US1215006A - Method of treating zinc-bearing materials. - Google Patents

Description

C. A. H. DE SAULLES.

METHOD OF TREATING ZINC BEARING MATERIALS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 19. I915.

1215,06. Patented Feb.6,1917.

IN VEN TOR.

.dust or blue and, preferably,

run erm ne PATENT WWWEO CHARLES inn.

DE SAUIIILES? OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

METHOD or TREATING ZINC-BEARING MATERIALS.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CHARLES A. H. DE

'SAULLEs, a citizen of the United States, re-

siding. at New York city,

in the borough of Manhattan and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improve terial, such as metallic zinc or spelter, by

which the capacity of production may be largely increased and by which metallic zinc The novel hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawing which illustrates an apparatus adapted to carry my invention intoeifect,

Figure l is a view partly in elevation and partly in vertical section. 1

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1,'thefeeding funnel being removed and a ladle being shown inserted into the expansion chamber.

Similar reference characters designate similar parts inthe diiferent views.

1 designates a furnace of the usual type and'2 a cylindrical retort mounted therein having a downward and rearward inclination,- charge 3 contained therein will have. its greatest depth at the rear end of the retort.

The rear end of the retort is normally closedby a closure 4, comprising fire clay or some other suitable material, at the upper side of which is provided an opening 5 adapted to receive the. small discharge end of a feed funnel 6, Fig. 1, into which molten zinc bearing material is adapted to be Mia, V.

poured. I

The upper end of the retort 2 is provided adjacent to its upper side with a. discharge opening 7 through which zinc vapor passes into a horizontally disposed condenser 8, the discharge end of which extends into one side of a vertical expansion or collecting chamber 9, preferably rectangular in cross section, and provided at its opposite side with anopening 10 adapted to be normally closed by a closure 11;

The lower side of the condenser 8 is preferably provided with a pocket 12, which is powder may be obtained in. large quantities and exceeding fineness.

features of my invention are whereby the molten W Specification of Letters Patent.

adapted to receive and hold molten spelter 13, Fig. 2.

For the cooling of the zinc vapor in passing through the condenser 8, the condenser may be en circled by a tube 14, between which and the condenser 8 may be providedasbestos, in any r Patented Febfi, 19117., i Application filedJune 19,1915. Serial No. 35,150.

purpose of preventing too sudden suitable form, or some other suitable non 1 heat conducting material.

In the carrying of iny improved method into'efi'ect, the zinc bearing material, such as metallic zinc or poured in a molten 2 through the feed funnel 6.

spelter, to be treated is condition into the retort.

After the charge has been inserted, the feed funnel is removed and the opening 5 closed by a suitable plug 16, of fire clay or other suitable material.

The furnace 1 is then firedso as to heat the charge 3 of molten material to a temperature of approximately 1350degrees centigrade.

. The zinc in the charge will be vaporized and driven from the retort 2 through the discharge opening 7. and into the condenser 8. The condenser temperature, if desired, that a portion of the zinc vapor, say from 25 to 50 per cent. will be liquefied and collected in the form of 'spelter 13 in the pocket 12 of the condenser.

The remainder of the zinc vapor will pass from the condenser into the expansion or the collecting chamber 9, in which the vapor will rapidly expand, and by reason of such rapid expansion and the relatively low temperature at which the interior of the chamber 9 is retained, the larger portion of the zinc vapor which enters the chamber 9 will he precipitated therein in the form of very fine zinc dust orblue powder.-

From time to time the closure 11 of the expansion chamber 9 may be opened and a ladle 17 inserted under the discharge end of the condenser 8, after which the molten spelter 13 in the pocket, 12 of the condenser may be scraped into the ladle l7, and in such ladle removed from the apparatus.

By opening the closure 11 at suitable intervals, the temperature in the expansion chamber 9 may be retained at such a point that the zinc vapor therein will be precipitated very fine particles.

For the purpose of removing the molten lead in the charge 3, the rear closure 4 is provided at its lower side with adischarge open- 8 is retained at such a a through the opening 10 and lead represented in Fig. 2 by the solid dotted lines 19 may be withdrawn by grav- 5 ity. As soon as the molten lead has been removed, a plug 18 is reinserted.

An important feature of my invention consists'in-charging the retort 2 with zinc bearing material in a molten state. As ordinarily practised, the zinc bearing material is placed in'the retort in the form of slabs or other solidified condition. In such treatment of the material, a large amount of heat is required to reduce the material to a molten state. With my improved method, the

' capacity ofthe apparatus is very much increased. 3

By driving the zinc vapor through the condenser 8 i to the expansion chamber 9,

and heating the molten charge to a tempera- -ture of apprpxim'ately 1350 degrees centigrade, and then rapidly expanding the zinc vapor in the expansion chamber 9 at a relatively low temperature, much finer blue powder or zinc dust is precipitated in the expansion chamber than is obtained in the ordinary a paratus for producing zinc dust in which t e condenser is eliminated and which the charge is heated to a-temperature of approximately, 1150 to 1200 degrees centigrade.

In the usual treatment of zinc bearing material, the retort is horizontally disposed and the material is inserted, after the removal of therear closure in the form of slabs or solid chunks; When anew charge is to be inserted, the rear closure must be removed at intervals of 18 to 24 hours, thereby consuming time and labor, which consumption 40 in my method is to a great extent eliminated. Furthermore the frequent removal of the rear closure effects a reduction in the temperature vof the retort, thereby increasing the cost of fuel and requiring a certain length oi.- time for the retort to become reheated to the proper vaporizing temperature. With ,my improved method in which the zinc bearing material is poured into the retort in a molten'condition, it is unnecessary to remove '50 the end closure, and the time required to raise the molten charge to the vaporizing temperature is much less than is required with the ordinary processjust referred to.

By employing a rearwardly inclined retort having in its end closure an opening for the withdrawal of lead and other impurities,

it is unnecessary in the practiceof 'my improved-method to remove the end closure, excepting at long intervals for the purpose Copies of this patent may be obtained for of removing accretions which will gradually.

form on the interior periphery of the retort.

I do not limit my invention to the structure herein shown and described, nor to the precise steps herein set forth, as modifications, within the scope of the appended claims, may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention.

What I claim is 1. The method consisting in charging a retort with molten zinc bearing material, vaporizing the zinc in the charge, and then permitting the zinc vapor to rapidly expand at a relatively low temperature to form blue powder.

2. The method consisting in charging a retort with molten zinc bearing material, vaporizing the zinc in the charge, then .passing the zinc vapor through a condenser which is retained at a temperature at which a portion of the Vapor will be condensed into spelter, and then permitting the remainder of the zinc vapor to be rapidly expanded at a relatively low temperature to form blue powder. I

3. The method consisting in charging a re tort with molten zinc bearing material, heating the charge to approximately 1350 degress centigrade, and then permitting the zinc vapor to rapidly expand at a relatively low temperature to form blue powder.

41. The method consisting in successively charging a retort, in a continuous operation, with charges of molten zinc bearing material, vaporizing the charges, and then permitting the zinc vapor to rapidly expand at a relatively low temperature to form blue powder.

5. The method consisting in successively charging a retort, in a continuous 'operation, with charges of molten zinc bearing material, heating the charges to approximately 1350 degrees centigrade,' and then permitting the zinc vapor to rapidly expand at a relatively low temperature toform blue powder. I

6. The method consisting in successively charging a retort, in a continuous operation, with charges of molten zinc bearing material, vaporizing the charges, then passing the vapor through a condenser retained at a temperature which will permit-a portion of the vapor to condenseinto spelter, and then have signed my five cents each, by addressing .the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

permitting the remainder of the vapor to rapidly expand at a relatively low tempera-

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