Preparation of a charge for a calcium carbide furnace

Claim 1

THE METHOD OF FIRING PELLETS FOR A CALCIUM CARBIDE FURNACE CHARGE BY PASSING SAID PELLETS THROUGH A FIRING ZONE COMPRISING, INTRODUCING A STREAM OF PELLETS COMPOSED OF PARTICLES OF COAL HAVING A VOLATILE CONTENT AND PARTICLES OF A CALCIUM OXIDE SOURCE MATERIAL SELECTED FROM THE GROUP CONSISTING OF CALCIUM HYDRATE AND CALCIUM CARBONATE, INTO THE ENTRANCE END PORTION OF SAID FIRING ZONE, THE AMOUNT OF CARBON IN SAID COAL BEING SO PROPORTIONED IN RELATION TO THE AMOUNT OF CALCIUM OXIDE IN SAID SOURCE MATERIAL AS TO PROVIDE PELLETS WHICH AFTER FIRING ARE SUITABLE FOR THE PRODUCTION OF CALCIUM CARBIDE IN A FURNACE, HEATING SAID PELLETS TO CAUSE SAID COAL VOLATILES TO BE EXPELLED THEREFROM AND TO CALCINE SAID CALCIUM OXIDE SOURCE MATERIAL IN SAID FIRING ZONE, BURNING A PORTION OF SAID VOLATILES IN SAID FIRING ZONE WITH COMBUSTION AIR INTRODUCED INTO THE ENTRANCE END PORTION OF SAID FIRING ZONE IN A REGULATED AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO BURN ONLY SAID PORTION OF SAID EXPELLED VOLATILES THEREBY PROVIDING AN ATMOSPHERE IN THE EXIT END PORTION OF SAID FIRING ZONE WHICH IS SUBSTANTIALLY DEVOID OF OXYGEN AND SO MINIMIZING A FIXED CARBON LOSS IN SAID STREAM OF PELLETS, MAINTAINING THE EXIT END PORTION OF SAID FIRING ZONE AT A TEMPERATURE ABOVE THE DECOMPOSITION TEMPERATURE OF CALCIUM CARBONATE, AND REMOVING BOTH THE FIRED PELLETS AND THE GASES IN THE FIRING ZONE ATMOSPHERE FROM THE EXIT END PORTION OF SAID FIRING ZONE.