US2429584A - Method of and apparatus for removing zinc from copper base alloys - Google Patents

Method of and apparatus for removing zinc from copper base alloys Download PDF

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Publication number
US2429584A
US2429584A US51988744A US2429584A US 2429584 A US2429584 A US 2429584A US 51988744 A US51988744 A US 51988744A US 2429584 A US2429584 A US 2429584A
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zinc
furnace
metal
container
alloy
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Frank F Poland
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Revere Copper and Brass Inc
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Revere Copper and Brass Inc
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Priority to GB2129/45A priority patent/GB678261A/en
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Priority to BE487192D priority patent/BE487192A/fr
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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B19/00—Obtaining zinc or zinc oxide
    • C22B19/04—Obtaining zinc by distilling
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B15/00—Obtaining copper
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B15/00—Obtaining copper
    • C22B15/0026—Pyrometallurgy
    • C22B15/006—Pyrometallurgy working up of molten copper, e.g. refining
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B19/00—Obtaining zinc or zinc oxide
    • C22B19/04—Obtaining zinc by distilling
    • C22B19/16—Distilling vessels
    • C22B19/18—Condensers, Receiving vessels
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22B—PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS
    • C22B7/00—Working up raw materials other than ores, e.g. scrap, to produce non-ferrous metals and compounds thereof; Methods of a general interest or applied to the winning of more than two metals
    • C22B7/001—Dry processes
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
    • Y02P10/00—Technologies related to metal processing
    • Y02P10/20—Recycling

Definitions

  • My invention relates to methods of and apparatus for removing Zinc from copper base alloys containing zinc, so that the nonzinciferous content of the alloy may be recovered, and, if desired, also the zinc content, this application being a continuation in part of my pending applications, Serial No. 429,533, filed February 4, 1942, and Serial No. 484,382, filed April 24, 1943, which latter is a continuation in part of my application Serial No. 429,532, led February 4, 1942.
  • Fig. l is amore or apparatus which may the invention.
  • Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of a modied form of apparatus for practising the invention
  • Figs. 3 and 4 are sections on the lines -3-3 and rfi-, respectively, of Fig. 2;
  • FIG. 5 illustrates a modified form of the metal container of the apparatus according to Figs. 2, 3 and 4;
  • Fig. 6 is a section on the lined-3 of Fig. 5;
  • Fig. 'l is a section, corresponding to Fig. 6, showing a further modied form of metal container;
  • Fig. 8 is a fragmentary view, corresponding to 7, showing a still further modified form of metal container
  • Fig. 9 is a section on the line 9-9 of Fig. 8;
  • Fig. l0 illustrates a further modified form of metal container of the apparatus according to Figs. 2, 3 and 4;
  • Figs. l1 and 12 are sections on the lines Il-ll and l2-l2, respectively, of Fig. 10; l
  • 13 is a longitudinal vertical section of a modified form of furnace for treating the metal for removing zinc;
  • Fig. 14 is a longitudinal vertical section of a modified form of apparatus according to Fig. 2;
  • Fig. 15 is a section on the line 15-15 of Fig. 14;
  • Fig. 16 is a longitudinal vertical section of a fragment of a modified form of furnace for treating the metal for removing zinc, corresponding to the right nace of Fig. 14;
  • i7 is a plan of a condenser for the zinc vapors with parts broken away, a fragment of the furnace from which the vapors are received by the condenser being shown;
  • the metal has commonly been subjected to wasteful and expensive methods of re refining as, for example, blowing the molten metal with air in a reverberatory furnace to oxidize and remove the zinc with resultant loss of the latter.
  • brass and other copper base alloys containing ⁇ Zinc can be commercially .treated to reduce their zinc content readilyto values in the order of 3 to 6%.
  • the zinc content can be reduced to still lower values, even to fractions well under 1%, that is to say, remove substantially all the zinc without undue consumption of time in the performance of the method, and at temperatures markedly lower than heref toiore has been believed possible, say at temperatures in the order of 1000 F. less than the boiling temperatures determined by Henrys and Raoults laws for metals having the compositions of the final metals.
  • the zinc may be recovered in the metallic state, instead of as zinc oxide or blue powder or -be entirely lost as in prior methods.
  • molten metal may be placed in a graphite crucible I (Fig. 1) so as partially to ll it, the crucible being received in the muiie chamber 3 of an oil fired muboard furnace 5 supplied with combustible mixture by the oil combustion nozzle 1.
  • a, cover 9 of graphite, or other refractory material, which latter need not be elemental carbon, may be placed upon it, while the mule chamber may be closed by a refractory cover I I, each cover having a small perforation I3 to permit free escape of zinc vapors to the exterior of the furnace, and each cover being sealed with re clay as indicated at I5.
  • the molten metal may be heated in the incandescent crucible to remove, in several hours, substantially all of the zinc at temperatures markedly lower than the boiling temperatures indicated by the composition of either the original or residual metal.
  • a molten alloy consisting of 16% zinc, 10% nickel, balance copper was placed in the graphite crucible, which latterI was about 4 inches high, 3.5 inches inside diameter at the top and 3.25 inches inside diameter at the bottom, to fll it to within about 1.8 inches of its top, and the muilie chamber was maintained at about 2850 F. and the interior of the crucible at approximately atmospheric pressure, the alloy at the end of .three hours contained about 0.12% zinc.
  • the crucible instead of being formed of graphite or other elemental carbon, is formed of other material, then under identical conditions of operation this same alloy will have a residual zinc content of about 2.1%, that is to say, approximately eighteen times as much zinc as that which the residual alloy contains when treated in the graphite crucible.
  • Crucibles or other containers formed of nongraphitic carbon as, for example, non-graphitic carbon derived from coke, hard coal, petroleum, charcoal, lamp black, etc. will give the same results as a graphite crucible or container, it being possible, when the amount of metal treated in such a container is large enough to constitute practise of the present invention on a, commercial scale, to reduce the amount of zinc in the residual metal to 0.5% and less.
  • Crucibles or other containers formed of materials such as magnesite, fire clay, zirconium silicate, silicon carbide, and various other known chemically non-elemental carb on refractories will not give the results obtained with a carbon or graphite crucible, but with them for given temperature and pressure conditions and duration of treatment markedly more Zinc will remain in the alloy being treated, it being necessary with them, if the same residual amount of Zinc is to be secured as with the carbon or graphite crucible and same duration of treatment, to employ undesirable temperatures approximately 1000 F. higher, and commonly with about 3 or 4% zinc as the minimum amount to which the zinc may be reduced if the amount of metal which is treated is large enough to constitute practise of the present invention on a commercial scale.
  • a molten alloy containing a given amount of zinc has, for a given total vapor pressure, a denite boiling point when placed in a non-carbonaceous container, that is to say, if the alloy is boiled in such a container at a xed temperature and pressure it will continue boiling until the zinc is reduced to a certain percentage amount, and then will cease boiling unless the temperature is raised or pressure reduced to cause it to boil with the reduced amount of zinc, the action being analogous to that which occurs when a mixture of Water and alcohol is heated to boil off the alcohol.
  • the container of carbon or graphite will act, when incandescent, as a catalyst to cause the amount of zinc in a molten copper base alloy to be reduced by boiling or evaporation at a given temperature and vapor pressure to an amount markedly less than were the crucible not of carbon or graphite and the metal treated in it for the same duration, and further that with a carbon or graphite container the temperature necessary to reduce the zinc to a given percentage amount is markedly less than with a container not of carbon or graphite, and less than that heretofore believed possible or indicated by Henrys and Raoults laws, and that with the carbon or graphite container it is possible to reduce the zinc to a lower percentage amount than were the crucible not of carbon or graphite.
  • Thecatalytic effect and its advantages are most pronounced, and become of progressively increas-. ing importance, as the Zinc content isy progressively reduced below 10%.
  • the temperature and time of treatment necessary to evaporate or boil olf a given amount of zinc at a given vapor pressure progressively increase, and, as the catalytic action reduces this necessary temperature and time, taking advantage of that action effects both a marked saving in energy consumption and durability of the furnace while at the same time permitting a greater amount of metal to be treated in a given time.
  • the catalytic action is most pronounced when the temperature of the molten alloy being treated is at least that of the melting point of its nonnzincib erous content, which it will ybe understood will be abovethat of the melting point ofY the alloy. Any temperature above the melting point of the non-zinciferous content up to that which causes the alloy to boil may be employed. In practice, to secure best results, temperatures of from 9011 to 140i0 F. above the melting point of the non zinciferous content are preferably employed, ⁇ parn ticularly when removing the final fractions of the Zinc if reduced to as low as about 3%.
  • the catalytic action willV not take place if the elemental carbon contacts with the molten metal below its surface level only.
  • the Crucible orv other container is not of carbon or graphite, for example silicon carbide
  • the elemental carbon is in the form of a block of graphite or carbon placed in the crucible and xed to its bottoni so as to be wholly submerged in the molten meta-1
  • the resultsl secured will be identical with those secured when the block is of silicon carbide or other material not elemental carbon
  • the block is of elemental carbon and is so fixed in the cru-cible of material other than elemental carbon that it projects from below to above the free metal surface, so as to intersect that surface, the catalytic action will take place.
  • the molten metal may be ⁇ heated in the graphite or hard carbon container i1 constituting the hearth of an eiectric furnace in which the upper free surface i!! of the molten'rnetal is intersected by the inner sides of the side walls 2l and 23 of the container.
  • the container lll is supported by refractory blocks 25 resting upon the refractory lined bottom wall 21 of a furnace chamber 2a, the side and end walls 3l of the furnace being similarly lined with refractory material.
  • the furnace is interiorly formed with a shelf upon which rests a layer of refractory insulating material 33 which supports the electric resistance heating elements 35 extending transversely across and above the container.
  • These resistance elements which may be formed of graphite, are shown as connected in series by electrically conductive graphite plates 31 resting upon the insulating layers 33, the end resistance elements having extensions I39 of refractory conductive material extending through perforations ⁇ il in the furnace wall to the exterior of the furnace where they carry terminals 43 for connection to the source of current.
  • a wall 45 of plates of refractory material which in operation are heated by the resistance elements to incandescence and reflect heat downward so as to augment the heating effect on the metal in the container I1.
  • this wall may rest a layer 41 of broken charcoal to act as an insulator for keeping the wall d5 at a maximum temperature.
  • and the wall 45 may be of graphite or hard carbon to aid in insuring that non-oxidizing conditions will exist in the furnace, and to this saine end the removable cover 49 of the furnace is shown as provided with a metal casing 5l which coacts with a metal casing 53 for the lower portion of the furnace to form a liquid seal divice 55 extending enrely around the furnace.
  • Molten metal may be entered into the container l1 from a separate melting furnace 51 through a pipe or other conduit 59 of refractory material such as carbon or silicon carbide, the inner end of which pipe terminates above one end of the container so as to discharge the molten metal into that end.
  • the molten metal may ow from the opposite end of the container through a pipe 61 the bore of which is positioned sufficiently above the bottom of the container to maintain a pool of metal of the requisite depth in the container.
  • From the pipe 6l the metal discharges into a pot s3 of suitable refractory material, from which pot it may be tapped from time to time through the pipe 65 of refractory material normally closed by a removable re clay plug 61.
  • the Zinc vapors may be discharged from the furnace chamber 2.9 through an outlet pipe G9 leading to any convenient place of zinc vapor disposal as, for example, a zinc condenser.
  • tainer or hearth l1 for example, as shown in applicants pending application Serial No. 429,533, lecl February 4, 1942, and, if desired, the container I1 may be identical with that shown and described in said application.
  • the container or hearth l1 is so designed as to cause the body of molten metal therein in relation to its volume to be of fairly shallow depth and present a large free surface
  • the container is elongated in the direction of the flow of metal through it, which is of advantage in that it acts to promote a progressive rise in the temperature of the metal as the Zinc is removed so as to facilitate reducing to a minimum the amount of zinc in the final fractions of the metal adjacent
  • the container is elongated in the direction of the flow of metal through it, which is of advantage in that it acts to promote a progressive rise in the temperature of the metal as the Zinc is removed so as to facilitate reducing to a minimum the amount of zinc in the final fractions of the metal adjacent
  • the melting furnace which need be operated only at suflicient temperature to melt the metal, that is to say at a temperature much less than that to which it is necessary to heat the molten metal in the container 1, may be of any suitable sort, that illustrated being an electric furnace having the melting pot 1
  • each resistance element 13 may have an extension lea-ding to the exterior of the furnace sirnilar to the extensions 39 of the resistance elements 35.
  • the melting furnace chamber may have the refractory lining 21, 3
  • one side wall of the melting pot has formed in it a vertically extending passage 8
  • Metal to be molten may be entered into the pot through the charging conduit 9
  • the screw may be rotated through the power driven sprocket wheel 91 continuously or intermittently.
  • is provided with a, gate valve 99 which when closed prevents entrance of air into the melting chamber, as does substantially likewise the mass of scrap which normally lls the conduit even when the valve is open.
  • 1 may be regulated within the limits of melting capacity of the melting furnace.
  • the molten alloy preferably is heated in the melting furnace to a temperature only slightly above its melting point Aso as to prevent material escape of zinc in the melting furnace, any slight amount of zinc which escapes being vented olf by a vent (not shown) similar to the vent 69 of Figs. 2 and 3.
  • a vent (not shown) similar to the vent 69 of Figs. 2 and 3.
  • At that temperature it is entered into the preheated container
  • 1 As it passes through the container its temperature is gradually raised and its zinc content progressively reduced until at the discharge port of the container its temperature is at a maximum and its zinc content at a minimum.
  • 03 formed integrally with the container bottom as shown in Figs. 5 and'6.
  • 03 may be formed of carbonaceous material, for example graphite or hard carbon, and the remainder of the container formed of noncarbonaceous refractory material, such as magnesite, zirconium silicate, silicon carbide, or the like, in which case the lower edge portions of the ribs
  • the ribs in this case may take the form of those shown at
  • the side and end walls may be provided with inserts
  • 09 may be of dovetail shape in horizontal cross-section so as to cause them to be locked to the material of the side and end walls of the container when that material is molded about them duringfabrication of the container.
  • FIG. 10 A further form of container or hearth is shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12.
  • and bottom of the container are spaced, transversely extending partitions the opposite ends of adjacent partitions respectively being cut away throughout their entire height to form openings
  • This construction provides a tortuous passage for the molten metal, the passage consisting of parallel channels
  • 5 is a partition or darn
  • container or hearth may be substituted for those above described as, for example, the higher partitions I I of Figs. 10, 11 and 12 could be omitted while retaining the lower partitions or dams III, causing the container to take the form of a riffle board.
  • the furnace in which the molten metal is heated to remove the zinc is provided with pipes IIS of refractory material which may be supplied With an inert gas, such as nitrogen or hydrogen, from the communicating pipe
  • 23, may be entered into the furnace chamber from the pipes I I9 so as to sweep across the surface of the molten metal in the container Il and mix with the Zinc vapors to dilute them prior to their passing out the vapor discharge conduit 69.
  • Such a gas will not only aid in insuring non-oxidizing conditions in the furnace chamber, which conditions if they exist it has been found will act to diminish the catalytic effect of the carbonaceous material of the container Il, but will also reduce the partial vapor pressure of the Zinc and thus promote boiling or evaporation of the latter from the alloy whether the container is of carbonaceous material or not.
  • the chamber is maintained at slightly above atmospheric pressure further to insure the presence of non-oxidizing conditions therein, but the decrease in the rate at which zinc is given olf tended to be caused by this increase in pressure is more than compensated for by the reduction in the partial vapor pressure of the zinc caused by the gas admitted to the chamber through the pipes I9.
  • the gas thus admitted will be particularly effective adjacent the discharge end portion of the container II, Where the metal contains the minimum amount of zinc. At that portion the rate of Zinc removal from the metal is less than at points toward the opposite end portions of the container. Because of that, and the zinc vapor discharge from the furnace chamber being positioned adjacent such opposite end, the zinc vapors are more dilute and the partial pressure of the zinc vapors consequently less adjacent the discharge end portion of the container.
  • 21 which pipes are preferably formed ofr graphite.
  • the pipes extend through the furnace Wall and discharge into the pot 53 adjacent its bottom.
  • controlled amounts of preheated non-oxidizing gas hereinbefore referred to, may be entered into the metal in the pot 63 so as to bubble through said metal andl remove residual zinc therefrom.
  • a bubble of gas entered into the metal in this way expands as it rises and forms a space into which the Zinc may evaporate.
  • the gas bubble discharging from the surface of the metal has mixed with it the Zinc vapor which has been evaporated. It then mixes with the gas discharged through the pipes I9 so as to sweep over the surface of the metal in the container I'I.
  • the percentage amount of the Zinc in the metal will be quickly reduced to such amount as permits the above mentioned catalytic action to take place.
  • zinc base alloys containing.l sumciently large amounts of copper to warrant recovery of the latter will be quickly reduced, by removal of the zinc, to copper base alloys whether the container "Il is of elemental carbon or not, and consequently in the appended claims by copper base alloys is included metal from which enough zinc is removed during the course of the treatment to cause the metal to become predominantly copper, so that when this occurs the treatment will then remove zinc from a copper base alloy.
  • the hearth on which the molten metal is treated for removing the zinc need not be in the form of a container separate from the furnace walls.
  • the furnace may be constructed as town in Fig. i3, according to which the conduit 59 discharges the molten metal from the melting furnace directly on the furnace oor so that the latter and the adjacent portions of the side walls of the :furnace chamber constitute a hearth and the furnace chamber constitutes a container for the metal.
  • of the furnace chamber, and preferably also its bottom walll are formed of a lining of graphite or carbon to secure the abovementioned catalytic effect, while a dam
  • 33 in which themetal .is treated for removing the zin'c are of similar construction so as to maintain in each a rela-tively shallow pool cf metal having an upper free surface at the level
  • Each furnace like those heretofore described', is provided' with the removable cover
  • the latter For charging scrap into the melting furnace ISI' the latter, as shown, is provided with an extension
  • This ⁇ passage is shown as provided with a pair of spaced vertically movable valves or gates IlII formed of refractorymaterial, air cylinders
  • 39 is shown a table or other support
  • a bale may be pushed from the table to position it in the passage
  • 49 is provided for conducting an inert gas, such as nitrogen, into the space in the passage
  • 39 is shown as provided with a block
  • 53 is a downwardly inclined tube
  • acts as a bale or skimmer to prevent dross, slag or the like floating on the surface of the molten metal in the furnace from entering the furnace
  • 51 projecting into the furnace chamber of the furnace 33 is shown as provided with a downwardly projecting portion
  • so that the open end of the tube is submerged in this chamber, from which latter the metal flows over the rim of the cup into the body of the furnace chamber.
  • the metal may be tapped from time to time from the furnace
  • 33 is arranged for automatically discharging the molten metal at the same rate at which scrap is charged into the furnace
  • 53 extends through the furnace wall from the exterior of the furnace into a block
  • This block is formed with an inverted U-shaped passage
  • the material of the block between the two legs of the inverted U-shaped passage forms adam which determines the normal level of the upper surface of the metal in the 12 furnace chamber, while the molten metal in the leg of the U with which the port
  • 51 of Fig. 14 may pass through a heating chamber
  • the molten metal may be rapidly poured into the last mentioned furnace to charge it to capacity
  • molten metal may be drawn from the melting furnace into a suitable ladle, preferably one ⁇ with a so-called teapot spout, so that upon tilting the ladle metal may be poured through the spout from beneath the upper surface of the metal in the ladle, on which surface may be maintained a layer of powdered charcoal or other suitable material for preventing oxidation of the metal.
  • the furnace for treating the molten metal may be provided with a charging opening into which the molten metal may be poured from the ladle as, for example, the tube
  • the zinc vapors evolved may be conducted to a zinc condenser, in which by cooling the vapors to just below the dew point with respect to zinc they will condense as liquid zinc. It has been found, however, that when an inert gas is entered into the furnace in which Zinc vapors are evolved, the amount of gas entered should be so controlled that the dilution of the incoming gaseous mixture to the condenser is not greater than that which corresponds to a dilution of about 50% by volume at 2000c F., as otherwise the zinc will not be condensed out of the dilute vapors predominantly as liquid zinc.
  • the zinc vapors, or mixture of zinc vapors and gas, discharged through the conduit 69 may lead to the Zinc condenser more or less schematically shown in Figs. 17 and 18.
  • Such condenser comprises the upper and lower headers VM and
  • the conduit 69 communicates with the lower header, from which latter the vapors rise through the tubes Vil to the Aupper header, the latter being provided with a vent pipe
  • these pipes are supplied with fuel gas from a header
  • 91 for manually controlling the amount of gas supplied the carburetors are provided for regulating the fla-me.
  • The* flame is so regulated as to cause the tubes gradually to cool the vapors ascending through them to just below the dew point of the vapors with respect to Zinc so that the zinc condenses out in liquid form and rains downward through the tubes into the lower header
  • the lower header is provided with a discharge tube
  • 14 of the condenser may be manually adjusted to regulate the pressure in the chamber of the furnace in which the molten metal is treated for removing the Zinc. If desired, however, the valve may be automatically regulated in a lrnownV manner in response to the pressure in the furnace chamber to maintain that pressure at a predetermined constant value.
  • each of the several melting furnaces described is also provided with a vent pipe, such as the conduit 69 of the furnace i3! of Fig. 14, for escape of any zinc vapors unavoidably generated in that furnace.
  • a vent pipe such as the conduit 69 of the furnace i3! of Fig. 14, for escape of any zinc vapors unavoidably generated in that furnace.
  • the amount of zinc vapors generated in the melting furnace will be small, for example, not exceeding about of the total Zinc when the zinc content of the alloy charged is about 16%.
  • rllhe amount of zinc vapors however will vary with the percentage amount of zinc in the alloy charged, and with alloys of high Zinc content, for example Muntz metal and Admiralty metal, may constitute a fraction of the Zinc of economic importance.
  • the vapor vent pipe for the melting furnace preferably leads to a zinc condenser ⁇ which may be identical in construction and operation with that above described except that it need not be of as large capacity.
  • 33 may be interiorly 9 feet long and 411/3 feet wide at the furnace floor, each furnace being lined with carbon and being designed to have a capacity Vof about 5 tons of metal corresponding to a pool of metal therein about 6 inches deep.
  • the furnace six graphite resistor bars 35 about 6 inches in diameter and 4 feet long may be employed, their axes being positioned about 25 inches above the furnace oor in the case of ythe melting furnace
  • 33 is arranged for non-continuous discharge as shown by Fig.
  • bales B of the scrap may be fed to the melting furnace
  • the bales of scrap weighing 40 pounds each may be fed at the rate of one bale per minute, in other words, at the rate of one ton per ⁇ hour, for about 5 hours until the furnace
  • the metal After the metal is treated in the furnace
  • 33 is -arranged ⁇ for continuous operation, as shown in Fig, 16, the chargingcf the melting furnace i3! may be continued indefinitely without interrup tion, the metal being passed through the furnaces at the desired rate to esecure the ⁇ required reduction in zinc content.
  • will treat the metal in the furnace
  • the condenser employed for reducing the zinc vapors to the metallic state may be in the form shown in Figs. 17 and 18 employing tubes
  • the method of removing zinc from copper base alloys which comprises heating a, body of the molten alloy having a free surface portion to at least the melting point of its non-zinciferous content under substantially non-oxidizing conditions in the presence of elemental carbon having an incandescent surface portion intersecting said free surface portion of the molten alloy, the residual amount of zinc in the molten metal from which it is so removed not exceeding 2.
  • the method according to claim 1 in which the body of molten alloy is heated by radiation from an incandescent body or bodies positioned above its free surface portion.
  • the method of removing zinc frorn'copp'er base alloys which comprises heating a body of the molten alloy having a free surface portion to at least the melting point of its non-zinciferous content under substantially non-oxidizing conditions in a container the side wall surfaces of which in contact with the edges of the free surface portion of the metal comprise exposed elemental carbon heated to incandescence, the residual amount of zinc in the molten metal from which it is so removed not exceeding'10%.
  • the method of removing zinc from copper base alloys which comprise heating a body of the molten alloy having a free surface portion to at lease the melting point of its non-Zinciferous content in a furnace chamber under substantially non-oxidizing conditions in the presence of elemental carbon, having an incandescent surface intersecting said free surface portion of the molten alloy, diluting the zinc vapors in contact with said free surface portion of the molten alloy with an inert gas, and discharging the dilute vapors from said chamber, the residual amount of zinc in the molten metal from which it is so removed not exceeding 10%.
  • the method of removing zinc from copper base alloys which comprises substantially continuously owing the molten alloy under non-oxidizing conditions through a container providing a relatively large free liquid surface in proportion to the volume of the alloy therein; providing elemental carbon presenting a surface intersecting said free surface; heating the alloy while in said container to at least the melting point of its non-zinciferous content, and simultaneously heating said elemental carbon to maintain it incandescent, the residual amount of Zinc in the molten metal from which it is so removed not exceeding 10%.
  • the method of removing zinc from copper base alloys which comprises substantially continuously iiowing the molten alloy under nonoxidizing conditions through a container providing a relatively large free liquid surface in proportion to the volume of the alloy therein; providing elemental carbon presenting a surface intersecting said free surface; heating the alloy while in said container to at least the melting point of its non-zinciferous content for evolving Zinc vapors from the alloy, and simultaneously heating said elemental carbon to maintain it incandescent; and discharging zinc vapors from a chamber in which said container is positioned without causing the zinc vapor evolved from the initial portions of the alloy being treated to contact with the free surface at the iinal portions of the alloy being treated; the residual amount of zinc in the molten metal from which it is so removed not exceeding 10%.
  • the method of recovering zinc from copper base alloys which comprises heating a body of the molten alloy having a free surface portion to at least the melting point of its non-zinciferous content under substantially non-oxidizing conditions in a furnace chamber and in the presence of incandescent elemental carbon having a surface intersecting said free surface portion of the molten alloy, and conducting the zinc vapors evolved in said chamber to a condenser maintained at such temperature as will .condense them to metallic zinc, the residual amount of zinc in the molten metal from Which it is so removed not exceeding 10%.
  • the method of recovering zinc from copper base alloys which comprises heating a body of the molten alloy having a free surface portion to at least the melting point of its non-zinciferous content in a furnace chamber under substantially non-oxidizing conditions in the presence of incandescent elemental carbon having a surface intersecting said free surface portion of the molten alloy, diluting the zinc vapors in contact with the surface of the molten alloy with an inert gas, and discharging the dilute vapors from said chamber to a condenser and therein condensing the zinc vapors to metallic zinc, the residual amount of zinc in the'molten metal from which it is so removed not exceeding 11.
  • Apparatus for removing Zinc from Zinc bearing copper base alloy having, in combination, means .forming a substantially closed furnace chamber having a hearth, which hearth is formed at its upper side to provide a tortuous open channel for flow of the molten alloy on it, said channel comprising parallel passages extending transverselsr of the hearth connected in series at their end portions at leastadjacent their bottoms to cause the molten alloy to flow back and forth across the hearth, some at least of said passages being soconstructed as to cause portions of the alloy therein to be of greater depth than other portions therein, means for heating the molten alloy for evolving zinc'vapors therefrom, and said chamber having an opening for discharge of said vapors.
  • Apparatus for removing zinc from zinc bearing copper base alloy having, in combination, means forming a substantially closed furnace chamber having a hearth, w 'ch hearth is formed at its upper side to provide a tortuous open channel for ow of the molten alloy on it, said channel comprising parallel passages extending transversely of the hearth connected in series at their end portions at least adjacent their bottoms to cause the molten alloy to flow back and forth across the hearth, some at least of said passages having a submerged partition extending longitudinally thereof, means for heating the molten alloy for evolving zinc vapors therefrom, and said chamber having an opening for discharge of said vapors.
  • Apparatus for removing zinc from zinc bearing copper base alloy having, in combination, means forming a closed furnace chamber, a hearth of material of the group consisting of graphite and so-called carbon for receiving molten alloy, means formed of material of said group presenting a heat radiating surface above said hearth, electric resistance heating elements above said hearth arranged transversely thereof between it and said heat radiating surface, said hearth being formed at its upper side to provide a tortuous channel for the alloy flowing over it, which channel comprises parallel passages extending transversely of the hearth connected in series at their end portions adjacent their bottoms to cause the molten alloy to flow back and forth across the hearth in its passage over it, at least some of said passages being so constructed as to cause a material portion of the alloy therein to be of s'hallow depth, means forming a chamber for collecting the metal leaving said hearth, means for passing an inert gas over said hearth from adjacent its metal discharge end toward its opposite end having provision for bubbling at least a portion of said gas through the metal
  • Apparatus for removing Zinc from zinc bearing copper base alloy having, in combination, means forming a substantially closed furnace chamber having a hearth, means for entering molten alloy on the hearth and flowing it continuously thereover in a stream, the upper side tion of flow of said alloy,
  • . means shaped to cause 18,. of which hearth is formed 'with metal contact-k ing'means shaped to' cause turbulence in said streamspaced electric resistance heating elements above the Vhearth arranged transversely of the general direction ⁇ of flow of alloyv from its l inlet to its discharge in respect to the hearth for heating theflowing alloyY for evolving zinc vapors therefrom, Ymeans having provision for flowing inert gas overthe hearth in contact with the alloy thereon counterto saidgeneral direcan'd'said chamber having an exit opening for said gas and the evolved zincvapors.
  • Apparatus forV removingyz'inc from zinc having, in combination,l means forming a. substantiallyclosed furnace bearing copper base alloy chamber having a hearth;'means for ventering moltenalloy on the hearth andflowing it continuously thereover in a stream, the upper side of which hearth is formed Awith alloy contacting turbulence in said stream,
  • spaced electric resistance heating elements above the hearth arranged transversely of the general direction of flow of alloyffrom its inlet to its discharge in Y respect to the hearth, and
  • means having provision'for flowing" an inert gasover the'hearthinr contact with the alloy thereon counter to said general direction of flow of said alloy and for bubbling at least part of the gas through the metal collected from the hearth prior to the gas passing over the hearth.
  • Apparatus for removing zinc from zinc bearing copper base alloy having, in combination, means forming a substantially closed furnace chamber having a hearth, means for entering molten alloy on said hearth and :owing it continuously thereover, spaced electric resistance heating elements above said hearth arranged transversely of the general direction of ow of alloy from its inlet to its discharge in respect to the hearth for heating such alloy and evolving zinc vapors therefrom, means for collecting metal discharged from the hearth, means providing for flow of inert gas over the hearth in contact with the alloy thereon counter to said general direction of flow of said alloy1 and for bubbling at least part of said gas through the collected metal prior to such gas passing over the hearth, the furnace chamber having an exit opening for said gas and evolved zinc vapors.
  • Apparatus for removing zinc from zinc bearing copper base alloy having, in combination, melting means for the alloy comprising a container provided with overflow means adapted to maintain a body of the molten alloy in the container, a second container for receiving the molten alloy overiiowing from the first mentioned container, means for heating the molten alloy in the second container for evolving zinc vapors therefrom, and means for controlling the rate of entering molten alloy into the second container comprising means for entering solid alloy into the first mentioned container for displacing molten alloy therein and causing the displaced molten alloy to pass through said overflow means.
  • the method of recovering metallic zinc from copper base alloys which comprises heating a body of the molten alloy having a free surface portion to at least the melting point of its nonzinciferous content under substantially non-oxid'zingfoondipionsin aechamhenhayng.

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US51988744 1944-01-27 1944-01-27 Method of and apparatus for removing zinc from copper base alloys Expired - Lifetime US2429584A (en)

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US51988744 US2429584A (en) 1944-01-27 1944-01-27 Method of and apparatus for removing zinc from copper base alloys
GB2129/45A GB678261A (en) 1944-01-27 1945-01-26 Method of removing zinc from copper base alloys containing zinc
BE487192D BE487192A (fr) 1944-01-27 1949-02-04 Procede et appareil pour extraire le zinc des alliages a base de cuivre

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Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2552648A (en) * 1945-09-06 1951-05-15 Revere Copper & Brass Inc Apparatus for recovering zinc from zinciferous material containing iron
DE915506C (de) * 1943-03-06 1954-07-22 Karl Schmidt Metallschmelzwerk Herdofen zum Trennen von Metallen
US2761672A (en) * 1953-04-13 1956-09-04 Revere Copper & Brass Inc Furnaces for generating zinc vapors
US2781258A (en) * 1951-04-09 1957-02-12 Niedzwiedzki Antoni Metal-working tool
US3909243A (en) * 1973-02-01 1975-09-30 Roessing Bronze Co Recovery of both brass and zinc from metallurgical residues by carbon flotation method
US3942473A (en) * 1975-01-21 1976-03-09 Columbia Cable & Electric Corporation Apparatus for accreting copper
EP0185004A1 (fr) * 1984-12-12 1986-06-18 Boliden Aktiebolag Procédé de traitement de matériaux métalliques secondaires contenant du cuivre
WO2018048785A3 (fr) * 2016-09-06 2019-03-28 Arconic Inc. Matériaux en alliage à base d'aluminium-titane-zinc et produits fabriqués à partir de ceux-ci

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US635876A (en) * 1897-06-01 1899-10-31 Vermont Farm Machine Company Evaporating-pan.
US1097135A (en) * 1912-12-19 1914-05-19 Grenville Mellen Process of separating and recovering volatilized matter.
US1271560A (en) * 1917-01-08 1918-07-09 Metallurg Lab Inc Apparatus and method for condensing zinc-vapor.
US1308879A (en) * 1919-07-08 John Thomson Method of eliminating carbon dioxid and oxygen in electric smelting-furnaces.
US1598670A (en) * 1923-06-15 1926-09-07 Samuel W Barnes Evaporator for ribbon cane sirup
US1674947A (en) * 1925-12-10 1928-06-26 New Jersey Zinc Co Metallurgical furnace
US1769223A (en) * 1922-08-23 1930-07-01 Ajax Metal Company Electric furnace process and apparatus
US1994354A (en) * 1933-04-06 1935-03-12 New Jersey Zinc Co Method of and apparatus for purifying zinc metal
US1994347A (en) * 1932-12-20 1935-03-12 New Jersey Zinc Co Purifying zinc
US1994358A (en) * 1934-06-23 1935-03-12 New Jersey Zinc Co Purification or separation of metals
US2054923A (en) * 1933-10-12 1936-09-22 American Smelting Refining Vacuum treatment of metals
US2054922A (en) * 1933-10-12 1936-09-22 American Smelting Refining Vacuum treatment of metals
US2054921A (en) * 1933-06-10 1936-09-22 American Smelting Refining Production of oxygen-free, gas-free metals
US2061251A (en) * 1934-07-25 1936-11-17 American Smelting Refining Process for separating metals
US2156420A (en) * 1937-05-28 1939-05-02 Internat Smelting & Refining C Metal vaporizing furnace
US2174559A (en) * 1937-05-28 1939-10-03 Internat Smelting & Refining C Vaporizing furnace for zinc and other metals

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* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US1308879A (en) * 1919-07-08 John Thomson Method of eliminating carbon dioxid and oxygen in electric smelting-furnaces.
US635876A (en) * 1897-06-01 1899-10-31 Vermont Farm Machine Company Evaporating-pan.
US1097135A (en) * 1912-12-19 1914-05-19 Grenville Mellen Process of separating and recovering volatilized matter.
US1271560A (en) * 1917-01-08 1918-07-09 Metallurg Lab Inc Apparatus and method for condensing zinc-vapor.
US1769223A (en) * 1922-08-23 1930-07-01 Ajax Metal Company Electric furnace process and apparatus
US1598670A (en) * 1923-06-15 1926-09-07 Samuel W Barnes Evaporator for ribbon cane sirup
US1674947A (en) * 1925-12-10 1928-06-26 New Jersey Zinc Co Metallurgical furnace
US1994347A (en) * 1932-12-20 1935-03-12 New Jersey Zinc Co Purifying zinc
US1994354A (en) * 1933-04-06 1935-03-12 New Jersey Zinc Co Method of and apparatus for purifying zinc metal
US2054921A (en) * 1933-06-10 1936-09-22 American Smelting Refining Production of oxygen-free, gas-free metals
US2054923A (en) * 1933-10-12 1936-09-22 American Smelting Refining Vacuum treatment of metals
US2054922A (en) * 1933-10-12 1936-09-22 American Smelting Refining Vacuum treatment of metals
US1994358A (en) * 1934-06-23 1935-03-12 New Jersey Zinc Co Purification or separation of metals
US2061251A (en) * 1934-07-25 1936-11-17 American Smelting Refining Process for separating metals
US2156420A (en) * 1937-05-28 1939-05-02 Internat Smelting & Refining C Metal vaporizing furnace
US2174559A (en) * 1937-05-28 1939-10-03 Internat Smelting & Refining C Vaporizing furnace for zinc and other metals

Cited By (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE915506C (de) * 1943-03-06 1954-07-22 Karl Schmidt Metallschmelzwerk Herdofen zum Trennen von Metallen
US2552648A (en) * 1945-09-06 1951-05-15 Revere Copper & Brass Inc Apparatus for recovering zinc from zinciferous material containing iron
US2781258A (en) * 1951-04-09 1957-02-12 Niedzwiedzki Antoni Metal-working tool
US2761672A (en) * 1953-04-13 1956-09-04 Revere Copper & Brass Inc Furnaces for generating zinc vapors
US3909243A (en) * 1973-02-01 1975-09-30 Roessing Bronze Co Recovery of both brass and zinc from metallurgical residues by carbon flotation method
US3942473A (en) * 1975-01-21 1976-03-09 Columbia Cable & Electric Corporation Apparatus for accreting copper
EP0185004A1 (fr) * 1984-12-12 1986-06-18 Boliden Aktiebolag Procédé de traitement de matériaux métalliques secondaires contenant du cuivre
WO2018048785A3 (fr) * 2016-09-06 2019-03-28 Arconic Inc. Matériaux en alliage à base d'aluminium-titane-zinc et produits fabriqués à partir de ceux-ci

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GB678261A (en) 1952-09-03
BE487192A (fr) 1949-02-28

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