Improvements in Apparatus for the Production and Application of Gases for Metallurgical and other Purposes.
Year: 1890

page_text: Date of Application, 3rd May, 1890-Accepted, 5th July, 1890
COMPLETE SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in Apparatus for the Production and Application of
Gases for Metallurgical and other Purposes.
We, JAMES JOHN SHEDLOOK, of New Barnet, in the County of Herts, Engineer,
and JAMES JONES MELDRUM of 25 Cathedral Yard, Manchester, in the County of
Lancaster, 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 :-
This invention having for its object the manufacture of reducing and heating gases
is particularly applicable to the process for the extraction of metals from their ores
described in the specification of a patent No. 15504 granted to James John Shedlock
on the 25th November 1884, and is carried into effect by taking steam from any
convenient source and operating therewith a jet injector or blower by means of which
an induced current of atmospheric air is carried into and through a condenser.
This condenser is constructed with an extended area of cooling surface so that the
whole or any part of the stoam as desired may be condensed. The mixed steam and
air are conveyed by pipes from the condenser to a superheater in which they are
raised to the highest practicable temperature in which condition they pass from the
superheater under considerable pressure into a gas producer.
The action of the superheated air on the fuel is such that it is brought into a high
state of incandescence and there is a large production of hydrogen and carbonic oxide.
These gases together with the nitrogen of the air are forced into a bath of molten
metal simultaneously with the ore under treatment.
The action of these highly heated reducing gases is such as to cause separation of
the metals from the ore, and these become alloyed with the metal of the bath. For
the purpose of producing and supplying suitable gaseous fuel for heating the super-
heater and generating steam in the boiler a second gas producer may be employed
worked by means of a second jet injector. Instead of jet injectors mechanical air
blowers may be employed with a supply of steam to the air.
The gases so produced are conveyed by means of suitable pipes and valves to the
bath of metal, superheater, and it may be to a steam generator where they are
burned.
Under certain conditions it may be found desirable to superheat either or both the
steam and the air before admitting them to the injectors.
Now in order that our said invention may be readily understood we shall describe
the drawings hereunto annexed in which Fig. 1 is an elevation and Fig. 2 a plan of
an apparatus constructed in accordance with our invention and in which the same
letters of reference indicate the same parts in each of the figures.
Steam at considerable pressure is conveyed by the pipe A to the injector B
regulated in its passage by the valve C.
Atmospheric air is drawn into the injector B through the openings D in the hood
or casing E the apertures D in which may be varied by causing the hood E to slide
over the openings D. From the injector B the mixed steam and air pass to the
condenser F which is arranged with a large surface cooled by water or otherwise so
as io condense so much of the steam as may be found necessary.
The air mixed with such of the steam as is uncondensed passes from the condenser F
by the pipe G into and through the superheater Hover pipes or other suitable surfaces
heated by the burning gases which are supplied by the gas producer I. The super-
heated steam and air are then conveyed by the pipe J to the high pressure gas
producer K. The gases here produced at high pressures are then conveyed by the
pipe L into the bath of molten unetal 3 through which they are forced along with the
finely divided ore under treatment.

page_text: By their action the constituents of the ore are separated some of thom volatilised
and passing away whilst the metals are fused and become alloyed with the molten
metal in the bath. The gas producer I is also worked by means of an injector N
stean being supplied thereto by the pipe O and regulated in its passage by the
valve P.
The action of the steam sets up an induced current of air which entoring by the
openings in the hood or casing R is carried with the steam into and through the
incandescent fuel in the producer.
The produced gases are conveyed by the pipes S S SS fitted with suitable
valves to the outside ensing of the bath of metal M and also to a steam generator and
to the superheater 11. When it is desired to separately superheat either the steam or
air they are caused to pass through superhenters similar in construction to lie
superheater 11 by which means gases richer in hydrogen may be produced.
Water is supplied to the condenser F by the pipe T and withdrawn therefrom by
the pipe the water of the condensed steam being drawn off by the pipe U.
By means of the apparatus above described and illustrated by the drawings gases
may be readily and economically as well as continuously produced under considerable
pressure and the gases so produced may have their proportions of hydrogen and
carbonic oxide varied to suit the purpose for which they are required. Under cortain
conditions and when only a moderate pressure of the gases produced is required, the
condenser may be dispensed with.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of this inven-
tion and in what mammer the same is to be performed, we hereby declare that wo
make no general claim to the reduction of ores by forcing them along with reducing
gases through molten metil, but wo declare that what we claim is :-
1. For the production of reducing and heating gases, the combination of steam
injector, condenser, superheat r and gas producer, substantially as described,
2. The combination of steam jet injuctor, or blower, superheater and gas producer,
substantially as and for the purposes hereinbefore set forth.
8. In combination with gas producing apparatus such as is above referred to, a
bath of molten metal through which the gases and ore to he treated are forced,
substantially as and for the purposes set forth.
Dated this 3rd day of May 1890.
ABEL & IMKAY,
Agents for the Applicants.