Charging installation of a metallurgical reactor

Abstract

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).

Claims

1. A charging installation of a metallurgical reactor, comprising: a cooling assembly disposed for cooling a reactor side of the charging installation, wherein the cooling assembly comprises a plurality of cooling panels, wherein each cooling panel comprises a base plate in which at least one coolant channel is formed, wherein the coolant channel is formed as a groove in the base plate, wherein said groove is covered by a cover plate mounted on and elevated on top of the base plate, wherein the coolant channel has a meandering structure and the cover plate has a meandering structure replicating the shape of the coolant channel, the meandering structure being configured to reduce the risk of a weld disposed between the cover plate and the base plate from breaking whereby the cover plate follows the movement of the coolant channel, and wherein a plurality of eyelets are disposed on an upper side of the base plate, such that the cooling panel is configured to be removable.

2. The charging installation according to claim 1, wherein each cooling panel is mounted by a detachable connection.

3. The charging installation according to claim 1, wherein the base plate is made of metal.

4. The charging installation according to claim 1, wherein each panel comprises at least one coolant pipe which is connected to the coolant channel.

5. The charging installation according to claim 1, wherein coolant channels of different panels are connected in parallel to a coolant supply.

6. The charging installation according to claim 1, wherein at least one heat protection element is mounted to each cooling panel.

7. The charging installation according to claim 6, wherein the heat protection element comprises a plurality of heat protection tiles, said tiles being disposed adjacent to each other along a surface.

8. The charging installation according to claim 7, wherein the heat protection tiles comprise a support structure on which a refractory material, is disposed.

9. The charging installation according to claim 7, wherein a gap is arranged between neighbouring heat protection tiles and wherein the gap is filled with a material which is volatile under the operating temperatures of the metallurgical reactor.

10. The charging installation according to claim 8, wherein the support structure comprises a mesh on which the refractory material is disposed.

11. The charging installation according to claim 1, further comprising a casing for a gear assembly and the cooling assembly configured to protect an annular bottom surface of the casing.

12. The charging installation according to claim 7, wherein the cooling panels are mountable and dismountable from inside a casing for a gear assembly and the cooling assembly configured to protect an annular bottom surface of the casing.

13. The charging installation according to claim 7, wherein a hoist device for handling the panels is disposed inside a casing for a gear assembly and the cooling assembly configured to protect an annular bottom surface of the casing.

14. A cooling assembly for a charging installation of a metallurgical reactor, said cooling assembly disposable for cooling a reactor side of the charging installation and comprising: a plurality of cooling panels, each cooling panel comprising a base plate in which at least one coolant channel is formed, wherein the coolant channel is formed as a groove in the base plate, said groove being covered by a cover plate mounted on and elevated on top of the base plate, and wherein the coolant channel has a meandering structure and the cover plate has a meandering structure following the meandering structure of the coolant channel, the meandering structure being configured to reduce the risk of a weld disposed between the cover plate and the base plate from breaking whereby the cover plate follows the movement of the coolant channel, and wherein a plurality of eyelets are disposed on an upper side of the base plate, such that the cooling panel is configured to be removable.

15. A cooling panel for a cooling assembly disposable for cooling a reactor side of a charging installation, said cooling panel comprising: a base plate in which at least one coolant channel is formed, wherein the coolant channel is formed as a groove in the base plate, said groove being covered by a cover plate mounted on and elevated on top of the base plate, and wherein the coolant channel has a meandering structure and the cover plate has a meandering structure following the meandering structure of the coolant channel, the meandering structure being configured to reduce the risk of a weld disposed between the cover plate and the base plate from breaking whereby the cover plate follows the movement of the coolant channel, and wherein a plurality of eyelets are disposed on an upper side of the base plate, such that the cooling panel is configured to be removable.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Details of the invention will now be described with reference to the drawings, wherein

(2) FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cooling panel;

(3) FIG. 2 is a perspective cutaway view of the cooling panel of FIG. 1; and

(4) FIG. 3 is a perspective cutaway view of a charging installation in which the cooling panel of FIG. 1 is used.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

(5) FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a cooling panel 10 according to the present invention. The cooling panel 10 is part of a cooling assembly 4 which protects the annular bottom surface of the casing 2, which is part of a charging installation 1 for a metallurgical reactor. Due to the annular shape of the surface to be protected, the panel 10 is generally arc-shaped. Its general configuration is relatively flat and it comprises a planar base plate 11, which is made of steel. As can be seen in the cutaway view in FIG. 2, a coolant channel 12 has been machined into the surface of the base plate 11. To provide a fluid-tight seal of the coolant channel 12, it is closed on the upper side by a cover plate 13, which has the same meandering structure as the coolant channel 12 itself. The cover plate, which itself is made of steel, is connected to the base plate 11 by welding. The coolant channel 12 is connected to a supply pipe 14 and a drain pipe 15. These pipes 14, 15 are conventional, tube-shaped pipes which are mounted the surface of the base plate 11. Each of them is connected to the coolant channel 12 by an interface 17, which is adapted to this special type of connection. Each of the pipes 14, 15 comprises at an opposite end a standardized connector 16, by which it can be connected to a coolant supply. During operation of the cooling assembly 4, coolant flows through the connector 16 into inlet pipe 14 and from there via the interface 17 into the coolant channel 12. Due to the meandering structure of the coolant channel 12, the coolant basically flows along the whole surface of the panel 10. Afterwards, it flows via the interface 17 into the drain pipe 15 and from there via the connector 16 back to the coolant supply. On the lower side of the base plate 11, i.e. on the side facing the reactor, a heat protection layer 30 is disposed. This heat protection layer 30 comprises a plurality of refractory heat protection tiles, the structure of which will be discussed below. For heat insulation, a thermal insulation layer 32 of ceramic fiber material is disposed between the tiles and the base plate 11. On the edges of the arc formed by the panel 10, it comprises two side flanges 18 which extend perpendicular to the plane of the base plate 11. Each side flange 18 features of a plurality of through-holes 19. Three eyelets 21 are disposed on the upper side of the base plate 11, which facilitate handling of the panel 10 and by a hoist 41 or the like.

(6) As shown in FIG. 2, the base plate 11 also serves as a common carrier member for a plurality of heat protection tiles 31.1, 31.2, 31.3, 31.4, which form a heat protection layer 30. Each of the heat protection tiles 31.1, 31.2, 31.3, 31.4 is connected to the base plate 11 via knob-like spacer members 34 is, which are disposed on a mounting strip 33. A hexagonal mesh 35 is connected to the mounting strip 33. The mesh 35 serves as a backbone of the heat protection tiles 31.1, 31.2, 31.3, 31.4 and provides for structural integrity. The heat protection properties of the tiles mainly result from a block of refractory concrete 36 which is cast around the mesh 35. The heat protection tiles 31.1, 31.2, 31.3, 31.4 do not touch each other, but are provided with the gap 37 in between. This gap 37 allows for thermal expansion during operation of the heat protection layer 30.

(7) In the production process, the mounting strip 33 with the mesh 35 is mounted to the base plate 11 before the refractory concrete 36 is applied. A strip of cardboard 38 is placed between the individual heat protection tiles 31.1, 31.2, 31.3, 31.4 to prevent concrete 36 from entering the gap 37. The refractory concrete 36 is then cast around the mesh 35. The cardboard 38 could be removed prior to installation of the panel 10, but this is not necessary. The cardboard 38 will quickly burn away under the operating conditions of the panel 10 and thus can be left within the gap 37, as shown in FIG. 2. The spacer members 34 provide for a space between the tile and the base plate 11, which space is filled with the heat insulation layer 32 composed of ceramic fibers. The heat protection panel 10 therefore is a module which combines three functional layers: the heat protection layer 30 with heat protection tiles 31.1, 31.2, 31.3, 31.4 protects against extreme temperatures and also provides thermal insulation, the insulation layer 32 further enhances the insulation effect, while the coolant channel 12 with the pipes 14, 15 provides for active cooling. The panel 10 is provided with side flanges 18, which extend perpendicular to the plane of the base plate 11. These side flanges 18 are provided with a plurality of through-holes 19 and are used to connect the panel 10 to neighboring panels and/or the charging installation. Three eyelets 21 are disposed on the upper side of the base plate 11, which facilitate handling of the panel 10 and by a hoist 41 or the like.

(8) FIG. 3 shows a partial cutaway view of a charging installation 1, which features an annular shaped casing 2 for a gear assembly and a cylindrical support 3 for the gear assembly. The gear assembly, which is not shown here, is used for tilting of a distribution chute of the charging installation 1. The support 3 is rotatably mounted with respect to the casing 2. As can be seen from FIG. 3, a plurality of cooling panels 10 are disposed next to each other along the annular bottom of the casing 2. Bolts 20, which are put through the holes 19, are used to connect each side flange 18 to a radially disposed plate-like mounting member 5 of the casing 2. At the same time, the bolts 20 serve to interconnect the individual panels 10.

(9) As can be seen in FIG. 3, a beam 40 of a gantry crane 41 is connected to the top of the casing 2. The beam 40 is annular-shaped and allows the crane 41 to be moved to virtually any position within the casing 2. FIG. 3 illustrates the removal of a cooling panel 10, which is lifted by a chain 42 of the gantry crane 41. FIG. 3 shows the chain connected to hoist rings 22, which are not shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. Alternatively, the chain 42 could be connected to the eyelets 21. By moving the gentry crane 41 along the beam 40, the cooling panel 10 may be moved to an access door (not shown) of the casing 2, from where it may be removed for repair or replacement. A replacement panel can be installed by a reverse sequence of operations. It is therefore apparent that a replacement of the cooling panel 10 can be achieved in short time and easily. In particular, there is no need for personnel to work on the underside of the cooling assembly 4, i.e. near or within the reactor itself. The mounting and dismounting can be done from within the casing 2. This makes the work not only easier but also significantly adds to the safety of the working personnel.