EP0302405A2 - Pouring device of molten-metal-containing vessel - Google Patents
Pouring device of molten-metal-containing vessel Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0302405A2 EP0302405A2 EP88112308A EP88112308A EP0302405A2 EP 0302405 A2 EP0302405 A2 EP 0302405A2 EP 88112308 A EP88112308 A EP 88112308A EP 88112308 A EP88112308 A EP 88112308A EP 0302405 A2 EP0302405 A2 EP 0302405A2
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- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- vessel
- pouring
- opening
- closing
- molten
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
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Classifications
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
- B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
- B22D41/00—Casting melt-holding vessels, e.g. ladles, tundishes, cups or the like
- B22D41/08—Casting melt-holding vessels, e.g. ladles, tundishes, cups or the like for bottom pouring
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B22—CASTING; POWDER METALLURGY
- B22D—CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES
- B22D41/00—Casting melt-holding vessels, e.g. ladles, tundishes, cups or the like
- B22D41/50—Pouring-nozzles
- B22D41/60—Pouring-nozzles with heating or cooling means
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
- C21C—PROCESSING OF PIG-IRON, e.g. REFINING, MANUFACTURE OF WROUGHT-IRON OR STEEL; TREATMENT IN MOLTEN STATE OF FERROUS ALLOYS
- C21C5/00—Manufacture of carbon-steel, e.g. plain mild steel, medium carbon steel or cast steel or stainless steel
- C21C5/28—Manufacture of steel in the converter
- C21C5/42—Constructional features of converters
- C21C5/46—Details or accessories
- C21C5/4653—Tapholes; Opening or plugging thereof
Definitions
- This invention relates generally to vessels designed to contain molten metal at high temperatures, such as Bessemer converters, metal mixers, electric furnaces, ladles, and tundishes. More particularly, the invention relates to devices for tapping or pouring out molten metal through the bottoms of such vessels.
- a vessel of the above exemplified kind for containing molten metal (hereinafter referred to as vessel) is used to receive molten metal poured thereinto, to melt or smelt a metal therewithin, or to hold a molten metal therewithin for a specific time for refining or reserving and thereafter to pour out the molten metal for conveyance to a succeeding process.
- a vessel of this character is required to have the functional capability, in addition to that of receiving and retaining molten metal, of appropriately pouring out the molten metal.
- the molten metal handled by these vessels are at high temperatures, ordinary metal valves cannot be used at the pouring out openings at the bottoms of these vessels. For this reason, one of the following principal methods has heretofore been used to tap or pour molten metal out of these vessels.
- This method is used in the operation of a Bessemer-type converter, metal mixer, electric furnace, or the like and comprises tilting and inverting the vessel containing molten metal thereby pouring out the molten metal from the open top or through a pouring hole provided on the side of the vessel.
- This method is used in the operation of a ladle, tundish, or the like and comprises installing a mechanical stopper or valve mechanism such as a nozzle stopper or a sliding gate made of a refractory material at a pouring orifice formed through the bottom of the vessel and operating this mechanism to close the pouring orifice for receiving molten metal in the vessel and to open the pouring orifice for pouring the molten metal out of the vessel.
- a mechanical stopper or valve mechanism such as a nozzle stopper or a sliding gate made of a refractory material
- a pouring orifice of a special form is formed in the furnace bottom and is provided with a pouring device of such a construction that, by varying the rotational angle and the inclination angle of the furnace, the molten metal within the furnace can be poured out, or its pouring out can be stopped as proposed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 234915/1985.
- the nozzle plug or sliding gate directly shuts off the flow of molten metal when the pouring orifice is being closed, it is subjected to thermal and mechanical attrition and erosion due to the molten metal and becomes severely worn and damaged, whereby its serviceable life is extremely short. For this reason the frequency with which the nozzle plug or sliding gate must be replaced becomes high. Thus, time and labor for this part replacement work are required and moreover the operational cost increases.
- An important feature of this invention which provides, in a vessel of the instant character, a pouring device having a mechanism for opening/closing the lower end of a pouring orifice formed in the vessel bottom, is the provision of a cooling system for cooling the upper end of the pouring orifice by using a cooling medium, which cooling system can be used for introducing other fluids such as argon gas, nitrogen gas, and oxygen into the vessel for various purposes, as will be described more fully hereinafter.
- argon gas argon gas
- nitrogen gas nitrogen gas
- oxygen oxygen
- the cooling medium through tuyeres into the vessel in order to cool the upper opening of the pouring hole and surrounding parts when a cycle of pouring is nearing its conclusion and the slag floating on the molten steel is approaching the pouring orifice thereby to cause the molten steel or slag to coagulate and form a sealing mass over the upper opening of the pouring orifice, thus stopping the pouring. Then, with vessel in this state the above mentioned opening/closing mechanism is operated to fully close the pouring orifice.
- a molten metal pouring device of a molten-metal-containing vessel which device comprises: a refractory structure of substantially tubular shape which forms a lining fixed to the wall surface of a through hole formed through the bottom of the vessel, and which forms therethrough a pouring orifice having an upper opening open to the interior of the vessel and a lower opening openable to the outside of the vessel; a cooling device for cooling the upper opening of the pouring orifice and the region in the vicinity thereof by means of a cooling medium; and an opening/closing mechanism installed outside of the vessel for mechanically opening and closing the lower opening of the pouring orifice thereby to permit pouring out of molten metal contained in the vessel and to stop this pouring out.
- An example of a Bessemer converter provided with an example of the pouring device according to this invention as illustrated schematically in FIG. 1 comprises essentially a converter vessel 1 for containing molten steel 3 with a layer of slag 4 covering the upper surface of the molten steel 3, an overhead oxygen lance 21 insertable from above into the vessel through the upper furnace opening 1b thereof, and the pouring device 11 provided at the bottom of the vessel 1.
- a ladle 22 is positioned immediately below the pouring device 11 to receive molten steel tapped or poured therefrom and to transport this molten steel to a succeeding process. The pouring operation will be described more fully hereinafter.
- the bottom of the converter vessel 1 comprises a furnace iron cladding 1a and an inner vessel refractory lining 2 comprising permanent bricks 2b in contact with the inner surface of the iron cladding 1a and consumable bricks 2a in contact with the inner surface of the permanent bricks 2b.
- This bottom of the vessel 1 is provided with the pouring device 11 of the invention, which is constructed and installed in the following manner.
- a pouring drain orifice 12 is formed through the center of the bottom of the vessel 1 and is provided around its inner peripheral surface with a cooling device 13 comprising tuyeres 13a opening at their upper ends into the interior of the vessel 1, tuyere pipes 13b connected to the lower ends of the tuyeres 13a, and piping 13c for supplying a cooling medium 19 to the tuyere pipes 13b.
- the tuyeres 13a comprises, for example, a plurality of nozzles formed from a heat-resistant metal material and opening into the interior of the vessel 1 around the inner or upper opening 12a of the pouring drain orifice 12.
- a refractory material 14a for protecting the interior surface
- refractory materials 14b and 14c are provided to fill the spaces between the furnace refractory structure 2 and the tuyeres 13a and the tuyere pipes 13b.
- These refractories are supported by a metal frame 15, which in turn is fixed by way of metal gusset stays 16 to the furnace iron cladding 1a.
- these refractories 14a, 14b and 14c may be considered collectively as constituting a tubular refractory structure containing the cooling device 13 and forming a lining fixed to the wall surface of a through hole formed through the bottom of the vessel.
- the outer or lower opening 12b of the pouring drain orifice 12, and therefore the entire drain orifice 12, can be closed by a nozzle stopper 17 comprising a swingable arm 17b pivotally supported at its proximal end by way of a pivot shaft 17a on a fixed part (not shown) of the converter vessel structure, a nozzle plug 17c made of a refractory material and fixed to the distal end of the arm 17b, and a driving device 18 for driving the arm 17b in closing and opening movements to bring the plug 17c into closed state in and against the rim of the lower opening 12b and into an opened state as shown in FIG. 2.
- the nozzle stopper 17 In the state of the converter 1 shown in FIG. 1, the nozzle stopper 17 is in its opened state, and the molten steel 3 of one heat is being poured through the pouring orifice 12 into the ladle 22 positioned directly below the converter vessel 1. Then, as this pouring continues, the quantity of the molten steel 3 in the vessel 1 becomes small, and the slag 4 is about to be discharged. At this point, immediately before the slag 4 is discharged, the tapping or pouring operation is stopped by the following procedural steps (1) through (4).
- This pouring device 11 An important feature of this pouring device 11 is that, since the flow of the molten steel 3 into the pouring orifice 12 is initially stopped by the closure of the upper opening 12a of the pouring orifice 12 by the cooling and coagulation of the slag 4 (or the molten steel 3) due to the injection of the cooling medium 19, the nozzle plug 17 itself is not required to shut off the outflow of the molten steel 3 or the slag 4 by direct contact. For this reason, damage to the nozzle plug 17c is very rare and slight.
- the ladle 22, into which the molten steel has been poured is transported away to the succeeding process, and the converter 1 is inverted to discharge the slag 4 within the converter 1 through its throat or upper opening 1b. Then the converter 1 is returned to its upright state, and the next batch of molten iron 3b for refining is received in the converter 1.
- the operational steps of refining the molten iron 3b thus received in the converter 1 to the pouring out therefrom are as follows.
- the nozzle stopper 17 When the converter 1 is inverted to discharge the slag remaining therein as described hereinbefore, the nozzle stopper 17 is opened to pack a material such as sand 25 into the pouring hole 12 beforehand, and then, if the nozzle stopper 17 is left closed as indicated in FIG. 5, a coagulated layer 3a will not be able to form deeply into the pouring orifice 12, whereby when the nozzle stopper 17 is thereafter opened, the molten steel 3 can be poured smoothly.
- a material such as sand 25
- a sliding gate 31 is slidably installed at the lower opening 12b of the pouring orifice 12 in place of the nozzle stopper 17 of the preceding example.
- This sliding gate 31 is actuated in opening/closing movements by an actuating device 32.
- a refractory member 31a constituting the greater part of the sliding gate 31 does not directly shut off the flow of the molten steel 3, whereby this sliding gate 31 can withstand a long period of use.
- those parts which are the same as or equivalent to corresponding parts in the preceding example are designated by the same reference numerals.
- a cooling mechanism 13 is provided at the bottom of the converter 1 in order to blow a cooling medium 19 thereinto.
- the pouring device of this invention is not limited to its use in a converter of the overhead oxygen blowing type as described above but can be applied also to Bessemer converters of the bottom blowing type wherein oxygen is blown into the interior through the converter bottom. Furthermore, the pouring device is similarly applicable also to a wide range of vessels for containing molten metals such as metal mixers, electric furnaces, tundishes, and various ladles.
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- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
- Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
- Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
- Materials Engineering (AREA)
- Metallurgy (AREA)
- Organic Chemistry (AREA)
- Carbon Steel Or Casting Steel Manufacturing (AREA)
- Casting Support Devices, Ladles, And Melt Control Thereby (AREA)
- Refinement Of Pig-Iron, Manufacture Of Cast Iron, And Steel Manufacture Other Than In Revolving Furnaces (AREA)
- Furnace Charging Or Discharging (AREA)
Abstract
Description
- This invention relates generally to vessels designed to contain molten metal at high temperatures, such as Bessemer converters, metal mixers, electric furnaces, ladles, and tundishes. More particularly, the invention relates to devices for tapping or pouring out molten metal through the bottoms of such vessels.
- A vessel of the above exemplified kind for containing molten metal (hereinafter referred to as vessel) is used to receive molten metal poured thereinto, to melt or smelt a metal therewithin, or to hold a molten metal therewithin for a specific time for refining or reserving and thereafter to pour out the molten metal for conveyance to a succeeding process. For this reason, a vessel of this character is required to have the functional capability, in addition to that of receiving and retaining molten metal, of appropriately pouring out the molten metal. In general, since the molten metal handled by these vessels are at high temperatures, ordinary metal valves cannot be used at the pouring out openings at the bottoms of these vessels. For this reason, one of the following principal methods has heretofore been used to tap or pour molten metal out of these vessels.
- This method is used in the operation of a Bessemer-type converter, metal mixer, electric furnace, or the like and comprises tilting and inverting the vessel containing molten metal thereby pouring out the molten metal from the open top or through a pouring hole provided on the side of the vessel.
-
- This method is used in the operation of a ladle, tundish, or the like and comprises installing a mechanical stopper or valve mechanism such as a nozzle stopper or a sliding gate made of a refractory material at a pouring orifice formed through the bottom of the vessel and operating this mechanism to close the pouring orifice for receiving molten metal in the vessel and to open the pouring orifice for pouring the molten metal out of the vessel.
- With respect to a rotary furnace, a pouring orifice of a special form is formed in the furnace bottom and is provided with a pouring device of such a construction that, by varying the rotational angle and the inclination angle of the furnace, the molten metal within the furnace can be poured out, or its pouring out can be stopped as proposed in Japanese Laid-Open Patent Application No. 234915/1985.
- However, the above methods (a) and (b) have been accompanied by the following problems.
- In the case of tilting and inverting --
- a-1. The inverting operation requires time, whereby the work time cycle becomes long.
- a-2. While the vessel is holding the molten metal, the upper part of the refractory material of the vessel above the molten metal and not in contact therewith is at a relatively low temperature. Then, when the molten metal is poured out, it contacts this upper part, and its temperature drops.
- a-3. When the vessel is tipped, the slag floating on the molten metal contacts the refractory material over a wide area thereof and erodes this material, whereby the serviceable life thereof is shortened.
- a-4. When the molten metal is being poured out, the slag readily becomes mixed therewith and tends to be discharged in a large quantity with the molten metal, whereby the work of slag removal in the succeeding process adds to the operational cost, and moreover the quality of the metal is apt to drop.
- a-5. Depending on the type and nature of the vessel, accessory equipment such as tilting devices and inverting cranes exclusively for pouring become necessary.
- In the case of mechanical opening/closing of the pouring orifice --
- Since the nozzle plug or sliding gate directly shuts off the flow of molten metal when the pouring orifice is being closed, it is subjected to thermal and mechanical attrition and erosion due to the molten metal and becomes severely worn and damaged, whereby its serviceable life is extremely short. For this reason the frequency with which the nozzle plug or sliding gate must be replaced becomes high. Thus, time and labor for this part replacement work are required and moreover the operational cost increases.
- In view of the difficulties encountered heretofore with respect to vessels of the above described character, it is an object of this invention to provide a pouring device of such vessels which is capable of pouring molten metal out through the bottom of the vessel, after it has held the molten metal, without the necessity of tipping the vessel and, moreover, is capable of performing this pouring function with long serviceable life of the various parts of the vessel and the pouring device and at low operational cost.
- An important feature of this invention, which provides, in a vessel of the instant character, a pouring device having a mechanism for opening/closing the lower end of a pouring orifice formed in the vessel bottom, is the provision of a cooling system for cooling the upper end of the pouring orifice by using a cooling medium, which cooling system can be used for introducing other fluids such as argon gas, nitrogen gas, and oxygen into the vessel for various purposes, as will be described more fully hereinafter. One important function of this cooling system is to supply. the cooling medium through tuyeres into the vessel in order to cool the upper opening of the pouring hole and surrounding parts when a cycle of pouring is nearing its conclusion and the slag floating on the molten steel is approaching the pouring orifice thereby to cause the molten steel or slag to coagulate and form a sealing mass over the upper opening of the pouring orifice, thus stopping the pouring. Then, with vessel in this state the above mentioned opening/closing mechanism is operated to fully close the pouring orifice.
- According to this invention, briefly summarized, there is provided a molten metal pouring device of a molten-metal-containing vessel which device comprises: a refractory structure of substantially tubular shape which forms a lining fixed to the wall surface of a through hole formed through the bottom of the vessel, and which forms therethrough a pouring orifice having an upper opening open to the interior of the vessel and a lower opening openable to the outside of the vessel; a cooling device for cooling the upper opening of the pouring orifice and the region in the vicinity thereof by means of a cooling medium; and an opening/closing mechanism installed outside of the vessel for mechanically opening and closing the lower opening of the pouring orifice thereby to permit pouring out of molten metal contained in the vessel and to stop this pouring out.
- The nature, utility, and further features of this invention will be more clearly apparent from the following detailed description with respect to preferred embodiments of the invention when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, briefly described below.
- In the accompanying drawings:
- FIG. 1 is a simplified elevation, in vertical section, showing a Bessemer type converter, as an example of a molten-metal-containing vessel, provided with a pouring device of this invention, and showing molten metal being poured out of the converter into a ladle;
- FIG. 2 is a partial elevation, in vertical section, showing the essential parts of one example of a pouring device according to the invention;
- FIG. 3 is a view similar to FIG. 2 of the same device indicating tentative stoppering of the pouring of molten metal by a mass of metal and slag coagulated by cooling at the upper opening of a pouring orifice of the pouring device;
- FIG. 4 is a similar view showing a nozzle plug in fully closed state in the lower opening of the pouring orifice;
- FIG. 5 is a similar view showing the vessel in tilted state and indicating one mode of use of the pouring device; and
- FIG. 6 is a view similar to FIG. 2 showing another example of the pouring device according to the invention.
- An example of a Bessemer converter provided with an example of the pouring device according to this invention as illustrated schematically in FIG. 1 comprises essentially a converter vessel 1 for containing
molten steel 3 with a layer ofslag 4 covering the upper surface of themolten steel 3, anoverhead oxygen lance 21 insertable from above into the vessel through the upper furnace opening 1b thereof, and the pouring device 11 provided at the bottom of the vessel 1. Aladle 22 is positioned immediately below the pouring device 11 to receive molten steel tapped or poured therefrom and to transport this molten steel to a succeeding process. The pouring operation will be described more fully hereinafter. - As shown in FIG. 2, the bottom of the converter vessel 1 comprises a furnace iron cladding 1a and an inner vessel
refractory lining 2 comprisingpermanent bricks 2b in contact with the inner surface of the iron cladding 1a and consumable bricks 2a in contact with the inner surface of thepermanent bricks 2b. This bottom of the vessel 1 is provided with the pouring device 11 of the invention, which is constructed and installed in the following manner. - A
pouring drain orifice 12 is formed through the center of the bottom of the vessel 1 and is provided around its inner peripheral surface with acooling device 13 comprising tuyeres 13a opening at their upper ends into the interior of the vessel 1,tuyere pipes 13b connected to the lower ends of the tuyeres 13a, and piping 13c for supplying acooling medium 19 to thetuyere pipes 13b. The tuyeres 13a comprises, for example, a plurality of nozzles formed from a heat-resistant metal material and opening into the interior of the vessel 1 around the inner orupper opening 12a of thepouring drain orifice 12. Around thetuyere pipes 13b is provided arefractory material 14a for protecting the interior surface, andrefractory materials refractory structure 2 and the tuyeres 13a and thetuyere pipes 13b. These refractories are supported by ametal frame 15, which in turn is fixed by way of metal gusset stays 16 to the furnace iron cladding 1a. Thus, theserefractories cooling device 13 and forming a lining fixed to the wall surface of a through hole formed through the bottom of the vessel. - The outer or
lower opening 12b of thepouring drain orifice 12, and therefore theentire drain orifice 12, can be closed by anozzle stopper 17 comprising aswingable arm 17b pivotally supported at its proximal end by way of a pivot shaft 17a on a fixed part (not shown) of the converter vessel structure, anozzle plug 17c made of a refractory material and fixed to the distal end of thearm 17b, and adriving device 18 for driving thearm 17b in closing and opening movements to bring theplug 17c into closed state in and against the rim of thelower opening 12b and into an opened state as shown in FIG. 2. - In the state of the converter 1 shown in FIG. 1, the
nozzle stopper 17 is in its opened state, and themolten steel 3 of one heat is being poured through thepouring orifice 12 into theladle 22 positioned directly below the converter vessel 1. Then, as this pouring continues, the quantity of themolten steel 3 in the vessel 1 becomes small, and theslag 4 is about to be discharged. At this point, immediately before theslag 4 is discharged, the tapping or pouring operation is stopped by the following procedural steps (1) through (4). - (1) The fact that the
slag 4 has descended to the vicinity of the upper opening 12a of thepouring orifice 12 is detected. For this purpose, themolten steel 3 and theslag 4 may be distinguished by visual observation, but automatic detection can be carried out by any of various known sensors. - (2) The
aforementioned cooling medium 19 is thereupon supplied through the piping 13c and thetuyere pipes 13b and blown through the tuyeres 13a into the converter interior. For thiscooling medium 19, for example, a hydrocarbon gas which decomposes at high temperatures and, while thus decomposing, absorbs a great quantity of heat thereby having a high cooling capacity is optimal. - (3) As a consequence of this cooling action of the
cooling medium 19, the slag 4 (or the molten steel 3) in the vicinity of the tuyeres 13a is cooled and coagulates. Thus, as indicated in FIG. 3, acoagulated region 4a is formed around the tuyeres 13a and across theupper opening 12a of the pouringorifice 12, whereby theupper opening 12a is closed, and outward flow of themolten steel 3 andslag 4 is stopped. - (4) When the outflow of the
molten steel 3 andslag 4 through the pouringorifice 12 has been completely stopped in the above manner, thenozzle stopper 17 is rotated through approximately 180 degrees of angle in the closing direction by the drivingdevice 18 thereby to fit thenozzle plug 17c into thelower opening 12b and positively close the pouringorifice 12. Further, the injection of the coolingmedium 19 into the converter 1 is stopped. - An important feature of this pouring device 11 is that, since the flow of the
molten steel 3 into the pouringorifice 12 is initially stopped by the closure of theupper opening 12a of the pouringorifice 12 by the cooling and coagulation of the slag 4 (or the molten steel 3) due to the injection of the coolingmedium 19, thenozzle plug 17 itself is not required to shut off the outflow of themolten steel 3 or theslag 4 by direct contact. For this reason, damage to thenozzle plug 17c is very rare and slight. - After the
molten steel 3 processed in the converter 1 has been poured out, and the pouring device 11 has been operated to stop the outflow, theladle 22, into which the molten steel has been poured, is transported away to the succeeding process, and the converter 1 is inverted to discharge theslag 4 within the converter 1 through its throat or upper opening 1b. Then the converter 1 is returned to its upright state, and the next batch of molten iron 3b for refining is received in the converter 1. The operational steps of refining the molten iron 3b thus received in the converter 1 to the pouring out therefrom are as follows. - a. From an instant immediately before the molten iron 3b is received into the converter 1, an inert (inactive)
gas 20 is blown in through the piping 13c, thetuyere pipes 13b, and the tuyeres 13a into the converter 1. The purpose of this is to prevent melting and damaging of the tuyeres 13a and the flowing of molten iron 3b (or molten steel 3) into the tuyeres 13a and to agitate the molten iron 3b within the converter 1 by means of the inert gas and thereby to promote the refining. It is desirable that this blowing-in of this gas be carried out continuously from immediately before the supplying of the molten iron 3b into the converter 1 to the conclusion of the pouring out of the refinedmolten steel 3.
For thisinert gas 20, argon gas is ordinarily used, but, depending on the kind of steel to be refined, nitrogen gas may also be used, or the aforementioned hydrocarbon gas for cooling may be blown in at a low rate. - b. After the molten iron 3b has been charged into the converter 1, refining is carried out with a known overhead
oxgen lance 21. Meanwhile, the following changes are occurring in the vicinity of the pouringhole 12. The coagulated region formed in the aforedescribed work step (3) around and over theupper opening 12a of the pouringorifice 12 is melted by the residual heat of the molten iron 3b during the charging thereof into the converter 1 and assumes a molten state. Theupper opening 12a thereby is opened, and some of the molten iron 3b flows into theupper opening 12a and reaches thenozzle plug 17c at the bottom of the pouringorifice 12.
However, since this molten iron 3b in the vicinity of thelower end 12b of the pouringorifice 12 is surrounded therearound by refractory material and becomes cooled by thenozzle plug 17c, it is immediately cooled and coagulates, whereby acoagulated layer 3a as indicated in FIG. 4 is formed. As a consequence, thenozzle plug 17c becomes covered by this coagulatedlayer 3a and is thus prevented from directly contacting the molten iron 3b (or molten steel 3) in molten state (at a high temperature). As a result, heat damage of thenozzle plug 17c is held to a minimum. - c. Upon completion of refining within the converter 1, the
nozzle stopper 17 is actuated by the drivingdevice 18 to swing through approximately 180 degrees in the opening direction. Consequently, the coagulatedlayer 3a formed in the above desired step b loses its principal support and is forced out readily by the pressure of themolten steel 3 within the converter 1, whereupon themolten steel 3 follows and flows out through the pouringorifice 12 into theladle 22. The pouring step is thus started.
In one mode of operation in this pouring step, at a time when a large quantity of themolten steel 3 is remaining in the converter 1, the coolingmedium 19 is injected into the converter through the tuyeres 13a thereby to close theupper opening 12a of the pouringorifice 12 and stop the pouring of themolten steel 3. By this procedure,molten steel 3 in a state wherein it contains noslag 4 whatsoever can be poured into theladle 22. Furthermore, the molten steel can be divided into lots which are respectively poured into a plurality ofladles 22. - In the event that, as a supposition,
molten steel 3 which has flowed into the pouringorifice 12 coagulates and grows, whereby the molten steel cannot be poured out even when thenozzle plug 17c is opened, measures such as those described below can be carried out. - 1) Oxygen gas is blown into the converter 1 through the tuyeres 13a or the
overhead oxygen lance 21 to cause a reaction with the molten steel, and the resulting heat of reaction is utilized to raise the temperature of the molten steel in the vicinity of theupper opening 12a of the pouringorifice 12 thereby to melt a portion of the coagulatedlayer 3a. Then the pressure of themolten steel 3 thrusts out the coagulatedlayer 3a within the pouringorifice 12. - 2) From the side of the
lower opening 12b of the pouringorifice 12, that is, from the outside, the coagulatedlayer 3a within the pouringorifice 12 is pierced by means of a piercer device comprising mechanical means such as a drill, or a piercer device is mounted on the tip of theaforementioned lance 21, which is then lowered, and the coagulatedlayer 3a within the pouringorifice 12 is pierced by this piercer device to open up the pouringorifice 12 and thereby to cause themolten steel 3 to pour out.. - When the converter 1 is inverted to discharge the slag remaining therein as described hereinbefore, the
nozzle stopper 17 is opened to pack a material such assand 25 into the pouringhole 12 beforehand, and then, if thenozzle stopper 17 is left closed as indicated in FIG. 5, acoagulated layer 3a will not be able to form deeply into the pouringorifice 12, whereby when thenozzle stopper 17 is thereafter opened, themolten steel 3 can be poured smoothly. - In another example of the pouring device of this invention, as shown in FIG. 6, a sliding
gate 31 is slidably installed at thelower opening 12b of the pouringorifice 12 in place of thenozzle stopper 17 of the preceding example. This slidinggate 31 is actuated in opening/closing movements by anactuating device 32. In this case also, arefractory member 31a constituting the greater part of the slidinggate 31 does not directly shut off the flow of themolten steel 3, whereby this slidinggate 31 can withstand a long period of use. In FIG. 6, those parts which are the same as or equivalent to corresponding parts in the preceding example are designated by the same reference numerals. - In the two examples of the invention described above, a
cooling mechanism 13 is provided at the bottom of the converter 1 in order to blow acooling medium 19 thereinto. As an alternative measure, it is also possible to lower the aforementionedoverhead lance 21 into the converter 1 and to use the same to blow the coolingmedium 19 against themolten steel 3 or theslag 4 in the vicinity of theupper opening 12a of the pouringorifice 12 to cause coagulation thereof and thereby to close the pouringorifice 12 and stop the pouring. - The pouring device of this invention is not limited to its use in a converter of the overhead oxygen blowing type as described above but can be applied also to Bessemer converters of the bottom blowing type wherein oxygen is blown into the interior through the converter bottom. Furthermore, the pouring device is similarly applicable also to a wide range of vessels for containing molten metals such as metal mixers, electric furnaces, tundishes, and various ladles.
- The pouring device of the above described construction and operation according to this invention affords the following advantageous features.
- (a) In comparison with conventional vessels for containing molten metals such as Bessemer converters, metal mixers, and electric furnaces which are inverted for pouring molten metal from their upper throat openings, such vessels provided with the pouring device of this invention are advantageous in that:
- (a-1) they do not need to be inverted for pouring out molten metal therefrom, whereby it is not necessary to expend time for inverting the vessel, and the operational time cycle is shortened;
- (a-2) it is not necessary to lower the temperature of the molten metal since the molten metal does not contact the low-temperature parts of the vessel refractory materials at the upper part of the vessel at the time the molten metal is poured out of the vessel;
- (a-3) the scope of erosion of the refractory material due to the slag is small because the area of contact of the slag floating on the molten metal with the refractory material does not spread, whereby the serviceable life of the vessel refractories is prolonged;
- (a-4) the work of removing the slag in a subsequent process is reduced, and moreover the quantity of the metal is not lowered since, during pouring there is almost no mixing of slag into the molten metal;
- (a-5) special equipment exclusively for pouring such as vessel inverting devices and inverting cranes, as required for metal mixers and some ladles, are unnecessary, whereby the construction is simplified; and
- (a-6) the vessel is constructed with a shape which is symmetrical about its axis since the pouring out orifice of the invention is formed at the center of the vessel bottom, whereby various parts of stress concentration otherwise occurring in the vessel skin (shell) and like parts during the use of the vessel do not occur, whereby the serviceable life of the vessel is prolonged.
- (b) In comparison with conventional melt pouring devices in which mechanical stoppers such as a nozzle plug and a sliding gate are provided at the pouring hole in the bottom of the vessel such as a ladle or a tundish, and which perform pouring of molten metal only by the opening and closing of these stoppers, the pouring device of this invention is advantageous in that, since the refractory material constituting the greater part of the opening/closing valve member such as the nozzle plug or the sliding gate does not shut off the outflow of the molten metal directly when the pouring is to be stopped, damage and wear of the opening/closing valve member are greatly reduced, whereby the serviceable life of the pouring device is extremely long. For this reason the frequency with which the opening/closing valve member and its refractory material are replaced is reduced, and the operational cost is thereby also lowered.
Claims (4)
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP62192794A JPH0663707B2 (en) | 1987-08-01 | 1987-08-01 | Molten metal container tapping device |
JP192794/87 | 1987-08-01 |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0302405A2 true EP0302405A2 (en) | 1989-02-08 |
EP0302405A3 EP0302405A3 (en) | 1990-05-23 |
EP0302405B1 EP0302405B1 (en) | 1993-09-29 |
Family
ID=16297102
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP88112308A Expired - Lifetime EP0302405B1 (en) | 1987-08-01 | 1988-07-29 | Pouring device of molten-metal-containing vessel |
Country Status (4)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0302405B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JPH0663707B2 (en) |
KR (1) | KR890003472A (en) |
DE (1) | DE3884519T2 (en) |
Cited By (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP1193458A2 (en) * | 2000-10-02 | 2002-04-03 | Tribovent Verfahrensentwicklung GmbH | Wall element |
CN111522293A (en) * | 2020-05-08 | 2020-08-11 | 衡阳镭目科技有限责任公司 | Automatic tilting control method and system for metallurgical tank |
Families Citing this family (2)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
AT408965B (en) * | 2000-01-27 | 2002-04-25 | Voest Alpine Ind Anlagen | DEVICE FOR CLOSING A TAPPING HOLE OF A METALLURGICAL VESSEL |
JP4350119B2 (en) * | 2006-11-30 | 2009-10-21 | 日鉱金属株式会社 | Tap hole cooling structure |
Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2517931A (en) * | 1947-05-15 | 1950-08-08 | Rossi Irving | Apparatus for the continuous casting of metal |
JPS60234915A (en) * | 1984-05-07 | 1985-11-21 | Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd | Tapping device of inclined or horizontal rotary furnace |
EP0223991A1 (en) * | 1985-11-27 | 1987-06-03 | Neue Hamburger Stahlwerke GmbH | Process for cooling oxygen injection tuyères in the oxygen treatment of pig iron or steel |
-
1987
- 1987-08-01 JP JP62192794A patent/JPH0663707B2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1988
- 1988-07-12 KR KR1019880008635A patent/KR890003472A/en not_active Application Discontinuation
- 1988-07-29 DE DE88112308T patent/DE3884519T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1988-07-29 EP EP88112308A patent/EP0302405B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Patent Citations (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US2517931A (en) * | 1947-05-15 | 1950-08-08 | Rossi Irving | Apparatus for the continuous casting of metal |
JPS60234915A (en) * | 1984-05-07 | 1985-11-21 | Kawasaki Heavy Ind Ltd | Tapping device of inclined or horizontal rotary furnace |
EP0223991A1 (en) * | 1985-11-27 | 1987-06-03 | Neue Hamburger Stahlwerke GmbH | Process for cooling oxygen injection tuyères in the oxygen treatment of pig iron or steel |
Non-Patent Citations (1)
Title |
---|
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol.10, no.103 (C-340)(2160), 18 April 1986 & JP 60234915 A (KAWASAKI) 21.11.1985 * |
Cited By (4)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
EP1193458A2 (en) * | 2000-10-02 | 2002-04-03 | Tribovent Verfahrensentwicklung GmbH | Wall element |
EP1193458A3 (en) * | 2000-10-02 | 2004-02-04 | Tribovent Verfahrensentwicklung GmbH | Wall element |
CN111522293A (en) * | 2020-05-08 | 2020-08-11 | 衡阳镭目科技有限责任公司 | Automatic tilting control method and system for metallurgical tank |
CN111522293B (en) * | 2020-05-08 | 2022-12-13 | 衡阳镭目科技有限责任公司 | Automatic tilting control method and system for metallurgical tank |
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
EP0302405B1 (en) | 1993-09-29 |
KR890003472A (en) | 1989-04-15 |
DE3884519D1 (en) | 1993-11-04 |
JPH0663707B2 (en) | 1994-08-22 |
EP0302405A3 (en) | 1990-05-23 |
JPS6438589A (en) | 1989-02-08 |
DE3884519T2 (en) | 1994-04-28 |
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