH)o//o tlirougli ii 100 niesli, ;nid SO-55~o t.lirough n 200 iiiesli, lxiiig tliercfore soiiiewlint finer tliun the usual (is yo tlwouyli 200 nicsh. The coal ;is it enters tlir plant., lieforc passing to the (J\*CI’llCnd h i k e r s cibove the vertical drier, will be cruslied so ns to pass \diollg through a 2 in. scrcen.

Tlic pulreriscd coal is separnted nutoiiinticiilly in the piilreriser by iiieaiis of a continuous ciiclosetl air current, mid coiiveyccl to the ovcrhcnd pulvcrisetl conl bunlrcr, after 1msiiig tlirougli ti cycloiie septirator t,o cliscntaiiglr the fuel froiii t,hc air. Tlic apparatus iiicludcs two 6tniitlnrd ” Lopulco ” variable sl)ced :~-g!:oii]i fcrders, supplyiiig tliercfore in all .6 ” Lopul- co .. 1111rii~s in the t.op of the coiiibustioii ~ l i i i ~ i i b ~ r pointing d o i ~ i i ~ r ~ r ~ l s iii tlic usual \ray. Tlic combus- tion cliaiiiher is of the most modern design, with liirgc volume, :iiitl 110llo~- firelwick walls tliroiigliout,, iiicliitling tlic usual tiir iiilct ports and rcguliitiiig (lcviccs, mid will be fitted wit.11 tlie patent ’‘ Iktrick ” suspcn~lctl firclyiclr arch, in ndditio!i of course to t,lic cssciitial ‘. TAoliiilco ’’ water screcn, coiisistiiig of 4-in. wrtcr-cooled steel tubes in tlic bottoiii of tlic clinniber in circuit with tlic boilcr so as to prc\~cnt the mcltiiig of the ash (slacrginy). Fiirtlicr, also tlic plant iiwlaclcs two ‘ 6 uscos” air lietiters wliic~i will prclicnt tlic air for coiiil~ustioii to 300” F. bcforc passing into the 110llow walls, rcduciiig tlic fiiol flue 3%~ teiq~eraturc to 359O It’. The air then pnsses into tlic coiiibust~ion chamber t i t GOO-500” F.; thus in- creasing the cfticiciicy of the coiiibiistion ant1 cooling tlic brickwork a t tlic s h e time.

‘l‘lic iiornial duty coal coilsumpt.ion will bc S540 111. per hour of coal, which will be of t,lie ordinary semi- 1)itulniiious cjunlity, with a lower ciilorific mlue of 10,OOO 13.Tli; u. as rccci\-cd. This, will be equiralciit to a 1ior1iial cmporation of G0,OOO lb. water per liour iictual, together with ii long overload of 72,OOO lb., niid in .addition the gunrantee iiicludes a niasiiiiuiu peak load du t r for t,wo hours’ operation of S0,OOO lb. pcr hour, an interest,ing point. in view of the contro- versy as to the alleged high cost of pulveriscd fuel rquipmcnt and nlso bccausc of tlic fiuctuat~ioii in tlic tlcmatid for stcam hi the chcnlical industry.

The cfficicncy guaraiitec is. arnazing, being 110 less t.11aii 89 per cent., based 011 the nett calorific value of tlic fuel, and is higher t,liaii the latest Aiiiericaii iilstallationst corresponding to only about 20 per cent,. C S C ~ S S ,air nliove t,hc t,Iieorctical and 17 per cent. ciirbon cliosidc,. tho avcmge industrial plant being 75-120 per cent.. cxccss air,, 6-8 pcr cont. carbon clio.xide, nid less than 00 per ‘cent. efficiency.’

per hour act1yl. The

.2

FORTHCONlINC EVENTS JIiIY 8. SOCIETY OF ~ I l ~ M I C A l ~ IS I IUBTl tY , ~fJf ld f t l l S C C -

f ioi i . t \ni i i i : i l iiicctiiig iit tlic Cliciiiicnl Society, Burliiigton HoiiSc, W. I, iit 8 p n i . ‘‘ Biiiixitc :is s IMiiiing Agciit.” Pnr t 1, Oeiicrnl, by A. 0. Dunstnil, 1).Sc., F. I). 1’liole, D.Se., niitl 14’. G . P. Rcnifry, I).Sc. 1’:irt 2. “ Applicntioii i i i the Rcfiiiery,” Iiy A\. 31. O’Briwi.

J[ii.v 5. 1toi-a~ SOCIETY OF AIITB, JOIII; Street. ~ d c ~ p ~ i i , n t 8 p.ni: “ IJliotogrnp1iy i i i Tiicliistry, Sciciicc, - and Jlediciiir,” hy 1’. l’lioriie l h l i c ~ .

Jkiy 3. PSIVEIWTY OF L U S I I ~ S ~ 1iiiiwrsit.v Cullcge. Gorrcr Strcct, \\‘.C. 1 , nt 5.:30 p.ii i . “ I’ositircb :in11 Xcgntiw \-:iIciiccs,” I’rof. IV. A . Koyca.

I\fny 5. ~SSTITUTIOX 0: THE ~bUl l l lEI t INDUBTltP, ~ O l l d O l l Section, Engineers’ Club, Coventry Street, Lolidoii, W., at 8 p.ni. Tlie liublier Jiidiistry --A Plea for Closer Working,” by J. Fnirbnini.

J[ilY 6. IIOYAL COIJdEGE OF S C I E s C E ~ I I E J I l C , \ L SOCIETY. 1<0yi1I C~llege of Seieiicc, Soiitli I<ciisiiigtuii. S.W. i, ;it. 5 p.111. ‘’ E’iiel Cells or tlic 1)ircet C‘oiivcrsioii ol‘ Fiicl ICiicrgv into JS1cetric:iI

JIiiy 6. SOCIETY OF G‘IIEJIICAL ISI)URTIIY, l lr is tul Srr- t h , tlic ITiiirersity Cliciiiicnl 1)cp:irtiiiciit. llristol. :it i.30 1i . i i i . “ TIii! Soiiierset Oil Slialc Yields,” Iiy Dr. \V. F. Leslie.

Squnre, 1Y.C. 1. :it 7. Puiirtli I-iarter nntl I)riflield Slciiiori:tI I,eeturc, “ ‘l’uiw Iirprotlnc- tioii in 1’Iiotogr:ipliy.” 111.. C:. 13. K. >Ices.

7. SOCIETY OY 1’riii.ic AXILYSTS, Clieiiiiciil Society':. ltouiiis, Ihirliiigtui~ HOIIX, l’icc:itlilly, IV. 1, ;IL S p.111. ( I ) 1)eteriiiiii;itioii o f Siignr i i i Uriiir Iiy J1e:iiis of Fellling’s Soliitiuii wit11 Jlctliylciii* Bliic :IS Iiiterii:iI Iiidic:itor,” Iiy -1. H. L i i i i t *

i i i ic l 1,. l~~yiic~ii . (2) “ Siiiiplc PO~IILS i~l’ Ilytlrogcii I’:Icctrudc,’’ .J . ,I . Cuiisiilcnc. (9) “Xutc oi i tlir I~ccogiiitioii of Ilytlrogciiiitcil Oils,” I)y K. i\. \\‘illi:iiiis :riid 11:. It. Boltoii. (4) “ Estiinatioii of Coplirr : t i id Tin,. iiiid C!qqicr-‘l‘iii ~\lloys,” by. :\. 1’. 1Stlicriclgc. (5) “ Notes on tlic. ~\iiiiIy& o f hlilk’ IJorrtlcrs iiiitl C!aiitlciisccl Jlilks,” by 1). W. Stciiiirt. .- 1iifor1ii:il diiiiicr will IJC lii*ld :it 6.30 p. i i i . l i t tlic St. Jniilcs’s I t c ~ t i i i i ~ ~ i ~ ~ , 176, Picciitlilly, W. 1.

l’lnce, Victorin Eiiibnnkriient, Loiidoii, 1V.C. 2, iit 6 p.111. Aiiniinl Goiornl Meeting.

8 h o s AKD STEEL ISBTITUTE, a t tlie Instittitioil or 9. Civil Engineers, Grcnt George Street, London,

S,W. 1. i\niiuul Meeting. Aiinunl diiinor at thc Hotel C‘ecil. Strniid, o n JLiiy 8. :it i . W 11.111.

. Iuiic 11 SOCIETY oir Drlrim ASIJ Coi.ovliism. Aiiii i it i l to 19. cliiiiier on J i i i i u 11 nt tlic Hotid Victuriii.

Kurtliiiinber1:iiitl Avciiiw, Loiiduii, S.W. 1. Cull- ierciic~c UII Jiiiic 11 und 12 nt tlic lh i t i4 i 12tiipirv ICshibitioii, \\’eiirhlcy; oii Julie 11 (3 p.iii.) J . M. Hnritiay trill give “ An Histurieiil Survey u r 1)yciiig itiicl Cdico Priiitiligy” i i i i t l UII J i i i l c 12’ (11 1i . i i i . ) l’rof. ,\. C. G ~ L ‘ C I I , F.H.S., will ~ p e ~ l i uii “ Jlutlerii 3lctliuds ol‘ 11yciiig.” ltivcr out- iiig (cost 76s. licr pcrsuii) to Wiiidsur 011 J iiiic‘ 13. Appliciitioli fur tir4wts sliuiiltl bc :Iiiiiclu to the Society of Dyers ii~icl Colourists, 30. Pcnrl Asuririince Buildiirgs, Uriidford, hforo Jllly 10.

I f i i c ~ ~ y , ” I’Iu~. A. J . r\lliii~i~i~l, l).Se.

.\]:I?. 6. l~~lY.iI, ~ ’ l ~ ~ ~ T ~ ~ l ~ l ~ . \ l ~ l i l ~ SOCiETY, 36, l%uSSClI

.\lay

nLilS 8. hBTITUTlOS OP ELECTIlXCAL EKOISEEIIB, SnVO?.

M n y and