Abstract: A method for calibrating a weighing system of a blast furnace top hopper and a corresponding weighing system are disclosed. The method comprises the step of using at least one actuator for exerting a vertical net force with a certain magnitude onto the hopper, so as to simulate a certain weight of charge material in the hopper; and the step of determining the magnitude of the vertical net force. According to the invention, the method further comprises the step of determining the magnitude of a pressure exerting a lifting force onto said hopper and the step of using the determined magnitude of the vertical net force and the determined magnitude of the pressure to establish calibration data for the weighing system.

Abstract: A rotary charging device for a shaft furnace, in particular a blast furnace, is disclosed. The charging device is equipped with a cooling system. The rotary charging device includes a rotatable support for rotary distribution means as well as a stationary housing for the rotatable support. The cooling system includes a rotary cooling circuit fixed in rotation with the rotatable support as well as a stationary cooling circuit on the stationary housing. A heat transfer device is provided which includes a stationary heat transfer element configured to be cooled by a cooling fluid flowing through the stationary cooling circuit and which includes a rotary heat transfer element configured to be heated by a separate cooling fluid circulated in the rotary cooling circuit.

Abstract: A charging device for charging a shaft furnace, including a rotary distributor and a variable drive for rotating the rotary distributor about an essentially vertical axis of rotation, where the rotary distributor includes a plurality of guiding members which form sliding channels for charge material, and where the rotary distributor comprises a junction slide from which each guiding member issues and which is arranged such that a flow of charge material slides via one specific guiding member in function of the velocity and/or the sense of rotation of the rotary distributor.

Abstract: A suspension system is presented for a distribution chute of a device for uniformly spreading powdery materials over a circular surface. The distribution chute is suspended in a pivoting manner from a cage in such a way that the angle of tilt of the chute in relation to the vertical axis is adjustable. This cage is suspended from a peripheral annular ring having a vertical axis. The ring is vertically supported and laterally guided by wheels circumferentially spaced apart by an angle of 120.degree.. These wheels are mounted via bearings on a frame supporting the cage. An endless chain engages in a peripheral annular sprocket integrally connected to the cage in order to transmit to the latter a rotary motion about its vertical axis. A variant embodiment is presented with six smooth wheels, three of which have horizontal axes and three of which have vertical axes.

Abstract: The device comprises a housing with a circular passage orifice, a pivoting closing element in the form of a spherical dome and a circular gasket surrounding the said orifice and mounted on an annular support axially displacable towards the closing element under the action of a pneumatic fluid, the said annular support possessing for this purpose a passive annular surface exposed to the pressure in the said housing, the active surface of the support being larger than its passive surface.

Abstract: A device for shutting off pipelines for the transport of bulk product is disclosed. The device comprises a housing with a circular passage orifice, a closing element mounted pivotably in the housing, and an annular gasket surrounding the said orifice and capable of interacting with the peripheral part of the closing element. The gasket is mounted on a fixed support, and the closing element is displaceable along an axis perpendicular relative to its pivot axis. The device is particularly adapted for pipelines for transport of coal dust.

Abstract: The device includes a transmitting antenna which also serves as a receiving antenna and a separate receiving antenna for receiving the signals transmitted by the transmitting antenna and reflected at the point of reflection, and two data processing units, one for the signals picked up by the transmitting and receiving antenna and transmitted through a circulator and a first mixer, the other for the signals picked up by the receiving antenna and transmitted through a second mixer. The distance measurement is computed using the signals picked up by the transmitting and receiving antenna for distances less than a predetermined threshold and using the signals picked up by the receiving antenna for distances greater than the predetermined threshold.

Abstract: The device includes a radar antenna mounted at the inside end of an arm which can be horizontally inserted through the wall of the furnace above the loading surface, an electronic control and measuring unit placed outside the furnace, and one or two waveguides connecting the said antenna to the electronic unit through the arm. The waveguide or waveguides are duplicated by two reference waveguides of the same nature and of the same length but not connected to the said antenna systems in order to provide a forward and return path for a reference signal generated by the electronic unit and which remains correlated with the measurment signal to allow a better identification of the reflected signal.

Abstract: A radar probe including several individual scanning antennas is mounted in the wall of the furnace above the loading surface and performs a two-dimensional scanning of the entire loading surface.

Abstract: A device for introducing dosed or proportioned quantities of pulverized solid materials into a carrier gas stream is presented. The device comprises a housing which defines a flow chamber in the axial direction for the flow of pressurized fluid or carrier gas. The housing also has a side aperture therethrough. The side aperture is connected to a container holding pulverized materials. Coaxial inner and outer sleeves, at least one of which is capable of rotation, are located within the housing. The outer sleeve communicates with the aperture while the inner sleeve has an axial bore which provides a passage for the carrier gas. Upon rotation of a sleeve, slots provided on each sleeve will align and overlap with each other and with the aperture to define a variable sized passage between the container and axial bore whereby the pulverized material is delivered therethrough to the carrier gas stream.