Abstract: A device for cooling and guiding a beam blank in a curved secondary cooling zone of a beam blank caster includes an intrados web support roller with a cylindrical bearing surface that is interrupted by grooves. The grooves are designed so as to avoid an over-flow generating cooling water dam up behind the intrados web support roller by channeling sufficient cooling water underneath the intrados web support roller axially through the intrados channel of the beam blank. The cooling water overflow produces a quench of the intrados tips of the flanges, which results in transverse cracks of these tips during straightening of the beam blank.

Abstract: A blowing lance for refining metals by blowing a gas onto a surface of a metal bath is presented. This lance has an adjustable tuyere for generating a supersonic refining gas flow and a blowing head with a set of fixed tuyeres opening into a front dome of the blowing head and dividing the supersonic gas flow into individual free jets. A cyclic modulator modulates a flow rate through the set of fixed tuyeres so that the flow rate in a first subset of tuyeres does not vary synchronously with the flow rate in a second subset of tuyeres, i.e., the flow rates in both subsets of tuyeres increase or decrease at the same time and they do not reach their minimum value or their maximum value at the same moment.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a refining lance. It relates more particularly to a lance of the kind used for supplying from above, onto a metal bath, the oxidizing gas required for refining the molten metal contained in a metallurgical vessel. It includes a rotating device to divide the refining gas flow into an even number of separate gas jets that are more or less identical. The gas jets exit the head of the lance in angles which are substantially equal with respect to the longitudinal axis of the lance but in diametrically opposite directions with respect to the said axis.

Abstract: The device mounted at the end of an operating arm comprises one or more suckers for supporting objects, for example refractory bricks for the brick-lining of a metallurgical converter, means for linear and angular displacement of the suckers, sensors for monitoring and controlling automatically the means of displacement in order to grip and position the objects in a predetermined location, after immobilization of the operating arm. The suckers are provided on a sucker-carrying plate which in its turn is supported by a pair of blocks which can slide in transverse slide bars of a carriage which comprises a pair of longitudinal slide bars, perpendicular to the transverse slide bars and housed in sliding fashion in a central support attached to the end of the operating arm with a degree of angular freedom and a degree of linear freedom orthogonal to the axes of the longitudinal and transverse slide bars.

Abstract: A gas injection lance for use in metal refining is disclosed. The lance includes a tube having an inner diameter profile and a throttle member slidably received with the tube. The tube and throttle member define an annular gas flowpath. The throttle body may be moved axially within the tube to modify the characteristics of the flowpath.

Abstract: Nozzles for a refining lance are presented which are spaced upwardly from the head of the lance and supply post-combustion oxygen to the space above a molten metal bath undergoing refining. Each of the nozzles has a mouthpiece with two parallel sharp edges which are arranged in planes passing substantially through the axis of the lance and which are connected by slightly rounded edges. Above the mouthpiece of each nozzle is a converging part.

Abstract: An apparatus comprising a work platform movable inside a vessel and associated with a handling robot for handling and laying bricks is presented. The present invention includes at least two hoists placed next to one another, each hoist comprising several telescopic sections. Carriages move along the hoists in order to raise the bricks individually from a depalletizing station located at the foot of the hoist up to platform level. A depalletizing robot, the action of which is coordinated with that of the handling robot, transfers the bricks from a reserve of several brick pallets onto the carriages of the hoist.

Abstract: A nozzle for the refining of metals by oxygen blasting from above the melt is presented. The nozzle includes a nozzle head having a blast pipe therethrough upstream of the mouth of the nozzle. The blast pipe directs a jet of gas comprised, at least in part, of oxygen, having a supersonic speed onto the melt. The blast pipe includes an inner tube. The lower portion of the inner tube has a throat positioned between a convergent and divergent sections, this lower portion defining a laval nozzle. The blast pipe also includes an outer tube coaxial with the inner tube and having a greater cross section than the inner tube. The mouth of the inner tube is spaced back (downstream) from the mouth of the blast pipe. The inner and outer tubes are each provided with flow control valves, and are connected to sources of pressurized gas. Devices are provided to vary the cross sectional area of the mouth of the inner tube.

Abstract: A nozzle for refining metals or ferroalloys by oxygen blasting from above the melt is presented. The nozzle terminates at a nozzle head and includes at least one central blast pipe for directing a jet of oxygen having supersonic speed. A chamber is interposed between the mouth of the blast pipe and the mouth of the nozzle head. This chamber widens progressively from the mouth of the blast pipe, and narrows toward the mouth of the nozzle head. At least one opening from at least one lateral duct opens to the chamber in the vicinity of the blast pipe mouth. Each lateral duct is connected to a source of gas, and includes an inidividual flow control valve. Preferably, at least three lateral ducts are arranged symmetrically around the blast pipe mouth.

Abstract: A blast pipe for delivering refining oxygen to the space above a metal bath in a refining operation is presented. The blast pipe is positioned in a gas supply duct and is provided with a pressure regulating valve. The blast pipe comprises a fixed straight wall portion along which the gas flows in a linear path. The straight wall portion terminates at a sharp edge, constituting a portion of the blast pipe exit orifice. A bent wall segment is located adjacent to and downstream of the straight wall portion and connects the remainder of the straight wall portion to the exit orifice. The bent wall segment preferably has a convergent configuration, upstream of the sharp edge, and a divergent configuration downstream thereof. The exit orifice, in cross section, has the shape of a rectangle, one of the long sides of which constitutes the sharp edge.

Abstract: An acceleration nozzle for particles entrained in a carrier gas comprises a first central nozzle having a first diverging cross-section, and an extension nozzle section extending from the first nozzle. The extension nozzle section has a flare or diverging angle which is greater than that of the first acceleration nozzle. The nozzle extension is surrounded about its mouth or opening by a second nozzle forming a casing or housing therearound; the second nozzle being connected to a source of gas. In a preferred embodiment, instead of utilizing two distinct gas sources to supply the first acceleration nozzle and the second "housing" nozzle, a portion of the gas passing through the acceleration nozzle may be diverted by means of slits built into the latter. The slits act as a separator of the gaseous phases and solid particles, and prevent the solid particles from penetrating the second nozzle.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for accelerating solid particles entrained in a carrier gas so as to maximize the velocity of the particles at the output end of a duct is presented. This maximized or optimal acceleration is achieved by varying the cross section of the duct over at least the last 5 meters upstream from the opening thereof. Preferrably, the cross section of the duct should continuously increase i.e. diverge, towards the opening. This diverging cross section is preferrably in accordance with a nonlinear function of the length.