Abstract: The invention relates to a heat protection assembly (2, 30) for a charging installation (1) of a metallurgical reactor. In order to increase the lifetime of a heat protection shield in a charging installation of a metallurgical reactor, the assembly (2, 30) comprises a plurality of heat protection tiles (31.1, 31.2, 31.3, 31.4) disposed adjacent to each other along a surface The assembly further comprises a plurality of heat protection panels (10, 110), each panel (10, 110) comprising a common base plate (11, 111) to which a plurality of tiles (31.1, 31.2, 31.3, 31.4) are connected, which heat protection panels (10, 110) are configured to be mounted on the charging installation (1) adjacent to each other.

Abstract: The invention relates to a heat protection assembly (2, 30) for a charging installation (1) of a metallurgical reactor. In order to increase the lifetime of a heat protection shield in a charging installation of a metallurgical reactor, the assembly (2, 30) comprises a plurality of heat protection tiles (31.1, 31.2, 31.3, 31.4) disposed adjacent to each other along a surface The assembly further comprises a plurality of heat protection panels (10, 110), each panel (10, 110) comprising a common base plate (11, 111) to which a plurality of tiles (31.1, 31.2, 31.3, 31.4) are connected, which heat protection panels (10, 110) are configured to be mounted on the charging installation (1) adjacent to each other.

Abstract: A blast furnace installation includes a blast furnace and a chute transmission gearbox; the blast furnace having a top cone with a top cone ring arranged thereon for receiving a connection flange of the chute transmission gearbox. The connection flange is directly fixed onto the top cone ring by fixing means for establishing a firm connection between the top cone ring and the connection flange. According to an aspect of the present invention, the connection flange is fixed to the top cone ring in three separated fixation regions (30, 30?, 30?), each fixation region including one or more fixing means. According to a further aspect of the present invention, the blast furnace installation also includes a flexible sealing element arranged around the perimeter of the connection between the top cone ring and the chute transmission gearbox.

Abstract: A spreading device (10) for the spreading of bulk material on a circular surface comprises a distribution plate (12) mounted about a central shaft (14); at least one radially extending slit (16) arranged in the distribution plate (12); and a scraper device (24) for spreading the bulk material over the length of the slit (16). The bulk material is preferably granular or powdered covering material to be deposited as an insulation layer on the top layer of a casting mold containing molten steel or metal. According to the present invention, a rectangular distribution trough (22) mounted on the distribution plate (12), the slit (16) being arranged within the distribution trough (22). Furthermore, a feed pipe (30) is arranged so as to feed bulk material into the distribution trough (22) onto an area corresponding to the rotational center (18) of the distribution plate. The slit (16) extends from the rotational center (18) of the distribution plate (12) to the edge (20) thereof.

Abstract: A spreading device (10) for the spreading of bulk material on a circular surface comprises a distribution plate (12) mounted about a central shaft (14); at least one radially extending slit (16) arranged in the distribution plate (12); and a scraper device (24) for spreading the bulk material over the length of the slit (16). The bulk material is preferably granular or powdered covering material to be deposited as an insulation layer on the top layer of a casting mould containing molten steel or metal. According to the present invention, a rectangular distribution trough (22) mounted on the distribution plate (12), the slit (16) being arranged within the distribution trough (22). Furthermore, a feed pipe (30) is arranged so as to feed bulk material into the distribution trough (22) onto an area corresponding to the rotational centre (18) of the distribution plate. The slit (16) extends from the rotational centre (18) of the distribution plate (12) to the edge (20) thereof.

Abstract: The sealed connection system between a tuyere of a shaft furnace, such as a steelmaking blast furnace, and an air blast pipe, in which a tip of the blast pipe is pressed towards a rear end of the tuyere, being centered thereon while still retaining freedom of pivoting movement relative thereto, including an added annular blast pipe seat, placed between the tip of the blast pipe and tuyere and immobile relative to the tuyere, the blast pipe tip resting against a rear face of the seat and an immobile gasket being placed between the seat and the tuyere such that the seat rests in sealed manner against a rear face of the tuyere, and a sleeve arranged around the contact zone between the blast pipe tip and the seat, is connected in sealed manner to the seat and to the blast pipe.

Abstract: A distribution device for distributing bulk material with a distribution spout on a cardan suspension that has a first and a second gimbal member pivotable about two perpendicular suspension axes where a drive arrangement has a first and a second transmission mechanism for controlling pivotal motion of the distribution spout about the suspension axes, and the drive arrangement has a further cardan joint, with a first part pivotable about a third axis and a second part pivotable about a fourth axis, and a rotary motor for driving a rotary drive shaft that is connected to the cardan joint by means of an articulated connecting arm such that the rotational position and the axial position of the drive shaft determine the pivotal position of the second part about the third and fourth axes respectively, where the transmission mechanisms transmit torque about the third and fourth axes from the cardan joint to the cardan suspension for pivoting the distribution spout about the first and second axes respectively.

Abstract: A distribution chute for a charging device, a charging device having the same, and a methods for mounting and dismounting such chute, the chute including an upstream mounting head and a chute body, at least two lateral suspensions on the mounting head for mounting the chute to two corresponding support flanges pivotable about a pivoting axis for raising an outlet to a charging position and for lowering the outlet to a charging position, where the suspensions define a first and a second tilt point about which a weight of the chute exerts torque onto the support flanges of the charging device when the chute is mounted to the charging device, where the ratio of the distance between each of the tilt points and the pivoting axis to the distance between the first and second tilt points amounts to 0.25 at most, the suspensions being arranged so that an oriented acute angle from the longitudinal axis to a plane through the tilt points and the center of gravity has an angular measure in the range from ?5° to 15°.

Abstract: In a charging process of a shaft furnace, in particular of a blast furnace, batches of charge material are typically discharged in cyclical sequence into the furnace from a top hopper using a flow control valve. A method and system is proposed for adjusting the flow rate of charge material in such a process. Pre-determined valve characteristics for certain types of material are provided, each indicating the relation between flow rate and valve setting for one type of material. According to the invention, a specific valve characteristic is stored for each batch of charge material, each specific valve characteristic being bijectively associated to one batch and indicating the relation between flow rate and valve setting of the flow control valve specifically for the associated batch.

Abstract: The sealed connection system between a tuyere of a shaft furnace, such as a steelmaking blast furnace, and an air blast pipe, in which a tip of the blast pipe is pressed towards a rear end of the tuyere, being centred thereon while still retaining freedom of pivoting movement relative thereto, including an added annular blast pipe seat, placed between the tip of the blast pipe and tuyere and immobile relative to the tuyere, the blast pipe tip resting against a rear face of the seat and an immobile gasket being placed between the seat and the tuyere such that the seat rests in sealed manner against a rear face of the tuyere, and a sleeve arranged around the contact zone between the blast pipe tip and the seat, is connected in sealed manner to the seat and to the blast pipe.

Abstract: A shaft furnace charge material distribution device includes a main housing, a distribution chute, a suspension rotor and an adjustment rotor, which are rotatable about a vertical axis. The chute is suspended to the suspension rotor to rotate therewith for circumferential distribution of charge material and is adjustable in orientation for radial distribution of charge material. A differential gear interconnects the suspension rotor and adjustment rotor and is configured to transmit to the adjustment rotor the same speed of rotation that is imparted to the suspension rotor by a main rotation drive unless an adjustment drive imparts differential rotation to the adjustment rotor. The device includes two gear casings arranged on the main housing and a shaft arrangement. The first gear encloses a gear mechanism connecting the main rotation drive to one output shaft. The second gear casing encloses the differential gear connecting the adjustment drive to another output shaft.

Abstract: A blast furnace installation includes a blast furnace and a chute transmission gearbox; the blast furnace having a top cone with a top cone ring arranged thereon for receiving a connection flange of the chute transmission gearbox. The connection flange is directly fixed onto the top cone ring by fixing means for establishing a firm connection between the top cone ring and the connection flange. According to an aspect of the present invention, the connection flange is fixed to the top cone ring in three separated fixation regions (30, 30?, 30?), each fixation region including one or more fixing means. According to a further aspect of the present invention, the blast furnace installation also includes a flexible sealing element arranged around the perimeter of the connection between the top cone ring and the chute transmission gearbox.

Abstract: A charging device for a shaft furnace comprises a main casing and at least one nozzle for introducing a clean gas into the casing. According to an important aspect of the invention, a controller is configured to adapt the supply (the flow rate) or pressure of clean gas in the main casing based on charging status information.

Abstract: The invention relates to a distribution chute (100) for a charging device of the rotary pivotal type, e.g. for a shaft furnace. The chute has an upstream mounting head (114) and a chute body (112) having an elongated downstream chute portion (116) with a longitudinal axis (L). It further includes at least two lateral suspensions (130) at the mounting head for mounting the chute to at least two corresponding support flanges of the charging device, the support flanges (140) being pivotable about the pivoting axis (B) in a raising sense (R) for raising the outlet (120) to a radially outer-most charging position and in an opposite lowering sense for lowering the outlet to a radially innermost charging position with respect to the rotational axis. The suspensions (130) define a first and a second tilt points, which define, in turn, a tilt axis (T), about which the weight of the chute exerts torque onto support flanges of the charging device when the chute is mounted.

Abstract: In a charging process of a shaft furnace, in particular of a blast furnace, batches of charge material are typically discharged in cyclical sequence into the furnace from a top hopper using a flow control valve. A method and system is proposed for adjusting the flow rate of charge material in such a process. According to the invention, a respective set of plural valve settings is stored for each batch, each valve setting of a set being associated to a different stage in the discharge of the batch. The method and system are configured to discharge a given batch so that, at each stage in the discharge of the given batch, the flow control valve operates at a constant valve opening according to the valve setting associated to that stage and so that an actual average flow rate at which charge material is discharged is determined for that stage.

Abstract: A coke oven offtake piping system includes a pipe assembly for conveying coke oven gases from a coke oven to a collecting main, at least one spraying nozzle in the pipe assembly, and a discharge section with a discharge pipe having a discharge orifice. A gate member cooperates with the discharge orifice and is movable along the discharge orifice in order to present a closing surface to the extremity thereof, whereby the opening area of said discharge orifice can be varied for controlling the flow rate to the collecting main. The gate member is a spherical cap with a concave closing surface. The gate member is configured to pivot around a pivoting axis to expose the discharge orifice and to cover the discharge orifice, respectively.

Abstract: A multiple hearth furnace including a rabble arm with a tubular structure and a solid plug body. The latter is received in a socket arranged in an arm fixing node. It has an axial through boring and cooling fluid supply and return channels arranged around this through boring. A clamping bolt is rotatably fitted in the through boring. It has a bolt head, which can be brought by rotation into and out of hooking engagement with an abutment surface on the arm fixing node. A threaded end of the clamping bolt sticks out of the through boring at the rear end of the plug body. A threaded sleeve, which is screwed onto this threaded end, bears on an abutment surface at the rear end of the plug body for exerting a clamping force onto the clamping bolt.

Abstract: A distribution device for distributing bulk material with a distribution spout on a cardan suspension that has a first and a second gimbal member pivotable about two perpendicular suspension axes where a drive arrangement has a first and a second transmission mechanism for controlling pivotal motion of the distribution spout about the suspension axes and the drive arrangement has a further cardan joint, with a first part pivotable about a third axis and a second part pivotable about a fourth axis, and a rotary motor for driving a rotary drive shaft that is connected to the cardan joint by means of an articulated connecting arm such that the rotational position and the axial position of the drive shaft determine the pivotal position of the second part about the third and fourth axes respectively, where the transmission mechanisms transmit torque about the third and fourth axes from the cardan joint to the cardan suspension for pivoting the distribution spout about the first and second axes respectively.

Abstract: A charging device (1 10; 210; 310; 410; 510; 610, 710) for distributing bulk material in an enclosure, in particular in a shaft furnace comprises a stationary housing (12) that supports a rotatable structure (14) carrying adjustable distribution means (16). Distribution of bulk material in circumferential direction is achieved by rotation of the distribution means (16) together with the rotatable structure (14). Distribution of bulk material in radial direction is achieved by adjustment of the distribution means (16). For rotating the distribution means, usually about the central axis (A) of the charging device, the device (1 10; 210; 310; 410; 510; 610, 710) includes a first rolling bearing (122) with a first stationary race (124; 324) that bears a first rotary race (128). The first rotary race is coupled to a first gear ring (130; 430; 530; 730) that cooperates with a first drive (50) for rotating the rotatable structure and thereby the distribution means.

Abstract: A three hopper charging installation for a shaft furnace includes a rotary distribution device for distributing bulk material in the furnace by rotating a distribution member about the furnace central axis and a first, a second and a third hopper arranged in parallel above the rotary distribution device and offset from the central axis. A sealing valve housing is arranged between the hoppers and the distribution device. It has a top part with a first, a second and a third inlet respectively communicating with the first, the second and the third hopper. A first, a second and a third sealing valve are provided in the top part. Each sealing valve includes a flap which is pivotable between a closed sealing position and an open parking position. The sealing valve housing also has a funnel shaped bottom part with an outlet communicating with the distribution device.