US1704103A

US1704103A - Diana

Info

Publication number: US1704103A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1929-03-05
Anticipated expiration: 1946-03-05

Description

March 5, 1929. R RODGERS 1,704,103

APPARATUS FOR CARBONIZING' COAL Filed Sept. 28. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 5, 1929. R. RODGERS 1,704,103

APPARATUS FOR CARBONIZING COAL Filed Sept. 28. 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Ill March 5, 1929. RODGERS 1,704,103

APPARATUS FOR CARBONIZING COAL Filed t. 28 1922 3 Sheets-Sheet \5 6 31 J :ficka/dlee Mans, :22; W 9%, m (162/- Patented Mar. 5, 1929.

? wearer it cr ates.

RICHARD LEE RODGERS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, BY IvIESNE ASSIGNMENTS,

TO CHARCOLITE CORPORATION, OF CLINTON, IN

DIANA.

APPARATUS FOR GARBON'IZING GOAL.

Application filed September 28, 1922. Serial No. 591,008.

particularly useful forwlow temperature carbonization whereby may be produced, firsta freely burning, smokless and sootless fuel,

ideally suited for domestic, and other purposes, and, second valuable b'y-products' This application inits broader aspects con tains subject matter common to my co-pending application Serial No. 539,361, filed Feb. 27, 1922, and may be considered an unprovement thereof. 7 7

Among the objects of the invention are the reduction of time necessary for the carbonization of a charge, and the production of a uniform product of superior quality.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear as the description to follow proceeds.

I shall first describe my new method broadly, then disclose, with the aid of the drawings herein, a preferred form of apparatus by means of which the method mayefiiciently be carried out.

face of the charge. .1 next provide for perfectuniformity'in the application of heat to i the charge so that the entire surface of the charge, whereby the entire carbonizing oper- -ation is ,pr'otectedfrom sudden varlation in temperature, and whereby an abundant-store charge'is heated to the same degree, and the heat travels inward from the entire surface of the charge, uniformly throughout the charge. I furtherprovide for control of the temperature throughout the operation, for the efiii cient transfer of the heat, by direct conduction, from the hot gases of combustion, tothe charge, and provide a stabilizing heat reservoir in direct conductive contact with the of heat is available to start the carbonizing operation quickly when a newcold charge is introduced.

These results 'I accomplish by providing containers of cast iron or other suitable material (of large superficial area, but preferably not more than eight inches between the inner walls) in which the charges are successivelv carbonized. These containers are surrounded by a liquid bath, preferably of fused salts, within an enclosing container of cast iron or other suitable material. The hot gases from the fire play directly upon the outer container and temperature control means, regulating the fire, maintain the desired temperature in the bath. It will be appreciated that the interposition of the bath between the flames and the charge has several important results, some of which are enumerated here.

Thetemperature of the bath is maintained by a clrculation therein, and uneven heating is avoided. The temperature of the bath may be maintained at any desired point and the charge protected from variations therein. This is important when it is remembered that the process of transformation, distillation, etc. occurring in the charge are profoundly affected by temperature; fluctuation in temperature, or unevenness in the temperature on different sides of the charge may produce an uneven coke or interfere with the by-product desired. Furthermore, since the specific heat of the bath is much higher than that of the hot gases of combustion, there is provided, in intimate contact with the conductive wall separating the bath from the charge, a heat storing reservoir, ample to supply quickly the excess quantity of heat necessary to warm up a cold charge, without running the temperature of said'charge, in the outer layers thereof, too high. This feature alone results in a substantial saving of time by delivering quickly to the charge a large quantity of heat, without exceeding the desired temperature. I

As an illustrative embodiment of the method of my invention, I employ a mixture of 75 per cent of calcium chloride with 25 per cent of sodium chloride. This fuses-at substantially 800 degrees Fahrenheit and may be oping unit, on line 11 of Figure 3,

Figure 2 is a sectional elevation on line 22 of Flgure 1,

DIANA, A CORPORATION OF IN- Figure 3 is a. horizontal section on line 33 of Figure 1,

Figure 4 1s a sectional elevation showing a detail of the carbonizing chamber on an entom closure for the carbonizing chamber.

The unit has three main sections: the heat generating section 1, the carbonizing section 2, and the discharge or smothering pits 0.

The important elements of the carbonizing section will be first described after which the unit as a whole will be described.

The'carbonizing section 2 has a battery of (in this instance three) carbonizing containers 4 (shown in Figure 5) which will be rescribed in detail. These containers are made long and narrow, as for instance, six feet long, five feet high and eight inches wide, in-

side measurements, and are provided with

double walls

5 and 6, spaced in this instance two inches apart.

The bottom of the inner compartment of each container 1- is open with aligned grooves 8 (Figure 5) and a sliding bottom plate 9 is used to close the same. As will be apparent in Figure 2,.the inner walls 6 diverge slightly toward the bottom to facilitate the discharge of coke.

The cover 7 for each container is formed of two parts: the outer part 10 covers the space between the double walls and is provided with lugs ll-to fit between the double walls and the plugged aperture 13 through which the fused material may be introduced; and the inner part comprising cover part 1 f dropped into the outer part 10, and fitting with a wedge lit. The cover 14 provided with flaring walls 15 and webs l6 apertured. as

. shown to permit the cover to be raised by hooks. The inner part 14: doesnot extend to the ends of the carbonizing container, and a gas takeoff 17 is provided on the outer cover part 10 (Figure 5).

I It will be understood that the coal to be carbonized is dropped into the carbonizing containers,the covers 14 being first removed and the bottom plate 9 slid in place, there after heat of the fused salts between the

clouble walls

5 and 6 carbonizes the coal, after which by removing the plate 9 the coke is r I in combination, a heating chamber, a double discharged.

Having described one of the carbonizing chambers, I will now describe the unit.

The ca-rbonizing unit, as a whole, comprises a structure made of tire brick or the like, having vertical walls 18. A. smothering pit 19 (into which may run the tracks 20) forms the lower part of the structure. The smothering pit receives the charge after it is coked and prevents it from burning or being ignited.

Supported on the brickwork 18 and protected by an inner sheath of insulating material 21 enclosed therein are the 'fire boxes 26 and 27, n this instance two in number. Any suitable source of heatmay be used such as oil blast nozzles, notshown, controlled by thermostatic regulation from the fused salt to maintain the bath at the desired temperature. Such thermostatic regulating means are well known and are not shown herein. Flames and hot gases of combustion from the fire pass baclnvardly around the carbonizing containers and then to the front, weaving over and under the baflles 28 and discharging by ducts 29 to a flue not shown. The unit is divided by the walls 30 and 31- so that the hot gases from each fire box pass rearwardly between the middle and outer carbonizing container, on each side, around the rear of each outer container, and then forwardly around the outside of each outer container as shown by arrows in Figure 3. i

In operation the space between the double walls of the containers 4 being filled with the fusible salt through the plug 13-the bath is brought to, and being maintained at, the proper temperature, the bottom plates 9 are inserted, the cover parts 14 being removed, the containers 4 are filled with coal from a traveling hopper, or otherwise. The cover parts being replaced, carbonizing starts and continues till the charge is completely carbonized.

At the close of the carbonizing operation the bottom plates 9 being pulled out, the carbonized product drops into thesmothering pit, its discharge being facilitated by the slight divergence of the inner walls 6 of the containers toward the bottom. Theplates 9 are then replaced andthe operation repeated. The carbonized product is removed fronithe smothering pit at convenient times.

I claim: 1 V

1. In apparatus for vcarbonizing coal and walled container in the heating chamber, the inner and outer walls of said container-being spaced from each other, the interior of the container adapted to contain coal and the space between the inner and outer walls having a fusible salt heating medium consist ing of approximately seventy-five percent calcium chloride and twenty-five percent (25%) sodium chloride, andmeanS per-' mitting discharge of the contents of said container downwardly by gravity.

v in 2. In apparatus for carbonizing coal, and in combination, a gas heating element, a retort adapted to be heated by the hot gases from the heating element, said retort comprising an outer shell and a spaced inner container for coal within said shell and spaced therefrom, and the space between the shell and container containing a fused material consisting of approximately seventy-five percent (75%) calcium chloride and twenty-five percent (25%) sodium chloride, said retort having plain sides and being long vertically and narrow and arranged to be discharged downwardly.

3. In apparatus for carbonizing coal, and in combination, a heating chamber adapted to receive hot gases from a heat generator, a double walled container arranged in said heating chamber, the inner compartment of said container being adapted to receive coal, the inner and outer walls of said container being spaced apart and having a bath of fused material therebetween, said inner compartment being approximately eight inches in internal diameter in one horizontal direction and relatively long in another horizontal direction, means for causing the hot gases to pass around the container, and means whereby said container may be filled at the top and container and spaced therefrom and containmg a bath of fused material surrounding said container, and means for causing the hot gases from the heating element to operate directly on the enclosure.

, 5; In apparatus for carbonizing coal and in combination, a heating element, an upright double walled container having a fusible salt between its inner and outer walls and adapted to have its outer wall heated by the heating element, two opposite inner walls of said container being spaced apart no more than eight inches, and removable closures for the top and bottom ofsaid container whereby coal may be delivered to said container at the top and removed from the bot-tom thereof.

6. In apparatus for carbonizing coal and in combination, a heating chamber, a double walled container having its inner and outer walls spaced from each other, said container being within said heating chamber and having its inner compartment opening through said heating chamber at the top and bottom, the space between said inner and outer walls containing a fused salt consisting of approximately seventy-five percent (75%) calcium chloride and twenty-five percent (25%) sodi-' um chloride, removable closures for said top and bottom of said inner compartment whereby a charge of coal may be dropped into said container, heated and the resulting coke product discharged vertically downward therefrom.

lin witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 26th day of September, A. D. 1922.

RICHARD LEE. aonenns.