GB2055306A - A process for treating coke oven parts - Google Patents

Abstract

A process is disclosed for providing a surface on coke oven parts, e.g., doors and door jambs, forging dies, metal handling and processing equipment and ingot moulds which surface resists the adhesion of contaminates thereto. After cleaning the metal surface, the process involves the building up a suitable surface by the application to the metal of a suspension containing 5% to 25% micro micron particles of graphite. Sufficient suspension is applied to build up a smooth covering of graphite.

Description

SPECIFICATION A process for treating coke oven parts This invention relates to a process for treating coke oven parts, more particularly such parts are coke oven doors and jambs and the treatment is to prevent the build up of tar thereon.

In a typical coke oven construction, the sealing edge of the door is carred by a flexible frame and the door assembly includes a powerful spring between the door and the locking bar to force the sealing edge against the metal door jamb to prevent the escape of volatile products from the oven. Such door and jamb assemblies on the coke side and pusher side of the coke ovens commonly fail to maintain a sealing metal to metal relation and tar and other by-products produced during the coking operation escape and build up between the door and the jamb and must be manually removed each tine the doors are removed and repositioned when the coke is pushed from the oven.The tar and by-products build up deposits which are difficult to remove and the removal is time consuming so that frequently the doors are repositioned and the desirable sealing relation to effect an efficient coking operation is adversely affected.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a process which is directed to building up a penetrating coating on the sealing edges of the doors and jambs with a material that is not affected by the heat of the coking operation and to which tar and other by-products will not adhere with the result that the sealing edges of the doors and the jambs which are engaged thereby remain clean and free of tar and other by-product build up. The material used in the process forms a penetrating and lubricating adhesive coating on the coke oven doors and jambs.

According to the present invention there is provided a process of treating the engaging portions of steel coke oven doors and jambs, comprising the steps of cleaning said portions of said doors and jambs to the bare metal, penetrating a liquid suspension of micro micron particles of graphite into said portions, said liquid suspension including at least 5% to 25% micro micron size particles of graphite, applying enough of said liquid suspension of graphite to form a smooth covering coating on said metal portions and building up sufficient excess of graphite on said portions to effectively seal a door to a jamb during operation of an oven.

This process is also applicable to the treatment of metallurgical parts such as forging dies, metal handling and processing equipment and ingot moulds to provide a surface thereon which resists the adhesion of contaminates thereto.

In one preferred embodiment, the liquid carrier comprises water, an aqueous sodium silicate solution and hydrochloric acid, a water soluable resin, such as carboxy vinyl polymer as a dry fluffy acid powder is power mixed with the micro micron graphite particles and the liquid carrier to obtain a suitable solution.

Description of the Preferred Embodiments The suspension used in the preferred process according to this invention is particularly suitable for building up penetrating and lubricating adhesive smooth coatings on coke oven doors and jambs and comprises between about 5% to 25% by weight micro micron particles of graphite, between about 2% and 10% concentrates hydrochloric acid of a 90% purity by-weight, between about 15% and 20% water by weight, and at least one of the following: (a) between about 34% to 75% of a solution of water and sodium silicate (Na2Si3O7), in which the sodium silicate is present at about 40% of the solution.

(b) between about 33% to 75% of a solution of water and a water soluble resin in which the resin is present in amounts between about 1% to 10% of the solution by weight, (c) substantially 67% by weight aqueous solution of xanthan gum as a powder in which the gum is present at substantially 8% by weight of the aqueous solution A preferred water soluble resin is carboxy vinyl polymer resin.

The particle size of the micro micron graphite particles being about one-millionth of a micron sized particle. A micron sized particle is between .2 and 10 (= one-millionth of).

The carboxy vinyl resin powder has a specific gravity of 1.41 and a bulk density of 1 3 Ibs.

per cubic foot. It is available under the trade name "CARBOPOL" and low concentrations mixed with water as herein disclosed produce a thin gel-like liquid with penetrating and adhesive qualities.

Those skilled in the art will observe that the liquid carrier as set forth hereinbefore comprises an effective wetting agent which contributes to the ability of the micro micron particles of graphite to penetrate the metal of the coke over doors and jambs.

Those skilled in the art will observe that the percentages of the micro micron particles of graphite in the liquid carrier perform effectively when a number of applications of the material are applied and when only one or a few applications of the materials are applied to the metal surfaces, then the higher percentages of the micro micron particles of grahite are more desirable.

In either case the material penetrates the metal surfaces being treated and builds up an extremely smooth slick coating to which the tar and by-products from the coke oven will not adhere or if some adherence occurs the adhering material may be easily removed by air or water or other fluid jets.

In using the material disclosed herein the process involves mixing the materials to form a liquid suspension of the micro micron particles of graphite and then spraying the same by any suitable spraying equipment on cleaned metal surfaces of the coke oven doors and jambs to be treated. One or more coatings are applied as necessary to build up a smooth unbroken surface of the material on the metal members being treated and the material may be applied to the metal surfaces while they are either hot or cold. The ability of the material to be applied to the hot metal surfaces is particularly advantageous in a coke oven operation as the doors are removed from the ovens to permit a pusher to move the coke from the ovens while the ovens themselves are maintained at or near coking temperatures.

Those skilled in the art will observe that the heretofore necessary manual cleaning of the doors and door jambs frequently requiring motorized buggies and similar mechanical equipment and the time of such cleaning is eliminated through the use of the process hereinbefore disclosed.

It will also be observed that the production of metallurgical coke is improved and stabilized providing for the effective sealing of the coke oven doors made possible by the process herein disclosed.

It has been determined that other applications and uses of the process are possible and such may include the treating of forging dies used in the hot forging of metals and the treatment of various metal handling and processing equipment wherein the surface condition of the metal treating equipment is desirably maintained in a smooth condition resisting adhesion of contaminates thereto. Additionally ingot molds are advantageously treated by the process disclosed herein as such treatment expedites the stripping of ingots from the molds.

The following specific examples of a suspension for use in the process have been found satisfactory.

A. Substantially 8% by weight micro micron particles of high purity synthetic graphite, substantially 7% by weight concentrated hydrochloric acid substantially 90% purity, substantially 18% by weight water (H20), substantially 34% by weight aqueous sodium silicate solution wherein the Na2Sl07 is present at about 40% by weight of the solution and substantially 33% by weight water soluble carboxy vinyl polymer resin as a powder wherein the resin is present at substantially 8% by weight of the solution.

B. Substantially 8% by weight micro micron particles of high purity synthetic graphite, substantially 7% by weight concentrated hydrochloric acid of substantially 90% purity, substantially 18% by weight water (H20), substantially 67% by weight aqueous sodium silicate solution wherein the Na2Si3O7 is present at about 40% by weight of the solution.

C. Substantially 8% by weight micro micron particles of high purity synthetic graphite, substantially 7% by weight concentrated hydrochloric acid of substantially 90% purity, substantially 18% by weight water (H20), substantially 67% by weight aqueous solution of carboxy vinyl polymer resin as a powder wherein the resin is present at substantially 8% by weight of the aqueous solution.

An alternative liquid carrier has been found to produce a suitable suspension of the micro micron particles of graphite and substitutes xanthan gum, a natural high molecular weight linear polysaccharide, functioning as a hydrophilic colloid to maintain the micro micron particles of graphite in suspension and contribute to the penetrating lubricating adhesive coating as described herein before.

A specific example of such an alternative material follows: D. Substantially 8% by weight micro micron particles of high purity synthetic graphite, substantially 7% by weight concentrated hydrochloric acid of substantially 90% purity, substantially 18% by weight water (H20), substantially 67% by weight aqueous solution of xanthan gum as a powder wherein the gum is present at substantially 8% by weight of the aqueous solution.

Variations in the amounts of xanthan gum may be used as from 1% to 10% of the aqueous solution.

The treatment of ingot molds hereinbefore referred to by the process disclosed herein obtains the desired results by reason of the nature of the suspension and the manner of application. Specifically it is known in the art that molten steel in an ingot mold takes carbon from the metal of the ingot mold thereby adversely affecting the interior of the mold by removing the portions thereof and it is also known that when this occurs the stripping of the cooled ingot from the mold becomes more difficult because of the interlock obtained between the solidified metal and the irregular surface of the mold. By heating an ingot mold the grain structure enlarges and the porosity of the metal increases and in the present process the material is preferably applied to the ingot mold when it is heated as by spraying or dipping the heated mold in the liquid suspension material. Under such conditions the micro micron particles of graphite aided by the liquid carrier penetrates the metal surfaces of the ingot mold which have been previously cleaned and build up a smooth lubricating and adhering coating which being largely graphite is then able to supply the carbon that molten steel absorbs usually from the ingot mold. Thus the treating material is sacrified to some degree and the inner surface of the ingot mold retained in its desirable smooth condition. Stripping ingots from the smooth inner surface of the mold is thus considerably expedited and the molds last considerably longer as the carbon from the metal of the molds is not sacrificed as has heretofore been common in the art.

Claims (9)

1. A process of treating the engaging portions of steel coke oven doors and jambs, comprising the steps of cleaning said portions of said doors and jambs to the bare metal, penetrating a liquid suspension of micro micron particles of graphite into said portions, said liquid suspension including at least 5% to 25% micro micron size particles of graphite, applying enough of said liquid suspension of graphite to form a smooth covering coating on said metal portions and building up sufficient excess of graphite on said portions to effectively seal a door to a jamb during operation of an oven

2. A process acciring to Claim 1, wherein several penetrating coatings of said liquid suspension of micro micron particles of grahite are applied to said metal portions successively.

3. A process according to Claim 1, wherein several penetrating coatings of said liquid suspension of micro micron particles of graphite are sprayed to said metal portions successively.

4. A process according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, wherein the doors and jambs are heated to a temperature at which the grain structure expands and the porosity of the metal increases and wherein the liquid suspension of micro micron particles of grahite is applied to the heated doors and jambs.

5. A process according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the liquid suspension includes sodium silicate.

6. A process according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the liquid suspension includes carboxy vinyl polymer resin.

7. A process according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the liquid suspension includes carboxy vinyl polymer resin and sodium silicate.

8. A process according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, wherein the liquid suspension includes xanthan gum and sodium silicate.

9. A process of treating metallurgical parts such as forging dies, metal handling and processing equipment and ingot moulds to provide a surface thereon which resists the adhesion of contaminates thereto, comprising the steps of cleaning said portions of said doors and jambs to the bare metal, penetrating a liquid suspension of micro micron particles of graphite into said portions, said liquid suspension including at least 5% to 25% micro micron size particles of graphite, applying enough of said liquid suspension of graphite to form a smooth covering coating on said metal portions and building up sufficient excess of graphite on said portions to effectively seal a door to a jamb during operation of an oven.

1 0. A process according to either Claim 1 or Claim 9 and susbstantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the preferred embodiments.