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‹Better GutenbergModern Copper SmeltingTable VI — Daily Report — Reverberatory Furnaces — August 17th, 190… · 9 of 14Contents›

Modern Copper Smelting

by Donald M. Levy

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Table VI — Daily Report — Reverberatory Furnaces — August 17th, 1908 (Good Day)

Charge.
Furnace
No.
CoalTotal
Smelted
CalcinesMacdougal
Flue-Dust
Blast
Furnace
Flue-Dust
Main
Flue-Dust
ExtrasResidues
TonsTonsTonsTonsTonsTonsTons ‡Tons
160·6288·8279·2..8·9..0·7..
257·2277·7262·7..2·911·80·3..
364·1286·7253·212·08·911·80·8..
460·5278·7264·7..2·63·90·27·3
557·3245·9221·712·011·2..1·0..
657·3273·1264·4..7·9..0·8..
7................
857·4278·7266·811·9........
Total414·41929·61812·735·942·427·53·87·3
‡ = Fine lime rock.
Delays.
Furnace
No.
Copper Material
Smelted per
Ton of Coal
Cost of Coal
per Ton of
Metal Melted
Waiting
for Coal
Waiting
for Calcines
MiscellaneousTotal
Delays
Boilers
Working
Ladles of Matte in
Furnace
  at End of Day.
Tons$HoursHoursHoursHoursHours
14·770·95—— No delays. ——2410
24·850·942410
34·471·022410
44·610·992410
54·291·062410
64·770·952410
7........
84·850·942410
Total............16870
Draft, 1·7 inches.Number of furnaces running,7·00
All furnaces working slow.Number of charges,140
Furnace No. 5, one bad charge.Ladles matte tapped,34
Cupriferous material smelted per furnace, 275·6 tons.

DAILY REPORT—REVERBERATORY FURNACES. AUGUST 19TH, 1908.
Charge.
Furnace
No.
CoalTotal
Smelted
CalcinesMacdougal
Flue-Dust
Blast
Furnace
Flue-Dust
Main
Flue-Dust
ExtrasResidues
TonsTonsTonsTonsTonsTonsTonsTons
155·4143·0143·0..........
255·4246·4240·1........6·3
362·1250·7236·9....13·8....
458·9262·7262·9..........
562·2247·8247·8..........
659·1241·9241·9..........
7................
855·1252·9252·9..........
Total,408·21645·61625·5....13·8..6·3
Delays.
Furnace
No.
Copper Material
Smelted per
Ton of Coal
Cost of Coal
per Ton of
Metal Melted
Waiting
for Coal
Waiting
for Calcines
MiscellaneousTotal
Delays
Boilers
Working
Ladles of Matte in
Furnace
  at End of Day.
Tons$HoursHoursHoursHoursHours
12·581·76....8·008·00222
24·451·02........248
34·041·13........246
44·461·02........246
53·981·14........248
64·091·11........248
7................
84·591·19........248
Total,........8·008·0016646
Draft, 1·7 inches.Number of furnaces running,6·67
Furnace No. 1 delayed 8 hours tapping and claying.Number of charges,118
Furnace No. 7 down for repairs.Ladles matte tapped,47
Bad coal on all furnaces.Cupriferous material smelted per furnace, 246·7 tons.

Tapping the Furnace.—Matte is usually withdrawn from these large stores upon such occasions as it is required for the converters, though sometimes when the supply has got ahead of the converters’ demands, the matte is tapped and run outside the reverberatory building, being cast into large matte-beds. The tap-holes are situated between the second and third doors, and between the fourth and fifth; and each consists essentially of a copper plate 2 inches thick and 25 inches square, which at first stands back 9 inches from the outside of the wall. Through this plate a 1-inch hole has been drilled. The tapping bar is maintained inserted up this hole, being passed through the conical clay plug which closes it. At the back of the plate is 21 inches of lining material through which the tapping-hole passes. When the copper plate shows signs of a red heat, it is an indication of the lining tending to burn through; this part of the furnace is then cooled, the plate taken out, a 9-inch layer of sand is rammed into position, and the plate is thus moved forward a corresponding distance. Such a tap-hole plate lasts for about five months.

The reverberatories are usually not tapped until they contain about 250 tons of matte. The operation of tapping is performed by withdrawing the rod by means of a wedge and ring, when the matte flows along the launders leading to the ladles for the converters; two ladles of about 8 tons capacity each are usually filled at once, each ladleful being sampled at the runner. The tap-hole is then stopped with a cone of clay, and the tapping-rod driven through it again.

Typical daily reports of the furnaces are appended in Tables VI. and VII., and a monthly report on Table VIII.

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