The invention relates to a charging installation (1) of a metallurgical reactor, with a cooling assembly (4) disposed for cooling a reactor side of the charging installation (1). In order to facilitate the installation and maintenance of a heat protection shield in a charging installation of a metallurgical reactor, the cooling assembly (4) comprises a plurality of cooling panels (10), each cooling panel (10) comprising at least one coolant channel (12). The channel (12) is formed as a groove in the base plate (11), which groove is covered by a cover plate (13) mounted on the base plate (11).

The invention relates to a charging installation (1) of a metallurgical reactor, with a cooling assembly (4) disposed for cooling a reactor side of the charging installation (1). In order to facilitate the installation and maintenance of a heat protection shield in a charging installation of a metallurgical reactor, the cooling assembly (4) comprises a plurality of cooling panels (10), each cooling panel (10) comprising at least one coolant channel (12). The channel (12) is formed as a groove in the base plate (11), which groove is covered by a cover plate (13) mounted on the base plate (11).

A delivery device for delivering filler material into a blast furnace, comprising: a housing provided with a transition channel for the filler material which defines a first axis X; a chute for the filler material arranged underneath said transition channel; first actuating means, defining a respective second axis A parallel to the first axis X, to actuate a tilt of the chute with respect to the first axis X; second actuating means, defining a respective third axis B parallel to the first axis X, to actuate a rotation of the chute about said first axis X; a first annular body inside said housing and coaxial to the first axis X, adapted to translate along the first axis X by means of said first actuating means; a second annular body inside said housing and coaxial to said first axis X, adapted to translate along the first axis X being coupled to the first annular body and/or adapted to rotate about the first axis X by means of said second actuating means; a mechanism coupled to the second annular body and to the chute, adapted to convert a translational motion of the second annular body into a tilting movement of the chute with respect to the first axis X, and adapted to convert a rotation motion of the second annular body into a rotation movement of the chute with respect to the first axis X.

A delivery device for delivering filler material into a blast furnace, comprising: a housing provided with a transition channel for the filler material which defines a first axis X; a chute for the filler material arranged underneath said transition channel; first actuating means, defining a respective second axis A parallel to the first axis X, to actuate a tilt of the chute with respect to the first axis X; second actuating means, defining a respective third axis B parallel to the first axis X, to actuate a rotation of the chute about said first axis X; a first annular body inside said housing and coaxial to the first axis X, adapted to translate along the first axis X by means of said first actuating means; a second annular body inside said housing and coaxial to said first axis X, adapted to translate along the first axis X being coupled to the first annular body and/or adapted to rotate about the first axis X by means of said second actuating means; a mechanism coupled to the second annular body and to the chute, adapted to convert a translational motion of the second annular body into a tilting movement of the chute with respect to the first axis X, and adapted to convert a rotation motion of the second annular body into a rotation movement of the chute with respect to the first axis X.

A device for cooling the supporting trunnions of a distribution spout of a charging installation of a shaft furnace, wherein the spout is mounted pivotably about a horizontal axis on a shell coaxial with the furnace and the spout is attached rotatably to the trunnions driven in rotation by a drive component. The trunnions are directly attached for rotation by their ends to output shafts of reduction gears and include internal cooling channels. The cooling device includes feed and return ducts for the cooling water circulating in the internal channels. The feed and return ducts are connected to the trunnions by connectors fixed to the cylindrical surface of the trunnions. The feed and return ducts are arranged to permit rotational displacement of the connectors about the pivot axis of the spout during pivoting of the spout, in particular by passing through oblong slots extending circumferentially in the wall of bearings supporting the driving reduction gears.

A device for cooling the supporting trunnions of a distribution spout of a charging installation of a shaft furnace, wherein the spout is mounted pivotably about a horizontal axis on a shell coaxial with the furnace and the spout is attached rotatably to the trunnions driven in rotation by a drive component. The trunnions are directly attached for rotation by their ends to output shafts of reduction gears and include internal cooling channels. The cooling device includes feed and return ducts for the cooling water circulating in the internal channels. The feed and return ducts are connected to the trunnions by connectors fixed to the cylindrical surface of the trunnions. The feed and return ducts are arranged to permit rotational displacement of the connectors about the pivot axis of the spout during pivoting of the spout, in particular by passing through oblong slots extending circumferentially in the wall of bearings supporting the driving reduction gears.

The invention relates to a heat protection assembly (2, 30) for a charging installation (1) of a metallurgical reactor. In order to increase the lifetime of a heat protection shield in a charging installation of a metallurgical reactor, the assembly (2, 30) comprises a plurality of heat protection tiles (31.1, 31.2, 31.3, 31.4) disposed adjacent to each other along a surface The assembly further comprises a plurality of heat protection panels (10, 110), each panel (10, 110) comprising a common base plate (11, 111) to which a plurality of tiles (31.1, 31.2, 31.3, 31.4) are connected, which heat protection panels (10, 110) are configured to be mounted on the charging installation (1) adjacent to each other.

The invention relates to a heat protection assembly (2, 30) for a charging installation (1) of a metallurgical reactor. In order to increase the lifetime of a heat protection shield in a charging installation of a metallurgical reactor, the assembly (2, 30) comprises a plurality of heat protection tiles (31.1, 31.2, 31.3, 31.4) disposed adjacent to each other along a surface The assembly further comprises a plurality of heat protection panels (10, 110), each panel (10, 110) comprising a common base plate (11, 111) to which a plurality of tiles (31.1, 31.2, 31.3, 31.4) are connected, which heat protection panels (10, 110) are configured to be mounted on the charging installation (1) adjacent to each other.

The invention relates to a method for producing an expanded granulate (29) made of a sand grain-shaped mineral material (1) using a propellant; wherein the material (1) is fed to a substantially upright furnace (2); wherein the material (1) is conveyed along a conveying path (4) through a plurality of vertically separated healing zones (5) in a furnace shaft (3) of the furnace (2), wherein each heating zone (5) can be heated by at least one independently controllable heating element (6); wherein the material (1) is heated to a critical temperature at which the surfaces (7) of the sand grains (1) become plastic and the sand grains (1) are expanded through the propellant. It is provided according to the invention that the material (1) is fed together with an amount of air from below, wherein the material (1) is conveyed from bottom to top along the conveying path (4) by means of the amount of air which flows from bottom to top within the furnace shaft (3) and forms an air flow (14), and wherein the expanding of the sand grains (1) occurs in the upper half, preferably in the uppermost third, of the conveying path (4).

The invention relates to a method for producing an expanded granulate (29) made of a sand grain-shaped mineral material (1) using a propellant; wherein the material (1) is fed to a substantially upright furnace (2); wherein the material (1) is conveyed along a conveying path (4) through a plurality of vertically separated healing zones (5) in a furnace shaft (3) of the furnace (2), wherein each heating zone (5) can be heated by at least one independently controllable heating element (6); wherein the material (1) is heated to a critical temperature at which the surfaces (7) of the sand grains (1) become plastic and the sand grains (1) are expanded through the propellant. It is provided according to the invention that the material (1) is fed together with an amount of air from below, wherein the material (1) is conveyed from bottom to top along the conveying path (4) by means of the amount of air which flows from bottom to top within the furnace shaft (3) and forms an air flow (14), and wherein the expanding of the sand grains (1) occurs in the upper half, preferably in the uppermost third, of the conveying path (4).