Abstract: A steel making assembly comprising a metal, refractory lined vessel having a side wall with a taphole therein and a metal plug placed within the taphole. The metal plug comprises a frustoconical body having a side conical wall, a closed small end and an open large end thereof defining an essentially empty interior space. The side conical wall of the frustoconical body of the plug includes at least one diagonal compression slit. The at least one diagonal compression slit extends from the open large end of the frustoconical body and extends toward the closed small end of the frustoconical body. The conical wall has a center axis, with the at least one diagonal compression slit being non-parallel to the center axis.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for moving molten material within a container are provided. The method comprising: providing apparatus including an electromagnetic mover adjacent a part of the container, wherein the electromagnetic mover has a primary motion axis, the primary motion axis being aligned along the direction of the maximum linear force generated by the electromagnetic stirrer; applying a current to the electromagnetic mover such that changes in magnetic field configuration cause movement of the molten metal within the container; wherein the primary motion axis is inclined relative to the vertical in two different planes; or wherein the longitudinal axis is inclined relative to the vertical in two different planes.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a steel component from a blank is provided. Firstly, a blank is placed in a conveyor system. Then, at least a preselected zone of the blank is preheated while the blank is retained at a predetermined preheating location. Finally, the blank is conveyed through a furnace. A preheating system for heating blanks in a production line is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a lance composed of a top lance (1t) and of a sublance (2) coupled to the top lance (1t), which forms a shoulder (1s) between the top lance and the sublance. The sublance (2) of the present invention is provided with a protective device (3) comprising a coupling end (2c) opening to the cavity (2v), wherein, when at rest, the protective device (3) is in an initial configuration characterized by an outer maximum diameter (D3o) which is not more than 10% larger than the diameter (D2) of sublance (2) (D3o?1.1 D2), when the sublance (2) is coupled to the lance the protective device (3) contacts the shoulder (1s) and is deformed into a deformed configuration, forming a surface impervious to molten metal and slag, which spans over a whole area of the shoulder (1s).

Abstract: A device and system comprising a cutting torch system including a multi-fuel adapter specially adapted to convert a gasoline oxygen cutting system to a multi-fuel cutting system and methods of using the same. The invention also includes a portable system including a carrying case for use with the multi-fuel adapter.

Abstract: A cutting device capable of efficiently cutting an object with a simple configuration includes a grasp unit including a first grasper and a second grasper movable in an opening and closing directions to grasp the object, a cutting unit disposed side by side with the first and second graspers and moved in a cutting direction along the opening and closing directions to cut the object, and a position setter setting a cutting start position and a cutting end position based on respective positions of the first and second graspers that are grasping the object, respectively.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a machine for thermal treatment of bulk material, comprising, a stationary furnace which presents a support structure, and a plurality of pallet cars traveling through the furnace, said plurality of pallet cars together defining, at a lateral side thereof, a common engagement surface which extends through the furnace, wherein a gap is defined between the support structure of the furnace and the common engagement surface, said gap having a gap length, the machine further comprising: a sealing system comprising: one or more drop bars, wherein each drop bar of the one or more drop bars includes a brush arranged on the drop bar such that the brush is configured to be in engagement with the common engagement surface such that the one or more drop bars covers the gap over at least parts of the gap length.

Abstract: It is intended to provide a method for forming a brick lining to construct a sidewall of a kiln/furnace, while improving efficiency of brick lining forming work without causing any increase in manufacturing cost of bricks to be used. The brick lining forming method comprises stacking a plurality of tiers of bricks, respectively, on a plurality of tier regions of an inner surface of a hollow approximately cylindrical-shaped peripheral portion of a kiln/furnace to construct a side wall of the kiln/furnace, wherein two or more of the plurality of tier regions are different in terms of pre-lining radius, wherein only bricks identical in terms of taper angle and height dimension are used, except for an adjustment brick, in each of the two or more tier regions different in terms of the pre-lining radius, wherein bricks identical in terms of the taper angle, the height dimension and length dimension, and different in terms of back face width, are used in at least a part of each of the two or more tier regions.

Abstract: A strip flotation furnace for controlling the temperature of a metal strip has a flotation nozzle bar extending through the furnace transversely to a strip running direction of the strip. The flotation nozzle bar has two opposing first flotation nozzle rows spaced apart by a central region of the flotation nozzle bar. The rows are set up so that corresponding flotation nozzle jets, with a directional component toward the central region, can be generated to provide pressure cushioning for metal strip guiding. A temperature-control nozzle bar extends transversely to and is spaced apart from the flotation nozzle bar along the strip running direction. The temperature-control nozzle bar has two additional opposing temperature-control nozzle rows spaced apart by an additional temperature-control nozzle bar central region. These rows are set up so that corresponding temperature-control nozzle jets, with a directional component opposite to the additional central region, can be generated.

Abstract: The present cooling device includes: when cooling regions obtained by dividing an entire cooling region into a plurality of portions in a steel sheet conveyance direction and three or more portions in a width direction are set as divided cooling surfaces, a cooling water nozzle 23 and a switching device that switches between collision and non-collision of cooling water jetted from the cooling water nozzle 23 with the divided cooling surface, the cooling water nozzle 23 and the switching device provided for each of the divided cooling surfaces; and a control device that controls operation of the switching device based on a width-direction temperature distribution. The cooling water nozzle 23 has a jet axis P inclined with respect to a vertical line to the entire cooling region when viewed in the steel sheet conveyance direction, and the cooling water goes to the side opposite to the cooling water nozzle 23 in the width direction after colliding with the divided cooling surface.

Abstract: A process and a plant for preheating a metal charge fed in continuous to an electric melting furnace through a preheating tunnel provided with a horizontal conveyor, wherein the metal charge is hit, in countercurrent, by the exhaust fumes or gas leaving the electric melting furnace and by jets of gas ejected through a plurality of nozzles positioned on the hood of the tunnel. The nozzles are arranged in groups interspaced from each other in a longitudinal direction with respect to the tunnel, and generate a small-scale turbulence or inject small fast gas jets that can penetrate the main gas stream passing through the preheating tunnel, and simultaneously generate a “horseshoe vortex” structure composed of a descending central gas flow (“downwash”), and ascending flows (“upwash”) close to the side walls of the preheating tunnel, which enable a desired circulation of the gases.

Abstract: One embodiment is a cooling system for regulating temperature of a surface of a metallurgical furnace. The cooling system includes a plurality of spray conduits. Each spray conduit has one or more control valves and has a plurality of nozzles. A plurality of temperature sensors are disposed proximate the surface of the metallurgical furnace. A control system adjusts the control valves of the plurality of spray conduits in response to temperature information derived from the plurality of temperature sensors.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for the direct reduction of oxidic iron carrier particles to a reduction product in a fluidized bed through which a reduction gas containing 30-100 mol % hydrogen H2 flows in crossflow. At least 90% by mass of oxidic iron carrier particles introduced into the fluidized bed have a particle size of less than or equal to 200 micrometers. The superficial velocity U of the reduction gas flowing through the fluidized bed is set between 0.05 m/s and 1 m/s such that, for the particle size d equal to d30 of the oxidic iron carrier particles introduced into the fluidized bed, it is above the theoretical suspension velocity Ut and is less than or equal to Umax.

Abstract: A sealed feeder device utilized in an electric arc furnace (1), and a flue gas and temperature control method. The sealed feeder device comprises a sealed feeding chute (5) having an outlet sealedly communicating with a side wall of the electric arc furnace (1), and a material blocking sealed arc-shaped door (3) disposed in the sealed feeding chute (5). The material blocking sealed arc-shaped door (3) separates the sealed feeding chute (5) into a cold steel scrap storage chamber (18) and a material feeding and dedusting chamber (2), and is operated by a driving mechanism (34) to separate or connect the cold steel scrap storage chamber (18) and the material feeding and dedusting chamber (2).

Abstract: A method for charging raw materials into a blast furnace is provided. The blast furnace includes a bell-less charging device that includes a plurality of main hoppers and an auxiliary hopper. The auxiliary hopper has a smaller capacity than the main hoppers. The method includes discharging ore charged in at least one of the plurality of main hoppers and then sequentially charging the ore from a furnace center side toward a furnace wall side by using a rotating chute. After charging of the ore is started, only the ore is charged from the rotating chute at least until charging of 15 mass % of the ore is completed based on a total amount of the ore to be charged per batch; then discharging of small-size coke charged in the auxiliary hopper is started; and then, the small-size coke is charged together with the ore from the rotating chute.

Abstract: A furnace for removing a molybdenum-alloy refractory metal core through sublimation comprising a retort furnace having an interior; a sublimation fixture insertable within the interior of the retort furnace, the sublimation fixture configured to receive at least one turbine blade having the molybdenum-alloy refractory metal core; a flow passage thermally coupled to the retort furnace configured to heat a fluid flowing through the flow passage and deliver the fluid to the molybdenum-alloy refractory metal core causing sublimation of the molybdenum-alloy refractory metal core.

Abstract: A system and method for monitoring consumption of graphite electrodes during the operation of an electric arc furnace (EAF) uses machine vision cameras operatively communicating with a computer processor. The system can determine, track, manage, and optimize the consumption of the graphite electrodes in real time. Electrode consumption is determined for each EAF heat by measuring the length and tip diameter of the electrode. The length and tip diameter are used to determine the electrode consumption amount using a consumption model. Measured hydraulic pressure within the EAF correlating with a known electrode weight can also be used to determine electrode consumption and correlated with the model calculation. Butt loss can also be determined based on the machine vision measured lengths of the electrode and/or based on the hydraulic pressure. The calculated electrode consumption amounts are also stored in a database and correlated to other measured EAF parameters for multiple EAFs.

Abstract: A long-life service method for powder-bottom-injecting converter based on collaborative hot replacement of furnace bottom and bottom purging brick belongs to the field of steelmaking technologies using powder-bottom-injecting converters. According to equipment characteristics, process characteristics, and erosion characteristics of the powder-bottom-injecting converter, the design, arrangement, installation, use, maintenance, and replacement of the bottom purging/powder injection bricks are systematically optimized and improved, a technology of automatically detecting the erosion height of bottom purging bricks is adopted, and hot replacement of bottom purging/powder injection bricks and hot replacement of the converter furnace bottom are used collaboratively, which not only can prolong the service life of a single bottom purging/powder injection brick, but also can greatly prolong the overall life of the powder-bottom-injecting converter from 1000-3000 heats in the prior art to 6000-10000 heats.

Abstract: A gas injection system includes a tubular wall 3 capable of being thermally stressed and having a proximal extremity and a distal extremity 11, at the distal extremity, at least one extremity opening through which at least one gas is projected. A cooling is system located in the tubular wall including axial channels 12 which extend axially towards the distal extremity and in which a cooling fluid is circulated. Connecting channels 13 circumferentially join the axial channels to each other at the distal extremity of the tubular wall. The connecting channels, which circumferentially join the axial channels at the distal extremity of the tubular wall, have a rounded shape in the direction of the distal extremity.

Abstract: A method and system for operating a seal gas compressor utilized in a direct reduction process including: monitoring a pH level of a water stream used in the seal gas compressor, wherein the pH level of the water stream is affected by a reformer flue gas stream that comes into contact with the water stream, wherein the monitoring step is carried out one or more of upstream of the seal gas compressor and downstream of the compressor; and adjusting the pH level of the water stream to maintain the pH level of the water stream within a predetermined range based on feedback from the monitoring step. The method includes maintaining the pH level of the water stream upstream of the seal gas compressor in a range between 7.5 and 10 and maintaining the pH level of the water stream downstream of the seal gas compressor in a range between 7.8 and 9.5.