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(11) | EP 0 103 313 B1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT SPECIFICATION |
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| (54) |
Transportable vessel for molten iron Transportbehälter für flüssiges Eisen Récipient pour le transport de fer liquide |
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| Note: Within nine months from the publication of the mention of the grant of the European patent, any person may give notice to the European Patent Office of opposition to the European patent granted. Notice of opposition shall be filed in a written reasoned statement. It shall not be deemed to have been filed until the opposition fee has been paid. (Art. 99(1) European Patent Convention). |
[0001] The present invention relates to a transportable vessel for molten iron according to the first part of claim 1. Such a car is often called a torpedo car or mixer type hot metal car and is normally used for the transportation of molten pig iron between a blast furnace and a steel making plant.
[0002] A torpedo car usually consists of an elongate cylindrical vessel which is rotatably supported at its ends on wheel sets or bogies so that the vessel may be rotated about its longitudinal axis. The vessel is made of e.g. sheet steel and. is lined with refractory material. The vessel is provided with a spout to enable molten pig iron to be poured into and removed from the vessel. To prevent excessive heat loss the spout must be small as possible and also must be shaped so that molten iron is not splashed or spilt onto the walls of the vessel when the molten iron is poured out of the spout.
[0003] After a period of use it usually becomes necessary to repair or replace the refractory lining. The spout is the only entrance to the interior of the vessel and it is through the spout that the old refractory material must be demolished and removed and the new refractory material installed. The spout is usually too small to enable the necessary personnel and machinery to carry out these operations easily. The present invention therefore seeks to provide a transportable vessel for molten iron in which the vessel has a relatively large opening to enable easier access to the interior of the vessel, to simplify the removal and replacement of the refractory lining.
[0004] In GB Patent Application No. 2 041 184 there is shown a torpedo car in which removable wall sections are provided on either side of the spout. The vessel has a large aperture, the majority of which is covered by the removable wall sections so that only a part of the aperture forms the spout. The wall sections are removed for removal and replacement of the refractory lining. However, it is a disadvantage of this construction that the provision of a large aperture weakens the vessel.
[0005] The present invention seeks to provide a transportable vessel for molten iron in which a sufficiently large opening may be provided in the body of the vessel to enable lining replacement, but without weakening the walls of the vessel as occurs in the arrangement shown in GB-A-2 041 184. The problem is solved by the features of the characterising portion of claim 1. When the cover is in place, the only opening in the body is that in the cover, which opening may be of any suitable size to prevent excessive heat loss. When the cover is removed, a much larger opening to the interior of the vessel is available for replacement of the lining.
[0006] The cover is mounted to flanges surrounding the opening in the body of the vessel to prevent structural weakness. This is achieved by securing the flanges around the opening to flanges bounding the cover.
[0007] In GB-A-2 041 184 the opening in the body of the vessel is approximately rectangular with a ratio of length/width of about 3. The opening in the body subtends an angle of approximately 90° at the longitudinal axis of the vessel. In the present invention the fact that the vessel is not weakened enables a larger, more square opening to be provided in the body with the opening subtending an angle of approximately 120° at the longitudinal axis of the veseel.
[0008] A removable splash guard may be removably fitted over the cover, with an aperture which fits round the opening in the cover. The splash guard extends beyond the edges of the cover at least in the longitudinal direction to prevent splashing of molten iron due to any mismatch between the dimensions of the cover and the opening in the body of the vessel.
[0009] An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figure 1 is an elevation of an elongate vessel which forms part of a torpedo car;
Figure 2 is a side view of the vessel shown in Figure 1;
Figure 3 is a vertical transverse section through the spout of the vessel of Fig. 1;
Figure 4 is a vertical section, shown in shortened form, along the longitudinal axis of the vessel of Figure 1;
Figure 5 shows in elevation a removable cover for the vessel of Figure 1 with the mouth and pouring lips in it;
Figure 6 shows a transverse section along the line VI-VI in Figure 5;
Figure 7 is an elevation of the cover of Figure 5 but now having a removable splash guard;
Figure 8 is a section through the cover incor-- porating the mouth and the separate splash guard fitted on that cover, along line VIII-VIII in Figure 7;
Figure 9 is a section along the line IX-IX in Figure 8; and
Figure 10 is a section along the line X-X in Figure 8.
[0010] A transportable vessel for molten iron, also known as a torpedo car or travelling type hot metal car is in the form of an elongate vessel 1, with a cylindrical central section 2, and two conical end sections 3. Each end section is provided with a pivot 4, by which the vessel may be supported on an associated bogie or wheel set (not shown). Both wheel sets or bogies are fitted with a plurality of wheels enabling the torpedo car to be moved on rails.
[0011] Drive mechanisms are fitted to one or both wheel sets or bogies so that vessel 1 may rotated about a longitudinal axis, to enable it to be emptied, for example. The drive means comprise a motor and reduction gearing together with a speed and control panel.
[0012] The vessel is manufactured from sheet steel and, as shown in Figures 3 and 4, is lined with a refractory lining 8. The vessel shown in Figures 1 to 4 has a thickened bottom part 5. The purpose of this is both to strengthen the vessel and also to combat wear on the refractory lining which is greatest directly under the opening 6 through which molten pig iron enters and is removed from the vessel. The structure of the thickened bottom part is discussed in more detail in e.g. GB-A-1 241 507. The opening 6 which forms a spout for the molten iron is, according to the present invention provided in a removable cover 7. When this cover 7 is removed, an approximately square access opening is formed in the vessel, with sides which run parallel and perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vessel. This access opening is bounded by flanges 9, in the longitudinal direction of the vessel, and by curved transverse flanges 10 perpendicular to the axis. The cover 7 is reinforced round its periphery by flanges 11, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vessel, and flanges 12 perpendicular to the axis. The longitudinal flanges 9 support the weight of the cover and are reinforced by triangular supports 14. The transverse flanges 10 are also reinforced by triangular supports 13.
[0013] The structure of the cover 7 is shown in more detail in Figures 5 and 6. The sides of the cover 7 extending parallel to the longitudinal axis of the vessel are formed by spaced apart plates 15 and 16 which extend between longitudinal flanges 11 and a top plate 17 of the cover 7. Thus the cover has a box-shaped structure. At the middle of the cover 7, the plates 15 and 16 are approximately parallel but the inner plate 15 becomes increasingly curved towards either longitudinal end of the plate to approach the curve 19 of the walls of the vessel 1. The top plate 17 contains the opening 6 forming the spout for molten pig iron. The opening 6 is oval with its major axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the vessel 1. Lips 21 are provided at the major ends of the opening 6 to guide the molten iron when it is poured from the vessel 1.
[0014] The flanges 11 of the cover 7 are secured to the flanges 9 of the vessel by means of a plurality of bolts 18. In the same way the flanges 12 are secured to flanges 10 of the vessel round the periphery of the cover 7. In order to reach the bolts 18 easily, oval fitting openings 20 are made in cover 7.
[0015] It is advantageous for the cover 7 to fit the opening in the vessel 1 as closely as possible. However, the length of the cover must be less than the distance between the transverse flanges 10 if the cover is to fit in place. Therefore, due to engineering tolerances, the cover will normally be slightly shorter than the distance between the flanges 10 so there is a small gap between flanges 10 and 12. as shown in Figure 8. This gap is filled with filler plates.
[0016] When the flanges 11, 12 of the cover 7 are secured by means of bolts to the flanges 9, 10 respectively, a rigid seal for the access opening in the vessel wall is provided, which does not result in any structural weakening of the vessel. A composite splash guard 22 is then fitted over the cover, the details of which are shown in Figures 7, 8, 9 and 10. The splash guard 22 is provided with an aperture which fits round opening 6 and lips 21, but extends past the ends of the reinforcing supports 13 for the flanges 10, so that any gap between flanges 10 and 12 is safely covered by splash guard 22.
[0017] As shown in Figure 9, the bottom of the splash guard 23 is provided with supports 24, which support the guard above the wall 26 of the vessel. As shown in Figure 8, triangular reinforcements 27 are provided to support the splash guard 22 against the walls of the vessel.
[0018] The top plate 28 of the removable cover 7 is provided with anchors 23 to which refractory concrete to be installed later can adhere. The top of splash guard 22 is also provided with such anchors, but these have been omitted from the Figures for simplicity. The lower edge 25 of the splash guard, which forms a support for the refractory material, is shown in Figure 10. The lower edge 25 of the splash guard 22 is provided on its inner surface with a mounting strip 29 which holds the splash guard 22 in place against longitudinal flange 9.
[0019] The angle λ which the opening subtends at the axis of the vessel 1 is shown in Figures 6 and 10. In practice, an angle X of 120° is preferred. When splash guard 22 and cover 7 are removed, an almost square opening is formed, bounded by longitudinal flanges 9 and transverse flanges 10. This opening provides easy access to the inside of vessel 1 for personnel, tools and materials.
1. A transportable vessel (1) for molten iron comprising an elongate hollow cylindrical
body (2) adapted to be rotatably supported at its ends (3) and having an opening therein
and a cover (7) removably secured to flanges (9, 10) surrounding the opening in the
body:
characterized in that:
the cover (7) fills the opening in the body and has an opening (6) forming a spout for molten iron, wherein the cover (7) is bounded by flanges (11, 12) removably secured to the flanges (9, 10) surrounding the opening in the body (2), which opening in the body (2) subtends an angle (X) of approximately 120° at the longitudinal axis of the body (2) in a plane perpendicular to that axis and wherein the opening (6) in the cover is an oval with its major axis perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the body (2), there being lips (21) at the ends of the major axis of the oval.
2. A vessel according to claim 1, wherein the cover has two pairs of side walls (1,5,
16) each pair being secured at one end to one (11) of the flanges bounding the cover
(7) and at the other end to a top plate (17), with a space between the side walls
(15, 16) of each pair.
3. A vessel according to claim 2, wherein the pairs of side walls (15, 16) extend
longitudinally of the vessel.
4. A vessel according to any one of the preceding claims having a splash guard (22)
removably fitted over the cover (7), which splash guard (22) extend beyond the edges
of the cover (7) at least in the direction longitudinally of the body (2).
1. Ein transportables Gefäß (1) für geschmolzenes Eisen mit einem langgestreckten
hohlen zylindrischen Körper (2), der an seinen Enden (3) drehbar gelagert werden kann
und eine Öffnung besitzt, und mit einem Deckel (7), der an die Öffnung im Körper umgebende
Flanschen (9, 10) entfernbar befestigt ist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß der Deckel
(7) die Öffnung im Körper im wesentlichen füllt und eine Öffnung (6) besitzt, die
einen Ausguß für das geschmolzene Eisen bildet, wobei der Deckel (7) durch Flansche
(11, 12), die an den die Öffnung im Körper (2) umgebenden Flanschen (9, 10) entfernbar
befestigt sind, begrenzt ist, welche Öffnung im dem Körper (2) einen Winkel (A) von
etwa 120° an der Längsachse des Körpers (2) in einer Ebene senkrecht zu dieser Achse
einnimmt und wobei die Öffnung (6) im Deckel ein Oval ist mit der größeren Achse senkrecht
zur Längsachse des Körpers (2), wobei an den Enden der größeren Achse des Ovals Lippen
(21) vorgesehen sind.
2. Ein Gefäß gemäß Anspruch 1, wobei der Deckel zwei Paare von Seitenwänden (15, 16)
besitzt, wobei jedes Paar an einem Ende an einem (11) der den Deckel (7) begrenzenden
Flansche und am anderen Ende an einer oberen Platte (17) mit einem Zwischenraum zwischen
den Seitenwänden (15, 16) jedes Paares befestigt ist.
3. Ein Gefäß gemäß Anspruch 2, wobei sich die Paare der Seitenwände (15, 16) in Längsrichtung
des Gefäßes erstrecken.
4. Gefäß gemäß irgendeinem der vorhergehenden Ansprüche mit einem über dem Deckel
(7) entfernbar angebrachten Spritzschutz (22), welcher Spritzschutz sich über die
Ränder des Deckels (7) zumindest in Längsrichtung des Körpers (2) hinaus erstreckt.
1. Cuve (1) pour le transport de fonte liquide comprenant un corps cylindrique creux
et allongé (2) soutenu à ses extrémités (3) de façon à pouvoir tourner et dans lequel
se trouve une ouverture munie d'un couvercle (7) fixé de façon amovible sur des brides
(9, 10) entourant l'ouverture dans le corps:
caractérisé en ce que:
le couvercle (7) recouvre entièrement l'ouverture du corps et comporte une ouverture (6) formant un bec de coulée pour la fonte liquide, dans laquelle le couvercle (7) est limité par des brides (11, 12) fixées de façon amovible aux brides (9, 10) entourant l'ouverture du corps (2), cette ouverture dans le corps (2) formant un angle (À) d'environ 120° sur l'axe longitudinal du corps (2) dans un plan perpendiculaire à cet axe, et dans laquelle l'ouverture (6) dans le couvercle a une forme ovale dont l'axe principal est perpendiculaire à l'axe longitudinal du corps (2), des lèvres (21) étant formées aux extrémités de l'axe principal de l'ovale.
2. Cuve selon la revendication 1, dans laquelle le couvercle comprend deux paires
de parois latérales (15, 16), chaque paire étant fixée, à l'une de ses extrémités,
à l'une (11) des brides limitant le couvercle (7) et, à son autre extrémité, à une
plaque supérieure (17) en laissant un espace entre les parois latérales (15, 16) de
chaque paire.
3. Cuve selon la revendication 2, dans laquelle les paires de parois latérales (15,
16) se prolongent longitudinalement à la cuve.
4. Cuve selon l'une quelconque des revendications précédentes, munie d'un pare-éclaboussures
(22) fixé de façon amovible sur le couvercle (7), ce pare-éclaboussures (22) se prolongeant
au delà des bords du couvercle (7) au moins dans-le sens longitudinal du corps (2).