THE 



PHILOSOPHICAL MAGAZINE 

 AND JOURNAL. 



30'" JUNE 1823. 



A' 



LXXXII. On Phcenomena observed in the making of Oil Gas. 

 By Mr. John Elliott. 



To the Editors of the Philosophical Magazine and Journal. 

 MONGST those who have wTitten upon the nature and 

 properties of gaseous bodies, and particularly on their 

 application to the ordinary affairs of life, it is to be regretted 

 that there are few who have reduced their speculations to the 

 test of experiment, and still fewer whose experiments will sup- 

 port their speculations. The phaenomena which I have noticed 

 in manufacturing oil gas, appear to be so contrary to what I 

 might have expected, that I am anxious to call the attention 

 of the scientinc to a subject which, in my humble opinion, is 

 capable of great improvement. The chief difficulties which 

 presented themselves when I commenced, were these : — 



1 St. The best fonn for a retort : 



2ndly. A mode by which I might know in what quantity the 

 oil was admitted : 



3rdly. The getting quit of an etherial and highly combus- 

 tible fluid which was constantly formed with the gas : 



4thly. The dissipating a black residuim:i, or carbonaceous 

 matter, which remained in the retort after distillation ; 



And lastly. Making the gas permanently good. 



The form which I have adopted for the retort is that of a 

 square box about eight inches, with a conical top, through 

 which tlie oil is conducted by a pipe reaching within half an 

 inch of the bottom. The necessity for this is evident, when 

 I state (at least, as it has occurred in my own experiments), 

 that if the oil, which is admitted by drops, is permitted to fall 

 through the heated atmosphere in the interior of the retort, a 

 large portion is instantly converted into a condensable vapour, 

 which no sooner comes in contact with a body sufficiently cool, 

 than it again assumes the liquid form, and is received into a 

 box i^laced at the foot of the tank, which, on account of its 

 proximity to the water, is constantly cool. The second 

 difficulty was easily obviated; yet, easy as it seems, I have 

 known many, and have seen some, who were obliged to 



Vol.61. No. 302. June 1823. 3 E depend 



