US1081287A - Apparatus for reducing compounds. - Google Patents

Description

, H. NIEWERTH.

APPARATUS FOR REDUCING COMPOUNDS.

APPLIGATION FILED 001". 21, 1913.

1,081,287. Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.,WASHINGTON, n, c.

UNITED PATENT OFFICE.

HERMANN NIEWERTH, OF BERLIN, GERMANY.

APPARATUS FOR REDUCING COMPOUNDS.

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERMANN Nmwnnrrr, a citizen of the German Empire, residing in Berlin, in said German Empire, have invented a new and useful Apparatus for Reducing Compounds, of which the following is a full and accurate description.

This invention applies particularly to that class of compounds which are reduced by means of gases, and has for its objects the reduction of heat losses, the regeneration of the reducing gases, after oxidation thereof, so that the same body of gas can be used again and again, and also the employment of reducing gases under pressure.

It is old in the art to reduce compounds, such as ores, by mixing them with coals in retorts, and then blowing a current of air through the mixture, so that the melting temperature and the reducing gases are simultaneously created. In order that the reduced metal be not again oxidized, it is necessary to add some chemicals that protect the molten metal from the fresh air that is blown through. It is also old to place ore, or a mixture of ore and coal in one retort, and to fill another retort, connected to the first, with coal. The connection is regulated by valves. The coal-con taining retort is now raised to a proper temperature, by means of a blast of air, and when reducing gases are formed, the valves in the connection are opened, and access to the ore-containing retort is afforded. After this operation has continued for a certain length. of time, the valves are closed, the coal-containing retort is again raised to the requisite temperature, and so on. The operation is thus discontinuous. It has also been attempted to heat the coals and the ores by means of external heat, but this has not been a success, mainly because the retortscould not be made perfectly air-tight.

Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings represents a vertical section of one embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 represents a horizontal section of the pump and reversible valve mechanism on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

The same reference characters indicate corresponding parts in the different figures.

A designates a shaft-furnace, and is hereafter referred to as the central shaft. It may be closed tightly at its lower end by a chamber, which, however, is out of the region in which the heat and reducing gases act. This shaft is filled with a compound Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed Gctober 21, 1913.

Patented Dec. 9, 1913.

Serial No. 796,419.

to be reduced, as an ore, or. a mixture eomposed of ore and coal, and the chamber re ferred to is so constructed that any portion of the charge in the furnace after reduction may be removed. A new charge may be ad mitted through the upper opening of A. Near the lower end of A is an opening B in the sidewall of A, which preferably has a smaller diameter than A. A little above is another and similar opening C. The distance between B and C may be varied, and depends on the strength of the effect desired. The openings B and C lead to sideshafts D and E, preferably inclined up wardly, made of fire-brick. These shafts will hereafter be referred to as the sideshafts.

The inclination of the side'shafts is sufficiently great to permit coal to slide down their inner walls. At B and C are suitable means for preventing the coal from entering the central shaft, which may consist of grat-- ings l and 2. varies with the charge of coal needed. The central shaft A is preferably not terminated directly above C, but rises some distance above, so that the central shaft has a POIUOII.

which is beyond the region in which the heat and reducing gases work.

In order that the side-shafts may be filled with coal without a loss of gases, they have air-tight inclosures F, which may have any familiar means, as for instance, a chamber with internal and external valves. The external valve may be opened, the chamber filled with coal, the external valve closed,

and the internal valve opened, when the coal passes into the side-shaft without loss of gases. The upper end of A may have a similar closure. On the lower sides of the two side-shafts are communicating cylinders G, H, I, K. These are closed at their lower ends, but have means permitting of ready cleasing. Their dimensions vary with the kind of coal used, and the desired reducing power. It is evident that when a charge of coal is placed in the side-shafts, these cylinders will also be filled. In these cylinders Gr, H, I, K are openings, through which air can be blown by any familiar form of ap paratus. This blowing apparatus works in unison with a pump that agitates the gases in the furnace, so that the fresh air blown into the apparatus always enters on a predetermined side of the central shaft. The blowing apparatus herein shown comprises The length of the side-shafts a blower 80 having an eduction pipe 81 provided with a valve 82 and branches S3 and 84 connected with the cylinders G and H and an eduction pipe 85 provided with a valve 86 and with branches S7 and 88 connected with the cylinders I and K.

The entire system thus described is preferably inclosed by iron walls, so that the shafts are built of fireresisting material,

and the iron inclosing walls exclude the air. This exclusion of the air is the morereadily effected because there are no valve means in the region. The entire furnace is also filled with coal or ore, so that the action is energetic. The side-shafts have openings on the ends farthest away from the central shaft, designated by L, M, these openings are connected with the ports of a pump 10, which has its ingress port connected with one side-shaft, and the egress port connected with the other sideshaft, in such a way, by any familiar valve means, that the connections can be reversed. The drawings illustrate one such means. A pipe 15 connects the opening M of the side shaft D with a two-way passage 20 on one side of the pump at the lower end thereof and with a two-way passage 25 on the same side of the pump at the upper end thereof. A pipe 30 connects the opening L of the inclined shaft E with a two-way passage 35 communicating with .the upper part of the pump cylinder and with a two-way passage 40 connected with the lower end of the pump cylinder. The two-way passage 20 is provided with an automatic inlet valve 21 and with an automatic outlet valve side by side therewith, the two-way passage 25 is provided with an automatic outlet valve 26 and with an automatic inlet valve 27, the two way passage 35 is provided with an automatic outlet valve 36 and an automatic inlet valve 37 and the two-way passage 40 is provided with an automatic inlet valve 41 and an automatic outlet valve side by side therewith. The two- way passages 20, 25, 85 and 40 are provided respectively with two- way cocks 45, 50, 55 and 60. The cook 55 is provided at one end with a hand wheel 56. The cocks are preferably connected by means of cranks and links as shown so as to be actuated simultaneously when said hand wheel is turned. Each cock in one position closes one of the ports of the two-way passage and opens the other port of the same passage. When this pump is set into action, the gases in the apparatus are circulated, and the direction of circulation may be reversed. The conducting pipes between the pump and the apparatus are preferably so arranged as to absorb the heat of the gases, and protect the pump. The side-shafts also have valved openings and 71 to lead away the gases, if so desired. The central shaft also has a valved opening 72 for permitting the egress of gases. The valves may be given springs, so as to act as safety valves. The workings of the apparatus can now be demonstrated, with reference to particular compounds, as iron ores. Both of the side-shafts are filled with coke, so that the lower cylinders G, H, I, K are also filled. Then the central shaft is filled with a mixture of ores and earth, or with ores alone. The pipes for leading away gases from the side-shafts are closed in one of the side-shafts and opened in the other, and air is blown into the cylinders of that side-shaft in which the said leading pipes are closed. A current of air is, therefore, created throughout the furnace, beginning in the side-shaft having its pipes for leading away gases closed, proceeding through the central shaft, then into the other side-shaft, and then through the pipes for leading away the gases. A high temperature is soon attained. The temperature can be regulated to the desired point, which in this case is only up to the point necessary to produce a bright red glow, and in some cases, only up to a dark red glow. The gases generated fro-m the coke will now reduce the hot ore to the metal, and the reduction will take place energetically, and at a low temperature, as the pulsating circulation of the gases, and the newly generated gases, will be very effective. The gases that are oxidized in reducing the ores, will be regenerated, or reduced to their original state, by means of the circulation over the glowing coke and the air 7 blast. The gases will be regenerated by the heated coke. The excess of gases is led away.

As soon as the circulation of the gases has been maintained for a definite period, the direction of their circulation, and that of the air blast, is reversed. At the same time the pipes in the side-shaft through which the air is to be admitted are closed. The process now goes on as before described, save that the direction of circulation of the gases is now reversed.

The reduced ore may be removed by means of the chamber at the lower part of the central shaft. The reduced ores are replaced by the ores in the central shaft that are beyond the region in which the heat acts, so that the process is continuous. Similarly fresh quantities of ore-coal mixture and coke may be introduced without interrupting the process by means of the filling means described. The absence of all valve connections between the various shafts permits their inclosure in iron walls, so that all the heat is conserved, and also, that the gases may be maintained above the atmospheric pressure.

The number of shafts and the form of pump may vary, as well as the inclinations of all shafts. It may be sometimes necessary from the nature of the compound to be reduced, to admit a limited and regulated amount of oxygen to the reducing furnace. This may be readily done by a very small opening, or a suitable valve 75.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In an apparatus for reducing compounds, the combination of a closed main shaft adapted to contain the material to be reduced, auxiliary closed shafts directly connected therewith and adapted to contain carbon, means for introducing air into one of the auxiliary shafts and circulating means adapted to take the combustion gases from the other auxiliary shaft and deliver them to the first auxiliary shaft.

2. In an apparatus for reducing compounds, the combination of a main shaft adapted to contain the material to be reduced, auxiliary shafts directly connected therewith and adapted to contain carbon, means for introducing air into one of the auxiliary shafts, means for maintaining a pressure of gases in said shafts, and circulating means adapted to take the combustion gases from the other auxiliary shaft and deliver them to the first auxiliary shaft.

3. In an apparatus for reducing compounds, the combination of a closed main shaft adapted to contain the material to be reduced, auxiliary closed shafts directly connected therewith and adapted to contain carbon, means for introducing air into one of the auxiliary shafts, means for introducing air into the main shaft, and circulating means adapted to take the combustion gases from the other auxiliary shaft and deliver them to the first auxiliary shaft.

4. In an apparatus for reducing compounds, the combination of a main shaft adapted to contain the material to be reduced, inclined auxiliary shafts directly connected therewith, one near the top and the other near the bottom of said main shaft and adapted to contain carbon, means for introducing air into one of the auxiliary shafts, means for maintaining a pressure of gases in said shafts, and circulating means adapted to take the combustion gases from the other auxiliary shaft and deliver them to the first auxiliary shaft.

5. In an apparatus for reducing compounds, the combination of a main shaft adapted to contain the material to be reduced, auxiliary shafts directly connected therewith and adapted to contain carbon, means for maintaining a pressure of the gases contained in said shafts, means for introducing air into either of said auxiliary shafts, circulating means adapted to take the combustion gases from either of said auxiliary shafts and deliver them into the other auxiliary shaft, and means for reversing the direction of the circulatory current.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HERMANN NIEVVERTI-I.

WVitnesses I VOLDEMAR I'IAUPT, HENRY HAsrER.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner 0! Patents, Washington, D. O.

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