A Process for the Elimination of Sulphur from Molten Iron or Steel.
Year: 1893

page_text: Date of Application, 23rd Jan., 1893.
Compléte Specification Left, 12th Oct., 1893-Accepted, 18th Nov., 1893
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
A Process for the Elimination of Sulphur from Molten Iron or Steel.
HENRY JOSHUA Phillips F.I.C., F.C.S., Analyst and Metallurgist of Ebbw
Vale Ironworks Monmouthshire do hereby declare the nature of this invention to
be as follows:-
This invention consists in mixing iron or steel when in a molton state contained
in a vessel lined with an acid, basic, or neutral material with the following substances
used either alone or in combination one with another:-Blast furnace slag &
manganiferous slags of all kinds, glass, potassium, sodium, calcium or barium
silicates silicates of alumina or iron & any other silicates which may be individually
or severally mixed with basic materials forming a highly basic slag which will melt
when in combination with molten iron thereby increasing the chemical affinity
between the base & the sulphur contained in the iron. The basic substances which
may be mixed with the above mentioned silicates may consist of any of the following:
lime, dolomite, limestone, soda, potash, baryta, oxide of iron, alumina, or any cheap
base which will combine with any of the aforementioned silicates forming a liquid
slag.
To illustrate the manner in which the elimination of sulphur can be cheaply
effected with some of the aforementioned materials the following may be taken as
a typical experiment which I made amongst several others. A clean ladle capable
of holding some 10 tons of iron and lined with ganister was used and on the bottom
of this was placed a mixture of 200 lbs. of slag as produced in the manufacture of
Bessemer pig iron together with 150 lbs. of good lime. The slug & lime were
previously pulverised together in a mortar mill. A sheet of iron was placed over
the mixture to prevent violent displacement of the mixture by the inrushing metal.
About 9 tons of molten Bessemer pig iron containing 0.1 per cent. of sulphur was
then run into the ladle, after which the mixture was puddled so as to bring the
liquid basic slag into intimate contact with the metal. The iron was then run
into the converter, the slag being prevented from entering by means of dams sunk
into the runners after which the metal was converted into steel in the usual manner.
On analysis of the steel produced the sulphur was found to have sunk to
025 per cent. The materials herein mentioned may be also used in the manner
stated in my Patent No. 19727 (1892). That is they may be blown through the
molten metal by means of injection with air.
Dated this 21st day of January 1893.
HENRY JOSHUA PHILLIPS.
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
A Process for the Elimination of Sulphur from Molten Iron or Steel.
HENRY JOSHUA PHILLIPS Analyst and. Metallurgist Church House Ebbw
Vale Monmouthshire 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 consists in mixing iron or steel when in a molten state contained
in a vessel lined with an acid, basic, or neutral material with the following substances
used either alone or in combination one with another, blast furnace slags of all
kinds manganiferous slags of all kinds, glass, potassium, sodium, calcium, or barium
silicates, silicates of alumina or iron, and all other silicates which may be indi-
vidually or severally mixed with basic materials forming a highly basic slag which
[Price 8d.1

page_text: will melt when in combination with molten iron, thereby increasing the chemical
affinity between the base and the sulphur contained in the iron. The basic
substances which may be mixed with the above mentioned silicates may consist of
the following: lime, potash, oxide of iron, dolomite, limestone, baryta, soda,
alumina, or any cheap base which will combine with any of the aforementioned.
silicates forming a liquid slag.
"
To illustrate the manner in which the elimination of sulphur can be cheaply
effected with some of the aforementioned materials, the following may be taken as
a typical experiment which I made amongst several others. A clean ladle capable
of holding some 10 tons of iron and lined with ganister was used and on the bottom of
this was placed 200 lbs. of slag produced in the manufacture of Bessemer pig iron
together with 150 lbs. of good lime. The lime & the slag were previously
pulverised together in a mortar mill, a sheet of iron was then placed over the
mixture to prevent violent displacement of the mixture by the inrushing iron.
About 9 tons of molten Bessemer pig iron containing 0.1 per cent, of sulphur was
then run into the ladle after which the mixture was puddled so as to bring the
liquid basic slag into intimate contact with the molten metal. The iron was then
run into the converter "the slag being prevented from entering by means of dams
sunk into the runners after which the metal was converted into steel in the usual
manner. On analysis the sulphur in the steel was found to be only 025 per cent.
I find that the mixture can also be well used for the elimination of sulphur by
applying it on the surface of the metal or the lining of the runners as the metal
runs from one vessel into another. In cases where the basic silicates used are
conducive to undue formation of incrustation on the sides &c. of the containing
vessel such well known fluxes as fluor spar, or rock salt, may be used to render
them more fluid. A good desulphurising mixture for 10 tons of metal is
lime 100 lbs., steel tap cinder (silicate of iron) 75 lbs., fluor spar 75 lbs.
cases where the mixture has a corrosive action upon the lining of the containing
vessel I have found powdered coke to have a beneficial effect when mixed with the
other ingredients.
In
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
The elimination of sulphur from molten iron and steel by mixing with the
aforementioned basic silicates, rendered more fluid if necessary by fluor spar, or
rock salt.
Dated this 11th day of October 1893.
:
HENRY JOSHUA PHILLIPS.