US1421218A - Melting ferromanganese - Google Patents

Description

JOHN H. HALL AN I) RICHARD D. JORDAN, OF HIGH BRIDGE, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNORS T0 TAYLOR-WHARTON IRON AND STEEL COMPANY, OF HIGH BRIDGE, NEW JER- SEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

MELTING FERROMANGANESE.

No Drawing. Application filed July 15,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, JOHN H. HALL and RICHARD D. JORDAN, citizens of the United States, residing at High Bridge, in the county of Hunterdon and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Melting Ferromanganese, ofwhich the following is a specification.

As indicated, this invention relates to the melting of ferro-manganese.

Generally stated, the objects are to avoid the heretotore usual and undesirable loss of metal, and to simplify and reduce the cost of melting.

According to our invention, the ferromanganese and appropriate fuel, as for example, coke, are charged in successive layers across the entire area of the cupola, provision being made to avoid the destruction of the cupola lining during the melting operation. As is well known, the oxidation of the ferro-manganese, in melting, produces oxide of iron and oxide of manganese, substantially in the proportions of the iron and manganese as they exist in the ferro-manganese. These oxides attack the lining of the cupola vigorously and if not overcome would soon destroy it. Hence, an essential step of the process is to obviate this condition and this we accomplish through the use of a flux capable of neutralizin the oxides mentioned. A cheap and satis actory material for this purpose is old clay brick-bats, which are broken up into small sizes and charged in the cupola in appropriate quantities. The cupola lining is thus protected for a longer life, and the resultant fluid slag is tapped from the cupola at desired intervals.

A second and important step in the process is the character of the blast pressure, which, according to our invention, is maintained much lower than is usual, in order to avoid appreciable loss of metal. The blast pressure is of the order of from two to eight ounces, and we find that best results ensue with an average blast pressure of about four ounces. Experience has demonstrated that if the pressure is substantially increased, as may be exceptionally necessary for faster melting, the loss of ferro-manganese is increased out of all proportion to the increase of blast pressure.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 2 7, 1922.

1920. Serial no. 396,414..

The third important step in the process is the charging of an excess of metal over the daily requirements of melted material. As the charge in the cupola descends through melting, fresh charges of ferro-manganese and coke are added, so that the cupola is kept constantl full until the end of the days run. Under t e old practice the charging is stopped When the material within the cupola is suflicient in quantity to produce the desired weight of metal, and, hence, a considerable loss by weight of ferro-manganese is entailed, owing to the cupola becoming nearly empty before the last metal is tapped. This loss is largely, if not entirely, obviated by the above noted third step in the process, which, as indicated, consists in charging the cupola with a quantity of metal in excess of that required for the days melt, so that the cupola will be substantially half full after the last metal desired has been tapped. The excess metal may of course be dropped from the cupola in an unmelted condition, sepa rated fromthe coke after cooling, and re .used for the next melt.

Vith this process, and with the use of a single cupola it is possible to tap a considerable quantity of ferro-manganese, say about 1100 pounds, from a cupola measuring 30 inches inside diameter, every eighteen or twenty minutes, thereby accomplishing with one cupola what hasheretofore been accomplished with five or six movable cupolas. The process therefore tends to a material saving of metal, and also to a material reduction in cost of operation owing to the saving of time and labor in the use of a single cupola as compared with the five or six movable cupolas heretofore necessary to produce the same quantity of material.

Having described our invention, claim 1. The method of melting ferro-manganese, which consists in charging a cupola with successive layers of ferro-manganese and coke, and with an element capable of neutralizing destructive chemical bases produced by the oxidation of the ferro-manganese tapping at frequent intervals, and replenishing the charge so as to keep the cupola at its capacity at all times.

2. A continuous method of melting ferromanganese, which consists in charging a cupola with ferro-manganese and coke, and

.melting the charge while maintaining low blast pressure,- in the presence of a neutraL izing agent capable of producing a fluid slag, and tapping thecupola at regular'intervals.

3; A continuous method of melting ferromanganese, which consists in charging a cupola with ferro-Inanganese and coke and a flux capable ofneutralizing destructive infiuences upon the lining, meltingwith the aid of a low blast pressure, and tapping at frequent intervals. e 4

4. A continuous method of melting ferromanganese in a ;cupola, which consists in charging; the latter .with term-manganese and-coke in excess of that required for the days run. -i a 5. A continuous method of melting ferromanganese in a cupola, which consists in charging the latter with ferro-manganese tures.

" JOHN HQ HALL:- RICHARD 1). JORDAN.