A Novel System of Regenerative Gas Furnace for the Reduction of Zinc Ores.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 29th Dec., 1891-Accepted, 6th Feb., 1892
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Novel System of Regenerative Gas Furnace for the Reduction of
Zinc Ores.
I EMILE DOR of Ampsin in the Province of Liege and Kingdom of Belgium
Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention and in what manner the
same is to be performed, to be particularly described and ascertained in and by the
following statement :-
This invention relates to a kiln or furnace for the reduction of zinc ores, worked
by gas with regeneration of waste heat.
This furnace presents an absolutely novel application to zinc furnaces of heating
by gas with regeneration of waste heat.
The gas is produced in one or several gas generators independent of the furnace
itself.
The regeneration of the waste heat is discontinuous or intermittent and is
effected by means of eight chambers containing firebrick and arranged above the
ground, through which pass alternately, the products of combustion, the com-
bustible gases and the air necessary to their combustion.
This furnace as shown on the accompanying drawing is in duplicate; it is
composed of two kilns coupled back to back and communicating with each other
by a large opening P made in the lower part of the dividing wall.
Figure 1 is the section at A-B;
Figure 2 is the section at C-D;
Figure 3 the section at E-F, and
Figure 4, on the left the section G-H, on the right the section J-K.
Working. The gas arrives by the sump V into the channels 1 and 1', from
whence it passes into the regenerators g, g, arranged at each end of the furnace ;
air passes by the sump V into the channels 2 and 2', then into the regenerators a, a,
also arranged at each end of the furnace. In passing through the regenerators,
the gases and the air heat at the expense of the heat previously brought there by
the products of combustion and then enter into the chamber m at the upper part
of the furnace on the left, by the duplicate openings I and II respectively,
arranged at each end of the kiln.
From this chamber, in which the combustion commences, the gases descend
through the crucibles or muffles of this same kiln; having reached the bottom of
the kiln they pass by the opening P into that on the right which they traverse
from bottom to top, to finally reunite in the chamber n where the combustion is
finished if not already complete.
The products of combustion leave this chamber n by the duplicate openings III
and IV arranged at the ends of the kiln and go into the four regenerators a¹, a',
g', g' placed symmetrically at the ends of the kiln, which they traverse from top
to bottom abandoning their heat thereto. Finally, by the channels 31, 3 and 41, 4,
the sumps V and V and the conduit 5 they go to the chimney.
All goes on as above described until the combustible gas and the cold air have
removed from the duplicate regenerators a, a and 9, 9, all the heat which was
stored therein. At this moment the reversal takes place by the sumps V and V¹
which are ordinary "Siemens" sumps. The several gases then follow a reverse
direction from that which they previously traversed, that is to say, the combustible
gases and the air enter into the kiln on the right by the channels 4, 4', those 3, 3¹
and the duplicate regenerators a, a¹ and g', g³, while the products of combustion
issue from the kiln on the left by the openings III and IV and go into the
regenerators a, a, and 9, 9, then by the channels 21, 2 and 1', 1, into the conduit 5
of the chimney.

page_text: Therefore the combustible gases always traverse, the first kiln from top to
bottom and the second kiln from bottom to top.
"
I would observe that this system of heating by gas with regeneration of the
waste heat, applies equally well to the furnace known as the "Liègoise as to
the "Siberian" furnace.
A modification of this system consists in using only two groups of generators
instead of four, and in placing them at the same end of the kiln. This arrange-
ment is possible with kilns of small dimensions.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:-
In double or duplicate furnaces serving for the reduction of zinc ores and heated
by gas:-
1. The arrangement of the inlets for the combustible gases and the air, as well
as the outlets for the products of combustion, at the top of the kilns, so that the
mixture of the combustive gases and of the air traverses the first kiln downward
that is to say from top to bottom and the second kiln upward that is to say from
bottom to top.
2. In combination with the arrangement immediately above claimed, the
eventual arrangement of the regenerators at the ends of the kilns and above the
ground.
Dated this wenty-ninth day of December 1801
Dated this Twenty-ninth day of December 1901
For the Applicant,
W. E. GEDGE,
Agent.