GB536258A - - Google Patents

Abstract

536,258. Furnaces for extracting metals. FOUNDAMINSKY, I. J., and LOEVENTSTEIN, H. Nov. 2, 1939, No. 29245. Convention date, Nov. 3, 1938. [Class 51 (ii)] [Also in Group II] A constituent metal such as aluminium, is extracted from an alloy such as one with iron or silicon by means of a solvent metal such as zinc, zinc alloy, or mercury, in a furnace comprising means for passing the solvent metal in molten or vapour form through the alloy, collecting the resulting alloy ' in a chamber beneath the furnace, and separating the extracted metal from the solvent metal. The plant shown comprises a furnace structure wherein the alloy to be treated is moved in a series of containers 1 between an inlet 2 and outlet 3 and is subjected to the solvent action of molten zinc supplied through a passage 19, the resulting aluminium-zinc alloy being collected in a chamber 11 having outlets 4, 5 for floating and sunk impurities. The molten alloy is led by a passage 7 to a still 9 wherein the aluminium and zinc are separated, the aluminium being collected in a chamber III and the zinc passing to a chamber 14 from which it is supplied to the containers 1. Heating of the various chambers is effected by flues 32 through which gas admitted at 30 and burnt by air from flues 36 is passed. In modifications each container 1 before being finally discharged may be subjected to the action of zinc vapour in a chamber interposed in the vapour passage 13 between the still 9 and the chamber 14 ; or the whole of the extractions may be effected by zinc vapour, in which case the chamber 14 is dispensed with, and the vapour is led upwards through an extraction chamber to which the material to be treated is fed in successive small charges. Specification 537,400, [Group II], is referred to.