GB2212893A

GB2212893A - Coke oven charging apparatus

Info

Publication number: GB2212893A
Application number: GB8727744A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Maurice George Grimwood; Kenneth David Picking
Original assignee: British Steel PLC
Current assignee: British Steel PLC
Priority date: 1987-11-26
Filing date: 1987-11-26
Publication date: 1989-08-02
Also published as: GB8727744D0; DE3838725A1

Description

IMPROVEMENTS IN COKE OVEN CHARGING APPARATUS 2212893 This invention

relates to coke oven charging apparatus Various systems are available for mitigating the degree of pollutant gas escaping from coke oven charge holes during the charging operation and many of these involve telescopic or sliding seals with discharge valves at the base of the hopper in the form of planar sliding gates or pivotal quadrants.

Each of these techniques necessarily disturb the integrity of the side walls and since large working clearances are necessary a fair degree of pollutant gas can escape through this route and further, spillage of the small fractions carried over is wasteful and can be harmful to plant and worsen working conditions Moreover, in operating gate valves of this nature there is a tendency to promote a massive initial 'cascade' of coal from the hopper which can immediately build-up and arch or bridge within the chute above the charge hole 'Breaker' bars are used to mitigate this which adds to the cost and complexity.

It is an object of this invention to provide an improved charging apparatus.

lhe present invention provides a coke oven charging apparatus comprising a coal storage hopper having a bottom outlet sealed by a bell-shaped valve extending upwardly into the hopper and a transfer chute sited below said outlet and flexibly or slidably sealed thereto, said chute being movable to engage with and disengage from a charging hole in the coke oven chamber, and the bell valve being reciprocably movable to open and discharge coal into the chamber when said chute is in engagement with said opening, and closable to seal the outlet.

Preferably the outlet is circular, whereby an annular discharge channel is defined when the valve is open; the valve may be conical and actuated by a shaft disposed along its axis and extending upwardly into the chute The hopper, and the chute, are downwardly tapered, the chute of course embracing the valve at its upper end and equating to the size of the (circular) charge hole at its lower end.

I The flexible seal may take the form of a corrugated fabric or metal, or alternatively a telescopic or plain sliding ring type seal may be employed.

In accordance with this invention a controlled flow of coal is achieved between the hopper outlet, the transfer chute and the charge hole This is effected by balancing the flow between the hopper/bell annulus, the chute/bell annulus and the flow capacity of the charge hole or more particularly the aperture at the bottom of the chute.

The bell valve eliminates the impact arching caused by the gate openings hitherto employed since it effectively acts as its own breaker bar It also limits the arching potential created by the interrupted flow at the outlet i e during levelling, since the void created under the bell lessens the head of material above the discharge opening.

In order that this invention may be fully understood one embodiment thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Figure 1 is a sectional side elevation through the apparatus Figure la is a scrap section illustrating an alternative form of seal, and Figure 2 is a section on A-A in Figure 1.

Referring now to the drawings, a coal storage hopper 1 surmounts a transfer chute 2, the whole being mounted on a movable charge car (not shown) The bottom of the hopper is sealed by a bell-shaped valve 3 naving an upstanding shaft 4 which is reciprocably movable by an hydraulic/pneumatic cylinder unit 5 This unit is housed within a subsidiary section 6 on the upper side of the hopper and the valve shaft 4 is housed within a tubular shield 7 secured to the side wall of the housing by a plate 8 Bearing seals 9 are sited at each end of the shield 7.

TEC/036/CDB/11 i The transfer chute 2 is coupled to the bottom of the hopper by a flexible seal 10 and the chute is secured to the body of the hopper via suspension pins 11 depending from a transverse column 12 In turn, this column is reciprocably movable by a cylinder unit 13 mounted in a framework externally of the hopper The transfer chute is movable by these means such that its mouth 14 engages with and disengages from the charge hole in the coke oven.

Although a simple flexible corrugated fabric or metal seal 10 is shown to contain fume, etc an alternative form of such seal is shown in Figure la, namely a ring-type seal 15 which makes sliding contact with the walls of the chute 2.

In operation, the charge car lies in its parked position with the bell valve 3 closed and the transfer chute raised Coal is charged into the hopper to a predetermined level and the car is transported to a site above a selected charge hole, the lid ot which is opened following which the transfer chute is lowered Such that its mouth seats within the hole The bell valve is then actuated such that an annular discharge path for coal is created, the coal being discharged into the coke oven chamber via the transfer chute.

Following completion of discharge, the bell valve is closed, the transfer chute raised and the equipment is ready for its next cycle.

It is to be understood that although this invention has been described with reference to the particular embodiment illustrated various modifications may readily be made without departing from the scope of this invention, for example, other flexible seals than those shown may be employed between the hopper and chute and other motive power than hydraulic/pneumatic may be used for operating the valve and the chute.

The precise dimensions and shape of the coal discharge path around the valve may also be different from that shown consistent with balancing the flow capacities of each restriction within the discharge path.

TEC/036/CDB/11 {

Claims

We Claim:-

Coke oven charging apparatus comprising a coal storage hopper having a bottom outlet sealed by a bell-shaped valve extending upwardly into the hopper and a transfer chute sited below said outlet and flexibly or slidably sealed thereto, said chute being movable to engage with and disengage from a charging hole in the coke oven chamber, and the bell valve being reciprocably movable to open and discharge coal into the chamber when said chute is in engagement with said opening, and closable to seal the outlet.
2 Apparatus according to Claim 1, in which an annular discharge channel is defined within the hopper when the valve is open.
3 Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2, to which the valve is conical and is actuated by a shaft disposed along its axis and extending upwardly into the hopper.
4 Apparatus accordingly to any one of Claims 1 to 3, in which the hopper and the chute are downwardly tapered, the chute embracing the valve at its upper end and equating to the size and shape of the charge hole at its lower end.
Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, in which the seal is in the form of a ring supported on the hopper and outwardly biased to make sliding contact with the inner side of the movable transfer chute.
6 Apparatus according to any one of Claims 1 to 5, in which the transfer chute is movable by a mechanism mounted externally of the hopper.
7 Coke oven charging apparatus, substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

TEC/813/CDB/R Publsbed 1989 at The Patent Ooce, State House,88171 igh Holborn,London WC 1 R 4 TP Fur Ithercoples maybe obtained from The Patent Oce.

Sales Branch, Bt Mary Cray, Orplngton Kent BB 5 3RD Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray, Kent, Con 1187