US1445197A - bolliimg - Google Patents

Description

JM MWTZ.

Feb, 1 1923 B. BOLLING, JR.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SEPARATING GRANULA R MATERIAL.

5 SHEET SHEET l- HLED APR. 22.1921- LM,W7.

B. BOLLING, JR.

Feb. 13, 1923.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SEPARATING GRANULAR MATERiAL.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

FILED APR. 22,192]- agga's Qttozwegs.

B. BOLLING, JR.

Feb, 13, 1923.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SEPABATING GRANULAR MATERIAL.

5 SHEETS-SHEET 3- HLED APR. 22, 1921- Feb. 18, 1923. LMSAIW B.- BOLLING, Jn.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SEPARATING GRANULAR MATERIAL. FILED APR. 22| I921- 5 SHEETS-SHEET 4- Feb. 13, 1923.

B. BOLLING, Jn.

METHOD OF AND MEANS FOR SEPARATING GRANULAR MATERIAL. man APR.22. 1921.

MWW;

'5 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

sectional elevations taken on planes at. r

Patented Feb. 13,

BARTLETT BOlIlLIllilG, Ll Ell? UH METHOD OF .AJETD MEAIMZ Fill Application filed April To aZZ 107mm it may concern Be it lrnown that l, Bairrtnrr lion; no. Illa, a. citizen oi the United States, residii Charlotte. in the county of il /techie ihnrp; and State of North Carolina, ha e invented certain new and useful linprovenients :7,

ods of and lilleans tor lrlcparatinp; Material, oi. which the following; is a s cation.

This invention relates-i to a method ojt and means for separating: g'fanular material containing pieces of different specific gggravi and has special utility vvl on applied to separation ot coke troin clinher, in the recovery oi combustible matter tron coal ashes.

'lho general objects of the intention or to provide an improved method ct and n tor handlin screening and g'ra line; the

terial, and an improved h nlranlic clan.

by means 01'? which the graded material may he clas died O1SEE1')II.2I.ie(l into its eoi'is'titirents of different specific gravity. in the case oi" coal ashes, these sei iiarated constitucn rcpresent the combustible and the incon usrihlc portions.

Other and more specific object-i will ap pear 'troni the following; description, and the novel Features will he pointed out in the appended claims.

In order that the principles underlying; the invention may he clearly understood. reitcrence had to the accompanying; drawings, illustrating one arrangement oi apparatus by means of Which the invention may he carried out, and. forming part oi. this liration. in these drawings 1-- Figure 1 is a sectional elewitiou showing); my improved 21.!1":IHQIQIHGIll) oi? separation tanli: and associated parts;

Figure 2 is a. plan View oi the some; "l igures J and 4t are enlarged rragrine,

spec:-

angles to each other, illustrating the details oil? my improv d hydraulic classifier and the method in which it operates;

Figure 5 is a plan View of a. plant a 'angcd tor reclahnin combustible mat a from coal ashes, according to my improved method, and

Figures 6 and 7 are respectively end and side elevations of such a plant, some uni1nportant elements being omitted for the salre oi clearness.

Reference will first he had particularly to Figs. 1 to 4;, inclusive, and in improved hydraulic classifier itself will he explained.

1 this tank JEETE, ifl'UlEtllH CAROLINA.

in detail. As shown in these figures, I pro vide a ianlr l which. may he of any suitable suce, shape or construction, being illustnted h .e as of rectangular shape, and provided with hopper bottom 2. Although. as will hereinafter appear it. is not ncce ssarv that he closed, it is shown in the draw- :s provided with a tight top or cover 3. ttintl, losely through. this cover, or othersi ihly supported, is a. receptacle l i h constitutes my hydraulic classifier,

proper. 'lhis receptacle is preferably in the term ot a. tapering circular huclret and prov ded in the center of its bottom With a ll'(llllll' opening or orifice 5. it will be noted "hat this bucket. or receptacle is relativclv all, it having een found in practice tlnit results can he obtained from a. rece', t three or tour gallons c: pa city. The ml; 1 on the other hand is preferably 1 1 irel v large, for reasons which will herein utter a p pear.

'lhe receptacle 4: is, as above stated, supported above the tank in such a Way that it; interior coninninicaites with. the interior of the tanlr through the opening); 5. ill the tank 1s entirely closed by means oi? a ti ht fitting; top, the one requirement; is that the receptacle l he supported by such top, so as to make a Water-tight joint. It, as will. hereinafter appear, the tank 1 is not entirely closed, the receptacle t should be immersed in the tanl', as shown in the (lrawingrs to such an extent that its upper edge or rim (3 is below the upper edge oil? the open portion. ot the tank. 7 i

The up ier ell-go or 12in]. oil? the recon tacle l; surrormdcd. by a. wall 7 whit i may be either circular, or rectangular as shown in hi top 3 (it the tacit, an annular basin or launder. 'fllhis is provided at one side with a. discharge trough oi. conduit 8 which, projects beyond the side of the tank and is arranged to deliver into asuitable box or container 5).

'ure 2, such wall co] stitutine; with the ates, for the purpose of continuously removing the solid material which collects in the bottom of the tank; Referring, therefore, particularly to Figures 1 and 3 it will be noted that the wall 13 surrounding the opening 14% extends above the top edge or rim 6 of the receptacle 4. Therefore, when water is poured into the receptacle hereinafter described it will be passed through the opening 5 and fill the tank, the water rising in both the tank and the receptacle until the level reaches the point indicated by the line 16 in Figures 1 and 3, at which point, the water will begin to overflow the top of the receptacle and escape through the trough granular form, is' fed to the classifier at a uniform rate, by means of a screw or other conveyor 17, and is delivered by such con veyor, onto the surface of the water in said receptacle, preferably substantially at the center thereof. The end of the conveyor is disposed at a short distance above the surface of the water as shown in the drawings. In order to effect the separation of the heavy and light particles constituting the material to be treated, I pour or cause to fall upon the surface of the water in the receptacle 4, and preferably substantiall at the center thereof, and at a point co-inciding with the point of delivery of the granular material, a continuous steady stream of water as indicated at 01. While this water may in some cases be delivered from an ordinary pipe, I have foundthat much better results are obtained Where the stream falls, cascade fashion, from the end of a conduit, through which the water flows very slowly and is comparatively quiet. To this end, I provide a relatively large trough 18, which may be either of rectangular or other section, and deliver into the distant end thereof water from a supply pipe 19, controlled by a valve 20'. By means of the valve the rate of flow can be regulated as desired, and, since the trough 18 is larger than the pipe 19 and is substantially horizontal, the water flows quietly and slowly through such trough, as indicated at w, pouring out of the end thereof, in the form of a solid quiescent stream, practically Without air-bubbles. The conduits 17 and 18 for conveying the material and water to the classifier, radiate from a common center, such center being approximately the axis of the receptacle 4, and as shown in the drawings these conduits are preferably disposed at substantially right angles to each other. Owing to the relation of their delivery ends, it will be seen that the material to be treated is discharged onto the surface of the water in the receptacle substantially in the path of the stream of water falling from the trough 18.

In the drawings I have designated the lighter pieces by (a and the heavier pieces by b. As the falling stream of water .r strikes the surface of the water at 1 and encounters the stream of material to be treated, the force of the falling water, acting with gravity, carries the heavier particles 1) straight downward through the receptacle and discharges them throu h the orifice 5 in the bottom thereof, into t e tank 1, while the lighter particles (I tend to become dcflcctod from a vertical path and drift out toward the sides, where they are caught by the upflowing water currents or cddics and carried over the rim of the receptacle with the overflowing water, at 2, as indicated by the arrows. It will be understood that the momentum of the falling stream a" causes dcscending and more or less diverging currents in the central part of the receptacle 1-, and these currents are deflected by the bottom 4* and directed upwardly along the sides of the receptacle. Looking at the action from another view point, the bottom 4'" may be said to constitute an annular flange surrounding the orifice 5 and serving as a bafile to deflect the currents. The lighter material a which passes over the rim of the receptacle with the water, is caught in the surrounding basin or launder and discharged through the trough 8 into the box 9. Here the water is separated and the rum terial carried away by the conveyor 12. The heavier material 12 passing downwardly through the opening 5, settles to the bottom of the tank 1 and is carried away by the conveyor 15.

In order to insure an absolutely uniform flow of water through the trough 18. the pipe 19 through which such water is supplied, leads from an elevated reservoir 21, in which the water is maintained at a cow stant level. 22 designates a pipe through which water under pressure is supplied to such reservoir, and the end of this pipe is provided with a float operated valve 23. In this way the reservoir is kc )t tilled to a dclinite level, and a constant head for forcin water through the pipe 19 thus maintainer The above described method and apparatus is particularly efficient in separating partially cokcd coal from the clinker or incombustible material found in coal ashes. The fine ash having been removed. and the remaining mixture of coke and clinker having been graded, as hereinafter described, into portions of substantially uniform size, such material is fed to the classifier. The coke. which must be in a substantially dry state. is so light that much of it immediately floats off, upon striking the surface of the water. The rest of it, is carried downward into the water to a greater or less depth, indi cated in Figs. 3 and i, and then passes upward and over the edge 01' the receptacle, while the clinker and other more or less silicious material escapes through. the opening 5 into the tank. I have found that with the various parts properly proportioned and adjiiisted, not more than F o oil. the coke will. find its way down through the opening ii, the remaining 95% being carried over the edge, and recovered.

Vl hile the size of the stream of water, and the height of the trough 18 above the reoeptacle, as well as the rate oi delivery oi. the material to be treated, will lorry under dilierent conditions, I have found that a height tl rorn ten to lilteen inches above the receptacle gives good results. By way oil? exan'iple, I may state that I have produced very satisfactory separation by feeding the mixture or coke and clinl or into the separator at about the rate or two tons an hour, while at the same time employing a stream oil water running; approximately twenty nullens a minute. As above stated, these ligures are illustrative only and vary between wide limits in, accordance with the iuture and sine oi the granular material.

While, of course, the above described method and apparatus for separating or claW Fyinp; granular material in no so so limited for use in connection with coal ashes, still l have :lound it especially applicable for such a purpose, and in Figures .3, (3 and 7, I have illustrated more or less conventionally a convenient and novel systern for recovering combustible matter from the coal ashes in accordance with the above (ileziicribed method.

Referring to these figures, it will be seen that I have illustrated a shed under which. the necessary apparatus is housed, such apparatus including the elevated reservoir Q'l. As hereinafter described, a series of washers or hydraulic classifiers is ein iloyed, and the waste pipe 11 from each olf these washers is counectiul with a common pipe which delivers into a settling basin 2ft. The water accumulating in this basin returned by means of a pump and pipe 26 to the elevoted reservoir 21, to he used over again. In this way the water supply is conserved.

An elevated track 30 is provided extend ing; from the ash shed or other dump, and on this track runs a car 31, prelerebly ol" the side-dump variety, which adapted to deliver the ashes, as they come from the ash pit, into a hopper, 32. From the hopper 5:39;, the ashes move by gravity into one end of a long rotary screen As clearly shown in Fig. 5, this screen is made up of a number oil: sections 0, d, e and f of gradually increasing mesh. The first section 0 is very line, preferably approximately and the line ash and dust which passes through this section is collected in a hopper C, from which it may be drav-rn through a suitable chute 38 and disposed of in any desired manner. In many cas it is found that this line dust contains a high percentage oi? conibustible matter and may be advantageously again fed to the stolrers. The sections d, c and f of the screen are pr "erably of {1 and ll mesh, respectively, and the material passing; through these sections is collected, respectively, in hoppers D, E and F. The material con'lprisinp; pieces over 11; in size, which pass out of the rigltit hand end oi? the screen as seen Figure 5, may be delivered upon a traveling belt or apron ill, and the material moves along on this belt it may be llZlllClfplClL-ftll to remove the clinker. The screen may be rotated by means of a belt passing over a pulley 34 on the screen shall, and another pulley 36 on a power shalt running; lens, hwise ol the shed and driven by any suitable means.

The material in each oil the three hoppers l), E and l? is, thereto a, made up Oil pi ea or particles oil" substantially uniform size. This material is carried from the llflppfllfa to corresponding elevated bins I), l and ll", by means of conveyors 31). 'llhese con veyors pass over pulleys mounted on a sha'lt -i-l0 drive 1 by a belt all from the power shaft 36. It will be noted that the bin l i s shown as considerably larger than the other two, and this due to the fact that the material. made up oi. inch and a hall? pieces is considerably more bull zy than. the lii'ier material.

From each bin extends a screw or other conveyor to a hydraulic classifier, such as shown in detail in, ll i i 1 to 4-, and the reclaimed coke or combos ible material collected from the bores may be conveyed to bunkers and led again to the stokers, either alone or mixed with fresh fuel. the incombustible silicious n'iaterial or clinker is practically lirce iron'i combustible matter and may be conveyed from the bottom ol the tanks 1 to suitable depo itories and eurployed advantageously :l'or various purposes, such. as the making, oil concrete.

in addition to operating upon ashes taken directly from the ash pit, ll also contemplate reclaiming combustible material from old ash dumps. In this case. however, it will be necessary to first dry the material.

lvly improved method, therefore, so far as the treatment of ashes is concerned, is to first screen out the line dust and "then grade the remaining material into unii orm pow tions o'l' different sizes, before feeding); it to the classifiers. To get the best i suits, this material must be fed to the classifiers in a substantially dry condition.

It will, therefore, be seen that l have de vised an improwd method and apparatus for separatir ranular material containing pieces of different specific gravity by means of a hydraulic classifier, and it is thought that the many advantages of my invention will be readily appreciated by those familiar with such matters, without further discussion. 7

What I claim is:

1. The hereindescribed method of separating granular material containing pieces of different specific gravity, which comprises feeding such material at a uniform rate into a receptacle having an unobstructed opening in its bottom, and maintained full of Water, and at the same time continuously pouring upon the free surface of the water in such receptacle immediately above the opening a uniform stream of water, in the form of a cataract, whereby the water overflowing the brim of the receptacle is caused to carry with it the lighter pieces, while the heavier pieces pass c0ntinnously downward through the opening in the bottom of the receptacle.

The hereindescribed method of sepaating granular material containing pieces of different specific gravity, which comprises causing a steady stream of water to fall from a predetermined height into a receptacle having an unobstructed opening in its bottom, but maintained full of water, and feeding the material at a uniform rate upon the free surfa e of the water in such receptacle substantially in the path of the falling Water, whereby the lighter material is carried away by the water overflowing the upper edge of the receptacle, and the heavier pieces constantly escape through the opening in the bottom.

3. The hereindescribed method of separating granular material containing pieces of different specific gravity, which comprises providing a receptacle having an unobstructed opening in its bottom but maintained full of water, and continuously causing to fall upon the surface of the water in said receptacle simultaneously and at substantially the same point a steady stream of the material to be treated, and a constant stream of water. whereby the heavier pieces are expelled through the opening in the bottom. and the lighter pieces are carried over the edge of the receptacle by the water.

4. The hereindescribed method of sepa rating granular material containing pieces of different specific gravity, which} comprises providing a circular receptacle having an unobstructed central opening in its bottom, but maintained full of water, and continuously causing to fall upon the surface of the water in such receptacle simultaneously and at substantially the same point a steady stream of the material to be treated, and a constant stream of water, whereby the heavier pieces are expelled through the opening in the bottom, and the lighter pieces are carried over the edge of the receptacle by the water.

5. The hereindescribed method of separating granular material containing pieces of different specific gravity, which comprises providing a circular, downwardly tapering receptacle having at its small end a bottom provided with a central opening, maintaining such receptacle full of water, and continuously causing to fall upon the surface of the water in said receptacle simultaneously and at substantially the same point a steady stream of the material to he treated, and a constant stream of water, whereby the heavier pieces are expelled through the opening in the bottom, and the lighter pieces are carried over the edge of the receptacle by the water.

6. The hereindescribed method ofseparating granular material containing pieces of different specific gravity, which comprises causing a quiescent. solid stream of water to fall from a predetermined height into a receptacle having an unobstructed opening in its bottom, but maintained full of water, and feeding the material at a uniform rate onto the surface of the water in such receptacle substantially in the path of the stream of falling water, whereby the lighter pieces are carried over the edge of the receptacle with the overflowing water, while the heavier pieces escape through the opening in the bottom.

7. The hereindescribed method of separating granular material containing pieces of different specific gravity, which comprises feeding the material at a uniform rate onto the surface of the water in a receptacle maintained full of water but provided with an unobstructed opening in its bottom, and delivering a steady stream of water into the top of said receptacle in such manner as to create currents tending to cause the lighter pieces to be carried out over the brim of the receptacle. while the heavier pieces are constantly discharged through the opening in the bottom.

8. The hcrcindescribed method of separating coke from clinker which comprises causing a steady stream of water to fall from a predetermined height into a receptacle having an unobstructed opening in its bottom, but maintained full of water. and feeding the mixture of coke and clinker in a dry state and at a uniform rate into the to of such receptacle substantially in the patli of the falling water, whereby the coke floats or is carried over the edge of the receptacle by the overflowing water, while the clinker passes downwardly and escapes through the opening in the bottom.

9. The hereindescribed method of recovering combustible matter from coal ashes which consists. first, in removing the fine ash from the mass; second, dividing the re- Ill) ' binaticn with a receptacle l1W11 suiting; granular material comprisin coke and clinker into graded sizes; third, tteeding; each uni'l'orni rade of mixed coke and clinker at a un term rate into the top of a receptacle having an l'lllOllSlIl'llCllBCl. opening; in. its bottom but maintained full of water; tliii'ii'l'h, cam-ling a steady stream of water to tall from. a predetermined height into said receptacle in such manner as to create currents tending to cause the colre to be carried out over the brim oit' the receptacle while the cliinlrer is constantly discharged through the opening; in the bottom.

1.0. A lriulraulic classifier con'iiprising a receptacle having a bottom provided with a central unobstructed opening, a tanlr over which s-iaid. receptacle supported, means forming a conduit extending from the iunner ed rc oi laid eceptacle to a. point beyondthe side walls of said tanl t, means l or feeding into the top oi saidreceptacle at a point inrniediately above the central openinn; in the bottom thereoit water and the i'naterial to be clas. lied, and means for causing" water to continiiously overflow the said. upper ed gc oi said receptacle into rid '-ondiiiit.

11. it hydraulic clas tier comprisinga receptacIe haying," a botcentral opening, a taifi; er which. said. receptacle is supported;,iimns 'lor constantly 'leediinr into the top of said rereptacl i at a point immediately above the centralopening in. the bottom thereof, water and the material to be clasiziiiied, and means tor maintain inn said tank tilled. with water up to a level above the upper edge o'lf' said receptacle,

.wherchy water continuously oyeiritlows 'Sl'lGll edge.

if]. it. hydraulic clussi'lie', comprising a, receptacle hayinn; an uimbstructed opening in its bottom. a tank of water in which the bottom oi" said receptacle is immersed, means tor preventing: the water in the tank from on veloping the upper edge ot sai d recci'itintle, .uicans tor rontinuously tear ur into the top of said receptacle water and the material. to be classified so that a. mixture of water and nmtcrial overlilows said upper edge, and means :lior directing; thi (l'VCITflOW into a suitable coi'itainer.

13. A. hydraulic classifier comprising a i.'e .:eptacle having an unobstructed opening in its bottom, a tank over which said receptacle is mounted. and with which it coin- .municates through the top oil? said opening, an annular basin surrounc. no; the tumor ei'lc e of said receptacle, and se iiaratingr it from. the interior oil't said. tank. means tor continuously feeding: into said receptacle water and. the material to be classified, and means tor causing part of: such material, mixed with water, to overflow said tree upper ochre ot the receptacle into said basin.

14. In a lnrdraulic classifi r the coinn. provided with a,

an. opening in its bottom, of: means for continuously feeding into the top oli said receptacle water and the material to be classified, an open tank in, which said receptacle is immersed, means for maintaining the water level in said tank above the upper edge of said receptacle, whereby water constantly overt-lows such upper edge, carrying; with it part of such material, while another part passes downwardly through said opening into said tank, and means for contiuiunisly reinorii'ig' such material from said tank.

15. In a hydraulic classifier the combina tion with. a receptacle having; an opening in its bottom, of means :li'or continuously teed.- ing into the top of said receptacle water and the n'iatcrial to be class tied, a tank with which said receptacle communicates through said opening, means for causing, the lighter portion oi"? such material, mixed with water, to overflow the upper 0( e oil. said receptacle, while the heavier po1t1on passes downwardly through such opening into said tanlr, and means "For continumisly removing such heavier material from said tanl t.

1.6. A hydraulic classifier coinprisingi; a circular receptacle having: a restricted unobstructed central opening; in its bottoiin, a tank with which said receptacle directly ('OIDHIHHlCltQF-l through said opening, means preventiinr contact oi? the upper edge oi said receptacle with the contents of said tank, and means for leetflinp; water and material into the top of said rece itacle and cansing the mixture to overflow the said. upper edge thereof.

A. hydraulic classifier ron'iprisingr a 18. A. hydraulic classifier comprisuigr a circular receptacle provided with an internal annular flange forming; a restricted passage way, a tank with which said receptacle directly communicates through. said passage way, and means for feeding; water and material. into the top o'l. said receptacle and cans inn' the mixture to overflow the upper ed re thereol".

19. A hydraulic classifier coniprisiiur a receptacle having an. unobstructed. hut res cted opening; in its bottom, an annular luisin. surroundiin; the upper portion of said receptacle, the upper edge of said receptacle projecting above the bottom of said basin, tank over which said receptacle and basin are supported in such position that the upper edge of the receptacle is below the upper edge of the tank, and means for teedii'igr water and material to be separ ted into the top of said receptacle and cans a part of the mixture to overflow the upper edge thereof.

20. A hydraulic classifier comprising a receptacle having a flange projecting inwardly from the side walls thereof, such flange constituting a bottom or closure with an opening therein. a tank with which said receptacle directly communicates through said opening, said receptacle and tank being filled with water, and means for continuously and simultaneously causing to fall upon the surface of the water in said receptacle at a point immediately above said opening, a. stream of water, and a separate stream of material to be classified, whereby the heavier pieces pass downwardly through said opening, while the lighter portions are deflected up- Wardly by said flange and caused to flow, with the water, over the upper edge of the receptacle. 7

21. In a hydraulic classifier, the combination with a receptacle, and means for feedously and simultaneously causing to fall upon the surface of the Water in said receptacle a stream of water and a separate stream of the material to be classified, in such manner that the lighter pieces, mixed with water, overflow the top of the receptacle, while the heavier pieces pass through said opening into the tank.

23. A hydraulic classifier comprising a separating receptacle maintained full of water and having a bottom provided with an opening, means for feeding at a uniform rate on to the surface of the water in said receptacle the material to be separated. and means for constantly pouring a steady stream of water onto the surface of the water in said receptacle at a point immediately above the opening in the bottom thereof.

24. A hydraulic classifier com rising a separating receptacle maintaine full of water and having a bottom provided with an opening, means for pouring u on the surface of the water in said receptac e two constant streams, one of water, and the other of the material to be separated, said two streams co-inciding, where they strike'the surface of the water, at a oint immediately above the opening in the ttom of the receptacle.

25. A hydraulic ,classifier comprising a circular receptacle tained full of water but having a cen opening in its bottom, and two conduits above the top of said receptacle and adapted to pour upon the free surface of the water therein two separate streams, one of water, the other of the material to be. classified. said conduits radiating from the axis of said receptacle.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

BARTLETT BOLLING, J n.

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