US2218806A - Retort - Google Patents

Description

J. o. BETTERTON Er AL 2,218,805

RETORT Filed De. 10, 1938 5 Sheets-Sheet l Oct.' 22, 1940.

06t- 22, 1940. J. o. BETTERTON ET AL. 2,218,806

RETORT Filed Deo. lO, 1938 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 0t 22, 1940- J. o. BETTERTON Er Ax. 2,218,806

RETORT.

Filed Dec. 1o. 1938 s sheets-sheet s l .i4 54 56 ir 56 52, l 4 5o g 12 5a' 12' jjj 501 ,5/'2 541 y t l l) Y I/ I L50 /M INVENTOR S .fsse (l eerian Patented Oct. 22, 1940 UNITED STATES y PATENT i OFFICE RETORT Application December 10, 1938, Serial No. 244,898 6 Claims. (Cl. 263-42).

This invention relates to retorts constructed from non-metallic refractory shapes.

In view of the high temperatures attending various metallurgical and mineralogical retort 5 operations and rthe inability of known metallic compositions to satisfactorily serve the purpose, it has -been necessary in various arts to employ built-up retorts of non-metallic, refractory material of which silicon carbide is a Itypical and 10 outstanding example.

inasmuch, however, as such retorts are susceptible to fracture by thermal shock and undergo considera-ble expansion and contraction with changes in temperature, the maintenance of the 15 retort in a gas or vapor tight condition, `so necessary in zinc reduction, for example, constitutes a real problem.

Such retorts are generally of rectangular crosssection and among the measures heretofore progo posed to cope with the problem may be menltioned rthe provision of slip joints in the end walls for receiving `the side walls, and maintaining the end walls under a pressure tending to horizontally compress the side walls of fthe retort. g5 The present invention provides non-metallic, refractory retorts embodying such improvements as the provision of joints between end and side walls Ithat are removed from :the direct sweeping action of the gases heating fthe retort thereby 50 enhancing the sealing of such joints, a novel construction permitting access to such joints for repair or other purpose without interrupting the continuityv of [the furnace operation, and end and complementary side wall tile embracing prin- 5 ci-ples of design which by Ithe application of a suitable compressive force to the former lend increased mechanical strength to the retort and insure it against gas or vapor leakage.

Although the novel features which are =be 40 lieved -to be characteristic of this invention will be particularly pointed out in fthe claims appended hereto, the invention itself, as to its objects and advantages, and :the lmanner in which it may be carried out, may be better understood 45 by referring to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings form-ing a part thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a sectional plan view through a retort and combustion chamber in :accordance with the invention,

Fig. 2 is -a partial side elevation of lthe retort proper ltaken lat line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary perspective view of a portion of .the retort and heating chamber showing certain bricks removed permitting access to the end wall joints of the retort,

Fig. -4 is a section -plan view somewhat similar to Fig. 1 but showing a `plurality .of retorts mounted in side-by-side relationship, 5

Fig. 5 is a plan view of one |type of special shaped refractory unit for building Ithe retort end wall,

Fig. 6 is a view taken along line 6-6 of Fig. 5,

Fig. 7 isa plan view of specially shaped re- 10 fractory side wall unit for articulation with Ithe end wall unit'shown in Figs. 5 and 6,

Fig. 8 is a view rtaken along the line 8 8 of Eig.7,

Fig. 9 is a plan 4view of a specially shaped re- 15 fractory sidev wall ,similar to that shown in Figs. 'l and 8 but-of shorter length to permit staggeringl of vertical'joints in .the retort side wall, "2

Fig. 10 is a view taken along the line lll-III 20 of Fig. 9, I* f Fig. 11 is a plan `View of a further :ty-pe of special shaped refractory uniftfor building the reitont end wall,

Fig. 12 is a.view taken along :the line |2|2 25 of Fig. 11,

Fig. 13 is a plan view of a further specially shaped refractory side wall unit for articulation withv the end wall unit shown in 11 and 12,

Fig. 14 is a view ftaken along the `line M-Il 30 of Fig. 13,

Fig. 15 is a plan view of a specially "shaped refractory side wall unit similar to that shown in Figs. 13 and 14 but of shorter length .to permit staggering of vertical joints in Ithe retort side wall,

Fig. 16 is a view taken along the line IE-IS of Fig. 15.

Like reference characters denote like parts in the several figures of the drawings.

Referring more particularly rto .the drawings, and especially .to Figs. 1 and 2 .thereof which show a typical embodiment of the present improved construction, the vretort proper is shown with heat-transmitting, opposite side wall-s built up of -bricks I0 of standard shape and bricks I2 of a special shape, the latter being in articulation with special shaped bricks I4 of .fthe opposite end walls of the retort. All of bricks I0, l2 and I4 are of silicon carbide or other suitable non- 50 metallic refractory. High grade insulating brick I6 and i8 are provided for :the end walls to protect the retort from heat losses.

The furnace setting for the retort proper is shown as comprising walls 20 within a heat-in- 55 s'ulating housing 22, the same being supported by steel side buckstays 24 and corner buckstays 26 secured by tie rods 28 and 36. At either end of the retort are a suiiicient number of vertically spaced pressure exerting means comprising adjustable compression springs 32 carried by screws 34 threadedly mounted in bracket 36 bearing against I-beam 38 of the supporting framework of the furnace. Face plates 40 are provided to receive the pressure exerted by springs 32 and transmit it to the end and side walls of the furnace for the purposes hereinafter referred to. Suiilcient clearance is, of course, provided for the screws 34 to permit free up and down movement of the pressure-exerting means with changes in the height of the retort in response to temperature changes thereof.

Between bricks I8 and the furnace wall 20 at the joint seals 42 formed by special-shaped bricks I2 and I4 is a space preferably filled with a mixture 44 of weak re clay mud. grog to prevent excessive shrinkage and ground coal or coke to facilitate its easy removal. Between the wall 20 and the side Wall of the retort and again between housing 22 and bricks I8 are spaces of one-half inch or so, the former of which are completely lled with weak lre clay mud 46 and the latter partially so filled as indicated by 48, the outermost portions of the latter spaces being left open enabling cooling of buckstays 24 by convection currents of air. y

Thus it will be seen that the only physical contact between the walls of the retort and those of the furnace setting is that furnished by the several fillets of weak re clay 44, 46 and 48. l These fillets of weak fire clay mud are not to be con fused with the packing or sealing material for joints suggested by some of the prior art to prevent leakage of gases or vapor from the interior of the retort; in fact, neither their chemical composition nor their physical texture is suitable for such purpose, they being put in place as mud with the primary objective of preventing leakage of combustion gases from the furnace...

In Fig. 4 there is illustrated a plurality of retorts mounted side-by-side, the structure being essentially the same as that shown in Fig. 1 except for the furnace structure between the retorts comprising walls 2I and housing 23 secured by buckstays 25 and tie rods 21. Also, the weak fire clay fillets 46 are shown as only occupying a portion of the space between furnace walls 20 and retort walls I0.

In Figs. 5-10 are shown the detailswof the special shapes I2, I2a and I4 which make the joint seals 42 between the side and end walls of the retort, the shape I2a being shorter than shape I2, to permit staggering of the joints in the various courses of the retort side walls, but other- Wise the same. The end wall brick I4 is provided with a relatively long, slightly tapered tongue portion 50 and presents, as contact surfaces for shapes I2 or I2a the flat faces 52 and 54 and the intermediate curved face 56. The faces of the special shaped side wall members I2 and I2a which are complementary to the faces 52, 54 and 56 are indicated in Figs. 7-10 as 62, 64 and 66 and 62a, 64a and 66a, respectively.

It will be understood that the details of design of the special shapes forming the joint seals 42 may be varied while still retaining most or all of the basic principles involved. One modification is shown in Figs. 1l-16 inclusive, the primed reference characters denoting the structures of like function illustrated in Figs. 5-10.

Now in operation the retort is constantly under the compressive force exerted by the springs 32 and by reason of the specialshaped refractory units I2 and I4 this compressive force is resolved into two major components, one of which places the entire side wall under compression whereby spreading of the vertical joints is prevented and the other of which urges the side wall inwardly toward the opposite side wall thereby overcoming the tendency of the side wall tomove outwardly by reason of interior retort pressures. Thus the improved construction imparts unusual mechanical strength to the retort. The novel manner in which the special refractory shapes I2 and I4 resolve the compressive forces exerted by the springs 32 is, of course, of great importance in sealing the joint 42 between them against the escape of gas or vapor from the retort. In addition to the fact that the faces 52, .54 and 56 of tile I4 are all constantly urged into close engagement with the complementary faces 62, 64 and 66 of tile I2 or I2a, it will be noted that by reason of the length of the tongue 50, the path that would have to be travelled by escaping vapor is much longer than any other vertical joint in the retort wall. Further, the seal 42 is far removed from the sweep of the furnace combustion gases, another -important factor in maintaining the joint sealed.

'I'he ease with which the joint seal 42 between tiles I2 and I4 can be inspected or serviced without disturbing the retort operation is well villustrated in Fig. 3, it only being necessary to remove a number of the bricks I8 thereby exposing the side faces of the special end shapes I4 and the weak fire clay fillets 44 and 48 which are readily removed exposing the joint seal 42. The overhanging bricks I8 which are not removed are supported by any suitable means not shown. To assemble, the fillets are replaced with weak fire clay mud and the bricks I 8 reinserted.

While certain specific details of construction have been pointed out in the foregoing description, it will be understood that various modifications and changes may be made by those skilled in the art within the scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A metallurgical retort assembly comprising built-up side and end walls, the end walls articulating with the side walls and defining junction seals therewith, the said end walls comprising refractory shapes having a. portion extending for a substantial distance into the retort between the side walls and shoulder portions extending over the ends of said side walls, said portions together forming spaced seats for said side walls having divergently inclined surfaces abutting said side walls and complementary in shape to the ends thereof, and balanced adjustable compression means bearing against the Vsaid end Walls for continuously urging the end walls in vapor-tight relation to the side walls.

2. A metallurgical retort comprising built-up side and end walls, the end walls articulating with the side walls and defining junction seals therewith, the said seals terminating in seams extending vertically along the exterior end walls of the retort, furnace settings enclosing the retort `and defining a combustion chamber for the retort, fillets of weak re clay mud or the like overlying the seams and forming the sole connections Vbetween the retort and furnace settings, and readily removable brickwork overlying the said fillets and providing access thereto Without interruption 0f the retort operation.

3. Apparatus for the reduction of zinc and operations of a similar nature comprising a vertically-disposed, built-up, refractory retort having heat-transmitting side walls` and supporting end walls articulating therewith, pressure exerting means yieldable in response to expansion and contraction of the retort by thermal changes mounted exteriorly of the retort continuously urging the end walls into contact with the side walls, the configuration of the joints between the side and end walls including at least portions of the abutting surfaces diverging outwardly in the direction of the opposite end of the retort so resolving said pressure as to simultaneously compress the side walls longitudinally and overcome their tendency toward lateral displacement in response to internal retort pressure, a furnace setting for said retort, and fillets of weak fire clay or the like constituting the only physical contact between the retort and the furnace setting.

4. Metallurgical apparatus comprising, a retort including heat transmitting side walls and supporting end walls abutting said side walls and forming a joint seal therewith, furnace settings 25 associated with said retort and defining a combustion chamber therefor, and means -protecting said joint seal from the sweeping action of the combustion gases including llets extending over the joints between said side and end walls, and interposed between said joints and said combustion chamber. l

5. A metallurgical retort comprising side walls, end walls of generally T-shaped cross section articulating with said side walls and forming a junction seal therewith, and means yieldingly applying a compressive force on said end walls Atending to restrain opening of said junction seal,

and to compress said side walls.

6. Metallurgical apparatus comprising a retort including side walls and end walls abutting said side walls and forming a joint therewith, the abutting portions of said side and end walls being complementarily shaped and including a curved apex portion and angularly inclined Wall portions diverging outwardly from said apex toward the opposite end of said retort, and means for applying a compressive force on said walls for maintaining said joint in sealed condition at least during operation of said apparatus.

JESSE O. BE'I'I'ER'ION. MELVILLE F. PMS.

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