Gas purging element and associated gas connection element

Abstract

Gas purging element (10) for metallurgical applications, comprising the following features in its mounted state: a ceramic refractory body (10, 30) with a lower end and an upper end, the upper end features an upper front surface, the lower end features a lower front surface (12), a depression (20) extends from the lower front surface (12) into the lower end of the ceramic refractory body (10), the depression (20) comprises a first part (16, 16, 16) of a detachable, form-fit connection to a gas connection element (50), a fluidic connection for a treating gas through at least one gas permeable section (30) of the ceramic refractory body (10) is provided between the depression (20) and the upper front surface.

Claims

1. Gas purging element (10) for metallurgical applications, comprising the following features in its mounted state: a) a ceramic refractory body (10, 30) with a lower end and an upper end, b) the upper end features an upper front surface, c) the lower end features a lower front surface (12), d) a depression (20) extends from the lower front surface (12) into the lower end of the ceramic refractory body (10), e) the depression (20) contains a first part (16, 16, 16) of a detachable, gas tight and form-fit connection to a gas connection element (50), f) a fluidic connection for a treating gas through at least one gas permeable section (30) of the ceramic refractory body (10) is provided between the depression (20) and the upper front surface, wherein g) said detachable, gas tight and form-fit connection is from the group comprising: a screw connection, a bayonet connection, a push-push quick connection and a push-twist quick connection.

2. Gas purging element according to claim 1, wherein the depression (20), starting from the lower front surface (12), displays one of the following geometries: cylinder, cone, truncated cone, prism.

3. Gas purging element according to claim 1 with a gas distribution chamber (32) being arranged in the depression (20) or fluidly subsequent to the depression (20), towards the upper front surface.

4. Gas purging element according to claim 1 with a break through protection device against infiltrating metal melt being arranged in the depression (20) or fluidly subsequent to the depression (20), towards the upper front surface.

5. Gas purging element according to claim 1, wherein the part (14, 16, 16, 16) of the depression (20) is in-situ formed within the refractory ceramic body (10,30).

6. Gas purging element according to claim 1, wherein the part (14, 16, 16, 16) of the depression (20) is a discrete part.

7. Gas purging element according to claim 1, wherein at least one gas permeable section (30) of the ceramic refractory body (10) extends from an inner end of the depression (20).

8. Gas purging element according to claim 7, wherein that gas permeable section (30) of the refractory ceramic body (10, 30), which is adjacent to the inner end of the depression (20), partially features a metal cover (22).

9. Gas purging element according to claim 1 with an outer metal envelope (40), which covers the lower end of the ceramic refractory body (10, 30) circumferentially, the lower front surface (12) of the ceramic refractory body (10, 30), or both.

10. Gas purging element according to claim 1 without any elements protruding the lower front surface (12).

11. Gas connection element (50) for a gas purging element according to claim 1, with a first end and a second end (52), wherein the second end (52) is designed, correspondingly to the first part (14, 16, 16, 16) of the depression (20) of the gas purging element (10), as a complementary second part (52) of said detachable, form-fit connection with the gas purging element (10).

Description

(1) The invention will now be explained in more detail with the help of various embodiments. In a highly schematic way the following is shown:

(2) FIG. 1: A vertical cross section of a gas purging element and a corresponding gas connection element of the invention.

(3) FIG. 2: A presentation according to FIG. 1 for a second embodiment.

(4) FIG. 3: A presentation according to FIG. 1 for a third embodiment.

(5) In the Figures identical parts or parts having the same effect are represented by the same numerals.

(6) Numeral 10 relates to a gas purging element in the shape of a truncated cone, the lower end of which is displayed. A metallic cylinder 14 with an inner thread 16 extends from a flat bottom 12 into a gas tight ceramic outer part 18 of the gas purging element 10.

(7) The inner thread (female thread) thus limits a cylindrical hollow space (depression 20), into which a corresponding gas connection element 50 (a gas feeding pipe) may be inserted. For this purpose a gas feeding pipe 50 provides a corresponding outer thread (male thread) 54 at is upper, second end 52, displayed in FIG. 1.

(8) A ring-shaped metal plate is fixed (welded) to the upper, ring-shaped front surface (14s) of said cylinder 14, which metal plate provides a middle opening 24, corresponding to said hollow space 20 and a cylindrical wall 26 extends from the periphery of said metal plate 22 towards an upper, not displayed end of the gas purging element, resulting in a pot-like geometry for said parts 22, 26 with a hole in the bottom.

(9) This pot serves to achieve a lower end 28 of a gas permeable ceramic part 30. This part 30 has a central depression 32 at its bottom such that it rests onto said steel plate 22 only peripherally, while circumferentially its lower part abuts said wall 26 and its part following upwardly abuts the gas impermeable section 18 of said gas purging element 10.

(10) A gas distribution chamber between the gas permeable part 30 and the steel sheet 22 is thus provided by said recess (depression) 32.

(11) By screwing the thread 54 of the gas connection element onto said thread 16 of the gas purging element 10 and connecting the gas connection element to a gas source, the gas connection is performed.

(12) Thereafter, the gas purging process may immediately start. Gas then flows through the gas connection element 50 (arrow G) and insofar through hollow space (depression) 20 into the gas distribution chamber (realized by said recess 32) and further through the open porosity of the gas purging part 30 (arrow G) until the gas leaves the gas purging element (10) via its (not displayed) upper front surface and enters a corresponding metal melt.

(13) The displayed gas purging element has a flat bottom 12. Towards the outside (in the displayed functional (use) position: downwardly) no parts protrude during transport and fitting of the gas purging element 10. This in an important feature of the gas purging element and makes fitting/connection to a gas feeding pipe (a gas connection element) after fitting of the gas purging element in a bottom or a wall of a metallurgical melting vessel easier.

(14) The embodiments according to FIGS. 2 and 3 differ by the connection technique of gas purging element 10 and gas connection element 50.

(15) In the variant according to FIG. 2 this connection is realized as a so-called quick coupling. For this purpose a male part 16 is arranged in said depression (hollow space 20). The part 16 is fixed to the bottom 22 and protrudes downwardly into the hollow space 20, namely down to the bottom 12 of the gas purging element 10. Part 16 has about a cylinder shape with a recessed ring-shaped part 17.

(16) Correspondingly and replacing the outer thread 54 a female part 54 is realized in this quick coupling, wherein this part 54 has a pot-like shape and a ring-shaped throat (neck), which is designed correspondingly to the recessed section 17 of part 16 such that when part 54 is pushed onto part 16 the ring-shaped throat 55 lands into said recessed section 17, wherein part 54 is provided with a certain elasticity.

(17) As a quick coupling as such, for other purposes, relates to prior art, it is not further explained and displayed.

(18) It is self-evident, that the dimensions of the hollow space 20 must enable to take part 54 and preferably such that part 54 with its cylindrical outer surface may be arranged flush at the cylindrical outer wall of hollow space 20 in a use position.

(19) It is further to be explained that the bottom of the gas purging element is a metal bottom in FIG. 2.

(20) The embodiment of FIG. 3 is similar to that according to FIG. 2. The gas purging element 10 and the gas connection element 50 are linked to each other via a kind of a bayonet lock instead of a quick coupling.

(21) For this purpose part 16 has an L-shaped depression on its circumferential wall, serving to take pin 55, which protrudes perpendicular with respect to the inner wall of part 54.

(22) To connect the gas purging element 10 and gas connection element 50 the second end of the gas connection element 50 is pushed onto part 16 axially, whereby pin 55 runs along the axially extending part of the L-shaped depression at the beginning. Thereafter, the gas connection element 50 is twisted relative to part 16 such that pin 55 enters into the horizontal part of the L-shaped notch and will then be secured against axial detachment.

(23) A gas purging element 10 of FIG. 3 further provides a circumferential metal sheet 40, which is connected to the bottom sheet 10 in a gas tight manner, which is interrupted just in the area of the cylinder 14.