GAS PURGING ELEMENT AND CORRESPONDING GAS SUPPLY LINE

Abstract

The invention relates to a gas purging element at a metallurgical vessel as well as a corresponding gas supply pipe.

Claims

1. Gas purging element (10) for metallurgical applications with the following characteristics: a) a ceramic fireproof body (10k) with a first end (10u) and a second end (10o), b) the second end (10o) is in the mounted position of the gas purging element in contact with a metal melt, c) the first end (10u) is covered by a metal coat (12), which features an opening (16) to which a gas supply adapter (20) connects, the gas supply adapter (20) has a first end (20.1) and a second end (20.2), d) the gas purging element (10), the body (10k) and the gas supply adapter (20) are designed in such a way that a treatment gas which is supplied via the gas supply adapter (20) flows through the body (10k) and exits the body (10k) at the second end (10o), e) at the second end (20.2) the gas supply adapter (20) is connected via a gas connection area (22) to the metal coat (12), and at the first end (20.1) the gas supply adapter (/20) is designed as a plug or as a socket of a push-fit connection for connection to a corresponding socket or a corresponding plug of the gas supply pipe (30), wherein f) the gas supply adapter (20), which is designed as a socket, features one of the following geometric shapes on the outside: negative cone, negative frustocone, negative prism.

2. Gas purging element (10) according to claim 1, wherein the gas supply adapter (20) extends away from the ceramic body (10k), starting from the connection area (22) to the metal coat (12).

3. Gas purging element (10) according to claim 1, wherein the gas supply adapter (20) extends towards the ceramic body (10k), starting from the gas connection area (22) to the metal coat (12).

4. Gas purging device (10) according to claim 1, wherein the gas supply adapter (20), which is designed as a plug, features one of the following geometric shapes on the outside: cone, frustocone, prism.

5. Gas purging element (10) according to claim 1, wherein the gas supply adapter (20) features a break-through protection against invading metal melt.

6. Gas purging element (10) according to claim 1, wherein the gas supply adapter features a back pressure valve (26, 28).

7. Gas purging element (10) according to claim 1 whose gas supply adapter (20) features a length, in the direction of a stream (G) of the supplied gas, of less than 20 cm.

8. Gas purging element according to claim 1, whose gas supply adapter (20) features an outer screw thread at its first end (20.1).

9. Gas supply pipe (30) for a gas purging element according to claim 1, with a first end (30.1) and a second end (30.2) for connection to the gas supply adapter (20) of the gas purging element (10), wherein the second end (30.2) is designed, corresponding to the gas supply adapter (20), as a plug or socket of the push fit connection between the gas supply adapter (20) and the second end (30.2) of the gas supply pipe (30).

10. Gas supply pipe according to claim 9 wherein the first end (30.1) is designed as a socket, the second end (30.2) designed as a plug.

11. Gas supply pipe according to claim 9, wherein the first end (30.1) is designed for connection to a further gas supply pipe (70).

12. Gas supply pipe according to claim 9, wherein the first end (30.1) is designed for the connection to a gas source.

13. Gas supply pipe according to claim 9, wherein the second end (30.2) features an inward pointing step (42) and an inner screw thread (40i), which extends itself between the step (42) and a free edge of the second end (30.2).

Description

[0044] In the Figures identical or similar elements are labelled with the same reference codes.

[0045] The reference code 10 describes a frusticonical gas purging plug with an outer metal sheet coat (metallic envelope) 12 and a metal sheet base 14, which features a central opening 16.

[0046] In the displayed mounted position, a fireproof ceramic body extends above said opening 16, with a porous segment 10p, through which a gas can be fed in direction of arrow G from the lower, cold end 10u of the gas purging plug 10 to its upper (not displayed) hot end 10o.

[0047] Opposite the porous segment 10p, a gas supply adapter 20 for the gas purging plug 10 extends around the opening 16. The gas supply adapter 20 with an axial gas channel 26 extends itself in the displayed mounted position downwards from the opening 16.

[0048] The gas supply adapter 20 features a first end 20.1 at a distance to the gas purging element 10 and a second end 20.2 adjacent to the gas purging element 10. The second segment 20.2 is welded to the metal base 14 (weld seam 22).

[0049] In the area of the second end 20.2 the gas supply adapter 20 features a change in the cross-section on the inside, wherein the part which is facing the gas purging plug 10 has a larger cross section. In this segment a body 24 is loosely arranged. Without the gas pressure it rests on a shoulder of the described reduction of the cross section of the gas channel 26. Under the gas pressure the body 24 rises from the shoulder and moves in the direction of the gas purging plug. A securing bolt 28 which is arranged above the body 24 prevents that the body 24 blocks the opening 16.

[0050] At the first end 20.1 which is opposite, the gas channel 26 expands (widens) downwardly and outwardly in a cone like manner. Into this part, a second end 30.2 of a gas supply pipe 30 is plugged in in a gas tight manner. This end 30.2 is correspondingly frustoconically (nozzle like) shaped and its tapered end lies on top. The end 20.1 forms the socket, the end 30.2 forms the plug of the push-fit connection.

[0051] In the mounted position the gas supply pipe 30 features a shoulder 32 on the outside a little below the first end 20.1 of the gas supply adapter 20. A ring shaped inner heel 42 of a securing element 40, which is also tube-shaped, rests against the shoulder 32. The securing element 40 features an inner (screw) thread 42i in the area above the heel 42, which is screwed onto a corresponding outer (screw) thread 20.1a of the first end 20.1 of the gas supply adapter 20, which first end is also cylindrical on its outside. Below the heel 42, the securing element 40 extends itself in a tube-shaped manner downwardly up until a radially to the outside running wheel 44 for fixation.

[0052] At this embodiment the connection of the gas supply adapter 20 and the gas supply pipe 30 is created by segments 20.1, 30.2 which are axially plugged into each other, wherein the push-fit connection is secured via the securing element 40 against loosening (opening).

[0053] A mounting device 60 is swivel-mounted to the outer coat 50 of the corresponding metallurgic vessel via a hinge 62 wherein FIG. 1 shows the mounted position in which the mounting device extends over the gas supply adapter 20 as well as the second end 30.2 of the gas supply pipe 30 with a ring shaped element 64. The ring shaped element 64 is fixed to the steady outer coat 50 in the displayed position with the aid of a handle 66. In doing so the element 64 touches a nozzle 68, which surrounds the second end 20.2 of the gas supply adapter 20. The nozzle 68 is part of the fireproof lining below the gas purging element 10. The first end 20.1 of the gas supply adapter 20 protrudes downwardly over said nozzle 68.

[0054] The mounting is simple, because the mounting device 60 can be swivelled in the described position, before the gas supply pipe 30 is stuck onto the gas supply adapter 20 and secured. Before the gas tight connection of said parts 20, 30 the gas purging plug 10 is securely positioned. The gas supply adapter 20 of the connection is precisely adjusted so that the push-fit connection with the gas feeding line 30 can take place very easily, accurately and fast. The length of the gas supply pipe 30 is arbitrary. The gas supply pipe 30 can also consist of multiple segments, which again may be connected in a gas tight manner by the means of a push-fit connection (or by other means).

[0055] This is also valid for the embodiment according to FIG. 2. It differs from the embodiment according to FIG. 1 mainly by the following characteristics: [0056] The gas supply adapter 20 is designed in the way of an adapter, which is connected to the metal base 14 of the gas purging plug 10 (here: welded). The adapter only protrudes the base 14 downwardly by 10 mm and is designed at this end (20.1) similar to the first end 20.1 of the gas supply adapter 20 according to FIG. 1. Analogously this is valid for the second end 20.2 of the gas supply adapter 20 in FIG. 2. In other words: In the example according to FIG. 2 the gas connection adapter 20 and the connecting gas supply pipe 30 are connected via a push-fit connection. [0057] The gas supply pipe 30 according to FIG. 2 is not designed as a pipe (as in FIG. 1) between the ends (30.1, 30.2) but as a thick-walled cylinder and simultaneously serves the purpose of a break-through protection. In order to do so the gas channel 26 is designed as a type of coil (or spiral) between the second end 30.2 and the first end 30.1. If metal melt enters the gas channel 26, it would be led radially to the outside (along the coil), thus the path for the melt is elongated, in order to be able to cool down the melt faster, until it solidifies. This is principally known and is here not explained any further. [0058] The first end 30.1 of the gas supply pipe 30 according to FIG. 2 is designed analogously to the first end 20.1 of the gas supply adapter 20 according to FIG. 1 and serves the connection of a further gas supply pipe 70, which is designed analogously to the gas supply pipe 30 according to FIG. 1. [0059] The ring shaped element 64 of the mounting device 60 directly touches the underside of the thick-walled part of the gas supply pipe 30 in its mounted position. [0060] The FIGS. 2a-d shows the individual mounting steps for this embodiment. Firstly the gas purging plug 10 (with a connected adapter 20) is installed built into the base of the metallurgical vessel (FIG. 2a). [0061] The mounting device 60 is open. [0062] The gas supply pipe 30, including the break-through protection, is then stuck onto the adapter 20 and screwed together (FIG. 2b). Afterwards the mounting device is swivelled over both parts 20, 30 (FIG. 2c) and the part 30 secured. [0063] In the final step the further gas supply pipe 70 is stuck with its upper end 70.2 onto the lower segment 30.1 of the gas supply pipe 30 and secured via a screw-securing element, analogously as with the two ends 20.1, 30.2 (FIG. 2d).