Intrinsically safe, efficient rich glycol furnace coolants
OwnerAllan J. MacRaeinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A coolant for use in support of a pyrometallurgical furnace includes a circulating rich glycol solution. Substantially all the molecules of any initial weight of water it includes have been physically absorbed by a hygroscopic action into an initial weight of a glycol solvent. Substantially all the molecules of the initial weight of water included are suspended in solution between the molecules of a first portion of the initial weight of glycol solvent due to the hygroscopic action. A substantial remaining second portion of the initial weight of glycol solvent stays available to physically absorb any other water or steam that may later come in contact with the rich glycol solution as it circulates inside a desiccation containment vessel.
Claims7
A pyrometallurgical furnace coolant, comprising:
- a blend for placing a solute of water in a solvent of glycol to produce a rich glycol solution in which initially every molecule of water is hydrogen-bound to a molecule of glycol, and there are a substantial excess of glycol molecules not hydrogen-bound and available for subsequent hydrogen-bounding if additional water is added later;
- wherein, the rich glycol solution is intrinsically safe from steam explosions when circulated as a principal coolant in a pyrometallurgical furnace cooler.
A pyrometallurgical furnace coolant, comprising:
- a rich glycol solution in which substantially all the molecules of any initial weight of water it includes have been physically absorbed by a hygroscopic action into an initial weight of glycol solvent that it also includes;
- wherein, substantially all the molecules of the initial weight of water included are suspended between the molecules of a first portion of the initial weight of glycol solvent due to the hygroscopic action;
- wherein, there remains a substantial second portion of the initial weight of glycol solvent available to physically absorb any other water or steam that may come in contact with the rich glycol solution that circulated as a coolant in a pyrometallurgical furnace;
- and
- wherein, a hydrogen bonding of all water molecules between less than all the glycol solvent molecules prevents or substantially reduces a risk that the rich glycol will produce a steam explosion in the event any of it directly contacts any superheated materials within the pyrometallurgical furnace.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.