US1534324A - Process of discharging smelter gases - Google Patents

Description

April 21, 1925.

W. H. HOWARD PROCESS OF DISGHARGING SMELTER GASE S Filed Jan. 4, 192.

, IN VE N TOR A TTORNEY Patented Apr. 21, 1935,

llhllhlfi STATES FATENT UFFIQE.

VETELIEZIAM ENG AND E-EFINING CGMPANY, JERSEY.

H. ROW/"ARE, 6F SALT LAKE EITY, UTAH, A$SIGNOB TO AMERICAN OF NEKH YGRK, Y., A CQ'RPORATION 01 NEN PROCESS OF DISCHARGING SHELTER GASES.

Application filed January 4, 1923. Serial No. 610,552.

To all whom it may concern:

lie it known that 1, WILLIAM H. HOWARD, a citizen of the United States, and resident of Salt Lake City, in the county of Salt Lake and State of Utah, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Discharging Smelter Gases, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for controlling the discharge of obnoxious gases from chemical and metallurgical plants, sucu as furnaces and smelters, into the air in order to prevent damage therefrom in the vicinity of the plant from which ill the gases are discharged.

It is well known that smelter gases re sulting from the treatment of certain ores frequently contain noxious elements, and extensive litigation has resulted in the past from failure or inability to neutralize these gases or control the discharge of the same. Usually these gases carry sulphur dioxide which is very distructive to vegetation, and son'ietimes the gases carry lead and arsenic, both of which are injurious to animal life.

in Patent No. 1, i22,575, granted to me under date of July 11, U522, l have set forth and claim d broadly a method of increasing the velocity of the gases containing obnoxious elements so they will ascend in colu1nnar shape high above the top of the stack and then spread out gradually in mushroom shape and be thoroughly diluted before coming in contact with vegetation.

This improvement relates to means for heating the gases from the smelter or meallurgical furnace before they are dis charged from the chimney or stack so as to increase the volume and the velocity of the discharging gases without appreciably or materially increasing the weight thereof, for the double purpose of forcing the discharging gases high into the air and also increasing the draft of the furnace.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will be in part obvious from an inspection of the accompanying drawings and in part will be more fully set forth in the following particular description of one form of apparatus embodying my invention, and the invention also consists in certain new and novel features of construction and combination of parts hereinafter so forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure l is a diagrammatic view of a chimney or stack connected with a metallurgical furnace or apparatus supplied with heating meansfor carrying out my improved process.

Figure 2 is a corresponding view, showing a different application of the heating means,

Referring to the drawings, the stack A is provided at some suitable location below the discharge end of the s'tacl: with one or more heaters or burners 13. Preferably oil burners are used, although if desired burners of any other type may be employed that will heat the gases rapidly. When necessary, because of lack of oxygen in the gases, air is supplied in quantity sufficient to support combustion of the oil or other fuel that may be used through air supply pipe (4. 'lhe oil is supplied to the burners from any suitable supply through pipe 6. The burners may be placed either in the stack or in the flue C adjacent the base of the stack. arranged so that the flame therefrom will he directed approximately parallel with the axis of the conduit or stack and with the path of movement of the discharging gases,

thereby to accelerate the flow of the gases without producing retarding agitation thereof. One or more burners may be used, depending on the volume of gases di charged, and these burners may be spaced around the interior of the stack approximately in one horizontal plane, as indicated, or in a series of such planes, or they may be arranged in rows one above the other, since the particular location of the burners in the stack is not important, provided they are suiliciently removed from the discharge opening to permit proper heating of the gases and to cause an acceleration of the rate of ilow of the gases through the stack or conduit before they are discharged.

Suitable means may be provided, such as the valves D, to regulate the amount of fuel and of air supplied to the burners, since the character of the gases leaving the furnace and the atn'iospheric conditions may vary, and the use of any auxiliary means for heating the gases may become unnecessary for greater or less periods of time.

With the burners ignited under normal operating conditions and with absence of wind or atmospheric disturbance of any kind the gases will be carried into the air to a height which can be determined and controlled to an appreciable extent, and they will spread out in a mushroom formation as the column of heated gases gradually loses its velocity due to loss of heat. Even with a high wind the discharging gases can be forced to rise to great heights, although in such case,-owing to the movement of the air, a more rapid diffusion takes place and a great height for the discharging column is not necessary.

By the use of the burners in the manner described an increase of velocity and volume of the gases is secured without any corresponding increase in the weight of the gases, provided the combustion takes place with the oxygen already contained in the gases. If it is necessary to introduce air to support combustion, then only the Weight of the introduced air and oil isadded to the total weight of the gases. The heating is accomplished by a plurality of units, permitting economy in operation as well as ample control, since the number of burners or heating means in operation at any given time can be regulated according to the character of the discharging gases and the atmospheric conditions.

lVhile I have shown and described and have pointed out in the annexed claims certain novel features of my invention it will be understood that various omissions, subbination with a stack or chimney, of a plurality of burnersspaced around the interior of the stack or chimney and located a sntiieient distance below the top of said stack or chimney to permit an increase in the velocity of the gases prior to their discl'iarge.

2. In an apparatus for discharging smelter gases high into the air to diffuse the obnoxious elements thereof before the same come into contact with vegetation, the combination with a stack or chimney, of a plurality ofburners located below the discharge end thereof to permit an acceleration in the rate of flow of the gases before their dis charge from the stack, said burners being arranged so that the flame therefrom will be directed approximately parallel with the axis of the stack of the discharging gases and in the direction of flow of the gases.

Signed atv Salt Lake City, in the count of Salt Lake and State of Utah, this 20th day of December, A. D. 1922.

WILLIAM H. HONARD.

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