Improved Apparatus for Highly Heating Air, and for using the same for Oxidising Purposes.
Year: 1895

page_text: Date of Application, 11th Jan., 1895
Complete Specification Left, 9th Oct., 1895-Accepted, 23rd Nov., 1895
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improved Apparatus for Highly Heating Air, and for using
the same for Oxidising Purposes.
We, Dr. WILHELM SIEPERMANN, Chemist, and HERMANN RIEGERMANN,
Manufacturer, both of Elberfeld, in the German Empire, do bereby declare the
nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to improved apparatus for highly heating air and for using
the same for oxidising purposes.
In working pit and many other furnaces the escaping gases contain such a large
quantity of heat that not only can the air blast be heated but also the air necessary
for burning the carbonic oxide. By burning the carbonic oxide with heated air a
higher temperature of combustion of this gas is obtained than would otherwise be
the case.
The apparatus forming the subject of our invention is arranged in such a
manner that the gases issuing from the pit or other furnaces are brought into contact
with some of the highly heated air and are thus burnt to heat a regenerator chamber
which then, on reversing the apparatus, serves to heat the air blast. The apparatus
is so constructed that the valves only come in contact with relatively cool gases.
The separation of the highly heated air into a current for working the furnace or
for other purposes and a portion necessary for the combustion of the gases is brought
about in a chamber with suitable orifices which do not need to be regulated when
the apparatus is working.
In carrying out our invention we provide two heating chambers filled in a known
manner with fire bricks or the like in such a manner as to form a number of passages,
and communicating with one another by means of pipes or channels provided with
a reversing valve to which the cold air blast is led and which is also in communica-
tion with the chimney. These heating chambers are in communication with two
combustion chambers which are themselves united by an intermediate chamber and
passage. The combustion chambers are united by means of passages to the carbonic
oxide connections which are also furnished with a reversing valve. The passage
for leading away the heated air communicates with the intermediate chamber.
When the two valves before mentioned are in one position the air, coming
from the blast passes through one of the heating chambers whereby it is highly
heated and thence passes to one of the combustion chambers and through the
opening into the other heating chamber. The highly heated air here divides, one
portion passing through the outlet chanuel to its ultimate destination whilst the
other portion passes to the other combustion chamber and meets here carbonic
oxide gas. The combustion of the latter heats the heating chamber and the gases.
of combustion pass to the chimney. If the positions of both the valves be reversed,
the air for the blast enters the second heating chamber where it is heated, then
passes to the intermediate chamber, divides here, one portion going to the outlet
for use and the other to the combustion chamber where it serves for the combustion
of the carbon oxide gases and for heating the beating chamber.
By suitably controlling the size of the openings or orifices connecting the various
chambers it is possible to convey the desired quantity of air in the various directions
and as hot air only passes through these openings and not burning gases their walls
are not subjected to wear.
The apparatus may also be modified in such a manner that the intermediate
chamber is arranged as an oxidising chamber. In this case the oxidation is not

page_text: effected by hot gases of combustion containing surplus oxygen but by hot air simply,
whereby a quicker and more complete oxidation is possible. The outlet channel is
then removed whereby an opening for firing and emptying the hearth or the like is
formed. The air that is blown through passes then either through the first heating
and combustion chambers towards the intermediate chamber where it is oxidised
the air thus freed from a portion of its oxygen, burning, at its exit from the said
intermediate chamber, the carbon gases which have found their way to the second
combustion chamber through the valve whereby the regenerator or second heating
chamber is again heated. Or the air passes through the second heating and com-
bustion chambers and the intermediate chamber to the first combustion chamber
where it burns the carbon gases and after passing the first heating chamber reaches
the chimney.
When it is desired to refine metals which volatilize at this heat the openings
between the intermediate chamber and the two combustion chambers are increased
in size so as to form chambers which are furnished with coarse lumps of a suitable
substance, for instance quartz, which combines with the metallic oxide to form a
substance that does not volatilize, whereby the life of the heating chainber is con-
siderably prolonged. The apparatus, above described, on a small scale is also very
suitable for laboratory purposes.
Dated the 11th day of January 1895
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.
DI BOLTIVATION.
Improved Apparatus for Highly Heating Air, and for using
the same for Oxidising Purposes.
We, Dr. WILHELM SIEPERMANN, Chemist, of 116, Königstrasse, and HERMANN
RIEGERMANN, Manufacturer, of 1, Osterfelderstrasse, both of Elberfeld, in the
German Empire, 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:-
This invention relates to improved apparatus for highly heating air and for using
the same for oxidising purposes.
In working pit and many other furnaces the escaping gases contain such a large
quantity of heat that not only can the air blast be heated but also the air necessary
for burning the carbonic oxide. By burning the carbonic oxide with heated air
a higher temperature of combustion of this gas is obtained than would otherwise
be the case.
The apparatus forming the subject of our invention is arranged in
such a manner that the gases issuing from the pit or other furnaces are brought
into contact with some of the highly heated air and are thus burnt to heat a
regenerator chamber which then, on reversing the apparatus, serves to heat the air
blast. The apparatus is so constructed that the valves only come in contact with
relatively cool gases. The separation of the highly heated air into a current for
working the furnace or for other purposes and a portion necessary for the combus-
tion of the gases is brought about in a chamber with suitable orifices which do not
need to be regulated when the apparatus is working.
To enable our invention to be fully understood we will describe the same by
reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:-
Figure 1 is a horizontal section on the line M-N of Figure 2 of apparatus
constructed according to our invention:
Figure 2 is a vertical section on the line K-L of Figure 1:
Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line P-Q of Figure 2:
Figures 4 and 5 are views similar to Figures 1 and 2 of a modified form of
apparatus:

page_text: In carrying out our invention we provide two heating chambers A, A¹ filled in
a known manner with fire bricks or the like in such a manner as to form a number
of passages, and communicating with one another by means of pipes or channels a, a¹
provided with a reversing valve E to which the cold air blast is led through the
pipe and which is also in communication with the chimney through the pipe d.
These heating chambers A, A' are in communication with two combustion
chambers V and V₁ which are themselves united by an intermediate chamber B
and passages c, c¹. The combustion chambers V and V₁ are united by means of
passages v, to the carbonic oxide connections which are also furnished with
a reversing valve D. The passage F for leading away the heated air communicates
with the intermediate chamber B by the passage ".
When the two valves E and D are in the position shewn in Figure 1 the air,
coming from the blast through the pipe a passes through the heating chamber A
whereby it is highly heated and thence passes to the combustion chamber V and
through the opening c into the other heating chamber B. The highly heated air
here divides, one portion passing through the outlet channel to its ultimate
destination whilst the other portion passes through the outlet c' to the other combus-
tion chamber V₁ and meets here carbonic oxide gas coming through the passage v.
The combustion of the latter heats the heating chamber A' and the gases of
combustion pass through a¹ to the chimney. If the positions of both the valves be
reversed as shewn by the dotted lines, the air for the blast enters the second heating
chamber A' where it is heated, then passes to the intermediate chamber B
through c¹, divides here, one portion going through the outlet cl for use and the
other to the combustion chamber V through the passage c where it serves for the
combustion of the carbonic oxide gases and for heating the chamber A.
By suitably controlling the size of the openings or orifices c, c¹ and c¹¹ connecting
the various chambers it is possible to convey the desired quantity of air in the
various directions and as hot air only passes through these openings and not burning
gases their walls are not subjected to wear.
The apparatus may also be modified in such a manner that the intermediate
chamber B is arranged as an oxidising chamber as shewn in Figures 4 and 5. In
this case the oxidation is not effected by hot gases of combustion containing surplus
oxygen but by hot air simply, whereby a quicker and more complete oxidation is
possible. The outlet channel F is unnecessary and in lieu thereof an opening G for
firing and emptying the hearth or the like is formed. The air that is blown through
passes then through the first heating and combustion chambers A and V towards
the intermediate chamber B where it is oxidised the air thus freed from a portion
of its oxygen, burning, at its exit from the said intermediate chamber, the carbonic
oxide or other combustible gases which have found their way to the second combus-
tion chamber V' through the valve D whereby the regenerator or second heating
chamber A is again heated. Or the air passes through the second heating and
combustion chambers A' and V' and the intermediate chamber B to the first
combustion chamber V where it burns the carbonic oxide gases and after passing
the first heating chamber A reaches the chimney through the valve E.
When it is desired to refine metals which volatilize at this heat the openings c
and c¹ between the intermediate chamber B and the two combustion chambers V
and V₁ are increased in size so as to form chambers which are furnished with coarse
lumps of a suitable substance, for instance quartz, which combines with the metallic
oxide to form a substance that does not volatilize, whereby the life of the heating
chamber is considerably prolonged. The apparatus, above described, on a small
scale is also very suitable for laboratory purposes.
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 :-
1. Apparatus for highly heating air having an intermediate chamber (B) arranged
between two combustion chambers (V and V₁) in communication with heating

page_text: chambers (A and A.') the said intermediate chamber communicating by means of
orifices or openings (c, c¹ and c¹¹) with the two combustion chambers and with
the place of consumption so that by making openings of proper size the required
quantity of heated air can be sent to the combustion chamber and to the place of
consumption as and for the purpose herein before described.
2. In apparatus of the kind described in Claim 1 making the intermediate
chamber (B) of such size as to form an oxidising or roasting chamber whereby the
heated air in the said chamber (B) is partly consumed and the third opening (c")
may be dispensed with substantially as described.
3. In apparatus of the kind described in Claim 2 increasing the size of the
openings (c and c¹) to form chambers which are furnished with suitable substances
for the purpose of retaining volatile metallic oxides substantially as described.
4. The improved apparatus herein before described and illustrated in Figures 1
to 3 and 4 and 5 respectively of the drawings.
Dated the 9th day of October 1895.
G. F. REDFERN & Co.,
4, South Street, Finsbury, London, Agents for the Applicants.