Metallurgical apparatus – Process
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-16
2003-02-18
Kastler, Scott (Department: 1742)
Metallurgical apparatus
Process
C266S142000, C266SDIG001
Reexamination Certificate
active
06521170
ABSTRACT:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is related to patent application Ser. No. 09/737,440 filed Dec. 12, 2000 entitled Electric furnace for steel making.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to converting from the use of a basic oxygen furnace in an existing steel making facility to the use of an electric furnace and more particularly to effecting such a conversion by minimizing disruption to existing operation of the facility and using existing material and flow paths.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Steel making facilities used blast furnaces extensively in the past to provide a supply of liquid iron for conversion to steel. Open hearth furnaces used for the conversion process were replaced by oxygen steel making process used extensively for the conversion process. Oxygen is introduced through, onto or over a bath containing blast furnace iron, steel scrap and fluxes. The facility required for the oxygen steel making process include not only a large open top refractory liquid vessel but also slag and steel transfer ladles as well as storage bunker and conveying equipment for the fluxes and scrap. Blast furnaces represent an extensive capital investment and maintenance costs. Direct reduction is sometimes a less expensive alternative supply of iron and an abundant supply of scrap are large reducing the demand for iron. As blast furnaces are taken out of service and not replaced, the investment in the facility for the oxygen steel making process is a loss because of the loss of the source of liquid iron.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an economical way to convert basic oxygen furnace equipment by making extensive continued reuse of ancillary equipment with a newly installed electric furnace.
It is another object of the present invention to provide for the modification of the foundation for a basic oxygen furnace vessel to support an electric furnace and allow continued use of ladle transfer cars for slag and tapped steel.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method for relatively rapid replacement of a basic oxygen furnace with an electric furnace to minimize loss of production.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the present invention there is provided in a steel making installation having a basic oxygen furnace facility essentially including basic oxygen furnace vessel, pedestal bearings, furnace support pedestals, furnace tilting drive, oxygen lance, fume duct cleaning, flux additive system, ladle alloy addition system, and scrap handling systems, a method for revamping the steel making installation to convert the basic oxygen furnace facility to an electric furnace facility, the method including the steps of discarding each of the basic oxygen furnace vessel, pedestal bearings, furnace tilting drive and oxygen lance, modifying the furnace support pedestals to form spaced apart horizontal rail support pads extending generally horizontally between a furnace operating position and a furnace exchange position, installing car rails on the spaced apart horizontal rail support pads, installing an electric furnace on a transfer car for movement along the car rails between the operating position and the furnace exchange position, the electric furnace having a tapping orifice for discharging treated steel and a fume opening for discharging an exhaust fume while residing at the furnace operating position, and modifying each of the fume duct, flux additive system, ladle alloy addition system, and scrap handling systems to establish operative communication with the electric furnace at the furnace operating position.
According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for revamping a steel making furnace installation to convert a basic oxygen furnace facility to an electric furnace facility, the basic oxygen furnace facility essentially including bearing pedestals to pivotally support a basic oxygen furnace vessel, a fume duct and transfer cars for ladles containing tapped steel and slag, the apparatus including the combination of spaced apart horizontal rails supported by the bearing pedestals, an electric furnace supported on a transfer car for movement along the rails between an operating position formerly occupied by basic oxygen furnace when supported by the bearing pedestals and a furnace exchange position, the electric arc furnace having a tapping orifice for discharging a burden treated in the furnace and a fume discharge opening, the furnace being position by the rails for tapping steel and slag to ladles on the transfer cars, and fume duct sections for delivering a fume received from the fume discharge opening to the fume duct.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4402083 (1983-08-01), Paskarbeit et al.
patent: 5827473 (1998-10-01), den Hartog
patent: 406049521 (1994-02-01), None
Kastler Scott
Poff Clifford A.
SMS Demag Inc.
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