A solids injection lance includes (a) a tube that defines a passageway for solid feed material to be injected through the tube and has an inlet for solid material at a rear end and an outlet for discharging solid material at a forward end of the tube and (b) a puncture detection system for detecting a puncture in the solids injection tube.

A solids injection lance includes (a) a tube that defines a passageway for solid feed material to be injected through the tube and has an inlet for solid material at a rear end and an outlet for discharging solid material at a forward end of the tube and (b) a puncture detection system for detecting a puncture in the solids injection tube.

The invention relates to an optical monitoring system (26) for monitoring operating conditions in a tuyere zone of a blast furnace. This system comprises a light deflecting device (40) with a peep sight (28) arranged in a first face (46) of the light deflecting device (40) and an optical sensor (30) arranged in a second face (48) of the light deflecting device (40). A light deflector (41) is arranged within the light deflecting device (40) for directing incident light from the tuyere zone towards the peep sight (28) and towards the optical sensor (30). The light deflecting device (40) comprises a housing (56) with a spherical body (60) rotatably arranged therein. The spherical body (60) comprises three passages: a first passage (62) which is, when the light deflecting device (40) is connected to the rear portion of the blowpipe (18), facing the tuyere for allowing incident light from the tuyere zone to enter the spherical body (60); a second passage (70) facing the peep sight (28); a third passage (72) facing the optical sensor (30). The first, second and third passages (62, 68, 72) are configured so as to meet each other within the spherical body (60). The light deflector (41) is arranged within the spherical body (60) at the intersection of the first, second and third passages (62, 68, 72). Furthermore, the light deflecting device (40) comprises an opening (76) in a third face (50) of the housing (56) for accessing the spherical body (60) for allowing rotation of the spherical body (60) within the housing (56). The spherical body (60) comprises a socket (78) facing the opening (76) in the third face (50). The opening (76) is a guiding slot (86) whose width is substantially the same as a diameter of the socket (78).

The invention relates to an optical monitoring system (26) for monitoring operating conditions in a tuyere zone of a blast furnace. This system comprises a light deflecting device (40) with a peep sight (28) arranged in a first face (46) of the light deflecting device (40) and an optical sensor (30) arranged in a second face (48) of the light deflecting device (40). A light deflector (41) is arranged within the light deflecting device (40) for directing incident light from the tuyere zone towards the peep sight (28) and towards the optical sensor (30). The light deflecting device (40) comprises a housing (56) with a spherical body (60) rotatably arranged therein. The spherical body (60) comprises three passages: a first passage (62) which is, when the light deflecting device (40) is connected to the rear portion of the blowpipe (18), facing the tuyere for allowing incident light from the tuyere zone to enter the spherical body (60); a second passage (70) facing the peep sight (28); a third passage (72) facing the optical sensor (30). The first, second and third passages (62, 68, 72) are configured so as to meet each other within the spherical body (60). The light deflector (41) is arranged within the spherical body (60) at the intersection of the first, second and third passages (62, 68, 72). Furthermore, the light deflecting device (40) comprises an opening (76) in a third face (50) of the housing (56) for accessing the spherical body (60) for allowing rotation of the spherical body (60) within the housing (56). The spherical body (60) comprises a socket (78) facing the opening (76) in the third face (50). The opening (76) is a guiding slot (86) whose width is substantially the same as a diameter of the socket (78).

A drop-in probe includes a measurement head having an immersion end and an opposing second end having an end face. The measurement head is formed of first and second body halves configured to mate together along a parting line. A sample chamber, arranged within the measurement head, is thermally isolated from a cooling mass thereof and includes a metal wall having a thickness of 2.5 mm or less. An inlet tube has an inlet opening to the sample chamber. The inlet opening has a diameter D.sub.inlet and is spaced apart from the end face of the measurement head at a distance of at least $\frac{D_{\mathrm{inlet}}}{2}.$
When the sample chamber is filled with a sample of the molten metal, a ratio of a mass of the metal sample to a mass of the metal wall of the sample chamber is greater than 2.6 and less than 6.

A drop-in probe includes a measurement head having an immersion end and an opposing second end having an end face. The measurement head is formed of first and second body halves configured to mate together along a parting line. A sample chamber, arranged within the measurement head, is thermally isolated from a cooling mass thereof and includes a metal wall having a thickness of 2.5 mm or less. An inlet tube has an inlet opening to the sample chamber. The inlet opening has a diameter D.sub.inlet and is spaced apart from the end face of the measurement head at a distance of at least $\frac{D_{\mathrm{inlet}}}{2}.$
When the sample chamber is filled with a sample of the molten metal, a ratio of a mass of the metal sample to a mass of the metal wall of the sample chamber is greater than 2.6 and less than 6.

A supply heat quantity estimating method includes: estimating a change in carried-out sensible heat by in-furnace passing gas and a change in carried-in sensible heat supplied by a raw material preheated by the in-furnace passing gas, and estimating a quantity of heat supplied to the pig iron in a blast furnace in consideration of the estimated changes in the carried-out sensible heat and carried-in sensible heat. The estimating includes: estimating the carried-out sensible heat in consideration of the quantity of heat released to an outside, and estimating the change in the carried-in sensible heat in consideration of a change in a surface height of the raw material; and estimating a quantity of heat held in a deadman coke, and estimating the quantity of heat supplied to the pig iron in the blast furnace in consideration of the estimated quantity of heat held in the deadman coke.

A supply heat quantity estimating method includes: estimating a change in carried-out sensible heat by in-furnace passing gas and a change in carried-in sensible heat supplied by a raw material preheated by the in-furnace passing gas, and estimating a quantity of heat supplied to the pig iron in a blast furnace in consideration of the estimated changes in the carried-out sensible heat and carried-in sensible heat. The estimating includes: estimating the carried-out sensible heat in consideration of the quantity of heat released to an outside, and estimating the change in the carried-in sensible heat in consideration of a change in a surface height of the raw material; and estimating a quantity of heat held in a deadman coke, and estimating the quantity of heat supplied to the pig iron in the blast furnace in consideration of the estimated quantity of heat held in the deadman coke.

The invention relates to an optical monitoring system (26) for monitoring operating conditions in a tuyere zone of a blast furnace. This system comprises a light deflecting device (40) with a peep sight (28) arranged in a first face (46) of the light deflecting device (40) and an optical sensor (30) arranged in a second face (48) of the light deflecting device (40). A light deflector (41) is arranged within the light deflecting device (40) for directing incident light from the tuyere zone towards the peep sight (28) and towards the optical sensor (30). The light deflecting device (40) comprises a housing (56) with a spherical body (60) rotatably arranged therein. The spherical body (60) comprises three passages: a first passage (62) which is, when the light deflecting device (40) is connected to the rear portion of the blowpipe (18), facing the tuyere for allowing incident light from the tuyere zone to enter the spherical body (60); a second passage (70) facing the peep sight (28); a third passage (72) facing the optical sensor (30). The first, second and third passages (62, 68, 72) are configured so as to meet each other within the spherical body (60). The light deflector (41) is arranged within the spherical body (60) at the intersection of the first, second and third passages (62, 68, 72). Furthermore, the light deflecting device (40) comprises an opening (76) in a third face (50) of the housing (56) for accessing the spherical body (60) for allowing rotation of the spherical body (60) within the housing (56). The spherical body (60) comprises a socket (78) facing the opening (76) in the third face (50). The opening (76) is a guiding slot (86) whose width is substantially the same as a diameter of the socket (78).

The invention relates to an optical monitoring system (26) for monitoring operating conditions in a tuyere zone of a blast furnace. This system comprises a light deflecting device (40) with a peep sight (28) arranged in a first face (46) of the light deflecting device (40) and an optical sensor (30) arranged in a second face (48) of the light deflecting device (40). A light deflector (41) is arranged within the light deflecting device (40) for directing incident light from the tuyere zone towards the peep sight (28) and towards the optical sensor (30). The light deflecting device (40) comprises a housing (56) with a spherical body (60) rotatably arranged therein. The spherical body (60) comprises three passages: a first passage (62) which is, when the light deflecting device (40) is connected to the rear portion of the blowpipe (18), facing the tuyere for allowing incident light from the tuyere zone to enter the spherical body (60); a second passage (70) facing the peep sight (28); a third passage (72) facing the optical sensor (30). The first, second and third passages (62, 68, 72) are configured so as to meet each other within the spherical body (60). The light deflector (41) is arranged within the spherical body (60) at the intersection of the first, second and third passages (62, 68, 72). Furthermore, the light deflecting device (40) comprises an opening (76) in a third face (50) of the housing (56) for accessing the spherical body (60) for allowing rotation of the spherical body (60) within the housing (56). The spherical body (60) comprises a socket (78) facing the opening (76) in the third face (50). The opening (76) is a guiding slot (86) whose width is substantially the same as a diameter of the socket (78).