US3580813A

US3580813A - Condition responsive water quench in a closed coke cooling system

Info

Publication number: US3580813A
Authority: US
Inventors: Basil W Hinchliffe
Original assignee: Koppers Co Inc
Current assignee: Raymond Kaiser Engineers Inc
Priority date: 1969-01-28
Filing date: 1969-01-28
Publication date: 1971-05-25
Anticipated expiration: 1988-05-25

Abstract

INCANDESCENT COKE IS RECEIVED FRO A COKE OVEN THROUGH A CLOSED COKE GUIDE INTO A CLOSED HOPPER CAR; THE CAR TRAVELS TO A CLOSED COOLING UNIT WHERE THE COKE IS DUMPED. IN THE CLOSED UNIT, THE COKE IS CHARGED AT A PREDETERMINED RATE ONTO A CONVERYOR WHICH TRAVELS AT A SET SPEED. THE COKE ON THE CONVEYOR PASSES THROUGH

WATER SPRAYS WHICH DIRECT WATER AT A DETERMINED FLOW RATE ON TO THE COKE TO COOL THE COKE TO A PREDETERMINED TEMPERATURE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE QUENCHED COKE IS CONVEYED AWAY FOR FURTHER PROCESSING.

Description

y 25, 1971 B. w. HINCHLIFFE 3,580,313

' CONDITION RESPONSIVE WATER QUENCH IN A CLOSED COKE COOLING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 28, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet l I NVENTOR.

EflS/L Ml. H/NCHL IFFE y 25, 1971 B. w. HINCHLIFFE 3,580,313

' CONDITION RESPONSIVE WATER QUENCH IN A CLOSED COKE COOLING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 28, 1969 2 Sheets-Sheet z I NVENTOR.

BASIL W. H/NCHL IFFE United States Patent O 3,580,813 CONDITION RESPONSIVE WATER QUENCH IN A CLOSED COKE COOLING SYSTEM Basil W. Hinchlitfe, Pittsburgh, Pa., assignor to Koppers Company, Inc. Filed Jan. 28, 1969, Ser. No. 794,485 Int. Cl. C101! 39/12 US. Cl. 20139 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE Incandescent coke is received from a coke oven through a closed coke guide into a closed hopper car; the car travels to a closed cooling unit where the coke is dumped. In the closed unit, the coke is charged at a predetermined rate onto a conveyor which travels at a set speed. The coke on the conveyor passes through water sprays which direct water at a determined flow rate on to the coke to cool the coke to a predetermined temperature. Subsequently, the quenched coke is conveyed away for further processing.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to improved methods and apparatus for transporting hot coke from a coke oven and for cooling hot coke with a significant reduction in air pollution and conservation of water.

conventionally, hot incandescent coke is pushed from each oven of a coke oven battery, in turn, into an open topped quenching car which travels along a track on the coke side of the battery of ovens. A locomotive moves the car carrying the hot incandescent coke to a conventional quenching station whereupon water sprays are applied to both the hot coke and the car. Thereafter, the quenched coke is dumped from the car into a wharf where it dries and cools to a suitable handling temperature. One disadvantage of this practice is that the coke is not quenched uniformly; nor is water used in the most eificient manner. Also, the quenched coke has a nonuniform moisture content. A further disadvantage of the conventional practice is the time delay in pushing the coke from the ovens because the cars are not immediately available to receive coke from another oven. The schedules for pushing coke ovens in a battery are such that in the conventional practice, the single car cannot always handle all of the ovens. Another disadvantage with the conventional practice is that gases evolve from the reaction of the hot incandescent coke with the air and also gases evolve from the reaction of incandescent coke with the water substantially contributing to the problem of air pollution. Furthermore, about 1% by weight of the coke is lost by burning in an open quenching car as the car travels from the coke oven to the conventional quenching station.

DESCRIPTION OF PRIOR ART In an attempt to provide for uniform quenching of coke and to overcome the problem of scheduling the discharge of coke ovens Wilson, Pat. No. 3,373,086 provides a chamber separate from the coke carrying car to receive the hot incandescent coke from the car, which chamber includes a conveyor in one embodiment of Wilson that receives the hot incandescent coke and carries the hot coke to the water spraying chamber. The conveyor stops and sprays apply water to quench the hot, incandescent coke. Thereafter, the conveyor is reactivated to remove the quenched coke from the chamber. The method and apparatus of Wilson has several inadequacies. The batch dumping of the hot coke does not uniformly distribute the hot, incandescent coke upon the conveyor 3,589,813- Patented May 25, 1971 with a result of non-uniform cooling of the coke and a non-uniform moisture content of the coke; the dumping and quenching is not continuous, but is a batch process. Also, excessive quantities of water tend to be used to assure quenching. Furthermore, air pollution results because the car of Wilson is open and the hot incandescent coke is dumped onto an open conveyor; both the hot coke and the steam distilled from the quenching operation evolve fumes into the atmosphere.

In accordance with my invention, a closed coke cooling system is provided that conserves the use of water and prevents the pollution of the atmosphere, and yet produces a coke which has a uniform moisture content. In addition, a greater yield of coke is produced by my invention because the hot coke is protected from reaction with air.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In accordance with the invention, a system is provided for treating hot coke discharged at a temperature of incandescence from a coke oven comprising a cooling unit for receiving and quenching hot coke, a closed hopper car for transporting hot coke from a coke oven to the cooling unit, and a guide interposed between the coke oven and the car for the transfer of coke from the coke oven to the car. Means are provided on the car and the cooling unit for cleaning particulate matter from the gases coming off the hot coke. Thecooling unit, the car, and the guide provide a closed system to protect the coke from the air. The cooling unit includes a means for spraying water and a means for subjecting a uniform layer of hot coke to spraying water for a predetermined time to cool the hot coke from the temperature of incandescence to a temperature below the boiling point of water.

GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic plan layout of an embodiment of the closed coke cooling system in accordance with. my invention;

FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of the closed hopper car shown in phantom lines in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an end view of the closed coke cooling system of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION The closed coke cooling system, FIG. 1, is generally indicated at 11 as including a closed coke guide 31 in phantom lines, a closed hopper car 51 in phantom lines, and a pair of closed cooling units 21.

The closed coke guide 31 in FIG. 3 has smooth solid walls 32 forming a channel through which the hot incandescent coke passes when pushed from a coke oven (not shown) into the closed car 51. The coke guide 31 is rollably mounted on rolls 33 which are connected to a guide frame 35. The guide frame 35 has wheels 37 riding upon a track 39 on the coke side of the battery, The closed guide 31 has two open ends (41a,b) one end 41a engages the conventional coke oven door jamb (not shown) and the other end 41b engages the closed car 51 in such a fashion as to provide a closed channel connecting the coke oven and the closed hopper car 51 together to prevent the exposure of the hot incandescent coke to the atmosphere and to contain any gases evolving from the hot incandescent coke to the car 51. The coke guide 31 may be conveniently designed so that it telescopes between the coke oven and the car on the rolls 33.

The closed car 51 in FIG. 2 travels on another track 53 which is disposed at the coke side of the coke oven battery at a. lower level than the track 39 over which the guide 31 travels and which leads to the cooling units 21 as shown in FIG. 1. The closed quenching car 51 in FIG. 2 includes a body portion 55 riding upon wheels 57 which engage the track 53. The body portion 55 has a bottom 59, side walls 61, end walls 63 and a closed top 69 forming a closed chamber to contain any evolved gases within the body 55 and to protect the hot coke in the car 51 from the air. The phantom lines in FIG. 2 indicate the height to which the incandescent coke rises in a fully charged closed car 51. With my invention, it is unnecessary to charge the coke uniformly in the car as opposed to conventional practice requiring the car to be gradually inched forward to provide a uniform layer of coke in the conventional quenching car as the coke is discharged from the oven. The body portion 55 extends from the wheels 57 of the car to a height greater than that of a coke oven door. The side wall 61 nearest the coke oven battery has a swinging door 71 or the like pivotally mounted on the car 51 conforming substantially to the size of the coke oven door jamb. This door 71 will normally be closed to provide the closed chamber of the car 51; the door 71 will be opened by the coke guide 31 to receive the end of the coke guide 31 when the car 51 is aligned with the guide 31 to form a seal between the guide 31 and the door 71 which will substantially protect the coke contained by the car from the air.

The bottom 59 of the car has gates 73 or the like shown in FIG. 3 which are normally closed in order to contain the hot incandescent coke within the closed car 51. When the car is positioned in the proper position relative to the cooling unit 21 the gates 73 will be opened and the hot incandescent coke will pass by the force of gravity through the gates 73 into the cooling unit 21.

The car 51 is movable along the track 53 by any suitable means. Conveniently, a locomotive 75 is used to transfer the car to the cooling unit 21.

The car 51 additionally includes a conventional dust collecting and gas scrubbing unit 77 in FIG. 2 which is mounted on one end of the car 51 for cleaning andremoving gases evolving from the hot incandescent coke Within the closed chamber of the car. This unit 77 is designed to create a negative pressure within the car 51 to prevent evolving gases from escaping to the atmosphere which causes air pollution, and to clean these gases before they pass from the car 51 by the stack 78 of the unit 77 into the atmosphere.

The cooling unit 21 in FIG. 3 is a complete enclosure comprising generally a receiving bin 81, a cooling conveyor 83, spray means 85, a collecting conveyor 87, a surge bin 89 in FIG. 1, a summating means 91 external of the cooling unit 21 and a dust collecting and gas scrubbing means 93.

At the receiving end of the cooling unit 21 in FIG. 3 is the receiving bin 81. The receiving bin 81 comprises a chamber 95 which has a generally rectangular wall 97 as seen in FIG. 1 and a series of bottom hoppers 98 as shown in FIG. 3. My invention contemplates three bottom hoppers 98 which are aligned with three conveyors 83 for each receiving bin 81. The incandescent coke is charged for temporary storage into the receiving bin 81.

At the top of the receiving bin 81, a lid 99 or the like is rollably mounted thereon. The lid 99 is normally closed to prevent the escape of noxious fumes into the atmosphere and further to protect the hot coke from the atmosphere. The lid is movable to an open position by the closed car 51 by any simple coupling mechanism mounted to the bottom of the car 51. As the car 51 approaches the lid 99, the coupling 60 engages the lid 99 and as the car 51 proceeds, the lid slides off of the receiving binv 81 to an open position. After the hot incandescent coke is dumped into the receiving bin 81, the car 51 ,closes the lid 99 by sliding the lid 99 over the receiving bin 81 to a closed position. If desired, the lid 99 may be operated manually with external means.

The receiving bin 81 is internally lined with an internal refractory lining 101 which is co-extensive with the walls of the bin 81 for protecting the walls 97 from the high temperatures of the hot incandescent coke contained therein. At the bottom hoppers 98 of the receiving bin 81, a feeder means 103 is pivotedly mounted at the bottom of the chamber to control the rate of charging hot incandescent coke to the conveyor 83 disposed thereunder.

Disposed directly beneath the receiving bin 81 are a series of cooling conveyors 83 which carry hot incandescent coke through the cooling unit 21; the preferred embodiment contemplates 3 conveyors for one receiving bin composed of an endless stainless steel belt or a plate conveyor or the like. The conveyors 83 have variable speeds for' passing the incandescent coke through the cooling unit 21 at any speed desired. The stainless steel belts may be 4 ft. wide and generally extend at right angles of the receiving bin 81. The conveyors 83 may be horizontal or inclined of the cooling unit 21. At the receiving end of the conveyor 83, the temperature detecting means 105 are disposed for measuring the temperature of the hot incandescent coke as it rides upon the conveyor 83. Conventional temperature measuring apparatus may be used as the means for detecting the temperatures.

A series of water sprays 85 are next provided which are directed onto the conveyor 83 through which water passes to cool the hot incandescent coke to a predetermined temperature. As the hot incandescent coke is quenched or cooled, steam and other gases evolving from the contact of the water with the hot coke will pass into the plenum chamber 107 into the stack 109 to a conventional dust collecting and mist suppressing unit 93. In FIG. 1, the plenum chamber 107 shares the common stack 109.

The collecting conveyor 87 is disposed below and at right angles to the cooling conveyors 83 as best illustrated in FIG. 1 which collecting conveyor 87 leads to a surge bin 89 which may be used to temporarily store the quenched coke. The surge bin 89 is optional with my invention.

Desirably, the system as illustrated herein includes cooling sprays 111 located at the receiving ends of the cooling conveyors 83 to cool a conveyor portion itself before the conveyor receives the hot incandescent coke and cooling sprays 113 at the receiving end of the col lecting conveyor 87 to cool the collecting conveyor itself before the conveyor portion receives the quenched coke from the cooling conveyors 83.

Further, cooling sprays 115 may be provided at the discharge end of the collecting conveyor 87 to cool the quenched coke to an even lower temperature if desired, and a temperature detecting means 117 above the collecting conveyor 87 can activate the cooling spray 115 if the temperature of the coke has not reached this still lower temperature.

The conditions of cooling hot incandescent coke will vary considerably. For example, the temperature of the hot incandescent coke as it is charged to the cooling conveyors 83 will depend on the actual coking conditions in a coke oven, the residence time of the hot coke in the closed car, and even ambient temperatures. The temperature of the water used to cool the hot coke will also alter the conditions of cooling. In order to consistently provide a quenched coke having a predetermined temperature and a uniform moisture content as it exits the cooling unit a summating means 91 may be used with my invention.

The summating means 91 is external to the cooling unit and may comprise a computer or the like. Several sources of information are fed to the summating means. The speed at which the cooling conveyor 83 travels, the rate at which incandescent coke is charged to the cooling conveyor 83, the temperature of the water, and the temperature of the incandescent coke are all summated by the computer to determine the flow rate of water necessary to cool the coke to a certain predetermined temperature. The summating means 91 .then relays a signal to control the flow of water through the spray means 85. By the use of the summating means 91, the judicial use of Water is provided and further only the water necessary to cool the coke is used. Hence, elaborate breeze and sump handling equipment may be eliminated.

The foregoing summating means provide an open loop control system. If desired, a closed loop control system may be provided by additionally including a means for determining the temperature of the coke as it exits from the Water sprays. Then, the summating means 91 relays a signal to control the flow of water through the spray means 85 to maintain the exit temperature of the coke.

In the operation of my invention, the closed coke guide 31 and the closed car 51 will be aligned and positioned with a coke oven to receive hot incandescent coke from the oven while the car 51 remains stationary. The coke guide 31 will extend into the coke oven and into the closed car 51 at the car door 71 to achieve a relatively close fit.

Hot coke will pass into the car through the closed coke guide 31. The dust collecting and gas scrubbing unit 77 will evacuate from the car smoke and the like and emit them in a cleaned state through the stack 78.

After receiving the coke, the car 51 will travel to the cooling unit 21, located at some convenient position relative to the coke oven battery. The car 51 will open the wheeled lid 99 of the receiving bin 81 beyond the bin. While the car 51 is positioned over the bin 81, the car 51 will open its bottom gates 73 and discharge coke to the receiving bin 81. The car 51 will return to the coke oven battery and while going off the bin 81, the car 51 will return the wheeled lid 99 to a closed position.

The hot incandescent coke now contained by the receiving bin 81 will be monitored onto the cooling conveyors 83 by the gate 103 at a certain rate of discharge. The conveyors 83 will travel simultaneously while receiving its coke burden so that a controlled thickness of coke Will be carried by the conveyors 83.

The temperature of the incandescent coke will be meas ured prior to its entry into the Water sprays. As the conveyor 83 advances to the water sprays 85, the Water will be applied to the hot incandescent coke to quench it to a predetermined temperature. The emitted steam and gases evolving from the coke as it is being quenched will be drawn into the plenum chamber 107 above the sprays into the stack 109 for cleaning by any suitable gas cleaning equipment 93.

The quenched coke will then pass to the collecting conveyor 87 and travel along to the surge bin 89 for temporary storage until further processing of the coke is required.

In accordance with this invention, for example, a car 51 having a width of 14 ft. and a length of 28 ft. will carry the discharge of a coke oven producing 25 tons of coke. A receiving bin 30 ft. in length and 8 ft. in width and 6 ft. in height 'will handle the discharge of one such oven every 6 minutes. The incandescent coke riding on the conveyors 83 will be charged to 2 cu. ft. of coke per linear ft. per conveyor, there being three conveyor belts.

To provide for a 5-minute cooling zone, the conveyor belt Will travel at the rate of 85 ft. per minute. Thus, each of the three belts will carry 2.2 tons of coke per minute or a total of 6.6 tons of coke per minute.

The pattern of water sprayed on the coke extends the Width of the belt and for a length of 40 ft. The sprays supply 4,300 gallons of water on the coke during its residence time, thereby quenching the coke from an initial temperature of 1800 F. to 200 F. In this example, lO sprays per conveyor belt are provided with each spray providing 28.6 gallons of water per minute.

Thus my novel closed coke cooling system provides a means for protecting hot incandescent coke from air and prevents the pollution of the atmosphere with noxious fumes. A greater yield of coke is produced by my invention because the hot coke is always protected from air. Water for cooling the coke is conserved and means is included that converts all Water to steam whereby expensive water recirculating equipment is eliminated. Also, a quenched coke is produced that contains a minimum and uniform moisture content.

What is claimed is:

1. A process in a closed coke cooling system for protecting hot incandenscent coke from direct exposure to air, for confining to said system any evolved gases resulting from a reaction of said hot coke with air and for uniformly cooling said hot coke comprising:

(a) passing said hot coke from a coke oven through a closed coke guide into a closed car;

(b) cleaning any gases escaping from said hot coke in said car with a dust collecting and gas scrubbing system mounted on said car;

(c) moving said car while cleaning said gases to a stationary closed cooling zone;

(d) discharging said hot coke from said car into a receiving bin in the cooling zone;

(e) transferring said hot coke from the receiving bin at a certain rate to an endless conveyor;

(f) moving simultaneously said conveyor at a certain speed;

(g) detecting the temperature of said hot coke at the receiving end of said conveyor;

(h) spraying water on said hot coke carried by said conveyor;

(i) summating the rate of transfer of said hot coke to said conveyor, the speed of said conveyor, and the temperature of said hot coke for controlling the flow of water onto said hot coke to cool said hot coke to a predetermined temperature; and

(j) cleaning any escaping gases from the cooling of said hot coke with a dust collecting and mist suppressing system mounted in the cooling zone.

2. The process of claim 1 further comprising transferring said quenched coke from said conveyor to a surge bin for temporary storage.

3. A process in a closed cooling system for uniformly cooling hot incandescent coke and for retaining within said system any gases evolving from the cooling of said coke comprising:

(a) moving a closed car containing said hot coke to a.

stationary closed cooling zone;

(b) discharging said hot coke from said car to a receiving bin in said cooling zone;

(c) transferring said hot coke from said bin onto an endless conveyor at a certain rate;

(d) moving simultaneously said conveyor at a certain speed through said cooling zone;

(e) detecting the temperature of said hot coke on said conveyor at the receiving end of said conveyor;

(f) spraying water on said hot coke carried by said conveyor;

(g) controlling the fiow of water onto said hot coke by summating the rate of transfer of said hot coke to said conveyor, the speed of said conveyor and the temperature of said coke to cool said hot coke to a predetermined temperature; and

(h) cleaning any escaping gases resulting from the water contacting the hot coke with a dust collecting and mist suppressing system.

4. A method to uniformly cool hot incandescent coke with water in a closed cooling zone comprising:

(a) charging said hot coke to an endless conveyor at a certain rate;

(b) moving simultaneously said conveyor at a certain speed through said cooling zone;

(c) detecting the temperature of said hot coke on said conveyor at the receiving end of said conveyor; (d) spraying water on said hot coke carried by said conveyor; and

(e) controlling the flow of water onto said hot coke by summating the rate of transfer of said hot coke to said conveyor, the speed of said conveyor and the temperature of said hot coke to cool said hot coke to a predetermined temperature.

5. A closed coke cooling apparatus for protecting hot incandescent coke from direct exposure to air, for confining any evolved gases resulting from a reaction of said hot coke with air, and for uniformly cooling said hot coke comprising:

(a) a closed coke receiving car;

(b) a closed coke guide for the transfer of said hot coke from a coke oven to said car;

() a dust collecting and gas scrubbing system mounted on said car for cleaning any gases escaping from said hot coke in said car;

(d) a stationary closed cooling zone;

(e) means for moving said car while cleaning said gases to said closed cooling zone;

(f) a receiving bin in said cooling zone;

(g) means for discharging said hot coke from said car into said receiving bin in said cooling zone;

(h) an endless conveyor in said cooling zone for carrying said hot coke;

(i) means in said cooling zone for transferring said hot coke from said receiving bin at a certain rate to said conveyor;

(j) means for moving said conveyor at a certain speed;

(k) means in said cooling zone for detecting the temperature of said hot coke at the receiving end of said conveyor;

(1) means in said cooling zone for spraying water onto said hot coke carried by said conveyor;

(in) means for controlling the flow of water through said spray means that is responsive to said coke transferring means, said conveyor moving means and said temperature detecting means; and

(n) means in said cooling zone for cleaning any escaping gases from the cooling of said hot coke.

6. A closed coke cooling system operative with a coke oven battery and located relative on the coke side of said battery comprising:

(a) a closed coke guide having a means for protecting hot incandescent coke from exposure to air and for guiding the transfer of said hot coke from a coke oven of said battery;

('b) a track along the coke side of said battery;

(c) a closed hopper car travelling on said track and having a bottom and a closed body for containing said hot coke and a door for cooperation with said guide to receive said hot coke including:

(i) a discharge means at the bottom of said car for discharging said hot coke;

(ii) a dust collecting and gas scrubbing unit on said car for receiving and cleaning any gases evolving from the hot coke within said car; and

(iii) means for travelling said car on said track;

(d) a stationary closed cooling unit disposed beneath said track for quenching said hot coke and for retaining evolved gases arising therefrom comprising:

(i) a receiving bin for receiving the hot coke from said discharge means of said car including:

(1) a lid means mounted at the top of said bin nearest the track for restraining gases therein; and

(2) a feeder means mounted on the bottom of said bin for controlling the rate of discharge of said hot coke from said bin;

(ii) at least one cooling endless conveyor disposed beneath said bin to receive and carry said hot coke away from said bin;

(iii) means for moving said conveyor at a certain speed;

(iv) a means disposed near the receiving end of said cooling conveyor for detecting the temperature of said hot coke;

(v) a spray means in said unit disposed apart from said temperature detecting means and near said cooling conveyor for spraying water at a predetermined floW rate to quench said hot coke carried by said cooling conveyor;

(vi) means external of said cooling unit for controlling the rate at which water is to be sprayed through said spray means onto said hot coke which is responsive to said feeder means, said conveyor moving means and said temperature detecting means to cool said hot coke to a predetermined temperature;

(vii) a collecting conveyor positioned at substantially a right angle to said cooling conveyors and disposed beneath said cooling conveyors for receiving the quenched coke from said cooling conveyor;

(viii) a surge bin disposed at the end of said collecting conveyor for temporarily storing the quenched coke therein; and

(ix) a dust collecting and mist suppressing unit mounted on said cooling unit for receiving and cleaning any escaping gases from the hot coke being quenched.

7. A closed coke cooling unit operative with a coke oven battery comprising:

(a) a receiving bin for containing hot coke that has been discharged from a coke oven;

(b) at least one cooling endless conveyor disposed beneath said bin for receiving and carrying away said hot coke from said bin;

(c) means in operative association with said receiving bin for controlling the rate at which said hot coke is charged onto said cooling conveyor;

(d) means for moving said conveyor at a certain speed;

(e) a means for detecting the temperature of said hot coke disposed near the receiving end of said cooling conveyor;

(f) spray means in said unit near said cooling conveyor for spraying Water onto said hot coke;

(g) means that is responsive to said coke charging means, said conveyor moving means and said temperature detecting means for controlling the flow of water through said spray means;

(h) a collecting conveyor positioned at substantially a right angle to said cooling conveyor and disposed beneath said cooling conveyor for receiving quenched coke from said cooling conveyor; and

(i) a dust collecting and mist suppressing unit mounted on said cooling unit for receiving and cleaning any escaping gases from the hot coke being quenched.

8. The closed coke cooling apparatus of claim 7 wherein said closed car comprises:

(a) a body portion riding on wheels running along the track;

(b) said portion being integrally constructed of bottom, side walls, end walls, and a closed top forming a closed chamber;

(c) said body portion extending from the wheels of said car to a height greater than that of a coke oven door;

(d) said side walls being disposed on each side of said car in a sbustantial parallel relationship; one of said side walls nearest the coke oven having a door thereon for receving the coke guide and said door conforming substantially to the coke oven door;

(e) said bottom having gates through which said hot coke passes when the gates are opened, but which retains said hot coke when closed; and

(f) a dust collecting and gas scrubbing unit mounted on one end of said car for cleaning removing any gases evolving from said hot incandescent coke.

9. The closed coke cooling system of claim 7 wherein the receiving bin comprises:

(a) a chamber having generally rectangular walls and having hoppers at its bottom end;

(b) a wheeled lid rollably mounted on top of said chamber which is normally closed, but moveable to an open position by the closed car;

(c) said chamber internally lined with an internal refractory lining co-existensive with the internal walls of said chamber for protecting said chamber from the hot incandescent coke; and

(d) a feeder means mounted at the bottom of said chamber which controls the rate of charging hot incandescent coke to said cooling conveyor.

10. A closed coke cooling system operative with a coke oven battery comprising:

(a) a closed coke guide to protect hot incandescent coke from exposure to air and for guiding said coke from the coke oven;

(b) a closed hopper car travelling on a track along the coke side of said battery for containing said hot coke and adapted to receive a portion of said guide to form a closed channel communicating with said oven and said closed car;

(c) a dust collecting and gas scrubbing unit mounted on said car for receving and cleaning any escaping gases from said hot coke in said car;

(d) said car being adapted to empty said hot coke into a stationary closed cooling unit positioned relative to said battery beneath said track;

(e) said closed cooling unit comprising:

(i) at least one cooling endless conveyor disposed beneath said track to receive and carry away said hot coke, and travelling at a controllable speed;

(ii) means for charging said hot coke onto said cooling conveyor at a certain rate of charge as said conveyor is moving so that hot coke has a controlled thickness on said conveyor;

(iii) means for moving said conveyor at a certain speed;

(iv) means for detecting the temperature of said coke disposed near the receiving end of said conveyor;

(v) spray means in said unit near said cooling conveyor for spraying water at a certain flow rate onto said hot coke;

(vi) means that is responsive to said coke charging means, said conveyor moving means and said temperature detecting means for controlling the flow of water through said spray means to cool said hot cake to a predetermined temperature;

(vii) a collecting conveyor positioned relative to said cooling conveyor and disposed beneath said cooling conveyor for receving quenched coke from said cooling conveyor; and

(viii) a dust collecting and mist suppressing unit mounted on said cooling unit for receving and cleaning any escaping gases from the hot coke being quenched.

11. A staitonary closed cooling zone for uniformly cooling hot, incandescent coke that is received from a conventional coke oven and for confining any gases evolving from said coke comprising:

(a) an endless conveyor for carrying said hot coke;

(b) a means for moving said conveyor at a certain speed;

(c) a means for charging said hot coke onto said conveyor at a controllable rate of charge as said conveyor is moving so that said hot coke has a controlled thickness on said conveyor;

(d) a means for detecting the temperature of said hot coke disposed near the receving end of said conveyor;

(e) means for spraying water onto said hot coke carried by said conveyor; and

(f) means that is responsive to said conveyor moving means, said coke charging means and said temperature detecting means for controlling the flow of water through said spray means to cool said hot coke to a predetermined temperature.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,876,172 3/ 1959 Haberle 202-227X 3,367,844 2/ 1968 Cremer 202-227 3,373,086 3/1968 Wilson 20139 FOREIGN PATENTS 922,920 1/ 1963 France 20139 NORMAN YUDKOFF, Primary Examiner D. EDWARDS, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 137-98; 202-230