Improvements in Calcining Apparatus for the Conversion of Bicarbonate of Soda into Carbonate of Soda and other uses.
Year: 1893

page_text: France),
Date of Application (in United Kingdom), 3rd July, 1893
Complete Specification Left, 18th Jan., 1894-Accepted, 10th Mar., 1894
INUYIDIONAL DI DUIFICATION.
Improvements in Calcining Apparatus for the Conversion of
Bicarbonate of Soda into Carbonate of Soda and other
uses.
We, LA SOCIÉTÉ MARCHEVILLE DAGUIN AND COMPANY, of 44, Rue
Château-Landon, Paris, France, Manufacturers, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to a vertical continuously-acting calciner, more particularly
applicable for converting bicarbonate of soda into carbonate of soda, and it has for
its object to increase the useful heating surface to the maximum extent possible in
a given space and obtain all the advantages of continuous action, viz. large output,
little cooling surface, and economy in motive power and fuel.
The invention consists of a vertical calciner, formed of a number of retorts, of
large diameter in proportion to their height, superposed in elements one on the
other with a central opening for the passage of the material from one to the other.
The column of retorts is braced together by suspension rods carried by a revolving
frame provided with conical rollers and is contained within a cylindrical casing of
refractory material. The heating of the retorts may be effected by means of
furnaces, gas-producers, or other known means. Through the centre of the column
of retorts, passes a vertical shaft which is suspended from and keyed to a second
revolving frame provided with conical rollers and placed above the first. The
apparatus being arranged as described, if rotary motion be imparted to the lower
frame the column of retorts will partake in this movement while if a slower motion
be imparted to the upper frame or if it be held stationary or be rotated in the
opposite direction to the first an automatic continuous movement of the matter
under treatment may be obtained by means of discs keyed on the central shaft.
This travelling of the matters through the series of retorts is produced by the
reaction of radial pallets, inclined or curved, fixed either to each of the retorts, or
to each of the discs keyed on the shaft. When heating by gas one or more nozzles
would direct jets against the adjacent surfaces of the successive retorts.
The rotary
movement of the retorts prevents burning or overheating and consequently all
injurious effects, both to the retorts and to the matters under treatment. The
matters travel upon the discs from the centre towards the circumference and from
the circumference to the centre upon the lower interior surface of the retorts.
The retorts are charged by means of a corn meter or other equivalent
arrangement disposed beneath a hopper, into which the matters are discharged
from trucks. As regards the discharge, the matters treated are collected at the
bottom of the apparatus and carried away by means of a screw-conveyor, or other
arrangement fulfilling the same purpose, so that the matters are delivered by it
into trucks, which convey it where required.

page_text: The retorts might be fixed, in which case only one revolving frame, that of the
vertical shaft is required.
Dated this 3rd day of July 1893.
LA SOCIÉTÉ MARCHEVILLE, DAGUIN & Co.,
By M. C. DE MARCHEVILLE, Gérant,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Calcining Apparatus for the Conversion of
Bicarbonate of Soda into Carbonate of Soda and other
uses.
We, LA SOCIÉTÉ MARCHEVILLE DAGUIN AND COMPANY, of 44, Rue
Château-Landon, Paris, France, Manufacturers, 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 a vertical rotary apparatus which may be employed for
various industrial purposes and especially for the calcination of various products
and more particularly the bicarbonate of soda made by means of ammonia.
Our invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forming part of this
Specification, which represents a vertical section of the apparatus as applied for
the calcination of bicarbonate of soda, and which is constructed as follows:-
A is a circular revolving hearth supported on a set of conical rollers B and
traversed by a hollow central column C to which it is fixed and which is supported
and guided at its lower end in a bearing D fixed on the foundation. Upon the
column C near its upper end is fixed a roller path E upon which runs a set of
conical rollers Fupon which in turn rests an upper race G supporting a cross-
armed frame whose hub as well as that of the rollers F is loose upon the column C.
The cross-armed frame G supports by means of suspension rods H fixed to it by
nuts I, a superposed series of cylindrical retort sections J of sheet metal or other
suitable material connected by flanged joints K, and made of large diameter in
proportion to their height, which together constitute a vertical retort having a
very extended heating surface. Each section of the retort has a central aperture
through which the column C passes and by which the substance to be treated
circulates through the retort as hereinafter described. A disc L is fixed to
column C, at the level of each joint K so as to be interposed between the opposed
surfaces of two contiguous sections of the retort.
The upper internal face of each
chamber of the retort has one or more scrapers M of suitable form corresponding
to the convex surfaces of discs L and extending as far as the column C for the
purpose of preventing all accumulation of the matters. Each disc L also has on its
underside, one or more radial scrapers N of suitable form corresponding to the
lower internal face of each chamber. The retort is enclosed in a fixed casing O of
refractory material supported upon pillars P and supporting at its lower part a
centrally-apertured arch Q serving to separate the hearth A from the series of
chambers J. R are channels in casing O and arch Q for admitting heating gases
to contact with the walls of the calciner on the one hand and with the matters
whose treatment is to be completed upon the hearth A. The channels R may
if desired be furnished with tuyeres for injecting the gases. S are channels
diametrically opposite channels R for discharging the products of combustion,
which may be collected in a suitable regenerator, for heating by conduction the air
to be mixed at a high temperature with the combustible gases admitted at R. A
ring of teeth T upon the underside of the hearth A gears with a pinion U on a
shaft driven by a pulley V. A second toothed ring X carried by the frame G

page_text: gears with a pinion Y driven by a pulley Z. A rod a is provided with pallets b for
agitating and propelling the matter under treatment from the centre to the
circumference of the hearth A, the pallets being so arranged as to admit of varying
their inclination by hand from the exterior in order to suitably regulate the
agitation and propulsion of the matters upon the revolving hearth. The column C
is surmounted by a stationary cap-piece c provided with a pipe d for carrying off
the gases resulting from the calcination, and branch pipes è e through which the
matters to be calcined are introduced. Another pipe connected to the lower end
of column C also carries off the gases of calcination. jare sand joints for ensuring
gas-tight connections between the fixed and movable parts or between parts
revolving in opposite directions.
Suppose it be desired to calcine in the apparatus as described and shewn in the
drawings, bi-carbonate of soda resulting from the manufacture of soda by the
ammonia process. The apparatus is first set in motion by means of the pulleys V, Z,
the hearth A and column Crotating in one direction and the frame G, from which
is suspended the series of retort chambers J, in the other direction. The
bicarbonate after having been suitably prepared is introduced at one or both of the
inlets e and falls upon the conical convex surface of the diaphragm by which it is
directed into the first chamber J of the retort where it is propelled from the centre
to the circumference by reaction against the scrapers M and the inclined surface of
the disc L. On falling from the latter the bicarbonate is propelled from the
circumference to the centre upon the heated lower surface of the chamber by the
reaction of the scraper N attached to the underside of the disc L and the inclined
surface of the chamber. The product under treatment falls from the first chamber
to the next below, through the annular space J' surrounding the column C where
the same operations are repeated and so on through the several chambers to the
lowest of the series whence it is discharged on to the hearth A to be again
subjected, if desired, to further calcination by direct contact with the heating
gases.
The retort constituted by the series of chambers may be heated either by means
of the gas which has acted upon the hearth or by combining therewith the action of
gas-jets placed above the arch Q or, if it is not desired to calcine upon the hearth,
by the action of one or more jets placed between the surfaces of contiguous
chambers. The heating gases may be furnished by a furnace or other source of
heat. The form and arrangement of the apparatus may be varied, according to
circumstances, to suit the purpose for which it is employed, the arrangement herein
described being merely indicative of one of its many applications without in any
way limiting ourselves thereto. Thus the arch may be dispensed with and the
number and dimensions of the chambers J may be varied and the walls of the latter.
may be plane and the scrapers inclined or curved. The hearth and series of
chambers may also be caused to revolve in the same direction at different speeds or
the hearth may be fixed and the retort revolve, or vice-versa. In cases where the
treatment upon the hearth is not required, the hearth would be a mere supporting
disc or roller path. The rollers B may either be mounted in bearings as shewn or
may roll between two rollers paths, as shewn at the upper end of the column C.
The details, accessory-parts, materials, and dimensions, of the apparatus may be
varied without in any way departing from the principle of the invention.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of the said inven-
tion, and in what manner the same is to be performed, we declare that what we
claim is :-
1st. The herein described vertical rotary calcining apparatus consisting of the
combination of a hearth with central pivot supporting one or a series of chambers J
constituting a vertical retort, substantially as specified.
2nd. The general combination and arrangement of parts constituting the
calcining apparatus hereinbefore described and illustrated in the accompanying
drawings.

page_text: 3rd. The application to rotary vertical calcining apparatus of the kind described
of conical truck rollers, as specified.
4th. The combination and arrangement of parts herein shewn and described
whereby the matters under treatment are caused to travel continuously through
the vertical retort constituted by the series of chambers J and hearth, as
specified.
5th. The use and application of the herein described apparatus, in industrial
operations whatever may be the nature of the matters treated thereby, as
specified.
Dated this 18th day of January 1894.
MARCHEVILLE, DAGUIN & Co.,
By A. M. & Wm. Clark,
53, Chancery Lane, London, Chartered Patent Agents.