GB349937A - Improved process and apparatus for carbonizing bituminous materials - Google Patents

Abstract

349,937. Carbonizing bituminous materials ; fuel briquettes. DOHERTY, H. L., 60, Wall Street, New York, U.S.A.- (Assignee of Loebell, H. 0.; 5, Boulevard, Malba, Long Island, New York, U.S.A.) March 1, 1930, No. 6841. Convention date, March 18, 1929. [Class 55 (i).] Coal or similar carbonaceous materials are carbonized in a thin layer, for example two inches or less thickness, while moving through a retort, the fuel being subjected to pressure which increases as the carbonization proceeds, and the temperature being varied to suit the thickness of the layer. The pressure varies from 25 to 2000 lb. per square foot, and the temperature from 800‹ to 1600‹ F. The fuel layer may be subdivided into thin briquette shaped portions, and the carbonized fuel discharged in the form of briquettes. The apparatus comprises a retort 11 containing a drum 16 rotated by gearing 26, and having refractory linings 28, 29, the drum being heated internally by gas and air supplied through pipes 30, 31, baffles 37, 38, 39 serving to spread the hot gases against the internal drum surface. The powdered fuel is fed through a hopper 56a, and by a conveyer in a trough 56 to an endless wire band 51 passing round the drum 16 and a tensioning idler roll 41, the bearings of which are secured to rods 45 held by compression springs 48. The depth of the layer may be varied by an adjustable scraper 58. As the drum 16 is rotated, the layer of fuel is compressed against it by the band. 51, the fuel being heated internally by the flue 52 as well as internally. A roller 65 deflects the belt, and causes the carbonized fuel to be broken. away from it, any fuel adhering to the drum being removed by a scraper 61a to a discharging trough 61 having a worm conveyer 62. Distillates are withdrawn through an outlet pipe 64. In a modification, the wire belt is replaced by a link belt, the hollowed links of which coact with the drum, which has corresponding depressions, to form briquettes due to the compression of the charge. Thus the rotor 16 has ribs 77, Fig. 6, which co-operate with the margins of transverse ribs 68 on the link belt and the tongues 66 to enclose separate portions of the charge in a series of shallow pockets. In an example a uniform layer of ¥ in. thickness of fuel was subjected to a pressure of 186 lb. per square foot and heated to 1100‹ F. for 30 minutes.