US389618A

US389618A - Art of condensing metallic zinc from the vapors or fumes arising in the process of

Info

Publication number: US389618A
Authority: US
Publication date: 1888-09-18
Anticipated expiration: 1905-09-18

Description

(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet '1.

E. WALSH, Jr.

ART OF GONDENSING METALLIC ZINC FROM THE VAPORS 0R. FUMES ARISINGIN THE PROGESS OF ZI'NG SMELTING.

N0. 389,618. Patented Sept. 18, 1888.

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(N0 Model 2 Sheet-Shet 2.

E. WALSH, Jr.

ART OF OONDENSING MBTALLIGZING FROM THE VAPOBS 0R PUMES ARISING IN THE PROCESS OF ZINC SMBLTING.

No; 389,618. Patented Sept. 18, 1888;

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EDWARD WALSH, JR, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

ART OF CONDENSING METALLIC ZINC FROM THE VAPORS 0R FUMES ARISING IN THE PROCESS OF ZINC-SMELTING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 389,618, dated September 18, 1888.

Original application filed May 17, 1886, Serial No. 202,425. Divided and this application filed November 11, 1887. Serial No. 254,929. (No model.) Patented in France June 14, 1887, No. 184,211; in England June 15, 1887, No, 8,599; and in Belgium June 16,

To all whom it may concern/.-

Be it known that I, EDWARD WALSH, J r., a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in the Art of Condensing Metallic Zinc from the Vapors or Fumes Arising in the Pro cess of Zinc-Smelting, (for which I have obtained Letters Patent in Great Britain, No. 8,599,0f June 15, 1887; in Belgium,No. 77,818, of June 16,1887, and in France,No.184,2l1, of June 14,1887 5) and I hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the said invention.

In Letters Patent No. 364,979, granted to me June 14, 1887, I have set forth and described an economical and expeditious process by which zinc ore in large quantities may be reduced and volatilized for obtaining metallic zinc directly therefrom. Said process briefly stated consists in reducing the zinc in the presence of carbon, (in a cupola or like furnace,) whereby the gases and zinc vapor are generated, then passing the mixed gases and vapor through a body of carbon or carbonaceous matter maintained at a high temperature, (about 1,400 Fahrenheit, more or less,) whereby any carbonic acid present is reduced to carbonicoxide,and further oxidation of the zinc is prevented, and finally condensing the zinc vapor and obtaining the metallic zinc therefrom.

My present invention,which is a further step in the art, is most advantageously and eco nomicallypracticed in connection with the reducing process described in my Letters Patent No. 364,979, above referred to and recited; but is equally applicable to the condensation of metallic zinc from zinc vapor however obtained.

Generally and broadly stated the present invention consists, first, in withdrawing the zinc vapor and associated gases from the furnace in which they are generated, and permitting them to expand in a condenser which is maintained at a temperature above the melting and below the volatilizing or vaporizing point of zinc,

whereby the zinc vapor and associated gases separate by gravity, and the difference in expansion causes the fixed gases to rob the zinc vapor of heat and condense or reduce the zincto a liquid condition.

I The second feature of my present invention consists in utilizing the fixed gases for the purpose of maintaining the temperature of the expansion and condensing chamber by the combustion of the said fixed gases beneath the condenser.

I will now proceed to describe my invention more specifically so that others skilled in the art to which it appertains mayapply the same.

In carrying out the invention any suit-able condensing-chamber may be used,provided its general construction will permit of expansion of the gases and vapors and their separation by gravity as well as by condensatiomand provided also that said expansion and condensing chamber is so constructed as to allow of its being maintained at a temperature at or above the melting-point of zinc.

For purposes of description I- have made part of this application a drawing showing one (the preferred) form of expansion, separating,and condensing chamber, and will now briefly describe the same.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal vertical section of theinclosi ng-chamber, showing a condensing apparatus which may be used for carrying out my invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section of the same on the line 1 1, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is aseetional view of the outer or inclosing chamber, with plan view of the apparatus. Fig. 4 is atransverse vertical section of the separator and condenser on the line 2 2, Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section, and Fig. 6 an end view, of the outlet or discharging-pipe for withdrawing and regulating the discharge of the liquid zinc from the condenser.

Like letters refer to like parts wherever they occur.

The separating-chamber and condenser ICO The vessels or chambers A A are connected and communicate with each other by means of inverted-U-shaped pipes D, which rise vertically in the flue B, and are arranged parallel with each other at suitable intervals.

E indicates an inductioirpipe or adit for the admission of the mixture of zinc vapors and gas to the condenser, and said pipe is connected with the vessel A in front of the connccting-pipes D. At the opposite end of the apparatus and connected with the opposite end of the vessel or chamber A, behind the pipes D, is an cduction-pipe, F, for the exit of the fixed gases.

Connecting with the lowest and narrowest portions ofthe vessels or chambers A A, and projecting from the ends thereof through the brickwork of the chamber, which incloses the vessels A A, are discharge-pipes H H, opening at their outer ends into the external air.

For regulating the discharge of the liquid zinc from the chambers A A, I surround the condenser end of each pipe H with a fillet or flange, J, having a slot, K, through its lower portion. Against the outer face of this fillet or flange J bears a circular plate, L, through which is a corresponding slot or opening, M, the plate L being provided with a central spindle, N, terminating in a handle, 0, by means of which the plate L may be rotated from the outside of the open front end of pipe H, so as to bring the slot or opening M of disk L over the slot K, for permitting the discharge of the liquid zinc, and bringing the solid portion of plate or disl: L over the opening K for shutting off the discharge of the liquid zinc from the condenser.

The condenser or entire apparatus is inclosed in a chamber or furnace, preferably of brick-work, 0, having a flue orfire-space, G, below and a condenser-flue, B, above, the two being connected by a series of passages, I.

By means such as described, or any other suitable equivalents, the processis carried out as follows: According to the best authorities the melting-point of zinc is about 782 Fahrenheit, and its volatilizing or vaporizing point about 1,200 Fahrenheit, and the mixed zinc vapors and gases will escape from the reducing and volatilizing furnaces at about ],400 to l,500 Fahrenheit. The separating and condensing chamber, into which the gases cscape from the furnace, is to be maintained at a temperature above the melting-point and below the volatilizing-point of zinc, and Iprefer that the temperature of the condenser should never be allowed to fall below 782 Fahrenheit or rise above 1,200 Fahrenheit. This temperature of the condensing-chamber may be maintained by suitable fires, or the combustion of the waste carbonic-oxide gases in fireilue G, or by currents of heated air, though I prefer to use the heat of the waste gases, as will hereinafter appear, which heat will, under all ordinary conditions, be sufficient in itself.

The condenser being raised and maintained at a point between the temperature hereinbefore specified, the zinc vapor, carbonic oxide, and other associated gases generated in a suitable reducing and volatilizing furnace, are conducted from said furnace by pipe E into the expansion-chamber A of the condenser, where they are permitted to expand and the fixed gases allowed to separate from the zinc vapor by gravity. During this expansion and separation the fixed gases, and any vapors not readily condensible at the temperatures of molten zinc, will abstract heat from the zinc vapor, and the zinc vapor will thereby be reduced to a liquid condition and be precipitated and retained in chamber A, from which the liquid zinc can be withdrawn through the valve L and pipe H of that chamber from time to time, as desired. The fixed gases, having absorbed heat from the zinc vapor, will pass from the chamber A through inverted- Ll-pipes D (of which there should be enough to accommodate the expanded gases) into chamber A, where a further expansion of the heated fixed gases is permitted, which will enable them to free themselves from any remaining zinc vapor not precipitated in chamber A. From chamber A the heated fixed gases which have absorbed the heat of the zinc vapor pass off through ednction-pipe F, and may then be utilized in several ways. First, they may be conducted to and burned in fire-flue G by any of the many well-known ways of burning gaseous fuel, or they may be consumed in a separate furnace adapted to heat air for maintaining the temperature of the condenser; or, second, they may be conducted directly from pipe F to any suitable storage-place and utilized in many ways well known in theart. In this latter case separate provision for maintaining the temperature of the condenser would have to be provided.

I. do not herein claim the above-described apparatus, as the same forms the subject-matter of an application, Serial No. 202,425, filed by me May 17, 1886.

Having thus described the nature, opera tion, and advantages of my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 151-- 1.. The method herein described for condensing zinc vapor into liquid zine, which consists'in withdrawing the zinc vapors and associate gases from the volatilizing-furnace and permitting them to expand and separate by gravity in a condenser the temperature of which is maintained at a point above the melting-point and below the vaporizing-point of zinc, whereby the fixed gases absorb heat from and liquefy the zinc vapors, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

2. As an improvement in the art of condensing zine vapors, withdrawing the zinc vapors and associate gases from the volatilizingfurnace, permitting them to expand and separate by gravity in a condenser, the temperature of which is maintained at a point above the melting-point of zinc, whereby the fixed In testimony whereof Iaffix my signature, in gases absorb heat from and liqnefy the zinc presence of two witnesses, this 9th day of No vapors, and causing the combustion 'beneath vember, 1887.

the condenser of the fixed gases, which have EDWARD WALSH, Jr. 5 absorbed heat from the zinc vapors to main- \Vitnesses:

tain the heat thereof, substantially as and for S. L. SGHRADER,

the purposes specified. PAUL BAKEWELL.