US1748815A - Rotary furnace - Google Patents

Description

C. B. WISNER ROTARY FURNACE Feb. 25, 1930.

Filed Jan. '15, 1925 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 W w M H. 2 w BU I n H- 11mm W. m m w W N% Jwww K If I iiimi C. B. WISNER ROTARY FURNACE Feb. 25, 1930.

Filed Jan.'l3, 1925 4 sheets-sheet 2 Feb. 25, 1930.

c. B. WISNER ROTARY FURNACE 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Jan. 15, 1925 Nbmm hbw 4 Sheets-Shes? 4 C. B. WISNER ROTARY FURNACE Filed Jan. 13, 1925 Feb. 25, 1930.

Patented Feb. 25, 1930 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE CLARENCE B. WISNER, 0F CANTON,

GOAL PROCESS CORPORATION, OF NEW YORK, N.

OHIO, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO

Y., A donroRA'rIoN or DELAWARE ROTARY FURNACE Application filed January 13, 1925. Serial No. 25146.

The invention relates to elongated tubular retorts mounted for rotation in a heating chamber, as for evolving hydrocarbon from accommodate the same, the heating chamber.

is necessarily divided into sectionsby transverse walls on each side thereof. The exposed periphery of the retort between these walls forms an annular cooling zone which is not heated by the furnace and from which heat is radiated from the retort.

Such a cooling zone is very objectionable in a furnace wherein it is necessary or desirable to maintain a uniform, or a constant andreadily controlled heat throughout the length of the retort; as for instance in carrying out the process of evolving hydrocarbon fromfuel set forth in, my Patent No.

1,490,357, dated April 15, 1924.

. This difliculty is overcome by the present improvement, in which a spaced sleeve or tubular jacket is provided around the tubular retort, so as to bridge the space between the transverse walls, and to form an annular flue connecting the separate sections of the heating chamber, throu h which flue. the heating gases can flow rom one section of the chamber toethe other.

Furthermore, in this type of furnace, when the end heads of the retort are used to carry feed in the feed out tubes, they are preferably supported so as to not rotate with the retort; and when so supported, dilficulty is experienced in maintaining a gas tight joint 7 between the heads and the ends of the retort, because of the expansion and contraction of the tubular walls by varying temperatures, and the weaving caused by the rotation of the retort on the ring rail rollers.

This difliculty is overcome by the present improvement, in which the end heads of the retort are suspended orsupported by central lateral trunnions, so as to normally press inward by gravity against the ends of the tubular walls of the retort, in such a manner that the'rim of the -head will automatically adjust itself to the varying movements and positions-of the rim of the retort.

And again, in this type of furnace, when helical horizontal screw conveyors or like means are employed in the feed and delivery tubes for charging and discharging fuel from the retort, difficulty is experienced in a dog 'ging bf the fuel caused by its-softening by heat, and sticking to .the conveyors and screws as the metal radiates the heat andcools the fuel.

This difiiculty is overcome by thepresent improvement, in which upright feed and delivery tubes are provided with disk screws rotatable therein for feeding and -discharging material at a predetermined"? rate; to gether with motor means for rotating the ,clisk screw, and means in the feed tube above the disk screw, controlled by the presence or absence of fuel therein, for automatically starting and stopping the motor means.

' The improvements are illustrated in the I accompanying drawings, forming part hereof, in which: i

Figure 1 is a side elevation, in two sections, of the improved rotary furnace; I

Fig. 2 a front end elevation of the same; Fig. 3, an elevation axial section of the front end of the furnace showing the gas exhaust tube in section, as on line 3-3, Fig. 2; r Fig. 4, a horizontal axial section of the front end of the furnace as on line 44, Fig. 2; Fig. 5, an elevation axial section of the fuel feed tube; Fig. 6, a plan section of the fuel feed tube on line 6-6, Fig. 5;

Fig. 7, an axial elevation section of the furnace showing the tubular sleeve carrying the forward ring rail and bridging the interval between the transverse walls adjacent thereto;

Fig. 8, a transverse elevation section of the rotary retort on line 8--8, Fig. 7;

Fig. 9, an axial elevation of the furnace showing the tubular sleeve carrying the rear ring rail and the ring gear and bridging the interval between the transverse walls adjacent thereto;

Fig. 10, a transverse elevation section of the rotary retort as on line 1010, Fig. 9;

Fig. 11, a fragmentary side elevation of one spring sectional sealing ring;

Fig. 12, a detached elevation of one section thereof; and

Fig. 13, an end view of the same-r Similar numerals refer to similar parts throughout the drawings.

The rotary retort 14 may be made of stee plates in the form of an elongated tube, and the same is mounted for rotation in a heating chamber 15 formed in part by a plurality of longitudinally spaced stationary sections, each one of which may be formed by a cement foundation wall 16, side walls 17, and a top wall arch 18 covered by a heat insulation 19 made respectively of cement, brick work, metal plates, asbestos insulating earth or like materials. The terminal end walls of the heating chamber stationary sections may each be formed by a cast plate 20, and the adjacent intermediate end walls of the heat ing chamber stationary sections may be formed by metal plates 21; the plates being formed with annular rim flanges 20 and 21 defining the corresponding round openings 20 and 21" for receiving the rotary retort.

The heating chamber is completed by rotary sections which may be made of tubular sleeves 22 and 22 spaced from and secured around the retort in the interval be tween the stationary sections and extend each way to within the round openings .defined by the flanges 21 so as to form annular fiues 23 around the rotary retort connecting the adjacent stationary sections of the chamber. For convenience of assembling, these sleeves may each be made in two end sections 22, bolted to and extending each way from an intermediate section 22, which in turn is spaced around the retort by a series of longitudinal angle bars 24 located at circumferential intervals, which may be secured to the sleeve by the same bolts 25 which secure the sections thereof together, and do not materially obstruct the annular flue formed lpy the tubular sleeves around the rotary re- A bearing ring 26 or 26 may be provided around the tubular sleeve upon each intermediate section between the end sections; and a ring rail 27 is secured to the sleeve, preferabl by bolts 28 assing through the rail, the caring ring, t e intermediate section, and the wall of the retort, for clamping all these parts ri idly together. A ring gear 29 is also securetf to one of the bearing rings,

olts 30 passing through flanges on the respective parts, to which power may be applied from any suitable source by a pinion 31, for rotating the retort, the ring rails riding upon rolls 32 journaled in bearings 32 in well known manner. 7

Annular sealing flanges 33 are formed or secured on each tubular sleeve adjacent to the ends thereof, and as shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, these flanges may be proportioned to enter within the opening formed by the end wall plate flanges 21' to permit a longitudinal movement of the retort to accommodate its expansion and contraction by varying degrees of heat. To each wall plate is secured a spring sealing ring 34 and 34 which bears yieldingly against the adjacent sealing flange for making a gas tight closure of the opening of the heating chamber around the flue sleeves 22 and 22.

Each spring sealing ring 34 may be made of a plurality of laminations of arcuate sections 34", overlapped in staggered relation to close the joints between them. These sections are made of thin spring steel strips or referably the rear ring 26', as by means of j other resilient material and may be secured together and clamped to the wall plates 21 by a'ring 35 and bolts 36.

The sealing rings at both ends of the rear tubular sleeve are normally formed with their inner portions inclined away from the wall plate so as to bear yieldingly against the sealing flanges 33, so as to permit a limited endwise movement in opposite directions of the ends of the tubular sleeve; and the sealing ring at the forward end of the forward sleeve is normally formed and bears in a similar manner, so as to permit a considerable forward movement of the forward sleeve; while the sealing ring 34 around the rear end of the forward sleeve may be and preferably is normally formed flat against the wall plate 21 so as to-bear yieldingly against the abutting sealing flange 33 when the retort is cold and contracted rearward, as when not in operation.

The normal position of the sealing rings and flanges when the tubular retort is cold is shown in' Figs. 7 and 9 of the drawings, and the slight downward inclination of the retort from front to rear causes it to bear rearward against the relatively stationary head 37 at the rear end of the retort; and when the retort is cold and contracted in this position, the normal condition of the respective sealing rings and flanges is shown in Figs. 7 and 9 of the drawings. This arrangement permits a slight bodily movement of the rear tubular sleeve in either direction, and a slight endwise expansive movement of the ends of the same ring in opposlte dlreetlons; and also permits a considerable bodily movement of.

the forward tubular sleeve forward when from its relative fixed rear end; and when so moved, the forward sleeve may move to may be employed for heating the retort arefree to flow around the retort and endwise thereof throughout its entire length, by from one section of the heating chamber to another through the annular flues, to an exit opening 89, which is preferably located at the bottom of the forward end of the furnace. The flue sleeves may be encased in a heat retaining packing 40, to reduce the radiation of heat therefrom to a minimum, and by the use of these sleeves the retort may be heated constantly and uniformly throughout its enably tapered toform a truncated tire length.

Each end of the tubular retort is prefercone 14, for reducing the diameter and therefore the exposed area of the heads 37 and 37 used for closing the ends of the retort. In this man- 'ner the surface of the retort which is directly exposed to the action of the heating gases 18 increased to a maximum or more than 90% of the total exterior surface of the retort. The end heads 37 and 37 of the retort are preferably suspended from above or supported from below by links 41, the ends of which form bearings for trunnions 42 extending laterally on each side of the head, preferably in the horizontal diameter thereof. When these links are supported from below, the lower ends thereof are provided with adjustable balls 40 seated in bearings 41" for permitting a limited oscillation and turning. The sustaining or supporting links 41 are inclined upward toward the furnace,

' so that the weight of, the head acts to press the heads against the end of the retort; and

I at the same time the head is free to move-inward and outward and to swing upon its trunnion bearings, and also upon the ball bearings of the supporting links, so as to accommodate itself to the endwise andwearing movement of the end of' the retort.

A short neck 14 may extend outward from the truncated conical end of the retort, over which the rim 37" of the head may telescope to center the head on the neck, and a machine faced bearing ring 42' may be secured around the inner end of the neck of the retort for contacting with a machine faced rim flange 37 on the head, to close the circumferentially sliding joint between these parts. One or both of these flan es may be provided with an annular groove or ever there is receiving and'retaining a packing ring 43, which may be made of asbestos rope or the like toform a gas tight sealing of the joint; but, in some cases, the contact may be directly between the machined faces of the abutting flanges.

For the purpose of cushioning the frictional pressure of the rim flange of the head against the rotating bearing flange on the end of the retort, it is preferred to interpose compression springs 44 between ears 45 on I the sides of the head, and the end plate 20 of the heating chamber; and these springs and ears serve to ultimately stop an inward movement of the head, in event the retort is withdrawn by contraction from a bearing contact therewith;

The annular rim flange 20' which is provided on the end plate 20, extends outward around the periphery of the rim flange 37 of the head, and the former flange is preferably provided with an annular groove 46 for receiving'and retaining a packing ring 46', which may likewise be made of asbestos rope for sealing in the end of the heating chamber.

A feed pipe 47 extends upward from the forward head of the retort, for receiving fuel or'other raw material to be treated therein, and the lower section of-this pipe is preferably formed integral with the head of the retort. Means for controllin the continuity and rate of feed are prefera ly provided in an upright tubular section 47 of the feed pipe, and these means may include a disk screw lower end of an axial rod 4 which may be driven by a variable speed motor 50. The disk screw 48 may be formed by cutting a radial slit therein and deflecting the disk downward on the forward side 48 of the slit below the edge 48 on the rear side thereof as the disk is rotated, thus forming an opening 49 between the severed edges of the slit through which a corresponding amount of raw material may pass as the disk is rotated. The same means may be used in the delivery tube 47 a leading from the retort.

Controlling means are preferably provided for the feed pipe above the feed screw, and as shown may include a'swinging section 51 of the wall thereof, pivoted above at 51 to swing into the tube, and provided with an outwardly extending weighted arm 51" carrying a contact 52 arranged to abut another contact 52 when the wall section is swung outward, for closing the electric circuit 50, by which the motor 50 is operated. Whenraw material in the feed flue extending upward above the swinging section of the wall, the same is pressed outward to close the circuit and operate the motor for turning the disk screw and feeding the raw 48 rotatable in the feed pipe on the so that it drops below the swinging section\ of the wall, the same swings inward to break v the circuit and stop the operation of the feed screw; thereby constantly maintaining a sufficient amount of raw material above the screw to constantly maintain a gas tight sealing thereof.

The yielding pressure, end-closure heads for the rotary retort illustrated and described, but not claimed herein, are made the subject matter of claims in my application for rotary retorts, filed April 17 1929, Serial No. 355,913, in continuation of this application with respect to that particular subject matter.

I claim:

1. A furnace including a tubular rotary retort, the axis of which is inclined to the vertical, a wall surrounding'said retort along the entire axis thereof and spaced from said retort, the space between said retort and said wall being adapted for, heating said retort, said wall comprising stationary sections surrounding said retortan'd spaced from each other along said axis, said wall also comprising rotary sections between said stationary sections secured to and surrounding said retort and bridging the intervals between said stationary sections, said stationary sections and said rotary sections being constructed so as to allow rotation of said rotary sections with said retort, said rotary sections having peripheral portions that are circular in cross section transverse to said axis and concentric therewith, and bearing members on which said peripheral portions rest.

2. A furnace including a tubular rotary retort, the axis of which is inclined to the vertical, a wall surrounding said retort along the entire axis thereof and spaced from said retort, the space between said retort and said wall being adapted for heating said retort, said wall comprising stationary sections surrounding said retort and spaced from each other along said axis, said wall also comprising rotary sections between said stationary sections secured-to and surrounding said retort and bridging the intervals between said stationary sections, said stationary sections and said rotary sections being constructed so as to allow rotation of said rotary sections with said retort, and yielding means closing the joint between said stationary sections and said rotary sections, said rotary sections having peripheral portions that are circular in cross section transverse to said axis and concentric therewith, and bearing members on which said peripheral portions rest.

In testimony that I claim the above, I have hereunto subscribed my name;

CLARENCE B. WISNER.

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