EP1377689B1 - Apparatus for injecting gas into a vessel - Google Patents

Apparatus for injecting gas into a vessel Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1377689B1
EP1377689B1 EP02717831A EP02717831A EP1377689B1 EP 1377689 B1 EP1377689 B1 EP 1377689B1 EP 02717831 A EP02717831 A EP 02717831A EP 02717831 A EP02717831 A EP 02717831A EP 1377689 B1 EP1377689 B1 EP 1377689B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
duct
central
gas
flow
water
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.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP02717831A
Other languages
German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1377689A1 (en
EP1377689A4 (en
Inventor
Martin Joseph Dunne
Gregory John Hardie
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Technological Resources Pty Ltd
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Technological Resources Pty Ltd
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Publication date
Application filed by Technological Resources Pty Ltd filed Critical Technological Resources Pty Ltd
Publication of EP1377689A1 publication Critical patent/EP1377689A1/en
Publication of EP1377689A4 publication Critical patent/EP1377689A4/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1377689B1 publication Critical patent/EP1377689B1/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • 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
    • 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
    • C21C5/4606—Lances or injectors
    • F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
    • F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
    • F23D—BURNERS
    • F23D2214/00—Cooling

Definitions

  • the present invention provides an apparatus for injecting gas into a vessel. It has particular, but not exclusive application to apparatus for injecting a flow of gas into a metallurgical vessel under high temperature conditions.
  • metallurgical vessel may for example be a smelting vessel in which molten metal is produced by a direct smelting process.
  • a known direct smelting process which relies on a molten metal layer as a reaction medium, and is generally referred to as the HIsmelt process, is described in International application PCT/AU96/00197 (WO 96/31627) in the name of the applicant.
  • the HIsmelt process as described in the International application comprises:
  • melting is herein understood to mean thermal processing wherein chemical reactions that reduce metal oxides take place to produce liquid metal.
  • the HIsmelt process also comprises post-combusting reaction gases, such as CO and H 2 released from the bath in the space above the bath with oxygen-containing gas and transferring the heat generated by the post-combustion to the bath to contribute to the thermal energy required to smelt the metalliferous feed materials.
  • reaction gases such as CO and H 2 released from the bath in the space above the bath with oxygen-containing gas and transferring the heat generated by the post-combustion to the bath to contribute to the thermal energy required to smelt the metalliferous feed materials.
  • the HIsmelt process also comprises forming a transition zone above the nominal quiescent surface of the bath in which there is a favourable mass of ascending and thereafter descending droplets or splashes or streams of molten metal and/or slag which provide an effective medium to transfer to the bath the thermal energy generated by post-combusting reaction gases above the bath.
  • the metalliferous feed material and solid carbonaceous material is injected into the metal layer through a number of lances/tuyeres which are inclined to the vertical so as to extend downwardly and inwardly through the side wall of the smelting vessel and into the lower region of the vessel so as to deliver the solids material into the metal layer in the bottom of the vessel.
  • a blast of hot air which may be oxygen enriched, is injected into the upper region of the vessel through the downwardly extending hot air injection lance.
  • the outlet end of the lance may be fitted with internal flow guides to impart an appropriate swirling motion.
  • the upper regions of the vessel may reach temperatures of the order of 2000°C and the hot air may be delivered into the lance at temperatures of the order of 1100-1400°C.
  • the lance must therefore be capable of withstanding extremely high temperatures both internally and on the external walls, particularly at the delivery end of the lance which projects into the combustion zone of the vessel.
  • the present invention provides a lance construction which enables the relevant components to be internally water cooled and to operate in a very high temperature environment.
  • apparatus for injecting gas into a vessel including:
  • the forward end of the duct may be formed as a hollow annular tip formation and the gas flow duct may include duct tip cooling water supply and return passages for supply of cooling water forwardly along the duct into the duct tip and return of that cooling water back along the duct.
  • the interior peripheral surface of the duct may be lined with refractory material.
  • the central tubular structure defines a central water flow passage for flow of water forwardly through that structure directly to the forward end of the central structure and an annular water flow passage disposed about the central passage for return flow of water from the forward end of the central structure back to the rear end of that structure.
  • the central tubular structure may comprise a central tube providing the central water flow passage and a further tube disposed around the central tube to define said annular water flow passage between the tubes.
  • the central structure includes a heat insulating outer shield to retard heat transfer from gas in the gas flow duct into the cooling water passages in the central structure.
  • the heat insulating shield may be comprised of a plurality of tubular segments of heat insulating material disposed end to end to form the heat shield as a substantially continuous tube extending from the rear end to the front end of the central structure about an annular air gap disposed immediately within the heat shield.
  • Said air gap may be formed between the tubular heat shield and the further tube defining the outer wall of the annular water return flow passage.
  • tubular segments of the heat shield are supported to accommodate longitudinal expansion of each segment independently of the other such segments.
  • the forward end of the central structure may include a domed nose portion provided internally with a single spiral cooling water passage to receive water from the central water flow passage in the central structure at the tip of the nose and direct that water in a single flow around and backwardly along the nose to cool the nose with a single coherent stream of cooling water.
  • the apparatus may include a gas inlet for introduction of hot gas into the rear end of the duct, the gas inlet comprising a refractory body defining a first tubular gas passage aligned with and extending directly to the rear end of the duct and a second tubular gas passage transverse to the first passage to receive hot gas and direct it to the first passage so that the hot gas and any particles entrained therein impinge on refractory wall of the first passage, the gas flow undergoing a change of direction in passing from the first passage to the second passage.
  • a gas inlet for introduction of hot gas into the rear end of the duct
  • the gas inlet comprising a refractory body defining a first tubular gas passage aligned with and extending directly to the rear end of the duct and a second tubular gas passage transverse to the first passage to receive hot gas and direct it to the first passage so that the hot gas and any particles entrained therein impinge on refractory wall of the first passage, the gas flow undergoing a change
  • the first and second gas flow passages may be essentially normal to one another.
  • the central tubular structure may extend centrally through the first gas flow passage of the gas inlet means and rearwardly beyond the gas inlet.
  • the rear end of the central structure may then be located rearwardly of the gas inlet and be provided with water couplings for the flow of cooling water to and from the central structure.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a direct smelting vessel suitable for operation by the HIsmelt process as described in International Patent Application PCT/AU96/00197.
  • the metallurgical vessel is denoted generally as 11 and has a hearth that includes a base 12 and sides 13 formed from refractory bricks; side walls 14 which form a generally cylindrical barrel extending upwardly from the sides 13 of the hearth and which includes an upper barrel section 15 and a lower barrel section 16; a roof 17; an outlet 18 for off-gases; a forehearth 19 for discharging molten metal continuously; and a tap-hole 21 for discharging molten slag.
  • the vessel contains a molten bath of iron and slag which includes a layer 22 of molten metal and a layer 23 of molten slag on the metal layer 22.
  • the arrow marked by the numeral 24 indicates the position of the nominal quiescent surface of the metal layer 22 and the arrow marked by the numeral 25 indicates the position of the nominal quiescent surface of the slag layer 23.
  • the term "quiescent surface” is understood to mean the surface when there is no injection of gas and solids into the vessel.
  • the vessel is fitted with a downwardly extending hot air injection lance 26 for delivering a hot air blast into an upper region of the vessel and two solids injection lances 27 extending downwardly and inwardly through the side walls 14 and into the slag layer 23 for injecting iron ore, solid carbonaceous material, and fluxes entrained in an oxygen-deficient carrier gas into the metal layer 22.
  • the position of the lances 27 is selected so that their outlet ends 28 are above the surface of the metal layer 22 during operation of the process. This position of the lances reduces the risk of damage through contact with molten metal and also makes it possible to cool the lances by forced internal water cooling without significant risk of water coming into contact with the molten metal in the vessel.
  • lance 26 comprises an elongate duct 31 which receives hot gas through a gas inlet structure 32 and injects it into the upper region of vessel.
  • the lance includes an elongate central tubular structure 33 which extends within the gas flow duct 31 from its rear end to its forward end. Adjacent the forward end of the duct, central structure 33 carries a series of four swirl imparting vanes 34 for imparting swirl to the gas flow exiting the duct.
  • central structure 33 has a domed nose 35 which projects forwardly beyond the tip 36 of duct 31 so that the forward end of the central body and the duct tipped tip co-act together to form an annular nozzle for divergent flow of gas from the duct with swirl imparted by the vanes 34.
  • Vanes 34 are disposed in a four-start helical formation and are a sliding fit within the forward end of the duct.
  • the wall of the main part of duct 31 extending downstream from the gas inlet 32 is internally water cooled.
  • This section of the duct is comprised of a series of three concentric steel tubes 37, 38, 39 extending to the forward end part of the duct where they are connected to the duct tip 36.
  • the duct tip 36 is of hollow annular formation and it is internally water cooled by cooling water supplied and returned through passages in the wall of duct 31. Specifically, cooling water is supplied through an inlet 41 and annular inlet manifold 42 into an inner annular water flow passage 43 defined between the tubes 38, 39 of the duct through to the hollow interior of the duct tip 36 through circumferentially spaced openings in the tip. Water is returned from the tip through circumferentially spaced openings into an outer annular water return flow passage 44 defined between the tubes 37, 38 and backwardly to a water outlet 45 at the rear end of the water cooled section of duct 31.
  • the water cooled section of duct 31 is internally lined with an internal refractory lining 46 that fits within the innermost metal tube 39 of the duct and extends through to the water cooled tip 36 of the duct.
  • the inner periphery of duct tip 36 is generally flush with the inner surface of the refractory lining which defines the effective flow passage for gas through the duct.
  • the forward end of the refractory lining has a slightly reduced diameter section 47 which receives the swirl vanes 34 with a snug sliding fit.
  • the refractory lining is of slightly greater diameter to enable the central structure 33 to be inserted downwardly through the duct on assembly of the lance until the swirl vanes 34 reach the forward end of the duct where they are guided into snug engagement with refractory section 47 by a tapered refractory land 48 which locates and guides the vanes into the refractory section 47.
  • central structure 33 which carries the swirl vanes 34 is internally water cooled by cooling water supplied forwardly through the central structure from the rear end to the forward end of the lance and then returned back along the central structure to the rear end of the lance. This enables a very strong flow of cooling water directly to the forward end of the central structure and to the domed nose 35 in particular which is subjected to very high heat flux in operation of the lance.
  • Central structure 33 comprises inner and outer concentric steel tubes 50, 51 formed by tube segments, disposed end to end and welded together.
  • Inner tube 50 defines a central water flow passage 52 through which water flows forwardly through the central structure from a water inlet 53 at the rear end of the lance through to the front end nose 35 of the central structure and an annular water return passage 54 defined between the two tubes through which the cooling water returns from nose 35 back through the central structure to a water outlet 55 at the rear end of the lance.
  • the nose end 35 of central structure 33 comprises an inner copper body 61 fitted within an outer domed nose shell 62 also formed of copper.
  • the inner copper piece 61 is formed with a central water flow passage 63 to receive water from the central passage 52 of structure 33 and direct it to the tip of the nose.
  • Nose end 35 is formed with projecting ribs 64 which fit snugly within the nose shell 62 to define a single continuous cooling water flow passage 65 between the inner section 61 and the outer nose shell 62.
  • the ribs 64 are shaped so that the single continuous passage 65 extends as annular passage segments 66 interconnected by passage segments 67 sloping from one annular segment to the next.
  • passage 65 extends from the tip of the nose in a spiral which, although not of regular helical formation, does spiral around and back along the nose to exit at the rear end of the nose into the annular return passage formed between the tubes 51, 52 of central structure 33.
  • the forced flow of cooling water in a single coherent stream through spiral passage 65 extending around and back along the nose end 35 of central structure ensures efficient heat extraction and avoids the development of "hot spots" on the nose which could occur if the cooling water is allowed to divide into separate streams at the nose.
  • the cooling water is constrained in a single stream from the time that it enters the nose end 35 to the time that it exits the nose end.
  • Inner structure 33 is provided with an external heat shield 69 to shield against heat transfer from the incoming hot gas flow in the duct 31 into the cooling water flowing within the central structure 33. If subjected to the very high temperatures and high gas flows required in a large scale smelting installation, a solid refractory shield may provide only short service.
  • the shield 69 is formed of tubular sleeves of ceramic material marketed under the name UMCO. These sleeves are arranged end to end to form a continuous ceramic shield surrounding an air gap 70 between the shield and the outermost tube 51 of the central structure.
  • the shield may be made of tubular segments of UMCO 50 which contains by weight .05 to .12% carbon, .5 to 1% silicon, a maximum of .5 to 1% manganese, .02% phosphorous, .02% sulphur, 27 to 29% chromium, 48 to 52% cobalt and the balance essentially of iron.
  • This material provides excellent heat shielding but it undergoes significant thermal expansion at high temperatures.
  • the individual tubular segments of the heat shield are formed and mounted as shown in Figures 6 - 9 to enable them to expand longitudinally independently of one another while maintaining a substantially continuous shield at all times.
  • each shield tube is stepped at 73 to fit over the plate support with an end gap 74 to enable independent longitudinal thermal expansion of each strip.
  • Anti-rotation strips 75 may also be fitted to each sleeve to fit about one of the location strips 71 on tube 52 to prevent rotation of the shield sleeves.
  • Hot gas is delivered to duct 31 through the gas inlet section 32.
  • the hot gas may be oxygen enriched air provided through heating stoves at a temperature of the order of 1200°C. This air must be delivered through refractory lined ducting and it will pick up refractory grit which can cause severe erosion problems if delivered at high speed directly into the main water cooled section of duct 31.
  • Gas inlet 32 is designed to enable the duct to receive high volume hot air delivery with refractory particles while minimising damage of the water cooled section of the duct.
  • Inlet 31 comprises a T-shaped body 81 moulded as a unit in a hard wearing refractory material and located within a thin walled outer metal shell 82.
  • Body 81 defines a first tubular passage 83 aligned with the central passage of duct 31 and a second tubular passage 84 normal to passage 83 to receive the hot airflow delivered from stoves (not shown).
  • Passage 83 is aligned with the gas flow passage of duct 31 and is connected to it through a central passage 85 in a refractory connecting piece 86 of inlet 32.
  • the hot air delivered to inlet 32 passes through tubular passage 84 of body 81 and impinges on the hard wearing refractory wall of the thick refractory body 82 which is resistant to erosion.
  • the gas flow then changes direction to flow at right angles down through passage 83 of the T-shaped body 81 and the central passage 85 of transition piece 86 and into the main part of the duct.
  • the wall of passage 83 may be tapered in the forward flow direction so as to accelerate the flow into the duct. It may for example be tapered to an included angle of the order of 7°.
  • the transition refractory body 86 is tapered in thickness to match the thick wall of refractory body 81 at one end and the much thinner refractory lining 48 of the main section of duct 31.
  • central structure 33 extends through the tubular passage 83 of gas inlet 32. It is located within a refractory liner plug 91 which closes the rear end of passage 83, the rear end of central structure 33 extending back from gas inlet 32 to the water flow inlet 53 and outlet 55.
  • the illustrated apparatus is capable of injecting high volumes of hot gas into the smelting vessel 26 at high temperature.
  • the central structure 33 is capable of delivering large volumes of cooling water quickly and directly to the nose section of the central structure and the forced flow of that cooling water in an undivided cooling flow around the nose structure enables very efficient heat extraction from the front end of the central structure.
  • the independent water flow to the tip of the duct also enables efficient heat extraction from the other high heat flux components of the lance.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Furnace Charging Or Discharging (AREA)
  • Furnace Housings, Linings, Walls, And Ceilings (AREA)
  • Sampling And Sample Adjustment (AREA)
  • Percussion Or Vibration Massage (AREA)
  • Treatment Of Steel In Its Molten State (AREA)
  • Heat-Exchange Devices With Radiators And Conduit Assemblies (AREA)
  • Crystals, And After-Treatments Of Crystals (AREA)
EP02717831A 2001-04-11 2002-04-10 Apparatus for injecting gas into a vessel Expired - Lifetime EP1377689B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AUPR436901 2001-04-11
AUPR4369A AUPR436901A0 (en) 2001-04-11 2001-04-11 Apparatus for injecting gas into a vessel
PCT/AU2002/000458 WO2002083958A1 (en) 2001-04-11 2002-04-10 Apparatus for injecting gas into a vessel

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1377689A1 EP1377689A1 (en) 2004-01-07
EP1377689A4 EP1377689A4 (en) 2004-07-21
EP1377689B1 true EP1377689B1 (en) 2005-06-15

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ID=3828365

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP02717831A Expired - Lifetime EP1377689B1 (en) 2001-04-11 2002-04-10 Apparatus for injecting gas into a vessel

Country Status (12)

Country Link
EP (1) EP1377689B1 (ja)
JP (1) JP4175896B2 (ja)
KR (1) KR100825940B1 (ja)
CN (1) CN1243836C (ja)
AT (1) ATE298006T1 (ja)
AU (1) AUPR436901A0 (ja)
BR (1) BR0204820B1 (ja)
CA (1) CA2410797C (ja)
DE (1) DE60204675T2 (ja)
MX (1) MXPA02012159A (ja)
RU (1) RU2285049C2 (ja)
WO (1) WO2002083958A1 (ja)

Families Citing this family (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AUPR624801A0 (en) * 2001-07-10 2001-08-02 Technological Resources Pty Limited A gas injection lance
US8366992B2 (en) * 2004-10-15 2013-02-05 Technological Resources Pty. Limted Gas injection lance
AU2005222497B2 (en) * 2004-10-15 2010-11-11 Technological Resources Pty. Limited Apparatus for injecting gas into a vessel
JP5209189B2 (ja) * 2005-05-31 2013-06-12 テクノロジカル リソーシズ プロプライエタリー リミテッド ガス流中の渦巻き誘起
EP1939306B1 (en) * 2006-12-15 2012-09-12 Technological Resources Pty. Ltd. Inducing swirl in a gas flow
CN101303196B (zh) * 2006-12-15 2011-12-14 技术资源有限公司 用于将气体注入到容器内的装置
AU2007246207B2 (en) * 2006-12-15 2011-11-24 Technological Resources Pty. Limited Apparatus for injecting gas into a vessel
US9683739B2 (en) 2009-11-09 2017-06-20 Woodward, Inc. Variable-area fuel injector with improved circumferential spray uniformity
DE102012016045B3 (de) * 2012-08-08 2013-10-24 Saarstahl Ag Verfahren zum Betrieb einer Aufblaslanzenanordnung, sowie Aufblaslanzenanordnung selbst

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0464226A (ja) * 1990-07-04 1992-02-28 Tadahiro Omi 金属フッ化膜を備えた電子装置
GB9023716D0 (en) * 1990-10-31 1990-12-12 Whellock John G Metallurgical apparatus and methods
SE500956C2 (sv) * 1991-01-17 1994-10-10 Ssab Tunnplaat Ab Blästerställning med kolinjektionslans

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
BR0204820A (pt) 2003-07-08
EP1377689A1 (en) 2004-01-07
DE60204675D1 (de) 2005-07-21
EP1377689A4 (en) 2004-07-21
CA2410797A1 (en) 2002-10-24
CA2410797C (en) 2010-06-08
KR20030011884A (ko) 2003-02-11
RU2285049C2 (ru) 2006-10-10
WO2002083958A1 (en) 2002-10-24
BR0204820B1 (pt) 2011-09-20
MXPA02012159A (es) 2003-06-06
AUPR436901A0 (en) 2001-05-17
JP4175896B2 (ja) 2008-11-05
CN1243836C (zh) 2006-03-01
CN1461351A (zh) 2003-12-10
ATE298006T1 (de) 2005-07-15
KR100825940B1 (ko) 2008-04-29
DE60204675T2 (de) 2005-10-06
JP2004518826A (ja) 2004-06-24

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