Abstract: The invention relates to a process vessel for vacuum processing liquid steel, comprising a lower part, a middle part and an upper part, and submersible pipes located on the lower part, whereby the process vessel is provided with a heating apparatus, a feed device, and a waste gas connection arranged at a right angle to the central axis of the vessel, and whereby the process vessel has an outer metal jacket and a refractory lining arranged at least in part in the interior of the vessel, according to which the metal jacket (19) of the upper part (15) of the vessel, including the waste gas connection (16), is provided with a water-cooling device (23) and is exposed directly on the interior side to the process conditions prevailing in the interior of the vessel (10).

Abstract: A lance is provided for processing molten metal baths located in metallurgical tanks, and for heating the tanks. A first lance body is displaceable in a second lance body. A mechanism is provided for displacing the first lance body relative to the second lance body such that in a raised burner position of the first lance body, burner nozzles disposed in the second lance body are uncovered by the first lance body and are axially spaced from the lance mouth of the first lance body to receive gas discharge from the lance mouth and to allow burner operation. In a lowered blower position of the first lance body, the burner nozzles are covered thereby. The mechanism for displacing the lance bodies relative to one another permits infinitely variable spacing of the burner nozzles from the lance mouth that is provided for the discharge of gas.

Abstract: A method for after combustion of reaction gases resulting from the decarburization of liquid steel in reaction vessels under vacuum includes the steps of arranging a blow-in opening within a refractory lining of a reaction vessel and introducing an air stream, comprised of hot air of a temperature between 800.degree. C. to 1400.degree. C., counter to the flow direction of the reaction gases via the blow-in opening into the reaction vessel. A device for performing after combustion of reaction gases resulting from the decarburization of liquid steel in a reaction vessel under vacuum includes a generator, connected to the reaction vessel, for producing hot air. The generator contains a bulk of balls for heating the air guided through the bulk of balls and subsequently introduced into the reaction vessel. The bulk of balls consists of a refractory material and is heated by heat energy.

Abstract: A vacuum tight reaction vessel for steel processing has a vessel bottom and a cover that can be placed vacuum-tightly on the vessel bottom. The cover has a packing gland as a vacuum-tight passage. The packing gland includes a packing gland housing fixedly connected to the cover, a packing gland seal, and a packing gland passage for guiding a blast pipe that is vertically movable relative to the cover. A lateral compensator connects the packing gland passage to the packing gland housing and allows lateral movements of the packing gland passage relative to the packing gland housing.

Abstract: A slide closure for a melting pot has a bottom cartridge with a stationary bottom plate. The bottom cartridge is fixedly connected to the melting pot. Two guide blocks are displaceably connected to the underside of the bottom cartridge. A slide cartridge is displaceably guided in the guide blocks. The guide blocks are symmetrically arranged on opposite sides of the pour opening of the melting pot. The slide cartridge has two rod-shaped guide sections connected within the guide blocks and extending parallel to the axis of displacement of the slide cartridge on its lateral sides. The slide cartridge has a slide plate that is linearly displaceable relative to the bottom plate. The guide blocks have clamping members, symmetrically arranged relative to the pour opening of the melting pot, for pressing the slide plate against the bottom plate.

Abstract: With an airtight reaction vessel having a lining of refractory material for immersion in steel-processing ladles, especially for processing steel pursuant to the vacuum circulation process, including an upper vessel part, a lower vessel part, and immersion pipes, whereby these parts are interconnected via flange rings and clamping mechanisms that hold them together, the seal between the vessel parts is to be improved in every operating state. For this purpose, it is proposed that the respectively upper main flange (17) of the associated respectively lower vessel part (11, 13, 15) have a separate upper flange ring (19) that is placed upon the resilient end of an interposed compensator ring (20) and that in the unstressed state of the flange (17, 19) extends slightly beyond the upper rim of the vessel part (11, 13, 15).