US3601900A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for drying metal scrap
Assignee: FMC Corp
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Filing: 1969-03-27
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Granted: 1971-08-31
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Expires: 1989-03-27
Abstract
Abstract Metal scrap having water and cutting oils thereon is cleaned and dried by hot treated gas. The gas circulates through a drying chamber containing the scrap and causes the water and cutting oils to evaporate into a vapor which mixes with the drying gas. The resultant combustible mixture is treated for recycling through the dryer by first passing it through a dry dust collector which removes practically all of the solid particles which are unavoidably picked up by the gas as it comes in contact with the metal scrap. The combustible gas mixture is then fed into a furnace where burners ignite the gas to render it inert and raise its temperature. The resultant hot inert gas is split into two streams, one stream going directly to a blending chamber and the remaining stream being directed into a quencher for cooling. Upon leaving the quencher it passes through a wet dust collector to remove any remaining solid particles that were not removed in the dry dust collector. The relatively cool gas leaving the wet dust collect is blended with the hot gas that went directly to the blending chamber from the furnace, and emerges as a gas having a temperature intermediate that of the separate streams. This blended gas stream is subsequently blown into the dryer to clean more metal scrap and repeat an identical cycle.
Inventors
- 👤 Maurice J Erisman
- 👤 Leonard M Kaczmarski
- 👤 Wesley W Coffin
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 19:29
CPC Classifications
F; F26; F26B; F26B3/00
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 18
Claim 1
Independent Claim
163 words
A method of removing cutting oils and the like from metal scrap that is wetted therewith comprising the steps of flowing a stream of gas through a substantially closed path, passing the said stream of gas in a preheated and inert state through a zone in said path having a bed of said metal scrap to evaporate the wetting liquid and entrain the resulting volatile vapor in the flowing stream of gas, passing the resultant combustible stream of gas through a fume burner wherein the said combustible gas is burned to raise the temperature of the gas and render the gas inert, splitting the stream of gas so that a first part passes directly to a blending chamber and a second part passes through a heat reducing unit to reduce its temperature before it is passed into the said blending chamber for reunification with the said first part, then recirculating the reunified stream of gas through more wetted scrap to repeat the cycle.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 2 further including the step of passing the said combustible gas trough a first solid particle removing means before burning the gas in the said fume burner.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
41 words
The method of claim 3 further including the step of passing the said second part of the said stream of gas through an additional solid particle removing means, before reuniting said second part with said first part in said blending chamber.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 3 further including the step of releasing a portion of said second part of said stream of gas to the atmosphere after the second part of the said stream of gas has passed through the said heat reducing unit.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 4 further including the stEp of releasing a portion of said second part of said stream of gas to the atmosphere after the second part of the said stream of gas has passed through the said additional solid particle removing means.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
44 words
The method of claim 6 further including the step of placing a first fan in the said closed path to help draw the said stream of gas out of the said first solid particle removing means and blow it into the said fume burner.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
38 words
The method of claim 7 further including the step of placing at least one additional fan in the said closed path to help draw gas out of the said blending chamber and blow it into the said dryer.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
40 words
The method of claim 8 further including the step of dispersing a part of the said second part of the said stream of gas into the atmosphere after the said second part has passed though the said heat reducing unit.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 4 further including the step of individually regulating the intake into the said blending chamber of the said first and second parts of the said stream of gas so as to control the temperature of the stream of gas leaving the said blending chamber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 9 wherein the said combustible stream of gas burned in the said fume burner is heated to a temperature of 1500* F.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
52 words
The method of claim 11 wherein the said second part of the said stream of gas is cooled down by the said heat reducing unit to a temperature of about 193* F. at which temperature the resulting water vapor will blend with the said second part of the said stream of gas.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 12 further including the step of individually regulating the intake into the said blending chamber of the said first and second parts of the said stream of gas so that the temperature of the stream of gas leaving the said blending chamber is about 740* F.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
151 words
An apparatus for removing cutting oils and the like from metal scrap that is wetted therewith comprising in combination dryer means in which a stream of inert gas is passed through a bed of said metal scrap to evaporate the wetting liquid therefrom and wherein the resulting volatile vapor is entrained in the stream of gas, fume burner means connected to the said dryer means to burn the resultant combustible stream of gas emerging from the dryer means to render it inert and raise its temperature above 1400* F., means for dividing the stream of gas after it has passed through the said fume burner means so that a portion of the stream of gas can be dispersed into the atmosphere, and heat reducing means for reducing the temperature of the gas which is not dispersed into the atmosphere so that it can be directed back into the said dryer means.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
215 words
An apparatus for removing cutting oils and the like from metal scrap that is wetted therewith comprising in combination dryer means in which a stream of inert gas is passed through a bed of said metal scrap to evaporate the wetting liquid therefrom and wherein the resulting volatile vapor is entrained in the stream of gas, fume burner means connected to the said dryer means to burn the resultant combustible stream of gas emerging from the dryer means to render it inert and raise its temperature above 1400* F., first dividing means for dividing the stream of gas into two portions, heat reducing means for reducing the temperature of the first of said two portions, second dividing means for dividing the portion of gas leaving the said heat reducing means into two or more portions so that the first of these two more portions can be dispersed into the atmosphere and the second of these two more portions can be united with the second portion leaving the said first dividing means, and blending means for uniting the second portion leaving the said first dividing means with the second portion leaving the said second dividing means so that the two portions of relatively hot and cool gases respectively are suitable for recycling through the said apparatus.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claIm 15 further including a first solid particle removing means disposed between and connected to the said dryer means and the said fume burner means, to remove any solid particles that may have been picked up by the said stream of gas as it passed through the said bed of metal scrap in the dryer means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
59 words
The apparatus of claim 16 further including a second solid particle removing means disposed so that the second portion of the gas leaving the said second dividing means will pass therethrough to remove any solid particles remaining in the gas before the said second portion of the gas leaving the said second dividing means enters the said blending means.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus of claim 17 further including a first fan means to help draw the said gas out of the said first solid particle removing means and blow the gas into the said fume burner means.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
29 words
The apparatus of claim 18 further including a second fan means to draw the gas out of the said blending means and blow it into the said dryer means.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US2720710A
Cited
US3310009A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-08-30 | 1975-03-01 | 1975-08-31 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-08-30 | 1979-03-01 | 1979-08-31 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-08-30 | 1983-03-01 | 1983-08-31 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |