Patent GB-447036-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in the low temperature distillation of coal
IPC: C10B49/00
Filed: 1934-08-09
Abstract: 447,036. Carbonizing process and apparatus. GREZES, A. L. M., Chemin de Fer de Lunghai, Chengchow, Honan, China. Aug. 9, 1934, Nos. 23091 and 23092. Void [Abridged as open to inspection under Sect. 91 of the Acts, Feb. 11, 1935]. [Class 55 (i)] In the low-temperature distillation of coal, heating gases are used externally to distil the coal by progressive heating, then to dry the coal by progressive heating prior to its distillation and finally to cool the coke. The process takes place in a series of retorts which are placed in cells in an oven and are subjected to successive heating and cooling. Each retort 1 has horizontal ribs 3, Fig. 1, to increase the heating effect of .the hot gases passing vertically through flues c, the flue walls being correspondingly shaped at 5. Vertical ribs 6, Fig. 2, divide the charge and transmit heat from the exterior, and their inner ends fit against perforated sheet metal plates 7 separated by stays 8 to form a collecting space 9 for the distillates which, under slight vacuum, are withdrawn through an outlet chamber 10 at the top. Metal plates 14 rest on the upper surface of the coal which is thereby compressed. Each cell has four horizontal flues a.a, b.b which open into the flues c around the retorts. All the upper flues open into a continuous horizontal conduit g, Fig. 8, and the lower flues into a similar conduit at the lower part of the oven. Transverse passages l are controlled by dampers 15 so that the conduits g may, where necessary, be put in communication with a central conduit k leading to the stack. A similar arrangement is provided at the lower part of the oven. The flues a and b are provided at their open ends with dampers 17 allowing a cell to be put out of circuit for discharging. The heating gases are brought to a temperature of 650‹ C., by addition of neutral flue gases, and first heat a series of retorts in the course of distillation, then passing around retorts in which the charge is dried, and finally are used to cool the coke in the last series before escaping through the central upper flue k. As shown, retort III is being discharged, the dampers 17 being closed while hot gas is circulated around the remaining retorts from VII, VIII... V, VI the appropriate dampers 16 being closed. In the form shown in Fig. 16, the vertical faces of the retort are connected by a cast bottom 36, and open at the top into a collecting space 10. The upper end has a flange 39, and is grooved to form the upper part of a ball race, the lower part of which is a rail 41. Sheet metal plates 45 form a sand seal 46, and adjacent retorts are in close contact at their tops to prevent leakage of distillates. The oven, Fig. 20<a> is formed as a long shaft in which move the retorts hung at their upper ends, and introduced through a door 55. The retort I is unheated, and is a close fit in the shaft to prevent leakage, the following retorts II, III ... are in an enlarged section to provide a space 67 for the heating gases. The hot gases enter vertical flues 70 and pass through apertures 71 to the space 67 which is provided with horizontal partitions 72 to guide the gases which escape through apertures 73 to outlet flues 74 leading to the section of the oven where the charge is cooled.