Drive shaft assembly for a rotary furnace
AssigneeX-energy, LLC
InventorNicholas Linneen
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure is directed to drive shaft assemblies for a rotary furnace. In one form, a rotary furnace comprises a crucible and a drive shaft assembly. The drive shaft assembly comprises a primary shaft and a secondary shaft coupled with the primary shaft. The secondary shaft comprises: a first portion comprising a refractory alloy, the first portion defining a first end and a second end, where the first end of the first portion is configured to couple with the primary shaft; and a second portion comprising graphite, the second portion defining a first end and a second end, where the first end of the second portion is configured to couple with the second end of the first portion and the second end of the second portion is configured to couple with the crucible.
Claims16
A drive shaft assembly for a rotary furnace, comprising:
- a secondary shaft comprising:
- a first portion comprising a refractory alloy, the first portion defining a first end and a second end, where the first end of the first portion is configured to couple with a primary shaft of the drive shaft assembly of the rotary furnace;
- and
- a second portion comprising graphite, the second portion defining a first end and a second end, where the first end of the second portion is configured to couple with the second end of the first portion and the second end of the second portion is configured to couple with a crucible of the rotary furnace;
- wherein the second portion defines:
- a cylindrical portion;
- a rectangular portion adjacent to the cylindrical portion;
- and
- a rounded portion adjacent to the rectangular portion.
A rotary furnace comprising:
- a crucible;
- a drive shaft assembly comprising:
- a primary shaft;
- and
- a secondary shaft coupled with the primary shaft, wherein the secondary shaft comprises:
- a first portion comprising a refractory alloy, the first portion defining a first end and a second end, where the first end of the first portion is configured to couple with the primary shaft;
- and
- a second portion comprising graphite, the second portion defining a first end and a second end, where the first end of the second portion is configured to couple with the second end of the first portion and the second end of the second portion is configured to couple with the crucible;
- wherein the second portion of the secondary shaft defines:
- a rounded portion positioned at a distal end of the second end of the second portion, wherein the rounded portion is configured to form a seal with a first end of the crucible when the crucible receives at least a portion of the second end of the second portion of the secondary shaft;
- and
- a rectangular portion adjacent to the rounded portion, wherein the rectangular portion is configured to engage a complementary shaped aperture at the first end of the crucible when the crucible receives at least a portion of the second end of the second portion of the secondary shaft.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.