JPS5938434Y2 - Probe immersion device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to an apparatus for immersing a probe used for sample collection, temperature measurement, etc. into molten steel under vacuum.

In recent years, emphasis has been placed on steelmaking equipment that can save energy while producing products with high added value. The so-called out-of-furnace refining method for purposes such as gas treatment and adjustment of molten steel composition has been attracting attention.

As a typical example of the out-of-furnace refining method, a molten steel ladle is placed in a vacuum vessel, an alloy is added to the molten steel in the ladle while inert gas is blown into it, the composition of the molten steel is finely adjusted, and oxygen is blown upward. VOD (Vacuum OxygenDeca)
VAD (Vacuum Arc Dega) heating method or arc discharge heating method.
ss-ing) method, etc.

To adjust the composition to the target, collect a molten steel sample,
The amount of alloy to be added is determined by measuring the temperature of the molten steel.The probe for sampling the molten steel and measuring the temperature is either a mold built into a cardboard tube or a probe at the tip. So-called expendable immersion probes equipped with thermocouples are often used.

Returning the vacuum container to atmospheric pressure and moving the top lid each time such a probe is immersed in molten steel in a ladle for sample collection and temperature measurement requires the power required for vacuum evacuation (generally, superheated steam is Because of this, there is a loss in heat energy due to the loss of heat (used), the loss of refining time, and the drop in the temperature of the molten steel in the ladle. Therefore, an apparatus that performs measurements under vacuum as shown in FIG. 1 has been proposed.

In the apparatus shown in FIG. 1, a hollow cylindrical body 8' is fixed to the upper side of the upper lid part 2 of a vacuum vessel 1 which accommodates a ladle 3 containing molten steel 4, and a hollow cylindrical body 8' has a tip inside. A holder 18 having a probe connector part C is provided at the holder 18, and this holder 18 is suspended by a wire 15 wound around the winding drum 14.
The holder 18 is raised and lowered by rotating the drum 14 from a motor 20 via a speed reduction mechanism 19.

When starting measurement, the atmosphere introduction valve 13 is opened and the vacuum valve 4 is opened.
3 is closed and the inside of the cylindrical body 8' is at atmospheric pressure, the worker P opens the door D and places the probe 34 in the holder 18.
Fit it into the connector part C at the tip, and then connect the atmosphere inlet valve 1.
3 is closed, and the vacuum valve 43 is opened to bring the inside of the hollow cylindrical body 8' to the same pressure as the inside of the vacuum vessel 1. In this state, the holder 18 is lowered and the probe 34 is immersed in the molten steel 4 for measurement. (Although not shown, the conductor wire from the temperature measuring element such as a thermocouple in the probe 34 sends a temperature signal to the temperature recorder etc. through the conductor wire in the connector part C and the holder 18.) After that, the holder 18 is raised, and when the probe 34 reaches the position of the door D, the vacuum valve 34 is closed and the atmosphere introduction valve 13 is opened, so that the pressure inside the hollow cylindrical body 6' becomes atmospheric pressure. In this state, the worker P opens the door D, removes the used probe, and prepares for the next measurement.

A sample for analysis is obtained from the sampling chamber of the detached probe.

The apparatus shown in Fig. 1 (d1) requires manual attachment and removal of the probe, and each time the work is done on the top lid 2 of the vacuum container, but (a) it requires work at high temperatures and high temperatures, which occurs during oxygen injection. It has drawbacks such as the risk of inhaling carbon monoxide.

In order to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks, Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-6556, filed with the same applicant as the present application, discloses that a probe is installed in a hollow cylindrical body fixed on the upper lid of a vacuum container. A device that automatically stores and cuts out the probe, a device that automatically attaches and detaches the cut-out probe to the holder and retrieves it, and a device that determines the timing of the operation of these devices and the operation of the air intake valve and the vacuum valve. What is shown is the main part of the building.

However, the device shown in Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-6556 has a fairly large automatic probe storage/extraction device and automatic probe attachment/detachment device housed in a hollow cylindrical body above the vacuum container lid. A: The hollow cylindrical body has to be made large, so there is a limit to the reduction in power consumption required to evacuate the entire vacuum container and hollow cylindrical body, which goes against energy conservation. , B. The entire weight of the hollow cylindrical body is applied to the lid of the vacuum container, making the center of gravity of the lid high, making it unstable during movement. It is necessary for a worker to enter the hollow cylindrical body to inspect the
Disadvantages include inhaling carbon oxide and being forced to work in a high-temperature atmosphere.

An object of the present invention is to provide an automated probe immersion device that eliminates the above-mentioned drawbacks.

According to the present invention, there is provided a vacuum container which has an upper lid part with an opening and accommodates a molten steel ladle therein, and a vacuum container which is movable up and down above the opening and which can be moved up and down as needed. a hollow cylindrical body with an open bottom end that accommodates a holder that can be used, and a probe storage and cutting device that stores a plurality of probes for sample collection, temperature measurement, etc. and cuts them out one at a time;
When the hollow cylindrical body is in the raised position, the cut out probe is clamped and attached to the holder, and after the holder moves down and up, the hollow cylindrical body occupies the raised position again. a clamp unit that clamps the probe and causes the holder to come off; and a clamp unit that is provided near the opening of the vacuum container and is opened when the hollow cylindrical body takes a lowered position where it closes to the opening, and A probe immersion device is provided that includes a vacuum valve that brings the inside of the cylindrical body to the same pressure as the inside of the vacuum container.

According to this configuration, what is the internal size of the hollow cylindrical body? It can be made as small as approximately the size required to enclose the d-holder.

Next, the present invention will be explained based on illustrated embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing a probe immersion device according to an embodiment of the present invention when the hollow cylindrical body assumes a raised position, in which 1 is a vacuum container, 2 is an upper lid of the vacuum container 1, 3
4 is a steel ladle, 4 is molten steel, 5 is a frame, 6 is a winch used for raising and lowering a hollow cylindrical body 8 that can be raised and lowered, 7 is a winch 6
A guide roller 10 for the cable 9 (shown in Figure 2 and shown in Figure 6 when the hollow cylinder assumes the lowered position) is provided at the lower end of the cylinder 8. flange, 11 is an O-ring, 12 is a cover plate for the cylindrical body 8,
13 is an atmosphere introduction valve, 14 is a winding drum, 151d is a wire for hanging the holder 18, 16 is a pulley, 17 is a box, 19 (d: reduction mechanism, 20 is a motor, 21 is a seal, 22 is a coupling, 23 is a support, 24 is a bearing, 25 is a shaft, 35 is a clamp unit, 37
is the upper clamper, 38 is the lower clamper, 39! d
41 is a bellows, 42'd is a stopper, 441d is an opening formed in the upper lid part 2 of the vacuum container 1, and 45 is a probe storing and cutting device (the details thereof are shown in FIG. 4 and (shown in FIG. 5).

FIG. 1 shows the state immediately before the start of measurement, in which the clampers 37 and 38 of the clamp unit 35 are attached to one glove 3.
4 is shown clamped and brought to a horizontal position coinciding with the travel path of the holder 18.

The clamp unit 35 is located along the guide rail 36.
It is movable in the horizontal direction as seen in the figure, and receives the position cut out by the probe storage/cutting device 45 (the probe in the cut out position is indicated by 34A in FIG. 2). a first position for clamping, and a second position for supporting the probe in a position that coincides with the traveling path of the holder 18.
It can take three positions: the position shown in FIG. 2, and a third position in which it retreats to the right as seen in FIG. 2 so as not to interfere with the lowering of the hollow cylindrical body 18.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the probe storing and cutting device 45 includes a pair of upper and lower arms 2 extending from the pedestal 5.
A shaft 2T is rotatably supported between a pair of bearings provided on the shaft 27, and a pair of upper and lower discs 28 are attached to the shaft 27.
, and leaf springs 29 of the shape and size to support the probe 34 by pushing it from the side are provided on the outer periphery of these disks at equal pitches, and the shaft 27 is rotated via the coupling 31 by a motor 32 provided on the base. This is what I did.

Motor 32'j: The clamp unit 35 receives the probe from the probe storage and cutting device and moves it to the holder 18.
While returning to a position that coincides with the travel path, the probe is rotated by one pitch and the next probe is moved to the cutting position.

As is well known, the probe 34 is equipped with a protective paper tube around it and has a connector section C of the holder 18 at its rear end.
It has a structure that includes a connector part that can be fitted with the connector.

The hollow cylindrical body 8 does not necessarily have to be cylindrical, and can have any shape as long as the holder 18 can be moved up and down smoothly inside the hollow cylindrical body 8. This is to maintain airtightness when the bellows 41 is lowered and overlapped with the flange 40, and the bellows 41 provided on the lower side of the mating 7 flange 40 is used to maintain the O when the flange 10 is brought into pressure contact with the flange 40.
The stopper 42 is for preventing the ring 11 from being crushed and is made of flexible metal or the like, and the stopper 42 prevents the lowering of the cylindrical body 8 from being crushed in order to prevent the bellows from being crushed due to overrun of the lowering movement of the cylindrical body 8. It is meant to limit.

In the state shown in FIG. 2, the vacuum valve 43 is closed and the atmosphere introduction valve 13 is open.

Here, it is assumed that the motor 20 is started and the holder 18 starts lowering.

The tip of the holder 18, which has started to descend, is inserted into the paper tube of the probe, which is currently placed in the position shown in FIG. When inserted into the connector at the end, the clampers 37, 3B are opened to release the glove, and when the probe 34 continues to descend, the holder 18 stops descending immediately after the tip of the probe 34 slightly pushes down the mounting lever 39.

At this time, the reaction force exerted by the mounting lever 39 causes the connector portion C of the holder 18 and the connector portion at the rear end of the probe to be securely fitted together, completing the mechanical and electrical connection therebetween.

Next, the motor 32 is reversed to raise the holder 18 to its upper limit, and at the same time, the clamp unit 35 is retreated to a position where the lowering of the cylindrical body 8 is not hindered.

Here, by starting the winch 6, the cylindrical body 8 is moved to the flange 10.
is lowered until it overlaps the flange 40 (see FIG. 6), and the atmosphere introduction valve 13 is closed.

Next, the vacuum valve 43 is opened, and the air inside the hollow cylindrical body 8 is exhausted by the vacuum exhaust system provided in the vacuum container 1.

Next, as the motor 20 rotates, the probe mounted on the holder 18 is lowered and immersed in the molten steel 4 to an appropriate depth, thereby performing measurements and sampling.

After the probe has been immersed for a suitable period of time, such as 3 to 5 seconds, the probe is raised to the upper limit along with the holder 18 by reversing the motor 20.

At this point, the vacuum valve 43 is closed and at the same time the atmosphere introduction valve 13 is closed.
is opened, and the inside of the cylindrical body 8 is returned to atmospheric pressure.

Next, the cylindrical body 8 is raised to the upper limit by the reverse rotation of the winch 6, and at the same time, the holder 18' is lowered by the forward rotation of the motor 20 to a position where the probe is clamped by the clampers 31 and 38, and then the clamp unit 35 is advanced and the probe is attached to the clamper 3.
7, 38 and at the same time the motor 20
The probe is separated from the holder 18 by raising the holder 18 by reversing the position.

Next, the clamp unit 35 is moved back to the waiting position with the probe clamped by the clampers 37 and 38, and then the clampers 37 and 38 are opened by operating a manual switch (not shown), and the free probe is released. It is dropped into a suitable recovery means or recovered manually.

The above is one cycle of measurement, and the same operation is repeated for the next probe.

Although not shown in the drawings, position detection means for each movable component and appropriate control means for adjusting the overall timing based thereon are provided, so that each measurement cycle is carried out substantially automatically. .

Although the apparatus of the illustrated embodiment has been described above, the present invention is not limited thereto.

The device of the present invention is also applicable to probes other than those used for sample collection and temperature measurement, such as those that include an element for measuring the amount of oxygen contained.

In addition, if it is desired to use two or more types of probes for multiple measurement purposes, multiple probe storage/cutting devices can be installed to make them movable, and the necessary probe storage/cutting devices can be installed each time. It is also impossible to configure the device so that it can be moved to a position where the probe can be sent out to the cutting position, and as an example of such a configuration, as shown in Figures 5a and 5b of Japanese Patent Publication No. 53-6556 mentioned above, can be used.

Further, it is not necessary to install the entire device on the upper lid of the vacuum container 1, and only light components such as the flange 40 and the vacuum valve 43 are provided on the upper lid, and a pillar or the like is erected from the floor where the vacuum container is installed. The remaining necessary equipment, such as a probe storage and cutting device, may be attached to this pillar.

As is clear from the above explanation, the present invention has a hollow cylindrical body that is movable up and down, and a device for storing and cutting out the probe and disposing the probe at the outside of the hollow cylindrical body. Since the amount of vacuum evacuation per measurement can be reduced, it is possible to save energy, and maintenance of the 2-probe housing/cutting-out and attachment/detachment device and probe replenishment work can be performed safely and easily. Since the weight of the equipment placed on the top lid of the container can be reduced, the lid can be moved safely.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a conventional probe dipping device of manual attachment/detachment type; FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view of a probe dipping device according to an embodiment of the present invention when the hollow cylindrical body assumes a raised position; 3 is a sectional view taken along the line A-A in FIG. 2, FIG. 4 is an enlarged side view of the probe storage and cutting device used in the device shown in FIG. 2, and FIG. 6 is a plan view of the probe storing and cutting device shown in FIG. 6, and FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the main part of the device shown in FIG. 2 when the hollow cylindrical body is in the lowered position. 1... Vacuum container, 2... Top lid, 3... Ladle, 4
... Molten steel, 5... Frame, 6... Winch, 8...
・Hollow cylindrical body, 9...Wire, 10...Flange, 13...Air introduction valve, 15...Wire, 18.
...Holder, 20...Motor, 25...Shaft, 27...Shaft, 28...Disc, 29...
Leaf spring, 32...Motor, 34...Probe, 3
5... Clamp unit, 36... Guide rail,
37, 38... Clamper, 39... Mounting lever,
40...Flange, 43...Vacuum valve, 44...Opening, 45...Probe storage and cutting device.

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] (1) It has an upper lid with an opening, and has an open lower end that houses a vacuum vessel that accommodates a molten steel ladle inside, and a holder that is movable up and down above the opening and that can be reciprocated inside. a hollow cylindrical body; a glove storage/cutting device for storing a plurality of probes for sample collection, temperature measurement, etc. and cutting them out one by one as needed; a clamp unit that clamps the probe and attaches and detaches it to the holder; A probe immersion device comprising: a vacuum valve for bringing the inside of the body to the same pressure as the inside of the vacuum container. (2) Utility Model Registration Scope of Claim In the glove immersion device according to claim 1, the clamp unit is formed at the opening of the upper lid of the vacuum container and the lower end of the hollow cylindrical body when the hollow cylindrical body assumes the raised position. a first position that is horizontally movable within a height area occupied by the space occupied by the probe and receives the probe cut out by the probe storage and cutout device; A probe immersion device comprising a structure including a pair of upper and lower clampers that can assume a third position in which the hollow cylindrical body is retracted without interfering with the lowering of the hollow cylindrical body. (3) Utility Model Registration Scope of the Claim In the probe dipping device according to claim 2, the probe storage and cutting device is a disc that is fixed to a vertical shaft as a pair of upper and lower parts and is arranged at a position away from the running path of the holder. and a plurality of leaf springs arranged vertically around these disks at equal pitches and having shapes and dimensions that support the probe by pushing it in from the side; A probe immersion device consisting of a rotating motor.