K H. Edgerton <ya Naphtha gas. 



Art. LVIII. — On ike Composition of Permanent Illuminating 

 Oas obtained from the decomposition of Petroleum Naphtha ; bv 

 "" With a prefatory note by B. Silliman. 



resulting from tlie rec- 

 into a permanent gas, 

 suited for economical use as an illuminant, either by itself or 

 when mixed with poor gas, or atmospheric air as a diluent, is a 

 problem of no little importance ; especially in view of the enor- 

 mous volume of these light products, equal to at least one-eightli 

 part of the total production of crude petroleum. A process for 

 converting this volatile material into a permanent gas has been 

 devised, and is coming into notice under the name of " Band's 

 process," which is in fact founded upon an invention patented 

 some years since by Dr. L. D. Grale. In this process the vapor 

 of naphtha evolved in a distillating apparatus by a steam coil 

 is carried into an iron retort heated to redness where it is in great 

 part converted into permanent gases of very high illuminating 

 power. Small portions of the denser oils which escape destruc- 

 tive distillation are delivered by a syphon into a suitable recep- 

 tacle; while the gas, after cooling, is carried to the holder 

 and is fit for immediate use. It is so rich, however, in illu- 

 minants as to be unfit for use in common gas burners, and 

 hence is usually reduced by admixture with atmospheric air, ot 

 which it requires about an' equal volume to bring it to a stand- 

 ard of 25 candles by the photometer. 



As this problem possesses considerable scientific i^^^''^!!' 

 aside from its economical importance, I have requested Mr. tl. 

 H. Edgerton, Superintendent of the Gas works at Fort W avae, 

 ^ • a well instructed and skillful gas chemist. 



--.J for publication his analytical results upon 1 

 1 of the naphtlia gas, which are subjoined. 



The " Memphis Gas " quoted in these analyses is the g^ 

 made at Memphis, Tennessee, by this method, that city oe g 

 thus lighted. By '' Fort Wayne N. Gas" Mr. Edgerton mea^ 

 the naphtha gas made by himself at Fort Wayne. In a lew 

 Mr. Edgerton says he has calculated the gases which are no 

 absorbed by Nordhausen acid as methyl or marsh gas, and tne 

 absorbable gases as C4H4 + CgHg, although he adds, "^.^^l^g. 

 vinced these gases do not co-exist, but go to form an int 

 diate gas, of less simple relation of volumes." . j^ 



The economical details of this interesting research are ^^ 

 in a separate form elsewhere. It will be a source o^ S^^ff^me 

 faction should this method of utilizing light naphtha Decu 

 an established industry, since in this manner alone ^^^^^.^. 

 by consuming the raw material, to avoid those constantly 



