GB2032593A

GB2032593A - Tap gutters for shaft furnaces

Info

Publication number: GB2032593A
Application number: GB7926747A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: Mannesmann AG
Current assignee: Vodafone GmbH
Priority date: 1978-08-15
Filing date: 1979-08-01
Publication date: 1980-05-08
Also published as: DE2836123A1; IT7924846A0; IT1122390B; LU81592A1; DE2836123B2; GB2032593B; FR2433723A1; DE2836123C3; JPS5715308B2; FR2433723B1; JPS5528394A

Abstract

The invention provides a trough comprising individual plates defining a base (5) and sidewalls (6) with a fireproof lining (4) wherein the sidewalls (6) are slideably connected to the base (5) and slideably mounted with respect to lateral supports (12). The connection between the sidewalls (6) and the base (5) is preferably through slotted brackets and the support for the sidewalls effected through struts (10) and bearing surfaces (11). <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Tap gutter for a shaft furnace The invention relates to a tap gutter for mounting in the charging floor of a shaft furnace, more particularly a blast furnace. Known tap gutters consist of a metal trough lined with fireproof material. The trough may consist of cast iron or welded metal plates and is normally fixedly installed in the charging floor.

In modern large-scale blast furnaces, the trough assumes larger dimensions. The fireproof lining provided in the trough leaves a gutter for the pig iron with internal dimensions of about 1 x 1 m.

With a furnace of this kind having tap quantities of several thousand tonnes of pig iron per day, the gutter is subjected to substantial thermal stresses, and considerable wear. The conventional onepiece construction of steel troughs can no longer withstand these stresses, primarily because of the different expansion characteristics of the fireproof material and the metal construction.

The aim of the present invention is to improve these gutters so that they are better able to withstand the thermal stresses and have longer service lives. To this end, the invention provides a tap gutter for mounting in the charging floor of a shaft furnace, comprising a metal trough with a fireproof lining for carrying a melt, the trough having individual plates for defining a base and sidewalls, the sidewalls being slidingly and tensionally connected to the base and slidingly mounted on lateral supports.

The connection between the sidewalls and the base preferably comprises brackets fixed on the base which slideably receive the sidewalls. To permit movement of the sidewalls, they conveniently include reinforcing struts provided with bearing surfaces which are slideably mounted on the lateral supports.

in a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention the tap gutter is made up of a plurality of longitudinal sections each of which is fixedly mounted at one end. The fireproof lining is normally clamped to support members at both ends, the support members usually being part of the charging floor structure itself. The base and side walls of the gutter sections can thus be arranged to slide on their supports with respect to the lining as their relative temperatures change.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows a plan view of the gutter taken along the plane of section A-A in Figure 2; Figure 2 is a section through the gutter along B-B in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section along C-C in Figure 1; Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the connection of the plates along section E-E in Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a detail of the gutter along section D-D in Figure 1.

In Figure 1, the metal cladding of a blast furnace is designated 1. The gutter 3 adjoins the tap aperture 2. The gutter consists of the metal trough and the fireproof lining 4 (Figures 2 and 3).

The trough is made up of the base plate 5 and side walls 6. Base plate 5 and side walls 6 are slidingly and tensionally connected to one another at their points of contact, i.e. at the points where the side plates 6 abut on the base plate 5. The connection is effected by means of brackets 7 fixed to the base plate 5, into which the side plate 6 is inserted (Figure 4).

On its underside, the base plate 5 is provided with longitudinally extending reinforcements 8. It rests on transverse struts 9 (Figure 1 and 2).

In the centres of the side walls 6 are struts 10 for reinforcing the walls, having bearing surfaces 11, which are held in position on support members 1 2 of the charging floor structure and are able to move longitudinally with respect to the gutter.

Viewed along its length, the trough consists of a plurality of adjacent sections. Figure 5 shows the transition between two sections of one side wall 6. One end face of a side wall plate 6' is welded to a flange 13. The flange 13 also receives the free end of the adjacent side wall plate 6" in sliding manner. The flange 1 3 is fixedly mounted on a support structure 14.

Moreover, the fireproof lining is immovably clamped in the charging floor structure at both ends 1 5 and 16, i.e. at the end starting at the metal cladding and at the end of the tap gutter. It is advantageous to provide pressure cells at both ends of the fireproof material so as to measure the expansion of the fireproof material via the stress on these cells. Similarly, pressure measuring strips for monitoring expansion can be mounted on the means which hold the fireproof material under tension.

The advantages of gutters constructed according to the invention are as follows:- a) thermal stresses from the metal trough do not pass into the construction of the pouring floor as the gutter sections are able to expand without restriction; b) the deformation of the metal trough by thermal stresses is considerably reduced by this type of construction; c) the discharge of heat is effected by reliable natural convection; d) the apparatus can be repaired section by section; e) the fireproof lining is clamped at its ends, thus reducing cracking; f) the gutter can be monitored; g) thanks to the clamps at the ends, defined expansion joints can be provided which are designed for the expansion of the fireproof material; ; h) the gutter outlets for pig iron and slag can be controlled more satisfactorily owing to the fact that the expansion characteristics can be monitored.

1. A tap gutter for mounting in the charging floor of a shaft furnace, comprising a metal trough

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Tap gutter for a shaft furnace The invention relates to a tap gutter for mounting in the charging floor of a shaft furnace, more particularly a blast furnace. Known tap gutters consist of a metal trough lined with fireproof material. The trough may consist of cast iron or welded metal plates and is normally fixedly installed in the charging floor. In modern large-scale blast furnaces, the trough assumes larger dimensions. The fireproof lining provided in the trough leaves a gutter for the pig iron with internal dimensions of about 1 x 1 m. With a furnace of this kind having tap quantities of several thousand tonnes of pig iron per day, the gutter is subjected to substantial thermal stresses, and considerable wear. The conventional onepiece construction of steel troughs can no longer withstand these stresses, primarily because of the different expansion characteristics of the fireproof material and the metal construction. The aim of the present invention is to improve these gutters so that they are better able to withstand the thermal stresses and have longer service lives. To this end, the invention provides a tap gutter for mounting in the charging floor of a shaft furnace, comprising a metal trough with a fireproof lining for carrying a melt, the trough having individual plates for defining a base and sidewalls, the sidewalls being slidingly and tensionally connected to the base and slidingly mounted on lateral supports. The connection between the sidewalls and the base preferably comprises brackets fixed on the base which slideably receive the sidewalls. To permit movement of the sidewalls, they conveniently include reinforcing struts provided with bearing surfaces which are slideably mounted on the lateral supports. in a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention the tap gutter is made up of a plurality of longitudinal sections each of which is fixedly mounted at one end. The fireproof lining is normally clamped to support members at both ends, the support members usually being part of the charging floor structure itself. The base and side walls of the gutter sections can thus be arranged to slide on their supports with respect to the lining as their relative temperatures change. An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 shows a plan view of the gutter taken along the plane of section A-A in Figure 2; Figure 2 is a section through the gutter along B-B in Figure 1; Figure 3 is a section along C-C in Figure 1; Figure 4 is an enlarged view of the connection of the plates along section E-E in Figure 1; and Figure 5 is a detail of the gutter along section D-D in Figure 1. In Figure 1, the metal cladding of a blast furnace is designated 1. The gutter 3 adjoins the tap aperture 2. The gutter consists of the metal trough and the fireproof lining 4 (Figures 2 and 3). The trough is made up of the base plate 5 and side walls 6. Base plate 5 and side walls 6 are slidingly and tensionally connected to one another at their points of contact, i.e. at the points where the side plates 6 abut on the base plate 5. The connection is effected by means of brackets 7 fixed to the base plate 5, into which the side plate 6 is inserted (Figure 4). On its underside, the base plate 5 is provided with longitudinally extending reinforcements 8. It rests on transverse struts 9 (Figure 1 and 2). In the centres of the side walls 6 are struts 10 for reinforcing the walls, having bearing surfaces 11, which are held in position on support members 1 2 of the charging floor structure and are able to move longitudinally with respect to the gutter. Viewed along its length, the trough consists of a plurality of adjacent sections. Figure 5 shows the transition between two sections of one side wall 6. One end face of a side wall plate 6' is welded to a flange 13. The flange 13 also receives the free end of the adjacent side wall plate 6" in sliding manner. The flange 1 3 is fixedly mounted on a support structure 14. Moreover, the fireproof lining is immovably clamped in the charging floor structure at both ends 1 5 and 16, i.e. at the end starting at the metal cladding and at the end of the tap gutter. It is advantageous to provide pressure cells at both ends of the fireproof material so as to measure the expansion of the fireproof material via the stress on these cells. Similarly, pressure measuring strips for monitoring expansion can be mounted on the means which hold the fireproof material under tension. The advantages of gutters constructed according to the invention are as follows:- a) thermal stresses from the metal trough do not pass into the construction of the pouring floor as the gutter sections are able to expand without restriction; b) the deformation of the metal trough by thermal stresses is considerably reduced by this type of construction; c) the discharge of heat is effected by reliable natural convection; d) the apparatus can be repaired section by section; e) the fireproof lining is clamped at its ends, thus reducing cracking; f) the gutter can be monitored; g) thanks to the clamps at the ends, defined expansion joints can be provided which are designed for the expansion of the fireproof material;; h) the gutter outlets for pig iron and slag can be controlled more satisfactorily owing to the fact that the expansion characteristics can be monitored. CLAIMS

1. A tap gutter for mounting in the charging floor of a shaft furnace, comprising a metal trough with a fireproof lining for carrying a melt, the trough having individual plates defining a base and sidewalls, the sidewalls being slidingly and tensionally connected to the base and slidingly mounted on lateral supports.

2. A tap gutter according to Claim 1 wherein the sidewalls are slideably received in brackets fixed on the base.

3. A tap gutter according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 wherein the sidewalls include reinforcing struts provided with bearing surfaces which are slideably mounted on the lateral supports.

4. A tap gutter according to any preceding Claim wherein the base is slideably supported on transverse struts.

5. A tap gutter according to any preceding Claim comprising a plurality of sections, one end of each plate of a section being fixed and the other being slideably supported.

6. A tap gutter according to any preceding Claim wherein the fireproof lining is clamped at either end of the gutter.

7. A tap gutter according to Claim 6 including means for monitoring the longitudinal expansion of the fireproof lining.

8. A tap gutter substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawings.

9. A shaft furnace including a tap gutter according to any preceding Claim.

10. A shaft furnace according to Claim 9 wherein the supports for the gutter are a part of the structure of the charging floor.