Process and Apparatus for making Coke and saving By-Products.
Year: 1898

page_text: Process and Apparatus for making Coke and saving By-Products.
PAUL NAEF, Ph.D., Chemical Engineer, 15, 3rd Avenue, New Brighton, S.T.,
New York, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as follows:-
This invention relates to a process and apparatus for the manufacture of coke,
gas, tar, ammonia and allied products, and the object of the invention is to pro-
vide a process and apparatus to produce coke or to coke coal in a single furnace
in much larger quantities than has been done heretofore, and on a scale com-
mensurate with the requirements of a blast furnace and to utilize the by-products.
Further objects of the invention are to provide a process and apparatus to pro-
duce coke & the by-products of fuel without waste of heat, so that the heat units
required for the distillation only, are consumed; the remaining heat units being
retained in the coke and gas; to increase the production of ammonia by the action
of superheated steam on the coke in an incandescent state; to utilize the heat of
the incandescent coke for producing steam and superheating the same; to make
the coking of fuel and the cooling and loading of the coke wholly automatic;
to manufacture fuel and illuminating gases, as well as tar, ammonia and coke;
to reduce the cost of plant investment and repairs per ton of coke; and to effect
great economies in the cost of production and in the utilization of the by-products.
Further objects of the invention are to utilize the nitrogenous compounds, which
are with ordinary coking processes left in the coke (and which represent usually
more than fifty per cent. of the nitrogen contents of the coal) for the production
of ammonia; also to produce a coke with a low percentage of ash.
The coke ovens heretofore used for coking coal to recover or utilize the by-
products, have the disadvantages in that they are very costly, requiring consider-
able repair, and producing a very limited amount of coke per oven. My process
and apparatus is designed to obviate all these disadvantages and objections, and to
obtain the results hereinbefore stated, by a new method of supplying all or a part
of the heat necessary for the distillation of the coal, by passing incandescent
gases through the material to be heated and coked. These gases are produced
in a separate gas-producer or furnace, as shown in the drawing Fig. 1.
The incandescent gases pass through a column of coking material of consider-
able height. They escape from the top of the apparatus carrying tar and ammonia,

page_text: and at a temperaturę not much higher than is necessary to prevent condensation
of tar.
As the coke is subjected to considerable pressure during its formation, this
process is adapted and specially devised for the manufacture of metallurgical
coke.
This invention also relates to the apparatus for carrying out the process which
is shown in the drawings:-Figs. 1, 2, and 3.
Fig. 1, is a vertical section of a coking apparatus with, gas-producer, in section
attached.
Figs. 2 and 3, are vertical sections at right angles to each other, illustrating
a further modification and showing a water seal for the bottom of the cooling
chamber.
The coking apparatus is composed of a coking chamber, 1, having a suitable
mechanical feed, 2, on the top, which is supplied with fuel from the hopper 3
which is charged by any suitable mechanical means and of a cooling chamber
below said coking chamber. At the juncture of the coking and cooling chambers
the diameter of the apparatus is contracted, and the wall of the apparatus forms
an incline, 4, for the passage of the material downwards into the cooling chamber. 5.
A circular channel or flue, 6, surrounds the contracted portion of the apparatus
and is connected with the coking chamber, 1, by a radial series of ducts, 7. Hot
gases from the gas-producer, 8, are driven through the circular channel, 6, and
through the ducts, 7, into the coking chamber. The hot gases pass upwards
through the column of material in the coking chamber and escape with ammonia
and tar, and at a temperature not much higher than is necessary to prevent con-
densation of tar, through the pipe, 9. These are conducted to a suitable washing
apparatus, not shown, to remove tar, and then to a similar apparatus to remove
ammonia. After the coke has passed through the contracted portion of the
apparatus it descends in the lower or cooling chamber where it is treated with
steam introduced through the pipes, 10, and finally, it is completely cooled by
injecting water into the lower part of the cooling chamber by the pipes, 11.
The entire coking apparatus is supported on columns, 12. The bottom of the
apparatus has a depending funnel, 13. provided with transverse sliding doors, 14,
operated by a rack and pinion, 15. Crushing rollers, 16, are located in the lower
part of the funnel base, below said doors, so that the coke can be broken up and
discharged on to the bottom slopes in a suitable condition.
As the fine coking material offers considerable resistance to the passage of the
gas, it is an important feature of this coking apparatus, that the gas, or gas and
steam enter at such a height that the resistance to its passage in an upward and
in a downward direction, is about the same, so that the coke can be withdrawn
without escape of gas or steam.
The gas-producer, 8, for supplying hot gases for the coking apparatus, is also
erected on iron columns, 17. It has a funnel bottom, 18, provided with sliding
doors, 19, for the discharge of ash and cinders. Air is supplied by the pipe, 20,
through the circular channel, 21, having the ducts, 22, leading into the producer.
From the pipe, 20, depends a branch pipe, 23, connected with one or more per-
forated pipes, 24. extending through the bottom of the producer stack. Some
blast is thus conducted to the lower part of the producer to prevent loss of fuel.
Water pipes, 25, and nozzles, 26, are arranged at the top to spray water into the
producer.
The means for charging the gas-producer will now be described. They consist
of a double hopper, 27, having a cone bottom, 28, for the upper hopper, suspended
from the pipe, 29, and a cone bottom for the lower hopper suspended at the end
of the pipe, 30, enclosing a water pipe, 31, which ends in the lower cone 32. The
pipe, 29, is attached to a lever 33, and the pipe 30, is secured to a similar lever 34.
The bottom cone is hollow and has a bottom head, and is cooled by water flowing
into it through the inner pipe 31, and then up between the said pipe and the
supporting pipe, 30, and out by the eduction pipe 35.

page_text: Referring to Figures 2 and 3 there is shown a water seal for the bottom of the
cooling chamber, formed by an outer encasing wall, 36, forming a tank around
the bottom of the cooling chamber, which is filled with water to a level above the
bottom of the lower rim of the wall 37, of the cooling chamber, sufficiently high
to balance the gas pressure within the coking apparatus. A coke elevator, 38,
consisting of an endless chain of buckets operated by a driving sprocket, 39, passes
down within this water chamber and elevates the coke from the bottom thereof;
thus removing the coke progressively and continuously, without permiting the
escape of gas from the apparatus.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows:-Coal or coking material is elevated
into the feed hopper, 3, Fig. 1 and afterwards discharged into the coking chamber
by means of the feeder. As the charge works downward it is subjected to a
higher temperature until it reaches the maximum temperature near the tuyeres, 7,
through which the hot gases from the gas-producer, 8, are forced. The gas-
producer is worked in such a way that the gases leave it at a temperature hot enough
to effect the coking in the coking chamber, 1. After the coke has passed the -
tuyeres it enters the cooling chamber, 5, where it is treated with steam which is
introduced through radially arranged pipes, 10. Ammonia is thus recovered from
the coke and water-gas produced, which mixes with the other gases. Finally the
coke is cooled with water introduced through pipes, 11, and is discharged through
the funnel and automatically screened and loaded.
As previously mentioned it is an important feature of the process to introduce
gas and steam at such heights that coke can be withdrawn without escape of gas
or steam.
Solid or liquid fuel can be used for producing the hot gases required in the
process. Gaseous fuel can also be used, if it is previously heated.
It is an important feature of the process that when solid fuel is used in the
separate producer the resulting ash does not contaminate the coke.
A further important feature is, that by applying my process, blast furnaces
already built can be utilized for the production of coke, gas, tar and ammonia
by introducing the blast at a higher level, and to rebuild the bottom of the furnace.
similar to that shown in the drawings.
Process and Apparatus for making Coke and saving By-Products.
PAUL NABF, Ph.D., Chemical Engineer, 15, 3rd Avenue, New Brighton, S.T.,
New York, U.S.A., 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, reference being made to the drawings accom-
panying the Provisional Specification;
This invention relates to a process and apparatus for the manufacture of coke,
gas, tar, ammonia, and allied products.
One object of the invention is to provide a process and apparatus to produce
coke in a single furnace in much larger quantities than has been done heretofore,
and on a scale commensurate with the requirements of a blast-furnace and to
utilize the by-products. An important object is therefore to supply the heat
required for the coking, much more rapidly than in any of the coking processes
in use, and without burning an appreciable quantity of coke.

page_text: Further objects of the invention are to provide a process and apparatus to pro-
duce coke and the by-products of fuel without waste of heat, so that the heat units
required for the distillation only, are consumed, the remaining heat units being
retained in the coke and gas; to utilize the heat of the incandescent coke for
producing steam and superheating the same; to make the coking of fuel and
the cooling and loading of the coke wholly automatic; to manufacture fuel and
illuminating gases as well as tar, ammonia and coke; to reduce the cost of plant
investment and repairs per ton of coke; to effect great economies in the cost of
production and in the utilization of the by-products; to utilize the nitrogen
compounds, which are with ordinary coking processes left in the coke (and which
represent usually more than fifty per cent. of the nitrogen contents of the coal) for
the production of ammonia by prolonged and intimate contact of superheated steam
with the red hot coke; and to produce a coke with a low percentage of ash.
The coke ovens heretofore used for coking coal to recover or utilize the by-pro-
ducts, have the disadvantages in that they are very costly requiring considerable
repair, and producing a very limited amount of coke per oven.
My process and apparatus is designed to obviate all these disadvantages and
objections and to obtain the results herein before stated, by a new method of supply-
ing all, or a part of the heat necessary for the distillation of the coal, by passing
incandescent gases through the material to be heated and coked.
The gases are produced in a separate gas-producer or furnace as shown in Fig. 1.
These incandescent gases pass through a column of coking material of consider-
able height, and leave the top of the apparatus, carrying tar and ammonia, and
at a temperature not much higher than is necessary to prevent the condensation
of tar.
As the coke is subjected to considerable pressure during its formation, this pro-
cess is adapted and specially devised for the manufacture of metallurgical coke.
This invention also relates to the apparatus for carrying out the process which
is shown in Figs. 1, 2, 3.
Fig. 1, is a vertical section of a coking apparatus, with a gas producer, in
section, attached.
Figs. 2 and 3 are vertical sections at right angles to each other, illustrating a
further modification and showing a water seal for the bottom of the cooling
chamber.
The coking apparatus is composed of a coking chamber 1, having a suitable
mechanical feed 2, on the top, which is supplied with material from the hopper 3,
which is charged by any suitable mechanical means; and of a cooling chamber,
below said coking chamber. At the juncture of these two chambers the diameter
of the apparatus is contracted, and the wall of the apparatus forms an incline 4
for the passage of the material downwards into the cooling chamber 5.
A circular channel or flue 6, surrounds the contracted portion of the apparatus
and is connected with the coking chamber 1, by a radial series of ducts 7.
Hot gases from the producer 8, are driven through the circular channel 6, and
ducts into the coking chamber, passing upwards through the column of coking
material, and leaving with ammonia and tar and at a temperature not much higher
than is necessary to prevent condensation of tar, through pipe 9, which conducts
them to a suitable washing apparatus-not shown to remove the tar and
ammonia.
After the coke has passed through the contracted portion of the apparatus,
it descends in the lower or cooling chamber, where it is treated with steam intro-
duced through pipes 10, and finally it is completely cooled by injecting water into
the lower part of the chamber by the pipes 11.
The entire coking apparatus is supported on columns 12. The bottom of the
apparatus has a depending funnel 13, provided with transverse sliding doors 14,
operated by rack and pinion 15. Crushing rollers 16, are located in the lower
part of the funnel base below the doors, so that the coke can be broken up and
discharged on to the bottom slopes.

page_text: As the fine coking material offers considerable resistance to the passage of the
gas, it is an important feature of the coking apparatus, that the gas, or gas and
steam enter at such a height, that the resistance offered to its passage in an up-
ward or in a downward direction, is about the same, so that the coke can be with-
drawn without loss of gas or steam.
The gas-producer 8, for supplying hot gases for the coking apparatus is also
erected on iron columns 17.
It has a funnel bottom 18, provided with sliding doors 19 for the discharge of
ash and cinders. Air is supplied by pipe 20, through the circular channel 21,
and ducts 22 into the producer. From the pipe 20, depends a branch pipe 23,
connected with one or more perforated pipes 24, extending through the bottom of
the producer stack. Some of the blast is thus conducted to the lower part of the
producer, to prevent loss of fuel in the cinders. Water pipes 25, and nozzles 26,
are arranged at the top to spray water into the producer.
The means for charging the gas-producer will now be described. They consist
of a double hopper 27, having a cone bottom 28, for the upper hopper suspended
from the pipe 29, and a cone bottom for the lower hopper suspended from the end
of pipe 30, enclosing a water pipe 31, which ends in the lower cone 32. The
pipe 29, is attached to a lever 33, and the other pipe 30, is secured to a similar
lever 34. The bottom cone is hollow and has a bottom head, and is cooled by
water flowing into it through the inner pipe and then up, between the said pipe
and the supporting pipe 30, and out by the eduction pipe 35.
Referring to Figs. 2 and 3, there is shown a water seal for the bottom of the
cooling chamber formed by an outer encasing wall 36, forming a tank around
the bottom of the cooling chamber, which is filled with water to a level above the
bottom of the lower rim of the wall 37, of the cooling chamber, sufficiently high
to balance the gas pressure within the coking apparatus.
A coke elevator 38, consisting of an endless chain of buckets operated by a
driving sprocket 39, passes down within this water chamber and elevates the coke
from the bottom thereof; thus removing the coke progressively and continuously
without permitting a loss of gas from the apparatus.
The operation of the apparatus is as follows;-Coking material is elevated into
the feed hopper 3, and afterwards discharged into the coking chamber by means
of the feeder. As the charge works downward it is subjected to a higher tem-
perature until it reaches the maximum temperature near the tuyeres 7, through
which the hot gases from the gas-producer are forced.
The gas producer is worked in such a way that the gas leaves it at a temperature
hot enough to effect the coking in the coking chamber. By introducing water
into the top of the gas producer through sprays a mixture of hot gases and steam
can be supplied to the coking apparatus. It is desirable to do this, if gas contain-
ing hydrogen is required, and also for the purpose of eliminating nitrogen from
the coke.
After the coke has passed the tuyeres it descends into the cooling chamber 5,
where it is treated with steam which is introduced through radially arranged
pipes 10.
Ammonia is thus recovered from the coke, and water-gas produced, which
passes upward through the apparatus with the other gases. Finally the coke is
cooled with water introduced through pipes 11, and afterwards discharged through
the funnel and automatically screened and loaded.
The part of the apparatus, which is used for the purpose of acting upon the red
hot coke with steam, is made of very considerable size, so as to ensure a prolonged
and very intimate contact between the coke and steam, so that the nitrogenous
compounds of the coke are decomposed as completely as possible.
The action of the steam, on these nitrogenous compounds of the coke, is further
facilitated because the steam is not diluted with gas.
As previously mentioned it is an important feature of the process, to introduce

page_text: gas and steam at such heights, that the coke can be withdrawn without loss of gas
or steam.
.
Solid or liquid fuel can be burned for producing the hot gases required in the
process. Gaseous fuel can also be used if it is previously heated.
It is an important feature of the process that when solid fuel is used in the
separate gas producer, the resulting ash does not contaminate the coke. A further
important feature is, that by applying my process, blast furnaces already built
can be utilized, for the production of coke, gas, tar and ammonia by introducing
the blast at a higher level and to rebuild the bottom of the furnace, similar to
that shown in the drawings.
As carbonic acid is reduced by red hot coke, to carbonic oxide, which reaction
is connected with absorption of heat, I usually prefer to inject gas with only a
small amount of carbonic acid into the coking apparatus. As the injected gas
is further enriched by hydrocarbons formed during the coking, a rich gas
duced by the process.
pro-
The steam, which is used in the lower part of the apparatus, for the purpose of
producing ammonia by the action on the nitrogenous compounds of the coke, can
be superheated before it enters the said part. It will be thus possible to decompose
a larger amount of steam with the production of ammonia and hydrogen.
The pressure, which is necessary to drive hot gas through the fine fuel, can
be somewhat reduced by exhausting the gas, so as to create a vacuum in the upper
part of the apparatus.
The coking apparatus can be made of round or rectangular section, a number
of such plants can be built together in one block; like by-product coke ovens.
In the latter case, ducts and channels for introducing gas are arranged in the
partition walls.
The coke ovens at present in use, furnish only about 3 to 5 tons of coke, per
oven, per day. My process is intended to produce the coke from a blast-furnace
requiring 200 to 300 tons of coke, per day, in one or a small number of such
plants.
It is obvious, as the case may require, that the general construction of the
apparatus, can be varied to effect the best results in the process, without depart-
ing from the spirit of my invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is―
1. The method of producing coke, which consists in producing hot combustible
gases in a separate furnace and forcing the same through a column of coking
material.
2. The method of producing coke, gas and by-products, which consists in pro-
ducing hot combustible gases in a separate furnace, and forcing the same mixed
with steam through a column of coking material substantially as described.
3.The process of producing coke, which consists in charging fuel into a shaft,
withdrawing coke at the bottom, simultaneously injecting hot gases at such a dis-
tânce from the bottom, that the gas will pass upwards through the fine coking
material and can be drawn off from the top..
4. The process of producing coke, gas and by-products, which consists in pro-
ducing hot gases, by burning solid or liquid fuel, in a separate gas-producer or
furnace, and conducting the said gases through a body of coking material.
;
5. The process of producing coke, gas and by-products, which consists in
injecting hot gases into and passing the same through a body of coking material,
in the upper part of a shaft, whereby the volatile matter is removed, and injecting
steam and water into the resultant coke, at various heights in the lower part of
the shaft, whereby ammonia is formed by decomposition of the nitrogenous com-
pounds of the coke, and the latter is cooled.
6. The process of producing coke, gas, and by-products, which consists in pass-

page_text: ing heated gases through a body of coking material, whereby the volatile matter
is removed, injecting steam at a lower level whereby ammonia is formed by
decomposition of the nitrogenous compounds contained in the coke, and finally
injecting water at a still lower level chiefly for the purpose of cooling the coke.
7. The process of producing coke, gas and by-products, which consists in pro-
ducing a mixture of hot gas and steam, by burning solid or liquid fuel in a
separate furnace, spraying water into said furnace, and conducting the mixture
through a column of coking material.
8.A coking apparatus consisting of a vertical or inclined shaft, having means
for charging fuel on the top, and discharging coke at the bottom, means for con-
ducting hot gases through the upper part, and means for conducting steam and
water into and through the lower part, for the purpose of producing ammonia,
and for cooling purposes.
9. A coking apparatus consisting of a vertical or inclined shaft, having the
lowest inlets for gaseous fluid, at such a distance from the bottom, that the resist-
ance offered to the passage of the gas through the fine fuel above, is the same,
or less than the resistance downwards through the coke, thus enabling the with-
drawal of coke without loss of gas.
10. A coking apparatus consisting of a shaft, with means for charging fuel
on top and withdrawing coke from the bottom, having ducts for introducing gases,
and inlets for steam and water below said inlets for gases.
11. A coking apparatus consisting of a shaft, having inlets for hot gases, inlets
for steam at a lower level, and inlets for water at a still lower level.
12. In a coking apparatus, a bottom funnel discharge, having sliding doors,
with rollers below the same for delivering and crushing the coke.
13. A coking plant, comprising a gas-producer or furnace for producing hot
gases, and connected therewith a coking apparatus, through which the said gases
are forced.
14. In a coking apparatus, the annular channel and ducts communicating
therewith, arranged some distance from the bottom of the shaft, for forcing hot
gases into the coking material.
15. In a gas producer, the combination of the annular air inlet and ducts
some distance above the bottom of the producer, with perforated air inlet pipes
near the bottom of the producer, for secondary air inlets.
16. In a gas producer, a funnel-bottom having sliding doors, for withdrawing
cinders.
17. In an apparatus for producing coke, gas ammonia and tar, the combination
with a coking chamber, having a fuel feed, and connected to a suitable washing
apparatus, of a gas producer from which hot gas is supplied to heat the furnace.
18. The combination in a gas producer, of the furnace, having a gas discharge
at its top, and air feed at about its centre, and secondary air feed at its bottom,
material feeding mechanisms at its top, comprising two hoppers secured together
one above the other, drop cone bottoms to the respective hoppers, tubular rods
supporting the cone bottom with operating levers for the same, and a water cooling
pipe extending down into the bottom hollow cone.