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 method of heating up a furnace bottom and a burner lance used in the method are proposed. The method of heating up the furnace bottom includes a step of opening, in the tap hole, a burner lance insertion hole having a diameter larger than a diameter of the burner lance so as to penetrate into the furnace, a step of installing the burner lance in the opened burner lance insertion hole, a step of filling a gap between the installed burner lance and a furnace exterior side of the tap hole with a refractory, and a step of blowing in gas for heating into the furnace from the burner lance to heat up the furnace bottom.

Methods and apparatus for constructing refractory structures, e.g., glass furnace regenerator structures and/or glass furnace structures having walls formed of refractory block and buck stays externally supporting the walls are provided. Opposed pairs of supports are connected to at least a respective one of the vertically oriented buck stays with cross-support beams spanning the refractory structure between a respective pair of the supports. An overhead crane assembly is supported by the cross-support beams. In such a manner, refractory components of the refractory structure (e.g., refractory wall blocks and/or refractory checker bricks) may be installed using the overhead crane assembly.

A modular dome structure (5) for a masonry oven, which includes a plurality of interlocking wall modules (60) abutting one another to form a wall of the dome and a base (7) upon which the wall modules are mounted. Each wall module (60) is formed of a plurality of blocks (63) hingedly interconnected together and shaped so as to form an arch segment of the dome wall when facing surfaces of adjacent blocks (63) of the wall module (60) abut and interlock with one another.

The invention relates to a wall system for a furnace, a furnace comprising such a wall system and a method for providing such a wall system.

A sidewall for a metallurgical furnace and a metallurgical furnace having the same are described herein. In one example, a sidewall of a metallurgical furnace is provided that includes an outer wall, a hot plate and a buckstay. The hot plate is coupled in a spaced apart relation to the outer wall. The buckstay is mechanically coupled to the outer wall and the hot plate. The buckstay includes a buckstay web extending from a buckstay flange. The buckstay web includes a first end coupled to the buckstay flange, and a second end mechanically and movably coupled to the hot plate.

A 180-degree pipe elbow having one end extending beyond the other end and method of joining a 180-degree pipe elbow to lengths of cooling pipe to form a cooling panel for use in a furnace, boiler or other industrial heating apparatus that benefits from assistance of a cooling panel. Having one end of the elbow extend beyond the other end of the elbow enables the one end to be joined to a length of pipe by welding whereby the joining may be by automatic welding which will reduce manufacturing costs and ensure a quality weld.

Methods and apparatus are provided for constructing refractory structures, e.g., glass furnace regenerator structures and/or glass furnace structures formed of refractory components, by positioning opposed pairs of vertically oriented base beams on respective opposite sides of the refractory structure and having a lower end rigidly attached to a foundation of the refractory structure and an upper end which extends vertically above the refractory structure, and attaching cross-support beams to respective ones of the base beams at the upper end thereof so as to latitudinally span the refractory structure. An overhead crane assembly may thus be supported by the cross-support beams.

A sidewall for a metallurgical furnace and a metallurgical furnace having the same are described herein. In one example, a sidewall of a metallurgical furnace is provided that includes an outer wall, a hot plate and a buckstay. The hot plate is coupled in a spaced apart relation to the outer wall. The buckstay is mechanically coupled to the outer wall and the hot plate. The buckstay includes a buckstay web extending from a buckstay flange. The buckstay web includes a first end coupled to the buckstay flange, and a second end mechanically and movably coupled to the hot plate.

Methods and apparatus for constructing refractory structures, e.g., glass furnace regenerator structures and/or glass furnace structures having walls formed of refractory block and buck stays externally supporting the walls are provided. Opposed pairs of supports are connected to at least a respective one of the vertically oriented buck stays with cross-support beams spanning the refractory structure between a respective pair of the supports. An overhead crane assembly is supported by the cross-support beams. In such a manner, refractory components of the refractory structure (e.g., refractory wall blocks and/or refractory checker bricks) may be installed using the overhead crane assembly.