BE433339A - - Google Patents

Description

       

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    "PROOEDE FOR THE TREATMENT OF MINERALS, PARTIALLY COAL".



   The present invention relates to the separation of minerals from their gangue by using a liquid of a specific weight between that of the mineral and that of the gangue. The invention will be described in its application to the separation of coal from its original impurities, particularly from shales, in which separation the process and the apparatus are of particularly great value, but it It should be noted that this description is illustrative and in no way limiting.



   It seems that coal was known and used by the ancients in some small measure; Its use in China, around 1200 AD is described by Marco Polo, and in around 1500 Agricola described a process for liberating minerals from their gangue, this process being the direct ancestor of the pulsating washing process for the coal cleaning, which is today

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 hui the most used. In ancient times of coal mining in Europe and the United States of America, only the thick layers were mined. Manual operating methods were employed, and nothing was needed except hand cleaning, or the coarser mechanical methods.

   But when the thick layers were depleted it became necessary to mine thin layers and layers containing rock veins, which imposed the necessity of removing the rock before the coal could be sold.



  The method which came mainly in use and which is today the type of separation of coal from shales, is based on the rates of descent of bodies of different densities through a liquid such as water. It is known that bodies descend through a liquid at rates which are a function of their respective densities, the denser falling more rapidly.

   The typical pulsating washer used in industry takes advantage of this principle, but instead of allowing the solids to descend through the liquid, the liquid is forced to pass through a sieve, on which the solids rest. to an extent that lifts the layer of coal above the heavier shales, the coal being carried by the flow of water over a dam while the shales are discharged from the sieve at a lower point: The pulsating washhouses are highly developed and are of excellent capacity and operation.

   However, competition from oil has forced charcoal producers to find ways of cleaning the charcoal, which are more precise in separating useful pieces from those without use, and producers and inventors have taken care. those of the separation processes which rely on the separating action of a liquid having a specific weight between that of the coal and that of the shales.



   The use of a separating liquid should be distinguished from foam float; foam float changes the weight

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 apparent specificity of bodies finely divided so that they float on a liquid of less effective density. On the other hand, the separation processes are based on the use of a separating liquid in which one ingredient of the mixture will sink to the bottom and another ingredient of the mixture will rise and float to the surface. Certain phases of the liquid separator process touch on the phenomenon. change in specific gravity, but they differ from foam floating.



   Towards the middle of the nineteenth century the proposal was made to employ ferric chloride (1856), or sulfuric acid, as a separating liquid for the separation of coal from aveo shales, and were made in England to initiate the ferric chloride process in conjunction with the pulse washers, but the pulse washers were already well developed, and these attempts were unsuccessful. The proposed process was, however, ideal in theory, and subsequent inventors attempted to perfect it.



  A multitude of patents have been issued particularly in England and the United States proposing processes of the so-called liquid separator type, but none have been successful, except perhaps one which is based on the separating effect of a suspension. solids such as sand or clay in water.

   Processes using separating media of a homogeneous character are still ineffective, because the loss of separating liquid through attachment to solids makes the process so expensive that the advantages of more exact separation are lost; the processes themselves being coarse and undeveloped, are unable to co-operate with the highly developed processes already in use in industry; they are incomplete procedures, lacking a quantity of elements essential to success; and the presence of separating liquids on the charcoal makes the charcoal less good for certain uses.

   Prior to the present invention these objections were known, but no way to overcome them has been discovered.

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   It is an object of the present invention to prevent the adhesion between an organic solid and an organic liquid. Another also capital object of the invention is to separate the charcoal from the impurities by the use of a separating liquid having a specific weight intermediate between that of the charcoal and that or those of the impurities and comprising a organic liquid.



  Another object of the invention is to prevent the adhesion between carbon, or other carbonaceous solids, and hydrocarbon liquids. Another object of the invention is to provide the mining industry with a coal preparation apparatus capable of competing economically with the new process with the best processes previously known in this field.

   Another object of the invention is to apply aqueous protective films to minerals which are not easily wetted by water, by means of film stabilizers, - to establish a register of different representative members of the class of stabilizers of film, - to determine the said class., and to identify a defined method applicable to all known substances, by which we can know of any substance, independently of its chemical structure and its physical state, its effectiveness relative to the quantitative and qualitative point of view, as a stabilizer. film maker. It is also an object of the invention to produce and deliver minerals with a predetermined gangue content.

   Another object of the invention is to easily determine the gangue content and the specific gravity of a mixture of solids. Other object; of the invention will emerge and will be explained more fully in what follows:
The objects of the invention are achieved, generally speaking, by wetting the materials to be separated with an aqueous solution containing a film stabilizer, washing the materials with water, their immersion, preferably under a hermetic seal, in an aqueous solution. separating liquid having a specific weight intermediate between the specific weights of the materials to be separated, removing the material from said separating liquid after separation, purifying the separated constituents, preferably under

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 hermetic closure, by means of a liquid, and their evacuation from the process,

  reinforcement of the aqueous solution with film stabilizer and its return for reuse recovery of the separating liquid from the scrubbing liquid in a semi-static direct current settling system and sludge distillation, as well as reuse of the scrubbing liquid.



   The wider objects of the invention are achieved, generally speaking, by immunization of minerals (or other solids, or liquids), which are not easily wetted by water, or which are more easily wetted by organic liquids insoluble in water than by water, against contamination by such organic liquids, by applying thereto an aqueous solution of a film stabilizer, preferably in dilute solution, before bringing them into contact with the organic liquid.

   Film stabilizers are surface active substances which produce, in aqueous solution, an optimum differential change in the surface tension considered with respect to the concentration, at concentrations not exceeding 2%, and which form aqueous surface films stable in the presence of organic liquids essentially insoluble in water.



   The objects of the invention are also partially achieved by the combination of apparatus and by the details of the method and apparatus more fully described in the following.



   In order to make the drawings easier to understand, the first figure has been called the overall figure. The process steps have been numbered consecutively from 1 to 9 and the figures in the drawings have been numbered to correspond to the process steps in the drawings. What they relate to. For example, in the overall figure, the reference numeral 3 refers to the third step of the process which includes the actual separation step. The figures that relate to this step are numbered from 3 to 3-L. In addition, the parts of the apparatus relating to a certain stage of the

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 process have received numbers, the first digit of which corresponds to the number of the corresponding stage of the process.

   Thus the elements of the apparatus represented in figures 1 to I-f including start with the number 1.



   Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view in an apparatus capable of satisfactorily performing the step of coating the carbon with a solution of water and a film stabilizer; Figure 1-a is a cross section along line 1-a, I-a figure 1; Figure I-b eet a plan view of the hopper and the conveyor tank according to tigure I; Figure 1-c is a cross section along line 1-ci, Figure 1-c; Figure I-d is a plan view of the conveyor channel taken along line 1-d, 1-d in Figure 1; and Figure I-e is a partially sectioned perspective view, showing details of the conveyor ohenal and fins; Figure I-f shows a detail; figure I-g is a detail.



   Figure 3 is a vertical section through an apparatus capable of performing the second step of the process. Figure 2-a is a plan view along line 2-a, 2-a figure 2; Figure 2-b is a plan view of the shaker screen shown in Figure 2; Figure 2-o is a cross section along line 2-c, 2-c Figure 2; FIG. 2-d is a plan view of the de-gravitating pole for the recovery of the film stabilizer washed away by washing the carbon by the apparatus 2 to 2-c; Figure 2-e is a partially sectional elevation of said settling cone.



   Fig. 3 shows an apparatus capable of performing the third step of the process, namely, separation; Figure 3 is a vertical section taken on the line A-A of the general figure; Figure 3-a is a cross section along the broken line 3-a, 3-a in Figure 3; FIG. 3-b shows a detail, partially in section, of a preferred variant embodiment of the corner 336-337; Figure 3-c shows a cross section through the object of Figure 3-b; the figure 3-d is a view in

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 elevation, partially transparent and partially in section, showing the separator apparatus; Figure 3-e is a section along line 3-e, 3-e Figure 3-d; lafigure 3-f is a section along line 3-f, 3-f figure 3-d; FIG. 3-g is a section taken along line 3-g, 3-g in FIG. 3;

   Figure 3-h is a section along the line 3-g, 3-g Figure 3; Figure 3-h is a section on the line 3-h, 3-h Figure 3; Figure 3-i is a section along line 3-i, 3-i figure 3; FIG. 3-j represents means for controlling the preferred variant embodiment according to FIGS. 3-b and 3-c; Figures 3-k and 3-1 show a preferred method of controlling the apparatus according to Figures 3-b and 3-c.



   Figure 4 is an elevational view, partially broken away and in section, of the purification apparatus; Figure 4-a is a section taken along line 4-a, 4-a in figure 4; the figure 4-b a cut on a larger scale, according to the line 4-b, 4b figure 4-d, the left part of the cut according to the figure 4-b being taken along the line ZZ figure 4-d, - the part of the middle a section according to figure 4-b being taken along line JJ figure 4-d, - and the straight part of the section according to figure 4-b being taken along line XX figure 4-d; Figure 4-o is a section along the line 4-c, 4-c figure 4; Figure 4-d is a section on a larger scale in the sealing device shown in Figure 4-c;

   FIG. 4-e is a section on a larger scale of a sprinkler tube with nozzles showing the superposition of the jets;
Figure 5 shows the device used for. to receive the material discharged from the purification process, to quench the purification process and to evacuate the material.



   Figures 6,6-a, 6-b and 6-c represent the second or prinoipal settling tank, constituting the second stage in the heavy liquid recovery system, the first stage of which is constituted by the deoanter tank 'of the' cleaning device (fig. 4).



  Figure 6 is a plan view, with parts removed and in section, of the main settling tank; the figure 6-a is a following cut

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   line 6a, 6-a; Figure 6-b is a vertical section along line 6-b, 6-b; Figure 6-c is a section on a larger scale along the line 6-o, 6-a figure 6.



   Figures 7 to 7-c relate to the third settling tank in the series, called sludge interceptor or slurry, and to the distillation boiler. Figure 7 is a partly sectional elevation of the sludge interceptor and the still boiler assembled together; Figure 7a is a plan view of the sludge interceptor; Figure 7-b is a trnsvarsal section in the sludge interoperator along line 7-b, 7-b; Figure 7-a is a plan view of the distillation boiler taken along line 7-o, 7-c in Figure 7.



   Figures 8 to 8-c do not relate to plant division 8, but to an apparatus by means of which the efficiency of the separation can be readily determined. Figure 8 is a plan view of part of the apparatus partially in section and Figure 8-a is a cross section along line 8-2,8-2 Figure 8. Figure 8-b is a perspective view of a shovel; Figure 8-c is an enlarged detail of the hinge connection.



   The figure 9 and the figure 9-a are desvues in plan and in elevation, respectively, of the condenser.



   Figure 10 is a view of pipe connections, as used throughout the installation.



   So that the invention can be understood in general, it will first be described with respect to the overall figure before being described in detail.



   1 designates the feed conveyor bin; 10, the feed hopper connected thereto; 124, means for maintaining constant the level in the tank and the hopper, at a height above the opening between the hopper and the tank; 11, a channel for delivering crushed coal mixed with original impurities, into the feed hopper 10; 113, a conveyor

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 in the tank 1, which collects the wetted material and expels it through the passage 110. In the first step of the process the carbon is treated with a liquid comprising water and a film stabilizer.

   The liquid employed in this part of the installation, - and in any similar preliminary treatment step, is a dilute aqueous solution of a film stabilizer, the concentration of which is kept substantially constant.



   The mixture of coal and shale, after being expelled through lane 110, is collected on screen 21 and subjected to the second stage of the process, comprising washing the treated coal with water from watering cans 216. To simplify the understanding of the invention, the path of the coal through the installation will be traced to the end before considering the treatment of the liquids employed. From the shaker screen 21 and from the second step 2 of the process, the charcoal is poured into the passage 328 which brings it into the separatory chamber where the heavy material is separated from the light material by a liquid medium of intermediate specific gravity.

   After separation the charcoal is drained of the entrained liquid and is transferred to the apparatus and step 4 of the process, which is, in relation to charcoal, a cleaning process, removing from the charcoal substantially all traces of separating liquid. In this cleaning step, the coal and the shale, separated, are subjected to a vigorous cleaning by means of water, under pressure, coming from the header pipes 442. The third and fourth steps of the process are preferably carried out in a tank. hermetically sealed system.

   The coal and washed shale are expelled through the subdivided box 462, onto the conveyors 5 with hydraulic seals, which serve to subject the coal to the final rinse and to prevent the escape of vapors from the hermetically closed units. 3 and 4: From the conveyors 5, the coal can be unloaded for storage or on railway waggons, to be transported to the place of destination, while the shales can be removed.



   Having described the process generally from the point of view of action on carbon, the process will now be described.

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 from the point of view of the liquids employed: when the carbon has been washed in step or section 2 of the process with water coming from the pipes 216. the water, with the liquid which it frees from the carbon, passes through the sieve 21 and is collected in the hopper 220 from where it is brought by the pipe 221 into the sludge cone or sludge 222. The sludge is intercepted in the chamber 226 and is optionally discharged through the pipe 237.



  The comparatively clear liquid from washing step 1 of the process, diluted by the liquid from the sprinklers 216, flows over a barrier at the top of the cone, undergoes an adjustment of its film stabilizer concentration. by additions coming through line 241 of tank 240, - containing film stabilizer in a more concentrated solution, or not dissolved, - so as to present a percentage which gives satisfactory results with this solution for preliminary treatment, and passes through pipe 243 to hopper 10, where it is reused for processing the incoming coal.



   As the charcoal passes through cleaning section 4, it is vigorously cleaned with water from collectors 442. The charcoal continues on its way and the water passes through the sieve which carried the charcoal and collects with sludge. and with heavy liquid in the tank 406 forming the lower part of this section of the apparatus. From this tank, the sludge is removed through pipe 457 to be discharged] 3 into a sludge interceptor or separator? and the liquid containing suspended lighter materials is discharged into the main settling tank 6.



   Over the dam at the top of the main settling tank 6 flows relatively air liquid, to be pumped through the pipe 615 to the collectors 442 for the purpose of its reuse in the washing section. From the bottom of the tank 6, the sludge is withdrawn by the pipe 620 and is pumped towards the sludge separator 7. In some cases it is possible to do

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 lowering the substantially entire contents of the sludge separator 7 into the steam-heated distillation boiler 8, but in normal operation and preferably the material is allowed to settle into three layers, of which the lower one consists largely solid, the middle one largely heavy liquid, and the upper one substantially water.

   Through pipe 717 which leads to a dam at the top of the tank, and through valves 719 and pipe 721, water is drained and returned to tank 6. Heavy liquid is pumped through pipe 723 to the tank at liquid employed.



  Finally the remaining sludge is discharged into the steam-heated distillation boiler 8. The water passes, together with the heavy vaporized liquid, through pipe 88-89 to the condenser 9 which is shown schematically in this figure, and from the condenser. - sor 9 to the cooler 95 and the water separator 96, in which the heavy liquid is separated by gravity from the water) The separated heavy liquid is brought through pipes 961-962 to the liquid tank 963 , or to the used liquid reservoir 964 respectively. 965 is a line connecting the used liquid tank to the fresh liquid tank and 996 is a line from the fresh liquid tank.

   The contents of the liquid tank used can be supplemented by that of the fresh liquid tank through a counter 967 indicating the quantity of liquid used in the system. The level of the heavy liquid in the separation section 3 is maintained by injection of liquid coming from the liquid reservoir used 964 by the pipe 359: The excess heavy liquid escapes from the top of a dam through the hose. 358 and returns to the used liquid reservoir.

   In the drawings a circle with the letter designates a pump and a circle with the letter x a valve; the pipes 358-359 are connected to each other by a pipe in which is provided a V-20 valve
Many were the defects of the processes known until now

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 which sought to employ a separating liquid, but the only defect which rendered the process incapable of being used and which was insurmountable, was the lack of an agent capable of maintaining a film of water on the coal or on another mineral which , normally, is not quickly wetted with water, or preferably not wetted with water. The idea of coating carbon with a film of water has been tried and found to be a misconception.



   No doubt it would have occurred to some inventors that, if the water itself were an error, it would be possible that the use of a wetting agent would be wary of a thicker or more water film. complete, and reduce ¯ fluid loss'. However, it was not so. For example the use of ordinary wetting agents; sodium petroleum sulfonate, stenol acid phthalate, dilauryl-ammonium-adipate, and sodium-lauryl-sulfate, as well as others, produced no improvement and in many cases even increased loss in heavy liquid. These and other experiments showed that the problem to be solved was not only in the anchorage.

   By carrying out experiments to develop the means to prevent 1 '! adhesion of the separating liquid to carbon, or to other minerals, which are not quickly wetted, or not wetted preferably, by water, we have found that the loss of separator liquid can be reduced by the application with the charcoal of an aqueous solution of a film stabilizer, before introducing the charcoal into the separating liquid.

   Members of the film stabilizer class come from numerous ohimic groups having various properties; however, certain chemical groups fall entirely within the said class. Some members of other groups also belong to it, although the whole class is not included, an example in this connection being that certain compounds known to be useful as molding agents are inolusive because that they also have film stabilizer properties.

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   Examples of film stabilizers are as follows, but it should be understood that the list given below is only an example and that it is not limiting It serves to show illustrative examples rather than a catalog of agents coming into play.

   Anyone interested in cataloging all film stabilizers among the millions of known compounds, can do so by following the process determined after the list: oateohol, resoroinol, quinol, pyrogallol, dihydroxyphenyl, dihydroxychlorobenzene, gallic acid, alizarine , arbutin, ruberythric acid, aloin, aesoulin, apine glyoyrrhizin, pelargonin, tannic acid, digitalis, saponine, parillin, naphthol sulfonic acid, naphthol sulfonic acid, naphthylamine disulfonic acid, amino naphthol sulfonic acid, dihydroxynaphthalene disulfonic acid, compound # 8 which is a condensation product of naphthalene sulfonic acid and formaldehyde,

  ID-1 which is a reaction product of phenol sulfonic acid with formaldehyde, Fastan, Tanak, Irgatane, sulfite treated cellulose, methyl cellulose, starch acetate, starch, pectin, gum arabic, mezguit gum, cherry gum, ohiràz gum, gum gum, bean gum, Karaya gum, tragacanth, lichen glue, dextrin, inulin, egg albumin, blood albumin, vegetable albumin , fibrin, edestin, glyoinin, alkali soluble protein (the species from grains is particularly suitable), gliadin, casein, gelatin, bone glue, skewer glue, rabbit glue, hemoglobin, polyvinyl alcohol, hexamethylene-tetramine, triethanolamine, sodium phosphate, oxalic acid,

   Potassium permanganate:
Film stabilizers are surface active materials which, in aqueous solution, produce an optimum differential change in the surface tension under consideration from the concentration, at concentrations not exceeding about 2%, and which form stable surface aqueous films in the presence of essentially water-insoluble organic liquids.

   Their function is physical rather than ohimic and their

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 definition is necessarily expressed in physical or physical-chemical terms. The degree of their solubility in the separating liquid is important, because too great a solubility in the separating liquid results in the stabilizer being pulled out of the water film, and hence the destruction of the latter. Therefore, surface solubilities of active substances greater than about - .3% to .5% should be avoided. Another characteristic of these surface active substances is their ability to decrease surface tension.

   The decrease in surface tension in itself is probably not the cause of the stabilization of the film, but the magnitude of the decrease, together with the concentration of the dissolved substance which causes the decrease: are indicators of the existence to the surface of the film of conditions which cause stabilization of the film. A given solution forms the most stable films when the greatest difference exists between the concentration of the film stabilizer in the surface layer and its concentration in the solution taken as a whole. The tendency for film stabilization can be expressed as the ratio of the change in surface tension to the concentration at which the change in surface tension is most abrupt.

   For example, the addition of .001% polyvinyl alcohol to pure water produces a change in surface tension of 3.-60 dynes measured on the so-called du Nouy tensiometer, corresponding to a ratio of 3.60 to .001, or 3600 to I. A similar change in the concentration of glycerol in 10% water changes the surface tension by only about .5 dyne. In this case the ratio is .5 to 10, or ".05 to I." On this basis polyvinyl alcohol at a concentration of .001% is a film stabilizer 72,000 times better than glycerol.

   Film stabilizers produce a relatively large rate of change in surface tension for differential amounts of additions at concentrations less than about 2%, and some of the best produce excellent results at such low concentrations. that .05%. The rete-

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 air at the surface of the mineral when it is immersed in the preliminary wetting bath does not reduce the action of the stabilized film: The stabilized films are stable at the air-liquid interface and also at the liquid-liquid interface , the general conditions described in this naturally applicable in both cases.

   Taking a .5% solution as standard, these active surface materials are useful film stabilizers which show on addition at this concentration to pure water a decrease in surface tension of about .5 dynes. or more:
Some compounds are not themselves film stabilizers, but react with minerals in the system to produce compounds which are film stabilizers: To this class belong sodium phosphate, sodium phosphate, 'oxalic acid and potassium permanganate.' The invention relates both to the addition of stabilizers from the start, and to their production in the system. A quantity of organic matter dissolves in water, giving more colloidal solutions than real solutions.

   Distint mixtures are stabilized in the colloidal state because of their highly hydrated character, and are then classified as so-called "emulsoids" or "hydrophilic" colloids, as opposed to so-called "suspensoids" or "hydrophobic" colloids which are stabilized. by the presence of an electric charge. The emulsoid collides, examples of which are listed above, are useful as film stabilizers.



  Among the subclasses of emulsion colloids are proteins and carbohydrates. Among the subclasses of proteins are albumins, globulins, prolamins, phospho-proteins, solero-proteins and chromo-proteins: Among the carbohydrates are cellulose derivatives, starches , pain, gums, seaweed extracts.

   The emulsion colloidal solutions are characterized by a selectively high viscosity; a property that can be used by

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 to make a rough demarcation between this class and other classes, is that it can be said that it includes substances having a viscosity increasing effect which is roughly five or more times greater than that sugar, - but the real one. Criterion for film stabilizing effectiveness for these compounds is apparently the colloidal emulsified nature of the compound, not viscosity or any other attribute.



   A rough and not entirely accurate test for film stabilizers is to agitate a typical separating liquid, of the type employed in accordance with the present invention, with water in the presence of a small amount of the substance under test. .



  Many film stabilizers so treated produce a persistent film interfaces, visible to the naked eye, and which appears to have an individual existence, quite apart from water or body liquid, which provides further evidence. that the properties of the active agents are not only those of the wetting agents.



   Another class indicated as effective by the illustrative members given in the list above are glycosides.



  The best compounds of this type seem to be those in the-
 EMI16.1
 which aglucone is an asymmetric polyhydroxyazomatic compound. The glyoosides of monooxhydryl and symmetrical aglucones are less effective. The main types of cyclicids, however, are effectively based on the asymmetric and polyoxhydryl type and they are all effective.

   Representatives of the larger classes are the phenolic type, such as arbutin, salicin, and tannic acid; the anthraquinone type, such as ruberythric acid and aloin; the
 EMI16.2
 oumarin type, such as aesouline; the anthoxantin type, such as apiin and glycyrrhizin; the anthocyanin type, such as pelargonin; the digital type, such as digitalis; the saponin type, such as parillin.



   Since the large number of known ohimic compounds and the diversity of their constitutions and attributes make

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 In establishing a list of the entire group of film stabilizers which are too time-consuming and too expensive to be practical, the determined method given below has been developed as an additional means of defining the class in its entirety. lukewarmness. This method is applicable to all known substances; a number of tubes having transparent bottoms and equal diameters are filled to an equal depth with dye and kerosene solutions, the tubes being arranged so that light passes through them from bottom to top through the transparent bottoms and the solution of dye.

   Tubes are arranged in order of increasing dye percentage. For example, the first tube may contain 1% of an oil soluble dye, such as for example oil red, the second tube 2, etc. A sample of charcoal of unknown properties is stirred gently in plain water, the "agitation" being controlled so that degradation of the charcoal is kept to a minimum. Agitation is continued for an exact period of time, such as fifteen seconds.

   The charcoal is then separated from the water - and is immersed for a fixed period of time, such as fifteen seconds, in an organic liquid essentially insoluble in water, such as pentachloroethane, in which has been dissolved a a small percentage, such as 0.1%, of the same dye found in kerosene tubes. The charcoal is separated from the organic liquid, is vigorously sprinkled with water for an exact period of time, such as twenty seconds, and is immersed in a weighed quantity of kerosene in which it is gently stirred for a period of time. exact time, such as fifteen seconds.

   The carbon and kerosene are separated; the kerosene is filtered; the coal is weighed, and a tube of the same dimensions as the dye tubes is filled to an identical depth with the kerosene extract. By comparing the color of the kerosene extract with the color in the tubes, simple mathematics gives an exact indication of the loss of liquid on the particular type of charcoal constituting the sample.



   Liquid losses vary depending on the type of coal.

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  A compact and hard anthracite shows a relatively small loss of liquid, while a crumbly bituminous coal, which continually shows fresh surfaces as a result of degradation, and which is filled with fine crevices and fissures into which the liquid can penetrate, shows a relatively large loss.



   In the second step of the definition process, a sample of the same carbon is immersed for an identical period of time in an aqueous solution of the compound, the efficiency of which is to be determined, for example, in a 1% solution. starch acetate, and otherwise the foregoing procedure is followed in exactly the same manner. Those of the compounds, the presence of which in the second step produces a color of less intensity than the color produced in the first step, are film stabilizers, and their effectiveness as such is accurately indicated by the difference in shade. .

   The determined method described above takes only a few seconds for its entire execution and is applicable in all cases, and in all cases exact within practical limits.



  The efficiency of film stabilizers differs depending on the type of carbon, for the reasons given above, depending on the nature of the film stabilizer, and the percentage of film stabilizer employed. In some cases .05% stabilizer. Film processor produces optimum results. In other cases 1%, or even more concentrated solutions of film stabilizer, are required for optimum efficiency.



   This determined method also defines the characteristics of each type of carbon and allows the operator to be certain that the film stabilizer he is using is the best type for the particular type of carbon, and to be certain that 'it is used in the percentages which produce the optimum result.



   With this method, reductions in separator liquid losses of 85% and more are customary. Therefore it should be noted that this method presents a method of surface immunization of a solid weakly wetted by water against

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 the adhesion of a highly effective organic liquid *.



   The solubility of the compound influences its utility as a film stabilizer in the coal process. Some compounds are so insoluble in water or in water combinations with inexpensive solvents which are not mixable with the separating liquid that they are of no practical value. Therefore it can be said as a practical fact, that in the coal industry only compounds soluble in water, or compounds soluble in mixtures of water with inexpensive solvents which are not soluble in the separating liquid. , are of practical interest.

   In industries dealing with materials of higher unit value the question of price disappears and any film stabilizer can be employed regardless of price.
Referring to reference numerals in the drawings, 1 generally designates the section for processing coal with the film stabilizer, 10 is a hopper; is a channel leading to the hopper; 12 is an inclined bottom of the hopper; 13-13 are inclined sides of the hopper; 14 is a wall of the hopper; 15 is an opening in the wall 14;
16 is a valve which closes the opening in the wall of the hopper; 17 is a channel-shaped member attached to the valve;
18 is a rack in the channel-shaped member;

   19 is a channel-shaped member in which the first said channel-shaped member can slide vertically; 100 is a pinion meshing with the rack 18; IOI is a rod on which the pinion is mounted; 102-102 are bearings in which the rod is mounted; 103 is a wheel for turning the rod 101; 104 is a flexible means, for example a chain or rope or cable, to facilitate the rotation of the wheel 103; 106 is a conveyor box or bin; 105 is a liquid-tight channel connecting the hopper 10 to the conveyor tank 106; 107 is an opening in the bottom of the hopper above the lower fins of the conveyor; 108 is an inclined bottom of the conveyor tank; 109 is a conveyor channel;

   110 is a hallway

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 at the end of the conveyor channel; 111 is a perforated part at the lowest point of the conveyor ohenal; 112 is a drain pipe from the bottom of the conveyor tank; 113 is a scraper-type vane conveyor, 114 are perforated vanes of the vane conveyor; 115 is a chain sprocket at the upper end of the conveyor; 116 is a load wheel in the middle of the length of the return run of the vane conveyor, 117. ' is a chain sprocket at the lower end of the conveyor; 118 is a chain sprocket at the location of the curvature of the conveyor channel; 119 is a motor mounted on the conveyor tank;

   and 120 are the combined gears and transmissions of the conveyor control. The motor is preferably electric and at variable speed. 121 is another motor mounted on the conveyor bin 122 is a small conveyor driven by motor 121 for a purpose described later; 123 is a liquid partially filling the conveyor tank and the hopper; 124 is a box opening into the conveyor tank; 125 is an overflow tube in the overflow box 124, but placed outside the wall of the conveyor bin.

   The control of the first conveyor is shown in Figure I-o in which 119 is a motor mounted on the conveyor bin; 130 is a wheel controlled by the motor; 126 is a wheel controlled by the first said wheel by multiple strand transmission or by chain and chain sprocket; 127 is a tree; 128 is a toothed wheel at the end of the shaft; 129 is a toothed wheel on the shaft 130, these two toothed wheels working together by a chain or a similar device; 131 and 132 are chain wheels connected to each other by a chain 133; 134 is a shaft mounted in the conveyor tank and carrying chain wheels 135 on which are placed chains forming part of the vane conveyor.

   The operation of the control is obvious to those skilled in the art.



  140 is a screen for stopping the flow of floating impurities and 150 is a water inlet. 151 is a sieve in front of box 124.



   Figures I-d and 1-e represent characteristics /

  <Desc / Clms Page number 21>

 of conveyor channels, 136 shows how the conveyor channels are cut diagonally to avoid collisions between joints and fins; 137 shows the guide edges of the conveyor channels pressed down so that the approaching fins pass smoothly from one channel to another; and aunts 141 at the ends of the channels half-surround the bolts 142 of the brackets 143. the channels being pressed down by the washers 144 engaged on the bolts.



   The apparatus 1 according to the invention operates as follows: through the channel 11 the materials to be separated are discharged into the hopper 10. The bottom and the inclined sides of the hopper direct the materials towards the channel 105. But before they go. arriving at channel 105 the material collides with liquid 123 and the spatter is retained in the hopper. The valve 16 is opened by turning the wheel 103, which turns the pinion 100 which, by virtue of its engagement with the rack 18, lifts the valve 16. The material descends into the channel 105 and arrives through the opening. 107 in the conveyor channel. The vanes of the conveyor collect the material and lift it along the conveyor channel towards the unloading corridor 110.

   The conveyor fins are preferably perforated, in order to allow part of the liquid entrained with the charcoal to return to the conveyor tank: The level of the liquid in the apparatus is maintained by means of the overflow pipe 125. The too full of the bao can be sent either to the sewer or to an apparatus for recovering the active constituent of the liquid. The perforations 111 in the bottom of the conveyor channel provide an outlet for fine solid particles which would otherwise accumulate there.

   The solids thus collected can be discharged, together with a certain quantity of liquid, either from time to time, or on a continuous basis, as required. The disclosed apparatus provides a means for carrying out the preliminary treatment of the material with a film stabilizer solution.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 22>

 



   Reference numeral 2 relates generally to the second step of the process and to the apparatus employed in its preferred embodiment to carry out said step. 21 is a seooueur sieve of a type perforated over a considerable part of its length; 20 is the receiving end of the shaker screen which is located under the unloading aisle 110 of the conveyor just described; 22 are the sides of the conveyor, which are preferably protected by wooden slats 23 to reduce the abrasive effect of the moving material, and if the material is charcoal, to reduce the abrasive effect on coal;

   24-24 are elastic planohes bolted at their upper ends to the beams 25-25 and at their lower ends to the angles 26; 27 is the unloading aisle of the seooueur sieve; 38 are angle irons which form, together with the angular side pieces 22, the frame of the shaker sieve:

   The perforated part of the shaker screen may consist of a perforated plate, a wedge wire screen --- or in any other suitable manner. 29-29 are elastic boards, 200 is a trough supported by the elastic boards 29; 201-201 are channel-shaped section bars forming the sides of the trough; 202 is the bottom of the trough which is attached by bolts or other suitable means to the iron sides in the channel section; 203 are the means attaching the elastic boards to the trough; 304 are weights placed in the trough; 205-205 are elastic control rods; 206 & 206 are the means for attaching the control rods to the screen 21 and to the trough 200 respectively;

   207-207 is a shaft mounted in the bearings 208 on the support 209; 210 is a variable speed motor; 211 is a wheel set on the shaft 207; 212 is a transmission means, such as a cable or oorde, for controlling the wheel 211 and the shaft 207 by means of the motor 210; 213-213 are eccentrics wedged on shaft 207; 214-214 are eccentrics placed in opposition to eccentrics 213 and wedged on shaft 207; 215-215 are means connecting the control rods 305 to the corresponding eccentrics, and it should be noted that the screen is controlled by a pair of eccentrics /

  <Desc / Clms Page number 23>

 and the trough by the eccentrics occupying positions opposite to the first;

   216 is a sprinkler tube with nozzles 217, arranged above and transversely to the shaker screen; 220 is an oolleoteur tank placed under the perforated part of the shaker screen; 221 is an outlet pipe from the collection tray; 222 is a separator cone whose construction is as follows!
222 is a baōcônique whose sides are inclined at an angle at which the solids will hang out; 223 is a circular barrier at the top of the cone, over which liquid can flow into the channel formed by the barrier and the side of the oone; 224 is an outlet and mixing box formed by the channel and by a box-shaped protrusion on the side of the cone;

   225 is a valve in the short pipe at the bottom of the side '; ± µ,' is a slam chamber; 227 is a pipe and valve at the bottom of the slam chamber; 228 is a water pipe going to the slam chamber; 229 is a valve in the water pipe; 230 is a pipe going from the top of the chamber at sohlamms' to the interior of the cone; 331.is a water supply pipe; 232-233 are branch lines; 234 is a valve in one of said branches; 235 is a valve in the other of said branches; 236 is a valve going from the said water pipe to the other side in the side in schlamms; 237 is the discharge pipe at the end of which the supply pipe 232 is connected;

   the supply lines 235 and 236 are connected to the base of the slurry discharge cone; 240 is a reservoir; 241 is a pipe going from the reservoir to the box 224; 242 is a valve in said line; and 243 is a line going to the aforementioned hopper 10 .;
The operation of the second section of the apparatus is as follows.

   The material, for example coal is discharged from the passage 110 on the receiving end 20 of the shaker screen 21; at the same time, this constitutes a shaking conveyor, moved in alternating directions by the control rods, its weight being counterbalanced by the oscillating trough which is also moved by the control rods actuated by the eccentrics arranged in

  <Desc / Clms Page number 24>

 opposition to others. The trough is; charged so that vibrations are reduced to a minimum.

   The shaker screen is suspended at an angle such that the charcoal gradually moves from the receiving end to the discharge end of the screen, being evenly distributed over the surface of the screen by the reciprocating motion. coal and the impurities which accompany it pass under the pipe 216 they are sprayed with water or another suitable liquid coming out of the nozzles 217. After being sprayed, the coal is evacuated at 27 into the hopper or lane 328. The liquid which was used to spray the coal passes through the sieve and into the collector b ac 220, from where it is brought through the pipe 221 to the separator cone 333.

   The liquid thus transported contains a considerable amount of fine solids and some film stabilizer. The cone is made operational by closing valve 227, opening valve 225 and filling the cone to the height of the dam with water. The flow from the pipe 221 is received in the cone, and causes the water to overflow over the dam. The fine solids contained in the water descend into it or along the sides of the cone, through the pipe and valve 225 into the sohlamms chamber 226, moving the water therein.

   The liquid is moved to the top of the oone in a clear state, flows over the dam, passes into canister 224 of the dam, and undergoes film stabilizer concentration by addition of film stabilizer. coming from the reservoir 240 through the valve 242 and the line 241, up to the concentration which produces the optimum result: From the boot to the dam, 224 the liquid passes through the pipe 243 to the feed hopper10. If at any time the addition of liquid through supply hopper 10 causes the liquid level in the conveyor to rise, overflow being provided by overflow box 134, and pipe 125.

   When the sohlamms cone 226 has been filled with sohlamms, the valve 225 is closed, the valve 227 is opened and water is supplied under pressure through the lines 233 and the pipes.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 25>

 valves 235 and 236 in the slam chamber, expelling the sohlamms together with the liquids mixed with it, through valve 127 and line 237 to an escape pit, or to a device for recovering any valuable ingredient that could have been separated or intercepted. When chamber 226 is emptied, the water is turned off by closing valves 355 and 336, valve 227 is closed and valve 229 is opened.

   From 1: Pure water passes through line 228 and valve 229 into the slurry chamber until the latter is full, which is indicated by water overflowing through pipe 230 in the section. top of the cone. The valve 229 is then closed and the valve 225 opened. The slimes in the cone then begin to descend gradually into chamber 226, thereby preventing a violent or splashing descent of water from the slime cone. If the line 237 is blocked by slimes it can be purged by water admitted through the line 2 @ 2 and the valve 234.



   In Figures 3 to 3-1 the separating chamber is shown. Referring to the reference numerals, 3 denotes a closed bin, 31 channel-shaped edges belonging to openings in the top of the bin; 32 are covers for said openings; 33 are rims on said covers, dimensioned so as to fit into said channel-shaped edges of said openings; 34 is a liquid partially filling each channel bordering said openings and: providing a tight seal "; 35 is a vent tube; 37 is a motor mount mounted on said tank; 38 is a speed motor. variable; 39 is a gear change mechanism of conventional construction comprising a series of driving and driven wheels, large and small;

   300 is a shaft arranged transversely with respect to and slightly protruding from the sides of the tank; 301 and 302 are chain sprockets mounted on shaft 300 at opposite ends of the latter; 303-304 are chains on the opposite sides of the pan controlled by said sprockets respectively; 305-306 are chain sprockets mounted on the ends

  <Desc / Clms Page number 26>

 shafts 30.7-and 308 respectively, said shafts passing through the wall of said bao; 309-309 are stuffing-or sealing boxes which can be filled with grease from outside the tank by tubes of access 310; 312 are chain wheels wedged on the shaft 308; 313 are wheels mounted on the shafts 314 which are mounted in the bin;

   315 is an ooin operable tensioner, by means of which a set of wheels 313 can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the machine, to compensate for the chain flutter. A tensioner is placed at each end of the wheel set 313. 316 is a screw to actuate the wedge and thereby move the wheel set 313; 317-317 are conveyor chains; 318 are conveyor fins mounted on the ohaines 317 of the conveyor; 318 are perforations in the conveyor fins, 320 is a conveyor channel curved at location 321 and having an unloading lane 322; 323 is a distributor screen ---------------------------- forming the bottom of the upper part of the conveyor channel;

   324 is a portion of the bottom of the tank disposed at an increased spacing from said sieve, in order to allow liquid to pass through the sieve and collect in said part of the conveyor tank; 325 is a channel going from part 324, outside the ferry, and connecting it inside the latter at 326; 327 are purge connections to allow a stream of water or other liquid to flow back into the tank at this location; 328 is a corridor extending through the side of the bin; 329 are subdivision walls in said corridor; 330 is the back plate of a hopper; 331 are perforations in the rear part of the hopper; 332 is a part of the back plate of the hopper, which slopes diagonally forward and has the perforations 331;

   3320-3320 are perforated portions of said hopper backplate extending beyond the hopper sideplates; 333-334 are side walls of said hopper, both of which are inclined inwards to the degree necessary to force any material entering through hopper 328 and passing to the bottom of the tank, to fall into the conveyor channel; 335 is the front wall of said /

  <Desc / Clms Page number 27>

 hopper, which., - in the form of execution of the invention shown in figure 3, - is constructed as a unit with the front conveyor channel; 336 is a part of said wall inclined diagonally towards the receiving end, and 337 is a part of said wall, inclined towards the stinging end, to thereby present a wedge-shaped faoe towards the entrance end ;

   338 is a conveyor channel; 339 is a distributed sieve ------------- forming the bottom of the upper part of said conveyor ohenal; 340 is an exit lane connected to, or forming part of, said conveyor channel; 341-341 are chain sprockets on shaft 307 over which chains 342-342 of a vane conveyor 343 pass; 344 is a curvature in said conveyor channel; .345 is a shaft bearing two ohaine gables at the location of said curvature; 346 is an extension of the conveyor channel beyond chain sprockets 345 and extending downward to form the aforementioned wedge;

   347 are means for adjusting the position of chain sprockets 348 which are mounted on a journal to support the scraper type vane conveyor 343; 349 is a channel extending from one side of the machine to the other, to intercept the liquid passing through the sieve 339 and to return it to the liquid in the tank; 350 is an evacuation recess with a screen at the rear and lowest point of the bao, the bottom of said recess preferably being inolined; 351 is a champble the sieve tells us; 352 is a pipe with scoupape making it possible to evacuate the sohlamms or sludge which can accumulate and pass through the said sieve; said slurries being brought by said pipe dansun deoanteur container which will be deorit below, the continuation of said pipe being not shown;

     353 is a chamber attached to the wall of the tank; 354 is a screw mounted in a éorou 355 fixed to the bao; 356; is a stuffing box through which the said screw passes; 357 is a cylinder attached to said screw; 358 is a tube extending in the chamber or box 353 as well as in the cylinder 357 by fitting with the latter in a movable and liquid-tight manner either by machining or by use of a

  <Desc / Clms Page number 28>

 suitable sealing material; 359 is a valve pipe connected to box 353; 360 are openings below the level of the separating liquid, connecting the tank 3 to the box or chamber 353; 3601 is an opening connecting the box 353 to the tank above the water level; 361 is a closed boot with a dam on the side of the machine;

   362 is a tube dam in said box for controlling the liquid level. Tube 362 is connected to the settling tank. 363 is a tube oommunicating 364 and 365 with the conveyor tank; 366 is a hollow indicator in and extending above tube 363. The hollow rod 366 of said indicator is preferably calibrated on its outer side and its hollow is used to introduce or remove grains of lead or other heavy material in and out of the indicator, so that can standardize it with respect to the specific weight of the separating liquid in the device, in order to read its level exactly; are protruding hollow parts on the sides of the device;

   369-670 are removable covers, retained by bolts or other suitable means not shown, in order to hermetically seal the openings of those of said protrusions which are not used; 371-371 are flanges on said protrusions, intended to be connected and form a hermetic seal with (similarly arranged gaskets or with similar protruding parts of the apparatus 4 which performs the next step of the process; 3280 is a collector forming part of the passage 328, connected to a vacuum cleaner not shown and to said passage through openings 3281, for the purpose of intercepting any leakage gas; 372 is the frame supporting the tank; line 373 indicates the upper level of liquids in the tank;

   line 374 indicates the interface between the separating liquid and the light liquid; 375 is a pipe opening in the bao, the purpose of which will be described below; 377-377 are angles supported either by the members 333 and 337, or by the sides of the tank by means of bars which cover the chains of the conveyor

  <Desc / Clms Page number 29>

 and prevent their damage by descending sohists; 379 is a screen preferably extending to the entire depth of the liquid, to prevent light materials from being carried by the liquid backwards in the path of the outer conveyor;

   the screen extends from the wall of the tank between the inlet passage and the outer conveyor, and from a point slightly above the liquid level to a point very close to the lower conveyor.



   This apparatus, used to carry out the third step of the process, functions as follows: the valve of the pipe 359 is opened and heavy liquid is admitted into the tank through the openings 360 until the level 374 is indicated. by indicator 366. 'Then water is admitted into the tank through ports 375 until it has reached level 373: A continuous current of water through the device can be maintained by pipe 375 and overflow 362, if desired, or water can be added intermittently and as needed: The height of the separating liquid level in the tank is regulated by overflow 357.

   When the liquid is admitted, it rises in the tank and in the box 353 until it reaches the open top of the cylinder 357, from where it flows down through the said overflow and through valve and pipe 358 to the used liquid container.



  The valve in said pipe 358 may be held open, so that a continuous flow of liquid passes into the chamber through pipe 359 and from the latter through pipe 358, or the operation may be abused intermittently, by monitoring by observation of the inter- face at sight. '
When the bin has been filled to the appropriate level with the liquid, charcoal has passed through the second step of the process, described above, and is delivered by the conveyor into lane or hopper 328, descending in four veins or streams along divisions 339 by which it is distributed across the width of the bin.

   The corridor 328 can be placed on either side of the apparatus, as shown in figure 3-e, an opening being provided on each side, the opening not used being closed by

  <Desc / Clms Page number 30>

 a plate 376. The apparatus is started; the motors drive the two conveyors either at the same speed or at different speeds, which to some extent depends on the amount of material each of them has to handle.

   The coal, shales, and other accompanying Impurities fall into the water layer while they are still in lane 328, so that they are dispersed by the water before reaching the separator liquid; the splashes caused by the discharge of the materials are suppressed and entrained gas is eliminated before they leave the corridor. After passing through the water layer they enter the separating liquid, the density of which has been chosen so as to be between that of the coal and that of the shales. The coal floats on the surface of the separating liquid, the shales descend into it, being directed by the hopper 534;

     and on entering the conveyor channel, are collected by the fins of the scraper conveyor, and are drawn towards the exit. Coal floating at the liquid interface is collected by conveyor 343 and is carried to and over conveyor channel 346. The specific gravity of the liquid is preferably chosen so as to be only slightly less than that of the average material. The average materials, or simply the average, are those parts of the mixture which contain in one piece both shale and coal. Averages tend to go down only slowly in liquid, while shales go down instantly and coal floats.



   Each of the conveyors acts as a pump, the effect of which can be varied by the use of scraper blades with either a closed or perforated section, the number of openings in the said scraper blades being variable, to ensure pumping effects of different intensities. ' When the external conveyor carries the material descended into the separating liquid

  <Desc / Clms Page number 31>

 along its conveyor channel and causes them to rise according to the tilt towards the outlet, a certain quantity of liquid tends to fall back through the orifices in the fins,

  and the major part of the liquid which remains is sucked out of the material when the latter is propelled over the distributor screen 333. The sohistes are discharged through the passage 322 into the tank 41 forming part of the apparatus 4 described below. . The lower plate of the conveyor channel of the inner conveyor 338 extends sufficiently behind the pinion 345 and is then bent downwards as indicated at 346, so that the floating material is carried over the conveyor channel without affecting between the fins and the channel.

   By extending the conveyor bin beyond chain sprockets 345, the chain receives the possibility of bending upwards, and it is left enough freedom so that, in the event that coal tends to get stuck in the conveyor by reducing the chain play, 11 can jump and release the chain without causing damage.

   The conveyor fins then drive the coal upwards along the inclined channel, and onto the distributor drainage screen -------------- ----------- ----- 339, and eject it through the passage 340 into the trough 42 which constitutes a part of the apparatus 4 described below under The liquid driven by the outer conveyor passes through the distributor screen - ---- 323 then descending through the chamber 334, outside the main wall of the tank, through the passage 325 and the opening 326, into the chamber formed behind the partition 336-337:

  , The liquid which is entrained by the inner conveyor is brought along the non-linear conveyor channel, passes through the distributor screen -------------------- 339, flows in descending onto drainage tray 349 and returned to the chamber behind bulkhead 336-337. The sides 333-334 of the inner hopper, together with the sides of the tank, form tubes 380-381, through which the liquid coming from the channel 325 and the chamber behind the partition 336-337 can pass to the end. receiver of the device, re-entering the

  <Desc / Clms Page number 32>

 separating chamber through the orifices 331 of the plate 330.

   The separator fluid and the sealing liquid superposed on it are thus kept in constant movement from the receiving end towards the outlet end of the apparatus. The length of the separating chamber, namely the distance between the plate 330 and the wedge 336-337, is such that the pieces of coal have risen to the surface of the separating liquid and the pieces of shale have fallen to the bottom, before having reached the said corner, but that the averages, - thanks to the selection of a separating liquid of a specific weight only a little lighter, - are held in suspension while descending slowly.



  The charcoal-rich averages descend at a slower rate than the charcoal-poor averages, due to their different densities, and a classification of the means takes place before they reach said wedge. Then the wedge directs the averages richer upwards in coal and the middle-poor in coal downwards, in the sohists:
In figures 3-b and 3-c are shown means for varying the proportion of directed averages in the coal, as well as means which substantially contribute to the production or obtaining of the coal with a standardized ash content.

   In these figures 346 denotes the bottom of the coal conveyor channel; 383 is a plate; 382 is a hinge connecting the plate to the extension or edge of said conveyor channel; 385 is a second plate and 386 is a hinge connecting plate 385 to plate 383; 387 are hook-shaped members which engage under the edges of the corner irons 377 with a view to sliding relative to the latter. At the platform 383, at a location near the hinge 386, is connected a lifting rod or cable 387 which extends upward between the conveyors and the wall of the tank, as well as through it. a water seal box 388 mounted on the side of the bin, at an outside point from which it can be handled. 389 are rods.

   An upward pull on one of the rods; causes plate 383 to rise, from which plate 385 angularly moves toward the reopening end of the apparatus. Because,

  <Desc / Clms Page number 33>

 the edge 386 of the wedge will have been raised and a greater proportion of the mediums is thus directed into the shales, giving a coal of a reduced ash content. If, on the other hand, one wishes to have coal of increased ash content, a second rod attached to the lower end of plate 385 and extending through the wall of the pan in the same manner. , can be manipulated to pull plate 385 rearward and thereby lower angle 386.

   As shown in figure 3-h, there is enough room between the edge of the fins of the conveyors and the wall of the tank to allow the passage of a rod, and by placing and sealing the boot 388 entirely outside of the wall 3, there will be no collision between the conveyors and the rods. The lower end of the rod can be attached to the wedge by a cable, as shown.



   In Figures 3-k and 3-1 is shown another way to adjust the wedge. In these figures 3 denotes the tray; 390-390 are boxes elongated on the outer sides of the bao (a corner of such a box being shown in dotted lines in Figure 3); are slots connecting the inside of the bin with the said boots; 392-392 are hinges attached to the lower corners of the wedge; 393-393 are dowels fixed to the hinges, these dowels passing through slots 391 and being mounted in sliders 394; 395-395 are rods attached to said slides, these rods being drilled and threaded;

   396-396 are removable screws mounted in brackets which are attached to the sides of the boxes and carry at their head pinions which mesh with the pinions of a shaft 398 which is mounted in the side walls of the box and s 'extends through the wall of one of the boots and a stuffing box 397; 399 is a steering wheel for maneuvering the shaft 398.



   The operation of this device is as follows: the handwheel 399 is turned, thus rotating the pinions which are in engagement with each other and the screws 396 which move the slides 394

  <Desc / Clms Page number 34>

 either way by virtue of their engagement with the inner threads of rods 395 attached to the sliders. By being thus moved along the balls the sliders 394 push the articulations 392 attached to the corner angles 385 and thus moving the latter as indicated partially by dotted lines in FIG. 3-k.



   Below will be given a brief description of the apparatus: the material to be separated enters through the passage into the receiving end of the apparatus and is collected by the hopper which surrounds the part of the apparatus in which the actual separation of the mineral from the gangue takes place.

   The pumping effect produced by the conveyors keeps the liquid in continuous circulation from the receiving end of the separation chamber to its outlet end The upper conveyor drives the floating materials on the corresponding conveyor channel, and the The relaxed state of the conveyor chains allows the conveyor fins to jump and free themselves of any particles which would tend to get stuck against the extension or leading edge of the conveyor channel. The lower vanes of the other conveyor collect the material from the bottom and lead it out of the separation chamber.

   The mediums are brought by the current towards the corner which constitutes the outlet end of the separation chamber and are divided according to the proportions of shale and coal which they contain, those which are heavier, because of their high shale content, being directed into the scrap, while those lighter because of their usable carbon content being directed into the chase of floating materials:

   The separated materials are forced by their respective conveyors to pass through sieves
 EMI34.1
 distributors' ###### - #######. ## - t # or on other suitable drainage means, which remove most of the entrained liquids, and the material itself are unloaded by conveyors onto collecting channels or troughs

  <Desc / Clms Page number 35>

 collectors of the sieves, which will be deorit below. The liquid
 EMI35.1
 of separator which passes through the xpart3.seeûrs screens. .------------! -! "-------'- 1i-rr '.-! L-8Ôt returned along the sides of the apparatus and externally to the separation chamber towards the receiving end of the apparatus, continuous circulation being maintained in this manner.

   The level of the heavy liquid is maintained at any desired height by the adjustable and tight barrier at the end of the apparatus and the level of the fluid forming the seal is maintained by the barrier box on the side of the apparatus Thus are made possible a continuous addition and evacuation of liquid through the apparatus, as well as intermittent additions if these become necessary: Means are provided for purging the space by below the conveyor channels as well as means for removing sludge from the bottom of the tank.

   When a preliminary wetting step is used with materials of 1/4 "or less the efficiency of the separation apparatus is
 EMI35.2
 reduced as a result of accumulations
After the charcoal has separated the original impurities from it, both are subjected to vigorous scrubbing. In order to avoid any loss of liquid by evaporation or otherwise, the purification is preferably carried out in a hermetically closed chamber. A shaker screen is employed in order to make possible a thorough washing of the coal and the problem of coal. Transmission of gotrioe force to the sieve without allowing air access into the apparatus was not easily resolved.

   However it has been solved by the means described below. Briefly speaking, the charcoal is transported through a connection, tightly closed to the outside, of the separator into the washing section, where it is constantly stirred, or turned over, by a shaking screen while being subjected simultaneously to a vigorous washing in order to remove all the fine particles and substantially all the liquids which have been employed in the process., The coal and the sohistes are then discharged from the

  <Desc / Clms Page number 36>

 sieves in water baths of conveyors with hydraulic seals.



  The spent liquid is passed over a concentration table which tends to precipitate all the suspended solids and to form larger collections of suspended liquid, the whole flowing towards a tank forming the bottom of the apparatus, where a dam divides liquids, which contain only light suspended solids, from heavy sludges. These fractions are respectively removed and processed in a recovery system which will be more fully described below.



   In the drawings, Figures 4 to 4-e serve to illustrate this part of the invention. In the figures the numeral 4 generally designates the washing apparatus; is a seooueur sieve; 41 is a carbon duct forming part of said screen; 42 is a shale duct forming part of said screen; 43 is a separating piece dividing the screen lengthwise into two parts to prevent the separated coal and shale from mixing. 44 are slats of wood or other similar material capable of withstanding the abrasive action of charcoal and sohistes; 45 is a perforated part at the inlet end of the t Amis, which allows li-
 EMI36.1
 quide;

   46 is a repairing screen ----------------- ------ which constitutes the face of the part of the screen which approaches the outlet end; 47 is a non-perforated bottom of the screen at the exit; 48 are evacuation ramps.



   The construction of the screen is as follows: corner irons 49 form the lateral frames of the screen and extend longitudinally from the inlet ducts to the outlet plate 47. The separator 43 is also a dry iron. angular section extending from the inlet conduits to the plate 47; 400 are angular pieces connecting the side parts of the frame of the apparatus to the main frame of the screen; 401-401 are pieces with a J-shaped section of considerable height; 402-402 are tie rods connecting the separate part

  <Desc / Clms Page number 37>

 ratrioe 43 from the screen frame to the lower parts of the J-shaped section piece; 403 is a tie rod connecting the two J bars directly to one another;

   404 is a mudguard running along the perforated or perforated part of the screen.



   405-405 are the support of the entire scrubber or scrubber; 406 is a container forming the bottom of the apparatus; 407 is a wall of this tank; 408-408 are pieces of angular section forming ohenaux with 407 and 416 respectively, which extend longitudinally with respect to and from the interior side of the walls 407 and 416; 409 is the inclined bottom of the '1 9; 410 is a wall of the tank extending along the apparatus and forming a barrier dividing the tank into two parts; 411 is the bottom of the tank beyond the dam; 412 is the outer wall of the pan, in this case placed far beyond the outer wall of the screen portion of the apparatus; 413 is the top of the protruding side referred to above;

   414 is a rectangular opening, with a channel-shaped cross section and forming a seat for the cover 415. By partially filling the channel-shaped part with water, a water and gas reed seal is obtained. 416 is a wall partially forming the outer parai of the apparatus and partially a wall separating the two compartments of the tray; 417 are tie rods attached to the sides facing the channels 408; 418 is a bar supported by the tie rods 417; 419 are longitudinally extending side plates, one on each side of the apparatus;

   421 are side trays attached to tie rods 403-403, extending longitudinally on each side of the apparatus and covering the vertical portions of the channels 408, on the inner side thereof; 420 are screens attached to parts 419 to prevent liquid falling from the sieve from entering the channels 408; 422: Are screens attached to the walls of the sieve chamber and extending into the channels closed to the edges of the sieves by pieces with angular section 49 and by

  <Desc / Clms Page number 38>

 J-shaped section pieces, 401-401; 423-423 are walls of the screening section of the apparatus; 424 is the top of the apparatus;

   425 is a cover for closing an opening in the top of the apparatus, this cover having a continuous flange or rim 426; 437 are continuous channels in the top of the apparatus of such dimensions that the continuous rim of the cover 425 can fit in these channels which are partially filled with liquid and thus form effective hydraulic seals: 428-428 are brackets attached and protruding at right angles to outer legs of J-section pieces; 429-489 are elastic wooden boards; 430 are joists to which the elastic planks are bolted; 431-431 are elastic planohes suspended from joists 430; 433 are weights suspended from said elastic boards;

   433-433 s have guides mounted on the frame 405 of the apparatus; 434-434 are buffer members approaching the counterweights; 435 is a shaft mounted on the frame 405; 436 is a wheel capable of being driven by a belt or similar motive force transmission means, said wheel being wedged on the shaft 435 for the last drive; 437-437 are eccentrics; 438-438 are control rods attached to the exoentrics 437 and on the other hand attached by means of fittings 439 to the J-shaped section frames of the screens; 440 are eccentrics mounted on the shaft in positions opposite to eccentrics 437, and externally to parts 405 of the frame;

   441-441 are control rods '' connecting the exoentrics 440 to the counterweights 432. The exoentrics, the frame and the control device at the output end of the apparatus are separated from the rest of the figure by a break. to show that in reality they are further from the tank than it was possible to represent it in the drawing.



     442-442 are header pipes which can be suspended from joists 430 by means of clips 443 comprising a band surrounding the header pipe and fitted with a hook

  <Desc / Clms Page number 39>

 which engages in an eyelet provided in an intermediate piece attached to the joists 430. 444 are pipes connected to the oolleoteurs pipes and entering the washing chamber through hermetic joints 45; 446 are Valves in pipes 444; 447 are manometers connected to pipes 444;

   449 are sprinkler nozzles connected to the pipes 448 so that the liquid in the pipes 448 can be directed at the most effective angle onto the material on the screen 40; 450 are brackets attached to the appropriate intervals; 451 are channels supported by brackets 450 and extending transversely of the tank; 452 are channels at the bottom of the baffles for collecting the drops and for directing the liquid thus intercepted to the sides of the screen in the channels formed by the angles 49 and the sides 401 of the frame; 453 are a series of supports extending transversely between the walls 407-416 of the apparatus and inclined to the horizontal;

   454 is a tray supported by brackets 453, extending the substantially entire length of the apparatus, inclined towards the inclination of brackets 453 and terminating shortly before wall 416; 455 are supports which also extend between the walls 416 and 407, and which have inclinations opposite to those of the supports 453; 456 is a ribbed or ribbed tray, of a length substantially equal to or corresponding to that of the apparatus and extending from wall 416 to a line located a short distance from wall 407.



   According to figure 4-a the screen is partially removed by breaking at 454 to show the flat plate 454; in the same figure the screen and the plate 454 are partially removed by breaking at 456 to show the ribs of the inclined plate 456.



    457 is an outlet at the bottom of the tank 406 at the junction of the inclined bottom 409 with the dam '410; 458 is an opening for the connection of a pipe, leaving the part of the tank located beyond the dam; 459 is a drain pipe through which water under

  <Desc / Clms Page number 40>

 pressure can be introduced at the bottom to evacuate the sludge from the bottom of the tank through the orifices 457; 460 is a baffle at the end of the channel formed by parts 49 and 401; 461 is a channel cut from parts 49-49 so that any liquid in said channel can drain onto the surface of the screen and pass through the perforated or perforated part of the latter;

   462 is a box under the outlet end 47 of the screen, separated from the tank as shown in FIG. 4 and divided in its middle by the partition 463 preventing the coal from mixing with the shales.



   FIG. 4-e represents an arrangement of the sprinkling nozzles such as there results a double covering or superposition of the water jets. Thanks to this arrangement, the obstruction or the absence of a jet will not influence the washing of the carbon because the two neighboring jets will still always overlap.



   The operation of the device which has just been described, considered in a little more detail, is as follows: the coal coming from the conveyor of the floating materials of the separator device is discharged onto the receiving duct 41 while shales coming from the bottom material conveyor are discharged onto receiving duct 42. The longer branch of the J-shaped frame portions of the screen is of decreasing height from the receiving end at the outlet end of the sieve, while the shorter branch, that is to say the one which is attached to the elastic planks, is of a uniform height. Resilient boards are of uniform length while the screen is supported in an inclined position.

   The sieve is divided in its middle part by a separating piece preventing the mixing of the coal and the separated shales. The control mechanism forces the screen to reciprocate at a rate that responds to the best efficiency and the material is gradually moved from the receiving end to the outlet end while being vigorously watered by a multitude of showers or of

  <Desc / Clms Page number 41>

 dispersed jets ,,, The movement of the sieve in combination with the jets always turns the carbon back on itself, so that all the sides are exposed to and are washed thoroughly by the scrubber liquid, thus achieving a removal of separating liquid depending on the effectiveness of the film stabilizer.



   The receiving conduits 41-42 of the sieve are unperforated, then the sieve is perforated either by piercing holes through the tray, or by using ordinary sieves, or by other means. The final part of the sieve is constituted by a distributing sieve ---------------, with the aim of removing the carbon and the materials separated from it substantially all of the entrained water before they reach the output leads 47 and in the subdivided box. The screen could be made entirely from one type of wire, but the arrangement shown produces superior results, all factors considered.

   Water is preferably used for washing the material and is introduced under pressure into the manifolds 442 from where. it passes through the down pipes to the garden hoses 448, finally exiting through the nozzles 449. The speed of the jets is such that a considerable part of the liquid is splashed on reaching the coal and the screen.) The direction of the jets would cause the jet to blow. formation of air currents passing from the receiving end to the outlet end of the apparatus and due to considerable quantities of dispersed or sprayed liquid coming from the jets and containing recoverable liquid, would pass over them the sieve and would drop into the subdivided box where they would be lost and contaminate the carbon,

   but to avoid such defects, baffles or meeting plates 451 are placed in front of each sprinkler tube, so that the mist from the previous sprinkler jets is intercepted on the face of the ohinane, runs down the channel 451 and flows into the channels formed by the parts 49 and 401 of the sieve, from where the liquid thus recovered passes to the outlet end and is discharged through the orifices 461 on the distributor sieve ------- ------------. Substantially all the liquids which are brought into the appliance with the carbon are

  <Desc / Clms Page number 42>

 removed from the charcoal and passed through the sieves. In addition the jets remove a considerable amount of fine solid particles,

   consisting mainly of earth and finely divided particles of coal and shale, all of which have dimensions below a certain limit passing with the washing liquid through the screens.



   The liquids which pass with the solids entrained through the screens are prevented from reaching the sides of the tank by the screens 404. and by the plates 419,420,421 and 408. It should be noted that the plates 419 which are rigidly arranged relative to the The frame of the apparatus has openings through which the screen tie rods 403-403 pass, these openings in the plate 419 having dimensions allowing the alternate movement of the screen.

   Can prevent liquid from entering through this opening in the liquid seal, the trays 421, having suitable dimensions to cover said openings in all positions of the sieve, are mounted on the tie rods 402-403 and a screen 420 diverts any liquid flowing on the side of the plate 419, around and beyond said plate 421. Therefore any liquid which passes through the screen falls on and flows downwards following the inclination of the plate 454. which is a plate having a surface providing maximum desirable transport of the liquid.

   Tray 454 terminates a short distance from the side wall and liquids flow out substantially from it over the uppermost point of ribbed tray 456. They descend onto said ribbed tray, solids tend to precipitate, and globules of heavy fluid tend to become larger blood cells. large so that by the time the liquids have finally traveled the length of the ribbed tray, partial separation of the constituents has occurred.

   The ribbed tray terminates at a short distance from the side wall 407 of the apparatus, and the current passes over its end falling into the tray 406, all parts of the bottom of which are inclined towards the center point. deep in the vicinity of the outlet 459 The sludge and some separating liquid collects in the vicinity of the opening 457 and the liquid which carries only

  <Desc / Clms Page number 43>

 comparatively fine solid particles, flows over weir 410 into the other division of the tank by being pumped through port 456 to the second de-clogging tank, as described in more detail elsewhere in this specification.

   The sludge is pumped through port 457 to the third de-separator tank, which is also described in more detail elsewhere in this specification. If the sludge has accumulated at port 457 to a thickness - such that the slurry pumps cannot remove it from the tank, a hose can be connected to pipe 459 to flush the sludge from the tank chamber by injection. of pressurized water., '
The screen is counterbalanced by the use of counterweights suspended from elastic planks and controlled by eccentrics of opposite arrangement on the same shaft.

   The covers giving access to the bao are closed by hydraulic seals using flanged or rimmed covers which fit into parts with a channel-shaped section, filled with water and fixed to the casing of the device.



   To control the sieve which is inside the tank or casing by means of a control mechanism located outside without allowing the vapors to escape, channel-shaped parts, partially filled with water, are provided on each side of the apparatus The frame of the screen has a J-shaped section, each J extending into the liquid in said channels and being shorter than the latter by the length of the oscillation. The upper part of the tank, or envelope, is then, so to speak, placed in the hook of the J, so that its lower boro is below the water level in the channel;

   Therefore the J-shaped section frame alternately moves in a water seal which effectively prevents escape or gas leakage, and the construction of the apparatus described above prevents contamination of lipid in said channels.



   Due to the sieve, the coal and the shale fall into the box

  <Desc / Clms Page number 44>

 subdivided 463. Hermetically sealed covers 464 give access to the interior of this box. AT . one side of the box is hermetically connected to the liquid-tight oonvoyeur box 51, and to the other side of the box a box similar to conveyor 53. The box thus receives two oouloirs, one for the coal and one for the shale.

   A description of one of these conveyors will suffice for both. 51 is the box of the conveyor in general, formed by an ethanol tank for gases and liquids, made of metal or other suitable material; 53 is a hopper in said conveyor tank, having an inclined wall 54 for directing the material, which falls from the screen into the conveyor tank, at an angle which causes the slightest collision with the descending fins of the conveyor; 510 is the lower inclined side of the conveyor bin; 511 is a part offset from said side;

   512 is a perforated part forming a continuation of part 5,10 of the bottom, parts 511 and 512 forming between them a space of suitable capacity to receive such liquid which can be discharged therein from the solids which are transported. out of the tank by the fins. 505 is a conveyor channel; 506 are openings in the lower part of the conveyor channel; 507 is a part consisting of a sieve .. distributor -------------------, forming the bottom of said conveyor channel at a place shortly before the exit ramp of said channel; 58 is the exit ramp or lane of the conveyor channel through which the material entrained by the conveyor is expelled; 59 is a support extension of the conveyor tank; 513 is a scraper type blade conveyor;

   514 are chain sprockets over which the conveyor chains pass; 516 is a motor mounted on the frame 517 of the conveyor; 518-519-520-521-522-523 is a combined force transmission and speed reducer device, consisting, in the exemplary embodiment shown, by a series of alternately large and small toothed wheels cooperating with each other either directly or through flexible control means, such as chains or cables. 524

  <Desc / Clms Page number 45>

 is a wheel controlled by the means 523 and wedged on the shaft 525 on which the chain sprockets 514 are oâlés; 526 are bearings on the tank which support the shaft 525; 527 are parallel support blocks;

   529 is a shaft mounted at one end with play in said blocks 527 and at its other end in complementary support blocks, not shown, located at the other side of the conveyor tank. 530 is a rod fixed by one end to the shaft 529 and having at its upper end a nut 532; 531 is a threaded rod cooperating by thread of a screw with the nut 532. One of these rods is attached to each end of the shaft 529. The rods 531 are mounted on a rod which passes through and is attached to the sides of the tray. .

   The conveyor can move away from the channel / conveyor by virtue of the slider play or shaft play 529 in the sliders 527, and it can be adjusted by hand using the nuts 532. 541 is a throttle opening. the base of the SII part, to which is connected a pipe, not shown, connected on the other hand to the lower part of the conveyor, to return the liquid, - withdrawn from the material through the distribution screen - ----- -----, - at a deeper point of the conveyor tank; 542 is a supply pipe with valve through which liquid can be introduced into the conveyor tank;

   543 is an outlet pipe with valve at the bottom of the conveyor, allowing the evacuation of sludge which may settle there. ' The pipe 543 is connected either to a drainage pit or to a settling tank deorit below in more detail. 544 is a liquid box outside the apparatus, and 545 is a; overflow tube in said liquid box. '
The operation of the apparatus is as follows: the coal is poured through the outlet edge 48 of the sieve, through the subdivided box, into the hopper.

   The hopper and the conveyor are filled, up to level 546, with water or another suitable liquid * The charcoal is therefore poured into the water above the height of the hopper and is directed by the incline. end of the duct 54 at a place in the vicinity of the fins

  <Desc / Clms Page number 46>

 descenders of the conveyor. The coal passes between these fins and directly to the conveyor channel, where it is collected by the rising fins, freed of the liquid by passing over the distributor screen and discharged through the outlet passage 58. The liquid level in the apparatus is maintained. at height 546 so that no vapor or liquid coming through the outlet end of the screen can escape into the air.

   The liquid which is drained through the distributor screen fills the space between the conveyor channel and the tank and then passes through the screen 512 into the space below, from which it is withdrawn by the pipe 541 which returns it to the tank. bottom of the conveyor bin, or elsewhere.

   Means are provided, not shown, in the drawings, for purging the space between the conveyor channel and the bottom of the tank, these means being constituted by a nozzle through which water can be delivered under pressure at 459 as described more up for another part of the switchgear. '
The liquids which wash the coal in the washing or scrubbing section remove from the coal and shale substantially all of the heavy liquid and fine particles which are produced by abrasion or which are char @ ied through the coal. 'apparatus. In the settling tank, at the bottom of the washing apparatus, the liquid containing fine suspended matter is separated from with the heavy sludge by the dam.

   Heavy sludge is pumped from the bottom of the tank by pipe 457 into settling tank 7, shown in figures 7 to 7-c, and the liquid containing light suspended matter is brought through pipe 458 into the main settling tank 6, represented in figures 6 to 6-c.



   The system comprises three interconnected settling tanks or separators, the first of which, located at the base of the washing section, produces a preliminary division between the sludge and the liquid containing light suspended matter, the second called for differentiation purposes the settling tank. main, separates the relatively light suspended matter from the washing liquid, and the third, called for convenience the sludge interoperator, receives the sludge from the two bars /

  <Desc / Clms Page number 47>

 of the first and the second. In the field under consideration it has often been argued that it is impossible to separate fine-sized coal from washing liquid by any static methods.

   The process described in the present specification and intended to produce this result is believed to be the only one which has been successful *
In figures 6 to 6-c, which represent the so-called main settling or separator tank, 6 designates the separator apparatus as a whole; 458 is the outlet end of the pipe carrying the liquid with light substances in suspension from the primary settling tank; 61 is the top of the bin; 610 is a tubular member passing through and fitting exaotement in an opening in the top 61, 611 is an angle iron which connects the tube 610 to the top 61 with a hermetic seal. The junction can be made by welding or by another suitable hermetic closure.

   The tubular member extends towards the bottom of the tank. 612 are openings in the sides of the tubular member above the operating water line; 613 is a cover pourl'organe tubulaire 610 pierced by the inlet pipe 458; 62 a trononic bottom of the tank; 621 is a collector connected to the truncated cone. This collector can be considered as being formed by a plane passing diagonally through a cylinder.



  622 is the diagonal plane dividing the "cylinder" 621 and forming a diagonal bottom of the manifold, directing the materials which accumulate therein towards the discharge pipe 620 and the valve; 633; 624 is a pressurized water pipe, the latter being used to move the sludge on the bottom of the collector 621 if and when said sludge becomes too solid to be removed by pumps; 625 is a rod mounted in the support 626 and in the plate 633. and passing through the stuffing box 614 in the cover 613; 616 is a handle attached to the upper end of rod 625;

   626 are arms attached to the lower portion of rod 625 so as to be rotatable with handle 616 and rod 635; 637 are scrapers arranged diagonally on the arms 626 so that

  <Desc / Clms Page number 48>

 that their movement dislodges the sludge accumulated on the conical bottom 62 and will push them towards the collector 621; 617 are water seal covers similar in construction to the water seal covers described elsewhere in this specification;

   630 is a member of angular section having an increasing depth from one side of the tank towards the other, this member being welded or otherwise fixed inside the tank 6 in the upper part of the latter; 631 is a wooden slat forming a circular dam fixed to the angular section member 630; 633 is an outlet box at the lowest point of the channel formed by the tank 6 and the member with angular section 630; 615 is a pipe connected to said box 633; 640 is a circular channel suspended from the top 61 of the ferry in the space surrounded by the channel and having a rim
641 which is a little lower than the upper edge of the dam
631; 642 are pipes extending inward from the channel
640 towards the bottom of the tank;

     65 are supports for the bin, comprising metal feet attached to the bin.



   The operation of this device is as follows: the liquid containing light matter in suspension in more or less large quantities enters the tank through pipe 458 and tube 610. It spreads under tube 610 while tending to pre - precipitate the heavier suspended matter to the bottom and rise to the surface, the level of which is established by the dam 631. The vibrations caused by the drop of the water from the pipe 438 into the body of water in the the tray, are largely damped in tube 610, so that the liquid in the rest of the tray is comparatively quiet. The channel formed between the dam and the enclosure of the tank is inclined and increases in size towards the exit.

   Liquid flowing over the dam follows the downward slope to box 633 and is returned through pipe 615 to header pipes 442, where it is used again to wash the solids off the screen.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 49>

 



  A light scum tends to float on the surface of the liquid in the tank, and the direction of the liquid streams in the bao will carry this scum normally over the dam. The openings 612 serve for the relief of internal pressures.



  Between the dam and the tube 610 is interposed the scum channel or gutter 640. When the scum, floating on the surface of the water and carried by the current towards the dam, floats over the edge 641 of the scum channel , which is slightly lower than the dam, and comes in contact with the side of the scum channel, the scum tends to rush into the latter. Y being precipitated, its apparent specific gravity increases to such an extent that it descends into tubes 642 in the lower zone of the bap, where it will settle on the bottom and be removed with the sludge.

   The sludge which concentrates on the bottom is occasionally swept to the oolleotor and pumped through valves 623 and pipe 620 to the sludge interceptor. If the pipe is clogged, it can be purged by injecting water through pipe 624.



   Figures 7 to 7-c show the arrangement of the sludge switch and the distillation boiler. The function of the sludge interceptor is, first, to separate water containing light suspended matter and return it to the main settling tank for further treatment; second, separating isolated heavy liquid and returning it to the heavy liquid reservoir; and, thirdly, to inject all remaining liquids and solids into a still boiler, for the recovery of any amount of separator liquid which might. be contained therein.



   According to these figures 457 and 620 are pipes coming from the first settling tank and from the main settling tank, respectively. 7 designates the sludge interoperator as a whole; 71 is the pipe through which passes the sludge coming through pipes 457 and 620; 710 is a sight glass, maintained with

  <Desc / Clms Page number 50>

 liquid- and gas-tight manner between plates or flanges? II and 712; 713 is an inlet pipe, of a diameter considerably larger than that of pipe 71, in order to reduce the speed of the materials introduced, to ensure their easy entry into the sludge interceptor and not to return - completely fold the sight glass 710;

   714 is a tubular part inside the interoeptor tank, through which the material is delivered into the latter; 715 is a hydraulically sealed cover of the type which has been described above; 716 is a circular dam in the upper part of the ferry; which forms with the walls of the tank a channel having a sufficient inclination to drain such liquids which pass over the dam, towards the outlet box 717; 718 is a baffle wall extending into the space surrounded by the dam.

   The lower edge of the baffle is located below the liquid level in the apparatus, and very close to the barrier, so as to form a substantially vapor impenetrable seal. 719 are a series of valve openings, opening into the interceptor tank at different levels; 720 is a manifold pipe connecting said valve openings together; 721 is a bleed pipe extending from the collecting pipe; 722 is a sight glass slot, through which the contents of the container can be observed substantially over its entire height; 723 is a pipe mounted in the side of the tank; 724 is a section arranged at right angles to the previous one; 725 is a liquid tight ball joint;

   726 is a section of pipe movably connected to section 724 via elbow 727 and ball joint 725; 728 is a connector attached by the eyelet to the pipe 726 and by the connector 730 to the rod 731 which passes through a stuffing box in the top of the interceptor pan; the rod 731 is attached to a slide 732 mounted vertically movably between the guides 733-733; 734 is a fixed rack

  <Desc / Clms Page number 51>

 on the face of the slide 732; 735 is a pinion fixed on the shaft 736 which is mounted in the bearings 737, which in turn are mounted on the supports 738 fixed to the tank; 739 is a wheel, powered by a chain or otherwise, and attached to shaft 736.

   By the rotation of the wheel 739 the rod 731 can be raised to the lowering, lifting or lowering the pipe 726 correspondingly; 740 is a conical bottom of the interoeptor tank; 741 is a valve in the pipes 742 connecting the sludge interceptor tank to the distillation boiler 8; 743 are supports for the interceptor tank.



   The operation of the device which has just been described is as follows: the sludge coming from the sludge-supplying sources is brought through the sight glass 710 and the pipe 713 into the tank, where the sludge is deposited at the bottom, while the heavy liquid forms a layer on the surface of the sludge, and the water separates above the heavy liquid The state of the ingredients is such that in many cases such a clear, or clean separation is obtained , that it is possible to remove part of the liquid by deoantation, the substantially clear liquid passing over the dam and discharging through pipe 717, from where it can be returned to the settling tank, to the main settling tank , or be evacuated.

   Between the sludge layer at the bottom and the light liquid layer at the surface, a layer of heavy separator liquid of sufficient purity can form to be removed for immediate storage or reuse. The separation of this intermediate layer is carried out by the movable pipe 726, which is raised or lowered according to the observations made on the contents of the interceptor tank by the sight glass 722. As the layer of liquid The intermediate becomes thinner and the position of the orifice of the pipe 726 is adjusted so as not to draw on either layer situated on either side of the liquid forming the intermediate layer.

   In this way, the

  <Desc / Clms Page number 52>

 middle layer can be removed without disturbing neighboring layers. When the intermediate layer has been removed, or before that, clear liquid located in the upper part of the tank can be withdrawn to any desired height through the openings 719 and the collector 720. By observation through the sight glass. 722 the operator chooses the valve to the level to which he wishes to lower the level of the liquid in the tank, then he opens the chosen valve, and the liquid passes by gravity, or by using a pump, in the pipe 721, and is taken either for reuse in the collecting pipes, or in the settling tank, or elsewhere.

   When the relatively clear liquids have been removed from the sludge trap, valve 741 is opened and the remaining material is flushed into the still boiler 8 using water jets 754. When the sludge trap has been removed. emptied, valve 741 is closed and the sludge switch is refilled.



   In Figures 7 and 7-c, 8 denotes the steam-heated distillation boiler as a whole; 81-82 are respectively outer and inner walls of the distillation boiler, assembled in places by the parts 83 which can encircle the boiler, but which are preferably open in places, in order to allow the water to drain from the part. upper towards the lower part of the shirt; 84 is a steam jacket at the base of the boiler; 85 are openings through which steam can be injected directly into the still chamber of the boiler; 86-86 are steam inlet pipes and 87-87 are steam and condensed water discharge pipes;

   88 is an opening in the top of the distillation boiler connecting the latter via the pipe 89 to the condensers which will be described below; 810 is an outlet pipe at the bottom of the distillation boiler; 811 is a valve in said pipe; 812 is an opening in the top of the boiler; 813 is a farm

  <Desc / Clms Page number 53>

 removable ture of this opening, maintained in hermetic contact with the edge of the opening by bolts 814 or by other suitable means; 815 are supports for the distillation boiler; 820 is a water pipe;

   821 are pipes going from said water pipe to the base of the boiler, constituting a means for making the solid residue of the distillation fluid and for ejecting this residue through pipe 810; 822 is a vapor discharge line passing through the top of the distillation boiler; 823 is a valve in the vapor discharge line 822; 750 is a vapor discharge line communicating with the interior of the sludge interceptor from above; 751 is a valve in the vapor discharge line 750.

   The steam discharge line 822 is branohed to the steam discharge line 750. is a steam discharge line to which the other two 822 and 750 are connected. This steam discharge line '752, together with all the other steam discharge pipes of the apparatus, are directed to a purification system such as a sprinkler water jet which eliminates entrained vapors.

   The scrubber system being of standard construction is not shown, and for simplicity all of the discharge lines are shown open at the upper end. 753 is a water supply pipe encircling the base of the sludge interceptor; 754 are flush pipes entering the casing of the sludge interceptor at the base of this unbundle, allowing the heavy residue from the sludge interceptor to be classified through valve 741 in the still boiler *
The operation of the still boiler is as follows: After lowering a charge through pipe 742 into the still boiler, steam is admitted through openings 86 into the jacket and directly into the charge. through the openings 85.

   Preheating before admission

  <Desc / Clms Page number 54>

 The level of steam in the load is sometimes advantageous. The heavy liquid and water in the distillation boiler are vaporized at a temperature below the decomposition temperature of the liquid and the heavy liquid vapor and water vapor go together through the opening 88 and pipe 89, which directs them to the condensers. When the last quantities of heavy liquid have been collected, the valve 811 is opened and the pressurized water from the source 820 expels the residual waste contained in the distillation boiler, through the pipe 810, to its destination. Water vapor pressure can also be used to help expel sludge.



   Figures 9 and 9-a show the condenser system.



  Two standard rows of radiators with four units each constitute, in accordance with our finding, an excel- lent condenser when employed in combination with a single fishtail-shaped jet for each unit In drawing 910 are the four units of a standard row of radiators and there! are the four units of a standard second row of radiators. 912 is a water supply pipe; 913 represents a valve; 9I4 are four pipes extending above the radiator rows; 915 are individual jets above the units in each row of radiators.



   The apparatus operates as follows: through pipe 89 is brought the distillate from the distillation boiler, and it passes through the radiators in the direction of the arrows. Each row of radiators is sprayed with cold water and the distillate is condensed and is directed through pipe 891 to cooler 95.



   Figure 10 shows a type of fitting used throughout the apparatus. Engineers know that the majority of pipes in this system carry suspended solids in addition to liquid and that suspended solids will tend to precipitate out wherever there is a fitting.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 55>

 



  In order to make it possible to clean all these fittings, they are constructed as follows: t is a pipe; m is a pipe fitting or elbow; n is a pipe; 2 is an o-o threaded pipe with a removable jg cap. When the connection m o contains too much deposit, the cap g is removed and a pressurized water supply hose is connected to the screw thread o-o. When water is admitted, it drives all accumulated slurries or deposits out of the connection. The hose is removed and the cap g is put back in place. By directing the flow of liquid from pipe n through pipe t, slime builds up in pipe o until it is substantially filled. After that the erosive effect of the water is borne by the accumulated sohlamms and not by the pipe.



   In figures 8,8-a and 8-b is shown an apparatus for determining the percentage of coal in the material descending to the bottom and the percentage of shale in the floating material, - in other words, to determine the ash content of the cleaned coal as delivered by the system, so or so that the averages can be distributed with the best profit.

   In these figures, 75 generally designates a long trough, preferably made of a metal resistant to chemical attack; 750-750 are walls which divide the trough into a series of compartments; 751-751 are bowls having perforated or perforated bottoms 752, and preferably unperforated sides, the shape of the bowls substantially matching that of the compartments of the trough.

   Each of the compartments of the trough is furnished with a basin. ' The bowls are articulated at one end to the trough, advantageously in the manner shown in Figure 8-a. 753 are U-shaped members attached by welding or otherwise to the outer edge of the cups 751; 754 is a tube, or other piece of circular section attached to, or forming the edge of the trough 75; 755 are bolts passing through the ends of the V-shaped members 753; 756 are handles or handles, attached to the edge of each bowl 751, opposite the joint; 757 are placed stops

  <Desc / Clms Page number 56>

 so as to make contact with the edge of said opening and to prevent the latter from coming into contact with the bottom of the trough 75;

   758 are pipes with valves, leading to each compartment, for draining purposes; 759 are stop bars placed approximately in the middle of and extending lengthwise from the sides of the bowls; 760 is a film having a perforated or perforated bottom 761 and a handle 762; 763 are means for supporting the trough; 764 is a tray extending longitudinally in front of the trough and having a rim 765 to prevent the escape of liquid, as well as a drain channel 768 and discharge pipe 767 for said liquid; 768 is a screen to prevent the escape of solids along the drainage channel. 770 is a means, such as a steam line, for controlling the temperature of the bath.



   In normal operation the apparatus will probably have ten compartments. Each compartment is filled to the same depth with liquid. 769 denotes a liquid level. For example, the first compartment will contain a liquid with a specific weight 1.9; the next one will have a specific gravity of 1.85; the following 1.8; the next 1.78; the next 1.76; etc. the specific weights being chosen so as to give the maximum amount of information for the particular coal, or other mineral, treated according to the process at the time considered. For example, a sample is taken from the coal exiting the BOUS hydraulic seal conveyor and a weighed portion of this coal is placed in the first compartment.

   Assuming that the specific gravity of the compartment has been correctly chosen for the first test, a considerable part of the load will drop to the bottom and the rest will float. The operator then takes the shovel 760, places its spout in the bowl, as shown in figure 8a, slides it along the stop bars which are at equal depth in each compartment and removes the floating material. liquid can flow through holes 761 in the bottom

  <Desc / Clms Page number 57>

 perforated of the shovel and the floating materials are placed in the next opening, the specific weight of which is somewhat lower. This procedure is continued until the sample has been divided according to the specific weights.

   By pulling through the handles 756 the cuvettes can be tumbled around the tubes 754, allowing water to return through the holes 752 into the trough 75, and the material loosened at the bottom can be discharged into a container or other suitable means placed on the 764 plateau. '
The system is first calibrated by determining the ash content of the particular type of coal to be separated, a determination of the specific gravity of the input materials being first made, with the aim of determining the specific weight of the separating liquid to be employed. in tray 3.

   After the start of the work, samples are taken of both bottom and float materials and ash content determinations are made continuously to calibrate the system. Then the determination of the specific weights is carried out by comparing the subsequent samples with the control.

   In this way the coal content of the coal and the shale content of the coal can be determined, and according to the data collected the adjustment can be made for the change of the percentage of shale in the coal as described above. ' In each case we will have an exact control of the distribution of the means, since, if the specific weights fall between that in which pure carbon alone floats and that in which only sohists descend, the specific weights of the samples which descend into successive baths will be in direct relation to their respective coal and rock contents.

   Zinc chloride solution is a satisfactory agent for use in this apparatus because it can easily be dissolved to precise specific weights, but any other satisfactory liquid can be used.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 58>

 



  After having determined the distribution of the averages as actually achieved by the apparatus, a prompt change in the setting of the apparatus may be made, so as to obtain, if desired, a different and more favorable distribution.



   The overall figure shows a diagram of the pipes, in which certain valves, or valves, have been designated, for the sake of simplicity, by the reference signs VI, 1-2, etc. With reference to this diagram , the section of the installation where the separation is carried out is filled with liquid by opening valve V-14 and using a pump P-2 and from the corresponding pipe the separating liquid is discharged into chamber 353 and into the tray e, until the level of the dam 357 is reached. Thereafter, the liquid level is maintained by pouring over dam 357, valve V-8 and pipe 358 going to the liquid reservoir used.

   The current can be kept constant, or additions of fluid can be made from time to time, by the use of valves V-8 and V-14. Once the liquid has reached its level the V-14 valve can be closed, thus cutting off the inlet of the separating liquid, the V-8 valve posing either to be closed or to remain open as desired.



  If at any time it is desirable to empty tank 3, close valves V-8, V-5 and V-14, open valves V-6, V-7 and V-20, the tank being emptied directly in tank 964. If it is a question of evacuating sludge from the bottom of the tank, the emptying will be done by valves V-6, V-5, V-4 and the pump P-2 in the sludge tank 7.



   If it is desired to evacuate the sludge from the bottom of section 4 of the installation, the V-3 valve is opened, the V-2 and V-4 valves are closed and the sludge is pumped directly into the tank 7.



  If it is desired to remove the sludge from tank 6, the valves 623 and v-2 are opened, the valves V-3 and V-4 are closed, and the sludge is pumped into tank 7. The liquid from separator 96 is removed. directed either into the fresh liquid reservoir, or into the used liquid reservoir, by the corresponding appropriate operation of the valves V-13 and V-12.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 59>

 



   The apparatus described provides an excellent method of carrying out the process according to the invention. However, this is not the only apparatus which can be used to carry out the process and considerable modifications, both in general and in detail, can be made. For example, step 1 of the process could be replaced by thoroughly wetting by means of showers, containing a film stabilizer solution while the carbon is passed through a sieve.



  The sieve may have any length necessary to ensure thorough wetting of the carbon with the solution of the active agent,
The second step of the process, comprising washing the carbon, can be omitted, but this would result in the loss of all of the film stabilizer, which would tend to increase the cost of the process. Therefore, although it is theoretically / possible to omit the second step, it will not be omitted in the preferred embodiment of the invention.



   In the separation step, the liquid used is preferably organic and of the halogenized hydrocarbon type. However, the separation step of the process is not limited to these agents, since any separating agent having an effective specific gravity and inert to the materials to be separated, can be used. Desirable factors are: the material has a high boiling point so that there is only a low vapor pressure at working temperatures; low melting point, so that the material is liquid at the working temperature and so that the expense of keeping the mixture liquid by heat input is avoided;

   low solubility in water, so that the separating liquid is not contaminated by the ethanol liquid, and is not washed away on the separated materials; stability under working conditions, including: stability with respect to agents, air, light, and heat, low hydrolysis capacity, low toxicity to avoid injury to operators when the apparatus is cleaned, low screw-

  <Desc / Clms Page number 60>

 cosiness and low price. The relationship between film stabilizer and organic liquids not soluble in water has already been discussed.



   Among the compounds which we have found to be useful and which may serve as examples for the preferred class of separator liquids are as follows: pentachloropropane, 3,4 dibromo 2,2 dimethyl butane, iodobutane, hexachloropropane, 1 chloro 3 bromopropane, 1 bromo 2,3 dichloro n butane, I io-dobutane, 1 chloro 1 bromoethane, 1,3 dibromo 2,2 dimethyl propana, ..

   2.4 dibromopentane, pentachloroethane, 2.3 dibromopentane, 1.2 dibromo 2 methyl butane, 1 chloro 2 bromoethane, 2 iodopropane, 1.5 dibromopentane, 1.4 dibromopentane, hepta- chloropropane, 1.2 dibromopentane, I @iodoheptane, 2-chloro I iodobutane, 1,1 chloro 1 bromoethane, 1,1 dibromo 2,2 methyl propane, 1,4,7 tribromoheptane, I, I, I trichloro 2 bromopropane,
2.2 dibromopropane, 1.2 dibromo 2 methyl propane, 1.3 dibromobutane, 1.4 dibromobutane, 1.2 dibromobutane, 1.3 dibromo 2 methyl propane, 2.3 dibromobutane, 2.2, Z - trichloro 1 bromoethane, 2 chloro I lodopropane ,, 3 chloro 1 iodopropane, @ ohloro 1,2 dibromobutane, iodoethane, 2 fluoro I, I, 2,2 tetràbromoethane, diohlorobromomethane,

   1,2 dibromopropane, 1 chloro 2,3 dibromobutane, 1,3 dibromopropane, chlorobromomethane, tribromo 2 methyl pentane, 3 chloro 1,2 dibromopropane, dichlordodopropane, 1,6 diiodohexane, trichlorobromomethane, 1 chloro I iodoethane, 2 ohloro 1 , 2 bromopropane, 1,3 dichloro 1,2 dibromopropane, fluoro 1,2 dibromopropane 1,1 dibromoethane, 2,3 dichloro 1,2 dibromopropane, 2 fluoro 1,1 dichloro 1,2 dibromoethane, 1 chloro I, I dibromoethane, 2 chloro I iodoethene, 1,2,2 tribromobutane, 1,2,3 tribromobutane, 1,1,2 bromobutane, 1,2 dibromoethane, 1,5 diiodopentane, 2 bromo 2 iodopropane, 2,2 dichloro 1 iodoethane, 1,2,3 tribromobutane, 2,2 difluoro 1 iodoethane, 1,1 difluoro 1,2 dibromoethane, I, 1,2 trifluoro 1,2 dibromoethane, 1 fluoro 1,2 dibromoethane, 2 chloro 1,

  2 dibromoethane, methyl iodide, I, I dichloro 1,2 dibromoethane, 1,2 dichloro 1,2 dibromoethane, 2,2,2 trichloro 1,1 dibromoethane, 1,3 io-

  <Desc / Clms Page number 61>

 dobutane, 1,4 iodobutane, 2,2 difluoro 1,1 dibromoethane, 1,2,2 tribromopropane, 1,4,7 triiodoheptane, 1,1,2 tribromopropane, trichloro iodomethane, 2,2 dichloro 1,1 dibromoethane, 3 ohloro 1,2,2 tribromopropane, dibromo dichloromethane, 1,2,3 tribromopropane, 1,2,2 trichloro 1,1,2 tribromoethane, dibromo chloro-
 EMI61.1
 methane, Z, to iiodo propane, chloro iodomethane, dichloro iodō methane, dichloro tribromobutane, 1,2 diiodopropane, 1 bromo 1 iodoethane, 2 bromo I iodoethane, 1,1,4,

  4 tetrabromobutane,
 EMI61.2
 methylene bromide, I, I, 2,3 tetrabromo 2 methyl propane, 1,1,2 trifluoro 1,2,2 tribromoethane, 1,3 diiodopropane, 1,1,2 tribromoethane, 1 chloro 1,1,2 tribromoethane, 1,1 difluoro 1,1,2 tribromoethane, 1,1,2 tribromoethane, 1,2 dichloro 1,1,2 tribromoethane, 1,2,2,3 tetrabromopropane, 2 fluoro 1,1,2 tribro-
 EMI61.3
 moethane, 1,4 dichloro 1,2,3,4 tetrabromobutane, T, I 2, 3 tetrabromopropane, 1,1 diiodoethane, bromoform, hexabromobutane,
 EMI61.4
 1,1,1,2 tetrabromoethane, iodobromomethane, I, I, â, 2 tetxabxomō propane, 1,1,2,2 tetrabromoethane, I, 1,2,2,

  3 pentabromopropane, diiodo ohloromethane, pentabromoethane, methylene iodide, 1 ohloro 1,1,2,2 tetrabromoethane, ethylene perchloride, 2,3
 EMI61.5
 dibromopentene- '2,1,1,2,3,3,3, hexaohloropropene-1, 2-iodopropene-1, 2 chloro I bromoethene, 3-lodopropene-1, I, 3 dibromo 2 methylpropene-I, 1 , 2 d3.ahloro-I bromoethene, x, 2 dibromobutene-1, 2,2 diohlÓro'1 "bromoethene, 2-chloro '3-iodopropene-I, 1 chloro 3 iodopropbne-1, 1,2 dibromopropene-1 , 3 iodopropin-I, 1,1,2 ohloro] [bromoethene, '- I iodopropinēI, I, 3dibromopropênēS, 1,3 dibromopropine-1, 2 ohloro 1 iccloethene, 1 chloro 1,2 dibro- moethene, 1,2 dibromotihbne, 2 fluoro 1,1 dibromoethene, I, 2 dichloro 1,2 dibromoethene ,, 1,2 'dichloro 1,2 dibromoethene, 1,2,3 tribromopropene-1, 1,2 diiodoprene-1, 2 bromo 1 iodoethene,

   fluoro tribromoethylen, tribromoethylene, 2,2 dibromo 1io-doethene, 1,2 iôàoethene, iodooyclohexane, I, to dibromôcyclohexane, 3,4 dibromo 1,3 dimethylêbenzene, 3,4 dibromotoluene, 2,6 dibromotoluene 2,5 dibromotoluene, iodobenzene, iodo 2 chlorobenzene, 1,3 dibromobenzene, 1,2 dibromobenzene, trichlorethylene, 4 chloroethane and carbon tetrachloride.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 62>

 



  * The list primarily indicates halogenized hydrocarbons but it should be noted that any liquid having the above desirable qualities can be used, as long as the separation step alone is intended. Kerosene, benzene and naphthalene and other hydrocarbons, as well as other organic liquids essentially insoluble in water and miscible with the preferred or selected separating liquids, particularly those of a low point. boiling and low vapor pressure, can be used as diluents to modify or change the specific gravity of separating liquids.



  If their weight is sufficient, such essentially water-insoluble organic liquids can be employed as separating liquids, regardless of the preferred class. If film stabilizers are employed with them, they should exhibit the properties given above with respect to them.



   The specific weight of the separating liquid employed will be between the specific weights of the mineral and of the gangue to be separated. The separator liquid contained in the tank will be covered with a layer or sheet of water or another liquid inert with respect to it which will serve to prevent the evaporation of the separator liquid and to reject the separator liquid which collects on the floating matter. Liquids can be distributed to fill the entire tank, or to fill only part of the tank.



   It is advisable to carry out the chamber in which the actual separation takes place, taking particular account of the mineral to be treated. For example, if it is a question of separating a finely divided iron ore from its gangue, we will need a longer chamber, in order to give all the fine particles the opportunity to respond to the separating action of the liquid. On the other hand, in cases where particle accumulation is not observed, and the separation proceeds quickly and completely, a short chamber can be employed. Another method to take account of these variations is to vary

  <Desc / Clms Page number 63>

 or changing the rate of flow of the liquid through the separation chamber, thereby varying or changing the length of time during which the materials are allowed to separate.



   The separator liquid can be a liquid, or it can be a mixture of completely miscible liquids of different specific weights: Thus a mixture of C2H2BR4 and C2H2Cl4 will give a specific weight range of 2.95 to 1.59. This principle can be used to adjust the specific weight of the liquid so as to obtain a specific weight in which the averages will drop to a proportion which is most favorable on the day of separation by means of the apparatus. take advantage of this selection of specific gravity to ensure a particular separation of medium keys in an apparatus provided with a stationary deflector wedge.



   The speed with which the conveyors travel in this device determines the point at which the averages will be dropped when they come into contact with the wedge: Thus by accelerating or slowing down the path of the conveyors the speed of the liquid can be increased. or decreased, thus achieving a variation in the proportion of the averages with shale content contained in the coal ... By accelerating the operation of the conveyors, the liquid will travel faster, the averages will not have fallen as far and a higher percentage of averages with low coal content will be incorporated into the coal * By slowing down the conveyors,

  the separating liquid will flow more slowly and only the mediums richer in coal will be incorporated into the coal. '
A third method of varying the coal shale content and the coal shale content is by adjusting the location of the wedge by raising and lowering the wedge. Means for doing this have been described in the specification.



     These three methods of dividing or allocating means can be used separately, or together,

  <Desc / Clms Page number 64>

 or all three together, and when used in this way they provide the greatest flexibility in the system.



   Figures 3-k and 3-1 show modified means for adjusting the wedge. Along the main tray 3 are provided boxes 390. Slots 391 connect said boxes to the main tray. 392-392 are parts hinged fasteners at the lower end of the corner; 393-393 are pins connecting the fasteners 392 to the sliders 394 sliding in the boxes 390; 395 are internally threaded arms attached to sliders 394; 396 are rods screwed into the arms 395 of the sliders and can be turned by means of pinions 397 fixed at their ends; 398 is a shaft entering the tank 3 and provided with pinions which mesh with the pinions 397 in boxes 390;

   399 is a handwheel for turning the shaft 398 for the purpose of operating the pinions and moving the slides and fasteners 392 in either direction, thereby adjusting the position of the corner. A stuffing box prevents liquid from leaking around the shaft.



   This description has been related more or less specifically to the separation of coal from its original impurities. However, the process is not limited to coals and is applicable to the separation of minerals in general although it is easily understood, as described elsewhere in this specification, that to ensure the best results with a particular mineral the speed of liquid medium, the density of the separating liquid and the length of the separation chamber can be varied. Substantially all minerals are obtained in their native state mixed with impurities: originating. In some cases the mineral is the heaviest and the gangue the lightest.

   In these cases the gangue will float on the surface of the separating liquid and the mineral will sink to the bottom and be evacuated by the lower conveyors. In other cases,

  <Desc / Clms Page number 65>

 As in the case of coal, the reverse is true. The design of the conveyor system can be advantageously modified or changed to meet or accommodate the amounts of mineral and slurry to be expected with a particular process. Another variation which should be considered by the engineer. dealing with different minerals is that the specific weights of the minerals themselves vary.

   Thus the angelsitis varies from 6.1 to 6.4; anthracite coal varies from 1.3 to 1.7 and bituminous coal varies from 1.1 to 1.5. Among the minerals which can be separated from their gangues according to the present process, are the following:

   asbestos, bituminous coal, anthracite coal, ohrysooolle, garnierite, quartz, feldspar, black diamond, mica, fluorite, wad, siderite, calamine, rhodocrosite, diamond (gemstone grade), kyanite, limonite, azurite, psilomelane, malachite, garnet, corundum, sph alerite, willemite, ohaloopyrite, smithsonite, witherite, rutile, atannite, chromite, barite, tetrehedrite, ilmenite, energite, pyrrhotite, covellite, pentlandite, molybdenite, braunite, pyrolusite, bormankite, magnetite, hematite, bormanklinite thousand:

  rite, zincite, chalcocite, ouprite, sheelite, anglesite, vanadate (lead) cerusite, heubnerite, oassiterite, wolframite, galena, iron, niccolite, ferberite, cinnabar, copper (native) silver, platinum and gold.



   These ores do not all require treatment with a film stabilizer, because in some cases the mineral is: quickly wetted by water and retains water in a sufficiently firm manner to prevent its displacement or substantial removal by the water. separator liquid. In such cases the use of a film stabilizer is not necessary. On the other hand, minerals which are not quickly wetted by water, or from which, when wetted by water, the latter is substantially displaced or removed by the separating liquid; are organophilic and must receive a preliminary treatment with an aqueous solution of a film stabilizer.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 66>

 
Many modifications to the purification phase of the process are possible.

   In addition to the jets shown in the drawings and described above, jets may be directed on the underside of the screen to assist in the cleaning or washing of the carbon. The concentration plate and the ribbed plate can be omitted, but their deletion is not advisable if one wants to obtain preferred results.) It has been reported in the literature that there is no static means capable of separating fine particles of coal or coal slurry from the wash water. The separation method of this kind described in this specification is the first to be successful in separating fine particles or slurries of coal, or solids, from liquid by a semi-static process.

   In this separation the ribbed plate plays an important role in tending to precipitate the fines, to coagulate the small globules of the separating liquid, and to separate the water. This, in combination with the three settling tanks or clarifiers of the overflow barrier type, constitutes a very efficient system, with which the recovery of the heavy liquid is almost quantitative. The barrier can be omitted in the so-called sludge interceptor apparatus, and the water which accumulates in the upper layer can be discharged only through the valves or collective valves on the side of this apparatus. The efficiency of the first two tanks is such that it is sometimes possible to remove the sludge interceptor and direct the sludge from the first two tanks directly into the still boiler for steam distillation.



   Any satisfactory method of distillation can be used to recover the heavy liquid from the sludge. The one shown and described has been given because it gives excellent results.



   The radiator-type condenser is an installation costing about one-tenth of that of a standard condenser system of the type capable of handling an equal amount of condensate, and which saves enormous amounts of water. /

  <Desc / Clms Page number 67>

 
The chiller whose purpose is to reduce the condensate temperature is of a "standard" design and construction. It is shown schematically in the form of a jacket surrounding the pipe which connects the condenser 9 to the water separator 96, the jacket being closed at its ends and being provided with an inlet near one end and an outlet near. on the other end for a stream of coolant.



   In the water separator, the separating liquid and the water, being immovable and of different specific weights, separate.



  The separating liquid is led to the tanks and the water is preferably returned to another section of the installation, for example to the main settling tank.
The tank system shown, in which a fresh liquid tank is disposed above a used liquid tank, although suitable, is not essential to the process. Other storage systems can be used.



  However, most of these systems will involve the principle of adding fresh liquid to the liquid used as needed.



  The addition of fresh liquid to the liquid used may take place in the separation tank, or in the reservoir, or elsewhere as the engineer deems appropriate.



   The actual operation of the system is in near perfect equilibrium: Substantially all of the water used is collected and returned to the system, substantially all of the separating liquid employed is returned to the system, and substantially all of the film stabilizer is returned to the system. It can be said with complete accuracy that the system requires only a minimum of monitoring, and a minimum of working fluids, and yields are obtained which are equal to, or better than, those which have hitherto been considered as theoretically possible .

   For example in De Taggart "Handbook of Ore Dressing) it is said that the standard method used in laboratories

  <Desc / Clms Page number 68>

 to determine the degree of separation at which the last useful amounts of coal are recovered and the last unnecessary amounts of shale are removed is the drop-and-float method as performed in a goblet. Taggart also says that this perfection of separation is impossible to achieve. However, by virtue of the development of the present process and apparatus, the separation perfection that Taggart mentions as being achievable in a beaker, is achieved on an industrial and commercial scale.



   An advantage of the present invention, considered as a whole, is that it constitutes a process for the purification of coal based on the use of a separating liquid, capable of competing with the highly developed and highly developed processes. advanced techniques employed hitherto in the field considered. Another advantage of the invention is that by the process to which it relates, the losses of expensive separating liquid are reduced to a point which makes the process industrially and commercially feasible and indeed makes it much more expensive than. the prior processes.

   Another advantage of the invention resides in the speed with which the process can be carried out with satisfactory results. A unit having only four square feet of separation surface was tested for rapidity and separated satisfactorily. 140 tonnes per hour, its capacity then being limited by the capacity of the conveyors who worked at their maximum capacity and could not process more. The maximum capacity of the system is at present still unknown. At comparatively slow normal operating speeds, its capacity is about ten times that of previous systems with equal dimensions of separation area * '
Coal can be prepared by this process with any ash content the operator desires.

   Previous coal scrubbing systems made a large separation.

  <Desc / Clms Page number 69>

 between coal and shale, but the percentage of coal in the shale and the percentage of shale in the coal varied from minute to minute. The idea of producing coal of a standard ash content was a desideratum without the satisfactory means to achieve it. A yield of
85% was considered good for the coal cleaning process and many large heaps found in coal mining areas contain 15-35% usable fuel.



   By the process of the present invention such large amounts wasted can be profitably removed.



   In a generic sense, the invention provides a method for the process for immunizing the surface of a carbonaceous solid against the addition of an organic liquid, which does not seem to have been carried out previously. The invention is applicable to a wide variety of jobs and in fields far removed from mining. All of these applications fall within the scope or field covered by the present invention.



   Since very different applications of the present invention can be realized without departing from its spirit and scope, it should be noted that we are not limiting ourselves to specific applications or realizations of the invention except those defined in the claims.



   It should also be noted that the object of the present invention, which is, on the one hand, a complete process and, on the other hand, the means and installations used to carry out this complete process, consists of a series of divisional objects indicated at the beginning of this specification and in the detailed descriptions forming part of this specification. Now, it is understood that the present specification covers these objects both separately, and in any suitable combination, and as a whole, this set constituting a unit forming the entire process, as well as the means and installations. serving to achieve it.



   /


    

Claims (1)

CLAIMS EMI70.1 ¯ =================== ¯¯ = to 3 3 3 9 I) A method comprising: washing a discontinuous mass containing charcoal in an aqueous bath containing water and a film stabilizer; removing floating material from the surface of the solution; removing the mass from the solution and washing it with water; removing sediment from the washing fluid used; adjusting the percentage of film stabilizer in said washing fluid to a percentage useful as an initial immersion bath; immersing the treated carbon in a halogenized hydrocarbon separator liquid, essentially insoluble in water and covered with water; removing the mass from the separator bath; mass with water; and separating the separating liquid from the purified water, for reuse of the separating liquid in the separating chamber; said process being carried out substantially out of contact with air. 2) A process comprising: washing an interrupted or discontinuous mass containing carbon with an aqueous bath containing a film stabilizer; removing the bulk of said solution and washing it with water; removing solids from wash water which contains film stabilizer solution; strengthening said wash water with film stabilizer; use in the first said aqueous bath; immersing the mass in a substantially water insoluble separating liquid comprising a halogenized hydrocarbon; removing the bulk of the separating liquid; drainage of the latter; collecting the drained liquid from the mass; scrubbing the substantially liberated mass of adhering liquid with water, the solids from drained and scrubbing liquids; returning the liquid thus separated to the separation step; andremoving liquid residues from the separated solids by steam distillation. <Desc / Clms Page number 71> 3) A method comprising: washing an interrupted or discontinuous mass containing charcoal with an aqueous bath containing a film stabilizer; washing the mass containing charcoal with water; immersing the washed mass in a separation medium comprising an organic separating liquid essentially insoluble in water; removing the bulk of the liquid; and removing the liquid adhering from the mass; said operations being carried out substantially out of contact with the air. 4) A method comprising: wetting charcoal with an aqueous bath containing a film stabilizer; separating the coal from accompanying impurities by immersion in a liquid comprising a halogenized hydrocarbon of a density intermediate between that of the coal and that of the impurities; scrubbing coal with water; separating the used scrubbing liquid containing light suspended matter from the precipitated matter; separating said light materials in suspension from the liquid; the combination of said suspended and precipitated materials thus separated; separation of liquid from these materials by packing or deposition and settling; and the distillation of the solids abandoned by the said settling 5) A process comprising: wetting charcoal with an aqueous bath containing a film stabilizer; separating coal from accompanying impurities by immersion in a liquid comprising a halogenized hydrocarbon of a density intermediate between that of the coal and that of the impurities; purifying a separated portion with water; collecting the scrubbing liquid and separating it from the mass of entrained solids by a treatment comprising thickening by tamping; the removal of the separating liquid from the so-called entrained solids and its return to the purification stage, for reuse: <Desc / Clms Page number 72> 6) A method comprising: washing a mass containing charcoal with an aqueous bath containing a film stabilizer; separating the coal from the impurities by immersion in a liquid comprising a halogenized hydrocarbon of a density between that of the coal and that of the impurities; scrubbing the coal with a liquid substantially insoluble in the separating liquid; separating the solids and separating liquid from the scrubbing liquid; returning: said purifying liquid to the lava step for reuse. 7) In the process of separating coal from impurities, - which employs a liquid comprising a halogenated hydrocarbon with a density intermediate between that of the coal and that of the impurities, - the preliminary steps which include: washing the charcoal with an aqueous bath containing a film stabilizer, and washing it with water. 8) A method comprising: washing a mass containing charcoal with an aqueous bath containing a film stabilizer; separating the charcoal from bulk ingredients having a different density by immersion in a liquid comprising a halogenized hydrocarbon of an intermediate density; washing of the separated constituents; removing solids from said washing liquid; steam distillation of said solids; the condensation of the distillate and the separation of water from it. 9) A method comprising: washing a mass containing charcoal with an aqueous bath containing a film stabilizer; immersing the mass in a halogenized hydrocarbon separator liquid; removing the mass from the latter; and washing the mass with water. 10) In charcoal upgrading the steps which include: washing the charcoal-containing mass with an aqueous bath containing a film stabilizer; immersing said mass in an insoluble organic separating liquid <Desc / Clms Page number 73> in water; separating the mass from the separator liquid; and the removal of the separating liquid from said mass, by washing # II) A method comprising: washing a mass containing charcoal with an aqueous bath containing an emulsoid collet; washing the mass with water; immersing the mass in an organic separating liquid comprising a halogenized hydrocarbon; separation of mass and organic liquid; and washing the mass: 12) Process comprising: washing a mass containing charcoal with an aqueous bath containing a glyooside, the alooone of which is an asymmetric polyoxhydryl aromatic radical; washing the mass with water; immersing the mass in an organic separating liquid substantially insoluble in water; separating the mass and the separating liquid; and removing organic liquid adhering to the solid by washing. 13. A method of upgrading minerals, comprising: washing a discontinuous mass of solids containing mineral with an aqueous bath containing a film stabilizer; washing the mass thus treated with water; immersing the mass in a separating medium comprising a substantially water-insoluble organic separating liquid; removing solids from the separating liquid; and removing the separating liquid adhering to said solids; said operations being carried out substantially out of contact with air. 14) A method comprising: washing a mass containing mineral and gangue, having organophilic constituents, with an aqueous bath containing a film stabilizer; Removing excess aqueous bath from said mass; of said mass in a separating medium composed mainly of halogenized hydrocarbons; removing the mass from the separator bath; and washing the mass with water to remove the adhering separator liquid, <Desc / Clms Page number 74> 15) In the process of separating a mass containing mineral and having organophilic parts, depending on the density, in a separating medium essentially insoluble in water and comprising an organic liquid of intermediate density, the means or step d - apply an aqueous bath containing a film stabilizer to the mass containing mineral before its immersion in the separating bath. 16) A method comprising: subjecting a mass of solids having organophilic constituents to the action of an aqueous bath? non-solvent, containing a film stabilizer; placing the mass in an organic separating medium which is essentially non-solvent with respect to said aqueous bath; removing the bulk of the separating medium; and washing the mass to remove adherent liquid. 17) A method comprising: washing a mass containing mineral with an aqueous bath containing a film stabilizer; separating the mineral from the ingredients of different density by immersion in a liquid comprising a halogenized hydrocarbon of intermediate density; washing of the separated constituents; Removing solids from said washing liquid; steam distillation of solids. 18) In a mineral enhancement process, comprising density separation in a substantially water-insoluble separating liquid, the steps of: washing the mineral with an aqueous bath containing a film stabilizer; washing it off with water; collecting the used wash water; separating solids from it; reinforcement of the washing water used, as a film stabilizer; and treating the incoming mineral with it. 19) Method for immunizing the surface of an organic substance substantially insoluble in water against its adhesion to a substantially insoluble organic separating liquid. <Desc / Clms Page number 75> water-readable, said method comprising: applying to the surface of the solid an aqueous film containing a film stabilizer. 20) Process for the preparation of a mineral surface which is not easily wetted by water and which is intended to be placed in contact with an organic separating liquid essentially insoluble in water, - this process comprising: 'application to the surface of said mineral of an aqueous bath containing a film stabilizer. 21) Process comprising: washing a mineral which is not easily wetted, or preferably not wetted, with water, with a dilute aqueous bath containing an emulsoid colloid; immersing the mineral in an organic separating liquid which is substantially insoluble in water; separation of mineral and organic liquid; and intoxication of the organic liquid adhering to the solid, by washing. 22) A method comprising: washing a mineral which is not easily wetted or preferably not wetted with water,: ..: with a dilute aqueous bath containing starch acetate; immersing the mineral in an organic separating liquid which is substantially insoluble in water; separation of mineral and organic liquid; andremoving organic liquid adhering to the solid by washing. 23) A method comprising: washing a mineral which is not easily wetted, or preferably not wetted: with water, with a dilute aqueous bath containing a glyooside in which the agluoone is an asymmetric polyoxhydryl aromatic radical; immersing the mineral in an organic separating liquid which is substantially insoluble in water; separating the mineral from the organic liquid, and scrubbing the mineral to remove the separating liquid; 24) A method comprising: washing a mineral which is not easily wetted, or preferably not wetted, by water, with a dilute aqueous bath containing tannic acid; im- <Desc / Clms Page number 76> immersion of the mineral in a substantially water insoluble organic separating liquid; the separation of mineral and organic liquid; and scrubbing the mineral to remove the separating liquid. 25) Installations and the various segments which compose them considered together and separately for carrying out the process according to the preceding claims as well as various applications of these installations and of said sections, as envisaged and as described and represented in this specification. and accompanying drawings.