Improvements relating to the Continuous Distillation and Desiccation of Viscid, Pulverulent and Granular Substances.
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 17th Feb., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 3rd Nov., 1899--Accepted, 20th Jan., 1900
Improvements relating to the Continuous Distillation and Desiccation
of Viscid, Pulverulent and Granular Substances.
We, HEINRICH MARTIN CARL KNOPF, of Eidelstedt, Analytical Chemist, and
ERNST WESTPHAL, of Stellingen-Langenfelde, both in the Empire of Germany,
do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
The distillation of viscid pulverulent and granular substances is attended
with many difficulties in practice, and particularly in the distillation of sawdust,
the waste of dye-wood and tan, leather parings, hair, and shreds of felt, it
has until now been found impracticable to devise an appliance that is really
conducive to the desired effect.
"
Revolvable retorts or stirring devices, as well as feeding or conveyor screws,
have proved serviceable but to a limited extent, as in these arrangements either
the conditions under which the necessary heat is supplied are unfavour-
able, or the "feed" is unsatisfactory. Indeed, the known feeding-
screws snails or worms are apt to endanger the safety of operatives, the screw
being very liable to become jammed and clogged by the material under treatment
and to break in consequence; or a breakage of other parts of machinery may
ensue.
The improved process and apparatus for the distillation of solid or semi-liquid
materials, has this distinguishing feature, that the material or substance to be
treated is propelled forward by spirals drawn out helically, and that, whilst
operations are conducted continuously, the said material is freed from any
water it may contain, then carbonized, then cooled and lastly discharged each
of these processes being carried out in separate stages.
In the arrangement hereinafter described, the material is admitted through
the charging hopper into the retort wherein it is fed away by the helical spiral
and caused gradually to drop through the shoot into a second retort where it is
again propelled by another screw-spiral. The second retort is situated within
a structure fitted with heating apparatus so that the material, which is moved
in the direction opposite to that of the flow of the hot gases, is carbonized. The
first retort is swept by the exhaust gases from the furnace, and in it the material
is liberated from moisture or subjected to a preliminary drying operation.
The products of the distillation escape from the second retort into the cooler
while the non-condensable gases may be admitted as fuel into the heater.
The carbonized residues pass through the shoot into a third retort, which is
cooled, so that the said residues are conducted by the spiral to the outlet in a
cooled condition, and are here collected for further treatment.
The contents of the first mentioned shoot prevent the distillation gases from
rising from the second retort into the first retort. The second and third retorts
may be disconnected, or cut off from each other, by means of two sliding dampers
provided in the shoot.

page_text: Normally there are arranged a number of retorts side by side in each tier or
storey.
Owing to the fact that the feeding devices in the retorts consist not of the
familiar conveyor-screws, worms or snails, but of spirals drawn out in screw-
shape so that the actual thread or helical surface is perforated, or open, the
vapours or gases evolved in the course of the operation may readily escape from
all parts of the material and the material itself may be fed along without settling
or clogging. The distillation, though effected by simple means, is perfect. The
residues such as coke, for example-which are maintained in a comparatively
cool condition, may be safely stored or transported, or if desired, subjected to
further manipulations; all of which is feasible at a nominal cost.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.
Improvements relating to the Continuous Distillation and Desiccation
of Viscid, Pulverulent and Granular Substances.
"
 ݂ܬ
We, HEINRICH MARTIN CARL KNOPF, of Eidelstedt, Analytical Chemist, and
ERNST WESTPHAL, Manufacturer, of Stellingen-Langenfelde, both in the Empire
of Germany, 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: -
The distillation of viscid, pulverulent and granular substances is attended
with many difficulties in practice, and particularly in the distillation of sawdust,
the waste of dye wood and tan, leather parings, hair and shreds of felt, and it
has, until now, been found impracticable to devise an appliance that is really
conductive to the desired effect.
66
Revolvable retorts or stirring devices, as well as feeding or conveyor screws,
have proved serviceable, but to a limited extent, as in these arrangements either
the conditions under which the necessary heat is supplied are unfavour-
able, or the "feed" is unsatisfactory. Indeed, the known feeding-
screws, snails, or worms are apt to endanger the safety of operatives, the screw
being very liable to become jammed and clogged by the material under treatment
and to break in consequence; or a breakage of other parts of machinery may
ensue.
The improved process and apparatus for the distillation of solid or semi-liquid
materials, has this distinguishing feature, that the material or substance to be
treated is propelled forward by spirals drawn out helically, and that, whilst
operations are conducted continuously, the said material is freed from any
water it may contain, then carbonized, then cooled and lastly discharged, each
of these processes being carried out in separate stages.
'
In the accompanying drawing we have shown a vertical longitudinal section
of an apparatus embodying our invention. The material is admitted through
the charging hopper a into the retort 6', wherein it is fed along by the helical
spiral and caused gradually to drop through the shoot d into a second re-
tort 62 where it is again propelled by another screw-spiral ². The second
retort is situated within a structure fitted with a heating device h, so that the
material, which is moved in the direction opposite to that of the flow of the hot
gases, is carbonized.
"

page_text: The retort 63, as well as the retort 61, the top of which latter is preferably
open as shown in the drawing, are surrounded by the exhaust gases from the fur-
naces or fire-place h. These exhaust gases or products of combustion will pass
through the apparatus and around the said retorts, in, or nearly in, the course
indicated by arrows. Whilst in the second retort the material moved along
therein is carbonized; the material moved along in the first retort 61 is but
liberated from moisture or subjected to a preliminary drying operation.
The products of distillation escape from the second retort through a pipe f
into a cooler, which preferably consists of a serpentine-pipe e placed in a vessel e
filled with a suitable cooling medium, such as cold water or the like. The lower
end of the serpentine-pipe is in communication with a vertical pipe, the upper
part or branch f¹ of which leads into the furnace or fire place while its lower
part or branch f may be in communication with any suitable reservoir, not
shown in the drawing. The products of distillation which are condensed in the
cooling-pipe e, will drop into the branch f, and flow off through the latter,
into the said reservoir, whereas the products of distillation which are noncon-
densable, and in the form of combustible gases, will escape upwards through the
branch f, into the furnace or fire place h, there being utilized as fuel.
The carbonized residues pass through the shoot into a third retort 63.
which is cooled, so that the said residues are conducted by the spiral to the
outlet in a cooled condition, and are here collected for further treatment.
The contents of the shoot d prevent the distillation gases from rising from
the second retort 62 into the first retort 61. The second and third retorts may
be disconnected, or cut off from each other, by means of two sliding dampers g'
and provided in the shoot. g3 is a cut off slide, arranged in the shoot or
outlet d'; and i is a suitable feed-device, such as a shaft provided with blades.
Normally, there are arranged a number of retorts side by side in each tier
or storey.
Owing to the fact that the feeding devices in the retorts consist, not of the
familiar conveyor-screws, worms or snails, but of spirals drawn out in screw
shape, so that the actual thread or helical surface is perforated, or open, the
vapours or gases evolved in the course of the operation may readily escape from
all parts of the material, and the material itself may be fed along without
settling or clogging. The distillation, though effected by simple means, is per-
fect. The residues such as coke, for example-which are maintained in a com-
paratively cool condition, may be safely stored or transported, or, if desired,
subjected to further manipulations; all of which is feasible at a nominal cost.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of our said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what
we claim is :-
In an apparatus for continuously drying, distilling and cooling viscid, pulveru-
lent or granular substances, the combination of drying distilling and cooling
retorts, arranged one above the other, and provided each with an inner helical
spiral for propelling the said substances, with two sliding dampers arranged in
the shoot connecting the distilling retort and the cooling retort, and adapted to
alternately disconnect or cut off the said retorts from each other, in order to
prevent the gases of distillation from entering into the cooling retort, substan-
tially as and for the purpose set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of November 1899.
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C.,
Agents for the Applicants.