Abstract: The present invention refers to a wind turbine tower and a respective foundation base, comprising a central column with a central column foundation, upper tensile structural elements with upper ends attached to a tensile structure element bearing portion of the central column and tensile structural element foundations around the central column foundation. The structural system is characterized in that each lower end of the upper tensile structural elements is attached to a respective compressive structural element that connects said lower end of the respective upper tensile structural element with a compressive structural element bearing portion of the central column and that each lower end of the upper tensile structural elements is attached to a respective lower tensile structural element that connects said lower end of the respective upper tensile structural element with one of the tensile structural element foundations.

Abstract: A glass manufacturing container includes a container body and an electron donor. The container body is made of a precious metal or an alloy containing a precious metal and has an inner surface to be brought into contact with molten glass and an outer surface kept from contact with molten glass. The electron donor is electrically connected to the outer surface of the container body. The electron donor is made of an electron donating material capable of donating electrons to the container body at operating temperatures.

Abstract: Methods for making a reinforced refractory crucible for melting titanium alloys including providing a form, applying a facecoat to the form, the facecoat having at least one facecoat layer, applying a backing about the facecoat, the backing having at least one backing layer, applying at least one reinforcing element to at least a portion of the facecoat layer, the backing layer, or a combination thereof where the reinforcing element includes at least one composition selected from ceramic compositions, metallic compositions, and combinations thereof.

Abstract: A filter for use in a coupling disposed between first and second tubes which convey lime from a movable carrier to a processing pot in a steel mill. The filter has a plurality of openings sized and positioned to allow passage of lime and exclude contaminants of a size larger than the size of the perimeter of selected openings reduces erosion by the lime.

Abstract: In a method for manufacturing a base anode (10) having a multiplicity of adjacently arranged metal elements (11) for a metallurgical vessel (1), the intermediate spaces (14) between the metal elements (11) are filled with refractory material (16), the refractory material (16) being compressed. To achieve a high degree of compression in a short period of time, the compression of the refractory material (16) takes place by means of vibration.

Abstract: An improvement is provided in apparatus for retaining refractory in a metallurgical vessel. The improvement includes a wedge-shaped metal ring extending along the inner periphery of a metal shell of the vessel adjacent to an opening at one end thereof and refractory material having an angular surface for abutting an angular surface of the metal ring.

Abstract: A crucible for containing molten mixtures of magnesium and magnesium chloride comprises an outer relatively thick base layer of austenitic stainless steel covered inside with a relatively thin layer of mild carbon steel. The stainless layer provides strength and good creep resistance at 850.degree. C., and the mild steel layer protects the stainless layer from chemical attack by liquid magnesium. The carbon steel lining is applied by weld overlaying.

Abstract: An improved molten metal containment vessel is disclosed in which wetting of the vessel's inner wall surfaces by molten metal is inhibited by coating at least the inner surfaces of the containment vessel with one or more rare earth oxysulfide or rare earth sulfide compounds to inhibit wetting and or adherence by the molten metal to the surfaces of the containment vessel.

Abstract: The invention relates to preformed, shaped, refractory, heat-insulating articles for use in an expendable sidewall lining of a molten metal handling vessel. The lining has a face at part of which is exposed a zone of matter of high resistance to erosion by molten metal and accompanying slag. The vessel may be e.g. a tundish for use in the continuous casting of molten metal e.g. steel.

Abstract: A casing assembly includes a nozzle brick to form part of a wall of a metallurgical vessel. The nozzle brick has therethrough a conical opening defined by a conical inner surface. A casing to be inserted into the conical opening has a truncated conical shape including a conical outer surface and an axially extending flow through opening. The conical opening and the casing have coaxial center axes, and the conical inner and outer surfaces extend at equal angles of inclination to such axes. The conical inner surface is jacketed with a thin metal shell having a conical shape with the same inclination as that of the conical inner and outer surfaces.

Abstract: Attack of the refractory containment by the slag in an ironmaking or steelmaking vessel is prevented by means providing a continuously replenished thin film of liquid iron or steel between the slag and the refractory.

Abstract: A structure such as a wall of a high temperature furnace door is lined with fibrous refractory insulation material which has structural fastening devices embedded therein or interleaved between planks thereof. In one embodiment, plank-like pieces of fibrous refractory material are arranged in a stack extending edgewise with respect to the wall, and sheets of expanded metal are positioned between the refractory planks and are anchored to the wall. The interleaved stack of refractory planks and expanded metal sheets are compressed such that the metal sheets become essentially embedded within the refractory material to securely grip large surface areas of the planks to hold the refractory planks in place. In preferred practice, rods extend through slots formed in the wall and connect with the expanded metal sheets to hold the sheets of expanded metal in place after the interleaved stack has been compressed.

Abstract: A safety device for protecting a cover used for closing a vessel in which molten metal undergoes metallurgical treatments is presented. The device is used in conjunction with the type of cover which rests on or hangs over the edge of the vessel. The device comprises a plurality of segments which preferably form a substantially cylindrical or funnel-shaped space. These segments may have any variety of configurations and/or shapes so long as they effectively eliminate the splashing and frothing of molten metal and slag.

Abstract: In a process for forming the bottom of a metallurgical container, especially the bottom of a converter for refining pig iron, of the type which comprises a metallic base, at least one layer of refractory material superimposed on the metallic base, a first layer of refractory bricks superimposed on the layer of refractory material, and a second layer of refractory bricks on said first layer, the steps of placing, spaced from each other, on said first layer a plurality of refractory elements permeable to gas and each enclosed in a metal casing open at the top, circumferentially surrounding the metal casing of each of the elements with bricks of a material which expands during rise of the temperature and thereafter completing the second layer with refractory bricks.

Abstract: A sliding gate valve slide plate in a can has an integral collector nozzle and is formed as two conjoined refractory concrete mouldings with a cup or trough shaped metal foil lying in the joint therebetween. The foil is oxidisable in service to form a bond between the concretes. The concretes may be of different formulations, and the moulding with which molten metal makes contact is preferably the more resistant to the rigorous environment presented by flowing molten metal.The slide plate is cast in two steps using the shaped foil and the can as respective lost mould members which coact with a planar polished surface to produce a cast slide plate needing effectively no finish grinding before installation in a valve.

Abstract: The present invention relates to lining units used to protect surfaces exposed to intensive wear by solids, gases and liquids.The lining unit is a metallic shell formed with a pipe of rectangular cross section, containing a metallic plate and a wear-resistant composite material, the shell, the metallic plate and the composite material being diffusion-joined one to another.

Abstract: A stockline armor construction for blast furnaces in which the armor plates are anchored positively to the inside face of the furnace shell. The anchoring means includes brackets fixed to the shell to be engaged by tongues on the plates. The tongues have tabs which abut the shell to support the plates even through the refractory lining of the furnace is eroded away completely.

Abstract: An improved blast furnace for heating granular materials is provided of the "CCR" type which includes two similar stacks disposed side by side, one of which heats the goods by direct current while the discharging gases escape from the other parallel unheated stack in a countercurrent manner. Both of the stacks are provided with an annular channel between the heating and cooling zones thereof which is formed by hollow generally cylindrical members which are connected with each other by cross-intersecting channels. These cylinders are suspended in the enlarged bosh-like lower ends of the stacks by supports which do not extend below the cylinder members, so as to minimize damage to the supports.

Abstract: A steel refining furnace and refractories therefor having improved thermal conductivity may be achieved by the use of refractory bricks containing 31/2 to 51/2% residual carbon and having metal plates and the like associated therewith externally and, in many instances, internally. The cold face of the brick should be protected by a metal shell. Such a brick will have high thermal conductivity to achieve a cooler hot face of the basic oxygen furnace lining whereby to improve and decrease the rate of slag erosion in the furnace and to improve the thermal shock resistance of the refractory lining. An improved furnace is realized by utilizing the novel brick in specific areas thereof such as under the lip ring and in the trunion areas.

Abstract: An open-topped vessel for converting molten ferrous metal to steel is pivotal about a horizontal axis and has bottom tuyeres for blowing oxygen or other gases upwardly through molten metal. An enclosure at least partially surrounds the vessel and cooperates with a smoke hood to prevent the escape of pollutants when the vessel is in its vertical position. A pair of access doors are provided for closing an opening provided in the enclosure laterally of the vessel tilt axis and are mounted for movement in opposite directions. An auxiliary smoke hood is mounted in the enclosure above the opening for capturing pollutants when the vessel is tilted toward said opening for being charged. The inner surface of the doors are formed of a plurality of self-mounted cast iron plates.