Method and arrangement for removing outgrowth in a suspension smelting furnace

Abstract

The invention relates to method and to an arrangement for removing outgrowth in a suspension smelting furnace. The suspension smelting furnace comprising a reaction shaft having a reaction shaft structure. The reaction shaft comprises at least one opening for an outgrowth removal means. The movable piston is arranged such that the movable piston can move in the opening in the reaction shaft and into the reaction shaft to push possible outgrowth in the reaction shaft.

Claims

1. An apparatus for removing outgrowth in a suspension smelting furnace comprising a reaction shaft having a reaction shaft structure, and a concentrate burner for feeding at least reaction gas and fine solids such as copper or nickel concentrate into the reaction shaft of the suspension smelting furnace, wherein the reaction shaft comprises at least one opening for a movable piston within the opening, the movable piston being arranged such that the movable piston can move in the at least one opening in the reaction shaft and into the reaction shaft to push possible outgrowth in the reaction shaft by the movable piston; a cooling block having an aperture for the concentrate burner, said cooling block fastened to said concentrate burner at the top of the reaction shaft of the suspension smelting furnace, the cooling block being provided with at least one opening for said movable piston; and the cooling block being arranged at the top of the reaction shaft of the suspension smelting furnace so that the cooling block is fastened to the reaction shaft structure of the suspension smelting furnace and to the concentrate burner so that the concentrate burner extends into the reaction shaft; the cooling block receiving coolant fluid into an at least one channel and by discharging coolant fluid from said at least one channel; the apparatus calculating heat loss (Q) of coolant fluid in said at least one channel by using the temperature (T.sub.in) of coolant fluid that is fed into said at least one channel, the temperature (T.sub.out) of coolant fluid that is discharged from said at least one channel, and the volumetric flow (V.sub.out) of the coolant fluid in said at least one channel; a control arrangement configured for moving the movable piston into the reaction shaft to push possible outgrowth in the reaction shaft by the movable piston if the calculated heat loss (Q) goes below a pre-set value (Q.sub.set).

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by at least one opening for said movable piston adjacent to the concentrate burner at the top of the reaction shaft of the suspension smelting furnace.

3. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the moveable piston being attached to the concentrate burner.

4. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by at least one moveable piston comprising a pneumatic cylinder-piston-arrangement.

5. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by at least one moveable piston comprising a linear actuator such as a mechanical actuator, a hydraulic actuator, or a pneumatic actuator.

6. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized by the arrangement comprising a control arrangement for actuating at least one movable piston into the reaction shaft for example with regular time-intervals.

7. An apparatus for removing outgrowth in a suspension smelting furnace comprising a reaction shaft having a reaction shaft structure, and a concentrate burner for feeding at least reaction gas and fine solids such as copper or nickel concentrate into the reaction shaft of the suspension smelting furnace, wherein the reaction shaft comprises at least one opening for a movable piston within the opening, the movable piston being arranged such that the movable piston can move in the at least one opening in the reaction shaft and into the reaction shaft to push possible outgrowth in the reaction shaft by of the movable piston; a cooling block having an aperture for the concentrate burner, said cooling block fastened to said concentrate burner at the top of the reaction shaft of the suspension smelting furnace, the cooling block being provided with at least one opening for said movable piston; and the cooling block being arranged at the top of the reaction shaft of the suspension smelting furnace so that the cooling block is fastened to the reaction shaft structure of the suspension smelting furnace and to the concentrate burner and so that the concentrate burner extends into the reaction shaft; the cooling block receiving coolant fluid into an at least one channel and discharging coolant fluid from said at least one channel; the apparatus calculating heat loss (Q) of coolant fluid in said at least one channel by using the temperature (T.sub.in) of coolant fluid that is fed into said at least one channel, the temperature (T.sub.out) of coolant fluid that is discharged from said at least one channel, and the volumetric flow (V.sub.out) of the coolant fluid in said at least one channel; a control arrangement configured for by moving the movable piston into the reaction shaft to push possible outgrowth in the reaction shaft by the movable piston if an average heat loss (Q.sub.ave) calculated by using several calculated heat losses (Q) goes below a pre-set average value (Q.sub.aveset).

Description

LIST OF FIGURES

(1) In the following the invention will described in more detail by referring to the figures, which

(2) FIG. 1 a suspension smelting furnace,

(3) FIG. 2 is a detail view of an embodiment of an arrangement for removing outgrowth in a suspension smelting furnace,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a cooling block that is provided with eight openings for a maximum of eight outgrowth removal means,

(5) FIG. 4 shows a part of an embodiment that is provided with a control arrangement for actuating at least one outgrowth removal means based on heat loss in coolant fluid that is fed into a coolant channels in a cooling block and that is discharged from the coolant channel of the cooling block, and

(6) FIG. 5 shows a part of an embodiment that is provided with a control arrangement for actuating at least one outgrowth removal means based on heat loss in a coolant fluid that is fed into a coolant channels in a cooling block and coolant fluid that is discharged from the coolant channel of the cooling block.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) The invention relates to a method for removing outgrowth in a suspension smelting furnace and to an arrangement for removing outgrowth in a suspension smelting furnace.

(8) FIG. 1 shows a suspension smelting furnace which comprises a reaction shaft 1, an uptake 2, and a lower furnace 3, as well as a concentrate burner 4 for feeding reaction gas (not shown in the figures) and fine solids (not shown) such as concentrate, preferable copper or nickel concentrate, matte and/or flux into the reaction shaft 1. The operation of such a suspension smelting furnace is for example described in the Finnish patent publication FI22694.

(9) First the method for removing outgrowth in a suspension smelting furnace and preferred embodiments and variants thereof will be describer in greater detail.

(10) The suspension smelting furnace in the method comprises a reaction shaft 1 having a reaction shaft structure 9, and a concentrate burner 4 for feeding at least reaction gas and fine solids such as copper or nickel concentrate into the reaction shaft 1 of the suspension smelting furnace.

(11) The method comprises providing the reaction shaft 1 with at least one opening 5 for an outgrowth removal means 6.

(12) The method comprises providing at least one outgrowth removal means 6 having a movable piston 7.

(13) The method comprises arranging the movable piston 7 of at least one outgrowth removal means 6 such that the movable piston 7 of said at least one outgrowth removal means 6 can move in the opening 5 in the reaction shaft 1 and into the reaction shaft 1 i.e. into the interior (not marked with a reference numeral) of the reaction shaft 1.

(14) The method comprises moving the movable piston 7 into the reaction shaft 1 to push possible outgrowth in the reaction shaft 1 by means of the movable piston 7 of said at least one outgrowth removal means 6, preferably to push outgrowth present in the reaction shaft 1 by means of the movable piston 7 of said at least one outgrowth removal means 6.

(15) In an embodiment of the method, the method comprises providing a cooling block 8 having an aperture 13 for the concentrate burner 4 and first fastening means 10 for fastening the concentrate burner 4 to the cooling block 8 and second fastening means 11 for fastening the cooling block 8 at the top of the reaction shaft 1 of the suspension smelting furnace. This embodiment of the method comprises additionally providing the cooling block 8 with at least one opening 5 for the movable piston 7 of at least one outgrowth removal means 6. This embodiment of the method comprises additionally fastening the cooling block 8 at the top of the reaction shaft 1 of the reaction shaft 1 of the suspension smelting furnace so that the cooling block 8 is fastened to the reaction shaft structure 9 of the reaction shaft 1 of the suspension smelting furnace by using the second fastening means 11 and so that the cooling block 8 is fastened to the concentrate burner 4 by using the first fastening means 10 and so that the concentrate burner 4 extends into the reaction shaft 1. The cooling block can for example be made of copper or comprise copper. FIG. 3 shows a cooling block 8 having in total eight openings 5 for eight movable pistons 7 of eight outgrowth removal means 6.

(16) If the method comprises providing a cooling block 8 as described above, the method comprises preferably, but not necessarily, providing a coolant circulating means 14 for circulating coolant fluid (not shown in the drawings) in at least one channel 15 in the cooling block 8. In such case the method comprises circulating coolant in said at least one channel 15 in the cooling block 8 by feeding coolant fluid into said at least one channel 1) and by discharging coolant fluid from said at least one channel 15. In such case the method comprises measuring the temperature (T.sub.in) of coolant fluid that is fed into said at least one channel 15, measuring the temperature (T.sub.out) of coolant fluid that is discharged from said at least one channel 15, and measuring the volumetric flow (V.sub.out) of the coolant fluid in said at least one channel 15. In such case the method comprises calculating the heat loss (Q) of the coolant fluid in said at least one channel 15 in the cooling block 8 by using the temperature (T.sub.in) of coolant fluid that is fed into said at least one channel 15, the temperature (T.sub.out) of coolant fluid that is discharged from said at least one channel 15, and the volumetric flow (V.sub.out) of the coolant fluid in said at least one channel 15 and controlling the outgrowth removal means 6 based on the calculated heat loss (Q).

(17) The heat loss (Q) can for example be calculated by the following equation:
Q=cp*V.sub.out*ro*(T.sub.in−T.sub.out)  (1)

(18) where

(19) Q is the heat loss,

(20) cp is the heat capacity of the coolant fluid,

(21) V.sub.out is the volumetric flow of the coolant fluid,

(22) ro is the density of the coolant fluid,

(23) T.sub.in is the temperature of the coolant fluid that is fed into the channel, and

(24) T.sub.out is the temperature of the coolant fluid that is discharged from the channel.

(25) In the arrangement shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the cooling block 8 can be considered to be divided into four horizontal sector (not marked with a reference numeral) each horizontal sector having a channel 15 for coolant fluid. Each of these horizontal sectors may be provided with first temperature measuring means 16, second temperature measuring means 17, and flow measurement means 19 for independently calculating the heat loss (Q) within each horizontal sector.

(26) If the method comprises calculating the heat loss (Q) of the coolant fluid in said at least one channel 15 in the cooling block 8 by using the temperature (T.sub.in) of coolant fluid that is fed into said at least one channel 15, the temperature (T.sub.out) of coolant fluid that is discharged from said at least one channel 15, and the volumetric flow (V.sub.out) of the coolant fluid in said at least one channel 15 and controlling the outgrowth removal means 6 based on the calculated heat loss (Q) as described above, the method comprises preferably, but not necessarily, by moving the movable piston 7 of at least one outgrowth removal means 6 into the reaction shaft 1 to push possible outgrowth in the reaction shaft 1 by means of the movable piston 7 of said at least one outgrowth removal means 6 if the calculated heat loss (Q) goes below a pre-set value (Q.sub.set).

(27) If the method comprises calculating the heat loss (Q) of the coolant fluid in said at least one channel 15 in the cooling block 8 by using the temperature (T.sub.in) of coolant fluid that is fed into said at least one channel 15, the temperature (T.sub.out) of coolant fluid that is discharged from said at least one channel 15, and the volumetric flow (V.sub.out) of the coolant fluid in said at least one channel 15 and controlling the outgrowth removal means 6 based on the calculated heat loss (Q) as described above, the method comprises preferably, but not necessarily, moving the movable piston 7 of at least one outgrowth removal means 6 into the reaction shaft 1 to push possible outgrowth in the reaction shaft 1 by means of the movable piston 7 of said at least one outgrowth removal means 6 if an average heat loss (Q.sub.ave) calculated by using several calculated heat losses (Q) goes below a pre-set average value (Q.sub.aveset).

(28) The method comprises preferably providing at least one opening 5 for a movable piston 7 of at least one outgrowth removal means 6 adjacent to the concentrate burner 4 at the top of the interior of the reaction shaft 1 of the suspension smelting furnace.

(29) The method may comprise an attachment step for attaching the outgrowth removal means 6 to the concentrate burner 4 as is shown in FIG. 2.

(30) The method may comprise using a pneumatic cylinder-piston-arrangement in at least one outgrowth removal means 6 for moving the movable piston 7 of said at least one outgrowth removal means 6.

(31) The method may comprise using a linear actuator such as a mechanical actuator, a hydraulic actuator, or a pneumatic actuator in at least one outgrowth removal means 6 for moving the movable piston 7 of at least one outgrowth removal means.

(32) The method may comprise providing the outgrowth removal means 6 with a control arrangement 12 for actuating at least one outgrowth removal means 6 to move the movable piston 7 of at least one outgrowth removal means 6 into the reaction shaft 1 for example with regular time-intervals.

(33) Next the arrangement for removing outgrowth in a suspension smelting furnace and preferred embodiments and variants thereof will be describer in greater detail.

(34) The suspension smelting furnace in the arrangement comprises a reaction shaft 1 having a reaction shaft structure 9, and a concentrate burner 4 for feeding at least reaction gas and fine solids such as copper or nickel concentrate into the reaction shaft 1 of the suspension smelting furnace.

(35) The reaction shaft 1 comprises at least one opening 5 for an outgrowth removal means 6.

(36) The arrangement comprises at least one outgrowth removal means 6 having a movable piston 7. The movable piston 7 of at least one outgrowth removal means 6 is arranged such that the movable piston 7 of said at least one outgrowth removal means 6 can move in the opening 5 in the reaction shaft 1 and into the reaction shaft 1 to push possible outgrowth in the reaction shaft 1 by means of the movable piston 7 of said at least one outgrowth removal means 6, preferably to push outgrowth present in the reaction shaft 1 by means of the movable piston 7 of said at least one outgrowth removal means 6.

(37) In a preferred embodiment of the arrangement, the arrangement comprises a cooling block 8 having an aperture 13 for the concentrate burner 4 and first fastening means 10 for fastening the concentrate burner 4 to the cooling block 8 and second fastening means 11 for fastening the cooling block 8 at the top of the reaction shaft 1 of the suspension smelting furnace. The cooling block 8 is provided with at least one opening 5 for at least one movable piston 7 of at least one outgrowth removal means 6. The cooling block 8 is arranged at the top of the interior of the reaction shaft 1 of the reaction shaft 1 of the suspension smelting furnace so that the cooling block 8 is fastened to the reaction shaft structure 9 of the reaction shaft 1 of the suspension smelting furnace by using the second fastening means 11 and to the concentrate burner 4 by using the first fastening means 10 and so that the concentrate burner 4 extends into the reaction shaft 1. The cooling block can for example be made of copper or comprise copper. FIG. 3 shows a cooling block 8 having in total eight openings 5 for eight movable pistons 7 of eight outgrowth removal means 6.

(38) If the arrangement comprises a cooling block 8 as described above, the arrangement comprises preferably, but not necessarily, coolant circulating means 14 for circulating coolant fluid in at least one channel 15 in the cooling block 8 by feeding coolant fluid into said at least one channel 15 and by discharging coolant fluid from said at least one channel 15. In such case the arrangement comprises first temperature measuring means 16 for measuring the temperature (T.sub.in) of coolant fluid that is fed into said at least one channel 15 and arrangement comprises second temperature measuring means 17 for measuring the temperature (T.sub.out) of coolant fluid that is discharged from said at least one channel 15. The arrangement may additionally in addition to the first temperature measuring means 16 and to the second temperature measuring means 17 be provided with flow measuring means 19 for measuring the volumetric flow V.sub.out of coolant fluid in said at least one channel 15. In such case the arrangement comprises calculating means 18 for calculating heat loss (Q) by using the temperature (T.sub.in) of coolant fluid that is fed into said at least one channel 15, the temperature (T.sub.out) of coolant fluid that is discharged from said at least one channel 15, and the volumetric flow (V.sub.out) of the coolant fluid in said at least one channel 15 for example by the following equation:
Q=cp*V.sub.out*ro*(T.sub.in−T.sub.out)  (1)

(39) where

(40) Q is the heat loss,

(41) cp is the heat capacity of the coolant fluid,

(42) V.sub.out is the volumetric flow of the coolant fluid,

(43) ro is the density of the coolant fluid,

(44) T.sub.in is the temperature of the coolant fluid that is fed into the channel, and

(45) T.sub.out is the temperature of the coolant fluid that is discharged from the channel.

(46) In such case by the arrangement comprises a control arrangement 12 controlling the outgrowth removal means 6 based on the calculated heat loss (Q) calculated by the calculating means 18. In the arrangement shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 the cooling block 8 can be considered to be divided into four horizontal sector (not marked with a reference numeral) each horizontal sector having a channel 15 for coolant fluid. Each of these horizontal sectors may be provided with first temperature measuring means 16 for measuring the temperature (T.sub.in) of coolant fluid that is fed into the channel 15 and arrangement comprises second temperature measuring means 17 for measuring the temperature (T.sub.out) of coolant fluid that is discharged from the channel 15 for independently calculating the calculated heat loss (Q) within each horizontal sector.

(47) If the arrangement comprises a control arrangement 12 for controlling the outgrowth removal means 6 based on the heat loss (Q) calculated by the calculating means 18 as described above, the control arrangement 12 is preferably, but not necessarily, configured for controlling the outgrowth removal means 6 by moving the movable piston 7 of at least one outgrowth removal means 6 into the reaction shaft 1 to push possible outgrowth in the reaction shaft 1 by means of the movable piston 7 of said at least one outgrowth removal means 6 if the calculated heat loss (Q) goes below a pre-set value (Q.sub.set).

(48) If the arrangement comprises a control arrangement 12 for controlling the outgrowth removal means 6 based on the heat loss (Q) calculated by the calculating means 18 as described above, the control arrangement 12 is preferably, but not necessarily, configured for controlling the outgrowth removal means 6 by moving the movable piston 7 of at least one outgrowth removal means 6 into the reaction shaft 1 to push possible outgrowth in the reaction shaft 1 by means of the movable piston 7 of said at least one outgrowth removal means 6 if an heat loss (Q.sub.ave) calculated by using several calculated heat losses (Q) goes below a pre-set average value (Q.sub.aveset).

(49) In the arrangement at least one opening 5 for a movable piston 7 of an outgrowth removal means 6 is preferably, but not necessarily, provided adjacent to the concentrate burner 4 at the top of the interior of the reaction shaft 1 of the suspension smelting furnace.

(50) In the arrangement the outgrowth removal means 6 is preferably, but not necessarily, attached to the concentrate burner 4.

(51) In the arrangement the outgrowth removal means 6 comprises preferably, but not necessarily, a pneumatic cylinder-piston-arrangement in the outgrowth removal means 6 for moving the movable piston 7.

(52) In the arrangement the outgrowth removal means 6 comprises preferably, but not necessarily, a linear actuator such as a mechanical actuator, a hydraulic actuator, or a pneumatic actuator in the outgrowth removal means 6 for moving the movable piston 7.

(53) In the arrangement the outgrowth removal means 6 comprises preferably, but not necessarily, a control arrangement 12 for actuating the outgrowth removal means 6 to moving the movable piston 7 into the reaction shaft 1 for example with regular time-intervals.

(54) It is apparent to a person skilled in the art that as technology advanced, the basic idea of the invention can be implemented in various ways. The invention and its embodiments are therefore not restricted to the above examples, but they may vary within the scope of the claims.