US1671448A - Retort for carbonizing bituminous fuels - Google Patents

Description

May 29, 1928. 1,671,448

. J. PLAssMANN RETORT FOR C'JARBOIIIZIBIG? BITUMINQUS FUELS Filed July 10, 1.925

m f//i 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 May 29, 1928. l 1,671,448

. J. PLASSMANN f RETORT FOR CARBONZING BITUMINOUS FUELS Filed Julylo, 1925 s sheets-sheet 2 May 29, 192s. '1 1,671,448

J. PLASSMANN RETORT FOR CARBONIZING BITUMINOUS FUELS Filed July 10, 1925 3 Sheets-.Sheet 3 50 to a crushing machine, operating,

the like, andl Patented May 29, 1928.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEF PLASSMANN, F DUISBURG, GERMANY.

Application led July 10, 1925, Serial No.

lVith the known retorts for carbonizing filets, and in which the respective fucl is supplied partly or wholly by mechanical means, either the output is insutlicient or the mechanical part of the plant. causes ditficulties of serviceand renders the operation of the process uneeonomical.

The retort according to the present invention does away w l0 and drawbacks of the known retorts, and the gist of the invention resides in the employment of vertically spaced horizontal chambers, as carbonizing chambersl of which are heated both from above and from below. The stationary superposed circular chambers are enclosed by a. rotatorv exterior' casing to which are attached the supplying or filling means and the discharging or emptying means. l`he de '30 also in the reverse way, that is to say, the easing may be stationary and the chambers rotatory. Supposed, that the casing is rotaf tory, then closing bands extending into the carbonizing chambers are secured to said cas- 15 ing and are being heated from above and from below by the directly heated chambers whereby the fuel to be carbonized is heated directly at its outer side. These closing bands pass along the outer side of the fuel to be carbonized and prevent it from falling out of the chambers.

Thefuel to be carbonized is supplied to the chambers under pressure by means of a feed device whereby a dense filling of the chambers is effected and the fuel is converted into a particularly dense and solid semi-coke. Y

Owing to the particular manner of supplying the fuel to be carbonized and of 40 discharging the carbonized fuel a perhaps strongly swelling fuel may swell in the direction towards the discharge end of the retort, that is to say, also a fuel of this kind may be treated in the apparatus. The ca.r

v bonized fuel is generally removed from thel chambers by means of a rotating scraper or the like, but also such means as dischargeconveyors or the like, may be used.

The discharged bulk of coke is conducted for instance. with crushing worms or is broken thereby into large lumps, which then are delivered into the discharge shaft. The circular chambers are heated by means of a central heating chamber arranged prefith the. disadvantages.

vice may be designed,

RETORT FOR CARBONIZIN G I-SITUMINOUS FUELS 42,755, and in Germany September 30, 1924.

erably at the lower the heating gases are circular chambers wi conducted through said th the aid of suitably provit'ted guide means. baid gases are caused to circulate in the carbonizing room ot' the retort preferably by means of a gasair-mi.'\:ture under prcssure,`this mixture being supplied at the central heating chamber and adding only such an amount of heat as is necessary ton'iaintain a uniformi temperature within the retort. In order to attain a uniform temperature at the walls of the carbonizing chambers, the current of heating gas conducted around said chambers is supplied with another amount of gas from a separate heating gas pipe located in the central part of the retort, said gas supply taking place just in front of every circular chamber, and the amount being such that the temperature of the respective chamber is kept on uniform height.`

'l` he heating gases and the'gases developed by the carbonizing process, and the dust formed during the preliminary carbonization, are conducted downwardly in the stationary part of the retort.

The casing and the means for supplying the fuel and for .discharging the coke are actuated by a motor arranged on the casing.

In order to supply uniformlyl all feeding devices for or of the carbonizing chambers, `special guide members are provided in front of every feeding device, said members con-v ducting the fuel uniformly to all feeding dcvices.

ln order to produeea dry coke whichis safe from igniting spontanemisly at the opcn air, the coke discharged from the cambers is cooled down by water with the aid of a means specially provided for this purpose, as for instance with the aid of a conveying trough containing a conveying worm and a certain amount of water,` this procedure being carried through in such a manner that the water adhering to the coke after the cooling is removed subsequently by evaporation. The water contained in said trough `eonstitutes at the same, time. a closing means between the coking chamber and the outer air.

If the coke is to `be worked .further in glowing state in generators or similar devices or plants, manner that a tight closure exists betweenv the carbonizing chamber and the open air while the discharge takes place. A device part of theretort, and A it is discharged in such a .with the eolie,

suited for this purpose may be formed, for instance, by a portable bunker which can be closed at its lower end and can be connected air-tight at its upper end with the dischargedevice of the coking retort. In order to prevent the coke from commencing to burn, in the bunker a certain small amount of Water may be introduced into the bunker together the water being at once converted into steam which then fills up the entire Space of the bunker and acts on all parts of the coke. The bunker is tightly closed before it is transported away.

The apparatus is supplied with the fuel to be carbenized without interruption by means of separate bunkers located above the apparatus, every bunker being preferably arranged centrally above its appertaining retort, and a supply tube extending down from the bunker iirstyvertically and then laterally along the side of the retort around l which it can 'be turned. A cell-wheel may be provided between the bunker and the supply-device in order to prevent escape of gas, produced by the carbonizing operation. 0r a feed hopper may be arranged between the retort and the bunker, the three parts being then superposed vertically.; or a small bunker may be used instead of said hopper and may be fed automatically from a large bunker located above it. If no cell-wheel is employed, vthe pressure of the gas developed in the oven is maintained preferably equal to the pressure of the outer air in order to prevent said gas from escaping and the outer air from entering into the retort.

In order to increase the economy of the plant, the coke obtained by the process may be conveyed away from the rotatory discharge device into trucks or the like arriving on one side in empty state, being caused to run round the retort on a semicircular way. and leaving the retort on the other side in filled state, but instead of trucks or the like conveying bands may be employed onto which the coke is fed automatically from the retortand the coke is.carried by said band to a main conveying band arranged at right angles to the several first mentioned bands. 0r, the coke may fall upon a sheetmetal ring travelling continuously around the retort, together with the discharge device which may resemble a bunker, i. e. a coke-bunker, but serves chiefly for conductingthe coke onto saidrotatory conveying ring. y My invention is illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical section through a retort devised according to the invention; Figure 3 is a horizontal section in the plane A-B of Fig. 1; Figure 2 is a vertical section in the plane C-D of Fig. 1; Figure 4 is a vertical section through one constructional form of a discharge device; Figure 5 is a vertical view partly in. section of another discharge device; Figure 6 shows a detail pertaining to Fig. 5;.Figure 7 shows certain means for feeding the fuel to and into the retorts; Figure 8 is a diagrammatical plan of a plant for conveying the coke away by means of trucks.

Referring to Figs. -1-3, the retort consists of superposed circular chambers a which are stationary and are immovably supported with their mantle a1 by means of the flange a2 by the foundation b. The chambers a are heated from three sides directly, and are enclosed by a rotatory casing c carried and guided by rolls cZ.- The rolls d rest in bearings dl, which are secured to the foundation I). There is also an inner casing which eX- tends in-to a gutter filled with water and serving for separating the interior of the retort from the outer air b means of the ring el, which is secured to t e casing c and the -lower edge of which is immersed into the water. The outer casing c is moved by a gearing f1, f2, f3, f4 inl such a manner that a gear wheel g1, secured to the shaft f5 of the last named driving wheel f4, meshes with a circular rack g fastened tothe base b.

Each circular chamber is encompassed by closingI bands la attached to the casing c by means of holders z' which thereby are' caused to rotate together with the casing c. These bands prevent the fuel treated in the chambers from falling out at the outer circumference of said chambers, and as they serve also for transmitting heat from above and from below to the outer circumferential particles of the fuel treated, said particles are being heated indirectly also at the outer circumference of every chamber.

n The rotatory casing o carries also the means for charging the chambers with the fuel to bel converted into coke and the means for discharging the chambers. The irstmentioned of these means are formed by worms 701 which convey the material from `a vertical supply tube or channel m into the chambers, the material being thereby subjected to pressure within said chambers. The driving of the worms k1 is effected by means of the bevel gear wheels kzwhich are secured to the vertical shaft k3 and mesh with bevel gear wheels 7.15 secure-d to the shafts 7u* of the worms lil. Each worm is located in a easing, and to each easing is attached a scraper n by which the coke is removed from the respective chamber. The coke is Aconducted to breaking worms o which crush the larger coke lumps and convey the whole to and into the discharge hopper 77. The feeding means for the fuel to be carbonized and the discharging means of theI coke may also be arranged'centrally.

The heating gases, i. e'. a mixture of gas and air, are or is respectively, introduced into the retort through a burner r and an vair tube 'r1 and flow into, and` upwards through, a wide tube s encompassed by annular disks t secured to said heating tube s extending between the chambers a and forming passages causing the gas to Contact v with the upper surface, the inner circumferential surface, and the bottom face ot each chamber. Opposite each chamber the tubo s is provided with apertures u through which a certain small amount of the gas is introduced directly into thel before-mentioned passage in order to niaintain the temperature ot' the gas streaming through the said passagel on' uniform height. 'l`heI `heating tube s is stationary in the same manner as the mantle (i1 and rests with its lower end on brackets a1 supported on the wall ot' the heating channel g, while the upper end ot' said heating tube s is connected b v means ot' brace. rods au to the cover (La of the stationary mantle a1. The gas leaving the space below the lowermost chamber a is divided into two currents, one flowing to and through the chamber Q located below the tube s, the other passing away through .the channel fu.

The by-product gases developed in the course of the coking process escape laterally between the chambers a and the closing bands /11y into the annular-shaped space c1 formed by the easing c and the opposite walls of the chambers, and are sucked off.

through ythe channel fw. The lowermost portion ot said annular-shaped space 01 is enlarged radially inwards and serves to collect dust, and other waste which then is conveyed away by scrapers m into a discharge passage w1.

All movable parts of the retort are driven by a. motor g/ arranged on the top thereof.

In order to supply the worms uniforn'ily with the fuel to be coked, guide walls z are provided in the channel m.

Referring now to Fig. 4 in which a coke discharge device is shown. the coke vfalls through the lower end of the passage (Fi 3 and 4) into an inclined basin E which is tilled with water and encloses a conveying lworm F. The passage P is connected with the lower end ot said basin. whereas the upper end o't the latter is Connected with a collecting chamber G closed at. its lower end by a flap Il which can be closed or released atI will b v a lever J. The glowing or at least hotI coke is cooled in the basin E by the water contained therein, and the water still adhering to the coke after it has lett the basin E is removed automatically by evaporation.

It' the coke is to be worked further immediately in glowing state, the device shown in Figs. and 6 is used instead of that of Fig. 4. The glowing coke falls through the passage P into the vessel G1 which is closed at its lower end by a slide K. (The coke is collected in the vessel G1 which, therefore,

forms a kind of bunker, and is removed from said vessel from time. to time by means ot' a truck L resembling the vessel or bunker G1. l'lhe upper part of the truck vessel L is provided with a water seal and with a vertically movable neck M dipping into the water of Said seal; said neck M is carrying a second water-seal forming an annular vessel which may be moved upwards towards and against an annular closing member that dips-into the water ot' said upper water seal when the, neck M has been llifted by a lever or the like, there being then established an airtight connection between the two vessels. N denotes a nozzle through which water may be injected into the vessel (t1 onto the. glowing or -hot` coke therein contained. lVhen the coke has been conveyed 'from the vessel G1 into the vessel L, the slide. K is closed, the neck M lowered, and a capshaped cover O, Fig. 6, is placed upon said neck, or into the water of said seal.

Fig. 7 shows means for feeding the retorts wit-l1 t-he 'fuel to be carbonized. There is.

shown in this figure a set of three retorts Q Q1 Q2, and each retort isprovided later ally with a charging tube M which is an equivalent for the charging tube m of Fig. 1.

S S1 S2 denote the bunkers from which the` tubes M are supplied withthe fuel to be carbonized. Fig. 7 shows three constructional forms, as. regards the means for conveying t-he fuel into the tubes M. Concerning the bunkers S and the retort Q a cellwheel 'l is inserted between the bunker and the. conveying tube R. Concerning y the bunkers S1 and the'retort Q1, the conveying tube R1 and the bunker S1 are connected with each other quite directly, without any interniediate means. And as regards the bunker S2 and the retort Q2, the tube M carries on its top a hopper U which revolves together with the tube M (it being understood that this tube is attached to the casing of the retort, as in the other constructional forms just described, and that the casing is rotated constantly in order to feed the several chambers, as already described in an earlier part of this specification). The bunker S1' is subdivided in its lower part, in two hoppers, as shown, or in three or more. There is a. closing valve V (V1) or a similar closing means at the end ot every hopper,y and that. valve is opened when. and as long as, the hopper U is passing by below the respective hopper.

Figure 8 shows diagrammatically how the coke can be carried away with the aid of trucks or the like. 'l`here.are parallel tracks WV furnished with turn-tables l-V1. Each re.- tort is surrounded by a circular track il', which is connected with two longitudinal parallel tracks lV. The trucks arrive on onerot' the straight tracks in empty state,

are caused to travel around the retorts on a v semicircular way on one or the other side or both sides of the retort concerned, are being filled during this time, and are then hauled away on the other straight track in filled state. i

The fuel treated in the circular chamber retort, that is to say, carbonized therein may also be dried in the retort or onlymbe dried therein.

The thickness of the layers which the fuel forms in the retort may be different, and there may be left a space above the fuel in every chamber so that the surface of the layer is heated indirectly by radiation from the upper Wall of the chamber. The thickness of the layers depends upon the degree of dryness of the fuel, also upon other conditions, as well as upon the length of time required to heat the layers thoroughly', and finally, also upon the question Whether the fuel is to be merely carbonized or merely dried or driedl and carbonized. Also the manner in which the heating is effected is of importance.

I claim:

1. A carbonizing retort' comprising in combination a set of alternately superposed annular carbonizing chambers and heating chambers, the former being closed at their inner circumference and being Wholly independent of each other, the heating chambers eing closed at their outer circumference and open at their inner, said set of alternately superposed annular chambers forming a structural unit, a casing surrounding said superposed chambers and forming a second structural unit, and means for rotat- 1ng one of the structural units.

2. A carbonizing retort comprising in` combination a set of alternately superposed annular carbonizing chambers and heating Chambers, the former being closed at their inner circumference and being wholly independent of each other, the heating chambers being closed at their outer circumference and open at their inner, said set of alternately superposed annular chambers forming a structural unit, a casing surrounding said superposed chambers and forming a second structural unit, and means for rotating said casing.

3. A carbonizing retort comprising in combination a set of alternately superposed annular carbonizing chambers and heating chambers, the former being closed at their inner circumference and being wholly independent of each other, the heating chambers being closed at their outer circumference and open at their inner, said set of alternately superposed annular chambers forming a structural unit, a casing surrounding said superposed chambers and forming a second structural unit, closing bands encompassing loosely the carbonizing chambers at their outer circumference, means connecting said bands with said casing, sai-d bands being so devised that they prevent the contents of the carbonizing chambers from falling out thereof, but permit escape of the gases developed and means for rotating one of the structural units of the retort.

4. A carbonizing retort comprising in combination a set of alternately superposed annular carbonizing chambers and heating chambers, the former being closed at their inner circumference and being wholly inflependent of each other, the heating chambers being closed at their outer circumference and open at their inner, said set of alter-,

nately superposed annular chambers formin a structural unit, a'casing surrounding sald superposed chambers and forming a second structural unit, and means for rotating one of the structural units, and a feeding device carried by said casing and adapted to charge material to be treated into the carbonizing chambers. v

5. A carbonizing retort comprising in combination a set of alternately superposed annular carbonizing chambers and heating chambers, the former being closed at their inner circumference and being wholly independent of each other, the heating'chambers being closed at their outer circumference and open at their inner, said set of alternately superposed annular chambers forming a structural unit, a casing surrounding said superposed chambers and forming a second structural unit, and means for rotating one of the structural units, and conveying screws carried by said casing and adapt` ed lto charge material to be treated into the carbonizing chambers.

6. A carbonizing retort comprising in combination a set of alternately superposed annular carbonizing chambers and heating chambers, the former being closed at their inner circumference and being wholly independent of each other, the heating chambers being closed at their outer circumference and open at their inner, said set of alternately superposed annular chambers forming a structural unit, a casing enclosing said' superposed chambers and forming a second structural unit, means for rotating one of the structural units, and means for breaking material leaving the carbonizing chambers.

7. A carbonizing retort comprising in combination a set of alternately superposed chambers, the former being closed at their inner circumference and being Wholly independent of each other, the heating chambers being closed at their outer circumference and open at their inner, said set of alternately superposed annular chambers .forming a structural unit, a casing surroundlng said superposed chambers and forming annular carbonizing chambers and heating a second structural unit, means for. rotating one of the structural units, and a. crushing Worm located at the point of discharge for the material and being adapted .to reduce the .larger lumps. r

8. A carbonizing retortcomprising in combination a set of alternately superpos'edv rotating one of the structural units, and.

centrally located heating means for the heating chambers,

9. A carbonizing retort comprisingin combination a set of alternately superposed annular carbonizing chambers and heating chambers, the former being closed at their inner circumference and being ,wholly independent of each other, the vheating chambers eing closed at Atheir outer circumference and open at their inner, said set of alternatelysuperposed annular chambers forming a structural unit, a casing surrounding said superposed chambers and forming a second structural unit, means for rotating one of the structural units, a centrally located heating tube spaced from the inner e circumference of the chambers and gas directing annular plates attached to said tube and extending intothe heating chambers.

10. A carbonizing retort comprising in combination a set of alternately superposed 4o annular carbonizing chambers and heating chambers, the former being closed at their inner circumference and being wholly inde-4 pendent of each other, the heating chambers being closed at their outer circumference and open at their inner, said sct of alternately superposed annular chambers forniing a structural unit, a. casing enclosing said superposezl chambers and forming a second structural unit, means for rotating one of structural units, a centrally located heating tube spaced from the inner circumference of the chambers and having lateral gas outlet openings, and gas directingl annular plates attached to said tube between said openings and extending into the heating- ,chambers so as to form gas passages which are approximately zig-zag-shaped in vertical section. ,l

11. A carbonizing retort comprising in 560 combination a set of alternately superposed annular carbonizing chambers and heating chambers, the former being closed at their inner circumference and being wholly indeendeiit of each other, the heating chambers eing closed at their outer circumference and open at their inner, said set of alternately Ysuperposed annular chambers forming a structural unit, a casing surrounding said superposed chambers and forming a second structural unit, and forming an an- 70) nular space together with the first named constructional unit, a centrally located heating tube spaced fromtlie inner circumference of the chambers and means for conducting the heating gas along the top surface and the bottom surface of the carbonizing chambers, a foundation carrying the chambers-forming structural unit and the casing and having discharge .channels for the escaping heating gas and for the gases developed during the carbonizing operation and escaping into said tubular space and having also a collecting groove for the dust carried by the last mentioned gases.

12.l A carbonizing retort comprising in combination a set of alternately superposed annular carbonizing chambers and heating chambers, the former being closed at their inner circumference and being wholly independent of each other, the heating chambers y being closed at their outer circumference and open at their inner, said set of alternately siiperposed annular chambers forming a structural unit, a casingsurrounding said superposed chambers and forming a second 05 structural unit, means for rotating one of the structural units, means for supplying thecarbonizing chambers With materials to be `carbonized, means for conducting away the produced coke and a common driving mech- 100 l anisni for all said movable parts.

13. vA carbonizing retort comprising in combination a set of alternately superposed annular carbonizing chambers and heating chambers, the former being closed at their inner circumference and being wholly independent of -eabh other, the heatinwchambers being closed at their outer circumference and open at their inner, said setof alternately 'superposed annular chambers forming a 11o sti-uctural unit, a casing surrounding said superposed chambers and forming a second structural unit, means for rotating one of the structural units, asupply channel for conducting the material to be carbonized into the respective chambers, and vertical distributing walls in said channel.v

14. A carbonizing retortV comprising in, combination. a set of alternately superposed annular carbonizing chambers and heating chambers the former being 'closed at their inner circumference and being wholly independent of each other, the heatine chambers being closed at'their outer circumference and open at their inner, said set of alternately superposed annular chambers forming a structural unit, a casing enclosing-said superposed chambers and forming a'second structural unit, means ,for rotating one lof those constructional units, and acoke -dis- 7 charging device adapted to receive the coke inner circumference and being Wholly indev pendent of each other, the heating chambers being closed at theirv outer circumference and open at their inner, said set of alternately superposed annular chambers forming a structural unit, a casing surrounding said superposed chambers and forming a second structural unit, means for rotating one of the structural'units and a bunker adapted to receive the material to be carbonized and vto convey it continuously to the carbonizing chambers.

and heating,

Y 1,ev1,44e

16. Av carbonizing combination a lset of alternately superposed annular carbonizing chambers and heating chambers, the formerbeing'closed at their inner circumference and being wholly independent of each other, the heatin chambers being closed at their outer circum erence and open at their inner, said set of alternately superposed annular chambers forming a `structural unit, a casing surrounding said superposed chambers and forming a second structural vunit, means for rotating one of the structural units, means for supplying the carbonizing chambers with material. to be carbon'ized, and means for conducting 4away the produced coke.

In testimony whereof I affix my' signature.

JOSEF PLASSMANN.

retort comprising in

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