Continuous Sphere formation (Patent No: 797148)

Inventor: Capes, Charles E.

Location: Ottawa, ON

Comments: N/A

Description: THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A process for agglomerating finely divided solids which comprises feeding said solids into a body of liquid in a cylindrical vessel having an axis inclined to the vertical for suspension therein of said solids, adding to said body a second liquid which preferentially wets said solids and is substantially immiscible with said first liquid, and rotating said vessel to form said solids into agglomerates thereof, the second liquid constituting a binding medium for said agglomerated solids.

2. A process for agglomerating finely divided solids as defined in claim 1, including the steps of continuously feeding said solids and liquids into said vessel, and continuously discharging formed agglomerates over the edge of said vessel.

3. A process for agglomerating finely divided solids as defined in claim 2, including the step of subjecting said discharged agglomerates to a tumbling action with a liquid immiscible with said binding medium.

4. A process for agglomerating finely divided solids as defined in claim 2, including the step of pumping a portion of said suspendant liquid from said vessel and spraying said withdrawn liquid onto a wall of said vessel to wash clinging solids therefrom.

5. Apparatus for agglomerating finely divided solids comprising an open top cylindrical vessel hewing its axis inclined at an angle of about 30° to 55° to the horizontal, said vessel having a flat interior bottom wall, a cylindrical interior side wall, and a plurality of ribs mounted on said sidewall and extending longitudinally thereof, means Łor rotating said vessel about its axis, and means for feeding material into said vessel through the open top thereof.

6. Apparatus for agglomerating finely divided solids as defined in claim 5, said ribs being uniformly spaced and being substantially coextensive with the length of said side wall.

7. Apparatus for agglomerating finely divided solids as defined in claim 6, each said rib having a radial extent not substantially greater than one-twentieth of the radius of said sidewall.

8. Apparatus for agglomerating finely divided solids as defined in claim 6, each said rib having an exposed surface of curved contour in the cross-sectional direction thereof.

9. Apparatus for agglomerating finely divided solids as defined in claim 5, including a pump having intake and outlet pipes extending into said vessel, said outlet pipe having a nozzle directed upon the upwardly travelling section of said bottom wall.