Calcium Carbide Production Furnace by Oxy-thermal
Process
The invention relates to a low ellipse shβft kiln for Droducing calcium carbide and high purity synthesizing gas simultaneously by using high temperature attained during the burning of carbon stock by oxygen after charging into the furnace of lime material, in particular of low strength with relatively large amount of impurities.
Calcium carbide production by oxy-thermal process has been introduced in a number of patent documents:
BASF's patents of 1950's years disclose the process in which quality coke and quick lime are used as raw materials and pure oxygen is injected, NL 76537 (Nov.15, 1954) (Stamicarbon N.V.) and NL 83099 (Oct.15, 1956) (Stamicarbon N.V.) disclose the process in which industrial oxygen is used, mixed
with steam and CO2, DE 2925897(Jan. 22,1981) (Rheinische
Sraunkohelenwerke AG) discloses the process in which coke made from brown coal is used, DE 3035026(Apr.22, 1982)
(Rheinische Braunkolenwerke AG) discloses the process in which brown coal and Ca(OH)2 or CaCO3 are used after mixing and calcinating in a powder state, and EP 0068303(Jan.5,1983) (Rheinische 3raunkohelenwerke AG) discloses the process
in which calcium carbide is produced by pulverizing the
fuel-coal, brown coal, peat and lime material i.e. Ca(OH)2 and CaCO3, followed by injecting into the furnace directly with oxygen.
A number of patents disclose various charging apparatuses
which facilitate the creation of calcium carbide
formation zone in the center part of the furnace, combustion zone in the periphery of the furnace, and nozzles arranged in a radial or tangential direction to the formation
zone.
Furthermore, in these patents, in order to raise the quality of calcium carbide the high temperature
reduction and volatilization method is employed.
Patent DE 929546 (Jun.27, 1955) (Stamicarbon N.V.) discloses the method of protecting the furance wall from damages by protruding the nozzle into the inside of
furnace wall to form a false wall. Patent GB 786004
(Nov.6, 1953) (BASF) discloses that the accumulation of dust on the raw material layer was prevented by ensuring over 8cm/sec of linear velocity of exhaust gas in the free section of furnace when the quality of calcium carbide was 50%, or more than 12.5cm/s (0'0, 750mm mercury column) when it was over 83%.
As seen from above data, despite the long history of testing for producing the calcium carbide by oxy-thermal process, it has not been produced in an industrial sacle.
This invention is aimed at the reduction of energy consumption, especially electro-energy consumption in the production of calcium carbide and synthesizing gas and the realization of industrial production by solving the furnace structure able to use raw material of relatively low quality.
The structure and working orinciple of the carbide furnace by oxy-thermal process will be described, referring to the following drawings:
Fig 4-1. Section of carbide furnace by
oxy-thermal process
Fig 4-2. Section of lid of the furnace
Fig 4-3. Section of installed flue
Fig 4-4. Section of material feeding apparatus
The production of calcium carbide by oxy-thermal process is of significance in reducing the overall energy consumption, especially electro-energy consumption in the production of calcium carbide and synthesizing gases.
Since the reaction of formation of calcium carbide takes place, industrially at high temperature range, say 1800-2000'C and high temperature gas goes out from reaction zone, it is reasonable to use shaft furnace and realize heat exchange in it to use for preheating the raw materials. Where lime stone or slaked lime is used directly as a raw material of lime, additional reaction heat is consumed for their calcination in the furnace. However, in the oxy-thermal process furnace which uses only incomplete combustion heat of fuel, comsumotion of oxygen and fuel greatly increases and the amount of gas produced as well.
Furthermore, if steam, carbon dioxide, or natural gas and the other gases are mixed with oxygen, it also causes an additional consumption of reaction heat for their gasification, thus increasing the consumption of oxygen, fuel and the amount of gas production as well.
If the oxygen, fuel consumption and gas production amount per unit calcium carbide output increases, and the gas ascends with more heat than needed for preheating the raw material, then the temperatures of preheating zone and of furnace gases increase, thus giving more heat loss by furnace gases. Therefore, on the condition of using shaft kiln, it is reasonable to reduce the other additional reaction heat consumption than those needed for production reaction of calcium carbide.
So, in this invention, quick lime is used as raw material of lime and pure oxygen is employed without any gases mixed.
Meanwhile, if the more impurities of metal oxides are included in carbon stock, additional heat consumption takes place in the furnace by following endothermic reaction, thus reducing the temperature of reaction zone.
SiO2 + C → Si o + CO 1 )
Al2O3 + 2C → Al2 O + 2CO 2 )
MgO + C → Mg + C O 3 )
( CaO + C → Ga + CO 4 ) )
Fe2O3 + 3C →2Fe + 3CO 5 )
SiO2 + 2C → Si + 2 C O 6 )
Where, equation 4) represents a side reaction
accompanied by the carbide formation reaction. While gaseous SiO, Al2O, Mg, Ca produced by reaction 1), 2), 3) and 4) are cooled along with CO in preheating zone, heat is generated by the reverse reactions to those of 1), 2), 3) and 4 ) to return to metal oxides, thus causing loss of carbon and temperature rising of that area.
Therefore, it is better to use raw material of little impurities. But, from the economic asoects, in tnis
invention, it was made to use the raw material having impurities of some extent.
Meanwhile, where the lump raw materials have low strength, powders are formed due to the strike and friction in the course ofmaterial movement, and due to the whirling of lump material caused by kinetic energy of injected oxygen in front of the nozzle .
Such powders accumulated in the furnace decrease the air permeability in tαe furnace and deteriorate the process of furnace.
Therefore, through the solid raw material is
preferred, in this invention it was made possible to use even the raw material with relatively low strength, that is, considering the low strength of raw materials, the feeding pipe of raw materials (Fig 4-4) and flue (Fig 4-3) are arranged slantwise in the furnace wall near the top of the raw material layer so that the powder might' be less formed due to the falling of materials and the powder formed go out easily through the flue.
Moreover, the linear velocity of oxygen was made slow to prevent the whirl in front of the nozzles.
Considering the decrease of the depth of oxygen penetration due to the reduction of the linear velocity of oxygen, and for the purpose of preventing the overlapping of reaction zone or the formation of immovable zone of raw materials in the center of furnace, the nozzles were arranged in a rectangular (Fig 4-1) or elliptic form, and the section of furnace also was made elliptic (Fig 4-1).
The height of material charges is shorter than the diameter of furnace, because the layer of heat exchange is allowed to be low on the condition of using the oxygen heat. Therefore, only when the raw materials are charged uniformly through the whole section of furnace, can the ununiformity of air permeability in the material layer due to the deviation of the height of material layer
be prevented. To this effect, in this invention, two or more material feeding pipes are arranged.
In the calcium carbide furnace using oxygen heat, compared with electric furnace, there are less input in the heat balance of portion of crucible where molten calcium carbide collects.
Therefore, in the portion of crucible, there occurs a cooling due to the heat loss, and a rising of viscosity or coagulation of melt, which causes a obstacle to its flowing out.
To prevent this, in this invention special attention is drawn to heat insulation of crucible portion, and in the high temperature zone, the first consideration is given to heat insulation.
In the calcium carbide furnace using oxy-thermal process, the temperature in the heat exchange layer,
i.e. material layer, is low, while the temoerature in the reaction zone is high, therefore, the temperature in the upper space of the furnace rises significantly, even when the air permeability in the section of furnace is ununiform or the material layer is a little lower than the height set
In this invention, in order to protect the apparatus from damage due to tne temperature rising in the upper space of furnace, the apparatus is arranged so as not to be exposed in the top space of furnace, and the inside of flue
and lid of furnace are lined with refractories, upper part of the lid being cooled with water (Fig 4-2 and 4-3).
In order to facilitate the observation of inside of furnace and its maintenance, and to enable the lid to be lifted in case a serious explosion occurs in the furnace, in this invention the lid is not fixed to the furnace body, out connected to it with water seal (Fig 4-2), and no
apparatus and structure are put in the upper part of the lid.
In order to increase the service life of oxygen
blast nozzles, pure copper was employed in the part of
nozzle which is exposed inside the furnace, and to eliminate the welding portion, the portion is pressed into a monoblock structure.
The furnace gas, after passing the flue, enters
the dust collector, where the dust is reduied to under 2mg/Nm3, and then transferred to synthesis process.
With this structure of furnace according to the
invention, the production of calcium carbide by oxy-thermal process was realized in a industrial scale, for example, by treating at 2000'C and using 98% oxygen, lump quick lime having 85% of total CaO content and 60kg/cm2 of crusning strength, and lump carbon stock having 15% of ash content and
20kg/cm2 of crushing strength, it was possible to produce a carbide with purity of 65-70% and synthesizing gas containing
96% CO+H2.
Brief description of the figures
Fig. 4-1 Section of carbide furnace by oxy-thermal process
1 furnace lid
2 furnace wall
3 hole of flue pipe
4 hole of nozzle
5 tap hole
6 furnace bottom
7 heat insulator
8 light weight refractory
9 heat insulator
10 oxygen nozzle
11 hole of supplier
Fig. 4-2 Section of lid of tne furnace
12 lid cooler
13 lining
14 level measuring hole
15 safety tap
Fig. 4-3 Section of installed flue
Fig. 4-4 Section of material feeding apparatus
16 automatic weigher
17 rotary supplier
18 sand seal
19 raw material bin