METHOD FOR FITTING OR RETROFITTING A SINTER COOLER

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for fitting or retrofitting a sinter cooler (1), which sinter cooler (1) comprises a cooler grate chain with an endless chain of cooler cars (2). In order to provide means for increasing the effectiveness of the sinter cooler, the invention provides that the method for fitting comprises, for at least one cooler car (2), installing a lamella grate (10) for holding sinter material and allowing air flow through the grate so that a support structure (13) is connected to the cooler car (2) and a plurality of lamellae (12) are supported by and individually movable with respect to the support structure (13), and are disposed to allow air flow between neighbouring lamellae (12). The support structure (13) comprises at least one support element (14) disposed underneath the plurality of lamellae (12) to support the plurality of lamellae (12), and at least one downholder (15) that is adapted to limit an upward motion of at least one lamella (12) is installed such that at least a portion of the downholder (15) is disposed above the at least one lamella (12). In case of retrofitting a sinter cooler (1) comprising a rigid grate (5) for holding sinter material, the method for retrofitting further comprises removing the rigid grate (5) before installing the lamella grate (10).

Claims

1.-13. (canceled)

14. A method for fitting a sinter cooler, which sinter cooler comprises a cooler grate chain with an endless chain of cooler cars, each cooler car having a front edge and a rear edge, the method comprising, for at least one cooler car: installing a lamella grate for holding sinter material and allowing air flow through the grate so that a support structure is connected to the cooler car and a plurality of lamellae are supported by and individually movable with respect to the support structure during operation of the sinter cooler, and are disposed to allow air flow between neighbouring lamellae, wherein the support structure comprises at least one support element disposed underneath the plurality of lamellae to support the plurality of lamellae, and at least one downholder that is adapted to limit an upward motion of at least one lamella is installed such that at least a portion of the downholder is disposed above the at least one lamella (12), and wherein the support element has an upper contour that at least partially corresponds to a profile of the lamellae.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein installing the lamella grate comprises at least partially connecting the support structure to the cooler car and afterwards installing at least some lamellae on the support structure.

16. The method according to claim 14, wherein at least one lamella having a profile with a concave portion and an overlap portion is installed so that the concave portion is upward concave and the overlap portion overlaps the concave portion of a neighbouring lamella from above.

17. The method according to claim 14, wherein a plurality of lamellae are installed as a lamella group so that the lamellae are disposed successively along a travelling direction (T) of the cooler car.

18. The method according to claim 17, wherein all lamellae of at least one lamella group are installed to be parallel to each other and to one edge (2.1, 2.2) of the cooler car (2).

19. The method according to claim 17, wherein at least two lamella groups are installed to be offset to each other perpendicular to the travelling direction (T), wherein a downholder (is installed between two neighbouring lamella groups.

20. The method according to claim 17, wherein at least one lamella group is installed so that the lamellae at the front edge of the cooler car and the rear edge of the cooler car are parallel to the respective edge.

21. The method according to claim 14, wherein at least one straight downholder is installed.

22. The method according to claim 14, wherein at least one arcuate downholder is installed.

23. The method according to claim 14, wherein the sinter cooler is a circular cooler, wherein each cooler car has a front edge slanted with respect to a rear edge.

24. A method according to claim 14, wherein the sinter cooler is a linear cooler.

25. A method for retrofitting a sinter cooler, which sinter cooler comprises a cooler grate chain with an endless chain of cooler cars, each cooler car having a front edge, a rear edge and a rigid grate for holding sinter material and allowing air flow through the rigid grate, the method comprising, for at least one cooler car: removing the rigid grate; and installing a lamella grate so that a support structure is connected to the cooler car and a plurality of lamellae are supported by and individually movable with respect to the support structure during operation of the sinter cooler, and are disposed to allow air flow between neighbouring lamellae, wherein the support structure comprises at least one support element disposed underneath the plurality of lamellae to support the plurality of lamellae, and at least one downholder that is adapted to limit an upward motion of at least one lamella is installed such that at least a portion of the downholder is disposed above the at least one lamella, and wherein the support element has an upper contour that at least partially corresponds to a profile of the lamellae.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the cooler car comprises at least one collecting pan disposed beneath the rigid grate to collect material falling through the rigid grate, wherein the method comprises removing the at least one collecting pan.

27. The method according to claim 25, wherein installing the lamella grate comprises at least partially connecting the support structure to the cooler car and afterwards installing at least some lamellae on the support structure.

28. The method according to claim 25, wherein at least one lamella having a profile with a concave portion and an overlap portion is installed so that the concave portion is upward concave and the overlap portion overlaps the concave portion of a neighbouring lamella from above.

29. The method according to claim 25, wherein a plurality of lamellae are installed as a lamella group so that the lamellae are disposed successively along a travelling direction of the cooler car.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein all lamellae of at least one lamella group are installed to be parallel to each other and to one edge of the cooler car.

31. The method according to claim 29, wherein at least two lamella groups are installed to be offset to each other perpendicular to the travelling direction, wherein a downholder is installed between two neighbouring lamella groups.

32. The method according to claim 29, wherein at least one lamella group is installed so that the lamellae at the front edge of the cooler car and the rear edge of the cooler car are parallel to the respective edge.

33. The method according to claim 25, wherein at least one straight downholder is installed.

34. The method according to claim 25, wherein at least one arcuate downholder is installed.

35. The method according to claim 25, wherein the sinter cooler is a circular cooler, wherein each cooler car has a front edge slanted with respect to a rear edge.

36. The method according to claim 25, wherein the sinter cooler is a linear cooler.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] Preferred embodiments of the disclosure will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0026] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a part of an annular sinter cooler;

[0027] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a cooler car for the annular sinter cooler of FIG. 1;

[0028] FIG. 3 is a sectional side view of a cooler car with rigid grate according to the state of the art;

[0029] FIG. 4 is perspective view illustrating a first part of a first embodiment of the inventive method;

[0030] FIG. 5 is perspective view illustrating a second part of the first embodiment of the inventive method;

[0031] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the cooler car from FIG. 2 after being retrofitted by the inventive method;

[0032] FIG. 7 is a sectional side view of the cooler car from FIG. 6;

[0033] FIG. 8 is a sectional side view of a detail of the cooler car from FIG. 6;

[0034] FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a lamella grate of the cooler car from FIG. 6;

[0035] FIG. 10 is a top view of a part of the sinter cooler from FIG. 1 with the cooler car from FIG. 6;

[0036] FIG. 11 is a top view corresponding to FIG. 10 with a cooler car after being retrofitted by a second embodiment of the inventive method; and

[0037] FIG. 12 is a top view corresponding to FIG. 10 with a cooler car after being retrofitted by a third embodiment of the inventive method.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0038] FIG. 1 shows a perspective view of a part of an annular sinter cooler 1 that can be retrofitted by the inventive method. The sinter cooler 1 comprises a cooler grate chain for by an endless chain of cooler cars 2 that run on circular rails. FIGS. 2 and 3 show a cooler car 2 of the sinter cooler 1. The cooler car 2 comprises a chassis (or frame) 3 to which two track rollers 4 are rotatably mounted. Furthermore, a rigid grate 5 is connected to the chassis 3, e.g. by welding. The rigid grate 5 is designed to carry sinter material while at the same time allowing air flow through a plurality of slots. In the embodiment shown, the track rollers 4 are disposed—with respect to a travelling direction T of the cooler car 2—at a rear edge 2.2 of the cooler car 2, which is slanted with respect to a front edge 2.1. In other words, the cooler car 2 has a roughly trapezoidal shape, so that all cooler cars 2 of the endless chain form an annular cooler grate chain. As can be seen in particular in the sectional view of FIG. 3, two collecting pans 6 are mounted underneath the chassis, which are designed to collect any material falling through the rigid grate 5.

[0039] According to a first embodiment of the inventive method, which will now be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5, the sinter cooler 1 is to be retrofitted a refit of each cooler car 2. It should be noted that the inventive method can be carried out basically the same way for a cooler car 2 of a linear sinter cooler (not shown). It is understood that for a linear sinter cooler, the front edge 2.1 and the rear edge 2.2 need to be parallel.

[0040] As shown in FIG. 4, the retrofitting process includes that the rigid grate 5 as well as the collecting pans 6 are removed from the chassis 3. This may be performed when the cooler car 2 is removed from the sinter cooler 1 for routine maintenance. The major part of the cooler car 2, including the chassis 3 and the track rollers 4, remains unchanged by the retrofitting process. Afterwards, a lamella grate 10 is installed on the chassis 3. This includes connecting a plurality of support elements 14 which form a support structure 13 of the lamella grate 10. The connections can be established e.g. by welding. Once the support elements 14 are in position, a plurality of lamellae 12 are placed thereon. The lamellae 12 can be divided in three lamella groups 11, which are offset to each other along a centre direction C that is perpendicular to the travelling direction T and points towards the centre (not shown) of the sinter cooler 1 Within each lamella group 11, the lamellae 12 are disposed successively along the travelling direction T of the cooler car 2. A plurality of downholders 15 are placed on top of the lamellae 12, with one downholder 15 disposed between each two lamellae groups 11. The lamellae 12 are loosely placed on the support elements 14, while the downholder 15 has a flange portion 15.1 (see FIG. 8) that limits an upward movement of the lamellae 12. Still, the lamellae 12 are individually movable with respect to the support structure 13.

[0041] FIGS. 6 to 8 illustrate the cooler car 2 after the lamella grate 10 has been installed, while FIG. 9 shows the lamella grate 10 without the other components of the cooler car 2. Each lamella 12 has a profile with a concave portion 12.1 that is installed to be upwards concave and that is connected by a rising portion 12.2 to a horizontal overlap portion 12.3 at the opposite and of the lamella 12. As can best be seen in FIG. 8, the lamellae 12 are installed so that an air gap 16 is formed between 2 neighbouring lamellae 12. Therefore an efficient air flow through the lamella grate 10 is provided, especially since the collecting pans 6 have been removed. The lamellae 12 are supported by each support element 14, which has an undulating upper contour that matches the profile of the lamellae 12. The overlap portion 12.3 of each lamella 12 overlaps the concave portion 12.1 of a neighbouring lamella 12. During operation, this prevents at least some sinter material from falling into the air gap 16. Other sinter material is received in the concave portion 12.1 and is thereby prevented from falling to any components below the cooler car 2.

[0042] Moreover, because the lamellae 12 are to some degree movable with respect to the support structure 13, any clogging of the air gap 16 by sinter material is prevented. For example, when the cooler car 2 reaches a discharge area of the sinter cooler 1, it is tilted to allow sinter material to fall off the lamella grate 10. Thus, by force of gravity, the lamellae 12 normally move individually with respect to the support structure 13, which normally causes any material stuck within the air gap 16 to fall off. Thus, the lamella grate 10 has a self-cleaning functionality.

[0043] FIG. 10 is a top view of a part of the sinter cooler one with the cooler car to after the retrofitting process. All lamella groups 11 are installed so that the lamellae 12 at the front edge 2.1 of the cooler car 2 and the rear edge 2.2 of the cooler car 2 are parallel to the respective edge 2.1, 2.2. More specifically, all lamellae 12 are aligned towards the centre of the sinter cooler 1 so that the alignment of the lamellae 12 changes gradually between the front edge 2.1 and the rear edge 2.2. In this embodiment of the method, a straight downholder is 15 are installed, which of course necessitates that each lamella 12 has a length that differs from the neighbouring lamella 12.

[0044] FIG. 11 illustrates the results of a second embodiment of the inventive method, where arcuate downholders 15 are installed. Each downholder 15 corresponds to an arc around the centre of the sinter cooler 1. In this embodiment, at least some neighbouring lamellae 12 may have the same length. Like in the embodiment shown in FIG. 10, all lamellae 12 are aligned towards the centre of the sinter cooler 1.

[0045] FIG. 12 illustrates the results of a third embodiment of the inventive method, where straight downholders 15 have been installed. In contrast to the embodiment shown in FIG. 10 though, all lamellae 12 are installed to be parallel to each other and to the front edge 2.1 of the cooler car 2. While most of the lamellae 12 in each lamella group 11 can have the same length, this does not hold for the lamellae 12 near the rear edge 2.2. Also, mounting of the lamellae 12 near the rear edge 2.2 is more complicated than in the embodiments shown in FIGS. 10 and 11.