US1271560A - Apparatus and method for condensing zinc-vapor. - Google Patents

Description

c. H. FULTON. APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONDENSING ZlNC VAPOR APPLICATION FILE-D JAN.Q8. 91.7-

1 ,271,56(). Patented July 9, 1918 3SHEETS-SHEET \A C. H. FULTON. AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA 0R CONDENSING zmc VAP OR.

APPLICATION FILED I .191]. 1,271,560. Patented July 1), ms.

' 3 EEEE TS- EEEEE 2.

C. H. FULTON. APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR CONDENSINQ ZINC VAPOR APPLICAHON FlLED 1ANB.19\7.'

Patent'vd July 9, 12m.

l I range between 870 practical purposes,

CHARLES H. FULTON, OF ST. LOUIS,

MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

METALLURGICAL. LABORATORIES, INCORPORATED, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A COR- PORATION OF ILLINOIS.

APPARATUS AND mnrnon ron connnnsnve To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES H. FULTON, sti

a citizen of the United States, residing at St. Louis, Missouri, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus and Methods for CondensingZinc-Vapor, of which the following is a full, clear, and

exact description, such as Will enable others which it appertams to skilled in the art to make and use the same.

This invention relates to the condensa tion of zinc vapor.

In the condensation liquid. spelter the products of distillation that enter the condenser from the retort or distilling apparatus usually consists of substantially equal volumes of zinc vapor and p O at a-temperature of approximately 1000 to 1300 C.

In a mixture of zinc vapor and C0 of the above composition, no condensation to liquid zinc takes place until the temperature has dropped to approximately 870 C. .It thenbcgins and continues until a temperature of 419 (1, the melting point of zinc, is reached. Theoretically, therefore, the temperature of the condenser should C. and 419 C., but for the temperature at the spelter tap of the condenser should not be less than 500 (1, seats to insure the discharge of liquid spelter. It is also desirable that the coolingofthe temperature at which they enter the condenser down to 500 C. should be gradual, rather than rapid.

The heat liberated by the condensation of the zinc vapor serves to heat the condensing surfaces of the condenser. The condenser loses heat by radiation into the atmosphere,

and unless the condenser construction is such Y that the input of. heat is balanced by the. outgo, it is evident that in order to maintain the proper temperature within the ,condenser, it is necessary to'either. heat or cool the condenser, dependent upon the relation of the amount of heat radiated to that liberated by the condensation'of vapor. Another important consideration in the condensation of zinc vapor to liquid metal is the amount f surface th t is necessa y-for the condensa- Specification of Letters Patent.

. tion of a 'tained at gases from the velocity,

cooling said condensing surfaces,

ZING-VAPOR.

Patented July 9, rats.

Application filed January 8, 1917-. Serial No. 141,177.

given quantity of zinc vapor. And '11 another important consideration is the or rate of flow of the zinc vapor velocity surfaces of the conover the condensing denser.

One object of'my present invention is to provide a practicable zinc condenser that can be built designed that the condensing surfaces can either be heated or cooled, thereby making it possible to keepthe C011de11Ser. Witliin the proper temperature range. of zinc vapor into with liquid zinc materially aiding the condensation.

As previously stated, the temperature of t-hecondenser should range between 870 C. and"500 0., and while it ispossible to maintain this temperature range with a condenser constructed in accordance with my in vention, I have discovered that if zinc vapor is passed through a condenser which is mainsuch a temperature that less than the usual. percentage of zinc willbe' condensed to the liquid form and said vapor thereafter admitted to another condenser "whose condensing surfaces are maintained at a lower temperature and within a difierent temperature range that the condensing operation can be controlled more easily than is possible when the condensing operation is carried on in a single condenser who e temperature rangesb etWQn 870 C. and a 00 C.

Therefore, another object of, my present invention is to provide a method of condensing zinc vapor that can be easily controlled.

Briefly described, my improved condenser consists of a relatively long passageway through which the gas stream from the distilling apparatus travels, condensing sur-- faces in said passageway upon which socalled nuclei of Z1110 gather and over which the gas stream sweeps while traveling' through the passageway at a definite .and meansforeither heating or in large sizes and which isso' Mv improved method, brieily stated, conin causing the gas stream or products uof distillation from a zinc distilling apparatusito pass through a condenser or condensing' chamber that is maintained at a sufliciently high temperature to cause part of temperature,

the zinc in said stream to be condensed to liquid spelter and:thereafter, causing said gas stream to enter a condenser or condens-' that is maintained at a lower ing chamber a so as toconvert some of the zinc vapor into liquid spelter and the remainder into blue powder. It is immamethod which COIlSlStS terial' what particular type of condensers or condensing chambers are-used in practising my method, and while I have herein illustrated an" appara usfor practising my of a plurality of my improved condensers connected up intandem relation, I wish-it to be understood that my improved method is not limited to use vwith an apparatus of the particular construction herein shown.

Figure 1 of the tional view illustrating a condenser con.- structed in accordance with vmy lnventlon A and connected in tandem relation with a condenser of somewhat similar design, so as to produce an apparatus for practising my novel method above described. I

Figs. 2 and 3 are. horizontal sectional views, taken on the lines 2- -2 and of will travel through the Fig 1.

l4= is a vertical sectional :view, taken on the line 4-4 of Fig.. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a development of the tubular membersthat form the outer shells of the condensers shown-"in Fig. 1, illustrating the passageways of the Referring the upper drawmgs 1s a vertical secarrangement of the baffles or vanes in the condenser A thrmgh which the zincvapor travels. 1

to the drawings, which illus-f trate thepreferred form of my invention, A

and B .desl'gnate'two zinc condensers that- .are arranged in tandem relation, or in such- .a manner that-a gas .stream or products of distillation from a zinc distilling'apparatus condenser A, and

; angle of approx1mately'90, said vanes bethereafter, enter the condenser B. v The con-v denser B is similarin general design to'the condenser A, but it is smaller =-and the ann'ular portion of the condensing passageway of same is not'pr'ovided with bafiles. Each condenser compr ses a base 1 that is preferupright position, wall or shell ofthe condenser,

I through which the gas ably built up of refractory material, a tubularshap d: ember 2- of any preferred cross from the upper end ofsame,

follow the path indicated by sectional form arranged on the base 1 in an so as to form the-outer shapedmembe'r 3 arranged inside of the memher 2 and spaced'away from the side walls of same, so .asto jform a passageway Y stream travels, and a tubular-shaped member-e arranged inside a tubular- :which the gas stream flows. ends of the members -2- and 1 upper herein throughout the entire height of the passageof the member3 and spaced a'way therefrom,

so as to form a flue X through which a coolmembiers 2, 3 anda are preferably formed from refractory material 1 and are-of cy ,lindrical, shape in cross section, and the gas stream will circulate upwardly throughthe-imember etc the duct 5 that leads from the'u'pper end of said member, and thence through said duct to the annular passageway Y between'the members 2 and 3. Baffle? 7 that. are arranged in the passageway of the condenser A serve as condensing surfaces over which the gas stream sweeps when the condenser is in operation, and members 8 are arranged inside of the memher 4, so as to retard the passage of the gas stream through said member L and also serve ascondensing surfaces, thebaffle menibers 8 preferab1y consisting of fiat plates of refractory material that are arranged horizontally, one above the other in staggered relation, as shown in Figs.

her t into said 'ing. or heating medium can circulate. The

Y formed 6 inthe 1 and 2, and slip:

ported. by struts .or uprights .9 which may consist of short sections of pipe made of refractory material. The 'bafiies 7 in the 'annular portion Y of the condensing'passageway preferablyconsistof inclined vanes that member 3 at an extend spirally around the ing so arranged that the gas stream will follow a tortuous path after entering the pas- Y. Asshown-in Fig. 5, two of the sageway that extend downwardly from the vanes 7 a. short sageway, .and thetwo intermediate vanes 7 extend upwardly from the bottom of said passageway and terminate a short distance thus causing the gas stream to the arrows Fig. 5. In the condenser A shown a end of the passageway Y terminate distance from the bottom of 'saidpasway .Y from the lower to the. upper end of same, so as the inlet port, where the gas stream enters the assageway X, and the outlet port, where sai gasstream leaves said passageway At the lower end/ of the passageway Y are one to form a dividing wall between ent invention, a gas outlet duct 11 is prosaid condenser B, as indicated vided for conducting the gas stream from the lower end of the assageway Y of the condenser A into the net 6' in the base of the condenser B, the gas stream pass' from said duct 6 upwardly through the member 4 ofthe condenser B, and thence through the duct 5 to the upper end of the passageway Y of the condenser B, as shown diagrammatically in Fig. 5. If the condenser A is used alone, or not in combination with another condenser, as shown in Fig. 1, ports (not shown) will be provided at the upper end of the passageway Y of the condenser A through which the carbon monom'd gas can escape, but when said condenser A is arranged in tandem relation withv another condenser B, as herein shown, way Y of the condenser A will not be provided with discharge ports for the carbon monoxid gas, but, on the contrary, carbon monoxid gas discharge ports will be provided only in the condenser B, preferably at the upper end of the passageway Y of by the refer ence character 12 in Fig.5.

The condensing surfaces of the condenser A can be maintained at the propertemperature, by supplying either a heating medium .or a cooling medium to the annular flue X between the two tubular-shaped members 3 and 4, the upper end of said flue communi- 1 eating with the atmosphere through an 40 opening 13 formed in a removable cover 14 at the upper end of said flue, as shown in Fig. 1. The lower end of the flue X communicates with a chamberZ formed in the base of the condenser, and a duct 15 leads from said chamber Z, as shown in Fig. 3, to a chamber W formed in the base of thecondenser that serves either as a combustion chamber or as an air chamber, dependent upon whether the condenser is being heated or cooled. If desired, a checkerwork of brick 16 can'be arranged in the annular flue X, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, so as to absorb heat from the products of combustion, or the heated air that is supplied to said flue under certain conditions, and thus assist in maintaining the condensing surfaces in the mem her 4 and inthe passageway Y at the proper temperature. The chamber W in the base of the condenser is preferably arranged below a passageway '17 in said base through which the gas stream travels in passing to the duct 6, and said passagewayl? is connected by meansof a port 18 with a supply duct 19 that leads from a retort or distilling appathe' passage ratus (not shown). If desired, a valve 20 can be provided for controlling the port 19. The duct 6 that leads from the passageway 17 to the lower end of the tubular-shaped member 4 slopes downwardly toward the passageway 17, as shown in Fig. 1, so as to conduct spelter from the member 4 to said passageway, and a spelter tap 17 is formed in one end of the passageway 17 as shown in Fig. 4, so as to permit the liquid metal to be drawn from same.

The chamber W is provided in its end walls with openings 21 that are adapted to serve either as burner ports or air supply holes, and baflies 22 are arranged in said chamber W in z ig-zag relation or in any other preferred manner, so as to direct the Assuming that the gas stream or the pro- I ducts of the distillation of the ore-charge,-

consisting of approximately equal volumes of zinc vapor and carbon monoxid gas, enter the condenser A at a temperature of ap proximately 1050 (L, and that the carbon 'monoxid gas leaves the condenser at a temperature of approximately 600 (1, there is liberated, by each pound of zinc conculation assuming an ore charge that con tains 7 74 lbs. of zinc, this amounts to 813,474-

I densed, 1051 B. T. U. For purposes of cal Assuming that the interior condensing sur 1 faces are at the proper temperature, there must therefore be dissipated every hour this quantity of heat. The dissipation of this heat will take place by radiation from the exterior surface of the condenser and the interior flue surface of the condenser. Whether the condenser must be heated or cooled will depend upon the amount of heat which is radiated from it.- If the amount of heat radiated'from the condenser is greater than 34,000,000 calories per hour, the condenser will have to be heated, if not, it will have to be cooled. Assuming an interior temperature in the center member 4 of850" (3., an exterior temperature in the central annular flue X of 200 C., an interior temperature in the annular passageway Y of 600 C. and an exterior temperature of the outerwall 2 of the condenser of 200 0.,

the total amount of heat radiated per hour from the condens r, as c nstructed in er- I the condenser.

60 v liquid, thesesmallparticlesof liquid already facilitate the further condensation or the vapor. -Some surface must bep'ro- .v1de 1 'for these so-called nuclei to gather fed -theother side and ".tain size and of, certain insulating fractory material, be 10,110,000 calories -per .hour; 'It is, therefore, apparent thatp there is 5 1- 7 must be disipated-by increased I thecondnser, herein shown the'coohng-is: f p 1 efiected by 1 sprayingiwater' on the. exterior wall of the condenser and by passing .air'through the central an excess of heat ainoun' to 23,784,000 calories per hour, w ch cool This amount-of delivered to. the =condenser.. When and a point may be. reached,

"garatus is started fromthe. cold, in or er to a-heating tothe condenser, so as to the condensing surface at -the. p per temperature. 'Aspreviously stated, 1 the .walls of the-condenser'are built of rela tively p991 for; example, .as' "fire brick, and if desired, some portionsof the condenser fromwhich. frheat radiatesmaybe covered with heat-in- 'material,' such, for example, as silo-cel, so thatit will'be possible to-maintain 1 "ahightemperature on one side oisaid 'portion's-t and "a relatively low temperature on ep p v amountof heat transfen, In

heat-conducting material, such,

T-theouter wall or shell of the con enser' preferably so proporfibned and tflhiat the radiation loss will be balancedhy. i: e

, heat input, the outer wall or shell-of thez'condenser A-herein one important confor the condensation of a given zinc vapor. the condensation ofzinc vapor-to hf (1 metal, as-well a .s in

the condensation o water-so .called nuclei of condensation,- are' necessary'; that is if there be provided in a space "a large n 4 ref points.ornuc1ei upon which the vapor, has been-condensed into iacilited.,Inmy

annular flue of 1 up y v V cooling is'necessary'when the niaximumsupplyofainc vapor is amountdecreases, the amount of cooling instead of coolingthe condenser it of fire f protected-011116 "outersideby acov 'of As previously sta .siderationintheicondensation of zinc vatgcr toliquid metal isthe amount of surface at 'fation in a second on, and if la'cohstruction is obtained eons sk cs ofsurfaces against Y is constantly. swept, condensation is greatly plished. by provi areso I 4 a-tortuous pa in trav through'said is constan y swept iover said surfaces, and furthermore, by providwhich the zinc vapor improved condenser the desirable results just reierredto are Iaecomthe condenser with a 'relativdy l con enser p 'waythat isequipped gthconden smg aces which.

dwigned'that the zinc. vapor follows f .the condenscr with a'flue through which a a eating medium or medium can bepassed,.so as'to maintain said condensing 7 surfaces at the proper temperature .necessary tocondense zinc vapor to liquid metal;

temperature conditions under which zinc vapor will condense tojliquid s'pelter a ,'reas follows: I a

' Partial res- Pereent.oi gg .sumot izhe Temperature. total zinc zinc. I x condensed.-

1 Jlfllimeten. -1mna'. e aao s02 None. 25 15 -v no .800 2o. so @152 m. .10 16 5 95 r as x Y 0'10 a.

his means essentially, air sample, the

provided sufficient time is given, and surface is offered, when the temperature is 800 0.,

72%of thefzinc will be condensed to-the liquid form; or,'when the-temperature is about'725 C.',"90%jof the zinc be condensed to liquidiorm; Now, the dro from .870" G. to 725 C. is-on1y.1'45fC., an there-. iore, it is obvious'thatit is-much easier to;

maintain 'a' condenser within this range 1 than tolattempt to maintain it withinthe eater rangemeoessary for complete con- .1 ensafion; Accordingly,-I have devised a method vion condensing zinc [vapor which is tofore used, in that the'condensation' is efiected {.b or in other words, in aplurality ogconidedsers having difierea me e e i nse ring p rangeirom 870 (lite 500 C. -In carry-- ingfout method I preferto con-- insteadpf'm a: ture dense part 'of the-zinc vapor 'in-,a conthe methods here denserthat at another hi h temperature, the r being 'ofthe metal be condensed as liquidfpreferaby; Y from 870 C. 130700 13,80 thatabout 90% spelter and completifi the condensing operco relatively cool and which will 1i but mostly 9 e second condenser ispreferably-smaller than the first condenser and isarra tandem relation .with same,: and w e any suitable type of condensersmay used in enser that isoperatcd produce some ue powder.

practising my method, I prefer to use an apparatus ofv the kind herein illustrated, which is composed of two condensers A and B whose condensing chambers are connectedtogether in sucha manner that the gas stream, after traveling through the condenser A, will enter 'thecondenser As shown in Fig. 1 of the drawings, the

condenser A is provided with a gas stream discharge passageway 11 that leads from the annular passageway Y of the condenser A into the heated passageway 17 in the base of the condenser B. The condenser B-is of of said vapor will be converted into blue powder in the annular passageway Y, said annular passageway being provided at its lower end with one or more clean-out openings that are normally closed by removable covers 24.

Having thus described my invention,

what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is: 1.' A zinc condenser provided-with tubular-shaped members arranged one within the other and spaced apart soas to form a passageway through which a gas stream fromazinc distilling apparatus travels.

2. A zinc condenser provided with a passageway through which a gas stream from a zinc distilling apparatus travels,

condensing surfaces in said passageway of such form and arrangement that the gas stream will travel through said passageway at a definite velocity and impinge upon or sweep over said condensing surfaces, and means whereby said'pas'sageway may be either heated or cooled so as to control the temperature of said condensing surfaces;

3. A zinc condenser, comprising a flue through which a medium canbe passed to control the temperature of the condenser, a passageway surrounding said flue through which a gas stream from a zinc distilling apparatus travels, and condensing surfaces in said passageway that cause said stream of gas to follow a tortuous path in traveling through said passageway.

4. A zinc condenser, comprising a vertically-disposed' structure provided with a condensing passageway of substantially tubular form that extends longitudinally of same between the center and the periphery of said structure, and condensing surfaces in said passageway arranged in such a manner that products of distillation thatenter said passageway will flow in a zig-zag path traveling through said passageway.

5. A zinc condenser provided I with a substantially annular-shaped passageway through which a stream of gas supplied to B." the condenser flows, and baflies in said passageway that constitute condensing surfaces and which are so arranged that the gas will flowlongitudinally of. said passageway in opposite directions while traveling circumferentially through' same.

6. A zinc condenser provided with a substantially tubular-shaped passageway through which a gas stream from a zinc distilling apparatus flows, and means in said passageway for causing'the gas to flow longitudinally of said passageway in o posite directions and also follow a substantially spiral course in traveling through said passageway.

7. A "zinc condenser provided with a substantially annular-shaped passageway I that is adapted to receive a stream of gas from a zinc distilling apparatus, and substantially spirally-disposed vanes or bafiies in said passageway arranged in such a manner that the gas will follow a zig-zagcourse in traveling circumferentially through said passageway.

8. zinc condenser provided with a passageway through which a stream of gas from a zinc distilling apparatus flows, said passageway comprising one portion that is provided with baflies which tend to impede the flow of gas through same, and a different portion provided with' substantially spirally-disposed baflies which cause the gas to 'be projected with considerable force against condensingsurfaces.

9. A zinc condenser provided with a passageway through which a stream of gas containing zinc vapor fio-ws, said passageway comprising communicating, centrallyarranged portions that are provided with members that serve as condensing surfaces and also as baffles which cause the gas to sweep over said condensing surfaces.

10. A zinc condenser, comprising a verti- 'cally-disposed. structure provided with an annular passageway that extends longitudinally of same, condensing surfaces in said passageway on which zinc Fnuclei form,.

and means for enabling heat to be absorbed .from said condensing surfaces or-"additional densing passageway that comprises a tubular of. said passagewaythrough which a. hentm tm mo w ms m 13. Av zinc condenser provided. 'withj-an flue to which sheeting medium or a can be supplied,and conv -.--.f rom azlnc apparatus flows, a; flue'eombinedwithsaidpassegewaymchem J "ber insaid base can be either heated said Y 19. A"zinc'qzxnide'nse'arpro 'ded with-abase f that is equipped a passagewaythrough "of gas su .pliedto the" densing surfaces on the interior and eX-te rio'r 0f the flue which the'heat pro; duced by the conde sation of the zinc vapon; '14:". Aszincflcondenser formed-byapluralityoftubular-shaped members arranged one -w ithi n the other and spaced spent so as to forma flue that is interposed between 0011):

pmgeways-through-which a. gas fr m azinc distilling apparatus ows,- said flue adapted to be supplied; witha or. a for the ,5 15; Ai'j'zinc condenser composed of a subv ;t.ubu1ar-shaped member-closed at 2 its ends; an' annular'flue arrangedinside of nemberand spaced away from the. sidewalls thereof so as to form, ani 311-- 1'1u1a.1" passageway, a. connection j- -.betwee nlsaid passageway and-1 the 1 {space ,by said flue; meansfor,

. 16'. =A-z'incoonamiprcviaswi i; a ver;

which a stream of froma. zinc distilling apparatus is supplied, an annular flue that plyingastream of gas" from a. zincdisso 1 .--'hy1said us, and means for-supplying either. 9; heating or. to:

t 3' l 'pa ratus to the space surrounded ticallysdisposedftubular-shaped' member to g fsurrounds said.member;a.- shell that sur-' r 1 rounds said flue, :bafii'esarranged, 011'- the, interior of said shell on the: interior- .j of. said 'tubular shapedfmember; and means fwhereby eithera heating or a; cool-.

" ing medium canbesupplied osaidflu 17 A zinccondenser provided: with o. .ver-

member, shell that s rmed um can'bs supplied-to Sea flne,--the msge h 'i er r o id $1 911 -'in'gof substantially irall -disposed vanes, {a'ndthe baflles on'th interior of said tubu- 4 formed by be tially horizontally-disposed, plates-ab one above the other and spaoed apart,-

1 8. jA-zinc mndenser, comprising abase,

ai; structure on' said base providedwith passageway which. aj stream of gasand. a 'QOI'meCti n b r andsaid'flue.

which a stream condensertravelgand means or ena.bl,ing

cooled said pas'mgeway'to-beeither heated; or Y 20. A; zinc nest, spr'issg s y Gibb? cally-disposed structure provided with "-s 1.

passageway which so formed that the Pr u on supplied w the denser can flow longitudinally of'said sftr ifejp w t o and also circum turein op ferentially throng "the' structure, and peratureof' said strnc-r I .ture' controlled; 1 w.

. 1 provided means-for enablingittobe either heatedflor'. cooled; s tubular shaped. member arranged on said an, upright I position and closedat itsfupper end so toform the outer wall of the-condenser; an I .--annu1ar'flue inside of said member :tizir enabling 'th e 2L "A zinc mndenser,

"and provided at jts'lower "end with an inlet' opening up through -which, a. heating :me-

i .3 -;.dium'-or a, medium irom the base l d can circulate, andeondensing 'ar-f.

on opposite. sides ofsaidflue.- 2 f A zincreondensen -comprising a. base,

prises a central tubular shaped portion thet miss-n;

a chamber that' is adapted to A serve as'a combustion-chamberor as fa, cool sir'supplyfchamber, a. structure on said-base i f provided a." gas passageway that com-'- 1 communicates fwith a .n annular. portion which surrounds ssime,"ba.ffles. in. sa d pas-- -ssgm owny that s'erve'as condensing surfaces, annular flue arranged between the two portions oisaid passageway, and a connection between said flue-and theichamber in

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