US2352418A - Ore reduction apparatus - Google Patents

Description

/ June 27, 1944.

v H. G. TWIFORD ORE REDUCTION APPARATUS Filed March 2'7, 1942 I 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Patented June 27, 1944- I UNITED STATES- PATENT OFFICE 2,352,41s onaniznnctr-rorq APPARATUS Harry rwifor'd, its Angeles, Calif. Application March27, 1942, Serial No. 436,504 20laims. relate-as) My invention relates to improvements in ore reductionapparatus for use in recovering metals and other properties from ore. I

The invention is designed with-the principal object in. View of providing efficient, simplyconstructed and easily controlled apparatus for feeding under pressure fine particles of ore and flux directly to heat at a temperature sufficient to through the openings l3, [4 by means of any suitable injector-type gas or oil burners, such as shown, for example, in Figure 2 and designated l3, M, respectively. 7

Above and .to one side'of the furnace l is a "closed ore supply tank l5 for receiving finely bring the particles immediatel to a melting point, thereby obviating any mass accumulation.

Other and subordinate objects are-also comprehended by my invention, all ofwhich, together with the precise nature of my improvements, will be readily understood when the succeeding description and claims are readwith reference to the drawings accompanying this specification.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of my im-- proved apparatus in its preferred embodiment,

around the wall 2 and chamber 3 with a top I arching over the top of the inner chamber 3. The chamber 3 is provided with a downwardly tapering, substantially conical, bottom well 8 opening into one end of a lateral passage 9 which at its other end communicates with a vertical passage l0. An annular, internal baflle forming ledge 3' extends around the chamber 3 at its juncture with the well 8. I

At the juncture of the passages 9, I is a slag discharge outlet duct l l inclining downwardly from the bottom of the passage 9. Contiguous to and spaced inwardl from said duct II is a small, metal collecting sump l2 in the bottom of the passage 9 having a downwardly and outwardly inclined metal discharge duct l2 leading from the bottom thereof.

0n the side of the furnace opposite the passage Ill, a lateral opening I3 is provided in the outer wall of the furnace for supplying heat to the bottom of the outer combustion chamber 6. A similar opening I4 is provided beneath the opening l3 for introducing heat into the inner combustion chamber 3 at the juncture thereof with the bottom well 8.

It is contemplated that heat be introduced and forming part of 1 divided orev introduced therein by way of a hop,- per lfi surmounting the tank with a suitable control valve IT 'at the bottom thereof. A pressure gauge I8 is provided on top of the ore supply tank [5 for a purpose presently seen.

Beneath/the ore supply tank I5 is a pressure storage tank 19 for air communicating with the bottom of the ore supply tank 15 adjacent one side of the latter by means of a, pipe 20 having a suitable control valve 2| interposed therein. A

nipple 22 at the bottom of the pressure storage tank I9 is provided for suitable connection to an. air compressor, not shown.

Extending from the opposite side of the ore supply tank I5 is .a lateral ore supply ,pipe 24 1 having a suitable control valve 25 interposed therein, said pipe opening into a vertical branch pipe 26 extending downwardly through the top of the furnace I axially of the inner combustion chamber 3 into the top of the latter.

An emergency pressure release valve 21 is provided in the upper end of the branch pipe 26.

The passage l0 opens adjacent its upper end into a laterally extending branch 21' of a gas condensing unit, said pipe having a downturned branch 28 extending into a condensation tank 29.

A trap 30 for condensates, or precipitates, is interposed in the branch 21.

An emergency safety valve 3| for pressure relief is provided at the top of the passage l0.

Referring now to the operation and use of the described apparatus, with the valves 2|, 25 closed and the valve I! open, the ore supply tank I5 is filled with finely divided ore to the desired level. The valve I! is then closed and the valve 2| opened to introduce compressed air from the compressed air storage tank l9 into the ore supply tank l5 until the pressure is built up therein, as indicated by the pressure gauge [8, well above the pressure existing in the furnace I. The valve 25 is then opened, whereupon, the finely divided ore is ejected under pressure from the ore supply tank I5 and through pipes 24, 26 into the inner combustion chamber 3. The air introduced with the ore into the furnace facilitates combustion, as will be clear. It will be understood that the temperature in the furnace I, that is, in the chambers 3 and 6, has been raised to bring the ore introduced therein to the melting point. The heat introduced into the outer combustion chamber 6 rises and curves over the top of the wall 2 down into the combustion chamber 3 and along with the heat supplied to the latter passes downwardly along the inner wall of said chamber 3 and of the well 8 into the passage 9 and up the passage it) into the described condenser. The trap 30 eliminates the condensates or precipitates, A

As will be seen, theore is caused under a downward flow of air to also float downwardly into the inner chamber 3, or center of the furnace, with the air to the passage 9 and the fine ore follows the hot wall of the chamber 3 and is immediately melted thereon. At the baffle ledge 3' the melted ore is slightly retarded in its downward flow and subjected at the top of the well 8, particularly, to added heat and then flows down the wall of the well 8 to the passage 9. As it travels through the passage 9 the melted metal settles in the sump l2 and discharges therefrom.

by way of the port i2, while the slag passes out of the discharge port H. The wall 2, aswill be seen, is heated on both'isides and thereby provides a centralized hot zone into which the ore is directly delivered to facilitate melting.

The foregoing will, it isbelieved, suffice to impart a clear understanding-of my invention without'further explanation. I

Manifestly, the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept, andright is herein reserved to such modifications as fallwithin the scope of the subjoined claims.

.What I claim is;

l. Qre reduction apparatus comprising a furnace including a centralized solid inner cylindrical wall forming an inner open top circular combustion. chamber, a downwardly tapering well at .the bottom of said chamber into which the latter opens directly, an outer side and top forming wall spaced from said inner wall and the top of the inner chamber and forming an annular outer combustion chamber surrounding said inner wall and inner chamber from top to bottom thereof and communicating at its top with said inner chamber, lateral apertures in said outer wall communicating with the bottoms of said inner and outer chambers, respectively, for containing burners, a lateral discharge passage for molten metal in said furnace. leading from the bottom of said well to the outside atmosphere, means to feed finely divided ore under pressure downwardly through the top of the outer wall into the top of the inner chamber, a condenser for the gases passing through said lateral discharge passage, and a vertical passage leading from said lateral discharge passage adjacent the outer end thereof to said condenser.

2. Ore reduction apparatus comprising a furnace including a centralized solid inner cylindrical wall forming an inner open top circular combustion chamber, a downwardly tapering well at the bottom of said chamber into which the latter opens directly, an outer side and top forming wall spaced from said inner wall and the top of the inner chamber and forming an annular outer combustion chamber surrounding said innerwall and inner chamber from top to bottom thereof and communicating at'its top with said inner I chamber, lateral apertures in said outer wall communicating with the bottoms of said inner and outer chambers, respectively, for containing burners, a lateral discharge passage for molten metal in said furnace leading from the HARRY G. rwrronn, v

Images