GAS INJECTION DEVICE

Abstract

A gas injection device for introducing a process gas into a non-ferrous metal melt and/or slag, in particular a copper melt and/or copper slag, including a hollow-cylindrical lance which is formed from a refractory material and/or graphite, preferably includes a refractory material and/or graphite. The lance has an inlet opening for the process gas and a gas injection module connected to the hollow-cylindrical lance and formed from a refractory material and/or graphite, preferably including a refractory material and/or graphite, with at least one outlet opening for the process gas. The outlet opening includes at least one throughflow element formed from a ceramic material via which the process gas can be introduced into the melt.

Claims

1-16. (canceled)

17. A gas injection device for introducing a process gas into a non-ferrous metal melt and/or slag, in particular a copper melt and/or copper slag, comprising: a hollow-cylindrical lance which includes a refractory material and/or graphite, wherein the lance has an inlet opening for the process gas and a gas injection module connected to the hollow-cylindrical lance and including a refractory material and/or graphite, with at least one outlet opening for the process gas, wherein the outlet opening has at least one through-flow element formed from a ceramic material via which the process gas can be introduced into the melt.

18. The gas injection device according to claim 17, wherein the ceramic material is selected from the group comprising silicon carbides, silicon nitrides, silicon aluminum oxide nitrides, boron nitrides, zirconium oxides, titanium oxides, aluminum titanates and/or mixtures thereof.

19. The gas injection device according to claim 17, wherein the hollow-cylindrical lance is formed from at least one, preferably several individual hollow-cylindrical lance bodies that can be connected to one another.

20. The gas injection device according to claim 17, wherein the gas injection module is formed in a cup-shape and the at least one, preferably several, outlet openings are arranged in a lateral surface of the gas injection module formed in a cup-shape.

21. The gas injection device according to claim 20, wherein the through-flow element formed from the ceramic material is formed in the form of a nozzle which is inserted into the at least one outlet opening and is firmly connected to the gas injection module.

22. The gas injection device according to claim 21, wherein the nozzle is arranged in the at least one outlet opening such that its longitudinal axis has an angle of 45° to 90° with regard to the longitudinal axis of the lance.

23. The gas injection device according to claim 21, wherein the nozzle is formed as a Laval nozzle.

24. The gas injection device according to claim 17, wherein the gas injection module is formed in the form of a shower head and has several outlet openings aligned in the direction of the inlet opening.

25. The gas injection device according to claim 24, wherein the through-flow element formed from the ceramic material is formed in the form of a perforated plate or a porous plate which is inserted into the respective outlet openings of the shower head and is firmly connected to it.

26. The gas injection device according to claim 24, wherein the outlet openings are arranged such that their longitudinal axis has an angle of 0° to 45° with regard to the longitudinal axis of the lance.

27. The gas injection device according to claim 17, wherein the gas injection module is formed in the form of an impeller wheel and the at least one outlet opening is arranged centrally in the impeller wheel.

28. The gas injection device according to claim 27, wherein the through-flow element formed from the ceramic material is formed in the form of a sleeve that is closed on one side and is inserted into the at least one outlet opening and is firmly connected to the impeller wheel, wherein the sleeve has at least one, preferably several outlet channels arranged perpendicular to its longitudinal axis.

29. The gas injection device according to claim 27, wherein the through-flow element formed from the ceramic material is formed in the form of a cylindrical sleeve which is inserted into the at least one outlet opening and is firmly connected to the impeller wheel.

30. A plant for the extraction of non-ferrous metals, in particular of copper, comprising a gas injection device according any to claim 17.

31. A plant for treating, cleaning and/or refining of non-ferrous metal slags, in particular of copper slags, comprising a gas injection device according to claim 17.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0040] In the following, the invention and the technical environment will be explained in greater detail with reference to the figures. It should be pointed out that the invention should not be limited by the exemplary embodiments shown. In particular, unless explicitly stated otherwise, it is also possible to extract partial aspects of the facts explained in the figures and combine them with other components and findings from the present description and/or figures. In particular, it should be pointed out that the figures and in particular the proportions represented are only schematic. The same reference numerals designate the same objects, so that explanations from other figures can be used as a supplement if necessary. In the figures:

[0041] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the gas injection device according to the invention,

[0042] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional representation of the embodiment variant shown in FIG. 1 according to section plane A-A,

[0043] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of the lower part of the gas injection device according to the first embodiment variant,

[0044] FIG. 4 shows a detailed view of the lower part of the gas injection device according to a second embodiment variant,

[0045] FIG. 5 shows a third embodiment variant of the gas injection device according to the invention in a sectional view,

[0046] FIG. 6 shows the third embodiment variant shown in FIG. 5 in a plan view,

[0047] FIG. 7 shows a fourth embodiment variant of the gas injection device according to the invention in a plan view,

[0048] FIG. 8 shows an embodiment variant of a perforated plate in a plan view,

[0049] FIG. 9 shows the embodiment variant of the perforated plate shown in FIG. 8 in a cross-sectional representation according to section plane A-A,

[0050] FIG. 10 shows a fifth embodiment variant of the gas injection device according to the invention,

[0051] FIG. 11 shows the fifth embodiment variant shown in FIG. 10 in a plan view, and

[0052] FIG. 12 shows a sixth embodiment of the gas injection device according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0053] FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment variant of the gas injection device 1 according to the invention. The gas injection device 1 according to the invention is provided for introducing a process gas, such as an oxygen-containing gas or natural gas, into a non-ferrous metal melt and/or slag, in particular into a copper melt and/or copper slag.

[0054] The gas injection device 1 comprises a hollow-cylindrical lance 2 which consists of a refractory material, preferably Al.sub.2TiO.sub.5 or SiC, more preferably Si.sub.3N.sub.4, and most preferably ZrO or ZrO.sub.2, and in the present embodiment variant is formed from two individual lance bodies 3. An inlet opening 5 for the process gas is provided at a first distal end 4 of the lance 2 and opens into a main channel 6 of the lance 2. In the present case, the gas injection device 1 has a connecting piece 7 for connection to a process gas line (not represented). At the end 8 axially opposite to the first distal end 4, the gas injection device 1 has a gas injection module 9 connected to the hollow-cylindrical lance 2 and also consisting of a refractory high-performance material, preferably of Al.sub.2TiO.sub.5 or SiC, more preferably of Si.sub.3N.sub.4, and most preferably of ZrO or ZrO.sub.2. The individual modules 3, 7 are connected to one another via screw connections.

[0055] As can be seen from the embodiment variant represented in FIG. 1, the gas injection module 9 is cup-shaped and has three outlet openings 12 arranged in its lateral surface 11, via which the process gas can be introduced into the non-ferrous metal melt and/or slag. In each of the outlet openings 12, a respective through-flow element 13 formed from a ceramic material element is arranged, which in the present case is formed in the shape of a nozzle 14, in particular a Laval nozzle 14.

[0056] In an alternative embodiment variant (not represented), the cup-shaped gas injection module 9 can be formed integrally with the lance body 3, so that both modules 3, 9 are formed from a single element.

[0057] FIG. 2 shows a cross-sectional representation of the embodiment variant shown in FIG. 1 according to section plane A-A. The three outlet openings 12, which are arranged in the lateral surface 11 of the gas injection module 9 at the same distance from one another and extend radially from the main channel 6 can be seen here in particular.

[0058] FIG. 3 shows a detailed view of the lower part of the gas injection device 1 according to the embodiment variant explained above, in which each of the Laval nozzles 14 is firmly connected to the gas injection module 1 by means of a press connection. Alternatively, each of the Laval nozzles 14 can be glued by means of a high-temperature adhesive or cast into the gas injection device 1. As can also be seen from the representation in FIG. 3, each of the channel-like outlet openings 12 is inclined in the direction of the second distal end 8 of the lance 2. In other words, the longitudinal axis 15 of each of the channel-like outlet openings 12 or each of the Laval nozzles 14 has an angle in relation to the longitudinal axis 16 of the lance 2, which is 75° in the present embodiment variant.

[0059] FIG. 4 shows a lower section of a second embodiment variant of the gas injection device 1 according to the invention. In the present case, the gas injection module 9 is integrally formed with the lance body 3 of the lance 2. In contrast to the previous embodiment variant, the Laval nozzles 14 are fixed to the gas injection module 9 or the lance body 3 of the lance 2 by means of a screw connection 17. The screw connection 17 comprises a nut 18 made of the refractory material with an external thread 19 which can be screwed into the outlet opening 12 which has a mating thread 20. As can be seen from FIG. 4, the Laval nozzle 14 comprises a flange 21 via which the nut 18 fixes the Laval nozzle 14 against a stop surface 22 of the outlet opening 12. Alternatively, the nut 18 consisting of the refractory material can be glued into the outlet opening 12 of the gas injection module 9 by means of a high-temperature adhesive or alternatively cast.

[0060] A further advantageous embodiment variant of the gas injection device 1 according to the invention is represented in FIG. 5. The gas injection module is formed here in the form of a shower head 23 which has a plurality of outlet openings 12 arranged in a circular line and aligned in the direction of the first distal end 4 of the gas injection device 1. Each one of the outlet openings 12 communicates with the main channel 6 of the lance 2 via a channel 24. As can be seen from FIG. 5, the outlet openings 12 are slightly tilted in relation to the longitudinal axis 16 of the lance 2. Its longitudinal axis 15 has an angle of 5° in relation to the longitudinal axis 16 of the lance 2. The through-flow element 13 formed from the ceramic material is in the present case formed in the form of a perforated plate 25 which is inserted into the respective outlet openings 12 of the shower head 23 and is firmly connected to it via a high-temperature-resistant adhesive connection. Alternatively and/or in addition, it can be cast into the gas injection device 1.

[0061] FIG. 6 shows the embodiment variant shown in FIG. 5 from a plan view. The plurality of outlet openings 12, which are arranged at the same distance from one another along a circular line, can be seen here.

[0062] FIG. 7 shows a fourth embodiment variant of the gas injection device 1 according to the invention in a plan view. In contrast to the embodiment variant according to FIGS. 5 and 6, the shower head 23 is formed as a square, wherein the majority of the outlet openings 12 is arranged along a quadrangular peripheral line.

[0063] In FIGS. 8 and 9, the through-flow element 13 formed in the form of the perforated plate 25 is shown in a plan view. The individual openings 26 of the perforated plate 25 through which the process gas can be injected into the non-ferrous metal melt and/or the slag can be seen from the two representations. The distance between the openings 26 in the embodiment represented here is 5 times the opening diameter of the opening 26.

[0064] FIG. 10 shows a further embodiment variant of the gas injection device 1 according to the invention. Here, the gas injection module is formed in the form of an impeller wheel 27 which comprises a centrally arranged outlet opening 12. The through-flow element 13 formed from the ceramic material is formed in the form of a cylindrical sleeve 28 open on both sides, which is inserted into the outlet opening 12 and firmly connected to the impeller wheel 27 via a press connection.

[0065] FIG. 11 shows the embodiment variant of the gas injection device 1 shown in FIG. 10 from a plan view, from which the individual impellers 29 of the impeller wheel 27 can be seen.

[0066] FIG. 12 shows a further embodiment variant of the gas injection device 1 according to the invention. In contrast to the embodiment variant shown and explained in FIGS. 10 and 11, the through-flow element 13 formed from the ceramic material is formed in the form of a sleeve 30 that is closed on one side and is glued into the central outlet opening 12 of the impeller wheel 27. In this case, the sleeve 30 forms a projection on the underside of the impeller wheel 27 and has several outlet channels 31 arranged perpendicular to its longitudinal axis, via which the process gas can be introduced into the non-ferrous metal melt and/or slag.

TABLE-US-00001 List of reference numerals 1 gas injection device 2 lance 3 lance body 4 first distal end 5 inlet opening 6 main channel 7 connecting piece 8 second distal end 9 gas injection module 10 screw connection 11 lateral surface 12 outlet openings 13 element 14 nozzle/Laval nozzle 15 longitudinal axis of the outlet opening 16 longitudinal axis of the lance 17 screw connection 18 nut 19 external thread 20 counter thread 21 flange 22 stop surface 23 gas injection module/showerhead 24 channel 25 perforated plate 26 openings 27 gas injection module/impeller wheel 28 sleeve 29 impeller 30 sleeve 31 outlet channels