US1229611A - Method of processing aluminum skimmings, screenings, slags, or analogous materials. - Google Patents

Description

EAUL B. FHERSMAN, OF MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, '10 WILL F. JOIBBINS, INCORPORATED, 015 AURORA, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION METHOD OF EROGESSING ALUMINUM SKIMMINGS, SCREENINGS, SLAGS, OR ALOGOUS GB ILLINOIS,

MATERIALS.

1,229 61L Specification of Letters Patent.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, PAUL B. HERSMAN, a subject of the Emperor of Austria, residing at Milwaukee,.in the county of Milwaukee and State of Wisconsin, have invented new and useful Improvements in Methods of Processing Aluminum skimmings, Screenings, Slags, or Analogous Materials, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description.

This invention relates to a method of utilizing aluminum skimmings, screenings, slags or analogous materials-in such a way as to produce certain valuable and useful products. In carrying out my invention I prefer the following procedure:

The skimmings are first separated by suitable means from the large pieces of metal occurring with them. The residual skimmings consist of aluminum, aluminum alloys and carbid, nitrid, oxid, carbonate and other 7 compounds of aluminum, small quantities of iron and copper and their compounds, carbon and other impurities. Since the aluminum and its alloys, left in this residual material, are present in a finely divided condition in which they cannot readily be separated from the non-metallic constituents of the material, the material is best now subjected to the following process which effects a melting together of the fine metal into larger fragments and at the same time not only avoids the decomposition of the nitrid originally present in the material, but usually appreciably increases the nitrid content of the non-metallic portion of the skimmings, etc. The skimmings, etc., from which the larger fragments of metal have been removed, are intimately mixed with'a hydrocarbon such as tar, asphaltum, petroleum oil, resin oil, or like material, the operation preferably being carried out at such temperature that the hydrocarbon used is freely fluid in order that the individual particles of the skimmings may be coated as completely as possible with the hydrocarbon. It will be understood that the hydrocarbons when added to the skimmings may be in any form so long as they are of such nature that they will become fluid and will therefore become thoroughly as a coating mixture attains the temperature at which mixed with, and be able to act for, the skimmings before the Application filed November 14, 1912. 4 Serial No. 731.347.

place. The mass is then heated in a closed retort until the mixture has been brought to approximately 1,200 degrees centigrade;-

it is then quickly exposed to the air, whereupon an automatic heating accompanied by a considerable rise of temperature takes place, during the progress of which the desired reaction is completed. Magnetic iron and whatever aluminum has been fused into large particles during the process may then be separated by suitable means. The residue, now practically free from metallic aluminum or its alloys and containing usually an increased amount of available nitro en, is treated with boiling water, preferably in the presence of lime, or with other alkaline agents to release from the mass its available nitrogen in the form of ammonia, which ammonia may then be collected in water and concentrated in order to become a commercial product, or if preferred, it may be transformed into salts of ammonia by Well known means. The remaining material may be treated for the recovery from it of alumi num sulfate or of other compounds of aluminum and compounds of copper which possess commercial value.

While the procedure described constitutes the preferred process, it is understood that various changes may be made in it without departing from the spirit of the invention.

-Thus skimmings and analogous materials which have been finely ground and then exposed to moisture and air contain very little free metal and therefore it will in some gaining of its aluminous content and the as above described. Other changes, also, such as making the various processes continuous as will readily suggest themselves to those skilled in the art may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention,,what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. A method of utilizing aluminum skimmm sgreenmgs, slags and the like which consists 1n mixing the same with a reducing copper compounds,

pereture without access of sir to agent, heating the mixture in e eioseoi Without of iiitrogeu to W i. eiumiuum with formeii eiloiexposing it to en phere containing nit 'ogeu. v

2. A method of utilizing eiuminu things, screenings, slegs and the like consists in mixing the same with e W e ring agent, heating the mixture in e ciose retort Without success of air to a tempereture at which aluminum niti ioi is foimeti and! then exposing it to the air.

- 3. A method of utilizing aluminum skir mmgs, screenings, siege anti the like which consists in mixing the same wlth e ieuucmg sccess agent, heating the mixture Without of nitrogen to e temperature of matey-1200" grade, euoi then ing it to an atmosphere containing iii methocl of utilizing aluminum shimmings, screenings, siegs and the iike which consists in mixing the some with e iiquici hydrocarbon, heatingthe mixture in e closed retort Without access of nitrogen to e tempemture at which nitrici of aluminum is formed and then exposing it to en etmos phere containing nitrogen.

5. A method of utilizing aluminum skimmiugs, screenings, siege end the iike which consists in mixing the same with at reducing agent, heating the mixture ilk a closed retort a tempereture such action t e usts in mixing the u in iiouici form, heating t Miiimei Jul suhsequentiy exposing e sir, th heating having vemu-M, sues yoiut a considertemperature results when mess is so exposed. to the air.

5 The method of utilizing eiumiuum skimming-gs, screenings, siege or euaiogous uieteeieis, which consists in mixiugthe same 1 e hydrocerboi' quiii form, mixture in e 0% retort, suhsequentiy exposing the mess to the sir, the heet 'ig in the cio'seoi retort having heeu carried such. point automatic heating results who: the mess is exposed to the eii, end. then finally sepereting "from the mess the Yiergei? particles of metai formed dieting the process.

In Witness whereof, i: have hereunto setscriheoi my name in the presence of two Witnesses,

7 mm; it. HER$MAN.'