Process for the production of calcium carbide and a shaft furnace for carrying out the process

US4644557A · kind A · utility

Assignees

• SKW Trostberg Aktiengesellschaft · DE
• Yoest-Alpine Aktiengesellschaft · AT

Inventors

• Joachim Ebeling · Trostberg, DE
• Peter Friedrich · Neresheim, DE
• Herbert Jekat · Zell im Wiesental, DE
• Walter Lugscheider · Linz, AT
• Ernst Riegler · Kirchschlag, AT
• Ernst Zajicek · Leonding, AT
• Walter Achleitner · Linz, AT
• Ferdinand Jarema · Linz, AT

Key dates

• Filing date: Jul 1, 1985
• Grant date: Feb 17, 1987
• Expiry date: Jul 1, 2005

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C01B32/942
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

In a process for the production of calcium carbide in a shaft furnace, a plasma arc (plasma torch) is generated by the introduction of electric energy with the help of a plasma burner device penetrating the upper cover of the shaft furnace. A counter electrode is provided in the bottom part of the shaft furnace. About the plasma arc or torch, a burden mixture of calcium-oxide and carbon-containing substances is concentrically introduced so as to form a protective mound of solid burden components on the inner wall of the furnace. In order to provide an operationally safe process by using plasma burners, with which both coarse and fine-grain burden components may be employed and with which calcium carbide is obtained in higher yields with an improved utilization of the energy consumed, the burden mixture is used separately as a coarse-grain fraction and as a fine-grain fraction. The coarse-grain fraction is introduced through an annular gap between the furnace wall and the furnace cover so as to form a movable protective mound along the furnace wall. The fine-grain fraction is introduced into the space between the plasma arc and the protective mound. The process gas forming at the re…