US1359067A

US1359067A - Arrangement of electric-furnace electrodes

Info

Publication number: US1359067A
Application number: US283519A
Authority: US
Inventors: Hvidsten Thorleif Mandt; Ingelsrud Arne Hildor
Original assignee: Det Norske Aktieselskap for Elektrokemisk Industri
Current assignee: Det Norske Aktieselskap for Elektrokemisk Industri
Priority date: 1919-03-19
Filing date: 1919-03-19
Publication date: 1920-11-16
Anticipated expiration: 1937-11-16

Description

T. M. HVIDSTEN AND A. H. INGELSRUD.

ARRANGEMENT 0F ELECTRIC FURNACE ELEcTRoDEs.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I9. |919.

1 ,359,6'7. Patented Nov. 16, 1920.

S Figl. p

Invetors, Thorlef Mandt Hv'ldsten,

\ Ar Hildor e srud.

l Attorneys.

UNITED'STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THORLEIF MANDT HVIDSTEN AND ARNE HILDOR INGELSRUD, 0F CHRISTIANIA, NORWAY, ASSIGNORS TO DET NOBSKE AKTIESELSKAB FOR ELEKTROKEMISK INDUSTRI, OF CHRISTIANIA, NORWAY. I f

ARRANGEMENT OF' ELECTBIC-FURNACE. ELECTRDES.

To all whom z'tma concern.:

Be it known that we, THORLEIF MANDT HvIDs'rEN and ARNE Hinnon INGELSRUD, subjects of N orwa and residents Christiania, in the ingdom of Norway, have invented certain new and useful Imrovements in the Arrangement of Electricurnace Electrodes, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electric furnace electrodes and has for its object an arrangement of such. electrodes which makes possible the use of electric arcs burning above the molten bath of electric furnaces.

Several constructions of elect-ric furnaces employ such electric arcs, but there are always certain difficulties connected with these known types of furnaces. These difficulties are avoided in our present invention.

In order to obtain the best results with open electric arcs they must be arranged so as to concentrate their radiation on the molten bath without heating too strongly the walls, roof or other parts of the furnace.

According to our present invention great advantages are obtained as compared to the hitherto known electrode arrangements. 7e can start the furnace in a very simple man ner without the use of a foreign source of heat, and our open-electric arc is strongly convex toward the bath of the furnace, thus concentrating its Heat of radiation on the bath, While the walls and roof of the furnace are well protected. Further the electrodes may be regulated in a simple manner during operation of the furnace.

In the accompanying drawings which form a part of this application,-

Figure 1 represents a vertical sectional View of an electric furnace embodying this invention, taken on the line II-II of Fig. 2.

Fig. 2 represents a plan view of the furnace.

Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary elevational view of the top of the furnace as viewed in the direction of the arrow III of Fig. 2, certain parts being omitted for clearness of illustration, and

Fig. 4 represents a side elevation as viewed in the direction of the arrow IV of Fig. 2.

Referring more particularly t0 the draw- Specification of Letters Patent. `Patented Nov' 16, 1920. Application led March 19, 1919. i

Serial No. 283,519.

ings, a represents an electric furnace on which electrode guides Z2 are mounted. These guides are each pivotally mounted as at Z'on mantles u, which are mounted in openlngs in the roof of the furnace. Each of the electrode guides b is connected by a link c with a collar d which is slidably mounted for Vertical adjustment on a standard e mounted on the top of t'he furnace. The links are ypivoted at their inner ends to the' collar, and at their outer vends are pivotally connected in any suitable manner to the electrode guides. Each link is adjustable in length by means of a turn-buckle z', and there is thus provided an independent angular adjustment for each electrode guide. bimultaneous adjustment of the electrode guides for effecting the angular relation of the electrodes in the furnace may be had by vertical adjustment of the collar d. The means for adjusting this collar include a lever f which is pivotally connected at its inner end to the collar, and at its outer end to a nut, mounted on a screw which is controlled by a hand-wheel h. The lever is fulcrumed at a point g on a suitably supported bracket. By turning the wheel 71, in one direction, the lever will be actuated so as to lift the collar d, and thus decrease the angle between the electrodes, and by a reverse movement of the wheel, the collar will be lowered, and thus increase the said angle.

he electrodes 7c are each supported by an electrode holder slidably mounted on one of the electrode guides in such manner as to allow longitudinal adjustment of the electrode with respect to its guide. The electrodes project into the furnace through the mantles u.

These mantles are preferably watercooled, and make a fairly tight joint with the electrodes, being flared to permit the angular adjustment of the electrodes above described.

In addition to the individual and simultaneous adjustment of the angular relation of the electrodes, means are provided for effecting individual and simultaneous adjustment of the distance which the electrodes project into the furnace.

These means include cords p which are attached at their outer ends to the electrode suitably supported on the furnace and which is rotatable by means of a crank m, and ratchet connections between the shaft and the drums are provided so that the drums may be simultaneously rotated with the shaft upon turning the crank m, or individually operated by turning their respective hand-wheels o.

The above described mechanism therefore provides means for regulating the depth of the electrodes, both individually and colle'c tively with respect to the charge, their angular relation one to the other, and to the charge, and the distance apart of their ends, and further provides Vmeans whereby the electrode ends may be grouped at various points in the furnace as desired.

The invention has been illustrated as applied to a furnace which may be tilted for discharging its contents, and when so applied it is obvious that the entire electrode apparatus is tiltable with the furnace without necessary change of any adjustment at which the electrodes may be fixed.

While the furnace is shown as equipped with three electrodes and operating means therefor, it will be understood that the number of electrodes may of course be varied without departing from the invention.

In order to start the furnace, We proceed as folloWs,-

A layer of coke or similar material is placed on the bottom of the furnace, and the electrodes are adjusted so that their ends contact with the coke at a suitable angle and distance apart. An' electric current is now applied and the heating of the furnace will take place without the great variation of current present where the starting is effected by forming electric arcs directly between the electrodes.

When the furnace has reached the temperature desired for the-process in question we gradually lift the electrodes and at the same time change their angle, thusl establishng an open electric arc ata suitable distance above the bath of the furnace.

We have found it advantageous t'o arrange the electrodes in such manner as to be able to vary their angle With the horizontal plane from about 67 to about 30. On account nf electro-dynamic effects the electric arc will during operation of the furnace be blown toward the bath of the furnace. The electrodes themselves will therefore protect the roof of the furnace against radiation of j heat from the arc.

Both the common and the separate regulating devices of the electrodes may easily be operated at any time, and the electrodes may always be brought into the most advantageous position without breaking the electric current. le also obtain another advantage by our arrangement of the electrodes, as the electrodynamic forces effecting the blowing of the arc toward the bath of the furnace increase in strength in proportion to the amperage of the current. If the resistance of the arc for some reason or other is decreased thus causing a stronger current to pass between the electrodes, the electrodynamic forces will automatically blow the arc farther down thus increasing its length and also its electric resistance. Thus the electric current will tend to stabilize itself by our arrangement of the electrodes.

The foregoing detailed description has been given for clearness of understanding, and no undue limitation should be deduced therefrom, but the appended claims should be construed as broadly as permissible, in view of the prior art.

Ve claim.

l. The combination in an electric furnace, of a plurality of electrodes therefor, means for effecting a simultaneous adjustment of the electrodes in respect to their depth in the furnace, and means for effecting a simultaneous angular adjustment of the electrodes.

2. The combination in an electric furnace, of electrodes therefor, means for effecting a simultaneous adjustment of the electrodes and for effecting individual adjustment thereof in respect to their depth in the furnace, and means forieffectin a simultaneous angular adjustment' of the e ectrodes.

3. The combination in an electric furnace, of electrodes therefor, means for effecting adjustment of the electrodes in respect to their depth in the furnace, and means for effecting a simultaneous and individual angular adjustment of the electrodes.

4. The combination in an electric furnace, of electrodes therefor, means for effecting a simultaneous adjustment of the electrodes and for effecting individual adjustment of the electrodes in respect to their depth in the furnace, and mea-ns for effectin a simultaneous and individual angular a justment of the electrodes.

5. The combination in an electric furnace, of electrodes therefor, and means for effecting' a simultaneous and individual angular adjustment of the'electrodes.

6. The combination in an electric furnace, of electrodes therefor, and means for effecting a simultaneous angular adjustment ofv of electrodes therefor, means for effecting a simultaneous angular adjustment of the electrodes, and means for effecting adjustment of the distance apart of their ends.

8, The combination in an electric furnace, of electrodes therefor, and means for effecting a simultaneous and individual angular adjustment of the electrodes and for effecting adjustment of the distance apart of their ends.

9, The combination in an electric furnace, of electrodes therefor, means for effecting a simultaneous and individual angular adjustment of the electrodes, and means for effecting adjustment of the distance apart of their ends.

10. The combination in an electric furnace, of electrode guides mounted for angular adjustment with respect tothe furnace, electrode holders mounted for adjustment longitudinally of the guides, means for effecting a simultaneous and individual angular adjustment of the guides, and means for effecting a simultaneous and individual longitudinal adjustment of the holders relatively to the guides.

11. The combination in an electric furnace tiltable into a position for discharging its contents, of a plurality of electrodes for the furnace. and means for effecting adjustment of the electrodes with respect to their depth in the furnace and with respect to their angular relation to each other, said means being tiltable with the furnace without necessary change of any adjustment at which the electrodes may be fixed.

12. Arrangement of electrodes in electric furnaces comprising a mechanism for simultaneously moving all electrodes in longitudinal direction and another mechanism fory simultaneously changing the angle of all electrodes.

13. Arrangement of electrodes in electric furnaces comprising a mechanism for simultaneously moving all electrodes in longitudinal direction and also for adjusting each separately in longitudinal direction, and further comprising a mechanism for simultaneously changing the angle of all electrodes and also for adjusting the angle of each electrode separately.

14. Arrangement of electrodes in electr-ic furnaces comprising a mechanism for simultaneously moving all electrodes in longitudinal direction and another mechanism for simultaneously changing the angle of all electrodes, the angle between each electrode and thehorizontal plane being variable from 670 to 300, the electrodes thus protecting the walls and roof of the furnaceagainst radiation of heat from the electric arc.

15. Arrangement of electrodes in electric furnaces comprising a mechanism for simultaneously moving all electrodes in longitudinal direction and also for adjusting each electrode separately in longitudinal direction, and further comprising a mechanism for simultaneously changing the angle of all electrodes and also for adjusting the angle of each electrode separately, the angle between each electrode and the horizontal plane being variable from 67 to 300, the electrodes thus protecting the walls and roof of the furnace against radiation of heat from the electric arc.

16. .Arrangement of electrodes in electric furnaces comprising a mechanism for simultaneously moving all electrodes in longitudinal direction and also for adjusting each electrode separately in longitudinal direction, and further comprising a mechanism for simultaneously changing the angle of all electrodes and also for adjusting the angle of each electrode separately, the latter mechanism comprising a centralvertically sliding body and levers connected with each electrode and also connected with said sliding body.

17. Arrangement of electrodes in electric furnaces comprising a mechanism for simultaneously moving all electrodes in longitudinal direction and also for adjusting each electrode separately in longitudinal direction, and further comprising a mechanism for simultaneously changing the angle of all electrodes and also for adjusting the angle of each electrode separately, the latter mechanism comprising a central vertically sliding body and levers connected with each electrode and also connected with said sliding body, each lever being provided with a right and lefthand screw for adjustment ofk each electrode separately.

Signed at Christiania, Norway, this 13th of January, 1919. THORLEIF MANDT HVIDSTEN. AHNE HILDOR INGELSRUD.