A PROCESS FOR SEPARATING AND COLLECTING PARTICLES OF METAL OR METALLIC COMPOUNDS, APPLICABLE FOR CONDENSING FUMES FROM SMELTING FURNACES AND FOR OTHER PURPOSES
Year: 1884

page_text: PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
I ALFRED OSTEN WALKER of the Lead Works Chester Lead Manufacturer
& Smelter do hereby declare the nature of my invention for "A PROCESS FOR
SEPARATING AND COLLECTING PARTICLES OF METAL OR METALLIC COMPOUNDS,
APPLICABLE FOR CONDENSING FUMES FROM SMELTING FURNACES AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES," to be as follows:-
This Invention has for its object a process for separating and collecting particles
of metal or metallic compounds, applicable for condensing fumes from smelting
furnaces and for other purposes.
In smelting metals it occurs that metal or metallic compounds pass in a finely
divided state into flues or passages by which currents of air and gases are
conveyed away from furnaces or apparatus in which metallic ore or inatter is
treated.
To cause these fine particles to cohere and collect I cause a discharge of electricity
to take place between metal points situate in the flue or passage and so placed
that the finely divided material is carried by the current of air or gas in close
proximity to the points.

page_text: A Process for Separating and Collecting Partioles of Metal or
Metallic Compounds Applicable for Condensing Fumes from
I ALFRED OSTEN WALKER of the Lead works Chester Lead Manufacturer and
Smelter do hereby declare the nature of my invention for 'A PROCESS FOR
SEPARATING AND COLLECTING PARTICLES OF METAL OR METALLIC COMPOUNDS
APPLICABLE FOR CONDENSING FUMES FROM SMELTING FURNACES AND FOR OTHER
PURPOSES "and in what manner the same is to be performed to be particularly
described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This Invention has for its object a process for separating and collecting particles
of metal or metallic compounds applicable for condensing fumes from smelting
furnaces and for other purposes.
In smelting metals it occurs that metal or metallic compounds pass in a finely
divided state into flues or passages by which currents of air and gases are
conveyed away from furnaces or apparatus in which metallic ore or matter is
treated.
I lead the fumes into any convenient receptacle or chamber or through any
convenient flue or passage of suitable shape and length and there to separate the
fine solid matter from the air in which it is suspended I cause these fine particles
to cohere and collect by means of a discharge of high potential electricity from
metal points or edges or other projections situate in the flue passage chamber or
other receptacle and so placed that the current. of air or gas containing the finely
divided material or metallic vapour is carried or passes in close proximity to the
discharging points. The discharge from the points electrifies the air or gas, and
the charged air or gas then acts on the finely divided matter in it causing it to
cohero condense and deposit.
I will now proceed to describe more in detail the way in which I prefer to apply
my invention to the separation and collection of metalliferous particles from the
fume from lead smelting furnaces.
The flues from such furnaces are at present frequently conducted for long
distances in a horizontal or inclined direction in order that the fume may deposit
a portion of the metalliferous matter which it contains.
I can apply my process to the treatment of the fume as it passes in such flues
and the flues may be much shorter than at present and nevertheless a better
deposit will be obtained, and may apply the process in other receptacles or
reservoirs.
At each point where the treatment is to be applied I provide within the flue or
chamber a metal conductor which may be a rod or combination of rods spheres
plates or any other convenient form of such dimensions as will be most suitable
to the size of the passage or receptacle. At present I prefer two rods in the form
of a cross each arm of which occupies respectively about /rds of the height and
breadth of the passage.
I stud the surface of this conductor all over with metal points or other projections
say at distances of two or three inches apart and projecting it may be two or three

page_text: inches from the surface of the metal conductor. I very carefully insulate this
conductor in any suitable manner. Thus it may be done by supporting it at the
end of an horizontal metallic rod passing through the wall of the flue. An earthen-
ware tube may be inserted into the wall of the flue and the supporting rod may be
passed through the tube but without being in contact with it. Outside the flue
the rod may be carried on glass legs entering without contact at the neck into
glass vessels in which a small quantity of strong sulphuric acid is contained. This
rod is connected with one terminal of any kind of electrical machine, capable of
developing high tension electricity by induction or by friction, the other terminal
being connected to the outside of the flue or chamber or to earth.
electricity may be supplied at high potential by any other known means.
whole is so arranged that a continuous electric discharge is maintained from the
points which stud the surface of the conductor within the flue or chamber into
the air.
Or the
The
Other means may be resorted to, to insulate in like manner the sphere or
conductor.
Several of these arrangements may be applied along the flue at distances of a
few yards.
The metalliferous particles will by this treatment be caused to agglomerate and
will be deposited in the portion of the flue beyond and near the place or places
where they are submitted to the electric discharge as herein described.
The deposit may be removed mechanically from the flue from time to time or it
may be removed in part by a stream of water flowing along the lower part of the
flue as is the practice at present in flues for condensing lead fume or in any other
convenient way.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what
1 claim is
The process for separating and collecting by means of electrical aggregation and
deposition of finely divided particles of metal or metallic compounds suspended in
air or other gas consisting in causing the fume or the current of air or gas carrying
such finely divided matter to be subjected to a discharge of electricity from an
insulated conductor or conductors situate in the flue passage chamber or receptacle
through or into which the fumo or current of air or gas passes substantially as
described.