USRE18510E

USRE18510E - oe chicago

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Publication number: USRE18510E
Authority: US
Publication date: 1932-07-05

Description

. W. H. GREEN -APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR PREPARING AID rnoroanonme nosnm urxmss July 5, 1932.

Original Fiied Dec. 15, 1924 WZZZE/H Green Reissued July 5, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WALTER E. GREEN, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR, IBY ASSIGNMEN'ISfTO GENERAL ZEOLITE COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 01' ILLINOIS APPARATUS AND rm'rnon ron. rnnranme AND PROPORTIONING nosnro xxx-rum Original No. 1,722,571, dated July 30, 1929, Serial No. 765,837, filed December 15, 1924. Application for reissue filed July 29, 1831. Serial No. 553,868.

This invention relates to porportionate feed apparatus for combining difierent materials in predetermined proportions and in which the rate of supply of one of the 5 materials is regulated or controlled in accordance with the rate of supply ofthe other, so that the combining of the materials may be carried on continuously and in constant proportion irrespective of variations in the rate of supply of the control material. in the feeding of reagents to water, incident to treatment for removal of hardening or scale forming ingredients. It has to do, however, with more than the mere proportioning of the materials, as it involves also the preparation of the treating or dosing mixture, with the purpose of controlling or regulating the rate at which it is prepared, in accordance with the rate of supply of the water to be treated.

The rate at which water is suppliedfor commercial use, such as for steam making, laundering or the like,is subject to variation in the demand or requirements and in the supply pressure. Proper and uniform treatment of the water requires uniformity in the proportioning of the treating material to the raw water. Of course, a large supply of treating material maybe made up ahead of time to be. drawn upon in accordance with the momentary -demand over a period of time. That procedure,

the prepared 'materials and a fore-hand knowledge of the approximate requirements.

It is an object of the present invention to obtain the desired result in proportionate combining of materials more directly, by controlling automatically the preparation of the treating mixture directly from the raw commercial materials- The material most It finds a particular application.

tion of these from the end product.

however, requires a large storage space for.

method of procedure which is continuous,

sufliciently rapid to meet the requirements of the water supplied for treatment and susceptible of automatic control in accordance with the rate at which the wateris supplied.

Inasmuch as unslaked lime in its crude commercial form customarily contains more or less refuse matter in the form of gravel, sand and unreduced limestone, it isimportant that provision be made for the separa- Consequently one of the objects of the invention is an apparatus in which that result may be attained in such fashion as to permit continuous operation of the apparatus through extended periods of time.

Other and further objects of the invention will be pointed out hereinafter, indicated in the appended claims or obvious to one skilled in the art upon an understanding of the present disclosure. For the purpose of this application I have elected to explain the invention by reference to an illustrative structure. It is to be understood, however, that the representation of means is merely diagrammatic or schematic, as the results may be attained in substantially the same fashion-by various. organizations of divers mechanical elements and devices now known in the art.

In the drawing forming a part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration representative of a. longitudinal sectional elevation of apparatus illustrating the practice of the invention.

Fig. 2 is an elevation detail of speed con trol mechanism.

The nature of the invention probably will best be understood by reference to the illustrative means. Referring, to the drawing, let it be understood that the numeral 10 designates a tank of horizontal elongated proportion and of semi-cylindrical sectional form. Reference character ll designates a ment of a discharge element 12" A device of this general type is known in the art, but' it is here presented simply as illustrative of any suitable form of controlled feed supply ,mechanism. Reference numeral 14 designates a water supply apparatus, the same being represented in the formof a tank in which a constant level of 'water is main: tained through operation of the: float controlled valve 15 of a supply line 16. This water supply device includes a variable discharge element 17, represented as a swinging outlet pipe, the inlet end of which is provided with an inlet orifice and may be raised and lowered in the water in tank 14 so as to vary the head on the orifice and thereby vary the rate of discharge therethrough. Water discharged through pipe 17 is delivered to pipe 18 and divided between pipes 19 and 20 1n accordance with the setting of a regulating valve 21. Pipe 18 has an air vent 18 to allow for air compensation in

ipes

17 and 18. 'Pipe 19 leads to the supp y end ofthe tank 10, so that the water delivered thereby will be brought into contact with the unslaked lime supplied by the device 12. The

setting of the regulating, valve 21 is-such as to apportion to the pipe 19 an amount of water adequate to hydrate the lime at the rate at which it issupplied by the supply mechanism 12, and to form a plastic mixture with it, but without materially reducing the heat generated 'by the reaction of the water and the lime. Of course this amount of water is very much less than that necessary to form the desired treating material, but

' the purpose of so limiting it is to permit the slakmg process to proceed at the most expeditious rate. The water and the lime are agitated and mixed together by stirring members 22 which are actuated by the shaft 24. These stirring members are formed so as to induce a gradual progressive feed of material away from the supply end of the tank and toward a partition 25. The length of the tanks is such that when the mixture artition 25 it is in a uniform plastic condition and the lime is hydrated. The shaft actuates the revolving dippers 26 which dip the mixture out of the slaking compartment 10 and discharge it over the partition 25 into the mixing compartment 10". The discharge capacity of the dippers 26 is adequate to handle the maximum supply capacity of the mechanism 12 and pipe 19 during a given period of time at a correl- 5 ative speed. The capacity of the dippers to discharge material from compartment 1Q must be greater than the'rate of supply of materials into the compartment. This is so that there will be no tendency for material to collect in quantities in chamber 10'. The

material should be discharged into 10 as soon as the slaking operation has been completed. The actual discharge capacity of the dippers 26 depends upon the rate of revolution in the shaft 24 and size of the dippers. The rate of revolution in this shaft i's'proportionate to the rate at which I the materials are supplied to slaking chamber 10. There is no limit to the size or holding capacity of the dippers 26, except a restriction due to the size of the apparatus, for they cannot feed material out of chamber 10 any faster than it comes to them. In preferred construction they should come up about half or two thirds full. It is important that-they should iiever come up completely filled, incapable of elevating and transferring more material since if this was the case there would be inevitably a building up of materials in the chamber 10. Here it I is mixed with a much larger proportion of water, supplied through the pipe 20, and-- stirred up by the action of the heaters 27 to form a homogeneous liquid, or milk of lime, which it is now qualified to do'readily by virtue of-the hydrated condition of the lime. This milk of lime seeks its level in'the mixing compartment 10", the baflle 28 being interposed in the compartment to prevent the passage of the incoming water directly to the discharge end of the compartment. Any refuse, such as gravel or sand, which is fed in with the unslaked lime, is fed along with the materials incident to the slaking operation in compartment 10, and is discharged therewith into compartment 10". In the latter compartment it sinks to the bottom of 'Tank 10 is provided with a discharge over a long horizontal edge 32 across the width of the tank, whichpermits passage of the treating mixture from the compartment 10 to the feed pipe 34, whence it is conducted to the water to be treated. Obviously the rate of discharge over the edge 32,will dependupon the rate at which materials are supplied into compartment 10". This is determined by the rate of supply from the'feeding means 12 and tank 14. of the slaked lime to compartment 10 is dependent on the speed of the shaft 24, and the setting of the element 12, while the rate of water feed is depen ton the elevation l The rate of feed compartment 10", may be effected automati of pipe 17. Consequently, in order to accommodate the Varying requirements for treating liquid, there must be variations in the rate at whichthe unslaked lime and the water are supplied to the mixing compartments. The latter is taken, care of by the. adjustment of the orifice 17" at the end of pipe 17. The amount of liquid flowing into pipe 17 through the orifice 17 will be controlled by the elevation of the orifice in the tank 14. The elevation will determine the head of liquid upon the orifice 17 a at the end of pipe 17. There is provided 'a free discharge of water into the air at the outlet side of the orifice- (that is on the inside of the pipe) and this will continue so long as the pipe 17 and the other pipes farther on are sufliciently large so that the liquid flowing through the orifice is carried away without filling them. Since a restriction may be introduced farther along the pipe by the valve 21 the vent l8 'isprovided attached to top of pipe 18 and extending above the liquid level in 14. This will admit air into pipe 18. As long as the valve 21 is open sufliciently to permit the liquid to discharge through it faster than it enters the orifice 17, the variation in water supply will be controlled satisfactorily. The variations in the rate of supply of unslaked lime 'are'taken care of by variations in the speed of the supply mechanism The latter is made tovary with the speed of the shaft 24, which speed also determines the rate at which the materials are fed longitudinally in the slaking compartment 10" and delivered to compartment 10 In order that these variations, which have the final objective of varying the rate of discharge of the treating mixture from mixing cally and in accordance with the variations in the rate of raw water supply,, regulating mechanism is provided which is responsive to the rate of water supply. This is illustrated by the float 50 which rises and falls with variations in the water supply, and which is connected by suitable transmission means 36 with the discharge pipe 17 and with speed control mechanism which regulates the speed of the shaft 21. The speed control mechanism is represented in Fig. 2 by ratchet wheel 38 connected with shaft 24, an actuating wheel 39 which is constantly driven from a suitable source of power to oscillate a dog' 40 to rotate the ratchet. wheel. and throw-off element 451, the position of which is variable to regulate the effective throw of the dog through movement of a sector plate 35 by the transmission means 36. The weight of the swinging lead pipe 17 and the weight of the float 50 are-adjusted so that the float, buoyed by the body of liquid in the container 11, will just about balance the swinging pipe submerged apparent.

in the body of liquid in the container 14.-

The amount of friction encountered by the transmission means 36 in passin over the pulleys and the sector plate 35 Wlll prevent any movement thereof without a change in the level of the liquid in the tank 11 and a resultant change in the position of the float 50. The transmission means 36, which consists of a wire or cord is maintained in such frictional relationship with the sector 35 that a movement of the transmission means 36 will result in a corresponding movement of the sector 35. Since the sector 35 is rigidly attached to the throw-01f element 41, the throw-off element will be correspondingly shifted in position with every movement of the transmission means 36. The position of the throw-off element 41 will determine the amount of movement of'the ratchet wheel 38. The movement of the ratchet wheel 38 results from the movement of the dog 40 to the left while in operating engagement with the teeth on theperiphery of the ratchet wheel 38. The movement of the dog is constant but the portion of the movement in which it is in operating engagement with the ratchet wheel 38 may be varied by changing the position of the element 41. If the throw-off element 41 were moved farther to the left than as shown in Figure 2, the portion of the throw of the dog 40 in which it was in engagement with the ratchet wheel 38 would be decreased. It is possible to .move the element 41 far enough to the left so that the dog 40 will be kept out of engagement with the ratchet wheel 38 during actuating contact therewith fora greater arc. It is apparent that if the element 41 is moved far enough to the right, it would be possible for the dog 40 to be in actuating relation with the ratchet wheel 38 during its entire leftward movement.

The operation of the speed regulating devices shown upon Figures 1 and 2 is readily The liquid in the. container 11 represents the raw water. The raw water flows toward the left and milk of lime is added to it at a point below .the pipe 34. The mixture finally flows over a weir or some other retarding means 11a atthe left end of the container 11. The level of liquid in the container or conduit 11 will correspond to the rate of flow therein and will bear some fixed relationship thereto.

It is obvious thatwith an increased rate of flow it is desirable to add more milk of lime to the water while with a decreased rate of flow it will be desirable to add less milk of lime to the water. This is accomiso plished in the followin manner: If there is an increased rate of ow, the level in the container or conduit 11 will be higher, raising the float 50.v Whereupon the transmisv longer portion of its throw. This will cause a faster movement of shaft 24 and an increase in the rate of feed of lime to the chamber 10. The lowering of the orifice 17 will also increase the head of liquid thereupon, which in turn will increase the amount of Water flowing down through lines 18, 19 and 20. Asa result, more lime will be slaked in chamber 10, more slaked lime will be converted into milk of lime in chamber 10, and more milk of lime will flow over the orifice 32 into the conduit 34 and finally into the raw water passing through the conduit 11.

If the raw water passing through the conduit or container 11 decreases, the level of liquid will decrease and the float will be lowered. Whereupon the transmission means 36 will elevate the swinging pipe 17 and will move the throw-01f element 41 to the left. The elevation of the inlet orifice in the swinging pipe 17 will decrease the head thereupon and result in a decreased flow of slaking and diluting water through lines 19 and 20 respectively. The movement of the throw-off element 41 to the left will decrease the arc in which the dog 14 is in actuating engagement with the ratchet wheel 38 and this will decrease the speed of the shaft 24., With the decrease in the speed of the shaft;;24, less unslaked lime will be fed into the sl aking chamber 10, less slaked lime will be fed into the diluting chamber or milk 'of lime chamber 10 by means of the cups 26, and less milk of lime will flow over the horizontal orifice 32 to be intermixed with the water flowing through the conduit 11. When the flow of liquid through the conduit 11 has ceased, the float 50 will ride in such a lowered position that the transmis sion means 36 will lift the orifice 17 out of the body of liquid in the basin 14 and will also move the throw-off element 41 a sufficient distance to the left to prevent the dog 40 from coming into actuatingengagement with the ratchet wheel at any portion of its throw. As a result, no water will flow through lines 18,19 or 20, no unslaked lime will be fed into the slaking'chamber 10 and no slaked lime will be fed into the diluting chamber 10". The power shaft on which the power wheel 39 is positioned is separately controlled and may also be stopped by means not shown.

As long as the dog 40 is out of actuating movement of the shaft 24 will take place since the pedals are immersed in'thick heavy lime in'cha-mber l0. Thewresistance of the semi-solid in chamber 10 and the liquid in chamber 10 will be sufiicient to stop rotation immediately upon release ofthe pawl or dog 40. I

It will be noted that not only the supply of raw materials is automatically regulated and controlled in accordance with the variations and supply of raw water, butalso the rate at which the n aterials are transmitted through the apparatus and the refuse removed is controlled thereby. The final result. is the automatic control of the feed of the dosing mixture to the raw water in accordance with the rate at which the latter 1S supplied. 7

Of course, it is not essential-that the regulation of the lime and Water feed be controlled automatically. By a fixed setting of means 36 or of the element 41 and pipe 17 so as to eliminate the control by float 50, the

feed of material may be held constant, with the result that the discharge from compartment 10 will be held constant. In such arrangement, it will be observed, the feed of the treating material is controlled by the rate of feed of the unslaked lime and water to the apparatus.

I claim:

'1. A method of preparing and proportioning a dosing mixture, comprising feeding unslaked lime and Water together in predetermined proportion at a rate controlled by the raw water supply, stirring the water and lime engagement with the ratchet wheel 38 no i to induce hydration of the latter, feeding the a slaked lime and more water at a rate corresponding to that of the original lime and water supply, agitating the slaked lime and water to form milk of lime and' delivering the latter to the raw water at a rate corresponding to its rate of preparation.

2. A method of preparing and proportioning a dosing mixture which comprises slaking lime, adding water thereto and agitating to form milk of lime, feeding the latter to the raw water in accordance with'the rate at which. it is prepared,.,and controlling said feeding by the rate of flow of the water to be'dosed.

3. A method of preparing and proportioning a dosing mixture, comprising slaking lime with water, mixing the slaked lime with more water to make milk of lime, feeding the mixture to the raw water, controlling the ,rate of such feeding by the rate of lime and water supply, and proportioning the rate of lime and water supply to the .rate of raw water feed.

4. A method of preparing and proportioning a dosing mixture, comprising feeding lime and water together to hydrate the lime, feeding the hydrated lime and water lime, removing refuse from the mixture incident to its preparation, and delivering the together to form milk of lime,- delivering the latter at its, rate of preparation, and

mixture to the raw water in conformity with its rate of preparation.

{3. A water softenin process which comprises providing supp ies of raw water to be treated, unslaked lime to be prepared for admixture with such raw water, and Water to be admixed with the lime during such preparation, admixing the unslaked lime and the last mentioned Water at a rate proportionate to the rate of supply of the raw water, adding further qauntities of the same water to the resultant mixture and then adding the final mixture to the raw water supply.

7. A water softening process which comprises providing supplies of raw water to be treated unslaked lime to be prepared for. admixture with such raw water, and water to be admixed with the lime during such preparation, admixing the unslaked lime and the last mentioned water in quantities insuflicient to decrease materially the heat of the resulting reaction at a rate proportionate to the rate of supply of the raw water, adding further quantities of the same water to. dilute the resultant mixture and then adding the final mixture to the raw water supply.

A water softening process which comprises providing supplies ofraw water to 0 treated, unslaked lime to'be prepared for admixture with such raw water, and water to be admixed with thelime during such preparation, admixing the unslaked lime and the last mentioned water in quantities sufficient to slake the lime without excessively diluting the resultant slaked lime at a rate proportionate to the rate of supply of the raw water, adding further quantities of the same water to dilute the resultant mixture and then adding the final mixture to the raw water supply.

S). A water softening process which comprises providing supplies of raw water to be treated, unslaked lime to be prepared for ad- 0 mixture with such raw water, and suppliesof water to be admixed with the lime during the different stages of such preparation,

adding together the unslaked lime with suftheaddition of water to the unslaked lime to form slaked lime, the addition of water to the slaked lime to form milk of. lime, the addition of unslaked lime to form slaked lime, the addition of slaked lime to form milk of lime and the addition'of milk of lime to the raw water to be treated by the rate of flow of the raw water.

10. A water softening process which'comprises providing supplies of raw water to be treated, unslaked lime to be prepared for admixture with such raw water, and sup-' plies of water to be admixed with the lime during the different stages of such preparation, adding together the unslaked lime with suflicient water to slake the same, adding together sufficient water and the slaked lime to form milk of lime, adding the final mixture to the raw water supply and regulating the addition of water -to the unslaked lime to form slaked lime, the addition of water to the slaked lime to form milk of lime, the addition of unslaked lime to form slaked lime, and the addition of slaked lime to form milk of lime by the raw water supply and converting the slaked lime into of lime and adding the milk of lime to the raw Water supply substantially as soon or shortly after they are formed without storof the tank, means for diluting the milk of lime mixture discharge from said last-named means'with a further quantity of water, a

raw water supply,-and means for adding said diluted mixture to the raw water supply.

12. A method of treating water, which comprises continously feeding unslaked lime and water together at set rates to slake the lime and form therefrom a fluid slaked lime- 'water mixture, agitating the materials while undergoing the slaking reaction, continuously removing the fluid slaked lime-water mixture from the slaking zone at the rate it is being slaked whilecontinuously separating refuse from the-fluid slaked lime-water mixture, continuously mixing additional water with the removed mixture to produce therefrom a diluted lime suspension, and continuously delivering the diluted lime suspension at the rate 'of its production to the water to be treated 13. A water treating process, which comprises slaking lime with water, mixing the slaked lime with more water to form milk of lime, feeding-the milk of lime to the raw water, controllingthe rate of such feeding by the rate of lime supply and water, and

proportioning the rate of lime supply to the water feed.

15. A method of treating water, which comprises continuously feeding unslaked lime and a relatively small amount of water together at set ratesto hydrate the unslaked lime and to form therewith milk of lime, the proportions of unslaked lime and water being such as to maintain in the slaking zone asubstantially increased temperature from the reaction of the materials, agitating the materials while undergoing the slaking reaction, continuously removing the milk of lime from the slaking zone at the rate of its formation, and continuously supplying the milk of lime to the water that is to be treated at the rate that the milk of lime is removed from. the slaking zone.

16. A method of treating water, which comprises maintaining a body of milk of lime at an elevated temperature, continuously feeding unslaked lime and water together and into said body of milk of lime to ydrate the unslaked lime and to form therewith additional milk of lime, agitating the materials while undergoing the slaking reaction, continuously removing milk of lime from said bodyrat the rate of its formation, and continuously supplying the removed milk of lime directly to the water to be treated at the rate of its removal.

17. A method of treating water, which comprises maintaining a body of milk of lime, continuously feeding water and untreated.

slaked lime containing insoluble refuse toydrate the unslaked lime and to form additional 'milk of lime, agitatin the materials undergoing the-slaking reaction, separating the refuse from the milk of lime, continuously removing milk of lime from said body, and continuously supplyin the removed milk of lime directly to t e water to be 7 18. A method of treating water, which comprises maintaining a body of milk of lime, continuously feeding unslaked lime and-a relatively small amount of water into said body of milk-of lime to hydrate the unslaked lime and to form additional milk of 65 lime, the proportions of unslaked lime and water being such as to maintain the slaking zone of said body of milk of lime at a substantially increased temperature from the reaction of the materials, agitating the materials during the slaking reaction, continutreated.

ther and into said body of milk of lime to ously removing milk of lime from said body, and continuously supplying the removed milkof lime directly to the water to be 19. A method ,of treating water, which "comprises continuously feeding unslaked lime and a relatively small amount of wa ter together at set rates to hydrate theunslaked lime and to formtherewith milk of lime, the proportions of unslaked lime and water being such as to maintain in the slaking zone a substantially increased temperature, agitating the materials whileundergos ing the slaking reaction, continuously removing the milk of lime from the slaking zone, adding more water to said removed milk of lime, and continuously adding the milk of lime directly to the water to be treated. a v

20. A Water treating apparatus, comprising a tank for holdin a substantial quantity of liquid, means or continuously supplying unslaked lime to said tank, means for continuously supplying water to said tank, means in said tank for agitating said unslaked lime and'water to hydrate said unslaked lime and to form therewith milk of lime, a raw water supply system, means for continuously adding said milk of lime directly to water in sald raw water supply system at the rate of formation of said milk of lime, and means responsive to changes in the rate of flow of raw water through said system for controlling said unslaked lime supply means. F

21. Apparatus for treating water, comprising a slaking tank for holding a substantial quantity of liquid, means for adding a continuous supply of unslaked lime in lump form and containing appreciable quantities of insoluble refuse to said slaking tank, means for adding a continuous supply of water to-said slaking tank to hydrate said lime and to form therewith milk of lime, a rotatable shaft mounted in said tank, spaced radial arms mounted on said shaft to provide agitating V means in said tank, a raw water supply sys-' tem, and means for continuously adding the milk of lime from the slaking tank directly to the raw water supply system and at a rate substantially equal to the rateof formation of milk of lime.

- spaced radial arms mounted on said shaft to provide agitating means in said tank, means forremovmgtherefuse from the slaln'ng tank andifrom the milklof lime, .a raw water sup ply system and means forlcontinuously adding said milk of lime directly tothe raw water supply system at a rate substantially equal to the rate of formation of milk of lime.

23 Apparatus for treating water, comprising a tank for holding a substantial quantity of liquid, means for continuously adding a supply of unslaked lime to said tank, means for adding a continuous supply of water to said tank to hydrate said lime and form therewith milk of lime, a rotatable shaft in said tank, spaced radial arms mounted on said shaft to provide agitating means in said tank, means for diluting said milk of lime,

a raw water supply system, and means for continuously adding the diluted milk of lime directly to said raw water supply at a rate substantially equal to the rate of formation of milkof lime.

24:. A water treating apparatus, comprising-an unslaked lime treating tank having an overflow outlet in the upper portionthereof, means for continuously adding a supply of unslaked lime to said tank, means for con- 25 tinuously supplying water to said tank to hydrate said lime and to form therewith milk of lime, a rotatable shaft in said tank, spaced agitators extending from said shaft, and a raw water supply system communicating with the overflow of said tank, said raw water suppl system receiving milk of lime displace from said tank.

25. A water'treating apparatus, comprising a tank for holding a body of liquid, means for continuously adding a supply of unslaked lime to said tank, means for adding a continuous supply of water to said tank to hydrate said lime and to form therewith milk of lime,

agitating means for said tank, means for removing milk of lime from said tank at the rate of formation of the ,milk of lime, means for diluting said milk of lime, a raw water supply system, and means for continuously adding the diluted milk of lime directly to said raw water supply system.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name. WALTER H. GREEN.