The Estimation of Sulphureted Hydrogen and Carbonic Acid in Coal Gas

The first experiments on the total relative ionisation produced by the Becquerel rays from uranium oxide were made by Prof. Rutherford. With a brass ball of 1·1-cm. radius coated with uranium oxide placed inside a metal coated bell-jar of 6·5-cm. radius for containing the gases, the ball being connected to an electrometer and the bell-jar raised to a potential of 800 volts, he found the following values for the total ionisation :— Air ≡ 100, hydrogen 95, oxygen 106, carbonic acid 96, coal gas 111, hydrochloric acid gas 102, ammonia 101.

Download Full-text

XV. On the spectrum of water

Proceedings of the Royal Society of London ◽

10.1098/rspl.1879.0168 ◽

1880 ◽

Vol 30 (200-205) ◽

pp. 580-582 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Keyword(s):

Carbonic Acid ◽

Wave Length ◽

Acid Gas ◽

Coal Gas ◽

Arrangement Of Lines

In our last communication to the Society, “ On the Spectrum of the Compounds of Carbon with Hydrogen and Nitrogen, No. II,” we noticed that a remarkable series of lines, extending over the region between the lines S and R of the s'olar spectrum, were developed in the flame of coal-gas burning in oxygen. The arrangement of lines and bands, of which this spectrum consists, is shown m the accompanying diagram, fig. 1. It begins at the more refrangible end with two strong bands, with wave-lengths about 3062, 3068, and extends up to about the wave-length 3210. It is well developed in the flame of hydrogen as well as of hydrocarbons, burning in oxygen, and less strongly in the flames of non-hydrogenous gases, such as carbonic oxide and cyanogen, if burnt in moist oxygen. Special pains were taken to purify the gases from sulphur. The same spectrum is given by the electric spark taken, without condenser, in moist hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, and carbonic acid gas, but it disappears if the gas and apparatus be thoroughly dried. We are led to the conclusion that the spectrum is that of water.

Download Full-text

The Bakerian Lecture. On the composition and analysis of the inflammable gaseous compounds resulting from the destructive distillation of coal and oil, with some remarks on their relative heating and illuminating powers

Abstracts of the Papers Printed in the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society of London ◽

10.1098/rspl.1815.0118 ◽

1833 ◽

Vol 2 ◽

pp. 119-121

Keyword(s):

Specific Gravity ◽

High Temperatures ◽

Carbonic Acid ◽

Gaseous Mixtures ◽

Coal Gas ◽

Gaseous Products ◽

Secondary Formation ◽

Artificial Illumination ◽

Mutual Action ◽

Sulphuretted Hydrogen

This paper is divided into two sections: in the first, the author’s object is to show that no other compound of carbon and hydrogen can be demonstrated to exist except that usually termed olefiant gas , consisting of one proportion of carbon and one of hydrogen; and that the supposed compound of one of carbon and two of hydrogen, generally called light hydrocarbonate , is in reality a mere mixture of hydrogen and olefiant gases. In proof of this opinion he details a series of analytical experiments upon the gases from coal, oil, acetate of potash, moist charcoal, &c., conducted chiefly by detonation with oxygen, by heat alone, and by the action of sulphur at high temperatures, and obtains results analogous to those afforded by mixtures of hydrogen and olefiant gas, of the same specific gravities. Of the gases above-mentioned, however, the specific gravity, combustibility, and intensity of light during combustion, are often much interfered with by the presence of carbonic oxide and carbonic acid. Of the products obtained by the destructive distillation of coal and oil, Mr. Brande thinks that some are of what may be termed secondary formation; that is, that they result from the mutual action of the first formed gaseous products at high temperatures. Thus a peculiar compound of hydrogen and carbon, volatile and odorous, resembling tar in appearance, but having the characters of resin, is formed by passing pure olefiant gas through a tube of red-hot charcoal; and sulphuret of carbon is formed by the mutual agency of carburetted and sulphuretted hydrogen gases at high temperatures. To the latter compound the author refers the production of sulphurous acid, by the combustion of coal gas in cases where, by the test of acetate of lead, it is shown to be free from sulphuretted hydrogen. In this section of the paper the author further details some processes for the analysis of complex gaseous mixtures, which he thinks afford more accurate results, and are easier of performance than those usually practised, and which are rendered important as elucidating the nature of the gaseous products, now in common use for artificial illumination.

Download Full-text