Fundamental Principles of Gas Producer Control

JSGT 1939 V23 T154-T170

The variable factors in gas producer operation are enumerated and discussed. For the automatic control of a gas producer it is desirable to have a potentiometer recording controller for controlling the coal feed and gas temperature, a pressure recording controller to control gas pressure or blast volume, and a vapour pressure bulb recording controller to control blast saturation temperature. The operation of such devices is described. A study was made of the influence of the fuel bed on producer control. Local variations of the porosity of the fuel bed between 30 and 50% result in corresponding variations in velocity up to 2.5:1, whilst variations in particle size between 1 and 2 lead to a change in velocity o£ 1.4:1. Experiments were carried out on an 8ft Wellman producer comprising a study of the overall pressure drop with different sizes of fuel and thickness of fuel bed, and the exit velocity of the gas from the top of the fuel bed employing a Pitot tube measuring velocities of about 1 ft./sec., and later a "Velometer" measuring to 0·5 ft./sec.

J. G. Bennett