Rotary kiln for metal chip deoiling

Claim 1

A furnace for removing oil and water from scrap metal including a substantially horizontally cylindrical housing, said housing having an inlet end and a discharge end, means for rotating the housing, said housing being angled slightly downwardly from the inlet end to the discharge end, means for introducing scrap metal to the housing at the inlet end, means for removing scrap metal from the housing at the discharge end, exhaust duct means through which the gases escape from the housing, afterburner means located in the duct means for combusting the combustible volatiles driven off from the scrap metal, a plurality of longitudinal vanes secured to the walls of the housing for causing tumbling of the scrap metal as the housing rotates, burner means positioned within the housing having outlets positioned longitudinally along the entire length of the housing, the outlets of the burner means being positioned at an angle to the vertical, and are offset from the central axis of the housing, such that the flames issuing therefrom impinge directly on the greatest accumulation of tumbling scrap metal, and means for controlling the supply of fuel and air to the burner means in such a ratio that no excess air is supplied to the housing, thereby exposing the scrap metal to pyrolysis in a reducing atmosphere.