CHARGING THE GENERATOR.
After making sure that the generator is perfectly tight we will proceed
to charge it. After removing the 4-inch charging screw take 15 pounds of
commercial spelter, which has been broken up with a hammer into pieces
about 2 inches square, and place this in the gas chamber, distributing
it as evenly as possible over the perforated bottom. This is done so
that the zinc will expose all the surface possible to the action of the
acid, and must be observed in order to obtain the best results. Do not
put any pieces of spelter into the generator that are small enough to
drop through the perforated bottom, for if they do they will be likely
to generate gas, which will give overpressure and blow gas out through
the acid chamber. This can do no harm unless close to a light, but it is
very annoying to have acid blown all over the generator. The charging
and cleaning screws must be screwed up tight. After closing the gas cock
on the generator take the quantity of water (less one-seventh) that was
found to be necessary when testing the apparatus, and pour this into the
acid chamber.
Mark the water line and watch it for a few moments to make sure that
everything is tight. Then take of sulphuric acid a quantity equal to
one-seventh of the water used, and pour that into the water in the acid
chamber. It will diffuse itself through the water and thoroughly mix.
Experience has taught me that acid mixed in any proportion stronger than
seven parts of water to one part of acid does not act as quickly as when
mixed in the proportion mentioned. The reason for this is that the
strong acid simply coats the zinc with a deposit or scum of sulphate of
zinc, which is soluble in water, but is not soluble in acid. Therefore,
if the acid is diluted with water to the above mentioned proportion the
water readily dissolves the sulphate and allows the acid to act freely
on the zinc.
This sulphate falls to the bottom of the gas chamber and if allowed to
accumulate causes the clogging mentioned later. The beginner will
observe from the explanation that the generator cannot be crowded by
making the solution strong. It sometimes occurs that the vitriol seems
to be stronger than usual, and then again the reverse is also true. Good
vitriol should be almost as thick as cutting oil, and will work very
quickly. Care must be taken in pouring it into the generator to prevent
spattering. This is best avoided by having a quart measure made of lead
for this purpose. It should also be borne in mind that the _acid should
always be added to the water_, never the water to the acid, as this
mixture always generates heat, and the result would be similar to adding
water to hot lead.
Automatic Action of the Generator.
The generator works best while hot. The gas cock on the generator should
now be opened and the mixture allowed to flow into the gas chamber until
it spurts out of the gas cock, which must then be closed. By this action
all the air in the gas chamber is expelled, leaving it free to generate
pure gas at once. This is a sure method of exhausting the air in the gas
chamber. The acid then attacks the zinc, causing it to decompose the
water and free the hydrogen contained in the acid.
This gas, by reason of its lightness, will rise to the surface of the
acid, and as pressure increases it will force the acid back up through
the acid supply pipe into the acid chamber, until the acid falls below
the perforated bottom. When the acid and zinc cease to come in contact
with each other the generation of gas stops until gas is used, which
relieves the pressure; then more acid descends, and as it comes in
contact with the zinc more gas is generated, replacing that which has
been used. This action makes the generator automatic, unless clogging
with sulphate of zinc takes place. This may happen at any time if the
apparatus is not cleaned after each day's use.
Cleaning the Generator.
To clean the generator in this case attach the air pump to the gas cock
on the generator and force the acid up into the acid chamber by pumping
air slowly into the gas chamber until the acid rises to the proper hight
in the acid chamber, where it can be held by forcing a long wooden plug
into the acid supply pipe. The pumping must cease when the acid rises to
the proper level, or the excess pressure of air will work up through the
supply pipe and cause a blow of acid.
The charging screw can then be removed and the zinc taken out and washed
in hot water. Remove the clean out screw and run one or two pails of hot
water through the gas chamber. This will remove the deposits of sulphate
paste. The zinc can then be replaced, the screws tightened and the acid
released again. Be sure and exhaust the air in the gas chamber, as
previously described, by letting the air spurt out of the gas cock
before connecting it to the scrubbing cup. Care must be taken not to
have any lights near the generator when blowing out this mixture of gas
and air, as it is very explosive.
The apparatus will never clog if cleaned after each day's work, which
should always be done. The tubes should be removed and hung up over
night to dry. The acid, if not spent, can be dipped out of the acid
chamber and placed in jugs. The generator can then be carried to a drain
and filled with hot water, which should be allowed to flow out through
the cleaning screw. This will clean the zinc and wash out all the
sulphate deposit. The screws may then be tightened and the apparatus
left ready for the next day's use.
Fire Trap and Scrubbing Cup.
One of the most essential parts of a lead burning apparatus is a
reliable fire trap and scrubbing cup. This trap reduces to a minimum the
danger from explosion caused by neglecting to free the gas from air. Its
use as a scrubbing cup is also of infinite value.
The action of the vitriol on the zinc produces a violent ebullition, and
a small quantity of the acid is carried in the form of spray from the
generator to the tubes, and, unless caught and removed, will frequently
get into the blow pipe tip and extinguish the flame, making it necessary
to remove the hose and hang it up to drain and dry, which oftentimes
causes waste of time and annoyance.
Almost all spelter or zinc contains more or less arsenic in a metallic
state. It is also found in sulphuric acid. This arsenic is released from
the acid or zinc as they decompose and is carried by the force of the
volume of gas to the blow pipe tip, where, owing to it being necessary
for the operator to get his eyes close to the flames in order to see the
reducing flame, this poisonous gas will be breathed into the lungs and
oftentimes cause a fatal illness. This fact has been disputed by many,
who say that it is impossible for the unit of lightness—_i. e._,
hydrogen gas—to pick up and carry a heavy metal such as arsenic. Arsenic
does not form a chemical combination with hydrogen, having a very slight
affinity for it, but is carried to the blow pipe solely by the force of
the volume of gas.
To prove the above assertion we will refer to Professor Marsh, who
demonstrated the ability of hydrogen to carry arsenic in the following
manner: If a solution containing arsenic be added to a solution of
sulphuric acid and zinc, the resulting hydrogen will, upon ignition,
deposit a ring of metallic arsenic upon any cold surface that the flame
be directed upon. (Professor Marsh's experiment.)
It will be seen from the above that it is imperative that the operator
use a scrubbing cup and see that it is properly filled with a solution
of blue vitriol. The ordinary impurities of hydrogen generated in this
manner are sulphur and carbon, which should be removed if possible.
The actual use of the scrubbing cup is to catch the above mentioned
spray and precipitate to some extent all other impurities contained in
the gas, and produce gas sufficiently pure for lead burning.
Directions for Making the Cup.
To make this cup take a piece of 4-inch lead pipe 7 inches long (an
ordinary piece of 4-inch lead soil pipe will do); flange out one end and
burn in a flat bottom. Three inches from the bottom, and in the side of
this 4-inch pipe, burn in a trap screw, _a_, Fig. 19, a screw taken from
an old lead trap being just the thing. This is to regulate the hight of
the solution in the cup. Now make a top by taking a piece of lead and
raising it about ¾ inch; punch two holes in this top, _b_ and _c_, large
enough to let a ⅜-inch lead pipe pass through; flange out the top of the
cup and fit and burn this top in place. Take two pieces of ⅜-inch lead
pipe, one to be 3 inches long and the other to be 10 inches long, and
with the dresser draw one end of each to nearly a point, so that the
hose can be slipped on tight. The long piece _c_ should now be slipped
through one of the holes in the top of the cup, holding it ½ inch from
the bottom _d_ and burning it in. This is the gas inlet and should be
marked as such. The short piece is then placed in the remaining hole and
burnt in place. The action will be thus: The gas entering the gas inlet
pipe is caused to pass through a solution of blue vitriol 2½ inches
deep, when the acid is caught and the gas is scrubbed and rendered as
nearly pure as possible. It then enters the outlet pipe and is ready for
use. If the directions have been followed the cup will resemble the
illustration Fig. 17. No trouble will be experienced with this cup.
[Illustration:
_Fig. 19.—Fire Trap and Scrubbing Cup._
]