Improvements in Apparatus for Obtaining Ammonia and Ammonia- salts from Nitrogenous Organic Matters.
Year: 1894

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd July. 1894-Accepted, 4th Aug.,
1894
[Communicated from abroad by LOTHAR STERNBERG, of Jersey City, New
Jersey, United States of America.]
Improvements in Apparatus for Obtaining Ammonia and Ammonia-
salts from Nitrogenous Organic Matters.
I, HENRY HARRIS LAKE, of the Firm of Haseltine, Lake & Co., Patent
Agents, 45 Southampton Buildings, in the County of Middlesex, do hereby declare
the nature of this invention and in what manner the same is to be perforined, to be
particularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
The object of this invention is to facilitate the carrying out of the process of
obtaining ammonia and ammonia salts from nitrogenous organic matters described
in the Specification of a former Patent No. 21723 A.D. 1892.
The improvement is embodied in the apparatus which is illustrated in the following
accompanying drawings in which ;
Figure 1 is an end elevation, partly in section.
Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical section.
The drawings represent the furnace A, containing eight vertical retorts u, arranged
in groups of four. The number of retorts, however, and their sizes may be varied
as required.
The furnace may be heated either by fire upon the grate b, or by the combustion
of gas introduced through the inlet, c. In operation the supply of gas produced
by the process may be sufficient for heating the retorts, but at the commencement
of the operation, if no gas from any source is available, heat may be obtained from
the fire upon the grate.
Preferably four retorts are associated in one group as above stated.
Each group has at the top a common feed chamber d, into which is inserted the
feed pipe d', provided with the two slide valves e, el. The space between the slide
valves e and e', constitutes the charge chamber e. This arrangement permits fresh
charges of material to be from time to time introduced without allowing the outside
air to come into contact with the glowing mass within the retorts.
The lower ends of the retorts extend a suitable distance into the common
receiving chamber f, closed at the top, and communicating at the bottom with
the discharge chamber f, from which it is separated by the adjustable slide valve f³,
the lower extremity of the discharge chamber being provided with the door.
By closing the valve f³, and opening the door 14, the material contained in the
discharge chamber is discharged without allowing outside air to have access to the
interior of the receiving chamber.
Each retort is provided with a vertical screw of cross pitch, the thread 9 of
which winds spirally around and is affixed to the elongated drum g', mounted upon
the hollow shaft 92, which is stepped at its lower end in the bearing ³, and has its
uppermost bearing in the stuffing box g, having also an intermediate bearing in the
hollow stuffing box h. The portion of the hollow shaft ², contained within the
hollow stuffing box h, is provided with the perforation . Non-oxidizing gases
mixed with steam supplied if necessary from the steam pipe ', are fed by the
pipe h2, into the hollow stuffing box, h, and thence into the hollow shaft 2, through
the perforation, and are discharged therefrom near the upper end of the shaft
through the perforation i, into the chamber at the upper end of the retort.
steam and non-oxidizing gases thus introduced are superheated within the shaft,
and to some extent cool the shaft and preserve the screw from being destroyed
by the heat within the retort.
The
The gases and vapours issue from the lower ends of the retorts into the receiving

page_text: chamber, from the upper part of which they are led by the pipe j, into the
absorber k, of common construction, wherein by contact with sulphuric acid the
ammonia is absorbed and transformed into sulphate of ammonia.
The gases, freed from the ammonia, are drawn from the upper part of the
absorber by means of a gas pump, and by which they are driven either into the
gasometer m, or through the branch pipe m', directly into the gas service pipe m²,
in which latter case the valves m³ and m, will be closed. When the gas is in
excess, the valve m³, will be kept open so that the gas will be delivered into the
gasometer and by opening the valve m', the gas will be forced from the gasometer
into the gas service pipe m².
From the gas service pipe the gas is delivered to a system of distributing pipes,
one of which n, is shown in Figure 2. Each distributing pipe is provided near the
top with a valve n', by opening which the gas is allowed to How into the gas inlet c,
from which it is discharged into the furnace, wherein it is used to heat the retort
by being burned with air which is introduced into the furnace through the adjacent
air inlet o. At its lower end the distributing pipe n, is provided with a valve n²,
by which it is connected with the pipe by means of which it is conducted into
the hollow stuffing box h, as already mentioned.
In operation the retorts are at first filled with the material which is to be treated,
which material is introduced through the feed pipe d', and falls through the said
retorts into the receiving chamber, which it only partially fills, because the top
of the receiving chamber is, as will be seen, above the lower ends of the said
retorts. A fire is then started upon the grate b, and after the retorts have become
heated and gas has been formed, it is introduced into the furnace chamber through
the
gas inlet
and there burned as described for the purpose of keeping up the
heat. Rotatory motion is imparted to the vertical screws in the retorts from the
worm shaft p, which is adapted to engage the worm wheels p, affixed to the lower
ends of the hollow shaft g, respectively. By the rotation of the screws the
material contained within the retorts is kept from packing tightly and is so loosened
that the gases introduced into and generated in the retort can easily penetrate and
make their way through the incandescent mass of material contained in the retort.
As the operation progresses and occasion arises for the removal of material from
the receiving chamber, the slide valve ³, is opened and the material is allowed to
fall into and fill the discharge chamber, after which the valve ³, is closed and
the door, of the discharge is opened.
Quantities of material approximating in bulk to the bulk of the discharged
material are introduced at the top, as described, by successively filling and emptying
the charge chamber e².
As already explained, the gas delivered from the gas pump can be driven directly
into the gas service pipe m², without being made to pass through the gasometer,
which is only required for use when the gas is in excess and occasion arises for
temporarily storing such excess of gas. The gas service pipe m³, is provided with
a branch by means of which, if desired, the gas or any portion thereof may be
conducted off for some other purpose in any case wherein it is not desired to
introduce it into the retorts or to burn it in the furnace, and on the other hand gas
from any other source may be introduced and used as described.
q
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said
invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, as communicated to me
by my foreign correspondent, I declare that what I claim is :-
1. In a system of vertical retorts arranged in groups, the combination as herein
set forth of a group of vertical retorts contained within a suitable furnace chamber,
means for charging said retorts without exposing their contents to direct contact
with the outside air, a receiving chamber into which the lower ends of said retorts
project, a discharge chamber, a inovable door for opening and closing the outlet
from said discharge chamber, a valve for opening and closing communication from
said receiving chamber to said discharge chamber, vertical screws contained within

page_text: the said retorts respectively, means for rotating said screws, a gas discharge pipe
leading from the upper part of said receiving chamber, an absorber of the usual
construction into which said gas discharge pipe leads, and a gas pump for pumping
gas from said absorber.
2. The combination, as herein set forth, of a vertical retort, a feed chamber at
the top of said retort, a receiving chamber into which the lower end of said retort
extends a prescribed distance, a screw within said retort, a hollow vertical shaft
upon which said screw is mounted, means for rotating said hollow shaft, a hollow
stuffing box affording one of the bearings for said shaft, said hollow shaft having a
perforation connecting its interior with said feed chamber and also a perforation
connecting its interior with said hollow stuffing box, a gas pipe communicating with
said hollow stuffing box, a steam supply pipe connected with said gas pipe, an
absorber, a gas pump and suitable pipe connections for drawing off the gas from
said receiving chamber and forcing it mixed with steam into said hollow stuffing
box, thence through hollow shaft into said feed chamber and therefrom into said
retort.
3. The combination, as herein set forth, of a furnace provided with a gas inlet
and an air inlet, a group of vertical retorts contained within said furnace, a feed
chamber at the top of said retorts, a receiving chamber into which the lower ends
of said retorts project a prescribed distance, each of said retorts being provided
with a screw mounted upon a hollow vertical shaft, means for rotating said hollow
shaft and the screws mounted thereon, an absorber and a gas pump and suitable
pipe connections and valves for withdrawing gas from said receiving chamber and
forcing any desired portion of said gas into said furnace chamber for the purpose
of burning it therein and also forcing any desired portion of said gas into a pipe,
communicating with said hollow shafts and with a steam supply pipe, whereby any
desired portion of said gas mixed with steam is introduced under pressure into the
upper ends of said retorts.
4. A system of vertical retorts arranged in groups contained in suitable furnace
chambers and provided respectively with rotating vertical screws, an absorber, a
gas pump and a gasometer and suitable pipe connections and valves for withdrawing
gas from receiving chambers into which the lower ends of said retorts extend and
for distributing the said gas in any desired proportion to the said gasometer, to
said furnace chambers for combustion therein, and to feed chambers communicating
with the upper ends of said retorts.
11
. 7
CT
HASELTINE, LAKE & Co.,
45, Southampton Buildings, London, W.C., Agents for the Applicant.