Process and Apparatus for the Condensation of Vapours of Volatile Metals, especially of Zinc Vapour.

摘要

1616. Timm, F. C. W. Feb. 17, 1912, [Convention date]. Distilling metals.-Metallic vapours, such as zinc, sodium, potassium, arsenic, lead, antimony, mercury, &c., are condensed by passing downwards through a receptacle charged with fragmentary or porous substances. When the condenser becomes too hot, it is cut out and another condenser is introduced in its place. The hot condensing-medium is cooled, in some cases after the residual zinc has been removed by the passage of hot gases therethrough, by air, gas, steam, water, or other cooling-medium circulated through pipes, coils, hollow plates, &c. embedded in the charge, or by water supplied to the upper surface of the charge and air drawn through it; or the charge may be removed from the condenser, and either cooled and replaced in the condenser, or, if the charge consists of coke charged into the reductionfurnace, the residual zinc being thereby recovered. Before reaching the condenser, the gases may pass through a large chamber wherein they are freed from dust and cooled almost to the dew-point of the vapour to be condensed. When more than one metallic vapour is present in the gases, the preliminary cooling may be carried to the liquefying-point of one constituent for example, lead, which is then removed by passing downwardly through the first of a series of condensers. The gases issuing from this condenser pass through a second condenser, working at a lower temperature, where another metal, for example zinc, is removed. When the zinc-condenser becomes too hot, it is employed for lead, a fresh condenser being introduced to remove the zinc. When the preliminary cooling is not carried so far, and the lead-condenser becomes too hot, it may be cut out and cooled, being afterwards employed first as a zinc-condenser and then again for lead. Similarly, when several vapours are present, several condensers, working at different temperatures, are employed. For condensing a single metal, the apparatus may comprise a condenser A, fitted with a space below the charge to receive the condensed metal which is run off through a trap J, a cooler L, filter M, pump K, and valves E, F, G, H, for permitting either the metallic vapours or cooling-medium to be passed through the condenser. An opening is provided in the wall of the condenser below the grate C for removing any solidified metal from the space below the grate.