US2013511A

US2013511A - Method and apparatus for cleaning

Info

Publication number: US2013511A
Application number: US741036A
Authority: US
Inventors: Steinbacher Karl
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1934-08-23
Filing date: 1934-08-23
Publication date: 1935-09-03
Anticipated expiration: 1952-09-03

Description

Sept. 3, 1935 K. STEINBACHER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING Filed Aug. 23, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTOR Sept. 3, 1935. K. STEINBACHER 2,013,511

METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR CLEANING Filed Aug. 23, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 [g3 kgfin NVENJI'OR i Patented Sept. 3, 1935 UNITED STATES TENT FIE

12 Claims.

My invention relates to the cleaning of checkerwork structures and, in particular, those designedfor the absorption, storage and delivery of heat.

The present tendency in the construction of checkerwork for heat transfer is to make the passages through the checkerwork smaller and smaller in order to obtain better contact of the heating gases with the refractory composing the checkerwork. While this construction increases the efficiency of heat transfer, it presents a new problem of a different sort.

It is well known that checkerwork subject to a gas blast will collect particlesborne by the blast to an extent such that the function of the checkerwork, such as heat absorption or delivery, is seriously interfered with. The problem is particularly acute in blast furnace stoves because of the fact that the blast furnace gas which is used for heating usually carries with it a considerable percentage of fines.

' Whilev gas cleaning apparatus is known, the cost of equipment capable of cleaning the volume of gas traversing the blast furnace stove to the extent necessary to avoid the objectionable deposit above mentioned, is prohibitive.

It has been the practice heretofore to clean checkerwork, such as that, installed in blast furnace stoves, by air or steam jets. Checkerwork, from its very nature, is not well adapted for cleaning by such means because it is constructed to diffuse the gas traversing it and naturally offers considerable frictional resistance to flow therethrough. It has been found that air and steam jets are capable of cleaning only a limited depth of the checkerwork. This naturally leaves the dirt removed from the upper layers so congested in the middle layers as almost to close the checker openings. There is, furthermore, an ever-present hazard to operatives using such jets.

Other expedients, such as pushing rods through the checkerwork or dropping chains or. weights through the openings therein, have been resorted to in an effort to clean the lower depths of the checkerwork more efiectively. This manner of cleaning checkerwork, however, involves a great deal of hand labor and is tedious and time-consuming and, at best, is efiective only to a limited degree.

I have invented a novel method and apparatus for cleaning checkerwork to remove accumulations of blast-borne material therefrom, which, avoid the objections to the means and methods previously employed for this purpose. In accordance with my invention, 1 isolate the checkerwork from the source of the gas normally traversing it, and flush the checkerwork whencold, with a liquid such as water, draining off the water and accumulations entrained therewith. After thorough flushing in this manner, the checkerwork, after drying out, may be restored to service in a relatively short time. The apparatus comprises a header or manifold adapted to be suspended above the checkerwork, the manifold having flexible conduits extending therefrom adapted to be inserted in the openings'in the checkerwork to conduct the flushing liquid therethrough.

A more complete understandingof the invention will result from a consideration of the accompanying drawings and the following description having reference thereto. In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view through a blast furnace stove, showing diagrammatically the checkerwork therein, and the preferred embodiment of the invention in position for use;

Figure 2 is a perspective view to enlarged scale showing the apparatus and the manner of its use;

Figures 3, 4, 5 and.6 are horizontal sectional views taken through the checkerwork at the planes indicated by the correspondingly numbered lines, showing one form of checkerwork construction and indicating the character of the openings in the checkerwork at various levels; and

Figure 7 is an elevation of a portion of the apparatus, with part of the checkerwork in section.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, the invention will be described as applied to the cleaning of checkerwork in a blast furnace stove Ill, although it is to be understood that it is applicable to the cleaning of various types of checkerwork, regardless .of their function or place of. installation. The stove I0 is of usual construction including a metallic shell II, a refractory lining H, a dome I3, and checkerwork indicated generally at M. furnace, is admitted through a valve l5 to a combustion chamber I6, which is simply an enlarged vertical passage formed by a baflle wall Ilia extending upwardly toward'the dome. A chimney valve I! controls'the discharge of hot gases from Heating gas, usually from a blast I} the stove. The dome 13 has an opening l8 commonly closed by a plug and cap. Cold and hot blast valves are indicated at I9 and 20, respectively.

Figures 3, 4, 5 and' Gindicate the character of The size of the openings in the checkerwork decreases as the gas descends through the stack, and the character of the openings is such as to provide for the maximum area of contact between the refractory brick composing the checkerwork and the gases passing through the openings therein.

The brick in the upper levels of the checkerwork are as shown in Figure 3 and have a vertical hole therein. The next section is formed by brick as shown in Figure 4 having similar openings with diagonal baffles. The next section is composed of similar members, the baflies being disposed in the opposite direction, as shown in Figure 5. The bottom section of the checkerwork has cruciform bailles disposed in the openings of the brick, as shown in Figure 6.

The limiting factor upon the capacity of the stove, of course, is the area of the brickwork exposed to the heating gas.

The construction described in detail so far is not part of my invention but is well known in the metallurgical art; It will be apparent that the removal of fines deposited on checkerbrick, such as shown in Figures 3 through'fi, at a depth as great as 30 or 40 feet, presents a diflicult problem, particularly since the checkerwork is the heart of the stove, representing an investment of many thousands of dollars, and the fact that the brickwork is normally maintained at very high temperatures. Under the circumstances, the checkerwork must be guarded against deleterious influences insofar as possible in order to prolong its life to the utmost.

After the checkerwork has been heated to incandescence by the hot gases flowing therethrough from the combustion chamber, the burner l5 and the chimney valve I! are closed. The cold blast valve l9 and the hot blast valve 20 are then opened and cold air is delivered through the former to the checkerwork and is discharged 4 through the valve 20 to the point where the hot air is required, usually the heating or melting chamber of a metallurgical furnace. When the checkerwork has been partially cooled, the process is repeated.

The layer of fines collecting on the checkerbrick during normal use, acts as an insulator to prevent the efiicient absorption and delivery of heat by the checkerwork. The problem is particularly acute in newer installations where the openings through the checkerwork are smaller and the diffusion of the gas is greater, in order to provide a greater area of contact. It is practically impossible to .clean these later types of.

checkerwork installations by methods in use heretofore on installations in which the diffusion of the gases and the reduction in the size of the openings in the checkerwork were not carried to such an extent as at present.

My invention contemplates the use of a 'manifold 2| adapted to be suspended within the dome.

ill of the stove l0. It may conveniently be inserted through the opening 18 on removal of the plug and cap (not shown).

and cleaning action. Hotwater also dries. out from the checkerwork more quickly than cold. Flexible conduits, for example hose lines v,23, are

connected to the manifold 2l= in such manneras.

The manifold 2| is; connected-by a pipe 22 to a source of liquid, such as water; A steam line 22a connects tothe pipe '22 to heat the water so as to increase its solvent ported substantially perpendicular by supports 24 illustrated in detail in Figure 7. These supports comprise a vertical member'25, and a cross member or yoke 26 secured thereto. The lower end of the uprights 25 are preferably provided with shoulders 21 whereby the uprights may be placed in the openings in the checkerbrick and supported thereon, being capable of ready movement from place to place as desired.

When it is necessary to clean a checkerbrick installation, I isolate it from the sources of the gases normally traversing it, and permit the checkerwork to cool, if heated, to a temperaturesuch that workmen can conveniently operate in the vicinity. In the particular application of the invention to blast furnace stoves, I close valves l5, l1, l9 and 20, and position the manifold within the dome in about the position shown in the drawings, and insert the hose lines into the openings in the checkerbrick. By turning on the water, a cleansing flow passes into and down throughthe checkerwork, washing all accumulations of dust and fines therefrom, not only by reason of the volume and velocity of the Water, but also by its solvent action. The result is that the checkerwork is very thoroughly cleaned. The entire mass of brick is subjected to similar treatment by moving the hoselines from brick to brick throughout the area of the top layer. The supports 24, of course, are moved with the hose lines, as may be necessary. The wash water and particles entrained therewith fiows out at the bottom of the stove through a drain port 28.

It will be apparent from the foregoing that the invention provides a method and apparatus for cleaning the checkerwork which is far superior to anything proposed for that purpose hereinstallation shortened. The water streams descending through the checkerwork penetrate every crevice thereof and effect a thorough cleaning operation such as could not possibly be obtained by mechanical means, since the points on the lower part of the structure where the fines accumulate most thickly cannot be seen or otherwise reached. The congestion of the dirt in the middle or lower part of the checkerwork resulting-from the use ofsteam or air jetsis avoided. The invention makes it possible to utilize the newer types ofcheckerworks having small openings therein providing greater surface area for heat transfer. These installations would otherwise become entirely useless after a certain length of time, because of the collection of the insulating layer of fines therein and the impossibility of cleaning the checkerwork by the means now known. In some still newer types of checkerwork, furthermore, the bricks are designed to introduce a certain turbulence into the gases flowing therein. These structures absolutely prevent the introduction of mechanical means reproximately one-fifth the time necessary with 75 the air or steam jets and mechanical means. As previously stated, the refractory brick is hardly affected appreciably, since the water absorbed is easily removed by drying the brickwork prior to reheating it to operating temperature. This drying may be conveniently accomplished by circulating slightly warmed' air through the checkerwork at a relatively low velocity.

As an instance of the efiectiveness of the invention, it has been used on a blast furnace stove after the latter had been cleaned as well as possible by previously known methods and apparatus. The use of the invention on a stove so cleaned removed a great deal of additional ac cumulation which had not been touched by the mechanical means or the high velocity air and steam jets.

Although I have illustrated and described herein but a preferred practice of the invention and a typical embodiment of the apparatus incident thereto, it willbe apparent that many changes may be made in the method and apparatus without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim: 7

1. In a method of removing accumulations of blast-home matter from refractory checkerwork adapted to be traversed by a gas blast, the steps including isolating the checkerwork from the source of gas, and flushing the checkerwork with water in sufiicient volume and at sufllcient. velocity to carry the accumulations through and away from the checkerwork.

2. The method defined by claim 1 characterized by the further preliminary step of cooling the checkerwork substantially to atmospheric temperature before flushing.

3. The method defined by claim 1 characterized by the further final step of drying the checkerwork after flushing, prior to reheating it to operative temperatures.

4. In a method of freeing regenerative checkerwork from accumulations of blast-home particles, the steps including isolating the checkerwork from associated sources of gas, directing streams of water downwardly through the checkerwork, and draining the water and accumulations entrained therewith from below the checkerwork.

' 5. In a method of cleaning the checkerwork in blast furnace stoves, the steps including cutting the stove out of service, flushing the checkerwork with water, and drying the checkerwork before reheating it to operative temperatures.

6. In a method of removing accumulated fines from checkerwork subject to gas blasts, the steps including cutting off the blasts, flushing the checkerwork with water, and draining the water and entrained accumulations.

7. In a method of cleaning regenerative checkerwork, the steps including flushing it with-wathe flexible conduits as to maintain them substantially vertical at their points of entry into the checkerwork.

9. A hose support for a checkerwork cleaning apparatus comprising an upright having its lower end shaped to enter and engage a checkerbrick, said upright having means thereon for engaging and supporting a hose.

10. The apparatus defined by claim 9 wherein said hose-engaging and supporting means comprises a cross member secured to said upright.

11.In a method of cleaning checkerwork, the steps including subjecting it to the action of a flow of water in suflicient volume and at sufllcient velocity to carry away fines deposited thereon.

12. In a method of removing accumulated dirt from the checkerwork of blast furnace stoves, the steps including discharging water into the checkerwork from adjacent the top of the stove, and draining the water and removed dirt from the lower partof the stove.

KARL S'IEINBACHER.