Plural Furnace Units Patents (Class 373/78)
  • Patent number: 11391515
    Abstract: A metallurgical furnace including a vessel with a lower shell for containing a metal bath, the metal bath composed of molten metal and an overlying layer of slag. The lower shell is tiltingly supported and provided with a deslagging opening for evacuating the slag and a tapping opening for tapping the molten metal. The vessel includes an upper shell removably positioned on the lower shell and first and second inlet openings for feeding. The vessel includes a closing roof for the upper closing of the vessel removably positioned on the upper shell and a passage opening for the passage, through the same, of at least one electrode, at least one charge opening for feeding, through the same, charge material in the solid state. At least one of the inlet openings, passage opening, and charge opening is closed or associated with a closing element.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 2, 2016
    Date of Patent: July 19, 2022
    Assignees: TENOVA S.P.A., TENOVA INDUSTRIAL TECHNOLOGIES (BEIJING) CO., LTD.
    Inventors: Silvio Maria Reali, Cesare Giavani, Giuseppino Virgili, Cristian Cattalini
  • Publication number: 20120320941
    Abstract: A waste heat recovery structure includes a first exhaust gas flow path provided to each of steel making electric arc furnaces to discharge exhaust gas thereinto; a waste heat boiler disposed on the first exhaust gas flow path to recover waste heat as saturated steam from exhaust gas; a steam accumulator configured to store steam formed by confluence of saturated steam parts, each generated by the waste heat boiler; a steam super heater configured to turn steam into superheated steam by heating; a second exhaust gas flow path configured to lead exhaust gas from the waste heat boiler to the steam super heater to use it for superheating; a third exhaust gas flow path configured to discharge exhaust gas from the waste heat boiler not through the steam super heater; and a switching device configured to switch flow paths between the second and third exhaust gas flow paths.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Publication date: December 20, 2012
    Applicant: JP STEEL PLANTECH CO
    Inventors: Keiji Wakahara, Nobuyuki Fujikura, Masanari Yamazaki, Masayuki Watanabe, Yoshinori Okuyama
  • Patent number: 8021599
    Abstract: A method for producing steel products (1) with optimum surface quality wherein the molten steel (1b) is produced in a process route (10, 100; 12; 13) that is selected according to a desired final microstructure (9), by melting in a furnace (2b) with an electrode system (31), and in a vacuum degassing system; or by melting in a furnace installation (35) or an individual furnace vessel (30), in a ladle furnace (25), and in a differential-pressure vacuum degassing system (43); or by melting in a furnace (2b) with additions of alloying materials (26), a partial-quantity degassing in the ladle furnace (25), or a vacuum degassing system (27) and a ladle degassing (27).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 13, 2009
    Date of Patent: September 20, 2011
    Assignee: SMS Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Fritz-Peter Pleschiutschnigg, Karl-Ernst Hensger, Dieter Rosenthal, Rainer Teworte, Dieter Tembergen
  • Patent number: 7830947
    Abstract: To increase the efficiency in a furnace installation for melting down metallic or metal-containing charge materials, where an electrode system with a roof (6) for operating the melting-down process mainly with secondary energy can be swung into position on a lower shell part (14, 15) of a furnace (A, B), an upper shell part (17) can be swung into position on the lower shell part (14, 15) to form a premelting vessel (16). The upper shell part (17) includes a vessel wall (18) that substantially upwardly extends the vessel wall of the lower shell part (14, 15) in and additionally has a roof (7).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 17, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 9, 2010
    Assignee: SMS Siemag Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Manfred Schubert
  • Patent number: 7374716
    Abstract: A metallurgical furnace has a cover (20) for a vessel (10) and a charging device (30) for charging material that will be melted in the vessel. The charging device has a rotatable retaining means (31) and a projection (40) is provided at a charging opening (42). The furnace has a maximum filling level (H2) and the rotatable retaining means is pivoted into the projection for the charging operation. The pivotable range of the retaining means does not extend below the maximum filling level (H2). At least two self-supporting material baskets (32) can be positioned in a removable manner above the projection (40), and each comprises an inner chamber that can be closed on the lower side thereof by the retaining means (31) and a volume (C) for receiving the charging materials. A change device (33) interchanges and positions the material baskets (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2002
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2008
    Assignee: VAI Fuchs GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Fuchs
  • Patent number: 6597722
    Abstract: The present invention provides an arc-melting apparatus, which attains extremely high efficiency by preheating scraps using exhaust gas from the melting chamber. The arc-melting apparatus needs for no device to carry and supply an iron source to a melting chamber, which makes it possible to preheat the next charge. The arc-melting apparatus has a melting furnace which melts scraps, a preheating shaft connected directly to an upper part of one side of the melting furnace, an arc electrode for melting scraps in the melting furnace, a bucket for supplying scraps to the preheat shaft so as to continuously maintain scraps in the melting furnace and in the preheating shaft, a tapping portion having a tapping hole, being projected outward from the melting furnace and a tilting device for tilting the melting furnace on a side of the tapping portion. The tapping portion is arranged at an orthogonal direction to the direction of the supplied cold iron source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 1, 2001
    Date of Patent: July 22, 2003
    Assignee: JP Steel Plantech Co.
    Inventors: Hideaki Mizukami, Ryuji Yamaguchi, Norio Ao, Toshimichi Maki
  • Patent number: 6553055
    Abstract: In a charging material preheater for preheating charging material (60) which is to be charged into a furnace vessel (3), having a shaft (9) which is fixed in a frame structure (20) and which in its upper region has a closeable feed opening (61) for the charging material (60) and a gas outlet and in its lower region a discharge opening for the charging material (60) and a gas inlet, and whose shaft walls (33, 35) delimit a receiving space (62) for the charging material (60) to be heated, the shaft walls (34,35) are subdivided into shaft wall portions which are individually replaceably fixed in the frame structure (20).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2003
    Assignee: Arcmet Technologie GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Fuchs
  • Patent number: 6549558
    Abstract: A furnace for melting and holding aluminum materials, the furnace being characterized in that the furnace comprises: a pre-heating tower for pre-heating aluminum blocks, a melting crucible furnace which receives a supply of aluminum blocks from the pre-heating tower at a position immediately under the pre-heating tower, and a holding crucible furnace which receives a continuous supply of molten aluminum from the melting crucible furnace at a position side-by-side with the melting crucible furnace, and that an exhaust gas resulting from combustion in the melting crucible furnace can be supplied to the inside of the pre-heating tower as an ascending current for heat exchange with aluminum blocks, the furnace being capable of continuous melting and energy savings.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 20, 2001
    Date of Patent: April 15, 2003
    Assignee: Nippon Crucible Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Tamio Okada, Hideo Yoshikawa, Michio Matsuura, Toshiaki Sano, Tomohiro Hatanaka
  • Patent number: 6473446
    Abstract: An electric furnace includes a stationary lower shell having a sloping floor extending downwardly to a tap hole to always maintain a sufficient ferrostatic head three times the tap hole for slag free tapping. The configuration of the refractory for containing a heat, is sufficient to maintain a liquid metal heel of at least 70% of the heat before tapping for maintaining flat bath operation during refining a steel melt. An upper furnace shell is supported on the lower furnace shell and a furnace roof is supported by the upper furnace shell. The entire furnace is mounted on a furnace transfer car that is anchored for stationary operation but moved to a furnace exchange position for servicing any of the components making up the furnace. The furnace roof and/or upper furnace shell may be supported at a furnace operate position while the lower furnace shell is transported to the furnace exchange position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 29, 2002
    Assignee: SMS Demag, Inc.
    Inventor: Michael J. Stercho
  • Patent number: 6438154
    Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing liquid slag and baghouse dust from a steelmaking furnace such as an EAF to recover valuable metals from the slag and dust includes a treatment vessel having a movable lower shell portion for receiving liquid slag and an upper shell portion that couples with the movable lower shell portion during heat activation of the treatment vessel. The slag is combined with silicon dioxide, a reducing agent, baghouse dust, and an inert gas before being heated to between approximately 1400° C. and 3000° C. The heat treatment results in a molten reduced iron and manganese metallic material, a treated slag layer, and an off-gas containing lead, zinc, and carbon monoxide. The off-gas is combusted, cooled, and solidified, resulting in lead oxide and zinc oxide. The slag layer is tapped, cooled, and solidified. The metallic layer is tapped for recycle in the steel making process.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 16, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Inventor: John A. Vallomy
  • Publication number: 20020110175
    Abstract: An electric steel-making furnace has a furnace roof carried by an upper furnace shell on a lower furnace shell to substantially envelop an atmosphere above liquid steel and slag floating thereon in the lower furnace shell. A transfer car supports the lower furnace shell for transport from a furnace-operating site to a remote exchange site for exchanging one or more of the furnace roof, the upper furnace shell and the lower furnace shell. The furnace transfer car has a furnace support platform engaged with the lower furnace shell and supported for tilting of the furnace on the transfer car by actuators at the furnace operating site in a direction to increase the depth of slag at the deslagging passageway for decanting slag floating on liquid steel in the lower furnace shell. Actuators are also provided to tilt the furnace on the transfer car to increase the depth of liquid steel at a tap hole assembly during tapping of a steel heat.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 15, 2002
    Publication date: August 15, 2002
    Inventor: Michael J. Stercho
  • Publication number: 20020094009
    Abstract: In a charging material preheater for preheating charging material (60) which is to be charged into a furnace vessel (3), having a shaft (9) which is fixed in a frame structure (20) and which in its upper region has a closeable feed opening (61) for the charging material (60) and a gas outlet and in its lower region a discharge opening for the charging material (60) and a gas inlet, and whose shaft walls (33, 35) delimit a receiving space (62) for the charging material (60) to be heated, the shaft walls (34,35) are subdivided into shaft wall portions which are individually replaceably fixed in the frame structure (20).
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 12, 2002
    Publication date: July 18, 2002
    Applicant: Arcmet Technologie GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Fuchs
  • Publication number: 20020071473
    Abstract: An electric furnace includes a stationary lower shell having a sloping floor extending downwardly to a tap hole to always maintain a sufficient ferrostatic head three times the tap hole for slag free tapping. The configuration of the refractory for containing a heat, is sufficient to maintain a liquid metal heel of at least 70% of the heat before tapping for maintaining flat bath operation during refining a steel melt. An upper furnace shell is supported on the lower furnace shell and a furnace roof is supported by the upper furnace shell. The entire furnace is mounted on a furnace transfer car that is anchored for stationary operation but moved to a furnace exchange position for servicing any of the components making up the furnace. The furnace roof and/or upper furnace shell may be supported at a furnace operate position while the lower furnace shell is transported to the furnace exchange position.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 13, 2000
    Publication date: June 13, 2002
    Inventor: Michael J. Stercho
  • Patent number: 6393043
    Abstract: In a tiltable arc furnace in which a furnace vessel (2) and a portal (4) for an electrode lifting and pivoting apparatus are arranged on a platform (1 and 3) of a furnace cradle which is tiltable by a tilting apparatus and which includes two mutually spaced cradle runner skids (16) which each run on a respective support path (17), wherein the furnace vessel (2) is arranged on a first platform region which is between the cradle runner skids (16) and the portal (4) is arranged on a second platform region which is outside the cradle runner skids (16) the two platform regions are in the form of separate platform portions (1, 3) which are connected together by a hinge pivot (13), the portal platform portion (3) carrying the portal (4) is supported by way of a further cradle runner skid (20) on a further rolling path (21) and is tiltable by the tilting apparatus synchronously with the vessel platform portion (1) carrying the furnace vessel (2).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 8, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: Arcmet Technologie GmbH
    Inventor: Gerhard Fuchs
  • Patent number: 6347110
    Abstract: A feeding device for low shaft furnaces, in particular for arc furnaces for melting scrap, it being possible for the furnaces to be closed by a cover connected to a gas-extracting device, and it being possible for a charging apparatus to be set down on the furnaces once the cover has been removed from the furnace shaft. The charging apparatus has a top part and a bottom part. The top part is configured as a charging container which has a gas-permeable base which can be opened, and, in the region of its mouth, the bottom part is configured such that it corresponds with the top border of the upper furnace vessel. Provided outside the low shaft furnace is a bearing on which the charging apparatus can be set down and of which the level is considerably lower than that of the top border of the upper furnace vessel. The bearing has a connection by which it can be connected to the gas-extracting device.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 30, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2002
    Assignee: SMS Demag AG
    Inventors: Lutz Becker, Bertram Rupietta
  • Patent number: 6269112
    Abstract: This invention is an electric arc furnace that can be continuously charged with ferrous materials, that can continuously melt the incoming charged materials, and that can semicontinuously tap molten steel by tilting to tap one side of the furnace or another. Continuous melting and refining can occur in lateral shafts adjacent to the central melting zone, and molten steel can be tapped from either of these shafts or directly from the central melting zone if desired. The furnace can be operated and tapped continuously, which provides many distinct advantages over what is currently available in the art.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 17, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 31, 2001
    Inventors: Alfredo Poloni, Gianpietro Benedetti, Milorad Pavlicevic, Matteo Vittorio Losciale
  • Patent number: 6201826
    Abstract: Loading system for an electric arc furnace (11) includes a loading station (20a), a pre-heating station (20b) and a pick-up and moving device (15) provided with an arm (17) rotating on a circumference on which the furnace (11), the loading station (20a) and the pre-heating station (20b) lie. The loading station (20a) being distanced from the pre-heating station (20b), the loading element (16) being suitable to be located in or removed from each of the loading (20a) and pre-heating (20b) stations.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 23, 1999
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche SpA
    Inventors: Ioannis Giannoulidis, Angelico Della Negra, Matteo Vittorio Losciale
  • Patent number: 6157665
    Abstract: Method to load scrap for electric arc furnace including at least a roof (13) associated with movable moving means (17) cooperating with second movable moving means (24), the roof (13) including at least a hole (15) to discharge the fumes (16), the scrap (22) being contained in baskets (21), there being included at least a system to process the fumes (32) connected with the chimney, the full basket (21) including at least a first position (21a) to pre-heat the scrap arranged at the side of and in proximity to the furnace (10) and a second position (21b) to unload the scrap arranged in cooperation with the mouth of the furnace (10), the movable moving means (24) of the basket (21) and the movable moving means (17) of the roof (13) being functionally associated at least momentarily, the basket (21) containing the scrap being installed in a removable manner on the second movable moving means (24) and being associated at least temporally with a covering system (29), which can be translated from a closed position t
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche SpA
    Inventors: Giampietro Benedetti, Milorad Pavlicevic, Alfredo Poloni, Gianni Gensini, Angelico Della Negra
  • Patent number: 6157664
    Abstract: System to load pre-heated scrap by means of baskets for electric arc furnace, the furnace including a movable roof (28), at least one basket (15) loaded with scrap being arranged in a lateral position near the furnace, the basket (15) being associated with a movable covering system (18), there being included at least a pipe (20) connecting the fourth hole of the furnace with the inside of the basket (15) to convey the fumes leaving the furnace (12) with the function of pre-heating the scrap, the pipe (20) being associated with the covering system (18) and able to be moved therewith, the basket (15) being associated with moving means (16a).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: December 5, 2000
    Assignee: Danieli & C. Officine Meccaniche SpA
    Inventors: Giampietro Benedetti, Milorad Pavlicevic, Alfredo Poloni, Gianni Gensini, Angelico Della Negra
  • Patent number: 6081545
    Abstract: An arc furnace fume collection system has a plurality of duct lines leading to a common duct that leads to a baghouse for filtering dust. The supplemental duct lines have high pressure fans, blowers, or compressors and join one of the other duct lines through a nozzle. The nozzle connection acts as a venturi to supplement the pulling power of a common exhaust fan downstream of the baghouse filter.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 21, 1998
    Date of Patent: June 27, 2000
    Assignee: AMSTED Industries Incorporated
    Inventors: Louis Sandor, Christopher Z. Sieradzki
  • Patent number: 6064687
    Abstract: The present invention is a multi-faceted mobile furnace apparatus. The apparatus has a furnace system, an electrical system, a positioning system and a control unit. The furnace system has a set of movable electrodes, and at least two pour configurations, to transform a solid material into a molten state. The electrical system provides the electrode with a predetermined, yet changeable type of regulation, current, voltage, impedance, power, and/or imbalance of current. While the electrode positioning system moves the electrode, this movement determines if the electrode is properly positioned for the furnace to be an open arc system, a submerged resistance system, or submerged arc system. The above systems are monitored by the control unit. There by the furnace system, the electrical system and the positioning system can all be altered to achieve the most efficient and cost saving method to transform the solid material into the molten state.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 8, 1998
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2000
    Assignee: Emerging Technologies International, LLC
    Inventor: Joseph Purcell
  • Patent number: 6038246
    Abstract: A direct current electric arc furnace for melting or heating raw material or molten material. The furnace includes a refractory lined vessel for holding raw or molten material. The vessel has at least an old furnace shell having a bottom electrode which is replaceable with a new furnace shell having a bottom electrode such that the new furnace shell is placed in an operating position and replaces the old furnace shell. The furnace includes at least a first top electrode. The furnace includes at least a first bottom electrode mounted in the bottom of the vessel and in electrical contact with the raw or molten material in the vessel. The furnace includes an electrical power supply mechanism which electrically connects to the top electrode and the bottom electrode in order to input electrical energy into the materials through the top and bottom electrode and the form of an arc. The bottom electrode has opposite electrical polarity to the electrical polarity of the top electrode.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 1997
    Date of Patent: March 14, 2000
    Assignee: NKK Steel Engineering, Inc.
    Inventors: Hiroshi Shimizu, Joseph L. Hake, Richard L. Cook
  • Patent number: 5987051
    Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for collecting fumes from an arc furnace of the type typically used in metal foundries. The system provides an electrode hood with extended sides for improved collection of fumes from the vicinity of the electrodes. It also provides a movable spout hood for collection of fumes when metal is tapped. A combination of a tilting manifold and stationary duct are used to maintain a path for collecting fumes throughout the entire range of motion of the furnace. The stationary duct has a group of dampers that open and close as the furnace tilts. Variable position dampers may be provided at the electrode hood and furnace door. In the bag house, there is a dust containment assembly to limit the movement of the collected dust. A variable speed fan may be used with the system.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 22, 1999
    Date of Patent: November 16, 1999
    Assignee: AMSTED Industries Incorporated
    Inventor: Craig L. Peters
  • Patent number: 5925165
    Abstract: In a method for processing solid residues from refuse incineration plants the slag is melted and heavy metals from the melt (16) are separated for reutilization. The slag is directly transferred from the refuse incineration plant into a first heating chamber (2) and melted there under oxidizing conditions. The melt (16) produced therefrom is transferred to a second heating chamber (3), in which the heavy metal compounds are reduced to their metallic form. Furthermore, additional finely divided residues, such as fly ash, boiler ash and filter dust, are introduced into the second heating chamber (3) via a hollow graphite electrode (19). The melt (16) is then passed on to a third heating chamber (4), in which the residual readily volatile metals are vaporized and the residual non-volatile metals are sedimented. The essentially heavy-metal-free melt is then cooled to form vitreous granules.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 22, 1996
    Date of Patent: July 20, 1999
    Assignees: Von Roll Umwelttechnik AG, Holderbank Financiere Glarus AG
    Inventors: Karl Heinz Pflugl, Norbert Kiethe, Ernst Hugentobler, Hans Ruegg, Ruedi Frey, Anton Mayer, Theo Rey, Alfred Edlinger
  • Patent number: 5898726
    Abstract: To provide a pre-heating apparatus capable of improving the installation reliability of a raw material holding gate of a pre-heating apparatus, reducing an installation cost and reducing melting electric power energy without deteriorating an operation environment while improving the pre-heating effect on raw materials by an exhaust gas, a shaft equipped with a raw material charging portion and an exhaust gas outlet at the top thereof and with a raw material holding gate at the bottom thereof is disposed in the proximity of an arc furnace, a gap is defined between the lower end portion of the shaft and the holding gate, and an outer cylinder connecting with an exhaust gas duct of the arc furnace is disposed around the outer periphery of the gap.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 2, 1997
    Date of Patent: April 27, 1999
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroshige Matsumoto, Shinjiro Uchida, Keiichi Tanabe, Toshitaka Nakayama, Makoto Takahashi
  • Patent number: 5889810
    Abstract: A preheating and melting apparatus for scrap, for preheating and melting the scrap highly efficiently, includes a scrap melting furnace having a top blowing lance and an electric arc heater and a preheater for introducing an exhaust gas generated from the melting furnace and preheating the scrap. The scrap preheater is a shaft furnace and a rotary furnace is disposed at the bottom portion of the shaft furnace to continue the shaft furnace. The scrap discharged from the shaft furnace is transferred into the rotary furnace and it is then charged into the scrap melting furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 26, 1996
    Date of Patent: March 30, 1999
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Hiroyuki Katayama, Kenro Sato, Akio Kasama, Yasushi Okumura, Yoji Demoto, Shinya Kitamura, Toshiya Harada
  • Patent number: 5812586
    Abstract: Slag from a pool of molten slag floating on molten metal in a plasma arc treatment chamber is removed by providing a slag container located inside the chamber which has a slag intake pipe extending from a bottom of the container downwardly into the slag pool. A vacuum line is connected to the top of the container and a vacuum source. When a vacuum is applied to the inside of the container, the pressure prevailing in the chamber pushes the slag from the pool through the intake pipe into the container. When the container becomes filled with molten slag, the latter enters a section of the line communicating the top of the container with the vacuum source. As the slag enters the pipe section, it is cooled and solidified to prevent further slag flow into or gas (air) flow through the vacuum line so that the container can be lifted out of the chamber while the slag in the container is still in its molten state without causing slag spillage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 22, 1998
    Assignee: Lockheed Martin Advanced Environmental Systems, Inc.
    Inventor: Max P. Schlienger
  • Patent number: 5802098
    Abstract: A melting vessel plant, in which the melting vessel is a converter vessel, to which a vessel cover with a pipe connection for removing the flue gases is attached. Either an oxygen lance with an auxiliary cover or electrodes with an auxiliary cover are introduced into the melting vessel through the vessel cover. The spherical melting vessel is lined with a lining. It is arranged on running rails as a traveling melting vessel, and it is mounted on an inner running rim and an outer running rim. The melting vessel is fastened to the inner running rim by support elements arranged on the circumference. Both running rims are interlocked by shear wedges. With the melting vessel locked, a cable winch with traction cables makes possible the tilting movements of the melting vessel both in the direction of steel tapping on the running rails and back into the upright position.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 1996
    Date of Patent: September 1, 1998
    Assignee: MAN Gutehoffnungshutte Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Alfons Birrenbach
  • Patent number: 5628958
    Abstract: A melt shop for melting scrap steel comprises a pair of primary melting furnaces and a pair of refining facility stations. The layout for the primary melting furnaces, refining facility, associated support, and peripheral equipment and caster is a single-aisle layout with general longitudinal alignment of the major constituent elements. Scrap delivery to the primary melt furnaces may comprise trackways running perpendicular to the longitudinal layout, the discharge end of each trackway being proximate to a primary melt furnace. A single trackway is preferably provided for a pair of overhead cranes running longitudinally from the caster to the primary melt furnaces.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 5, 1995
    Date of Patent: May 13, 1997
    Assignee: IPSCO Enterprises Inc.
    Inventor: William R. Frank
  • Patent number: 5602867
    Abstract: An arrangement for operating an arc furnace with two vessels for making steel. Enough liquid raw iron is added to account for 70% of the total starting metallurgicals. The supply of electricity to one of the vessels is discontinued but not to the other vessel. The injection of oxygen through a lance accompanied by the addition of sponge or coolant and lime, is carried out in one vessel while an electric-arc furnace phase is carried out in the other vessel, whereby additional sponge or coolant is melted with less oxygen and additional lime or coal is added. Electrodes are mounted on an arm and can be pivoted over either vessel as desired.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 1995
    Date of Patent: February 11, 1997
    Assignee: Man Gutehoffsnungshutte Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Andreas Hubers, Karl-Josef Schneider
  • Patent number: 5581574
    Abstract: A preheat system for a furnace comprising a preheat vessel on a rotating turret and a receiving chamber for conditioning furnace off-gases prior to use in preheating.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 1995
    Date of Patent: December 3, 1996
    Assignee: Technology Holdings, Inc.
    Inventor: David E. Vice
  • Patent number: 5562753
    Abstract: Both a method and apparatus for producing molten steel are provided wherein ferrous materials rich in carbonaceous materials are fused in a first vessel of a single electric furnace having separate first and second vessels. The carbonized molten metal thus obtained is then pretreated in a separate pretreatment facility to remove contaminants and the pretreated molten metal is then decarburized in the second vessel of the electric furnace. The decarburization of the pretreated metal in the second vessel of the furnace avoids reintroducing contaminants into the steel by avoiding contact between the pretreated metal and the slag produced when the initial carbonaceous materials are fused. Preferably, the first and second vessels are two vessels of a single electric furnace having a single electric power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 26, 1994
    Date of Patent: October 8, 1996
    Assignees: SOLLAC (Societe Anonyme), UNIMETAL
    Inventors: Yann de Lassat de Pressigny, Henri Gaye, Jean-Luc Roth, Yves Zbaczyniak
  • Patent number: 5535235
    Abstract: A melting furnace including preheating vessels for preheating raw material, and a melting furnace body having a tilting device and a heating device for heating the preheated raw material. A furnace roof covers an upper part of the melting furnace body and a combustion chamber for burning a gas generated in the melting furnace body is arranged on the furnace roof. Feed openings are arranged at side faces of the combustion chamber to feed the preheated raw material into the melting furnace body, and the side faces of the combustion chamber are positioned at a right angle to a tilting direction of the melting furnace body. Supply openings are arranged at lower ends of the preheating vessels to supply the preheated raw material through the feed openings to the melting furnace body. A connecting mechanism is provided for movably connecting the supply openings with the feed openings when the melting furnace body is tilted.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1995
    Date of Patent: July 9, 1996
    Assignee: NKK Corporation
    Inventors: Norio Ao, Hirotsugu Kubo
  • Patent number: 5500870
    Abstract: A process and melting furnace unit are provided for extracting valuable substances by reducing oxygen-bound metals which process includes exposing a charge in a first reaction zone of a furnace vessel to heat energy so that a liquid slag floats on a metal melting bath, feeding the metal bath to a second reaction zone of the furnace vessel where the slag comes intimately into contact with a reducing agent, and feeding additional heat energy to the melt in the second reaction zone to prevent hardening.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1996
    Assignee: Mannesmann Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Heribert Konig, Heinz Stark
  • Patent number: 5499264
    Abstract: A process for operating a double furnace installation having two arc furnaces connected via a line, a power supply, a device for charging material, and an arrangement for extraction and purification of gas. The process including the step of connecting a first one of the two furnaces with the power supply for melting a charge located therein, completely cutting off a second one of the furnaces from the power supply. The second furnace is then charged with charging material and is closed with a cover. Flue gas located in the closed second furnace is sucked out above the burden column and flue gas is sucked out of the first furnace above the surface of the melted charge through the second furnace via the connection line provided between the two furnaces. A flue gas connection of the first furnace to the gas purification arrangement is interrupted while the flue gas is being sucked out of the second furnace while feed air is simultaneously taken on in the region of a cover of the first furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 24, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 12, 1996
    Assignee: Mannesmann Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Hans-Ludwig Schaller, Horst Mellinghoff, Michael Schmengler, Uwe Mager
  • Patent number: 5479434
    Abstract: A double furnace installation having two arc furnaces connected via a line, a power supply, a device for charging material, and an arrangement for extraction and purification of gas is operated by connecting a first one of the furnaces with the power supply for melting a charge located therein, isolating a second one of the furnaces from the power supply, charging the second furnace with charging material, and closing the second furnace with a cover. Flue gas generated during a melting phase of the first furnace is sucked therefrom and introduced into the second furnace through a first interior bay region of the second furnace. The flue gas entering the second furnace in this manner passes substantially horizontally through the charging material in the second furnace because it is sucked therefrom through a second interior bay region disposed diametrically opposite the first interior bay region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 1994
    Date of Patent: December 26, 1995
    Assignee: Mannesmann Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Raymond J. Burda
  • Patent number: 5416792
    Abstract: A furnace preheat system uses furnace off-gas to preheat material to be charged into the furnace. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, first and second angularly-spaced preheat vessels are mounted on a rotatable member which rotates them to a position over the furnace for charging the furnace and to a position for preheating the material in the preheat vessels. There is ductwork from the furnace to the first and second preheat vessels to selectively vent the off-gases to the first and second preheat vessels.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: May 16, 1995
    Assignees: Richard H. Logan, David E. Vice
    Inventor: David E. Vice
  • Patent number: 5247538
    Abstract: Apparatus for melting preferably highly reactive metals, such as titanium for example, in a vacuum melting furnace, for example a vacuum arc furnace for the remelting of metals, with one or more melting positions, a melting crucible (5, 28) being provided at each melting position, these crucibles being closed vacuum-tight after the end of the melting operation and then separated from the melting furnace, the furnace being provided with a single manipulator and by this manipulator each single crucible (5, 28) can be closed vacuum-tight by means of a separate crucible closure plate (13, 37).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 11, 1991
    Date of Patent: September 21, 1993
    Assignee: Leybold Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Otto W. Stenzel
  • Patent number: 5204873
    Abstract: Two DC electric arc furnaces are provided side by side. The both DC electric arc furnaces are connected by a duct. Each of two power source apparatuses is mounted near and associated with each of the DC electric arc furnaces. The anodes of the both power source apparatuses are mutually connected by an anode cable and the cathodes of the apparatuses by a cathode cable. The anodes and the cathodes of the both DC elecric furnaces are connected to the anode cable and the cathode cable, respectively, via a connection circuit adapted to supply electric power alternately to either of the DC electric arc furnaces. When a raw material is molten in one of the DC electric arc furnaces, electric power is supplied by the both power source apparatuses to this DC electric arc furance. The exhaust gas at a high temperature produced in this DC electric arc furnace is sent to the other DC electric arc furnace through the duct and preheats another raw material charged there beforehand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 1992
    Date of Patent: April 20, 1993
    Assignee: Daidotokushuko Kabushikikaisha
    Inventor: Hiroshi Imagawa
  • Patent number: 5153894
    Abstract: This invention is directed to a smelting plant with shaft-like charging material preheater. In a smelting plant with an electric arc furnace (1) and a charging material preheater (2) of shaft configuration arranged laterally on the furnace, the outer walls of the charging material preheater in the lower region thereof are formed by the vessel wall (5) of the furnace while in the region thereabove they are formed by the walls of a shaft which is fixed in a holding structure (27). By a horizontal relative movement between the furnace vessel (3) and the holding structure (27) together with the vessel cover (6), without being impeded by the shaft (10) charging material can be charged from a scrap basket directly into the furnace vessel or through the displaced shaft into different regions of the furnace vessel (3). Charging material can be retained in the shaft by means of a blocking member (51) therein, and heated up during the refining phase.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 25, 1990
    Date of Patent: October 6, 1992
    Assignee: Fuchs Technology AG
    Inventors: Joachim Ehle, Gerhard Fuchs
  • Patent number: 5121406
    Abstract: The invention relates to an induction melting furnace 1 for metals which are difficult to melt including an induction coil 2 surrounding the crucible 3 and a mold receptacle 4 surrounded by an annular chamber 5 to hold the cooling agent. The crucible 3 is disposed in a housing 7 provided with a vacuum connection 6. In order to improve the microporous nature, the melt contained in the mold receptacle 4 is compressed by means of a pressure which is build up in the mold receptacle 4 prior to the cooling.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 30, 1990
    Date of Patent: June 9, 1992
    Assignee: Leybold Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Franz Hugo, Erwin Wanetzky
  • Patent number: 4870655
    Abstract: An electric arc furnace includes a crucible having a metal shell for recovering precious metals from spent material. The shell includes a metal tap hole and a slag door positioned above and opposite the metal tap hole. A removable swinging roof is provided above the crucible together with a plurality of electrodes for heating the spent material. Also, a cooling band circumscribes the crucible for cooling the metal shell. Conveyors are provided for distributing the spent material at a plurality of points located between the electrodes and the wall of the crucible. The crucible is tilted to allow the removal of the slag and metal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 26, 1989
    Inventor: Vincent C. Ward
  • Patent number: 4740989
    Abstract: A plant for the production of steel from scrap and optionally fluxes includes a shaft furnace section having a bottom to receive a liquid sump of premelt and heating means laterally entering into the lower part of its interior. A hearth type furnace section is integrally connected with the shaft furnace section, into which the premelt is transferable from the shaft furnace section.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 9, 1987
    Date of Patent: April 26, 1988
    Assignee: Voest-Alpine Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Othmar Steipe, Harald Berger
  • Patent number: 4736383
    Abstract: In a method for melting a material selected from the group consisting of scrap or other similar materials with at least one melting furnace in a crucible equipped with electric arc heating, comprising directly pre-heating the material with the exhaust gases of the melting furnace and charging the material from the pre-heating vessel into a melting vessel prior to charging the heated scrap, each melting vessel is positioned below a stationary pre-heating vessel; and after charging the heated scrap, each melting vessel is positioned back above a stationary melting surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 1986
    Date of Patent: April 5, 1988
    Assignee: Fried. Krupp Gesellschaft mit beschrankter Haftung
    Inventor: Peter Meierling
  • Patent number: 4653065
    Abstract: A preheating mechanism for use with a duplex electric-arc furnace system is disclosed. The mechanism comprises a car travelling in a direction parallel to the straight line connecting the centers of the two furnaces, and a traversing car that is positioned above said first car and travels in a direction transversal to the direction in which said first car travels, said traversing car being capable of travelling over said first car in said transversal direction until it reaches a position where it overhangs either one of the two furnaces, said traversing car being provided with a raw material preheating combustor and a dust collecting hood in such a manner that each of said combustor and hood can be raised or lowered in the vertical direction.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 5, 1986
    Date of Patent: March 24, 1987
    Assignee: Nippon Steel Corporation
    Inventors: Masahiko Seki, Hiroshi Nakatani, Katsuya Kogumasaka, Seiyu Takao, Isao Arimitsu, Hisanori Fujimori
  • Patent number: 4490827
    Abstract: The disclosed arrangement refers specifically to a smelting arrangement which includes two metallurgical vessels serviced by a common, electrode carrying lid which is pivoted about a vertical axis as between one or the other position in relation to the two vessels. The current feed arrangement is designed such that beginning with a bus system extending from the transformer, conductors are run in a triangular arrangement down to a first plane, in freely sagging suspension and up again to the electrodes in such a manner that the conductors undergo a slight displacement only in the vertical suspension region near the transformer, equivalent to a slight torsion of a triangular prism, while the suspended portions of the conductors remain invarient during the pivoting about an axis that runs through the center of the triangle defined by the connect points at the transformer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 18, 1983
    Date of Patent: December 25, 1984
    Assignee: Mannesmann AG
    Inventor: Gerd Dikta
  • Patent number: 4471487
    Abstract: To avoid loss of temperature of a melt contained in casting ladles in a continuous casting operation, an independently rotatable platform adapted to receive a heating device is disposed on a slewing column of a slewing tower for ladles. The heating device is similar to that of an arc melting furnace and comprises a vertically adjustable electrode holder of outrigger configuration whose guide column is arranged eccentrically on the platform so that a current carrying cable can be installed to extend centrally through the platform and through the slewing column. The cables are secured by a clamping plate at a perpendicular distance from the platform, such that the electrode holder, as seen from the casting position, can pivot in both pivoting directions through approximately 180.degree., without the cable tearing as a result of twisting.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 22, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 11, 1984
    Inventors: Rudolf Hoffmann, Adolf G. Zajber, Herbert Hansen, Johannes Dr/u/ ppel
  • Patent number: 4466104
    Abstract: A metallurgical plant is provided with a plurality of electric arc furnace vessels arranged so that the centers of the vessels lie along the points of an imaginary circle. A lid having the electrical supply for the furnaces is rotatable onto the furnaces by having its pivot point positioned at the center of the imaginary circle.Other features of the plant are disclosed including the use of open-topped support members for supporting the vessels; gate type valves at the bottoms of the vessels for tapping; below-the-charging-floor rail tracks for transporting the products of the vessel; a mechanism for lifting, on one side, the vessels to selectively skim off the slag layer; etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 1982
    Date of Patent: August 14, 1984
    Assignee: Mannesmann Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Leopold Walzel
  • Patent number: 4450569
    Abstract: A method is provided for maintaining a predetermined effluent gas pressure within an electric arc melting furnace of the type having an off-gas duct system. The method involves establishing, by simulation, correlations between specific measurable physical characteristics within the furnace and in the off-gas duct system and then utilizing these correlations to establish a program for automatically varying the volume of off-gas flow through the duct to maintain effluent gas pressure within a desired range within the furnace. Sensors are provided in the duct system to monitor the physical characteristics in the off-gas flow and for transmitting data to a microprocessor adapted to operate flow-regulating apparatus in the duct system to thereby maintain the pressure within the furnace within a predetermined range.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 1, 1982
    Date of Patent: May 22, 1984
    Inventor: Willem J. Hagendoorn
  • Patent number: 4403327
    Abstract: At least one arc furnace and at least one induction furnace are connected to the same AC network, the induction furnace being connected via a controllable alternating voltage converter so as to permit compensation of active power fluctuations in the network caused by operation of the arc furnace and the induction furnace being designed to contain scrap for its inductive preheating before charging in the arc furnace.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 1981
    Date of Patent: September 6, 1983
    Assignee: ASEA AB
    Inventors: Staffan Granstrom, Sven Ivner