US3741414A

US3741414A - Installation for cooling calcium carbide run off into vessels

Info

Publication number: US3741414A
Application number: US00217063A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Krause; W Portz
Original assignee: Knapsack AG
Current assignee: Knapsack AG
Priority date: 1972-01-11
Filing date: 1972-01-11
Publication date: 1973-06-26
Anticipated expiration: 1990-06-26

Abstract

The invention provides an installation for cooling calcium carbide run off into vessels, comprising a rail system carrying trucks which serve as tapping vessels and are disposed under and at a distance from the tapping level of the calcium carbide furnaces, a movable device for ejecting the carbide blocks from the trucks, and a plurality of juxtaposed inclined planes which are constructed as chutes and the upper ends of which are disposed near a portion of the rail system which extends rectilinearly over a substantial length, while their lower ends lead to a conveyor belt. The trucks each have an upper portion which is lifted from a flat base to allow the blocks to be pushed off onto the chutes when they are cooled to a surface temperature of about 500*C to 600*C at which they are only partially solidified and just able to retain their block form without being supported laterally. The exposed blocks then rapidly cool to a temperature of about 200*C on the chutes which are overlapped to provide vents between them for the passage of cooling air below, between and above them.

Description

United States Patent 1 Krause et a1.

[11] 3,741,414 June 26, 1973 [75] lnventors: Johannes Krause, Hermulheim;

Wilhelm Portz, Erftstadt Kierdorf, both of Germany [73] Assignee: Knapsack Aktiengesellschaft,

Knapsack near Cologne, Germany [22] Filed: Jan. 11, 1972 [21] Appl. No.: 217,063

Related U.S. Application Data [62] Division of Ser. No. 24,542, April 1, 1970.

Primary Examiner-Harvey C. Hornsby Assistant Examiner-James W. Miller Attorney-Arthur G. Connolly, Jacob C. Kellem et a1.

[57] ABSTRACT The invention provides an installation for cooling calcium carbide run off into vessels,comprising a rail system carrying trucks which serve as tapping vessels and are disposed under and at a distance from the tapping level of the calcium carbide furnaces,a movable device for ejecting the carbide blocks from the trucks, and a plurality of juxtaposed inclined planes which are constructed as chutes and the upper ends of which are disposed near -a portion of the rail system which extends rectilinearly over a substantial length, while their lower ends lead to a conveyor belt. The trucks each have an upper portion which is lifted from a flat base to allow the blocks to be pushed off onto the chutes when they are cooled to a surface temperature of about 500C to 600C at which they are only partially solidified and just able to retain their block form without being supported laterally. The exposed blocks then rapidly cool to a temperature of about 200C on the chutes which are overlapped to provide vents between them for the passage of cooling air below, between and above them.

10 Claims, 3 Drawing Figures INSTALLATION FOR COOLING CALCIUM CARBIDE RUN OFF INTO VESSELS This application is a division of copending applicatwon for US. Letters Patent Ser. No. 24,542 filed Apr. 1, 1970.

The invention relates to an installation for cooling calcium carbide which is run off into vessels.

In large furnaces, liquid calcium carbide is run off into crucibles which after being filled with calcium carbide are taken by means of a crane into a cooling hall. The filled crucibles are left for about 40 hours in the cooling hall until the calcium carbide has cooled to a temperature of about 200C. The crucibles are then emptied, the carbide blocks coarsely crushed and this crushed calcium carbide is then loaded on to box belts which carry the coarse crushed calcium carbide to a fine crushing machine. In addition, a great deal of machinery in the form of portal cranes bridging the entire cooling hall are required to transport the crucibles from the tapping point to the hall, naturally with heavy expenditure for maintaining the mechanical equipment.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an installation for cooling calcium carbide run off into vessels, which greatly reduces cooling time, handling, labor and space requirements and simplifies transportation equipment. In accordance with this invention the installation comprises a rail system carrying trucks which serve as tapping vessels and are disposed beneath and at a distance from the tapping height of the calcium carbide furnaces; a movable device for emptying the tapping trucks and discharging carbide blocks to a plurality of juxtaposed inclined planes; the said movable device being comprised of a horizontally movable ejector ram, a platform and a holding ram, the said ejector ram being disposed at the height of the carbide blocks and the said platform being level with the trucks bottom disposed opposite to the ejector ram and having inclining means associated to it, and the said holding ram being placeable on to the surface of the carbide blocks; the said inclined planes being constructed as chutes the upper ends of which are disposed near a portion of the rail system which extends rectilinearly over a substantial length, while their lower ends are positioned at a distance above a conveyor belt.

Each of the trucks have an upper portion which is lifted from a flat base to allow the blocks to be pushed off onto aligned chutes when they are cooled to a surface temperature of about 500 to 600C at which they are only partially solidified and just able to retain their block form without being supported laterally. The exposed blocks then rapidly cool to a temperature of about 200C on the chutes which are overlapped to provide vents between them for the passage of cooling air below, between and above them. This invention entails shorter cooling times and correspondingly smaller space requirements, while expenditure for machinery is restricted to a minimum. According to the invention, this is essentially achieved by first cooling the calcium carbide in the vessels to a surface temperature below 600C, particularly between 500 and 600C, thereupon extracting it in the form of a block from the vessels and in that form subjecting it to the action of the outer atmosphere on a conveyor device for cooling it down to a temperature of about 200C which is suitable for crushing it. In this manner an installation of the type first mentioned above for the cooling of calcium carbide run off into vessels is obtained which fully solves the abovementioned problems underlying the invention.

As the calcium carbide block is in contact over a large area with the air surrounding it, its cooling time is in particular reduced from 40 hours to about 18 hours. Since the crucibles previously are dispensed with, the space required or the cooling hall is correspondingly small. Since with the aid of the device the transport of the crucibles from the tapping point to the cooling hall is eliminated, the expenditure for machinery in the form of portal cranes and the like can also be reduced accordingly.

In accordance with a preferred feature of the invention the rail system comprises two elongated rail loops which have a common portion of track situated near the chutes and which at one head end enclose the calcium carbide furnace and run past its tapping holes.

A further preferred feature of the present invention comprises combining two installations so as to obtain a double installation, wherein the said installations are arranged opposite to one another in mirror image symmetry and the imaginary mirror plane runs perpendicularly through the conveyor belt. In this way it is readily possible for the output of two calcium carbide furnaces to be cooled in a single cooling hall associated with the two calcium carbide furnaces, and then further processed.

An example of embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the drawing. The invention is not restricted to the embodiment illustrated, but other arrangements are possible within the scope of the invention. In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of the installation,

FIG. 2 a cross-section through the installation on the line II-lI in FIG. 1, on a distorted scale, and

FIG. 3 shows part of the chute surface.

A rail system l4, l5, 16 runs past the calcium carbide furnace l3 equipped with the electrodes 10, ll, 12, in such a manner that the tapping trucks l7 and 18 are guided past the tapping holes (not shown) on the calcium carbide funace 13. The

rail system

14, 15, 16 comprises two rail loops 14 and 15, which have a common length of track 16 extending rectilincarly over a substantial length.

In the region of the rectilinear portion of track 16 a movable ejector device 19 is diposed on the

rails

20 and 21. With the aid of the ejector device 19 the upper part 30 of the tapping truck 17, 18 and 22, respectively, can be lifted and the carbide block 24, which'is already solid on its surface, ejected laterally on to one of the numerous inclined planes 23 serving as chutes. The carbide blocks 24 discharged onto the inclined planes 23 take up position in a row one behind the other. On the release of a flap 50 provided at the lower end of the chutes 23, the carbide block lying nearest the conveyor belt 25 can be ejected onto the latter in order to continue on the belt its path of the coarse crushing plant. The installation illustrated in FIG. 1 is a double installation, in which two of the installations described above are disposed opposite one another in mirror-image symmetry, the imaginary mirror plane extending perpendicularly through the conveyor belt 25.

In FIG. 2 shows a section along the line II-ll in FIG. 1 on a distorted scale, and details of the ejector device 19. The latter is essentially so constructed that it serves i as a portal jc rane 28'with li'fting gear 2) for lifting the conicallytshapedupper part 30of the tapping truckwoff ram 41 which during the operation of lifting the upper part 30 of the truck holdsthe carbide block 24in posi is particularly advisable to provide hydraulic orpnem matic operation of the holding ram 41.Theejectorram. 32, which is fastened on a framework 43 joined tothe p crane beam 42, may likewise be operated hydraulically, pneumatically or. similarly.v Duringfthe ejection thef ejector ram 32 is supported against the rail 51 con-= structed as an abutment.

A platform 44 level with the bottom part 3l-of the tapping truck is disposed opposite the ejector ram 32. This platform 44 is adapted to be swivelled by means of a draw device 45, so that it can be brought out of the horizontal position shown in solid lines into thexinclined or swivelled positionshown in broken lines.

The crane 28 moves as a whole by means of its wheels 46 on the rails" 20, 21 which are supported on a number of pillars 48. i l

Theabovedescribed ejectordevice ping truck 22 is brought beneath the ejectordevice.

then lifted off the bottom part 31, softhat thecarbide block 24,.lies on the bottom part 31 of the tappingtruck 22 without lateral support from the upper part 30. j 1

After the upper part 30 of the tapping truck 22 has been lifted off theejector ram 32 is operatedto push the carbide block 24off the bottom part31 of thetapping truck 22 and on the platform 44 .Theplatforn 44 i is thenswung intothe position shown in broken lines in FIG. 2, so that the carbide block 24 can slide on the inclined plane 23; whichisconstructed as a chutefl Form'this chute 23the carbideblock24passesafter a corresponding coolingtimeonto the conveyorbeltt25 is operated in the. following manner. When'thei carbide block'24 has cooled sufficientlyon its outer surface toenable it to retain its block form without being supported laterally, that isto say whenithascooled on its surface, the "tapv j 4 EXAMPLE 1;. L Y

:Liquid calcium carbide (295T litres ofacetylene per kg of carbide) wasacooled romp hours in avcrucible until the-surface.temperature of the carbide block was a about 200C The crucible was then emptied,;the carbide block coarsely crushedand the crushed carbide i was charged with a layer height'of about 300m onto box belts the speedsof which were soadjusted that the I carbide dischargedfr omthe last box beItafte'raboutLSO minutes had a temperature of about 1509C; The ten tionon the bottom p 3100f the truck The holding samplestaken, in accordance with the rules for taking ram 41 may be operated in any desired mannenbutit samp1eS"af terthe gommmutioh of the carbidemljgtfi'i l cleshavingadiameterof from 0 to 2mm hadameanf (acetylene content of 293.5 litres per kg of carbide. The Iloss accordingly was 05 percent.

is f EXAMPLE) r Liquid carbide( 295 litres oflacetylen per kg ofcarbide) was cooled in accordance with the invention in' a tapping truck for 4 hoursuntil the surfacetempera ture of the block was. about 600CLThe carbide block, which had'solidified on itss urface, was then removed. i

I from the truck and loaded on a conveyor belt which delivered the carbide block within 14 hours, during which litresper kg of carbide.

crusher. Thecoarsely crushed carbide was then loaded 3 in a layerheight ofabout30 cmon boxbelts the speeds,

of which were so adjustedthat the carbidethrown off Q from thelast box beltafterabout30 minutes had a temperature ofabout 150C. The ten samples taken, in aci cordancewitlithe rulesfortaking samples, after com j .minution of the carbide to particles having adiameter I of 0 to 2 mm had a mean acetylene content M12935 Theloss accordingly was about.

0.5 percent. l

.disposed beneath and'at adistance from" the tapping and from the latter, after being cooledtog a temperature l of about 200C, is deliveredfto the crushiug pjart; fwhich it is subjectedfirstto coarse andthen toffine crushing. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the chute 23is vented by means of overlapping panels 49,jin orderuin this way to intensify the cooling of the carbide blocks heightsof the saidfmovable device being comprised of a horizon tally. movable. ejector ram; a platform and aholding ram, thefsaidejectorrarn being disposed atfthe. height of the carbideiblocks and the said platform beinglevel withthe trucks bottom disposed opposite to the gas tor ram and havinginclining means associatedtoit; and

the said holding ram beingplaceableon Itothe surface I j of the carbidefblocksj theusaid inclinedplanes being 5 .constructedas chutesjtheiipperends of which aredisy eadg r; portion qr the rail system whi chlexte as. rectilinearly over a substantial length,while their lower j I j endsarerpositionedat a distance abovea conveyorbelt. 2. An installationasclaimed in claim l wherein the rail system comprises two elongated rail loopswhich have a common portion of track situated near the chutes and which at one head end enclose the calcium carbidefurnace and run past its tapping holes.

3. A double installation in which two installations "as claimed in claim 1 are disposed opposite one another in mirror-image symmetry, the imaginary mirror plane extending perpendicularly through the conveyor belt.

4. An installation as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the trucks comprises a flat base and a removable top 1.. An .installatiohfor cooling of calcium carbide which isrun off into vessels,fcomprising a. rail system i carrying. trucks which serve as tapping vessels and are calcium.carbide furnaces; a movable. device it for emptyingthe tappingtrucks and dischargingcark 7 f 4 bide blocks to a plurality of juxtaposed inclined planes; l

portion, the movable device including lifting gear connectable to the removable upper portion of the trucks for lifting it off of the blocks when they are surface cooled and partially solidified to a temperature at which they are just able to maintain their block form without lateral support.

5. An installation as set forth in claim 4, wherein the removable upper portions of the trucks have open tops through which the molten calcium carbide is tapped and the holding ram is placed on the partially solidified upper surface of the carbide blocks.

6. An installation as set forth in claim 5, wherein the movable device comprises a rail-mounted crane having a path of travel aligned with a portion of the rail system carrying the trucks.

7. An installation as set forth in claim 6, wherein a delivery platform is mounted on the crane between the trucks and the chutes, the ejector ram being mounted on the crane on the side of the trucksopposite from the delivery platform for pushing the blocks onto the delivery platform, and tilting means reacting between the delivery platform and the crane for inclining the platform in line with the chutes for sliding the partially solidified blocks from the delivery platform, onto the chutes.

8. An installation as set forth in claim 4, wherein the lifting gear comprises a suspended crossbeam, the ejector ram being connected to a central portion of the crossbeam, and hook means for engaging the removable upper portion of the trucks being connected to the ends of the crossbeam.

9. An installation as set forth in claim 1, wherein gates are mounted at the ends of the chutes between the chutes and the conveyor belt for controlling the passage of the blocks to the conveyor belt.

10. An installation as set forth in claim 2, wherein the rail upon which the crane is mounted extends longitudinally within the elongated rail loops.

Claims

2. An installation as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rail system comprises two elongated rail loops which have a common portion of track situated near the chutes and which at one head end enclose the calcium carbide furnace and run past its tapping holes.
3. A double installation in which two installations as claimed in claim 1 are disposed opposite one another in mirror-image symmetry, the imaginary mirror plane extending perpendicularly through the conveyor belt.
4. An installation as set forth in claim 1, wherein each of the trucks comprises a flat base and a removable top portion, the movable device including lifting gear connectable to the removable upper portion of the trucks for lifting it off of the blocks when they are surface cooled and partially solidified to a temperature at which they are just able to maintain their block form without lateral support.
5. An installation as set forth in claim 4, wherein the removable upper portions of the trucks have open tops through which the molten calcium carbide is tapped and the holding ram is placed on the partially solidified upper surface of thE carbide blocks.
6. An installation as set forth in claim 5, wherein the movable device comprises a rail-mounted crane having a path of travel aligned with a portion of the rail system carrying the trucks.
7. An installation as set forth in claim 6, wherein a delivery platform is mounted on the crane between the trucks and the chutes, the ejector ram being mounted on the crane on the side of the trucks opposite from the delivery platform for pushing the blocks onto the delivery platform, and tilting means reacting between the delivery platform and the crane for inclining the platform in line with the chutes for sliding the partially solidified blocks from the delivery platform, onto the chutes.
8. An installation as set forth in claim 4, wherein the lifting gear comprises a suspended crossbeam, the ejector ram being connected to a central portion of the crossbeam, and hook means for engaging the removable upper portion of the trucks being connected to the ends of the crossbeam.
9. An installation as set forth in claim 1, wherein gates are mounted at the ends of the chutes between the chutes and the conveyor belt for controlling the passage of the blocks to the conveyor belt.
10. An installation as set forth in claim 2, wherein the rail upon which the crane is mounted extends longitudinally within the elongated rail loops.