US1117814A - Process and apparatus for removing adherent material from nodulizing-kilns. - Google Patents

Description

F. B. BUTTON.

PROCESS AND APPARATUS FOR REMOVING ADHERENT MATERIAL FROM NODULIZING KILNS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 20, 1914.

1 1 17 14 Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

I n s a j 529% \2 7 EENNS'R'LVANIA.

innn earns ran EEANCIS BIRD BUTTON, OF LEBANON, YEN NSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE PENNSYL- VAHLA STEEL CGMPANY, 0F LEBANON, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PROCESS All) APEARATUS FOR EEMOVING ADHERENT MATERIAL FROM NODULIZING- KILNS.

animate.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 17, 1914.

Application filed August 20, 1914. Seria lNo. 857.666.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANCIS Bran DUT- roN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Lebanon, county of Lebanon, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful 1m rovement in Processes and Apparatus for emoving Adherent Material from Nodulizing-Kilns, of which the followin is a full, clear, and exact description, re erence being had tothe accompanying drawings, which form a part "of this specification.

To utilize fine iron ores, blue billy, flue dust, etc., in blast furnaces, it is customary to first desulfurize the same and agglomerate them into small lumps or nodules. This is efi'ected in a long rotary inclined kiln, into the higher end of which the fine materials to as the application of water.

- of workmen then successively enter the kiln be treated are introduced and at the lower end of which heat is applied usually by means of the combustion of powdered fuel. The slagging of the particles begins at some distance from the lower or discharge end of the kiln, and along the zone of scorification refractory bands or rings form upon the interior wall of the kiln. These ban 5 gradually increase in thickness until they interfere with the proper operation of the kiln. This necessitates the cessation of the nodulizing process and the removal of the caked material. While various time-saving and labor-saving expedients for the removal of these rings have been proposed, it is still customary to proceed by first allowing the interior of the kiln to cool down, the cooling being facilitated by special means such Several shifts and by manual power remove the caked material. This operation necessitates the cessation of the nodulizing operation for approximately twenty-four hours and involves considerable labor expense as well as some waste of fuel arising from the dissipation of heat in the cooling process.

The object of my invention is to expedite the removal of the rin and to efiect their removal without allowing the kiln to cool to a substantial degree and to dispense entirely with the necessity of the direct application of manual labor to the rings.

My invention may best be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings,

which show a preferred means of carrying out my improved process, and in which- Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the lower part of the nodulizing kiln. Fig. 2 is a partial cross section on the line 2- 2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail view. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of part of the ipe system.

T e rotary nodulizing kiln a is provided at the higher end (not shown) with suitable means for the introduction of the fine ores and at the lower end with a pipe I) for the pulverized fuel and a blast pipe'c for compressed air. Any efi'eotive means for chargmg the ore and supplying heat may be adopted, as my invention is not concerned therewith.

The shell of the kiln is provided with one or more rows of orifices (2 each orifice extendin in a radial direction and each row of ori cesextending longitudinally, or parallel to the axis of the retort.

Outside the shell are one or more longitudinally extending pipes or headers e provided at intervals with branch pipes f carrying Ts or crosses h. A stop cock 9 is applied to each pipe 1. The Ts or crosses 72. have radial openings in line with the respective orifices. Pipes 2' extend from the Ts or crosses h inward to, and preferably through, the orifices d. Thus the piping system may be permanently connected with the kiln and revolve with it during the nodulizing operation. I prefer to insert removable plugs 7' through the Ts or crosses h and the pipes i so as to prevent any material entering the pipes from within the kiln.

11 case several rows of orificesd are provided, there may be a separate header e for each row; or the Ts or crosses may be connected by means of pipes m with other Ts or crosses h which are in turn connected with pipes 71 engaging orifi'ces d of another longitudinal row of orifices.

The plugs j are shown as screw-threaded in the "l s or crosses h, and threaded caps or stoppers k are provided with are applied to the P3 or crosses after the plugs are removed preparatory to the cleaning operation. Any other convenient means of stopping'u the holes in the kiln wall may be adopte and if removable plugs "are ememployed, I may outside openings leftin the pipe system by the removal of the plugs may be adopted; my invention not depending for its successful operation upon specific details of construction.

; After the vring or has developed thickness which necessitates its removal, the rotation of the kiln is stopped, the plugs j are with-' drawn, the caps is are applied andtheopen end of the header 6 is connected with a hose, which is in turn connected with a water supply. I prefer to open only one of the valves 9 at a time; or if'severa-l series of pipes i are 'open all the several valves 9 controlling the flow of water to 'a'ny'given circumferential row of orifices d. The water should be applied under considerable pres-1 sure. I have found that 100 pounds to the square inch is efiicacious, although the effective pressure may vary within considerable limits. The forcible application of water' chanical' force of the water and the explosive effect of the steam, the material forming the ring section is almost instantly. broken up and dislodged from the kiln wall.

lVhile the effect. roduced solely by the mechanical force 0 the water is "of importance, i't' will be noted that the conditions are ideal for the most efi'ectiye utilization of the expansion force 'of the steam. There is no escape for the steam sidewise through any previously dislodged part of the ring, and thus the lines of least resistance are necessarily against. the solid mass of material that adheres to the kiln ,wall'. Again, the intervals of time between the several'applications of water at different distances from the mouth of the kiln nee li be. very short indeed, and all partsof the iln upon-which itmay be desired to act areieached inso short a time after the beginning of the ringdestroying operation that .the drop in the temperature of the interior of the kiln is .very slight, and in all cases the temperature is suflicient to insure the rapid generation of steam which'is desired. Again, allpar ts of. the kiln maybe reached with equal conveniencethat part of the-naked material that may be distant (say) as much as thirty feet from the mouth of the kiln being as readily dislodged and removed asthefportion of the ringnearest the'jmouth, o kiln. The whole'operation,indeed, need require no more'than a few minutes. f After; h inte or; f. he. l W ll-His lean-ea, the hose is disconnected," the' caps k "1 'Having now fully ters'P-atent is: l

the

resumed without the expenditure of fuel that wo'u'ld'be required to heat the interior of the kiln from atmospheric temperature to the necessary temperature for nodulization. I described my invention, what I claim and desireto protect by Let- 1. The process of removing adherent material from the interior wall-of a noduliz ing kiln, which consists in introducing water under pressure against the adherent material through the part of the wall'bovered thereby. 4 2. The process of removing adherent material from the inner wall of a nodulizin'g kiln, which consists in conveying water while the kiln is in a highly heate tion against the adherent material through the part of the 'kiln walY'covered thereby 3; The process of removing adherent material from the interior 'wall of a' nodulizing kiln, which consists in applying water under pressure between the inner face of the kiln wall and the material to be dis lodged within a closed space having no coin be. immediately cOIldl I munication with the opeii interior of the v kiln.

4. The process of removing adherent material from the interior wall of a noduliz ing kiln, which consists in generatingsteam withina space .adj'acent to the inner facepf the kiln wall and wholly closed from conimunication with theopen interior of the kiln by the material to be'dislod ed. v

5. The process I tei'ial from the interior wall of a'nodulip ing kiln, which consists in convfeying water under .pressure,"wliile the kiln isin a highly heated condition, to a space adjacent to the kiln wall and wholly closed'from communication with the open interior of the. kiln by the material to be dislodged, thereby causing the same to' be disintegrated .y the mechanical force of the water and the explosive force of steam generated by the water thus applied.

;6. The process of hei'ent material from the (inner wall of a noduliz'ing kiln,'which consists in introducing water under pre sure at a point adjoining the inner face oi he kiln wall'entrrel surrounded by a mechanically undistnrbe mass of the materialto' be dislodged;

of removingva herent ma;

removing masses" of ad- 7; lhe process of removihg masses of adof the kiln.

between the kiln Wall and the material to be dislodged simultaneously at a plurality of points in the same circumference of the kiln.

9. The process of removlng adherent material from the interior wall of a nodulizing kiln, which consists in introducing water against the adherent material successively at a number-of points in the length of the kiln through parts of the kiln wall covered by such mat rial.

10. A nodulizing kiln having a passage extending through its wall in combination with means to introduce water through said passage against material adhering to the inner surface of the kiln wall.

11. A nodulizing kiln having a passage extending through and opening at the inner face of its wall, in combination with means to introduce water through said passage against material adhering to the inner surface of the kiln Wall, and means to maintain said passage closed during the nodulizing operation.

12. A nodulizing kiln in combination with a water supply pipe affording communication from the exterior of the kiln through the wall thereof to the interior of the kiln adjacent to the inner surface of said wall.

13. A nodulizing kiln in combination with a series of Water supply pipes affording the wall thereof to the interior of the kiln through the wall thereof to the interior of the kiln adjacent to the inner surface of said wall, the discharge ends of said pipes being arranged at different points along the length 14. A nodulizing kiln in combination with plurality of water supply pipes affording communication from the exterior of the kiln through the wall thereof to the interior of the kiln adjacent to the inner surface of said wall, the discharge ends of said pipes being arranged at difierentpoints in the same circumference of the 16111.

15. A nodulizing kiln having orifices ex tending entirely through its wall in combination with water-supply pipes engaging said orifices and extending to theexterior of the kiln.

16. A nodulizing kiln having orifices extending entirelv throu h its wall, in combination with a header a apted for connection with a source of water supply and extending longitudinally of and exterior to the kiln, and pipe connections therefrom to the several orifices.

17. A nodulizing kiln having orifices extending entirely through its wall, in combination witha header adapted for connection with a source of water supply and extending longitudinally of and exteriorly to the kiln, branch pipes extending therefrom, Ts connected to the branch pipes, and discharge pipes extending from said Ts to the orifices in said wall.

18. A nodulizing kiln having orifices extending entirely through its wall in combination with a header adapted for connection with a source of water supply and extending longitudinally of and exteriorly to the kiln, branch pipes extending therefrom, Ts

connected to the branch pipes, discharge pipes extending from said Ts to the orifices in said wall, and removable plugs extendin through said Ts and adapted to close sai discharge=pipes during the nodulizing operation.

19. A nodulizing kiln having orifices extending entirely throu h its wall incombination with a header a apted for connection with a source of water supply and extending longitudinally of and exteriorly to the kiln, branch pipes extending therefrom, Ts connected to the branch pipes, discharge pipes extending from said Ts to the orifices in said wall, removable plugs extendin through said Ts and adapted to close sais discharge pipes during the nodulizing operation, and removable stoppers adapted to engage said Ts upon the removal of said plugs.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Lebanon, on this 18 day of August, 1914.

FRANCIS BIRD DUTTON. Witnesses:

D. W. HAIN, F. J. Bonner.

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