US1687187A - Apparatus for use in refining of lead bullion and similar operations - Google Patents

Description

cs. K. WILLIAMS APPARATUS FORfUSE IN REFINING OFLEAD BULLION AND SIMILAR OPERATIONS Filed Feb. 9, 1927 Patented Get. 9, 1928.

unites STATES PATENTOFFICE.

GEORGE KENNETH VIILLIAMS, 01? PORT PIRIE, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA.

APPARATUS FOR USE Application lead bullion and similar operations and refers more especially to apparatus for the refining of lead bullion containin other metals such as copper or gold or silver or mixtures thereof. 7

Though this invention is herein described as adapted and used for the refining of lead bullion it will be understood that. it is also applicable to the treatment of other liquid systems wherein certain constituents or substances (sometimes in the form of impurities) are removed by subjecting the same to differential temperatures.

This invention is especially adapted for the refining of lead bullion by such processes wherein Zinc is incorporated with the said bullion forthe formation of certain alloys of the said metals with zinc (with or without leac such as the lEarkes process wherein crusts are formed comprising alloys of the said metals with zinc (with or without lead) or processes for the enrichment of the said crusts contained in the aforesaid Parkes HOCQ-SS or for the refining of bullion wherein SlllllClGIlt quantity of Zinc is incorporated with the said crusts or the said bullion -and the same is maintained at the required temperature for the formation of molten layers of conjugatesolutions, the upper lay- .er of which comprises an alloy with zinc of other metal or metals and the lower layer of bullion, which, if desired, can be cooled to its eutectic temperature producing residual bullion relatively low in such metals.

The invention is also applicable to the operation known as liquation as applied to the crusts formedby the aforesaid larlres process in which the said crusts are heated for the removal of excess lead.

In addition theiinvention is applicable to s the preliminary treatment to which lead bullion is usually subjected for the removal of the major portion of the copper contained therein, wherein the temperature 0 the liquid bullion is lowered causing the copper or compounds of copper to separate out due to the decreased solubility thereof in lead at such lower temperatures.

In the refining of bullion as at present practised, it is customary to maintain the said bullion in a molten condition in comparatively shallow open vessels known as kettles, which are set in thene'cessary brickwork,

IN REFINIKG OF LEAD BULLION AND SIMILAR OPERATIONS.

filed February 9, 1927, Serial '0. 166,987, and in Australia March 6, 1926.

. cooling the same around the bottom and the sides. In some cases reverberatory furnaces are used for certain treatment of lead bullion. i

In the refining of bullion containing alloying metals, it is'necessary that the bullion should be heated to a certain tempera,- ture and then either a portion thereof or the whole cooled to a certain temperature, and these open kettles being relatively broad and shallow do not well adapt themselves to these conditions, nor are the said kettles adapted for continuous treatment when re-' latively large tonnages are required. These objections also apply to reverberatory furnaces.

Now the object of this invention is to provide an apparatus for use in the retining of lead bullion and similar operations wherein the bullion or other material being treated is more effectively subjected to'differential temperatures such apparatus being especially adapted for the refining ofbullion or the enrichment of Parkes crusts by continuous treatment. By operating in an apparatus in accordance with this invention a continuous inflow of bullion may be maintained at the top and a continuous outflow of treated or residual bullion from the bottom and either a continuous or periodic re- .moval of the crusts or conjugate solutions formed, comprising the alloy desired to be removed.

I accomplish these objects by providing a vessel within which a deepnarrow column of molten metal may be maintained having means whereby dili'erent temperatures may be applied to different portions thereof.

. The apparatus constructed in accordance with this invention comprises one or more deep narrow kettles-that is so say, kettles inwhich the dimensions are such that the depth is greater than the diameter in contra-distinction from the usual open shallow f kettles which are usually approximately hemispherical in shape. The kettles may be of any convenient shape, vthat is to say, they may be circular or oval in .cross section and may be either straight sided or tapering or s'tepwise that is, of diifering diameters decreasing or increasing downwardsl These kettles may be arranged as single units or in series in such manner that the metal may flow from the discharge of one tothe feed on p of the other when continuous treatment is desired. Means are provided for maintaining different portions of these kettles at differential temperatures that is to say, a relatively high temperature at the top and a relatively low temperature at the bottom and in some caseswhere the temperature of the bottom is at or about the eutectic of the metal thereina slightly higher temperature at the discharge orifice than at the bottom. Any suitable means may be adopted for this purpose, such as an electrical heating medium, but for practical metallurgical purposes I prefer the mounting of the kettles in brickwork having suitable flues provided with burners for liquid or gaseous fuel so that any portion of the kettle may be beat 'ed to a relatively high temperature and another portion to a relatively low temperature by adjusting the burners at that portion or by circulating cool air around that portion if necessary.

In order that this invention may be more clearly understood reference may be had to the accompanying sheet of drawings wherein an apparatus is illustrated adapted more especially for the refining of lead bullion, though not confined thereto. In these drawings- Figure 1 is a view in sectional elevationof an apparatus constructor and arranged in accordance with this invention.

Figure 2 is a planview in section of a part of Figure 1 taken on the line 22.

Fi ure 3 is a plan viewin section of a part of Figure 1 taken on the line 33. v Figures 4 and 5 are vertical sections of a portion of a kettle showing the accommodation of means for ensuring the admixture of the metals.

The apparatus embodying this invention oreferabl consists of one or more lone narrow vessels 10 made of cast iron or other suitable material capable of resisting the necessary temperature to which they are subjected. Figure 1 illustrates a two of these kettles 10. These kettles are formed open at the top and are preferably provided with means for continuously or intermittently removing the molten metal from the bottom. For this purpose the said kettles may be provided either with a suitable tapping hole or with upwardly projecting spouts 13, the upper lips 14 of which are preferably below the upper rims of the kettles 10, and, if desired, these upwardly projecting spouts may be provided with a number of tapping outlets so that the height of the overflow lip thereof may be regulated and adjusted to suit requirements.

Means are provided for subjecting the saidvesselto differential temperatures, such as by providing two or more circular or surrounding flues 11 and 12 around different portions of the kettle. These lines ll and series of burner'l5 for liquid or other fuel is pro vided. As at the lower portions of the kettle a relatively low temperature is usually required, such as the eutectic temperature of the residual bullion, the flue or lines 12 surrounding the lower portions of the kettle or vessel may, in addition to means for supplying heat thereto, such as a burnerl6 having means for cooling the same, such as circulating cold air or water pipes, the said lues 12 being cut off from themain tlues for the time being by means of a suitable damper. As in some operations the bullion, the point of entry into the discharge orifice or spout 13, may be just at the eutectic temperature of the residual bullion, to prevent the same freezing and thus obstruct the continuous flow of the bullion, the sail outflow pipe or spout 13 may be provided with an independent surrounding flue 17 having a burner 18 whereby heat may be applied thereto and a slightly higher temperature maintained within the said spout 13. p

The kettle may be cast in one piece. Hovever, as the upper'portion of the kettle or vessel is maintained at a considerably higher temperature it is, therefore, more liable to deterioration and cracking. I therefore preferably form the vessel in two or more parts havin flanges 19 may be boltedor fastened together, so that the upper portion may be renewed from time to time without having to dismantle or discard the lower portion. For the purpose of maintaining a relatively metal-tight joint the two flanges 19 and 20 are pre ferably formed with a circular or concentric groove 21 within which a circulating water pipe 22 is accommodated, so that any metal entering the said joint is frozen and leakage avoided, or suitable packing may be provided in the groove 21.

in order that the temperature of the bullion at the lower end of the column maybe accurately determined the kettles l0 preferably provided with inclined pipes or tubes 10" adapted to accommodate suitable pyremeter couples.

By means of a kettle of this description the refining of lead bullion containing alloymetals may be effected as a continuous operation, the bullion being fed into the open mouth at the top together with such amount of zinc as may be necessary for the is relatively free from such metals.

formation of the particular alloy required, the residual bullion being allowed to over flow continuously from the spot 13 whilst the alloy formed may be removed either continuously or periodically from the upper portion ofthe kettle in the form of crusts or conjugate solution according to the nature of the operation.

The drawings illustrate one particular adaptation of-the invention wherein the bullion to be purified is passed through two kettles arranged in series but it will be obvious to anyone skilled in the art that the kettles may be used independently or the kettles may be arranged in various ways. I

For example alloys of certain metals may be preferentially removed in the first kettle and the bullion discharged therefrom and passed to the second kettle in which alloys of other metals may be removed and if neces sary through further kettles until the residual bullion discharged from the last kettle In Figure 1,1 have shown a series of two kettles 10 so arranged that the discharge spout 13 of the upper kettle delivers into the top of the lower kettle. Such an arrangement is especially adapted for continuous treatment of bullion for the differential removal of alloying metals contained therein. In such treatment the bullion is continuously fed into the top of the upper kettle where a requisite amount of zinc is incorporated and the requisite degree of heat maintained for the formationof a conjugate solution comprising an alloy relatively high in certain metal or metals. The lower portion of this upper kettle is maintained at such a teniperature that the bullion discharging from the spout 13 and delivered into the top of the lower kettle is relatively low in such metals. The bullion discharging into the top of the lower kettle is incorporated withthe requisite amount of Zinc and the temperature is maintained thereat at the requisite degree for the formation of a conjugate solution relatively high in the remaining alloying metal or metals. By maintaining the lower portion of the second kettle at a temperature just above the eutectic of the residual bullion and the temperature of the spout 13 just above that temperature residual bullion relatively low mall the metals may be dis- I charged from'the spout of the second kettle.

The alloys or crusts formed in the upper portions of the two kettles may be removed either continuously or periodically as may be required.

When the incorporation of the zinc with the bullion in the upper portion of the kettle effected bycausing the said bullion to pass down through alayer of molten zinc (or an alloy high in zinc) means may be provided for ensuring complete admixtures and for this purpose a rotating stirrer 23 mounted on a spindle 24 accommodated within a cylinder 25 may be provided as shown in Figure 4 or alternatively baffle plates or trays 26 having staggered openings maybe provided as shown in Figure 5. These trays or baflle plates may be mounted upon a vertical shaft 27 so that they may be moved or adjusted operation. I

By means of a kettle of this description the treatment of crusts obtained in the Parkes process for the purpose of enriching the same may be effected as a, continuous operain height or position as required in the tion, the crusts being fed into the open periodically or continuously, as may be desired, in the form of crusts, or of conjugate solutions, or of a mixture of conjugate solution and dross or crusts, according to the quantity of infusible material present in the crusts treated and the degree of temperature maintained in the upper portion of the kettle. I

The operation of refining lead bullion'in an apparatus of this description may-be effected in an exceedingly simple and eflicient manner, with a saving in operating costs as compared with the kettles as at present in use. I

This invention is also adapted for the preliminary treatment of lead bullion for the separation of copper (which is usually effected in 'reverberatory furnaces) prior to refining in which the bullion'at a relatively high temperature cooled to a relatively low temperature causing copper or compounds of copper to separate out due to their perature.

The invention is also adaptable for the 7 treatment of other metals of substances than lead bullion by methods which involve the maintenance of a liquid system and subjecting the'same to differentialtemperatures for the separation or removal of other metals or. compounds contained therein.

I claim 2- 1. An apparatus for use in the refining of lead bullion and similar, operations comprising a' vessel within which a deep narrow column of molten material may be maintainedhaving means whereby different temperatures may be applied at different por-- 'tions thereof and means for independently wlthdrawing products from'at or about the top and at or about the bottom thereof.

2. An apparatus for use in the refining of lead bullion and similar operations comprising a deep narrow kettle having a plurality of fines surrounding different portions thereof at varying heights with means for maintaining different temperatures in the said fines and means for independently withdrawing products from at or about the top and at or about thebottom thereof.

'8. An apparatus for use in the refining of lead bullion and similar operations eomprising a deep narrow kettle mounted in suitable brickwork having a series of fines surrounding different portions thereof with means for maintaining different temperatures in the said fiues and means for removing the molten metal from the lower portion of the said kettle.

l. An apparatus for use in the refining of lead bullion and similar operations comprising-a deep narrow kettle having means for applying different temperatures to different portions thereof a discharge spout leading from the bottom of the said kettle, the upper lip of which is at a lower level than the upper rim of the said kettle and means for maintaining said spout at the requisite temperature.

5. An apparatus for use in the refining of lead bullion and similar operations comprising a deep narrow kettle mounted in suitable brickwork having an upper flue surrounding the upper portion thereof, a burner arranged within the said flue for heating that portion of the kettle surrounded there by, a lower flue surrounding the lower portion of the kettle having means for maintaining the same at the requisite temperature, a discharge spout leading from the bottom of the said kettle and a separate flue surrounding the. said discharge spout having means for maintaining the said spout at the requisite temperature.

6. An apparatus for use in the refining of lead bullion and similar operations comprising the combination with a deep narrow kettle having means for maintaining the same at different temperatures at different portions thereof, of means for effecting the admixture of the bullion or other 1118," terial passing therethrough.

7. An apparatus for use in the refining of bullion and similar operations comprising the combination with a deep narrow kettle havin means for maintaining, the same at di erent temperatures at different portions thereof, of a series of baflie plates or trays having staggered openings mounted in the upper portion of the said kettle for effecting the admixture of the bullion or other material passing therethrough.

means for maintaining a relatively low temperature to the said lower-portion of the kettle and a discharge spout leading from the bottom of the said kettle having means for ma ntaining the said spout at the desired temperature. 7

9. An apparatus for use in the refining.

of lead bullion and similar operations comprising a number of'kettles mounted in suit able brickwork and arranged in series in such. a manner that the discharge of one is delivered into the feed of the other except the last in the series, said brickwork having separate fiues' arranged in such a manner that the upper portions of the said kettles are maintained at a relatively high temperature and the lower portion of the said kettle at a relatively low temperature, each kettle having a dischargespout adapted to deliver the metal from the bottom thereof with means for maintaining the said spouts at the temperatures required. a

In w tness whereof I hereunto affix my signature. I

GEORGE KENNETH WILLIAMS.

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