Charging Or Discharging Patents (Class 373/79)
  • Patent number: 11953265
    Abstract: A method for operating an electric arc furnace having at least one electrode, the method including the following steps: introducing material that is to be melted in the form of an actual mass flow into the electric arc furnace and feeding electrical energy via at least one electrode into the electric arc furnace in order to melt the introduced material depending on a previously determined, necessary electrical energy input. The necessary electrical energy input into the arc furnace is determined depending on the mass flow input into the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2019
    Date of Patent: April 9, 2024
    Assignee: SMS GROUP GMBH
    Inventors: Thomas Pasch, Harmen Johannes Oterdoom, Mesut Göcoglu, Ralf Nörthemann
  • Patent number: 11619448
    Abstract: A molten metal scrap submergence system comprising a furnace and a vortexing scrap submergence well. The vortexing scrap submergence well includes a diverter suspended above the well and oriented for immersion in a bath of molten metal circulating within the well. The system, or an alternative scrap submergence system, can include a hood element disposed in an overlapping position with regard to a top opening of the scrap submergence well. The hood at least substantially seals the top opening. The hood element includes a scrap piece feed chute and a burner allowing carbon containing vapor evaporated from the surface of the molten scrap pieces to combust and form predominantly water. The system, or an alternative scrap submergence system can include internal side walls of the well with a first diameter portion adjacent and above said ramp and a second, larger diameter portion above said first portion.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2017
    Date of Patent: April 4, 2023
    Assignee: Pyrotek, Inc.
    Inventors: Richard S. Henderson, Chris T. Vild, Jason Tetkoskie
  • Patent number: 10801083
    Abstract: Method for melting metal material in a melting plant comprising at least an electric furnace having at least a shell into which said metal material is introduced, and feed means to load said metal material into said shell, said method comprising at least a step of loading said metal material into said shell by means of said feed means, a melting step in which said metal material is melted, and a subsequent tapping step in which the molten metal material is tapped.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 13, 2020
    Assignee: DANIELI & C. OFFICINE MECCANICHE SPA
    Inventors: Bernard Villemin, Uwe Wilhelm, Thomas Narholz, Enrico Riga
  • Patent number: 10697033
    Abstract: A delivery device for delivering filler material into a blast furnace, comprising: a housing provided with a transition channel for the filler material which defines a first axis X; a chute for the filler material arranged underneath said transition channel; first actuating means, defining a respective second axis A parallel to the first axis X, to actuate a tilt of the chute with respect to the first axis X; second actuating means, defining a respective third axis B parallel to the first axis X, to actuate a rotation of the chute about said first axis X; a first annular body inside said housing and coaxial to the first axis X, adapted to translate along the first axis X by means of said first actuating means; a second annular body inside said housing and coaxial to said first axis X, adapted to translate along the first axis X being coupled to the first annular body and/or adapted to rotate about the first axis X by means of said second actuating means; a mechanism coupled to the second annular body and t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 29, 2016
    Date of Patent: June 30, 2020
    Assignee: DANIELI & C. OFFICINE MECCANICHE S.p.A.
    Inventors: Angelico Della Negra, Massimiliano Zampa, Reinoud Jacobus Van Laar, Johannes Pieter Van Ikelen
  • Patent number: 10234204
    Abstract: Method for managing the metal charge in a melting furnace includes at least a step of depositing metal materials to be melted in a storage zone, a step of picking up and loading the metal materials from the storage zone onto feeding device by loading device, and a feed step in which the feeding device feeds the materials toward the melting furnace. The deposit step provides to divide the storage zone into a plurality of specialized areas in each of which a differentiated type of the metal materials is deposited, and during the pick-up and loading step, a processing device controls and commands the actuation of the feeding device which picks up the types of materials from the specialized areas and load them onto the feeding device according to a desired modality and quantity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 19, 2019
    Inventors: Ferruccio Della Vedova, Lorenzo Ciani
  • Patent number: 10060677
    Abstract: Equipment for the measurement and control of load material and scrap metal feeding into an electrical arc furnace includes an automatic control device for feeding control of load material or scrap according to the energy supplied to the bath, and a measuring device for the added load material, in correlation with the automatic control device, and a weighing device for the furnace shell, its contents and any other components it may support.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 2015
    Date of Patent: August 28, 2018
    Assignee: TENOVA S.P.A.
    Inventors: Paolo Argenta, Silvio Reali, Claudio Lodati, Mauro Bianchi Ferri
  • Publication number: 20150139267
    Abstract: Device to control the feed of the metal charge in an electric arc furnace, comprising a conveyor associated at the end to a feed mouth provided in said electric arc furnace and, in cooperation with the conveyor, at least a system to detect the point-by-point profile of the metal charge present on the conveyor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 28, 2012
    Publication date: May 21, 2015
    Inventors: Ferruccio Della Vedova, Marco Ometto
  • Publication number: 20150055673
    Abstract: A method and apparatus closing a slag doorway and cleaning the slag doorway and channel of a metallurgical furnace including walls defining a slag doorway and a slag channel that crosses the slag doorway and has a bottom. The apparatus includes a support structure associable with the furnace, at least one slag-breaking body including a lower border that, under mounting conditions of the apparatus on the furnace, is directed towards the bottom and at a definable height, the slag-breaking body being associated with the support structure in a movable manner along the slag channel away and/or towards the slag doorway to wipe, with its lower border, the bottom or a parallel plane, and a vibrating or oscillating mechanism associated with the slag-breaking body to confer a vibrating or oscillating movement with non null component incident the bottom, during a travel performed during its movement away or towards the slag doorway.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 27, 2013
    Publication date: February 26, 2015
    Applicant: TENOVA S. P. A.
    Inventors: Silvio Maria Reali, Mauro Grioni, Giancarlo Cavallini
  • Patent number: 8902949
    Abstract: A method is provided to control the feed of a metal charge into an electric arc furnace having at least one electrode to generate an electric arc to melt metals. The method includes: a step of defining a “cover index CI” of the electric arc by the slag present above the liquid metal bath, in order to calculate which of the harmonics present in an electric feed quantity of the furnace are taken into consideration; a step of measuring the actual cover index CI value during a functioning cycle of the furnace; and a step of adjusting the speed of feed of the metal charge into the furnace based on the measured value of the cover index CI.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 2, 2014
    Assignee: Danieli Automation SpA
    Inventors: Ferruccio Della Vedova, Marco Ometto
  • Patent number: 8891584
    Abstract: The present invention provides a shaft high temperature continuous graphitizing furnace comprising a furnace body comprising a feeding inlet and a discharging outlet, an electrode pair, a cooling system and a discharging device; the furnace body is designed to be a shaft cylindrical structure; the electrode pair is provided within the furnace body and comprise an upper electrode and a lower electrode, the upper electrode is located below the feeding inlet, and an umbrella or cone table shape electric field having a lower cross section area greater than its upper cross section area arises between the upper electrode and eh lower electrode; and the cooling system is located between the lower electrode and the discharging outlet.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2011
    Date of Patent: November 18, 2014
    Assignee: Miluo Xinxiang Carbon Products Co., Ltd
    Inventor: Yinghe Li
  • Patent number: 8767793
    Abstract: A method for treating spheroidal graphite iron includes the step: pouring molten spheroidal graphite iron into a pouring electrical furnace (1); covering the molten spheroidal graphite iron (5) with alkali slag (6) which is melted at high temperature and rich in alkali earth metal ion, rare earth metal ion, or mixture of them; connecting the molten spheroidal graphite iron (5) with the negative pole of the direct current source by one pole (7); connecting the alkali slag (6) with the positive pole of the direct current source by another pole (4), treating the molten spheroidal graphite iron (5) with the alkali slag (6) which is used as electrolyte. The method can prevent the spheroidized fading velocity of the spheroidal graphite iron. The pouring electrical furnace can be used for treating the molten spheroidal graphite iron.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2012
    Date of Patent: July 1, 2014
    Inventors: Yuxin Wang, Juren Liu
  • Publication number: 20130208755
    Abstract: A lift and pivot device for a cover of a furnace including a guide housing having a base plate, a rotatably mounted slide roller, and a vertical opening; a lift pin that can be lifted and lowered inside the vertical opening; a lift cylinder for lifting and lowering the lift pin, the lift cylinder being articulated to the lift pin at one end as well as articulated and rotatably connected to the base plate at the other end; and a guide frame for carrying the cover. The guide frame includes a support arm, wherein an upper end of the support arm is equipped for connection to the cover and includes a lift nose having a lift eye which is in engagement with an end of the lift pin facing away from the lift cylinder. The support arm at the other end thereof has a slide plate.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 29, 2011
    Publication date: August 15, 2013
    Applicant: SIEMENS AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
    Inventors: Carlo Heinemann, Michael Schmid, Uwe Wilhelm
  • Publication number: 20130189179
    Abstract: An apparatus for producing high yields of carbon nanostructures is disclosed. The apparatus includes an electric arc furnace and a feeder that directs solid carbon dioxide into an electrical arc generated by the electric arc furnace.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2012
    Publication date: July 25, 2013
    Inventor: Kevin M. Frink
  • Patent number: 8317897
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for supersonically injecting oxygen into a furnace, in particular a cupola furnace, in which the total oxygen required for the furnace operation is injected with the aid of two distinct circuits, i.e., the first circuit comprising at least one supersonic oxygen injecting nozzle and a second circuit which comprises additionally oxygen injecting means and is connected to the first circuit by pressure-sensitive means, such as a discharging device (or upstream pressure adjuster), in such a way that a stable pressure is obtained in the first circuit upon the attainment of the maximum flowrate thereof, wherein the first circuit can consists of several supersonic nozzle groups.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 23, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 27, 2012
    Assignee: L'Air Liquide Societe Anonyme pour l'Etude et l'Exploitation des Procedes Georges Claude
    Inventor: Philippe Beaudoin
  • Patent number: 8003043
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for accessing a furnace melt are provided. Preferably, the method and apparatus provide for the safe and efficient access to the molten metal melt in a furnace. According to one aspect of the invention used in a steel making process in an electric arc furnace, a furnace aperture plug is reciprocated through a furnace aperture, the furnace aperture plug is retracted from the furnace aperture, access is provided to the molten metal melt in the furnace, and the furnace aperture plug is reinserted into the furnace aperture when the access is concluded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 23, 2010
    Date of Patent: August 23, 2011
    Assignee: Process Technology International, Inc.
    Inventor: Valery Shver
  • Patent number: 7951325
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to apparatuses and methods for use in metal melting, refining and/or other processing, such as, for example, steel making in an electric arc furnace (EAF), and more particularly, to improved burner panels and related methods for the introduction of various energy sources, such as, for example, chemical energy and particulates.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: May 31, 2011
    Assignee: Air Liquide Advanced Technologies U.S. LLC
    Inventors: Christopher K. Higgins, Serban Cantacuzene, Yury Eyfa
  • Patent number: 7830947
    Abstract: To increase the efficiency in a furnace installation for melting down metallic or metal-containing charge materials, where an electrode system with a roof (6) for operating the melting-down process mainly with secondary energy can be swung into position on a lower shell part (14, 15) of a furnace (A, B), an upper shell part (17) can be swung into position on the lower shell part (14, 15) to form a premelting vessel (16). The upper shell part (17) includes a vessel wall (18) that substantially upwardly extends the vessel wall of the lower shell part (14, 15) in and additionally has a roof (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: SMS Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Manfred Schubert
  • Patent number: 7824604
    Abstract: The present invention generally relates to apparatuses and methods for use in metal melting, refining and/or other processing, such as, for example, steel making in an electric arc furnace (EAF), and more particularly, to improved cooling systems and related methods for use in an extended burner panel.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: November 2, 2010
    Assignee: Air Liquide Advanced Technologies U.S. LLC
    Inventors: Christopher K. Higgins, Serban M. Cantacuzene, James M. Cochran, Yury Eyfa
  • Patent number: 7767136
    Abstract: Apparatus for the combustion of gas exiting from an electric arc furnace where the heat of combustion is used for the preheating of scraps entering the furnace wherein the apparatus has an insertion device for introducing comburent substance into a preheating chamber or loading tunnel for scrap metal where the loding tunnel has an inlet section for scrap metal, a seal section to prevent an uncontrolled entrance of air in the tunnel, a heating section and an unloading section for delivering scrap metal to the furnace. The insertion device for the comburent substance has one or more adjustable openings placed in the loading tunnel, and said apparatus comprises a device or a series of devices.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2006
    Date of Patent: August 3, 2010
    Assignee: Techint Compagnia Tecnica Internazionale S.p.A
    Inventors: Paolo Argenta, Silvio Reali, Claudio Lodati, Mauro Bianchi Ferri
  • Patent number: 7704445
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for accessing a furnace melt are provided. Preferably, the method and apparatus provide for the safe and efficient access to the molten metal melt in a furnace. According to one aspect of the invention used in a steel making process in an electric arc furnace, a furnace aperture plug is reciprocated through a furnace aperture, the furnace aperture plug is retracted from the furnace aperture, access is provided to the molten metal melt in the furnace, and the furnace aperture plug is reinserted into the furnace aperture when the access is concluded.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 7, 2006
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Process Technology International, Inc.
    Inventor: Valery G. Shver
  • Patent number: 7704444
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for testing characteristics of a furnace melt are provided. Preferably, the method and apparatus provide for the safe and efficient testing of metal temperature and composition of molten metal during the melt cycle of the metal. According to one aspect of the invention used in a steel making process in an electric arc furnace, a furnace probe is reciprocated through a furnace probe plug aperture, the furnace probe is retracted from the furnace probe plug aperture, a furnace probe is inserted through the furnace probe plug aperture, the furnace probe is retracted from the aperture, and the furnace probe aperture plug is inserted into the furnace probe plug aperture.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 29, 2005
    Date of Patent: April 27, 2010
    Assignee: Process Technology International, Inc.
    Inventor: Valery G. Shver
  • Publication number: 20080267249
    Abstract: A method is provided to control the feed of a metal charge into an electric arc furnace having at least one electrode to generate an electric arc to melt metals. The method includes: a step of defining a “cover index CI” of the electric arc by the slag present above the liquid metal bath, in order to calculate which of the harmonics present in an electric feed quantity of the furnace are taken into consideration; a step of measuring the actual cover index CI value during a functioning cycle of the furnace; and a step of adjusting the speed of feed of the metal charge into the furnace based on the measured value of the cover index CI.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 25, 2008
    Publication date: October 30, 2008
    Applicant: DANIELI AUTOMATION SPA
    Inventors: Ferruccio DELLA VEDOVA, Marco OMETTO
  • Patent number: 6953337
    Abstract: Apparatus for transferring hot material between a preprocessing plant and an electric furnace has an enclosed housing extending between the plant and the furnace and within which a controlled atmosphere is maintained, at least one bin having at least one compartment receiving feedstock material at a delivery station from the plant, mechanism for shuttling the at least one bin along a path within the housing between the delivery station and discharge tubes above and leading into the furnace at distributed locations, and discharge mechanism for dropping material from each compartment into a discharge tube. The path may be horizontal, vertical, or inclined to suit the relative locations of the preprocessing plant and the battery. Each bin is usually each divided to feed multiple tubes. The shuttling mechanism may be a hoist or a railway or cable span, and the discharge mechanism is typically a means for tipping the bin.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 11, 2005
    Assignee: Hatch Ltd.
    Inventor: Felim P. McCaffrey
  • Patent number: 6801563
    Abstract: A scrap charging apparatus for an electric arc furnace includes a scrap holding bunker having diverging side walls extending between end walls separated by a scrap discharge opening supplying scrap from a fall space in the bunker to a scrap discharge chute. The end wall remote to the scrap discharged opening of the chute slopes at an acute angle to organized scrap entering the discharged opening. A throat opening for scrap passing into the scrap discharge chute is controlled by a pivotal scrap jam relief gate moveable between a scrap metering position, a relief position and a scrap compacting position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: October 5, 2004
    Assignee: SMS Demag, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Stercho
  • Patent number: 6719944
    Abstract: An electric steel-making furnace has a furnace roof carried by an upper furnace shell on a lower furnace shell to substantially envelop an atmosphere above liquid steel and slag floating thereon in the lower furnace shell. A transfer car supports the lower furnace shell for transport from a furnace-operating site to a remote exchange site for exchanging one or more of the furnace roof, the upper furnace shell and the lower furnace shell. The furnace transfer car has a furnace support platform engaged with the lower furnace shell and supported for tilting of the furnace on the transfer car by actuators at the furnace operating site in a direction to increase the depth of slag at the deslagging passageway for decanting slag floating on liquid steel in the lower furnace shell. Actuators are also provided to tilt the furnace on the transfer car to increase the depth of liquid steel at a tap hole assembly during tapping of a steel heat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: SMS Demag, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Stercho
  • Patent number: 6693947
    Abstract: A batch process for an electric arc furnace (1) to manufacture steel (10) includes the steps of providing an empty furnace having a bottom (14) and sides (16) and electrodes (2, 3); adding molten metal to the empty furnace; adding other necessary ingredients through charge openings (26); applying current to provide an arc (4) and supplying oxygen through an oxygen lance (6) to react and melt the contents of the furnace and form a top slag (9) and bottom molten metal/steel (10); and stopping the reaction and pouring out all the slag through a slag tap (5) and molten metal tap (32) to provide an empty furnace for the next batch run.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2002
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2004
    Assignee: D. L. Schroeder & Associates
    Inventor: David L. Schroeder
  • Patent number: 6580744
    Abstract: Feed device (100) for a shaft furnace (101), with a revolving chute (107, 111) comprising a cylindrical basic body (107) that can be driven so as to rotate about a first, substantially vertically oriented axis of rotation (A1) with a first drive mechanism (119) and a feed chute (111) that is fixedly attached to an outlet (107a) of the basic body and can be rotated therewith, in which the feed chute is composed of an upper part (113), which is adjacent to the outlet of the basic body and extends longitudinally at an angle to the first axis of rotation, and a lower part (115), which is rotatably connected to the upper part and comprises a second drive mechanism (127) for rotation about a second, substantially vertical axis of rotation (A2) spaced apart from the first axis of rotation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 19, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 17, 2003
    Assignee: Zimmermann & Jansen GmbH
    Inventor: Franz-Josef Irnich
  • Patent number: 6574264
    Abstract: An apparatus for growing a silicon ingot including a graphite crucible in which a quartz crucible is placed, a driving axis connected to a lower part of the graphite crucible to revolve and move the graphite crucible up and down so as to support the graphite crucible, a heating element to heat the graphite crucible, and an insulating wall to protect and thermally isolate the graphite crucible, heating means, and driving axis in part from the external environment. The driving axis includes a hollow axis part having a hollow inside, an insulating axis part attached to the bottom of the hollow axis part to inhibit heat transfer, and a cylindrical axis part attached to the bottom of the insulating axis part. The construction of the driving axis reduces a temperature gradient in the molten silicon, improving uniform heat distribution for increased silicon ingot quality.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 31, 2001
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Siltron Inc.
    Inventors: Hong-Woo Lee, Joon-Young Choi, Hyon-Jong Cho
  • Patent number: 6574263
    Abstract: A method, for charging anode(s) into a furnace, comprises bending anode(s) having a roughly rectangular plate shape at the end of the charging direction, and charging the anode(s) into a melt stored in the furnace through a slope. When the depth of melt is taken to be D (cm), the height of the slope is taken to be H (cm), the inclination angle of the slope is taken to be &bgr; (°) and the thickness of the anode is taken to be b (cm), the bending angle &agr; (°) of the anode and the length c (cm) of the bent end of the anode are set to satisfy the following relationship: Equation (1): D>A×(c sin &agr;/b)B +0.06(H-190), provided that A and B are given by: Equation (2): A=−1051(sin &bgr;)2 +2028 sin &bgr;−839.3, and Equation (3): B=7.378(sin &bgr;)2−11.64 sin &bgr;+3.806.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2003
    Assignee: Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Iida, Fumito Tanaka
  • Publication number: 20030086469
    Abstract: A scrap charging apparatus for an electric arc furnace a scrap holding bunker having diverging side walls extending between end walls separated by a scrap discharge opening supplying scrap from a fall space in the bunker to a scrap discharge chute. The end wall remote to the scrap discharged opening of the chute slopes at an acute angle to organized scrap entering the discharged opening. A throat opening for scrap passing into the slag discharge chute is controlled by a pivotal scrap jam relief gate moveable between a scrap metering position a relief position and a scrap compacting position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 7, 2001
    Publication date: May 8, 2003
    Inventor: Michael J. Stercho
  • Patent number: 6473446
    Abstract: An electric furnace includes a stationary lower shell having a sloping floor extending downwardly to a tap hole to always maintain a sufficient ferrostatic head three times the tap hole for slag free tapping. The configuration of the refractory for containing a heat, is sufficient to maintain a liquid metal heel of at least 70% of the heat before tapping for maintaining flat bath operation during refining a steel melt. An upper furnace shell is supported on the lower furnace shell and a furnace roof is supported by the upper furnace shell. The entire furnace is mounted on a furnace transfer car that is anchored for stationary operation but moved to a furnace exchange position for servicing any of the components making up the furnace. The furnace roof and/or upper furnace shell may be supported at a furnace operate position while the lower furnace shell is transported to the furnace exchange position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: SMS Demag, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Stercho
  • Patent number: 6452955
    Abstract: A method for feeding fines or granules into a light-arc furnace. A hollow electrode provided with a feeding channel is utilized, and is preferably a hollow Söderberg electrode. A conveyor introduces the fines or granules into the feeding channel so as to maintain in the feeding channel a hollow material in which a lower end is smelted in a molten metal bath.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Paul Wurth S.A.
    Inventors: Jean-Luc Roth, Serge Devillet, Emile Lonardi
  • Patent number: 6450804
    Abstract: An improved method and apparatus for charging, preheating and refining steel. The charging apparatus has a skirted charging section for introducing charge materials, a dynamic gas seal adjacent the charging section and a preheater, the preheater for preheating the charged materials, a connector adjacent the preheater and removably insertable into an electric arc furnace for feeding charged materials into a furnace bath for melting and refining metallic charge therein, and a vibrating conveyor which extends throughout the charging apparatus. The charging apparatus is positioned on rails to be movable by a hydraulic cylinder between a charging position wherein the connector is fully inserted into the furnace, a retracted position where the connector is partially inserted into the furnace and a disconnected position where the connector is fully removed from the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 27, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 17, 2002
    Assignee: Techint Compagnia Tecnica Internazionale
    Inventor: John A. Vallomy
  • Publication number: 20020110175
    Abstract: An electric steel-making furnace has a furnace roof carried by an upper furnace shell on a lower furnace shell to substantially envelop an atmosphere above liquid steel and slag floating thereon in the lower furnace shell. A transfer car supports the lower furnace shell for transport from a furnace-operating site to a remote exchange site for exchanging one or more of the furnace roof, the upper furnace shell and the lower furnace shell. The furnace transfer car has a furnace support platform engaged with the lower furnace shell and supported for tilting of the furnace on the transfer car by actuators at the furnace operating site in a direction to increase the depth of slag at the deslagging passageway for decanting slag floating on liquid steel in the lower furnace shell. Actuators are also provided to tilt the furnace on the transfer car to increase the depth of liquid steel at a tap hole assembly during tapping of a steel heat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Inventor: Michael J. Stercho
  • Patent number: 6426969
    Abstract: Discharge screw (6) for a moving hearth, and in particular for an annular rotary hearth (2) of a reheat furnace for the heat treatment of loose materials, comprising a cylinder (61) arranged above and substantially radially with respect to this annular hearth (2) and turned by suitable actuators (15) so as to discharge the materials from the edges of this annular hearth (2); this cylinder (61) comprises on its lateral surface a first series of helicoids (62) beginning in an area close to its outermost end with respect to the furnace and a second series of helicoids (63) beginning at its innermost end with respect to the furnace; the inclination of the helicoids (62) of this first series is essentially symmetrical to the inclination of the helicoids (63) of this second series; and in this screw (6) each helicoid (62, 63) of one series comprises an inward end that meets the inward end of a corresponding helicoid (63, 62) of the other series in such a way that at at least one of the abovementioned ends a free fi
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 30, 2002
    Assignee: SMS Demag S.p.A.
    Inventor: Piergiorgio Fontana
  • Publication number: 20020071473
    Abstract: An electric furnace includes a stationary lower shell having a sloping floor extending downwardly to a tap hole to always maintain a sufficient ferrostatic head three times the tap hole for slag free tapping. The configuration of the refractory for containing a heat, is sufficient to maintain a liquid metal heel of at least 70% of the heat before tapping for maintaining flat bath operation during refining a steel melt. An upper furnace shell is supported on the lower furnace shell and a furnace roof is supported by the upper furnace shell. The entire furnace is mounted on a furnace transfer car that is anchored for stationary operation but moved to a furnace exchange position for servicing any of the components making up the furnace. The furnace roof and/or upper furnace shell may be supported at a furnace operate position while the lower furnace shell is transported to the furnace exchange position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventor: Michael J. Stercho
  • Patent number: 6389054
    Abstract: A scrap charging apparatus for an electric arc furnace uses a skip hoist to supply scrap to a holding bunker having diverging end walls extending between converging side walls. The containment space for the scrap is increased by this wall arrangement and provides an impetus in the bunker for scrap flow to an underlying scrap delivery chute. The scrap delivery chute is formed by an elongated scrap carrying trough having a greater width than the exit width of the scrap holding bunker for delivering scrap to a charging opining for an electric arc furnace A superstructure supporting the scrap holding bunker at an elevated and lateral spaced location from the electric arc furnace. A ram controlled by a drive incrementally advances scrap along the scrap delivery chute for introducing successive preselected volumes of scrap to a charging opining for an electric arc furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 18, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 14, 2002
    Assignee: SMS Demag Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Stercho
  • Patent number: 6347110
    Abstract: A feeding device for low shaft furnaces, in particular for arc furnaces for melting scrap, it being possible for the furnaces to be closed by a cover connected to a gas-extracting device, and it being possible for a charging apparatus to be set down on the furnaces once the cover has been removed from the furnace shaft. The charging apparatus has a top part and a bottom part. The top part is configured as a charging container which has a gas-permeable base which can be opened, and, in the region of its mouth, the bottom part is configured such that it corresponds with the top border of the upper furnace vessel. Provided outside the low shaft furnace is a bearing on which the charging apparatus can be set down and of which the level is considerably lower than that of the top border of the upper furnace vessel. The bearing has a connection by which it can be connected to the gas-extracting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: SMS Demag AG
    Inventors: Lutz Becker, Bertram Rupietta
  • Publication number: 20020009117
    Abstract: Discharge screw (6) for a moving hearth, and in particular for an annular rotary hearth (2) of a reheat furnace for the heat treatment of loose materials, comprising a cylinder (61) arranged above and substantially radially with respect to this annular hearth (2) and turned by suitable actuators (15) so as to discharge the materials from the edges of this annular hearth (2); this cylinder (61) comprises on its lateral surface a first series of helicoids (62) beginning in an area close to its outermost end with respect to the furnace and a second series of helicoids (63) beginning at its innermost end with respect to the furnace; the inclination of the helicoids (62) of this first series is essentially symmetrical to the inclination of the helicoids (63) of this second series; and in this screw (6) each helicoid (62, 63) of one series comprises an inward end that meets the inward end of a corresponding helicoid (63, 62) of the other series in such a way that at at least one of the abovementioned ends a free fi
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 10, 2001
    Publication date: January 24, 2002
    Inventor: Piergiorgio Fontana
  • Patent number: 6335945
    Abstract: A smelting furnace system for smelting metals, especially steel scrap, with a lower furnace vessel, in the bottom of which a tap hole is provided, and with an upper furnace vessel, which can be closed by a cover, in which a central pipe is provided coaxially with respect to the main axis of the furnace, in which pipe at least one electrode is arranged, and on which pipe there is provided a component which encompasses the upper furnace vessel and can be connected to a gas offtake device. In this arrangement, a slit is provided in the wall of the central pipe in a longitudinal direction. A sleeve is fastened at the edge of the slit, allowing the central pipe to be fastened to the casing of the upper furnace vessel having a corresponding slit. Furthermore, a supporting arm, which is connected to a supporting pillar arranged outside the furnace, can be led through the hollow space of the sleeve into the central pipe, with at least one electrode fastened on the front face of this arm.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: SMS Demag AG
    Inventors: Peter Meierling, Andreas Schüring, Hans-Ludwig Schaller
  • Patent number: 6274081
    Abstract: This invention concerns a smelting installation with an electric-arc furnace in which the roof of the oven vessel is constructed out of two units (7, 8) which are separated by an aperture (38) and can be moved independently of one another relative to the vessel horizontally. One of these units (8) consists of a shaft (9) which serves as preheater for the charge. The upper part of the vessel and the shaft (9) have a converging wall sector (42a, 58, 59).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 14, 2001
    Assignee: Arcmet Technologie GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Fuchs
  • Patent number: 6201826
    Abstract: Loading system for an electric arc furnace (11) includes a loading station (20a), a pre-heating station (20b) and a pick-up and moving device (15) provided with an arm (17) rotating on a circumference on which the furnace (11), the loading station (20a) and the pre-heating station (20b) lie. The loading station (20a) being distanced from the pre-heating station (20b), the loading element (16) being suitable to be located in or removed from each of the loading (20a) and pre-heating (20b) stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche SpA
    Inventors: Ioannis Giannoulidis, Angelico Della Negra, Matteo Vittorio Losciale
  • Patent number: 6178192
    Abstract: A raw-material heating apparatus in which raw-material supplying pipes and exhaust pipes are disposed in a peripheral portion of a furnace cover, a heating space is formed by the furnace cover, a peripheral wall, and a hearth, a raw material which is supplied from the raw-material supplying pipes and deposited on the hearth is heated by a heating gas which flows into the heating space, and pushers are supported by the peripheral wall for pushing out the raw material on the hearth toward a drop port formed in a central portion of the hearth, the deposited raw material on the hearth being caused to drop consecutively through the drop port by the reciprocating motion of the pushers, characterized in that lower-end openings of each raw-material supplying pipe and each exhaust pipe, when viewed in an axial direction of the apparatus, are disposed at a same position or at positions close to each other in an effective region for pushing out the raw material by the pusher.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 28, 2000
    Date of Patent: January 23, 2001
    Assignee: Chisaki Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Tatsu Chisaki
  • Patent number: 6163561
    Abstract: Basket to manipulate scrap in cooperation with an arc furnace (11) and with means to pre-heat the scrap by means of the fumes from the fourth hole (14), the basket being able to be associated with a movable covering system (16) and including a containing body, a bottom equipped with toothed lower closing means which may be momentarily opened, and lateral extensions for moving and positioning the basket, the containing body comprising a first upper part (10a) which acts as a buffer store to temporally increase the capacity of the basket (10) and a second lower part (10b) to contain the scrap, with a capacity substantially mating with the volume of the load of the melting furnace (110) which it has to feed, wherein the second lower part (10b) is associated with cooling means.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 19, 2000
    Assignee: Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche SpA
    Inventors: Giampietro Benedetti, Milorad Pavlicevic, Alfredo Poloni, Gianni Gensini, Angelico Della Negra
  • Patent number: 6157667
    Abstract: An electric furnace and method thereof for electric calcining of carbonaceous material for the production of graphite or graphite-containing material, wherein the carbonaceous material is supplied to the top of a vertically arranged furnace having a cylindrical cross section. The furnace is equipped with one top electrode and one bottom electrode supplied with electric current for heating of the carbonaceous material. The calcined carbonaceous material is discharged at the bottom of the furnace in one stream in the center of the furnace and one stream near the periphery of the furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Elkem ASA
    Inventors: Johan Johansen, Arnfinn Vatland
  • Patent number: 6157664
    Abstract: System to load pre-heated scrap by means of baskets for electric arc furnace, the furnace including a movable roof (28), at least one basket (15) loaded with scrap being arranged in a lateral position near the furnace, the basket (15) being associated with a movable covering system (18), there being included at least a pipe (20) connecting the fourth hole of the furnace with the inside of the basket (15) to convey the fumes leaving the furnace (12) with the function of pre-heating the scrap, the pipe (20) being associated with the covering system (18) and able to be moved therewith, the basket (15) being associated with moving means (16a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche SpA
    Inventors: Giampietro Benedetti, Milorad Pavlicevic, Alfredo Poloni, Gianni Gensini, Angelico Della Negra
  • Patent number: 6157665
    Abstract: Method to load scrap for electric arc furnace including at least a roof (13) associated with movable moving means (17) cooperating with second movable moving means (24), the roof (13) including at least a hole (15) to discharge the fumes (16), the scrap (22) being contained in baskets (21), there being included at least a system to process the fumes (32) connected with the chimney, the full basket (21) including at least a first position (21a) to pre-heat the scrap arranged at the side of and in proximity to the furnace (10) and a second position (21b) to unload the scrap arranged in cooperation with the mouth of the furnace (10), the movable moving means (24) of the basket (21) and the movable moving means (17) of the roof (13) being functionally associated at least momentarily, the basket (21) containing the scrap being installed in a removable manner on the second movable moving means (24) and being associated at least temporally with a covering system (29), which can be translated from a closed position t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche SpA
    Inventors: Giampietro Benedetti, Milorad Pavlicevic, Alfredo Poloni, Gianni Gensini, Angelico Della Negra
  • Patent number: 6052403
    Abstract: An inductor is used to generate an electromagnetic AC field at a pipe-in-pipe discharge element of a metallurgical vessel. The inductor has at least two cooling fluid regions for the flow of cooling fluid therethrough. First supply and drain lines are connected to a first of the cooling fluid regions for supplying the first cooling fluid thereto. Second supply and drain lines are connected to a second region. The second cooling fluid is different than the first cooling fluid so that separate regions can be separately cooled with different cooling fluids having different properties.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 4, 1999
    Date of Patent: April 18, 2000
    Assignee: Didier Werke AG
    Inventors: Raimund Bruckner, Daniel Grimm
  • Patent number: 5925165
    Abstract: In a method for processing solid residues from refuse incineration plants the slag is melted and heavy metals from the melt (16) are separated for reutilization. The slag is directly transferred from the refuse incineration plant into a first heating chamber (2) and melted there under oxidizing conditions. The melt (16) produced therefrom is transferred to a second heating chamber (3), in which the heavy metal compounds are reduced to their metallic form. Furthermore, additional finely divided residues, such as fly ash, boiler ash and filter dust, are introduced into the second heating chamber (3) via a hollow graphite electrode (19). The melt (16) is then passed on to a third heating chamber (4), in which the residual readily volatile metals are vaporized and the residual non-volatile metals are sedimented. The essentially heavy-metal-free melt is then cooled to form vitreous granules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignees: Von Roll Umwelttechnik AG, Holderbank Financiere Glarus AG
    Inventors: Karl Heinz Pflugl, Norbert Kiethe, Ernst Hugentobler, Hans Ruegg, Ruedi Frey, Anton Mayer, Theo Rey, Alfred Edlinger
  • Patent number: 5898726
    Abstract: To provide a pre-heating apparatus capable of improving the installation reliability of a raw material holding gate of a pre-heating apparatus, reducing an installation cost and reducing melting electric power energy without deteriorating an operation environment while improving the pre-heating effect on raw materials by an exhaust gas, a shaft equipped with a raw material charging portion and an exhaust gas outlet at the top thereof and with a raw material holding gate at the bottom thereof is disposed in the proximity of an arc furnace, a gap is defined between the lower end portion of the shaft and the holding gate, and an outer cylinder connecting with an exhaust gas duct of the arc furnace is disposed around the outer periphery of the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshige Matsumoto, Shinjiro Uchida, Keiichi Tanabe, Toshitaka Nakayama, Makoto Takahashi