US893560A - Apparatus for refining zinc. - Google Patents

Description

or other contmninniing metal is thereby ire- .recting head ngniustthe relorls or rer ptw T @dli l l fii li RICHARD ZIESING, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSlGNO R OF ONE-HALF TO THE GRASSELLI CHEMICAL COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

Al FAE ATUS 01% E-pecifieation oi. tars Patent.

EEFINXNG ZINC v Patented July 14, 1908 hriginal application filed February 27, 1907, Serial. Ho. 359,607. Divided and this application filed May 1907.

Serial Trio. $711,895.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that l, RICHARD Zinsmo, n citizen of the United States of .Zlmerioo, and n resident of Cleveland, in the county of Guyn-hogo. and State of Ohio, have invented eertnin new and useful improvements in Appsrntus for Refining Zine, oi which the follow ing is n specification, the some comprising a division of my application, Serial No 359,607, filed February 27, 1907.

My invention relates to improvements in apparatus for refining zinc and more pnrticw lnrly to nppziretus adapted for the separation of zinc from such metals as lead and silver.

it has long been known thnt zinc may be separated from metals havinggrentor specific gravity by reducing the :spelter to a molten condition and allowing the heavier metal to settle out. The zinc, under these conditions, may be distilled at n temperature which will 11 d. client the heavier metal, nlthough in practice it is iound that the process is i'requently accompanied hythe distilh'ition oi' appreciable percontnges oi the contaminating metal or metals. The prior processes of separation have been carried. on in the ordinary or slightly modiiied Belginn furnace and certain precautions, such. as reversoly inclining the retorts and cooling the some, hnve boon resorted to in order to redueo the percontnge of contnminnting metal to as small on amount as was prmitimble.

line partly to the fact that the heat is up plied l'rom below to the retorts. and the lead queutly in n state of obullition, the process of separating the zinc therefrom is one which must be carefully controlled by skilled employees, in order to secure sslisi'nciory results, otlwrwiso theperoenl age oi contnmhmting metal may rise to nu undesirable or prohibitiye amount. in view of the conditions requisite for the sniisi'ni'lory separation of these metals, l: have devised on improved zippnrntus ior prncticing the process in question.

Briefly stated, the process oonsisls in dicles from above, and suitably shielding those ortions oi the retort containing the bud,

silver and the like from soy direct hoot, whereby the body of the contaminating, metal ronnuus quiescent, while the other por l tions or the retort are raised to a sui'liciently high temperatureto maintain rapid distillation of the zinc.

The preferred appartitus for practicing my improved procesis consists of a down-draft furnace, wherein the retorts are disposed upon beds or su iporting )illers oi non-conducting material SPQClt ly formed retorts adopted to retain the bottom portions of their contents in a relatively coo condition, may be employed in connection with my im proved furnace,

Further detnils o'l the vforegoing will readily be gathered by making reference to the no compnnying drawings showing one moons of practicing my invention, wherein--- Figure l is :1 transverse sectional. View through the furnace, n retort and condenser; the furnace bed being partially broken nwny in order to show the flue-connection. l ig. ll is n longitudinal sectional viewtnken through one section or division of the furnace. Fig. ill is a detiiil in longitudinal section of the flask and rearward portion of u sell-smiling retort, and Fig. IV is nu end View of n retort specially adopted for the process herein set forth.

Throughout each of the several figures of the drawings, 1 have employed the some character of referenceto indicate similar parts.

In the dr wings I have depicted one section of a. small lurnnee embodying my improvements and adapted lor the practice of my invention. Therein is shown a down-. drni't g ns-led furnace, wherein the distilling retorts a are carried upon it recessed perforated bed I); said recesses I) being adopted suitably to protect the bottoms of the relorls against the distilling heat maintained in the combustion chamber a. The periorntious l) in said bed connect with suh-lluos (1, leading renrwnrdly to the main line c eon- !1(('illl f the chihurry-stack.

Front and bncl; buck-stays f support the 'l'urnnocwulls c, and the dome (1" ol' the combustionchamber, while upon the rear bue stays a e provided arms j" our You the gas main 5 Sold main fisprorhu-d at inter vals with iulormedini'o connecting pipes g and nirnnixmxs g, opening within the combustion chamber.

Any suitable relortimny he employed in my improved furnace, but preferably 1 use a retort generally oval in cross-section and provided with thickened bottom portion; a, as shown in Fi IV. These heavy walls in association wit vthe recesses d, which may be backed with asbestos or other suitable material, serve to shield the bottom portions of the retort against any undue heat1ng,-and protect the contained metal from relatively igh tem eratures Thus all tendency toward ebu lition of the metal is overcome, while the thinner upper walls of the retort permit the penetration of heat from above to insure the surface distillation of the zinc. Instead of the foregoing construction, I may employ other retorts such as the ordinaryjtypes shown on the left hand side of Fig. II, or thoseof the ty e set forthin my Patent N 0. 818,070, date .April 17th, 1906, wherein the thickened bottom walls are provided with an air-shiel l or cushion, and may be cooled by the circulation of air adjacent to the bottom portions. The rear portion of the retort preferably is provided with an opening a. for charging in the spelter, which opening normally is sealed with a plug of fire clay (1?. Or again, the opening a may extend diagonally below the normal level of the metal, as shown in Fig. III, thereby making the retort entirely sel sealing.

- Luted into the forward end of the retort, is a suitable flask or con denser h, which prefer ably is provided with an interior rim 7L adapted to retain the zinc from flowing back, as it is distilled over from the retort, and from which the zinc may be removed from time to time. I The condenser is readily removed from the retort whenever it becomes necessary to collect therefrom the accumu- 40 lated lead, silver or other contaminating ma terial. I

My improved process may now be readily explainec and understood, as practiced with the improved furnace above described. The combustion chamber being suitably heated from above, by means of the gas burners, and the retorts belng charged with s elter to api'oximately the level shownin t 1e drawings. l t will be appreciated that the lowermost portions of said retorts necessarily are shielded from the temperature of the combustion chamber, which preferably is just sufficient to insure the distillation "of zinc. This, of course, maintains the bodies of metal within the retorts in highly'fluid condition, and permits the heavier contaminating metal, such as lead or silver, to sink down to the lowermost portions'or grooves 17. of said retorts, -where said metal remains quiescent. On the 6 0 other hand, the surface temperature of the zinc is sufficient to cause its rapid distillation in uncontaminated condition, into the forwardly positioned condensers. The heat being directed toward the top portions of the 6-5 retorts wherein the distillation must necessarily take place/is subject to very close regulation, particularly when the downshaft gas furnace of my invention is employed, and moreover the body of theretort containing the molten lead remains relatively cool, and is subjected in lesser degree to the destructive action -of the metal. Under these conditions, the. smallest fraction of a ercent. of contaminating metal, will be found in the purer zinc collectedin the'con- 5 densers. It will be appreciated that both the construction of my improvedfurnace, providing f rotective shields recessed tocontain as estos, groundfire-clay or other suitable mago terial, and the construction of the specified retorts, mutually contribute to the success'of' the. process as practiced, but either of these features may be inde endently employed in connection with suita le means for directing 35 the distilling heat from above.

By reason of the fact that the retorts inmy improved furnace are supported throughout their entire length, as opposed to the usual support from the front and rear walls of the furnace, it is possible to increase "the length and diameter of the retorts indefinitely, which of itself serves to' economize space, fuel and labor. As thus disposed, the retorts are renderedv self-sealing against as minor perforations, or leakage, since the metal flowing through such perforation will come into contact withv the relatively cooler body of the sup orting shield, the fire-clay or asbestos, am solidifyin seal such acc1- dental opening. Where additional horizontal rows or tiers of the retorts are to be used, however, it is preferable to employ retorts with heavy heat-resisting bottom portions, of the types herein referred to, supported from the. front and rear in the usual manner and thus saving the space otherwise required for separate shielding members.

The process as herein outlined, accomlishes economies in reduced costs of labor, 110 m attending the furnace, and in minimizing the destructive action of the lead or other metal upon the retorts, while permitting longer continuation of the process, by re-. peated charging of the retorts.

I accordingly claim herein, the followingz- 1. In a furnace for refining zinc, the combination with a combustion-chamber, of means associated with the upper portion thereof for directing heat downwardly there- 120 l in, distilling-retorts disposed near the lower portion of said: chamber having relatively thin upper walls, and shields or protective walls associated with, and artially inclosing the same for protecting the lower portions 125 from heat, substantially as set forth.

2. In a furnace for refining zinc, the combination with a combustion-chamber, of a recessed supporting-bed therein, retorts dis- I posed thereon and protected partially from 1, ,0

theheat of said chamber, and means for directing-heat from aboveagainst the retorts,

substantially asset forth-j 1 y 3. i In a furnace for refining zinc, the combination with a combustion-chamber, of-

means for heating the same, 'retorts disposed "transversely within the chamber and 'supports for vt'he retorts within the furnace, en-

' lower .porti'onof said cham er, and shielding nienlbers for the' ends and bottom portions] thereof,wl1ereby heat is applied to the up persurfaces of the retorts and their lower tia'lly as set forth.

means associated with the upper portion thereof-for directing heat downwardly in saidchamber, retorts dis osed within the portions are shielded therefrom, substan-- 5. Ida furnace for refining Zinc,- the com 'bination with a combustion-chamber, of

means for heating the same, vretorts disposed transversely within the chamber and supports for the. retorts within the furnace in} "self-sealing, substantially as set 'forth 6.5;In a furnace of the class described, the

closing their bottom portions, whereby ac'-' cidental' perfo'rations thereof are rendered combination, with a suitable combustion chamber, and means associated therewith for heating thesame from above, additional means for producing a down-draft therein,

distillin retortshavingl relatively thin'upper W'al sdisposed wit inflthe combustionchamber, and means forlprotecti'ng the lower portions of said -retortsfrom. the-full heat of the chamber, substantially as se'tf forth."-

7 In a furnace of the class described, the

- c0mbination'witl; a refractory combustion- 45 chamber, of retorts disposed thereinythe bottom-portions against as set forth.

same having constricted interior bottomportions for the rece tion in quiescent state v of the heavier treate metals, meansfor heat-' ing said retorts', and means'for shielding, the

8.. In a furnace of the class described, the combination with a refractory combustionchamber, "of associated means for highly heating its interior, and distilling retorts mounted therein, rearward'ly provided with mal'leVeI of ;the' molten metal; said retorts being-supported in. substantially a horizontal .plane,.. fwhereby they are readily. attended, substantially as set'forth.

9. In a furnace of the class described, the combination with a refractory icombu'stion heat, substantially chargingbpenings extending below the nor-' chamber, of a recessed su portingbedthere in, refractory retorts risposed "u on the conducting away .the products of COIDbUS" tion, whereby the retorts arej'subjected to regulated heat from above and shielded from excessive heat from below, substantially'as set forth.

chamber, of means associated with the 11 per portion of said chamber for directing ieat ownwardly therein, and dist lling retorts disosed near the lower portion of said chamber, iiaving relatively thin'up'per'walls, and thick-,

ened lower walls for securing surface distillation, substantially as setforth. Signed at Clarksburg,

, of April, 190 7. v

j RICHARD nasnve. L. 8.

Witnesses: i JJH. STEPHENSON,

W, BowMAN.

10; In apparatus for 'refining zinc, the, combination with a furnace combustion Va., this 15 day- .65 supporting bed above the recesses t e same" having relatively thin walls, gas burners po-, sitioned in the upper portion of thefurnace, and openings within the furnace bed for.

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