Improvement in Apparatus for Treating Materials by a Circulating Current of Heated Gases.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 5th Feb., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 12th Oct., 1891-Accepted, 12th Dec., 1891
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Apparatus for Treating Materials by a Circulating
Current of Heated Gases.
I, EDWARD BLASS, of No. 11, Varnhorst Strasse, Essen on the Ruhr, Kingdom
of Prussia, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
If solid materials are to be treated by means of a current of heated gases in
view of producing in them any chemical changes, the heating-gas is at present
allowed to pass off together with the products of its action on the materials; a
constant supply of fresh heating-gas is therefore required during the whole
operation. In contradistinction to this method, substantially the same volume of
gas is, according to my invention, caused to pass in repeated turns through the
material after having been heated anew previous to every passage. The gas thus
serves as conveyor of heat, and only the gaseous products evolved by its action on
the material, are conducted away.
The apparatus which I employ for this purpose consists in a working chamber or
shaft for the material to be treated, a regenerator or heat-accumulator communi-
cating at one of its ends with one end of the former, a gas-burner or furnace
adapted to heat the regenerator, and a blower inserted between the said chamber
and the regenerator, and whereby the circulation of the gas contained in the latter
and the working chamber as brought about. The chamber has at the top a pipe
for the issue of surplus gases, while the regenerator is fitted with a chimney, both,
the said pipe and the chimney, being provided with valves. In some cases the
gases may be allowed to escape through the chimney, a separate pipe for this
purpose being then unnecessary.
After the working chamber has been filled and the regenerator heated, all
apertures of the apparatus are closed, only the valve through which surplus gases
are to issue, being opened more or less if an evolution of gases takes place during
the operation. The blower is then started for producing the circulation of gas and
transmission of heat.
Dated she th 1
1001
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvement in Apparatus for Treating Materials by a Circulating
Current of Heated Gases.
I, EDWARD BLASS, of No. 11, Varnhorst Strasse, Essen on the Ruhr, Kingdom
of Prussia, 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 :-
A.
If solid materials are to be treated by means of a current of heated gases in
view of producing any chemical changes therein, the heating-gas is at present
allowed to pass off together with the products of its action on the materials.
constant supply of fresh heating-gas is therefore required during the whole
operation. In contradistinction to this method, the method forining the subject of
my invention consists in causing substantially the same volume of gas to pass in
D

page_text: .
repeated turns through the material after having been heated anew previous to
every passage. The gas thus serves as conveyor of heat and only the gaseous
products evolved by its action on the material are conducted away.
For this purpose I employ an apparatus such as is represented in two different
arrangements by Figs. 1 and 2 of the annexed drawing. The same consists in a
working-chamber or shaft B for the reception of the material to be treated; a
regenerator or heat-accumulator C, communicating at one of its ends with one end
of the former, a gas-burner E adapted to heat the regenerator and which may be
replaced by a furnace, and a blower D, inserted between the chamber B and the
regenerator, and whereby the circulation of the gas contained in the latter and
chamber B is brought about. The chamber B is provided with a grate on which
the material to be treated rests, it has at the top a charging orifice and at the
bottom an aperture for drawing out the material, and besides a pipe L, furnished
with an adjustable valve L', is attached to its top for the issue of the surplus
gases. The regenerator is fitted with a chimney K provided with a shut off
valve K. The burner E comprises the gas-pipe F and the air-pipe M with the
respective shut-off valves F¹ and M. I is the suction-pipe and the discharge-
pipe of the blower D.
After the working-chamber B has been filled and closed, the valve L' is also
closed, the valve K of the chimney is opened, and the burner E is lit, while the
blower remains in repose. The flames then develope in the combustion-chamber A,
and the products of combustion pass through the regenerator, heat the same and
escape through the chimney K. After sufficient heat has been stored up in the
regenerator, the gas-flame is extinguished by closing the valves F and M¹; valve K¹
is also closed, while valve L' is opened more or less if an evolution of gases takes
place during the operation. The blower on being then started, produces a circu-
lation of the gases in chamber B and regenerator C in the direction of the arrows
shown in the figures, in consequence whereof the heat is transmitted from the
regenerator to the material contained in chamber B. During this operation the
said material is continuously exposed to the action of substantially the same gases.
If no gas is evolved from the material,, it is the same volume of combustion-gases
which always passes over again through the material. But if gas is evolved, as
for instance carbonic acid in the process of burning of limestone, at first a mixture
of this gas with the combustion-gases is formed, and as the surplus of gas escapes
through pipe L, there will in a short time only be remaining the newly produced
gas, ie. in the foregoing example carbonic acid. According to the quantity of gas
evolved, the valve L' is so adjusted that the pressure in the apparatus will not be
excessive. The surplus gas may however also be allowed to escape through the
chimney K. By the described means it is possible to make use of the products of
distillation of substances for the further distillation of the latter.
After the regenerator has given off its heat, the same is reheated in the manner
hereinbefore set forth.
In some cases water or steam may be introduced into the regenerator in view of
promoting the process to be carried out in chamber B. The apparatus is also
available for the revivification of animal charcoal.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is:
1. An apparatus for treating solid materials by means of a circulating current of
gases, consisting in the combination of a chamber B for the reception of the material,
a regenerator C communicating with the said chamber and having a chimney
provided with means for closing the same, a gas-burner or furnace for heating the
regenerator, and a blower D inserted between the chamber B and the regenerator
and by which the gases in the chamber and the regenerator can be caused to
circulate, substantially as described.

page_text: 2. In the apparatus specified in Claim 1, the combination, with the chamber B,
of the gas escape-pipe L.
Dated the 19th f
o 1901
J. H. JOHNSON & Co.,
Agents.