GB2070748A

GB2070748A - Panel for a furnace wall structure

Info

Publication number: GB2070748A
Application number: GB8106842A
Authority: GB
Original assignee: DUCTILE HOT MILL Ltd
Current assignee: DUCTILE HOT MILL Ltd
Priority date: 1980-03-04
Filing date: 1981-03-04
Publication date: 1981-09-09

Abstract

A panel 10 of a furnace wall comprises a support layer (11) of open work form and a folded web (12a) of fibrous thermally insulating material. The web is connected to the support layers by a number of bars (15) which extend each along a fold of the web and have connecting parts (16) which penetrate through the web, through apertures in the support layer and are turned over to engage a face of the support layer remote from the web. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Panel for a furnace wall structure This invention relates to a panel for a furnace wall structure and to a method of making the panel, and to the construction of a furnace wall structure. By a wall structure, we mean herein any structure which defines a boundary of a furnace chamber and we use the term generically to include roof and a door of a furnace.

A furnace wall structure is known which comprises an inner layer of thermally insulat ing material comprising a web of fibrous ma terial in which the fibres are not bonded to each other throughout at least a part of the web, connected to an outer support layer which supports the inner layer.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new or improved panel for a furnace wall structure of this known kind and a method of making said panel.

According to a first aspect of the invention we provide a panel for a furnace wall struc ture, the panel comprising a thermally insulat ing layer and a support layer of openwork form, the thermally insulating layer including a folded web of fibrous material which is connected to and supported by the support layer, at least some of the folds of said folded web each being provided with an elongate element which extends lengthwise along the fold, the elongate element having a plurality of projecting connecting parts integral therewith or connected thereto, each connect ing' part extending in a substantially common direction transverse to the elongate element through the web and through the support layer, and being engaged with the support layer at the side thereof remote from the thermally insulating layer, thus connecting the fibrous insulating layer to the support layer.

By ''openwork'' we mean an array of ele ments which define openings between them.

The elements may be initially structurally separate members which are secured together in spaced apart relation to form a support layer of openwork form. Alternatively, the elements of the support layer may be integral with one another.

The connecting parts may be bent to pro vide a bent portion which engages the face of the support layer remote from the fibrous material, in respective regions adjacent to the openings through which the connecting parts pass.

However, the connecting parts may be de formed in any other desired manner to engage said remote face.

According to a second aspect of the inven tion we provide a method of constructing a panel according to the first aspect of the invention including the steps of folding a web of fibrous material to provide a plurality of folds, inserting in at least some of the folds elongate elements, penetrating the web of the fibrous material with the connecting parts at a bent part of the fold, inserting the connecting parts into respective apertures provided in the support layer and deforming the connecting parts so that they engage a face of the support layer remote from the fibrous layer in a region adjacent the respective apertures.

The method may include the step of maintaining the web of fibrous material in a folded condition prior to connection of the fibrous layer by applying one or more straps around the fibrous folded layer, or by any other means.

Preferably, the elongate elements and/or the support layer are made of metal or other ductile material.

At least some of the elongate elements may be provided with projecting abutments which extend from the elongate elements in substantially the same direction as the connecting parts and also penetrate the web of the fibrous layer. These abutments are provided to retain the elongate elements within the folds of the fibrous layer prior to the connection of the fibrous layer to the support layer and may also provide a rigid seating for the support layer.

Preferably the abutments are also each bent to provide a seat portion which, in use, is located between the fibrous layer and the support layer.

If desired, at least some of the connecting parts and the abutments may be provided on common projecting tongues, the tongues of each layer having a bifurcated free end, one limb of the end providing a connecting part and the other limb an abutment. The connecting part and the abutment of each projecting tongue may be bent across their length in opposite directions to provide the bent portion and the seat portion respectively.

Additional separate connecting parts and abutments may also be provided.

If desired, an additional intermediate flat thermally insulating fibrous layer may be provided between the support layer and the folded web, and the connecting parts and preferably the abutments may extend through the additional layer.

The insulating properties of the intermediate layer need not be as good as that of the folded layer, as the intermediate layer is not subjected to the full heat of the furnace chamber.

According to a third aspect of the invention we provide a furnace wall structure comprising a plurality of panels according to the first aspect of the invention attached together, in edge-to-edge relationship.

According to a fourth aspect of the invention, we provide a furnace wall structure comprising a thermally insulating layer and a support layer of openwork form, the thermally insulating layer including a folded web of fibrous material which is connected to and supported by the suppot layer, at least some of the folds of said folded web each being provided with an elongate element which extends legthwise along the fold, the elongate element having a plurality of projecting connecting parts integral therewith or connected thereto, each connecting part extending in a substantially common direction transverse to the elongate element through the web and through the support layer, and being engaged with the support layer at the side thereof remote from the thermally insulating layer, thus connecting the fibrous insulating layer to the support layer.

According to a fifth aspect of the invention we provide a method of manufacturing a furnace wall structure according to the fourth aspect of the invention including the steps of folding a web of fibrous material to provide a plurality of folds, inserting in at least some of the folds elongate elements, penetrating the web of the fibrous material with the connecting parts at a bent part of the fold, inserting the connecting parts into respective apertures provided in the support layer and deforming the connecting parts so that they engage a face of the support layer remote from the fibrous layer in a region adjacent the respective apertures.

The invention will now be described with the aid of the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a panel according to the invention; Figure 2 is an enlarged view of part of the fibrous thermally insulating layer with elongate elements inserted therein; and Figure 3 is a fragmentary cross-section on an enlarged scale of a further panel in accordance with the invention illustrating the modification of the invention.

Referring to Fig. 1 of the drawings, a panel 10 for a furnace wall structure comprises an outer support layer 11 of openwork form and an inner layer 1 2a of fibrous thermally insulating material which is connected to and supported by the support layer 11, with an intermediate fibrous layer 1 2b sandwiched therebetween. In use, the fibrous layer 1 2a is arranged to be adjacent the furnace chamber.

The support layer 11 comprises a first set of elongate parts which are parallel to each other and a second set of elongate parts which connect the parts of the first set together. The support layer 11 has a top face 11 a and a bottom face 11 b, and side beams 13 and 14.

The support layer 11 conveniently comprises a sheet of open steel flooring, the beams 1 3 and 14 being secured to opposite edges of the sheet.

The fibrous thermally insulating layers 1 2a, 1 2b are composed of a readily compressible and resiliently deformable mass of discrete fibres. The fibres are not bonded to each other but are provided in the form of a web.

The layer 1 2a comprises a web which is folded into a corrugated form and the web 1 2b an unfolded flat web, both layers 1 2a, 1 2b being connected to the support layer 11.

This connection is achieved by a plurality of elongate elements comprising rods 1 5, one of which lies at the inside of each of several spaced bends of the folded web 1 2a adjacent to the support layer 11. The rods 1 5 are provided with integral projecting connecting parts 1 6 which penetrate through the web in the bends thereof adjacent to the outer support layer, and through the web 1 2b.

The connecting parts 1 6 need not be integral with the rods 1 5 but may be permanently connected thereto instead.

Further projecting tongues, such as shown at 18 which also penetrate the webs 1 2a, 1 2b are provided which are split at their free ends to provide a bifurcated end, one limb 1 9 of which provides a connecting part 1 6, and the other limb 20 being bent over to form an abutment 21 which is located, in use, between the folded web 1 2a and the flat fibrous insulating layer 1 2 b. Prior to the connection of the fibrous layers 1 2a, 1 2b to the support layer 11, the abutment 21 retains the rods 1 5 in position in the folds of the web 1 2a.

The connecting parts 1 6, are inserted into openings in the openwork support layer 11 and are then bent over to provide a bent portion which engages the upper face 11 a of the support layer 11 remote from the fibrous insulating layers 1 2a, 1 2b. Thus the layers 1 2a, 1 2b are connected to the support 11.

Preferably, the connecting parts 1 6 provided by the limbs 1 9 are bent over in an opposite direction to their associated limbs 20.

Alternatively, the connecting parts 1 6 may be of any other desired form and may be deformed in any other appropriate manner. It will be noted that the thickness of the connecting parts 1 6 and tongues 1 8 measured in a direction transverse to the length of each rod 1 5 is a plurality of times smaller than the width of the connecting parts and tongues measured along the rods. This facilitates bending of the limbs 1 9 and 20 transversely of the rods.

In Fig. 2 it will be seen that adhesive straps 23 are provided to maintain the web 12a in its corrugated form prior to assembly of the panel. Once the panel is assembled, fibre retaining plates 24 and 25 will maintain the web in its corrugated form and the straps 23 may be removed or allowed to burn away.

It will be appreciated that the intermediate flat layer 1 2b is not essential to the invention and may be omitted if desired, where the insulating properties of the folded layer 1 2a are sufficiently good.

Further, the refractory and/or insulating properties of the intermediate layer 1 2b may be inferior to those of the folded layer 1 2a, as the layer 1 2a is, in use, adjacent the interior of the furnace and therefore subjected to greatest heat.

The modified panel, whereof a fragmentary cross-section is shown in Fig. 3, is similar to the panel illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, except for the differences hereinafter mentioned. The connecting parts provided on the elongate rods 1 15 disposed in the folds of the fibrous layer 1 2a are each in the form of a stud, one end of which is welded to the rod 11 5 at its uppermost surface or, as shown, an end portion of which is welded to a side face of the rod 11 5. Initially, each stud is rectilinear and has a circular cross-section. A starlock washer or the like which grips the stud is pushed onto the stud after the stud has penetrated the web of insulating material. The washer then prevents the stud falling through the web.After the stud has been passed through an opening of the support layer, it is bent over that face 111 a of the support layer remote from the fibrous web to retain the web is assembled relation with the support layer. The washer then engages the lower face 111 b of the support layer. In Fig. 3, there is shown a rectilinear stud 1 6a which extends through the support layer and through the fibrous web and a further stud 1 1 6 b which also extends through the fibrous web and the support layer and is bent over the surface of the support layer. Since each stud has a circular crosssection it can readily be bent in any direction across the surface of the support layer.

A plurality of panels 10 may be assembled together to form a furnace wall structure, adjacent panels 10 being drawn together and releasably secured together by bolts passing through aligned apertures in adjacent pairs of beams 1 3 and 1 4. Additional fibrous insulating material may be provided between adjacent panels to avoid gaps in the insulating layer.

Further, a one-piece furnace wall may be made in accordance with the invention by connect g a thermally insulating fibrous layer of matesria; to a support layer with connecting parts.t~hich extend through the layers and are subsegMslettly mechanically deformed to engaga the support layer on a face remote from the fibrous layer.

In use, in a furnace wall structure, the support layer 11 is exposed to the atmosphere outside the furnace. The support 11 is therefore air cooled and such cooling is facilitated by its openwork form.

It will be noted that all of the folds of the web 1 2a and all of the rods 1 5 on which the web is supported are parallel to each other, both within a single panel and within a furnace wall comprising a number of panels.

Claims

1. A panel for a furnace wall structure, the panel comprising a thermally insulating layer and a support layer of openwork form, the thermally insulating layer including a folded web of fibrous material which is connected to and supported by the support layer, at least some of the folds of said folded web each being provided with an elongate element which extends lengthwise along the fold, the elongate element having a plurality of projecting connecting parts integral therewith or connected thereto, the connecting parts extending in a substantially common direction transverse to the length of the elongate element through the web and through the support layer, and each connecting part being engaged with the support layer at the side thereof remote from the thermally insulating layer, thereby connecting the thermally insulating layer to the support layer.

2. A urnace wall structure comprising a thermally insulating layer and a support layer of openwork form, the thermally insulating layer including a folded web of fibrous material which is connected and supported by the support layer, at least some of the folds of said folded web each being provided with an elongate element which extends lengthwise along the fold, the elongate element having a plurality of projecting connecting parts integral therewith or connected thereto, the connecting parts extending in a substantially common direction transverse to the length of the elongate element through the web and through the support layer, and being engaged with the support lever at the side thereof remote from the thermally insulating layer, thus connecting the thermally insulating layer to the support layer.

3. A panel according to Claim 1 or a wall structure according to Claim 2 wherein the connecting parts are bent to provide respective portions which engage the face of the support layer remote from the thermally insulating layer.

4. A panel according to Claim 1 or Claim 3 or a wall structure according to Claim 2 or Claim 3 wherein at least some of the elongate elements have abutments interposed between the support layer and the folded web.

5. A panel or a wall structure according to Claim 4 wherein the abutments project from respective ones of said connecting parts.

6. A furnace wall structure comprising a plurality of panels according to any one of Claims 1 and 3 to 5, arranged in edge-toedge relationship.

7. A method of constructing a panel according to Claim 1 including the steps of folding a web of fibrous material to provide a plurality of folds, inserting in at least some of the folds elongate elements, penetrating the web of the fibrous material with connecting parts integral with or connected to the elongate elements, inserting the connecting parts into respective apertures provided in the support layer and deforming the connecting parts so that they engage a face of the support layer remote from the thermally insulating layer in regions adjacent to the respective apertures.

8. A method according to Claim 7 wherein, prior to connection of the folded web to the support layer, the web is maintained in a folded condition by applying one or more straps around the folded web.

9. A method of manufacturing a furnace wall structure according to Claim 2 including the steps of folding a web of fibrous material to provide a plurality of folds, inserting in at least some of the folds elongage elements, penetrating the web with connecting parts integral with or connected to the elongate elements, inserting the connecting parts into respective apertures provided in the support layer of the wall structure and deforming the connecting parts so that they engage a face of the support layer remote from the web in regions adjacent to the respective apertures.

10. A panel or a furnace wall structure substantially as herein described with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

11. A method of constructing a panel according to claim 1 or a furnace wall structure according to Claim 2, the method being substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

1 2. Any novel feature or novel combination of features disclosed herein or in the accompanying drawings.