GB189542A - Improvements in the process of distilling oil shales, coal and other carbonaceous materials, and in apparatus therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

189,542. Ironside, T. G. Sept. 1, 1921. Evaporating by mixing with hot granular material.-In the distillation of liquid carbonaceous material the liquid material is mixed with a heated granular substance such as sand, which supplies the necessary heat. The material, which may be preheated, is fed from a hopper 19 to a tube 22 leading into a retort 1 and the heated granular material such as sand is supplied from a jacketed container 25 through a tube 40. On the lower end of a rotarv shaft 57 are radial arms 63 to which are fixed angularly disposed blades 64<a> which serve to mix the material and hot sand and deliver the residue to a central discharge pipe 66 closed at the bottom by a conical valve 67 which opens when the weight of the superimposed material is sufficient. The distillates are taken off by an outlet 8. Steam, vapour, or gas may be supplied to the retort, preferably through a hollow shaft leading to hollow stirrers perforated to permit of the gas passing into the material. The retort may be externally heated by hot gases in the space 12 surrounding the retort, and the latter may be divided by horizontal floors so that the material is caused to travel from the periphery to the centre of one floor, then through a central opening on to the floor next below, and from the centre to the periphery of this floor and so on. The retort may be provided with shelves 90, Fig. 12, arranged horizontally or at an inclination so that the carbonaceous material which is supplied to the top shelf, from a hopper 88 and the hot sand from a pipe 89, gravitate through the retort and are mixed while falling from shelf to shelf. In addition to or instead of the pipe 89 and hopper 88, pipes 91 may be employed to introduce the material or sand at any desired point. The material may be agitated by reciprocating, rotating, or otherwise shaking the surfaces, and the mixing of the material may be assisted by mechanical stirrers. In the construction shown in Fig. 13 the steps 92 are arranged in cascade fashion either horizontally or inclined, alternate steps being widened or narrowed at their delivery end, and the retort may be divided into compartments by partitions 96, and may have separate gas outlets 99 and additional delivery pipes 97 for the material.