Improvements in the Treatment or Refining of Copper.
Year: 1892

page_text: Date of Application, 2nd Apr., 1892
Complete Specification Left, 2nd Jan., 1893-Accepted, 1st Apr., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
*Improvements in the Treatment or Refining of Copper.
I, JOHANNES CATHARINUS BULL, of No. 18 Bexley Road Erith, in the County..
of Kent Engineer do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
:
In many metallurgical operations such as for instance the refining of copper, the
oxidizing part of the operation has to be carried on to such an extent that in the
end (that is, when the impurities originally contained are regarded as having been:
removed to a sufficient degree) the metal is left containing a large and in most..
cases, objectionable percentage of oxides which are either in a dissolved or undis..:
solved form and in addition hereto oxygen in solution is also left in the metal.. It.
is consequently often necessary to remove the whole or part of such oxides or oxygen
by the addition of materials such as wood, charcoal, coke powder, metallic compounds.
containing manganese, phosphorus and the like or these latter substances themselves,
which materials have a reducing effect on such oxides or remove the oxygen. In
most cases. however the action of these materials or substances is either slow and
incomplete, or they leave deleterious or impure matters behind which alloy or
combine with the metal treated or with matters contained therein, or the action is
further for other reasons uncertain or unsatisfactory.
According to my invention I overcome these various objections and I will now..
proceed to describe my method of doing the same.
J
As soon as the oxidizing part of the operation is completed I force in determinable
quantities liquids or solids easily decomposed or vaporised into a reducing gas or:
gases, through or into the middle or lower part of the molten metal to be deoxydized
in such manner, that I ensure that the reducing agent or agents shall quickly come.
into most intimate contact with every particle of the oxides or oxygen and act on
them or on it in the most energetic and expeditious manner. As suitable agents:
for this purpose I may enumerate hydro carbons in either a liquid or solid state.
(and of these paraffin petroleum and the lighter oils are convenient of. application)....
Liquids as a matter of fact offer the great advantage on the score of small bulk:
and easy manipulation..
The Bessemer converter of a modified form is the furnace most suitable for the
process but any kind of furnace may be adapted for the purpose.
If it be desired as far as possible to remove all oxygen or oxide the process may
be carried on for such a time as experience proves sufficient in each particular case..
If on the other hand it be desired to leave some oxide or oxygen in the metal, the
operation may be interupted from time to time and the progress or end of the
operation ascertained by sampling or instead hereof the process may be carried out.
to the end as in the first case, that is, until the deoxydation is as complete as is
practically possible, whereupon a sufficient quantity of material containing a known.
percentage of oxides may then be added, and consequently the percentage of oxide
again introduced is of the definite and desired amount.,
Dated this 2nd day of April 1892.,

page_text: COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in the Treatment or Refining of Copper.
I, JOHANNES CATHARINUS BULL of No. 18 Bexley Road, Erith in the County
of Kent, 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 :-
In many metallurgical operations, such as, for instance the refining of copper,
the oxidizing part of the operation has to be carried on to such an extent, that, in
the end (that is, when the impurities originally contained are regarded as having
been removed to a sufficient degree) the metal is left containing a large, and, in
most cases, objectionable per centage of oxides which are either in a dissolved or
undissolved form, and in addition hereto oxygen in solution is also left in the
metal.
It is consequently often necessary to remove as far as is practicable the whole or
part of such oxides or oxygen by the addition of materials such as wood, charcoal,
coke powder, metallic compounds containing manganese, phosphorus and the like or
these latter substances themselves, which materials have a reducing effect on such
oxides or remove the oxygen. In ordinary copper refining this is usually effected
as well as is possible by the "poleing" process. In most cases however the action
of the materials or substances, herein before referred to, is either slow or incomplete,
or deleterious or impure matters are left behind which alloy or combine with the
metal treated or with matters contained therein or the action is further for other
reasons uncertain or unsatisfactory.
According to my invention I overcome these various objections and I will now
proceed to describe my method of doing the same :-
As soon as the oxidizing part of the operation is completed, I force in deter-
minable quantities, liquids, or solids, easily decomposed or vaporised into a reducing
gas or gases or matter on contact with the molten metal through or into the middle
or lower part of the metal to be deoxidized in such manner that I ensure that the
reducing agent or agents shall quickly come into most intimate contact with every
particle of the oxides or oxygen and act on them or on it in the most energetic and
expeditious manner. As agents for this purpose I may enumerate hydrocarbons
in either a liquid or solid state (and of these paraffin, petroleum and the lighter
oils are convenient of application).
Liquids offer a great advantage on the score of small bulk and easy manipulation.
The Bessemer converter of a modified form is the furnace most suitable for the
process but any kind of furnace may be adapted for the purpose.
If it be desired as far as possible to remove all oxygen or oxide, the process may
be carried on for such a time as experience proves sufficient in each particular case.
If on the other hand it be desired to leave some oxide or oxygen in the metal,
the operation may be interrupted from time to time and the progress or end of the
operation ascertained by sampling in the ordinary manner, or instead hereof the
process may be carried out to the end as in the first case, that is, until the deoxi-
dation is as complete. as is practically possible whereupon a sufficient quantity, of
material containing a known percentage of oxides may then be added and con-
sequently the percentage of oxide again introduced is of the definite and desired
amount. If larger doses, of for instance liquid hydrocarbon than is absolutely
necessary for the deoxidation pure and simple, be supplied to the molten metal,
practically the last traces of arsenic, antimony and phosphorus will be removed as
volatile bydrogen compounds. When necessary a desired quantity of oxygen can
again be introduced into such "over-poled" copper either as already described or by
exposing the molten metal to the air for a sufficient time as is usually done.

page_text: 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 :-
:-
1. The method of refining copper consisting in the introduction into molten
copper of liquids or solids easily decomposed or vaporised into a reducing gas or
gases or matter on contact with the molten metal substantially as described.
2. The method of refining copper consisting in the introduction into molten
copper of a liquid or solid hydrocarbon easily decomposed or vaporised into a
reducing gas or gases or matter on contact with the molten metal substantially as
described.
'
3. The method of refining copper consisting in the introduction into molten
copper of a liquid or solid hydrocarbon easily decomposed or vaporised and con-
tinuing such introduction after the deoxidation has been effected for the purpose
of removing arsenic, antimony and phosphorus as volatile compounds with hydrogen
substantially as described.
Dated this and dow of Tan1000
JENSEN & SON,
77, Chancery Lane, London, W.C., Agents.