US1602128A - Apparatus for the destructive distillation oe solid bituminous - Google Patents

Description

A, MfSMlTH APPARATUS FOR THE DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF SOLID BITUMINOUS MATERIALS Filed Dec. 21. 1921 @lef Patented Get. 5, 1926.

.ARTHUR M. SMITH, OE CLEVELANlJ HEIGHTS, OHIO.

A-PYIPARATUS 4FOR THE DESTBUCTIVE DISTILLATIO'N OF SOLID ITUMIN'OUS MATERIALS.

Application ledvIDecember 21, v1922'. Serial No. 608,168.

' This invention relates to 'improvements in apparatus forthe destructive distillation of solid., bituminous materials fsuch, Ifor instance 'as ,bituminous and zlignite coals, peat and Ishales, te produce illuminante, watergas, coke, `tar-s, etc. One obj ect -of this invention is to lproduce apparatus offthe :character indicated wherebythe destructive.,distillation of solid bituminous materials may be effected more e-f'- iciently and more economically and with greater facility than heretofore.

f Another object yistoproduce apparatusof the -character ,indi cated whereby the ydestructive distillation of solid bituminous material may be attained inisuchamanner as to effect the product-ion, -froni-said material, of watergas or illuminating gas, as the case may be, in greater quantity per measure of a given material belnfg treated, and-of higher quality, than' heretoforaandto produce coke of a high B. it. au. value and of a quality suitable for the `finest metallurgical processes.

dlVith -these objects in view, and to attain other objects hereinafter appearing, this invention consists in certainineritorious features of construction, and combinations and relative larran'gemen'ts of vpart-s, hereinafter described in this specification, pointed Aout inthe claims, and `illust-rated in the accompanying drawings.

In said drawings, Figure :liis anele-vation, largely .in lsection and ,partly diagrammatic, of said apparatus. Fig. 2 i-s a vertical section taken along the line 2-2 in Fig. 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrow. Fig. 3 isa horizontal section taken alongfthe line 3 3 in Fig. 1, looking'downwardly.

To most successfully attain the hereinbe-l fore mentioned objects ,of lmy invention my improved apparatusfor-the destructive distillation of solid vbituminous materi al vpreferably comprises a Vretort having a treating chamber in which a body of said material is to be confined, a condenser, a Ypipe discharging at one end portion thereof into'the condenser'andcommunicating at its other-end portion with the aforesaid chamber and are ranged to conduct vapors and gases to the condenser from one-end portion of said chamber and also arranged Aexternally of said chamber and condenser Vbetween said end portions of the pipe, a' condensate-re`A eeivingfchainberarranged toi-@crews seitdem sate and accompanying 'uncondensed gases from the condenser, a passageway commu nicating with and at the upper portion of said condensate-receiving chamber and eX- tending Ato and around and endwise of the aforesaid pipe, means whereby gasesmay ybe washed in said passageway between said pipe and the Icondensate-receiving chamber, a passageway discharging at the opposite .end portion of and into the aforesaid treating chamber, means whereby gases conducted by the last-mentioned passageway maybe heated to vproduce a gaseous heating agent, and means whereby gases may be forced into said last-mentioned passageway from the passageway first mentioned in this paragraph. i

ln the hereinbefore mentioned drawings, 6 indicates a closed treating chamber formed interiorly of a substantially vertical retort which is preferably annular in cross-section, and A7 lindicates the surrounding wall of said chamber, and said wall is composed of a highly refractory material such, yfor instance, as-carl'iorundum and 4surrounded by a steel shell 8. The topwall and bottoni of said chamber are respectively formed yby ydoors 9 and 10 constructed and 4applied in any -ap proved manner. Said doors are shown in` their closed position, and eye-bolts 12 and thumb-nuts 13 are employed for securing said doors in said position. `Each bolt `12 has its-eye pivotally connected, as at 15, to the shellS, and ihas its shank extending, in the operative position of the bolt, throne/'h al slot 16 in the'adjacent door and beyond vvthe outer side of sait door, and the Inut llassociated with said bolt is threaded onto -said shank and adapted to Acooperate with said bolt in locking said door in its closed posi.- tion, and obviously loosening of said nut in relation -to said door renders said bolt free to `be swung voutwardly from the door to permit openingfof thedoor. The top door 9 yis vertically pivoted, as at 17, te the surrounding wall ofthe chamber 6. and thebottom door v10 is pivotedhorizontally, as at 18, to the shell 8. The bottom door '10 is closed, if -net already closed, and secured in its closed position, preparatory to charging the chamber 6 with rmaterial to be treated in said chamber, and the top door 9 is opened, if not already open, preparatory to and to permit th-e feeding of said material into said chamber at the upper `end of the chamber, and closed and seesrsd ii'its closed position upon supplying said material to said chamber, and when said material has been supplied to said chamber the doors 9 and 1() are sealed in any approved manner' to render the joints lbetween the surrounding wall of said chamber and said doors fluid-tight.

By the construction hereinbeiore described it will be observed that the treating chamber 6 measures considerably more in dimensions vertically than horizontally, and said treating chamber preferably lflares somewhat toward its lower extremity and has a height of about eighteen feet and a mean diameter of about three tert.

indicates a body ot coal supplied to the treating chamber 6 and consisting of e lumps or pieces and as ltlling said chamber Vso about three quarters full. The treating chamber 6 is therefore shown as containing a substantially vertical column of vhydrocarbon-containing solid or non-liquidV carhonaceous material convertible by lsuitable caloric treatment into gases, coke and byproducts.

A pipe 21, yemployed in conducting vapors and gases from the treatingl chamber 6, communicates with said chamber at one side of' the upper end portion of the chamber and at a point spaced upwardly from the body of coal 26 and 'forms the 'fluid-outlet of said chamber. The pipe 21 is arranged, in the main, externally of the retort and discharges into the Huid-receiving upper end oit the upright worm 22 of a condenser shown arranged at one side of and spaced from the retort. Said condenser comprises a tank 23 containing said worm and kept supplied with cold water 25 in any approved manner, and the lower end of'said worm forms the outlet of the condenser tor the liquid or condensate resulting from condensation of vapors in said worm and discharges into the upper portion of a receiver or condensate-collecting chamber 26 which Vis therefore arranged to receive the condensate and accompanying` uncondensed gases Yfrom the condenser. A drain-pipe 27 is arranged to drain condensate from the condensate-collecting chamber 26 and has a4 normally closed valve 23.

The condensate-collecting chamber 26 communicates, at its top or upper portion, with a short pipe 30 extending upwardly from said chamber and connected, at its upper end, with the lower end of and communicating with a substantially vertical tubular metal shell 31i'orming a support for a water-conducting pipe 32 which extends into the chamber formed internally of said shell and is provided, internally of said shell, with a sprayer 33. The water-conducting pipe has a normally closed valve 35 externally of the shell 31, and said shell is provided internally, between the sprayer 33 and the pipe 30, with a plurality of vertically spaced substantially horizontal baillemembers 36 relatively arranged as required to retard the movement of tluid internally and endwise of lsaid shell. The shell 31 is connected, at its upper end, to and communicates with a short pipe 37 communieating with a T 33 formed on one end of a sectional pipe 39 arranged above the condenser and aboveV andV externally of the treating chamber 6, and said sectional pipe has a considerable portionv thereof surrounding and extending longitudinally of and' considerably larger transversely than the pipe 21.` The joints between the pipes 21 and 39, where the pipe 21 extends through portions of the pipe 39, arerendered iiuidtight in any approved manner. The-sectional pipe 39 discharges into theiiuid-inlet 40 of a gas-pump 41 operated in any approved manner. s

The fluid-outlet 42 of the pump 41 discharges into an upright sinuous pipe 43 4at the upper end of the pipe, and said'pipe is arranged internally or' the combustionchamber 45 of a heating furnace 46 arrange-d at one side of and near the retort. T he sinuous pipe 43 discharges, at its lower end, into a pipe 47 extending from within the combustion-chamber 45 to the lower `end portion of `the retort and forming the fluidinlet lof the treating` chamber 6. The Walls ot the combustion-chamber 45 are composed of highly refractory material, such, for instance,-as carborundum, and said chamber ias an outlet 48 at its upper end for products ot' combustion.V Within the lower portion ot the Vcombustion-chamber 45 is a heating burner 50 supplied with an inflamllt)- plates 53 extending toward and spaced from the other of said walls, and the pairs of baille-plates of each ott saidwalls arestaggered in relation to and spaced from the pairs of baille-plates of the other of said walls. the combustion-chamber 45 in such a manner, in relation to the baille-plates 53, as to extend between adjacent pairs of battleplates 53 of each of opposite battle-platesupporting walls of said chamber.

The pump 41 is employed in forcing gases or fluid into the sinuous pipe'43 'from the sectional "pipe 39, and the last-mentioned pipe is provided, between said pump and the pipe 21, with a valve 56 indicates a pipe for supplying steam, and said pipe has two branches 57 and 58 having normally closed valves 59 and 60 re- The .sinuous pipe 43 winds withinL spectiV-ely and communicating ther one with the fluid-outlet i2 ofthe pump il and the other with the pipe i7 at a point between the heatingl furnace and the retort, and said pipe 47 is provided, between the branchpipe 56 and the retort, with a pyrometer 61.

rlhe T 38 is in communication with a pipe 62 adapted'to be employed in conducting gas rto a gas-holder not shown. The gasconducting pipe 62 has a valve 63 for interrupting connnunieation, when desired, through said pipe, and said pipe is provided, between said valve and the T 38, with a diagrammatically illustrated checkvalve for preventing reflux of gas from said pipe into said 'l'.

Joints between component parts of the hereinbefore described apparatus are not only rendered Huid-tight wherever required but formed in such a manner as to withstand heat and .strains to which said parts may be subjected. Means for forming and sealing such joints are too well known to require description and illustra-tion in this .s aeci'cation. Also, in making said component parts rsuch vmetal or material, as will withstand the heat and wear and tear to which said parts may be subjected, is employed.

For treating coal by my improved process the operation of the hereinbefore described apparatus is as follows The bottom door lO of the retort is closed, if not already closed, and the top door 9 is opened, if not already open, to permit the feeding of coal at the last-mentioned door into the treating chamber 6, and enough coal is supplied to said chamber to vfill said chain- A ber about three-quarters full `or to within such a distance of the upper extremity of said chamber as to leave space enough, over the body of coal supplied to said chamber, for upward expansion of said body of coal during caloric treating ofthe coal. The valves 55 and 63 are opened, if not already open, and the furnace 46 is operated in such a manner .that the sinuous pipe d3, and gases or fluid passing internally of and endwise through said pipe, are heated to and kept heated, as long as desired, at an adequately high temperature such, for instance, as a temperature of from one thousand to three thousand degrees Fahrenheit. It will be observed, therefore, that the sinuous pipe 4:3 forms an externally heated hollow .heating coil for heating gases or fluid passing internally and endwise lof and through said coil. The pipe 21 and the condenser-worm 22 form a passageway leading from the space nest above the column or body of coal 2O in the treating chamber 6 to the upper portion of the condensate-collecting ychamber 26. rlhe pipe 30, the sprayer-containing tubular member Si, the pipe and the sectional pipe forma passageway leading 4fromsaid portion of said condensate-collecting chamber to the -inlet l() of the pump Ll1, and the pipe 62 forms a gas-outlet for said passageway and is employed in conducting illuminating gas or water-gas, as the case may be, toa gasholder not shown. The outlet i2 of the pump Lil, the heating coil .t3 and the pipe l? form a passageway leading to the lower portion of the treating chamber 6 and discharging directly into the lower end portion of the column or body of coal 2O` Qbviously air and gaseous fluid are contained in said passageways and in the treating chamber 6 and in the interstices of the body of coal 20, and the pump il is operated not only as required to create the desired suction in the pipe or fluid-outlet 2l of said chamber and so as to cause gases and vapors to pass at said fluid-outlet from said chamberto the condenser-worin 22 and thence through the upper portion of the condensatecollecting chamber 26 into and through the passageway comprising the pipe 30, tubular member 3l and sectional pipe 39 into the inlet l0 of the pump, but to force the desired volume of gases or -fluid from the pipe 39 into and through the passageway comprising the heating coil i3 and the pipe d? and into the lower portion of the treating chamber 6 and consequently into the lower end portion of and upwardly through the column or body of coal 20.

It will b-e observed, therefore, that the `ases or fluid heated by and internally of the heating coil i3 form a gaseous heating agent having an adequately high temperature such, for instance, as a temperature of from one thousand to three thousand degrees Fahrenheit, that the column or body of coal or material in the treating chamber 6 is calorically treated by the penetration thereof and the passage therethrough of said gaseous heating agent, that vapors and gases are evolved from said body of material during the caloric treatment of said material by said heating agent, that during the required operation of the pump il gases and vapors are drawn from the treating chamberl at the fluid-outlet of said chamber into the condenser-worm 22 and therein subjected to a condensing` temperature, that Lthe condensate formed in said condenser-worn'i is passed into the condensate-collecting chamber 26 that also gases received by said condenser-worm from the aforesaid treating` chamber and remaining uncondensed upon their subjection to the aforesaid condensing temperature pass into the condensate-collectingl chamber, that during the operation of the pump 4l uncondensed gases are drawn from the condensatecollecting chamber 26 through the gas-outlet 3() of said chamber into the sprayer-containing,` tubular shell 8l and are washed `by the operation of the sprayer 33 in any approved manner, 'that the washed gases aredrargin first-mentioned passageway,

retort through the pipe 21 to the condenser 23, is the passing, externally of and next along said pipe, of a port-ion of the gases which have remained uncondensed during the subjection, to a. condensing temperature in said condenser, of hot gases and vapors which have passed from the retort through said pipe. Also, during the operation of my improved apparatus occurs the passage of some gases which have remained uncon densed during their subjection to said conA densing temperature to a point adjacent the upper end portion of the retort and thence to the lower end portion of the retort, and it will be observed that said gases, while feeding them to said lower end portion of the retert, are subjected to the temperature required to produce the desired gaseous heating agent for calorically treating the body of material in the retort, and it will also be observed that by the hereinbefore described relative arrangement of the pipes Q1 and 39 occurs the transmission of heat from hot vapors and gases in the pipe 2l to the uncondensed gases passing through the pipe 39.

'What l claim is l. Apparatus for the .destructive distillation of solid bituminous materials, comprising a retort having a treating chamber in which a body of said material is to be confined, a condenser, a pipe discharging at one end portion thereof into the condenser and communicating at its other end portion with the aforesaid chamber and arranged to conduct vapors and gases to the condenser from one end portion of said chamber and also arranged externally of said chamber and condenser between said end portions of the pipe, a condensate-receiving chamber arranged to receive condensate and accompanying uncondensed gases from the condenser, a passageway communicating with and at the upper portion of said condensatereceiving chamber and extending to` and around and endwisevof the aforesaid pipe, means whereby gases may be washed in said passageway between said pipe and the condensate-receiving chamber, a passageway discharging at the opposite end portion of and into the aforesaid treating chamber, means whereby gases may be forced into the second-mentioned passageway from the and means whereby gases conducted by the secondmentioned passageway may be heated to produce a gaseous heating agent.

2. Apparatus for the destructive distillation of solid bituminous materials, comprising a retort having a treating chamber in which a body of said material is to be confined, acondenser, a pipe discharging at one end portion thereof into the condenser and communicating at its other end portion with the aforesaid chamber and arranged to conduct vapors and gases to the condenser from one end portion of said chamber, and also arranged externally of said chamber and condenser between said end portions of the pipe a condensate-receiving chamber arranged to receive the condensate and accompanying uncondensed gases from the condenser, a passageway communicating with and at the upper portion of said condensate-- receiving chamber and extending toand around and endwise of the aforesaid pipe and tothe second-mentioned end portion of the pipe, a passageway discharging at the opposite end portion of and into the afore-A said treating chamber, means whereby gases may be forced into the second-mentioned passageway from the first-mentioned passageway, and means whereby gases being conducted by the second-mentioned passageway may be heated to the temperature required to produce the desired gaseous heating agent.

3. Apparatus for the destructive distillation of solid bituminous materials, comprising a retort having a treating chamber in which a body of said material is to be confined, a condenser, a pipe communicating at one end portion of and with said chamber and discharging into the condenser, and arranged externally of said chamber and condenser between its end portions a passageway extending around and endwise of said pipe and adapted to receive gases subjected to and remaining uncondensed at the condensing temperature in the condenser, a passageway discharging at the opposite end portion of and into the aforesaid chamber, means whereby gases preheated in the firstmentioned passageway by heat transmitted from hot vapors and gases conducted by the aforesaid pipe may be forced from said first-mentioned passageway into the secondmentioned passageway, and means whereby gases being conducted by said second-inentioned passageway may be heated to the temperature required to produce the desired gaseous heating agent.

l-n testimony whereof I sign the foregoing specification this 18th day of December, 1922.

ARTHUR M. SMITH.

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