A gripping tool for removing a heat exchanger plate from a furnace wall, the gripping tool including a base having a mechanical attachment device for releasably fixing to a tool end of a boom, and a gripping assembly carriage equipped with at least a fork extending, when in use, substantially horizontally from the gripping assembly carriage. The gripping assembly carriage further includes a clamp assembly having a clamp arm equipped with at least a clamp pad, wherein said clamp arm extends substantially in the direction of the at least one fork and is movable towards and away from the at least one fork for clamping a heat exchanger plate between the fork and the clamp pad.

Supplementary cooling elements in addition to a primary cooling element of a furnace. The supplementary cooling elements, with two or more components, may be inserted from the outside of the furnace into holes that pass through and the primary cooling element such that the cooling elements protrude beyond the inner surface of the primary cooling element. An inner one of the components of the supplementary cooling element may be received by an outer one of the components in a manner that forces the outer component into a thermally conductive pressure connection with the primary cooling element.

A method of densification of refractory material in a gap between a tap hole sleeve of a furnace and a surround block of the furnace, the surround block surrounding the tap hole sleeve, the method comprising, includes positioning a tool in the gap, the tool including a support having opposing surfaces and a sidewall connecting the opposing surfaces, the opposing surfaces having an arcuate shape, a plurality of elongated members extending from one of the opposing surfaces, and a connector arranged on the other of the opposing surfaces. The gap is filled with dry material, and vibration is applied to the tool to densify the dry material.

A formulation containing polymer, resin and cement combined with aggregate can be used as a gunnable mix that is applied to a surface by being conveyed pneumatically in dry form to a nozzle, where water is added. Polymer in the gunnable mix enables it to adhere and bond to a surface, such as carbon brick, of a lining of a vessel used for the containment of molten metals. The formulation may be used, for example, to repair and protect blast furnace hearth linings.

A cooling assembly for a metallurgical furnace includes a cooling plate disposed inside of a furnace shell of the metallurgical furnace; a cooling pipe traversing a shell opening in the furnace shell and being connected to the cooling plate; and a compensator disposed around the cooling pipe for forming a seal between the cooling pipe and the furnace shell. In order to provide ways for facilitating repair of a cooling system of the metallurgical furnace, the method includes at least the step of performing at least one cutting operation with a cutting device having a fixture and a cutting tool movably connected to the fixture for a guided movement with respect to the fixture. The fixture is mounted to the cooling pipe, whereby the cutting device is aligned with respect to the cooling pipe, and the cutting tool is guidedly moved while performing the cutting operation.

A metallurgical vessel structure and method is provided for producing low-impurity Magnesia-Carbon reclaimed aggregate suitable for reuse in the production of high purity Magnesia-Carbon refractory. A metallurgical vessel is assembled with a non-reactive or chemically similar backup lining. The entire height of the working lining wall is Magnesia-Carbon brick suitable for reuse. The working lining is exposed to a metal making high temperature process, and the working lining is sequentially demolished. Due to the assembly of vessel, metallurgical practice, and ease of demolishing the vessel, there is little to no need for sorting, such that the used Magnesia-Carbon brick are easily converted into low impurity Magnesia-Carbon reclaimed aggregate. A refractory composed of low-impurity Magnesia aggregate reclaimed from the method is also contemplated.

An efficient method of installing an access door in a high temperature structure having an outer door casing spaced from an inner door liner, wherein the casing and liner are aligned to thereby define a passageway through a wall of the structure. The space between the casing, the liner and the structure wall is filled with compressed insulation, and this filled space is temporarily closed off with liner insert plates which thereby compress the insulation and provide a temporary door casing frame. The replacement prehung door assembly is installed in this surrounding temporary door casing frame, and the doorframe assembly is secured to the inner door liner, and thereafter the temporary insert plates closing off the space between the door casing and door liner are removed thereby permitting the compressed insulation in the space between the casing and the liner to expand and engage the doorframe assembly.

A method of separating a mixture of used refractory components of different chemistry types obtained from a demolished refractory includes hydrating the mixture of refractory components to destructively hydrate at least some components of the mixture of refractory components, and separating, based on size, the at least some components from other components of the mixture of refractory components.