Impedance-heated furnace
AssigneeVictor Reynolds
InventorsVictor R. Reynolds, Gary L. White
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is disclosed an impedance-heated furnace for processing a nonflowable but conveyable material at the processing temperature comprising a nonrotating shell having electrical-conducting properties, and heated to a processing temperature using electrical impedance as the heat source. The shell includes an inlet and an outlet and a conveyor means, which also may be heated by impedance, for transporting or carrying the material along or through the shell. The resulting solids and any generated or volatilized gases are recovered separately.
Claims45
A processing furnace for the thermal treatment of nonflowable, but conveyable material at the processing temperature, comprising:
- (a) a nonrotating shell having a major axis;
- (b) inlet means at about one end of the said shell and outlet means spaced from said inlet means;
- (c) means operatively disposed in said shell for conveying said material to be processed substantially along said major axis of said shell;
- (d) a heating element, being electrically conductive, in juxtaposition with a substantial portion of said material and extending for a substantial portion of said major axis;
- and (e) means for heating by impedance said heating element including (i) an electrical source and (ii) first and second electric cables connected to said electrical source and to said heating element, said first cable for supplying electrical energy to said heating element, and said second cable and said heating element forming a return circuit to said electrical source;
- wherein electrical energy supplied to said heating element heats said heating element by impedance.
A processing furnace for the thermal treatment of nonflowable, but conveyable, material at the processing temperature, comprising:
- (a) a substantially horizontally disposed, nonrotating shell having a major axis and having electrically conductive properties;
- (b) inlet means at about one end of said shell and outlet means spaced from said inlet means;
- (c) fixed heads at opposed ends of said shell;
- (d) mechanical seals disposed in each fixed head;
- (e) means for conveying said material to be processed through said shell substantially along said major axis from said inlet toward said outlet, said conveying means including at least one rotatable shaft extending in parallel with said major axis and supportably mounted in said seals to permit rotation of said shaft, and said shaft having a plurality of pitched ribs spaced axially along said shaft and extending radially therefrom;
- (f) means for controlling the atmospheric environment in said shell;
- and (g) means for heating by impedance said shell including (i) an electrical source and (ii) first and second electric cables connected to said electrical source and to said shell, said first cable for supplying electrical energy to said shell, and said second cable and said shell forming a return circuit to said electrical source;
- wherein electrical energy supplied to said shell heats said shell by impedance.
A processing furnace for the thermal treatment of nonflowable, but conveyable, material at the processing temperature, comprising:
- (a) a substantially vertically disposed, nonrotating shell having a major axis and having electrically conductive properties;
- (b) inlet means above the lower end of said shell and outlet means spaced from said inlet means;
- (c) means for introducing a fluidizing gas to said shell below said inlet means for fluidizing said material to be processed in said shell substantially along said major axis;
- and (d) and means for heating by impedance said shell including (i) an electrical source and (ii) first and second electric cables connected to said electrical source and to said shell, said first cable for supplying electrical energy to said shell, and said second cable and said shell forming a return circuit to said electrical source;
- wherein electrical energy supplied to said shell heats said shell by impedance.
A process for the thermal treatment of nonflowable, but conveyable material at the processing temperature, comprising:
- (a) providing a nonrotating shell having a major axis and inlet means at about one end of said shell and outlet means spaced from said inlet means;
- (b) conveying said material to be processed through said shell by means operatively disposed in said shell and substantially along said major axis from said inlet toward said outlet;
- (c) providing a heating element, being electrically conductive, in juxtaposition with a substantial portion of said material and extending for a substantial portion of said major axis;
- (d) heating by impedance said heating element including providing (i) an electrical source and (ii) first and second electric cables connected to said electrical source and to said heating element, said first cable for supplying electrical energy to said heating element, and said second cable and said heating element forming a return circuit to said electrical source;
- wherein electrical energy supplied to said heating element heats said electrical element by impedance and thereby heats said material;
- and (e) recovering the products of said heating step.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.