Metallurgical apparatus – Means for treating ores or for extracting metals – By means applying heat to work – e.g. – furnace
Reexamination Certificate
2000-02-03
2001-08-21
Kastler, Scott (Department: 1742)
Metallurgical apparatus
Means for treating ores or for extracting metals
By means applying heat to work, e.g., furnace
C266S241000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06277325
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The invention concerns a steelworks converter on the vessel cone of which a cone cooling system is provided. The cooling system includes a multiplicity of cooling medium lines which open into channel-like collectors. At least one cooling medium supply and discharge being provided.
2. Disscussion of the Prior Art
DE 33 30 237 C2 discloses a metallurgical reaction vessel, in particular a steelworks converter, the vessel cone of which is provided with a so-called cone cooling system. The cone cooling system in this case comprises sinuously arranged pipes, a plurality of pipes—in the present example three—arranged regularly in parallel transporting the cooling medium in the same direction. The individual pipes, arranged essentially parallel to the central axis of the converter, end at the top and bottom in channel pieces.
DE 30 48 199 C2 discloses a vessel cone cooling system which comprises a pipeline arranged spirally around the converter cone.
In certain operating cases, it is required to drain the cone cooling system as quickly as possible. During converter operation, considerable damage can occur to the cooling elements of the converter cone and considerable amounts of water can escape. Under some circumstances, the converter vessel can no longer be tilted to do this, in order to prevent cooling water from penetrating into the region of the steel ladle or the slag ladle.
No measures for quick drainage of the cooling medium are known from the documents referred to above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide, by means which are of a simple design, a discharge for the cooling medium of the cone cooling system with which the cooling medium can be drained in a certain time out of the cooling system, without the cooling elements being damaged by excessive pressure because of inadmissible vapor formation.
According to the invention, a collecting pipe is provided in the region of the bottom collector of the cooling medium. The collecting pipe is in communication with the collector in such a way that the cooling medium passes via openings or via connecting pipes from the collector into the collecting pipe, the collecting pipe having at least one closable drain.
The arrangement according to the invention makes it possible for the cooling medium to be drained quickly out of the cooling elements of the cone cooling system, especially in emergency situations.
Cone cooling systems usually comprise sinuously arranged cooling elements. This arrangement makes draining the cooling system laborious and take a relatively long time, since, for fluidics-related reasons, the individual segments are not connected to one another, or only via connecting pipes of a diameter which is deliberately kept small. However, the prolonged flowing away of the cooling medium entails the risk of vapor formation, which can lead to significant damage, especially in the case of hot converters.
The collecting line proposed according to the invention forms an endless ring, on which any number of drains are provided. In an advantageous embodiment, the ring can be shut off in ring portions by means of fittings, so that there is the possibility of also allowing individual segments to be quickly drained on their own in an emergency—for example in the event of damage.
In the case of the collecting line arranged in the collector, openings designed as a slit or as bores are provided, through which the cooling medium enters the collecting pipe. To ensure an adequate exchange between the collector and the collecting pipe, with the water in the collecting pipe at the same time being refreshed, the entire free surface area of the openings is made to be of a size which corresponds to 5 times the outlet surface area of the associated cooling medium discharge.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the pieces of pipe connecting the individual converter cone segments are provided with compensators, so that stresses are avoided, both on the cone and on the collecting line.
It is also proposed to design these pieces of pipe connecting the converter cone segments as T pieces and to provide them with shut-off elements. This allows any desired drainage program of the collecting pipe to be set in a simple way, provided that vents are provided in the individual segments.
In a another embodiment, the collecting pipe is arranged around the cone as a ring line outside the collector and is connected to the collector via connecting pipes. In the case of this embodiment, it is proposed to pass a partial flow through the collecting pipe in order to provide fresh water here during operation.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3963223 (1976-06-01), Eysn
patent: 4085924 (1978-04-01), Fisher et al.
patent: 4128232 (1978-12-01), Nagati
patent: 4278241 (1981-07-01), Shadid
Fasswald Marcel
Schmitz Gunter
Cohen & Pontani, Lieberman & Pavane
Kastler Scott
SMS Demag AG
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