Improvements in Basic Furnace Lining and Basic Material.
Year: 1891

page_text: Date of Application, 16th Oct., 1891
Complete Specification Left, 16th Aug., 1892-Accepted, 17th Sept., 1892
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Basic Furnace Lining and Basic Material.
1, JOSE BAXERES ALZUGARAY of 70 and 71 Bishopsgate Street, in the City
of London, Engineer, do hereby declare the nature of this invention to be as
follows:-
The invention consists in the use of the oxydes, the carbonates of baryta and
strontia or any other salts or minerals containing baryta or strontia alone, together,
or mixed or combined with one or more of the following basic bodies :-
Oxyde or carbonate of magnesia-alumina-bauxite-carbonate or oxide of
lime dolomite-soda-potash-wolfram-lime tungstate (scheelite or tungsten
spar)-chromium iron ore-ilminite (titaniferous iron ore)-manganese oxydes or
carbonates-magnetic iron ore.
The above basic linings and basic refractory mixtures are chiefly efficient on
account of the strong basic properties of the barytic and strontia oxydes, and
carbonates and are specially adapted on this account to the treatment refining and
purifying of metal and minerals such as iron, steel, copper and others. By lining
the furnaces, crucibles, pots or other kind of metallurgical apparatus with the
described mixtures and by the addition of these in the course of the usual basic
process during the smelting, the metals and minerals therein fused and melted will
be freed from any impurities such as phosphorus, sulphur, arsenic, antimony or
tellurium. These linings will also prevent corrosion in alkali furnaces or in others
where basic materials or compounds are smelted.
These materials can be put into any required shape such for example as bricks,
cupolas etc. The process to be followed is the usual one viz. :-pulverising, mixing
the substances baking or moistening them with water, tar, rosin, hydrocarbon then
submitting in moulds to hydraulic pressure and finally calcining or burning.
Dated this 16th day of October 1891
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Basic Furnace Lining and Basic Material.
I, JOSE BAXERES ALZUGARAY, of 70 and 71 Bishopsgate Street, in the City
of London, 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 :-
It is well known that an immense progress has been accomplished by the
introduction into metallurgy, and particularly the treatment of iron, of what is
termed the "basic" process; this process which tends to develop more and more
every day, notwithstanding its numerous advantages has hitherto been attended by
a serious drawback. The basic materials employed readily absorb carbonic acid
and the humidity contained in the air as soon as the temperature, no matter for
what reason, descends below a certain limit. When the temperature rises again,
the said materials become free both of the moisture and of the carbonic acid they
have absorbed, but in consequence of the repetition of these alternate chemical
actions, the basic bricks or linings in a comparatively short time become damaged by
splits or cracks, to such an extent that it is found necessary to replace them by
entirely new material long before they have exhausted their property of absorbing
the impurities contained in the metal brought into contact with them. The

page_text: attempts hitherto made to remedy this defect and to keep the basic lining in repair
as long as possible involve very considerable expense, though the enormous
economical advantage of basic materials capable of resisting the double chemical
influence mentioned above will be readily realized. To fulfil this requirement is
the object of the present invention, which consists in basic mixtures or compounds
the principal element of which is carbonate of barium (whiterite) which nature
abundantly provided.
Although various alkaline or earthy carbonates, even including strontianite,
have been occasionally employed before this, carbonate of barium has hitherto been
entirely disregarded in consequence of a prejudice generally entertained against it,
that it must, through the effect of high temperatures, transform into caustic baryta,
which by absorbing dampness and carbonic acid still more energetically than
other alkaline earthy oxides will proportionately accelerate the destruction of the
lining.
It should however be remembered that carbonate of barium loses its carbonic
acid with much greater difficulty than do the other alkaline or earthy carbonates.
Besides the baryta produced shows within certain limits of temperature a tendency
to become converted into bi-oxide of barium which does not readily absorb moisture:
Again it is a fact that baryta has, more than any other alkaline earth, the property
of becoming harder under the action of heat. These properties, taken in con-
junction with the comparative readiness with which baryta by reason of its
chemical affinities will absorb impurities contained in metals have led us to try
carbonate of barium in manufacturing basic bricks and lining.
The results obtained have fully confirmed our suppositions, as the bricks made
of a mixture of carbonate of barium and carbonate of magnesium, after having
been exposed to the air and to dampness for several months have not shown the
least sign of deterioration while dolomite and magnesia bricks made at the same
time frittered away completely in a few days.
Carbonate of barium either natural or artificial may be employed alone or mixed
in various proportions with one or more alkaline-earthy carbonates such as nature
and industry supply. Among the natural substances of this kind may be
mentioned --Magnesia or carbonate of magnesia, alumina, bauxite, lime or car-
bonate of lime, dolomite, strontianite or carbonate of strontium, ilmenite, wolfram,
scheelite, chromatate, iron manganese (oxides and carbonates of) magnetic iron,
hematite, etc.
The mixture which will give the best results is that of carbonate of barium with
carbonate of magnesia in equal proportions.
Basic materials are obtained by thoroughly mixing the ingredients reducing
them to powder and agglomerating them by pressure or by means of carburet or
hydrocarbon, or even (which is more simple still) by means of a little silicate of
soda, so that the melting capacity of the material is not increased. Then the
mixture is slowly and progressively heated. When silicate of soda is employed
it is diluted in the proportion of from 2 to 5% of silicate to such a quantity of
water as is necessary for humidifying the whole of the powdered mass. In many
cases mixtures of plumbago or graphite may be added in proportions varying from
20 to 50%. Such materials as these in addition to their basic properties acquire
by their special method of manufacture a reducing power calculated to facilitate
certain metallurgical operations. The effect of heat is considerably to harden the
basic mixture, so that metallurgical apparatus lined with such mixture_become
more resistant as time proceeds, if they be steadily kept in operation; though as
the material does not yield to the chemical actions of dampness or of the carbonic
acid contained in the air, the apparatus may, after a series of operations be without
danger left inoperative for a time.
It will be understood that metallurgical apparatus may if required be wholly
constructed of basic material; or mixed arrangements may be resorted to, some
parts being built entirely of basic material and others merely lined wholly or
partly. In some cases it will be sufficient only to line the part or wall immediately

page_text: in contact with the material treated by re-action or fined. This latter course is
naturally the least expensive one as in this case the apparatus may easily be
kept in repair.
Instead of employing masonry (grouting) all may be performed by pugging.
When silicate of soda is employed as an agglomerant, the process required for
compressing the pulp is by far less thau where hydrocarbons and especially the
various classes of tar are used. Thus it will be seen that from an economical point
of view it is preferable to agglomerate the pulp or mass by means of a solution of
silicate of soda. The material obtained will be found just as strong and infusible
and to possess just the same basic qualities as material agglomerated by other
methods, while it requires less mechanical preparation.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I
claim is,―
1. In the manufacture of basic fire-proof material or lining bricks tiles or
moulded articles the employment of carbonate of barium mixed with one or more
other alkaline-earthy carbonates either natural or artificial or other metal ores or
minerals such as magnesia or carbonate of magnesia alumina bauxite lime or
carbonate of lime dolomite strontianite ilmenite wolfram scheelite chromate of iron
magnetic iron hematite oxides and carbonates of manganese and the like.
2. The employment of the same materials as those mentioned in the above first
claiming clause with the addition in proportions variable according to circumstances
of finely pulverized graphite the component parts of the mixture being in either
case reduced to fine powder thoroughly mixed either calcined or not and adapted
to receive an addition of one or more liquid hydrocarbons or of a small quantity of
silicate of soda in variable proportions to be then submitted to more or less
powerful pressure so as to impart strength and compactness to the blocks or articles
produced which are then either directly utilized such as they are or first slowly and
progressively baked for the desired space of time.
Dated this 16th day of August 1892.
W. P. THOMPSON & BOULT,
Agents for the Applicant.