Scrap dryer and/or scrap preheater

Abstract

A device (1) for drying and/or preheating metallic and/or non-metallic materials, preferably scrap, comprises a receiving container (3) and a scrap basket (7) which is arranged in the receiving container (3) and has a gas-permeable bottom area (9). The receiving container (3) has at least one process gas inlet line (6) in its wall (4), via which a process gas with a temperature in the range from 200 to 1600° C. can be introduced into the receiving container (3), and at least an injector nozzle (19) arranged coaxially within the at least one process gas inlet line (6) via which a cooling gas can be introduced into the process gas.

Claims

1. A device (1) for drying and/or preheating scrap, comprising: a receiving container (3); a scrap basket (7) arranged in the receiving container (3), the scrap basket (7) having a gas-permeable bottom area (9), a process gas inlet line (6) that extends through a wall (4) of the receiving container (3) and via which a process gas with a temperature in a range from 200 to 1600° C. can be introduced into the receiving container (3); and an injector nozzle (19) arranged coaxially within the process gas inlet line (6), wherein a cooling gas can be introduced into the process gas via the injector nozzle (19).

2. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the injector nozzle (19) is fluidically connected via a cooling gas line (20) to a blower (21).

3. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the injector nozzle (19) is designed as a subsonic nozzle.

4. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the process gas inlet line (6) has a cooling section (22).

5. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the process gas inlet line (6) is arranged in a lower region of the wall (5).

6. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the gas-permeable bottom area (9) of the scrap basket (7) is arched and comprises a plurality of circumferential slots (10) through which the process gas can be introduced into the scrap basket (7).

7. The device (1) according to claim 6, wherein the slots (10) are formed by an arrangement of stacked sheets (11).

8. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein a flange (13) with a sealing collar (14) is arranged at an outer lateral surface (12) of the scrap basket (7), and wherein the sealing collar (14) corresponds to a sealing seat (15) of the receiving container (3) so that the receiving container (3) can be hermetically sealed.

9. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the receiving container (3) has a support (17) on which the scrap basket (7) can be placed.

10. The device (1) according to claim 1, wherein the receiving container (3) comprises a water pipe (18) through which condensed water that is accumulated during a drying process can be removed from the receiving container (3).

11. The device (1) according to claim 1, further comprising a cover element (25) or a hood (23).

12. The device (1) according to claim 11, wherein the cover element (25) or the hood (23) comprises a process gas outlet line (24) via which the process gas can be discharged.

13. A method for drying and/or preheating scrap, comprising: providing the device as in claim 1; and admixing a cooling gas to the process gas via the injector nozzle (19) arranged coaxially in the process gas inlet line (6).

14. A metallurgical plant (2), comprising: a melting furnace (26); a post-combustion chamber (8) fluidically connected to the melting furnace (26) via a process gas exhaust line (27); and the device (1) according to claim 1 fluidically connected to the post-combustion chamber (8) via the process gas inlet line (6).

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] FIG. 1 shows an example of a device for drying and/or preheating metal scrap.

[0028] FIG. 2a shows a first exemplary arrangement of an injector nozzle in a process gas inlet line.

[0029] FIG. 2b shows a second exemplary arrangement of an injector nozzle in a process gas inlet line.

[0030] FIG. 3 shows a part of a further embodiment of the device in a sectional view.

[0031] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment variant of a metallurgical plant for the production of molten metallic products containing the device shown in FIG. 1 or FIG. 3.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0032] FIG. 1 shows a schematic representation of an embodiment of a device 1 for drying and/or preheating of metallic material, such as steel scrap, aluminum scrap, copper scrap, electronic scrap, which can form part of a metallurgical plant 2 for the production of molten products from the aforementioned scrap (see FIG. 4). However, the field of application of the device 1 shown here is not limited to this, but can also be used in the same way for drying and/or preheating sponge iron or other non-ferrous metals, such as scrap containing copper, or non-metallic materials such as glasses, etc.

[0033] The device 1 comprises a receiving container 3 which, in the present case, has a hollow-cylindrical wall 4 which rests on a foundation 5. A process gas inlet line 6 is arranged in the lower region of the wall 4 and extends through the foundation 5 into the interior of the receiving container 3 and opens into the receiving container 3. A process gas with a temperature in the range of 600 to 1200° C. is fed to the receiving container 3 via the process gas inlet line 6, via which the scrap (not shown) present in a scrap basket 7 can be dried and/or preheated. In order to be able to feed the process gas into the receiving container 3 as homogeneously as possible, the process gas inlet line 6 can preferably comprise a horizontal ring line which has a number of connections via which the process gas is then fed to the receiving container 3. At its end opposite to the receiving container 3, the process gas inlet line 6 can be connected to a post-combustion chamber 8 (see FIG. 3) or alternatively to a device for producing a process gas (not shown). Such a device can, for example, be a furnace and comprise a chamber with burners arranged therein.

[0034] The scrap basket 7 arranged in the receiving container 3 has a gas-permeable bottom area 9 which is arched in the present embodiment variant and comprises a plurality of slots 10 on the circumference, through which the hot process gas can be introduced into the scrap basket 7. The circumferential slots 10 are formed by a cascade of stacked sheets 11 which are vertically spaced apart by a specific distance (see FIGS. 1 and 3) and may be inclined by up to 30° with respect to a horizontal.

[0035] As can also be seen from the representation in FIG. 1, the scrap basket 7 has on its outer lateral surface 12 in the upper area a flange 13 with a sealing collar 14, which is in the form of an annular metal sheet that extends vertically from the lower side of the flange 13. The sealing collar 14 embodied in the form of the annular metal sheet corresponds here to a sealing seat 15 of the receiving container 3, which is embodied in the form of an annular channel 16 and can be filled with sand, for example.

[0036] Furthermore, the receiving container 3 comprises a support 17, on which the scrap basket 7 can be placed inside the receiving container 3, and a water pipe 18 arranged below the support 17, via which the condensed water that accumulates during a drying process can be removed from the scrap basket 7.

[0037] In order to regulate the temperature of the hot process gas and to dilute it to such an extent that the permissible operating parameters of the mechanical and electrical components of the device 1 are not exceeded, the device 1 shown in the present embodiment variant comprises a coaxially arranged injector nozzle 19 designed as a subsonic nozzle, via which a cooling gas can be introduced into the process gas. In this case, the injector nozzle 19 is fluidly connected via a cooling gas line 20 to a blower 21, via which air can be mixed with the hot process gas as cooling gas. Furthermore, the process gas inlet line 6 includes a water-cooled cooling jacket 22, via which the temperature of the process gas required for the drying and/or preheating process can also be regulated.

[0038] In the present embodiment variant, the process gas flowing through the scrap basket 7 during the drying and/or preheating process is sucked off via a hood 23 arranged above the scrap basket 7, which is fluidically connected to a process gas outlet line 24, which in turn has a blower (not shown). It can be seen here that the hood 23 is positioned above the receiving container 3, in particular above the scrap basket 7, in such a way that the ambient air can also be sucked in.

[0039] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment variant of the device 1 in a sectional representation, which, in contrast to the embodiment variant shown in FIG. 1, has a cover element 25, via which the scrap basket 7 can be closed, but in such a way that ambient air can continue to be sucked in.

[0040] FIG. 4 shows an embodiment variant of a metallurgical plant 2 for the production of molten metallic products. The plant 2 comprises a melting unit 26, for example an electric arc furnace (EAF), a post-combustion chamber 8 fluidically connected to the melting unit 26 via a process gas exhaust line 27, and the device 1, which is fluidly connected to the post-combustion chamber 8 via the process gas inlet line 6. It can also be seen that the post-combustion chamber 8 is fluidically connected to a process gas main line 28. The major part of the process gas from the post-combustion chamber 8 is fed to a treatment plant 29 via the process gas main line 28. If a batch of scrap metal has to be preheated and/or dried, a partial volume flow of the process gas from the post-combustion chamber 8 can be fed to the device 1 via a valve 30.

[0041] While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the disclosed or illustrated embodiments but, on the contrary, is intended to cover numerous other modifications, substitutions, variations and broad equivalent arrangements that are included within the spirit and scope of the following claims.

[0042] The words “example” and “exemplary” as used herein mean serving as an instance or illustration. Any embodiment or design described herein as “example” or “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments or designs. Rather, use of the word example or exemplary is intended to present concepts in a concrete fashion. As used in this application, the term “or” is intended to mean an inclusive “or” rather than an exclusive “or”. That is, “A or B” refers to any of “A alone,” “B alone,” and “both A and B” unless specified otherwise or clear from context. The articles “a” and “an” as used in this application should generally be construed to mean “one or more” unless specified otherwise or clear from context to be directed to a singular form.

REFERENCE SIGNS

[0043] 1 device [0044] 2 plant [0045] 3 receiving container [0046] 4 wall [0047] 5 foundation [0048] 6 process gas inlet line [0049] 7 scrap basket [0050] 8 post-combustion chamber [0051] 9 bottom area [0052] 10 slots [0053] 11 sheets [0054] 12 outer surface [0055] 13 element [0056] 14 sealing collar [0057] 15 sealing seat [0058] 16 channel [0059] 17 support [0060] 18 water pipe [0061] 19 injector nozzle [0062] 20 cooling gas line [0063] 21 blower [0064] 22 cooling jacket [0065] 23 hood [0066] 24 process gas outlet line [0067] 25 cover element [0068] 26 melting unit [0069] 27 process gas exhaust line [0070] 28 process gas main line [0071] 29 treatment plant [0072] 30 valve