Apparatus for the Methodical and Continuous Treatment of Pulverulent Matters by Fluids.
Year: 1889

page_text: Date of Application, 28th May,
1889
Complete Specification Left, 25th Feb., 1850-Accepted, 17th May, 1890
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Apparatus for the Methodical and Continuous Treatment of
Pulverulent Matters by Fluids.'
I, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of 46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of Middlesex,
Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, do hereby declare the nature of this inven-
tion to be as follows:--
The typical apparatus as regards the continuous and methodical industrial treat-
ment, when heat and gases are to be made to act upon material in pieces is the lime
kiln that is discharged from the bottom ("four a chaux coulant ").
This apparatus at once so simple, methodical, continuous and economical ceases
to perform its functions when pulverulent matters have to be subjected to treatment.
Recourse is had in this case to furnaces with several storeys or stages such as
Perret's or Gerstenhoffer's or bakers' ovens such as Pechiney Weldon's in which the
working expenses and the expenditure in fuel are higher while their application is
less general.
My foreign correspondents having sought in the case of pulverized matter, for the
causes of failure of furnaces of the same class as the lime kiln have discovered them
in the fact that the gases travelling upwardly from the bottom of these furnaces
open up for themselves irregular paths through the material in powder and form flues
or passages therein, through which they pass entirely, whereas by the side of such
passages whole zones remain sheltered from the gaseous current owing to their
greater resistance. This fact has led them to devise the following kind of apparatus.
Instead of causing the gases to ascend from the bottom upwards the direction of the
current is reversed; it enters at the top and issues at the bottom. In this manner
there is no tendency to the formation of flues or passages of more easy access or if
they should be formed they immediately close under the action of gravity assisted in
this case by the gaseous current itself whereas in the ordinary operation these actions
act contrary.wise to one another. The gases pass equally through the whole section
exposed thereto and their pressure remains regular. In order to maintain a
methodical and continuous action the matter must be caused to move in a reverse
direction that is to say the fresh material must be charged at the bottom and the
exhausted or finished matter withdrawn at the top.
The last point presented no difficulty but in order to be able to charge at the bottom
it would have been necessary to devise complicated mechanical contrivances for forcing
the whole of the load upward and for shifting the same from the bottom to the top
relatively to the wall which contains it. This presented difficulties in order to solve
which is the object-of the following process.
The apparatus is mounted upon a horizontal axis which supports it and around
which it may accomplish at least half a revolution. In its normal working order it
operates in a manner, head downwards. When the moment arrives at which a fresh
load has to be introduced in the apparatus, the gaseous current is temporarily stopped,
the exhausted or finished matter is withdrawn at the top and the apparatus is
reversed, accomplishing half a revolution. The whole mass descends and by opening
the closing device placed normally at the bottom but which is now at the top, the
necessary space is found to introduce therein the fresh matter for treatment.
doors are closed and the whole apparatus is brought back into its working position;
the gaseous current is re-established and the operation continues.
The
I am aware that there exist for various manufacturing purposes apparatus mounted
upon pivots or trunnions like the Bessemer converters for instance, or the revolving
furnaces used in the manufacture of soda, but it will be obviously understood that the
similarity is merely superficial. These apparatus are emptied at once of the whole of

page_text: their charge through the discharge opening or outlet which is also often the opening for
loading and they are essentially discontinuous in working. The present apparatus, on
the contrary, contains a great number of charges, at the various successive stages of
the operation. Each charging and discharging operation causes the introduction
therein or the discharge therefrom of only a small fraction of the total charge, an
arrangement which ensures a continued and methodical operation.
For this purpose the furnace kiln or oven is constructed in height like a cupola or a
lime kiln. The manipulation thereof is not difficult since it is perfectly balanced upon
its trunnions.
According to the use for which the apparatus is designed, which use may be varied,
modifications may be introduced in its construction but they do not essentially alter
the principle thereof. For instance if it is required to avoid during the upset or
turning, the powdered matter from running slowly and forming a bank and inter-
mixing the zones of re-action which are formed inside, a false bottom may be
provided for supporting the load, and it may be manipulated from the outside when
the apparatus is in its vertical position so as to produce the vertical fall as slowly as
desired.
In order to decrease the loss of heat by radiation, the furnace kiln or oven may
be surrounded with a thick lining of non-conducting material connected with the
kiln or furnace and turning therewith.
Lastly the arrangement of the doors for loading and unloading may vary in order
to render the opening and closing thereof more easy and rapid; the same applies to
the joints with the gas pipes at the inlet and outlet. Obviously either pressure or
exhaust can be employed.
Amongst the applications for which this apparatus is available may be mentioned
the manufacture of chlorine by means of certain chlorides under the action of air, the
calcination of powdered phosphates the roasting of pyrites, the revivification of
carbonate of lime, slimes, the manufacture of ferrite of soda, of aluminate of
soda, etc.
Likewise this apparatus may be used for carrying out the action of a cold gas upon
a solid body-in powder or in fine grains as for instance in the manufacture of chloride
of calcium by the action of pure or diluted chlorine upon lime. Finally its use may
be extended to the action of a liquid upon pulverulent solids for instance for
caustifying ammoniacal salts by means of lime. The inconvenience of the cavities
("affouillements") from bottom to top which has caused the failure of several
washing or solvent processes is thus avoided and the principle of the apparatus
remains the same. Its use may be even extended to matters in large fragments to
allow the withdrawal from the bottom of a liquid off the solid matter exhausted
thereby.
By pulverulent matter is to be understood all material whether in powder or in
pieces sufficiently small of a mixture of the two.
Dated this 28th day of Mo 1880
W. LLOYD WISE,
Per J. E., S.
Apparatus for the Methodical and Continuous Treatment of
Pulverulent Matters by Fluids.
A communication from Messrs. SOLVAY & Co., 19, Rue du Prince Albert, Brussels,
in the Kingdom of Belgium, Manufacturers.
I, WILLIAM LLOYD WISE, of No. 46, Lincoln's Inn Fields, in the County of
London, Consulting Engineer and Patent Agent, 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:-
The typical apparatus, as regards the continuous and methodical industrial treatment
when heat and gases are to be made to act upon material in pieces is the lime kiln

page_text: that is discharged from the bottom (" four a chaux coulant "). This apparatus at once
so simple, methodical, continuous and economical, ceases to perform its functions
when pulverulent matters have to be subjected to treatment. Recourse is had in this
case to furnaces with several storeys or stages such as Perrat's or Gerstenhoffen's or
bakers' ovens such as Pechiney-Weldon's in which the working expenses and the
expenditure in fuel are higher while their application is less general.
My foreign correspondents have sought in the case of pulverized matter, for the
causes of failure of furnaces of the same class as the lime kiln, have discovered them
in the fact that the gases travelling upwardly from the bottom of these furnaces open
up for themselves irregular paths through the powdered material and form flues or
passages therein, through which they pass entirely whereas by the side of such
passages whole zones remain sheltered from the gaseous current owing to their greater
resistance. This fact has led them to devise the following kind of apparatus.
Instead of causing the gases to ascend from the bottom upwards, the direction of
the current is reversed; it enters at the top and issues at the bottom. In this manner
there is no tendency to the formation of flues or passages of more easy access, or if
they should be formed they immediately close under the action of gravity assisted in
this case by the gaseous current itself, whereas in the ordinary operation these actions
act contrarywise to one another. The gases pass equally through the whole section
exposed thereto and their pressure remains regular. In order to maintain a methodical
and continuous action the matter must be caused to move in a reverse direction, that
is to say, the fresh material must be charged at the bottom and the exhausted or
finished material withdrawn at the top. The last point presented no difficulty but in
order to be able to charge at the bottom it would have been necessary with a furnace
of ordinary construction to devise complicated mechanical contrivances for forcing
the whole of the load or charge upward and for shifting the same from the bottom to
the top relatively to the wall which contains it. This presented difficulties to solve
which is the object of the following process.
The apparatus is mounted upon a horizontal axis which supports it and around
which it may accomplish at least half a revolution. In its normal working position
it operates in a manner head downwards. When the moment arrives at which a
fresh charge has to be introduced into the apparatus, the gaseous current is temporarily
stopped, the exhausted or finished material is withdrawn at the top, and the apparatus
is reversed, accomplishing half a revolution. The whole mass then descends and by
opening the closing device or door placed normally at the bottom but which will now
be at the top, the necessary opening is provided to introduce into the space formed
by the descent of the mass, of the fresh matter for treatment. The closing devices
or doors are then closed and the whole apparatus is brought back into its working
position; the gaseous current is reestablished and the operation continued.
I am aware that there exist for various manufacturing purposes, apparatus mounted
upon pivots or trunnions like the Bessemer converters for instance, or the revolving
furnaces used in the manufacture of soda, but it will be obviously understood that the
similarity is merely superficial. These apparatus are emptied at once of the whole of
their charge through the discharge opening or outlet which is also often the opening
for charging and they are essentially discontinuous in working.
The present
apparatus, on the contrary, contains a great number of charges, at the various
successive stages of the operation. Each charging and discharging operation causes
the introduction therein or the discharge therefrom of only a small fraction of the
total charge, an arrangement which ensures a continued and methodical operation.
For this purpose the furnace kiln or oven is constructed in height like a cupola or
a lime kiln. The manipulation thereof is not difficult since it is perfectly balanced
upon its trunnions.
The annexed drawing illustrates such an apparatus and will enable this invention to
be clearly understood. A is the vertical cupola, D is the inlet, and D¹ the outlet for
the gas.
C is the charging opening; and C¹ is the opening for drawing off.
The construction of the apparatus can be obviously modified to suit the use to
which it is to be applied without departure from the essential characteristics of this

page_text: invention. For instance if it be necessary that whilst the apparatus is being inverted
the powdered matter shall be prevented from running slowly and forming a bank and
intermixing the zones of reaction which are formed inside, a false bottom may be
provided for supporting the load, and it may be manipulated from the outside when
the apparatus is in its vertical attitude so as to produce vertical fall as slowly as
desired. An arrangement of this kind is illustrated at E in the drawing annexed.
In order to decrease the loss of heat by radiation, the furnace kiln or oven may be
surrounded with a thick lining of non-conducting material connected with the kiln or
furnace and turning therewith.
Lastly the arrangement of the doors for charging and discharging may vary in
order to render the opening and closing thereof more easy and rapid; the same
applies to the joints with the gas pipes at the inlet and outlet. I have shewn these as
being effected by means of the hollow trunnions in order to obviate all operations
other than the closing of a single couk. Obviously either pressure or exhaust can be
employed.
Amongst the applications for which the apparatus is suited may be mentioned the
manufacture of chlorine by means of certain chlorides under the action of air, the
calcination of powdered phosphates, the roasting of pyrites, the revivification of
carbonate of lime, slimes, the manufacture of ferrite of soda, and of aluminate of
soda etc.
Likewise the apparatus may be used for carrying out the action of a cold gas upon
a solid body in powder, or in fine grains, as for instance in the manufacture of
chloride of lime by the action of pure or diluted chlorine upon lime. Finally its use
may be extended to the action of a liquid upon pulverulent solids, for instance, for
caustifying ammoniacal salts by means of dime. The inconvenience of the cavities
("affouillements") from bottom to top which has caused the failure of several washing
or solvent processes is thus avoided, and the principle of the apparatus remains the
same. Its use may be even extended to matters in large fragments to allow the
withdrawal from the bottom, of a liquid off the solid matter exhausted thereby. By
pulverulent matter is to be understood all material whether in powder or in small
pieces, or a mixture of the two.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what manner the same is to be performed I declare that what I
claim is:
1. The treatment of pulverulent materials by gases in an apparatus such as herein-
before described, which is adapted to turn on a horizontal axis, and in which (a) the
gas is directed through the pulverulent material from top to bottom, (b) the pulverulent
material is directed from bottom to top, (c) for discharging, the current of gas is
stopped periodically and the layer of pulverulent material already completely treated
is removed, (d) the apparatus is inverted and a corresponding quantity of fresh
material is introduced, and (e) the apparatus is turned again into its working attitude
and the flow of gas re-established.
2. The apparatus described and illustrated for treating pulverulent materials in the
manner set forth, said apparatus comprising the vertical cupola A capable of turning
on a horizontal axis, the trunnion inlet. D and the trunnion outlet D₁ for the gas, the
charging opening C and the discharging opening C₁ all as specified, and whether or
not the apparatus be provided with the part Ę, forming, when the apparatus is
inverted, a movable bottom in order to ensure the regular discharge of the
substance treated.