COKE OVEN ROOF REPAIR OR REPLACEMENT

Abstract

A method of repairing or replacing a roof of a coke oven battery in operation, said coke oven battery including a number of parallel coking chambers separated by heating walls and delimited on top by a ceiling, itself covered by a roof, the roof having for each coking chamber a number of charging holes or gas transfer holes above the coking chamber, a number of inspection holes above the separating heating walls, one or two base rings connected to one or two gas collecting mains and rail sleepers supporting rails for a coke charging car or charging gas transfer car through an ascension pipe. A kit of parts with construction modules and the use of such kit of parts in the repairing or replacing of a roof of a coke oven battery in operation and or with at least one oven empty in hot condition is also related.

Claims

1. A method of repairing or replacing a roof of a coke oven battery in operation, said coke oven battery comprising a number of parallel coking chambers separated by heating walls and delimited on top by a ceiling, itself covered by a roof, the roof comprising for each coking chamber a first plurality of charging holes or gas transfer holes above said coking chamber, a second plurality of inspection holes above said separating heating walls, one or two base rings of an ascension pipe connected to one or two gas collecting mains and rail sleepers configured for supporting rails for a coke charging car or charging gas transfer car, the method including the following steps: I.a) if required, taking out of operation at least one coking chamber by discharging any hot coke contained therein and disconnecting said base ring(s) from the gas collecting main(s), I.b) removing any damage roof parts above said at least one coking chamber and adjacent heating walls, including one or more charging holes or gas transfer holes, inspection holes, base ring and rail sleepers, optionally providing temporary support for the rails above the at least one coking chamber and adjacent heating walls, I.c) providing a set of construction modules, each construction module comprising a set of elements: a first plurality of charging hole or gas transfer hole modules, each comprising one or more refractory precast support blocks for charging hole or gas transfer hole and a metal charging or gas transfer hole frame with a metal lid, a second plurality of inspection hole modules, each comprising a refractory precast support block for inspection hole and a metal inspection hole frame with a metal lid, one or two base ring modules, each comprising one or more refractory precast support blocks for base ring and a metal base ring, rail sleeper modules, each comprising one or more refractory precast support blocks for sleeper and a metal sleeper, and a finishing module comprising a third plurality of liner slabs, mortar and refractory castable filler material, wherein said refractory precast support blocks are made of low expansion refractory material, I.d) placing the first plurality of charging hole or gas transfer hole modules, and/or the second plurality of inspection hole modules, and/or the base ring module(s) and/or the rail sleeper modules at predetermined respective locations within the space of the roof, and if necessary connecting adjacent refractory precast blocks with the mortar; I.e) partially filling a void space within the roof left after steps I.b) and I.d) with liner slabs, and filling the remainder of the void space within the roof by pouring and/or casting the refractory castable material; I.f) if previously disconnected, connecting the base ring(s) with the gas collecting main(s) and taking into operation the at least one coking chamber with the repaired or replaced roof, attaching the rails to the sleepers and, if previously installed, removing the temporary support for the rails provided in step I.b), and I.g) repeating steps I.a) to I.f) for a further at least one coking chamber, as necessary or desired, wherein the method further includes the following step: I.d1) waiting for the modules placed in step I.d) and/or the liner slabs placed in step I.e) to exceed a predetermined temperature threshold, thereby enabling said modules and/or liner slabs to undergo thermal expansion, before pouring the refractory castable material; and wherein the repairing or replacing is performed while the roof of the coking chamber is exposed to a temperature of at least 200 C.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the method further comprises the steps of: I.b1) removing at least any damaged ceiling parts above said at least one coking chamber and adjacent heating walls, wherein said step is carried out during or after step I.b) and before step I.c), and I.c1) providing precast ceiling parts made of the low expansion refractory material and placing said precast ceiling parts at the location of the removed ceiling parts, wherein said step is carried out after step I.b1) or I.c) and before step I.d).

3. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein a. said refractory precast support blocks made of low expansion refractory material are fused silica precast support blocks, with a minimum SiO.sub.2 content of 95 wt.-% and/or a maximum linear thermal expansion of 0.20%; and/or b. said mortar is fireclay mortar, with a minimum Al.sub.2O.sub.3 content of 30 wt.-% and/or a maximum linear thermal expansion of 3%; and/or c. said liner slabs are made of a material chosen between silica and insulation shaped material depending on the deepness of the space to be filled; d. said refractory castable material use to fill any void left after placing the materials a, b and c is either alumina-silica medium cement castable, with a content of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 in the range of 50 wt.-% to 60 wt.-% and/or a content of SiO.sub.2 in the range of 30 wt.-% to 40 wt.-% and/or a maximum linear thermal expansion of 1%, or fused silica castable.

4. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein the refractory precast support blocks made of low expansion refractory material are made of the same material as the refractory castable material; or the refractory precast support blocks and the liner slabs are made of the same material as the refractory castable material.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each rail sleeper module further comprises an adjustable rail spacer configured for adjusting the position of the rail during the mounting of the rails.

6. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein each rail sleeper comprises one or more inspection holes with a metal lid.

7. (canceled)

8. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said temperature threshold is 200 C.

9. The method as claimed in claim 1, wherein said metal charging or gas transfer hole frame(s) and/or said metal sleeper(s) are provided with open hollow structures configured for letting the poured and/or casted refractory castable filler material penetrate and set in these structures.

10. The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein the hollow structures of said metal charging or gas transfer hole frame(s) and/or of said metal sleeper(s) are provided with escapes for air during pouring/casting and/or undercut retaining structures and/or injection ports for the castable refractory filler material, wherein said metal charging or gas transfer hole frame(s) and/or of said metal sleeper(s) are further provided with laterally extending metal fins and/or laterally or downwardly extending metal brackets.

11. A kit of parts comprising a set of construction modules, for use in a method as claimed in claim 1, said set of construction modules comprising a first plurality of charging hole or gas transfer hole modules, each comprising one or more refractory precast support blocks for charging hole or gas transfer hole and a metal charging or gas transfer hole frame with a metal lid, a second plurality of inspection hole modules, each comprising a refractory precast support block for inspection hole and a metal inspection hole frame with a metal lid, one or two base ring modules, each comprising one or more refractory precast support blocks for base ring and a metal base ring, rail sleeper modules, each comprising one or more refractory precast support blocks for sleeper and a metal sleeper, and a finishing module comprising a third plurality of liner slabs, mortar and refractory castable filler material; wherein said refractory precast support blocks are made of a low expansion refractory material, wherein metal charging or gas transfer hole frame(s) and/or metal sleeper(s) are provided with open hollow structures configured for letting poured and/or casted refractory castable filler material penetrate and set in these structures.

12. The kit of parts as claimed in claim 10, wherein a. said refractory precast support blocks made of low expansion refractory material are fused silica precast support blocks, with a minimum SiO.sub.2 content of 95 wt.-% and/or a maximum linear thermal expansion of 0.20%; and/or b. said mortar is fireclay mortar, with a minimum Al.sub.2O.sub.3 content of 30 wt.-% and/or a maximum linear thermal expansion of 3%; and/or c. said liner slabs are made of a material chosen between silica and insulation shaped material depending on the deepness of the space to be filled; d. said refractory castable material use to fill any void left after placing the materials a, b and c is either alumina-silica medium cement castable, with a content of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 in the range of 50 wt.-% to 60 wt.-% and/or a content of SiO.sub.2 in the range of 30 wt.-% to 40 wt.-% and/or a maximum linear thermal expansion of 1%, or fused silica castable.

13. The kit of parts as claimed in claim 10, wherein each rail sleeper module further comprises an adjustable rail spacer configured for adjusting the position of a rail to be fixed thereto.

14. The kit of parts as claimed in claim 10, wherein each rail sleeper comprises one or more inspection holes with a metal lid.

15. Use of the kit of parts of claim 10 in the repairing or replacing of a roof of a coke oven battery in operation.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0055] Preferred embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[0056] FIG. 1 is a transversal sectional view of an embodiment of a charging hole (a charging gas transfer hole can be similarly made) after repair or replacement of the roof of a coke oven battery;

[0057] FIG. 2 is a transversal sectional view of an embodiment of a rail sleeper with (optional) mounted rail spacer and rail assembly after repair or replacement of the roof of a coke oven battery. Although illustrated, the rail sleeper does not necessarily integrate inspection holes, in which case of the adjacent inspection holes are similar to the other inspection holes.

[0058] FIG. 3 is a transversal sectional view of an embodiment of an inspection hole after repair or replacement of the roof of a coke oven battery; and

[0059] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of a base ring with transversal tie rod after repair or replacement of the roof of a coke oven battery.

[0060] Further details and advantages of the present disclosure will be apparent from the following detailed description of several not limiting embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0061] FIGS. 1 to 4 show transversal and longitudinal sectional view of advantageous embodiments of four key features integrated within a repaired or replaced coke oven battery roof according to the present disclosure.

[0062] FIG. 1 is a transversal sectional view of a preferred construction module of a charging hole 10 (or similar design for charging gas transfer hole) above a coking chamber after repair or replacement of the roof of a coke oven battery. In particular, precast charging hole or charging gas transfer hole support blocks 30 are resting on ceiling 60 and a hollow metal charging or gas transfer hole frame 20 (with one or more undercuts 21 and/or one or more anchors for casting 22) with its metal lid 25 is arranged at the top of the roof, preferably such that its upper surface is essentially flush with the top of the floor surface, which in the illustrated case corresponds to the upper (finishing) surface of the clinker tiles or bricks 50. The hollow metal charging or gas transfer hole 20 had been positioned at the correct height and location e.g. with brackets (not shown) before injecting the filler 40 in the hollow structures of the frame 20 and the void volume of the roof. Alternatively, the hollow structures, such as that of the frame 20, can be pre-filled with refractory castable material and subsequently placed in the roof before the refractory castable material sets. This void volume had been reduced according to provision mentioned in point I.e) with precast filler slabs 45.

[0063] FIG. 2 is a transversal sectional view of an embodiment of a construction module of a metal hollow rail sleeper 120 with mounted adjustable rail spacer 125 and rail assembly 110 after repair or replacement of the roof of a coke oven battery. During repair or replacement, the metal hollow rail sleeper 120 is preferably placed on one or more precast rail sleeper support blocks 130, themselves resting on the ceiling 160 above the heating walls or at least partially directly on the heating walls. After their placement, filler 140 is poured around and into the hollow parts of the metal rail sleeper 120 and let set. As the metal hollow rail sleeper 120 is placed above the heating wall comprising flues 170 for the hot gas needed for the coking operation, both the precast rail sleeper support blocks 130 and the hollow metal rail sleeper may be provided with an integrated inspection hole 210, 180 centered above said flue 170 and each inspection hole in hollow rail sleeper 180 is provided with a lid of inspection hole 181. The rail assembly 110 can be fixed with means of an adjustable rail spacer 125 to the metal rail sleeper. The adjustable rail spacer 125 preferably allows it being adjusted in longitudinal and transversal directions and, once correctly in place, it being fixed to the rail sleeper 120 e.g. with nuts and bolts. This allows to first correctly position the rail sleepers 120 including inspection holes 180 relative to the center of the below flues in the heating walls and then to correctly position the adjustable rail spacer 125 relative to the required position of the rail assembly 110. The shown design in FIG. 2 is for reference only.

[0064] FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of inspection holes 210 using a construction module comprising one or more metal inspection holes 220, precast inspection hole support blocks 230 and metal lids of inspection hole 225 together with a filler 240, after repair or replacement of the roof of a coke oven battery. The metal inspection hole 220 is preferably placed on or into one or more precast inspection hole support blocks 230. The metal inspection hole 220 and the precast inspection hole support block 230 are placed in a centered position above the flue 270 and each inspection hole 210 is provided with a lid of inspection hole 225.

[0065] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of ascension pipe hole 310 using an ascension pipe base ring construction module comprising one or more precast base ring support blocks 330 and a metal base ring 320, and poured filler 340. FIG. 4 also shows a transversal tie rod 395 and metal protection shaped enclosure 390 after repair or replacement of the roof of a coke oven battery. One or more precast base ring support blocks 330 are placed covering up to the same level of the ceiling and a metal base ring 320 with anchors for casting 322 (e.g. fins or brackets), which metal base ring 320 may also comprise hollow section similar to the hollow metal charging or gas transfer hole frame 20 in FIG. 1, with or without undercut 21, is positioned relative to the top surface of the roof and centered to the base ring 310. Again, the metal base ring 320 may have been positioned at the correct height and location e.g. with brackets (not shown) before pouring filler 340 in the void volume of the roof. FIG. 4 also shows parts of the bracing system of a coke oven battery, i.e. transversal tie rods 395 in metal protection shaped enclosure 390. Such metal protection shaped enclosures 390 do not only allow the movement/dilatation of the tie rods but protect tie rods from the heat and may also serve to evaluate and monitor the stress and forces exerted on the tie rods 395.