Fireproof ceramic impact pad

Abstract

The invention relates to a fireproof (refractory) ceramic impact pad (also called impact pot, German: Pralltopf), which is typically installed along the bottom of a vessel treating metallurgical melts at an area where the metal melt, poured into the vessel, normally hits the vessel bottom. Insofar the impact pot has the task to protect the refractory bottom of the metallurgical vessel (to reduce its wear) and/or to distribute the metal melt within the vessel.

Claims

1. Fireproof ceramic impact pad with the following features in its functional position: 1.1 a bottom (10) defining an upper impact surface (10i), 1.2 a first wall (20), extending upwardly from said bottom (10) and providing at least one of the following shapes in a top view: C, U, V, W, E, 3, with opposed free end sections (22, 24) having a minimum distance X1 to each other, 1.3 a second wall (30), extending upwardly from said bottom (10) and providing at least one of the following shapes in a top view: C, U, V, W, E, 3, with opposed free end sections (32, 34) having a maximum distance X2 to each other, wherein 1.4 X1 being larger than X2, 1.5 the free end sections (32, 34) of the second wall (30) are arranged between the free end sections (22, 24) of the first wall (20), 1.6 the free end sections (22, 24) of the first wall (20) overlap the free end sections (32, 34) of the second wall (30) in a horizontal direction, to allow 1.7 corresponding outflow channels (40, 50) being formed between adjacent free end sections (22, 24) of said first wall (20) and said second wall (30), 1.8 which outflow channels (40, 50) are arranged in such a way that substantially all of the corresponding melt within the impact pad receives a horizontally meandering flow pattern within the impact pad, including a U-turn before flowing out of the impact pad, free end sections (22, 24) of the first wall (20) extend oppositely to the free end sections (32, 34) of the second wall (30).

2. Fireproof ceramic impact pad according to claim 1, wherein adjacent free end sections (22, 24; 32, 34) of said first and second wall (20, 30) are arranged parallel to each other.

3. Fireproof ceramic impact pad according to claim 1, wherein adjacent free end sections (22, 24; 32, 34) of said first and second wall (20, 30) are arranged in a converging manner to each other.

4. Fireproof ceramic impact pad according to claim 1, wherein adjacent free end sections (22, 24; 32, 34) of said first and second wall (20, 30) are arranged in a diverging manner to each other.

5. Fireproof ceramic impact pad according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said free end sections (22, 24; 32, 34) of said first and second wall (20, 30) is planar.

6. Fireproof ceramic impact pad according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said free end sections (22, 24; 32, 34) of said first and second wall (20, 30) are curved about a vertical axis.

7. Fireproof ceramic impact pad according to claim 1, wherein at least part of the first wall (20) is planar between the at least two end sections (22, 24).

8. Fireproof ceramic impact pad according to claim 1 with at least one material bridge between said first and second wall (30).

9. Fireproof ceramic impact pad according to claim 1 with at least one material bridge between adjacent free end sections (22, 32; 24, 34) of said first and second wall (20, 30).

10. Fireproof ceramic impact pad according to claim 1, wherein a lower end section of at least one of said first wall (20) or second wall (30) is inserted into at least one corresponding pocket provided within said bottom (10).

11. Fireproof ceramic impact pad according to claim 1, wherein the bottom (10) and at least one of said first wall (20) or second wall (30) are designed as one monolithic piece.

12. Fireproof ceramic impact pad according to claim 1, wherein said first wall (20) and second wall (30) have different heights perpendicular to said bottom (10).

13. Fireproof ceramic impact pad according to claim 1, wherein at least one of said first wall (20) or second wall (30) provides an upper rim (20r, 30r) protruding an adjacent wall section in at least one direction parallel to the bottom (10).

14. Fireproof ceramic impact pad according to claim 13, wherein said rim (20r, 30r) protrudes towards an area of said pad, where a corresponding melt hits the bottom (10).

Description

(1) Further aspects of the invention may be derived from the features of the sub claims and the other application documents. These include various examples according to the attached schematic drawing, wherein the following is shown:

(2) FIG. 1: A top view of a refractory ceramic impact pad according to the invention.

(3) FIGS. 2-14: Top views of various design options.

(4) FIG. 15: A three-dimensional view of the impact pad according to FIG. 14.

(5) FIGS. 16-18: FIGS. 16-18 represent further embodiments of a refractory ceramic impact pad.

(6) In the Figures identical parts or parts of at least similar function are characterized by the same numerals.

(7) The impact according to FIG. 1 is a refractory (fireproof) ceramic impact pad with the following features in its functional position. Bottom 10, defining an upper impact surface 10i, a first wall 20, extending upwardly from said bottom 10 and providing a U-shape in the top view as shown, including two opposed free end sections 22, 24, extending at a right angle from an intermediate main wall section 23. Free ends 22e, 24e have a distance X1 to each other. A second wall 30, again of U-shape (in the top view) with a main wall section 33 and end sections 32, 34, again running at a right angle to main section 33. Free ends 32e, 34e of said end sections 32, 34 have a distance X2 to each other. X1 is larger than X2 plus the wall thicknesses of end sections 32e, 34e. The free end sections 32, 34 of second wall 30 are arranged between the free end sections 22, 24 of said first wall 20, wherein the free end sections 22, 24 of said first wall 20 overlap the free end sections 32, 34 of the second wall 30 in a horizontal direction, thus forming channels 40, 50 between adjacent free end sections, 22, 32; 24, 34 of said first wall 20 and second wall 30. The overlapping/channel area is encircled in FIG. 1.

(8) As the free ends 32e, 34e of second wall 30 are arranged at a distance d to the main wall section 23 of first wall 20 a meander-like flow pattern can be realized for the metal melt after hitting a central spot area S of the impact pad, wherein the flow streams are symbolized by arrows F1, F2. In other words, after the melt enters the space defined by U-shaped second wall 30 it firstly flows towards the main portion 23 of first wall 20 and then makes the U-turn to flow through channels 40, 50 each of width D out of said impact pad.

(9) In FIG. 1 D>d but it may be as well the other way round.

(10) According to the volume of melt poured into the impact pad further melt will overflow the top rims 20r or 30r of first wall 20 and second wall 30.

(11) The redirection of the metal flow allows to direct the melt stream into formerly dead volumes within the corresponding metallurgical vessel and thus provides a considerable improvement in homogeneity of the melt within the metallurgical treatment vessel. The area of these dead volumes is marked as DV while a corresponding tundish wall is marked as TW.

(12) The embodiment according to FIGS. 2-14 follow the general design of the impact pad according to FIG. 1 with the following amendments:

(13) FIG. 2: converging end sections 32, 34 of wall 30.

(14) FIG. 3: diverging end sections 32, 34 of wall 30.

(15) FIG. 4: converging end sections 22, 24 of wall 20.

(16) FIG. 5: converging end sections 22, 24; 32, 34 of walls 20, 30.

(17) FIG. 6: converging end sections of wall 20 and diverging end sections of wall 30 to achieve channels 40, 50 of constant width.

(18) FIG. 7: diverging end sections 22, 24 of wall 20.

(19) FIG. 8: C-shaped walls 20, 30.

(20) FIG. 9: C-shaped wall 30.

(21) FIG. 10: W-shaped wall 20 and converging end sections 32, 34 of wall 30.

(22) FIG. 11: as FIG. 10 but with C-shaped wall 20.

(23) FIG. 12: as FIG. 9 but with 3-shaped wall 20.

(24) FIG. 13: as FIG. 7 but with wall 30 providing an angled wall portion.

(25) FIG. 14: as FIG. 7 but with angled end sections 32, 34.

(26) In all FIGS. 2-14 the rectangular area 10 symbolizes a bottom 10 of the corresponding impact pad.

(27) The embodiment of FIG. 15 corresponds to FIG. 14 with the proviso that top rims 20r, 30r of walls 20, 30 protrude the corresponding lower (adjacent) wall sections of said walls 20, 30, wherein said rims 20r, 30r extend substantially parallel to bottom 10.

(28) FIGS. 16 to 18 represent further embodiments of a refractory ceramic impact pad. All of them distinguish over embodiments according to FIGS. 1 to 15 in that they comprise additional walls extending from bottom 10.

(29) Starting from the embodiment and view according to FIG. 13, the embodiment of FIG. 16 is characterized by a third wall 40, designed as wall 20 and arranged in a mirror-inverted fashion so that its opposed free end sections 42, 44 protrude intermediate wall section 43 towards wall 20.

(30) Compared with the embodiment of FIG. 13 wall 30 is split into two parts 30.1, 30.2 by omitting intermediate wall portion 33. Accordingly each wall portion 30.1, 30.2 is characterized by three sub-sections angled to each other.

(31) A metal melt, hitting spot area S, may flow along wall sections 30.1, 30.2 towards walls 20, 40 before being redirected and flowing through channel areas defined by corresponding end sections 22, 32.1o; 23, 32.2o; 32.2u, 44; 42, 32.1u.

(32) The embodiment of FIG. 17 again is a top view of an impact pad, which differs from the embodiment of FIG. 16 just by the angles between adjacent wall sections.

(33) The same is true with respect to the embodiment of FIG. 18 compared with that of FIG. 16 with the further proviso that end sections 22, 23 of wall 20 and end sections 42, 44 of wall 40 are arranged in a converging fashion to each other.