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US3760145A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Short gap electric arc heater with opposing gas swirl

Assignee: PANELERA INTERNATIONAL Inc
•
Filing: 1971-12-13
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Granted: 1973-09-18
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Expires: 1991-12-13
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Abstract

Abstract An electric arc heater useful in chemical processing operation where a thin annular disc is placed between two axially disposed hollow electrodes. The disc aids in channeling a gas which may be tangentially introduced into a chamber within the electrodes where chemical processing occurs. The gas flows on either side of the disc and between the electrodes to blow electrical arclets which are struck between one electrode and the disc and between the disc and another electrode into the arc chamber, stretching the arclets transversely with respect to the axis of the arc chamber. The arclets join to form a single arc once the arclets have been blown a sufficient distance away from the electrically conducting disc. The opposing introduction of gas on either side of the disc into the arc chamber reduces net swirling and reduces centrifugal forces within the gas which otherwise may create boundary layers of cool heavy gas against the side wall of the arc chamber which would in turn cause poor temperature distribution transversely across the arc chamber and impede heat removal through the walls of the arc chamber or throw heavy process particles into the gap thus creating a potential for unwanted short circuits between electrodes.

Inventors

  • 👤 C Wolf
  • 👤 M Fey

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-10-31 05:29
CPC Classifications
H; H01; H01J; H01J37/00; H01J37/32; H01J37/32009; H01J37/32055; H01J37/32431; H01J37/3244; H05; H05H; H05H1/00; H05H1/24; H05H1/26; H05H1/32; H05H1/34; H05H1/3431; H05H1/40

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 214 words
An electric arc furnace apparatus comprising: a pair of generally tubular, generally cylindrical electrodes, axially spaced to provide a gap therebetween, said gap being generally relatively significantly smaller at its narrowest axial dimension than the axial dimensions of said electrodes; a source of power for producing an arc; a chamber means, a portion of which includes a portion of said electrodes; and a means for peripherally providing fluid matter to said gap, said means providing said fluid matter to said gap in different directions to thereby provide a generally net cancelling of the swirling of said fluid at a radially distant portion of said chamber from said electrodes, at least one portion of said means being electrically conducting and extending into the narrowest portion of said gap but being spaced from said electrodes, said electrically conducting portion and at least one of said electrodes generally having an electric arc struck therebetween periodically during operation of said electric arc furnace, said arc having arc roots residing on said electrode and said electrically conducting portion of said means, said fluid causing at least one said residing arc root to move to lengthen said arc and generally concurrently therewith to cause a portion of said arc to be moved into said chamber means further lengthening said arc.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 214 words
An electric arc furnace apparatus comprising: a pair of generally tubular, generally cylindrical electrodes, axially spaced to provide a gap therebetween, said gap being generally relatively significantly smaller at its narrowest axial dimension than the axial dimensions of said electrodes; a source of power for producing an arc; a chamber means, a portion of which includes a portion of said electrodes; and a means for peripherally providing fluid matter to said gap, said means providing said fluid matter to said gap in different directions to thereby provide a generally net cancelling of the swirling of said fluid at a radially distant portion of said chamber from said electrodes, at least one portion of said means being electrically conducting and extending into the narrowest portion of said gap but being spaced from said electrodes, said electrically conducting portion and at least one of said electrodes generally having an electric arc struck therebetween periodically during operation of said electric arc furnace, said arc having arc roots residing on said electrode and said electrically conducting portion of said means, said fluid causing at least one said residing arc root to move to lengthen said arc and generally concurrently therewith to cause a portion of said arc to be moved into said chamber means further lengthening said arc.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 78 words
The combination claimed in claim 1, wherein said electrically conducting portion of said fluid providing means comprises an electrically conducting disc generally disposed between said electrodes, said arc being provided between said electrodes in two arc portions, one arc portion having a root on a first of said pair of electrodes and another root on said disc, and another arc portion having a rooT on said disc and another root on a second of said pair of electrodes.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 29 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1 wherein said arc roots reside on said electrodes after said portion of said arc is moved into said chamber by said fluid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 35 words
The combination as claimed in claim 2 wherein said fluid comprises a gas and said arc roots reside on said electrodes after said portion of said arc is moved into said chamber by said gas.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 37 words
The combination as claimed in claim 1 including at least one magnetic field producing means wherein said arc roots may be additionally moved on said electrodes by the interaction of electrical arc current with said magnetic field.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 37 words
The combination as claimed in claim 4 including at least one magnetic field producing means wherein said arc roots may be additionally moved on said electrodes by the interaction of arc electrical current with said magnetic field.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 29 words
The combination as claimed in claim 6 wherein said magnetic field producing means comprises a source of power and a solenoid coil which cooperate to produce said magnetic field.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 88 words
The combination as claimed in claim 7 wherein said source of power for said magnetic field producing means comprises a first alternating current source of power, said source of power for producing said arc comprises a second alternating current source of power, both said sources of power being so phased with respect to each other that when said arc begins to propagate from one said electrode at an arc root, that arc root is moved by the additive forces from said gas and said magnetic field producing means.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US3309550A Cited
US3343019A Cited
US3521106A Cited
US3360682A Cited
US3522015A Cited
US3329865A Cited
US3360988A Cited
US3474279A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1976-09-17 1977-03-19 1977-09-18 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1980-09-17 1981-03-19 1981-09-18 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1984-09-17 1985-03-19 1985-09-18 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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