US1473723A

US1473723A - Method of producing elemental sulphur

Info

Publication number: US1473723A
Application number: US419021A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carl S Fogh
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1920-10-23
Filing date: 1920-10-23
Publication date: 1923-11-13
Anticipated expiration: 1940-11-13

Description

Nov. 13 1923.

C. s. FOGH METHOD OF PRODUCING 'ELEMENTAL SULPHUR Filed Oct. 23, 1920 N J g i w =0 -J m I w M .lu m u I m M Q F I 1 w L m N N w n m n 14 m m N affozncl rd Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

UNITED. STATES ammo Application filed October 23, 1920. SerialItfo. 419,021.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CARL S. Form, a subect of the King of Denmark residing at hiladel hia, in the county of lhiladelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Producing Elemental Sulphur, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the recovery of elemental sulphur from sulphide ores or other sulphur-bearing material from which the sulphur may be volatilized by heat alone.

It has for its object not only to recover sulphur but to assist in the elimination of the sulfurous fume nuisance by avoiding, to a mate-rial extent, the production of such fumes.

Many sulfide ores have a pyrite (Fes content, from which one atom of sulphur can be volatilized by heat alone. There are also found certain deposits where elemental sulphur is physically combined with a siliceous gangue. My process is applicable to either of such products.

The process comprises continuously feeding the material from which the sulphur 1s to be eliminated into and through a practically gas-tight mechanically rabbled roasting furnace preferably of the mulxl zple hearth type, such as the well-known edge furnace. As the material passes over the hearths of the furnace, it is subjected to hot gases containing practically no free oxygen, and in such volume and at such temperature that the sulphur will be volatilized. The gases evolved from the furnace are passed through a suitable dust-separator and the cleaned gas is then passed through a suitably cooled chamber or condenser in which the sulphur is condensed and vcollected either as brimstone or flowers of sulphur. The residual ases from the condenser are then passed through a heater within which they are heat ed to the requisite temperature and again introduced into the furnace. Suitable flues and fans are provided for maintaining the continuous circulation of the gases through the system.

A diagrammatic representatlon of a plant for carrying out the process is shown in the accompanying-drawing in which 1 is a multiple hearth ,I'oastin furnace provided with a hopper 2 for intro ucmg the ore, a delivery chute 3, and mechanism 4, for operating the stirrer arms. The gases pass from the furnace through flue 5 to a dust arrester, 6, from which the gases pass by flue 7 to the condenser, 8, wherein the sulphur is condensed and removed through discharge chute 9.

From the condenser, the residual gases pass through flue 10, fan 11 and flue 12 to a water or heat interchanger, here shown as a chamber 13 encircling the pipe 14, which may be heated by any suitable means such as an oil, gas, or coal burner. From the chamber 13, the hot gases pass into flue 15 and thence by one or more pipes 16 into one or more of the hear-tbs of the furnace 1.

In starting the operation of such a plant, the furnace is heated and started in the same manner as is now done in smelter practice, and of course S0 and S0 gases will be formed, which are circulated system until the oxygen in the-system has been practically exhausted, when the temperature of the gases is raised by the heater to a point which will volatilize the sulphur from the ore or sulphur-bearing material being fed through the furnace. This sulphur vapor is carried by the circulating gases to the condensing chamber in which it is precipitated, and the non-oxygen-bearing gases are again circulated through the heater and furnace.

The process is therefore continuous. The raw material is continuously fed to the furnace. The residual material is continually discharged therefrom, and the sulphur vapor is produced by the continuous circulation of the heating gases. This method avoids the difliculties incident to operating muflle fired furnaces, and obviates the objections to batch processes or operation of retorts. It has the further advantage that it provides for the treatment of large tonnages of material, an essential requisite in most smelting plants.

What I claim is:

1. The continuous process of volatilizing sulphur from sulphur-containing materials which consists in heating such material, during its passage through a gas-tight mechanically rabbled furnace, by contact with nonoxidizing gases heated to temperature suflicient to volatilize sulphur removing the gases carrying sulphur vapor from the furnace in continuous flow, separating out any dust particles therefrom, condensing the sulphur from said gases, reheating the residual ases to a suflicient temperature to cause volatilize: tion of sulphur from the material passing through the through the furnace, and passing such heated gases into the furnace.

2. The continuous process of volatilizing sulphur from sulphur-containing materials which consists in heating such material, cluring its passage through a gas-tight mechanically rabbled furnace, by contact with nonoxidizing gases heated to temperature sufiicient to volatilize sulphur removing the gases carrying sulphur vapor from the furnace in continuous flow, condensing the sulphur from said gases, reheating the residual gases to a sufficient temperature to cause volatilization of sulphur from the material passing through the furnace, and passing such. heated gases into the furnace.

3. The continuous process of "rolatilizing sulphur from pyrite containing ores which consists in heating such material, during its passage through a gas-tight mechanically rahhled furnace, by contact with non-oxidizing gases heated to temperature sufiicient to volatilize one atom of sulphur, removing the gases carrying sulphur vapor from the furnace in continuous flow, condensing the sulphur from said gases, reheating the residual gases to a sufiicient temperature to" cause volatilization of sulphur from the material passing through the furnace, and passing such heated gases into the furnace.

In testimony whereof, I afiix my si nature;

- CARL S. F GE;