Refractory component for lining a metallurgical vessel

Abstract

In a metallurgical vessel used for handling molten metal, a preformed refractory component forms part of a refractory structure that covers the bottom wall and side wall of the metallurgical vessel. The preformed refractory component is generally cup-shaped and formed of high-temperature refractory materials.

Claims

1. A metallurgical vessel used for handling molten metal, said metallurgical vessel having an outer metallic shell comprised of a bottom wall and a side wall, and a cup-shaped, preformed refractory component forming part of a refractory structure disposed above said bottom wall of said metallurgical vessel, said preformed refractory component formed of high-temperature refractory materials, said preformed refractory component having a bottom wall portion and an annular side wall portion encircling said bottom wall portion, the annular side wall portion being integrally formed with said bottom wall portion and extending upwardly therefrom, said bottom wall portion having a bottom surface dimensioned to rest upon said bottom wall of said metallurgical vessel, said annular side wall portion forming part of a working lining of a barrel of the metallurgical vessel and having an upper surface configured to accommodate or mate with refractory brick or refractory components with which a remainder of the side wall of the metallurgical vessel is comprised, wherein said upper surface of said side wall portion defines a tapered ramp.

2. A metallurgical vessel with a preformed refractory component as defined in claim 1, wherein said side wall portion is slightly conical in shape.

3. A metallurgical vessel with a preformed refractory component as defined in claim 1, wherein said upper surface is formed to define at least one tapered ramp.

4. A metallurgical vessel with a preformed refractory component as defined in claim 2, wherein the tapered ramp is a first tapered ramp, and wherein said upper surface of said side wall portion further defines a second tapered ramp, the first and second tapered ramps being disposed end to end.

5. A metallurgical vessel with a preformed refractory component as defined in claim 1, wherein the tapered ramp defines a step at one end of said ramp, said step defining a convex end surface.

6. A metallurgical vessel with a preformed refractory component as defined in claim 1, wherein said bottom wall portion includes an impact pad extending from the surface thereof.

7. A metallurgical vessel with a preformed refractory component as defined in claim 6, wherein said impact pad is integrally formed with said bottom wall portion.

8. A metallurgical vessel with a preformed refractory component as defined in claim 6, wherein said impact pad is embedded in said bottom wall portion.

9. A metallurgical vessel with a preformed refractory component as defined in claim 1, wherein said bottom wall portion includes a flat section and a tapered section.

10. A metallurgical vessel with a preformed refractory component as defined in claim 9, wherein an opening dimensioned to receive a well block is formed in said flat section of said bottom wall portion.

11. A metallurgical vessel with a preformed refractory component as defined in claim 1, wherein said lining is comprised of refractory brick.

12. A metallurgical vessel used for handling molten metal, said metallurgical vessel comprising: an outer metallic shell comprised of a bottom wall and a side wall; and a cup-shaped, preformed refractory component forming part of a refractory structure disposed above said bottom wall of said metallurgical vessel, said preformed refractory component formed of high-temperature refractory materials, said preformed refractory component having a bottom wall portion and an annular side wall portion encircling said bottom wall portion, the annular side wall portion being integrally formed with said bottom wall portion and extending upwardly therefrom, said bottom wall portion having a bottom surface dimensioned to rest upon said bottom wall of said metallurgical vessel, said bottom wall portion having a top surface into which a plurality of lugs is embedded, said lugs being configured to allow lifting of said preformed refractory component, said annular side wall portion forming part of a working lining of a barrel of the metallurgical vessel and having an upper surface configured to accommodate or mate with refractory brick or refractory components with which a remainder of the side wall of the metallurgical vessel is comprised.

13. A metallurgical vessel used for handling molten metal, said metallurgical vessel comprising: an outer metallic shell comprised of a bottom wall and a side wall; and a monolithic, cup-shaped, preformed refractory component forming part of a refractory structure disposed above said bottom wall of said metallurgical vessel, said preformed refractory component being comprised of high-temperature refractory materials, said preformed refractory component comprising a bottom wall portion and an annular side wall portion encircling said bottom wall portion, the annular side wall portion being integrally formed with said bottom wall portion and extending upwardly therefrom, said bottom wall portion having a bottom surface dimensioned to rest upon said bottom wall of said metallurgical vessel, said annular side wall portion forming part of a working lining of a barrel of the metallurgical vessel and having an upper surface configured to accommodate or mate with refractory brick or refractory components with which a remainder of the side wall of the metallurgical vessel is comprised.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The invention may take physical form in certain parts and arrangement of parts, a preferred embodiment of which will be described in detail in the specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof, and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preformed refractory component for use in lining a steel ladle, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

(4) FIG. 3 is an enlarged top plan view of the preformed refractory component shown in FIG. 1;

(5) FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a steel ladle having an outer layer of refractory brick forming a permanent lining, showing a preformed refractory component according to the present invention being placed within the ladle by a lifting device (not shown); and

(6) FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the steel ladle shown in FIG. 4 having the preformed refractory component disposed therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(7) Referring now to the drawings wherein the showings are for the purpose of illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention only and not for the purpose of limiting same, FIG. 1 shows a preformed refractory component 40 for use in forming a refractory barrel lining for a metallurgical vessel. The invention is particularly applicable to a steel ladle 10 used in handling molten steel and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it will be appreciated from a further reading of the specification that the invention is not limited to a steel ladle 10, but may find advantageous application for linings used in other types of metallurgical vessels handling molten metal.

(8) FIGS. 4-5 show a conventional steel ladle 10, in cross section, having an outer metallic shell 12. The outer metallic shell 12 is comprised of a cup-shaped bottom 14 and a slightly conical side wall 16. To protect metal shell 12 from molten metal, a preformed refractory component 40 covers or lines bottom 14 of ladle 10 and a side lining 24 covers or lines inner surface 16a of side wall 16 of ladle 10.

(9) Preformed refractory component 40 shall be described in greater detail below. Side lining 24 is comprised of two layers 26, 28 of refractory brick (best seen in FIG. 5) that are disposed along inner surface 16a of side wall 16 of ladle 10.

(10) FIG. 4 shows ladle 10 with outer layer 28 of refractory brick, disposed along inner surface 16a of side wall 16. As indicated above, outer layer 28 can be comprised of a monolithic refractory. In the drawing, outer layer 28 of refractory brick extends along the entire surface 16a of side wall 16 from bottom 14 to the opened upper end of ladle 10.

(11) Preformed refractory component 40 is adapted to be disposed on bottom 14 of ladle 10 within outer layer 28 of refractory brick, as illustrated in FIG. 5.

(12) Inner layer 26 of refractory brick is generally referred to as the “working lining,” and outer layer 28 of brick, i.e., the layer of brick between working lining and side wall 16 of metallic shell 12, is typically referred to as the “backup lining” or the “permanent lining.” (As will be appreciated, the “permanent lining” is not per se “permanent” and eventually needs to be replaced, but the “permanent lining” lasts significantly longer than the “working lining” that needs to be replaced more frequently).

(13) Referring now to FIGS. 1-3, preformed refractory component 40, according to one aspect of the present invention, is best seen. As noted above, preformed refractory component 40 forms one part of a refractory assembly that lines bottom 14 and side wall 16 of ladle 10. Preformed refractory component 40 may be cast of a high-temperature refractory material, or it may include pressed refractory bricks. Preformed refractory component 40 is generally cup-shaped and is dimensioned to conform generally to the shape of bottom 14 and side wall 16 of ladle 10. As will be described in greater detail below, preformed refractory component 40 is to be disposed within an opening 32 defined by outer layer 28 of refractory brick, as illustrated in FIG. 4. In this respect, in the embodiment shown, preformed refractory component 40 is slightly conical in shape. (As will be appreciated, if side wall 16 of metallic shell 12 is straight, i.e., cylindrical, preformed refractory component 40 would be cylindrical in shape.) Preformed refractory component 40 is dimensioned to rest on bottom 14 of metallic shell 12 of steel ladle 10 or on a refractory sub-bottom (not shown).

(14) Preformed refractory component 40 is an integrally formed, component having a bottom wall portion 42 and an annular side wall portion 44 that extends upwardly from bottom wall portion 42. In this respect, preformed refractory component 40 is generally cup-shaped. In the embodiment shown, bottom wall portion 42 has a generally flat section 42a and a sloping section 42b. Openings 46A, 46B and 46C are formed in flat section 42a of bottom wall portion 42 of preformed refractory component 40. Opening 46A is dimensioned to receive a well block (not shown), as is conventionally known. Preformed refractory component 40, shown in the drawings, includes an impact pad 48 projecting from the upper surface of flat section 42a of bottom wall portion 42. Impact pad 48 may be formed as an integral part of bottom wall portion 42, or may be a separate component that is cast or bricked within bottom wall portion 42. It is contemplated that impact pad 48 may be a cast refractory component or may be formed of refractory bricks. Sloping section 42b of bottom wall portion 42 is disposed and oriented to direct molten metal toward flat section 42 of bottom wall portion 42 and, in turn, toward opening 46A, where a well block is located.

(15) Spaced-apart lifting lugs 49 are embedded into bottom wall portion 42 of preformed refractory component 40 to allow lifting and handling of preformed refractory component 40, as shall be described in greater detail below. In the embodiment shown, lifting lugs 49 are metal rods formed into a general U-shape, with the ends of the U-shaped rods embedded within bottom wall portion 42, as shown in the drawings.

(16) Side wall portion 44 extends upwardly from bottom wall portion 42 and has a generally uniform thickness.

(17) Side wall portion 44 of preformed refractory component 40 defines an upper surface 44a that is formed to define one or more ramped, helical surfaces 52 (best seen in FIG. 4). Each helical surface 52 has an elevated end 54 that defines a step 56 relative to a beginning or starting point 62 of helical surface 52. In the embodiment shown, step 56 of helical surface 52 has a rounded or curved end face 58, dimensioned to mate with a curved face on a refractory brick (not shown) that will form inner layer 26 of side lining 24 of steel ladle 10. It is contemplated that the end face of helical surface 52 could also be flat. Helical surface 52 is dimensioned such that end face 58 has a height equal to the height of the refractory brick that abuts end face 58. In the embodiment shown, two opposing helical surfaces 52 are shown. Each helical surface 52 defines a ramp to start a course of refractory brick along a helical spiral, wherein each course of brick spirals up the side of ladle 10.

(18) It will be appreciated that upper surface 44a of preformed refractory component 40 may have configurations different from the ramped, helical surfaces described herein. Upper surface 44a may be horizontal or it may be designed to mate with a preformed annular refractory ring that would form all or part of the ladle sidewall above the upper surface 44a of the preformed refractory component 40.

(19) Preformed refractory component 40 may be a monolithic structure formed of a high-temperature refractory castable, such as by way of explanation and not limitation, GREFCON®98SP sold by A.P. Green Industries, Inc. and HP-CAST®94MA-C sold by North American Refractories Co.

(20) Referring now to FIGS. 4-5, a method of forming a protective refractory lining in steel ladle 10 using preformed refractory component 40 is shown.

(21) FIG. 4 illustrates a ladle 10 having an outer layer 28 of refractory brick lining side wall 16 of the metallic shell 12. In FIG. 4, an inner layer 26, i.e., the “working lining,” and any refractory material covering the bottom 14 of ladle 10 has been removed. As indicated above, the “backup lining” or the “permanent lining” defined by outer layer 28 of refractory brick is often reused. With the outer layer 28 of refractory brick in place, a preformed refractory component 40, as described above, is inserted into ladle 10 using chains or cables and an overhead crane or other similar lifting device. Preformed refractory component 40 is set in place over bottom wall 14 of the metallic shell 12. The bottom surface of preformed refractory component 40 is dimensioned to correspond to the bottom wall 14 of metallic shell 12. In the embodiment shown, bottom wall 14 of metallic shell 12 is generally flat. Accordingly, in the embodiment shown, the bottom surface of preformed refractory component 40 is flat to correspond to the shape of bottom wall 14. According to the present invention, the lower surface of preformed refractory component 40 is dimensioned to correspond with the shape of the bottom wall 14 of metallic shell 12 or to rest upon a refractory base material inserted in ladle 10 beneath preformed refractory component 40.

(22) Once preformed refractory component 40 is set in place in ladle 10, a pallet (not shown) of refractory brick is set onto preformed refractory component 40 and workers may climb down into ladle 10 to install spiraling courses of refractory brick against outer layer 28 (the permanent lining) using helical surfaces 52 formed on the upper surface of preformed refractory component 40.

(23) The foregoing description is a specific embodiment of the present invention. It should be appreciated that this embodiment is described for purposes of illustration only, and that numerous alterations and modifications may be practiced by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is intended that all such modifications and alterations be included insofar as they come within the scope of the invention as claimed or the equivalents thereof.