Other

Denis H Thornhill

William M Urquhart

Heavy metal compounds, particularly vanadium pentoxide, are recovered from petroleum coke by combusting the coke under conditions constraining the temperatures to within the range 680.degree. C. to 1400.degree. C., collecting the ash which is then subjected to a known process for the extraction of the metallic compounds. Whilst the combustion process may be achieved in a fluidised bed furnace, higher recovery rates are likely to be achieved utilising a tubular furnace chamber inclined at 10.degree. to horizontal. dried petroleum coke, ground to fine powder (ASTM 75 micron, or less) is entrained into a primary air flow injected tangentially into the chamber through ports together with secondary air sufficient to maintain an oxidising atmosphere. Molten slag is deposted on the chamber wall by centrifugal action and drained from the chamber to fall on a rotating steel drum immersed in a water trough. A scraper removes the slag from the drug as flakes which are removed from the water trough using a screw conveyor.

Growing community of inventors

Caracas, Venezuela

Denis H Thornhill