Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
~15~81~)Z
COKE OVEN FUMES CONTROL SYSTEM
BACKGROUNV INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to pollution control, and
primarily to a close-capture system for containing
airborne contaminants such as those generated during a
coke pushing operation in an oven of a coke oven battery.
2. State of the Art
Many industrial operations, such as coke pushing
operations, generate large quantities of pollutant fumes
and dusts. In a coke pushing operation, coke is pushed
from a selected oven of a coke oven battery by a large
ram through an oven door opening on one side (the so
called coke side) of the oven9 through a coke guide and
into a receptacle or conveyor, illustratively a so-
called quench car or hot car. The hot, usually incan-
descent coke is transported in this receptacle or
conveyor to a quench station, which may take the form of
a quench tower or quench bath, in which the coke is
drenched or submerged.
Several systems for capturing pollutants generated
during transfer of the coke from the oven t~ the quench
station are knowll. In some systems, such as those
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described in United States Patents 3,630,852 and 4,050,992,
the entire coke slde of the battery, or a substantial
portion of it, ls enclosed in a shed all the way down to
the wharf upon which quenched coke is flumped. The
entire shed is continuously or intermittently evacuated,
illustratively through an overhead duct system which
draws an enormous volume of pollutant-laden air from the
interior of the shed. Of course, an equally enormous
blower and large capacity filter system must be provided
to accommodate the large volume of pollutant-laden air
withdrawn from the shed interior.
The expense of such a system is evident. First,
coke oven batteries typically are quite large. Thu8 7
the shed itself must be quite large. Since there is no
way of controlling the dispersal of pollutant dust and
fumes within the interior of the shed, the ventilation
system must be able to withdraw completely the entire
volume of air within the shed over a predetermined,
relatively brief span of time. Thus, in addition to the
high cost of constructing the large shed on the coke
side of the battery, a high-capacity ventilation system,
typically including large inlet ducts, large blowers and
high-capacity filter mechanisms (such as precipitators,
scrubbers or bag houses) must be provided.
In other alternative systems, such as that illus-
trated in United States Patent 4,029,551, a large hood
carried by the coke guide-supporting car is connected
through a flexible duct sys~em of the general duct~and-
car type illustrated in U.S. Patent 4,069,108, for
continuous or intermittent evacuation. Of course, in a
system of tha~ type, the coke guide-supporting car must
travel to the quench station with the quench car to
insure that airborne pollutants released between the
push and entry of the quench car into the quench station
are captured.
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In a third type o system, ill~lstrated in U.S.
Patent 3,675,~00 a separate car, -riding upon the same
rails as the quench car, supports, in cantilever fashion,
a hood designed to overlie the entire length of the
quench car when the separate car ;s close to the quench
car, and progressively less of the q~ench car as the
separate car moves away Erom the quench car. Of course,
the separate car must also be flexibly connected to a
continllous or intermittent evacuation system. Placement
of the ventilation system-supporting car on the same
tracks as the quench car ls extremely inconvenient,
since it does not permit the ventilation system-supporting
car to pass the quench car.
In another prior art syste~, the coke guide is sur-
mounted by a hood. A quench car hood is separatelymounted for movement along a pair o vertically spaced
tracks supported above, and adjacent, the quench car
tracks. The coke guide hood is supported for movement
along the coke side of the battery from an overhead
track lying ver~ically above the coke guide locomotive
tracks. A continuously ventilated duct-and-car arrange-
ment, of the general type described in U.S. Patent
4,069,108, is disposed laterally along the coke side,
with the coke guide locomotive tracks, the overhead coke
guide hood supporting trac~, the quench car tracks, and
the quench car hood-supporting tracks and framework
located ~etween the coke side of the battery and the
duct-and-car arrangement. Separate ducts connect the
coke guide hood and quench car hood to the car of the
duct-and-car a~rangement. The conduit connecting the
quench car hood to the car of the duct-and-car arrange-
ment includes a regenerative heat exchanger.
Typically, the quench car hoods of coke oven
installations are fairly massive. Thus, it will be
appreciated that, in order to support the quench car
hood in such cantilever fashion, the wheels on the
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quench car hood, the vertically spaced tracks engaged by
such wheels, and the framework supporting such tracks
must be of fairly heavy and strong construction. Addi-
tionally, a separate Eramework, equally as sturdy a~ the
one supporting the quench car hood, is provided to
support the duc~ of the duct-and-car arrangcment well
above the level of the quench car tracks and out of
inter~erence with the unloading operation from the
quench car OtltO the wharf A system of this last-
described type is offered jointly by Hartung, Kuhn & Co.Maschinenfabrik ~mbH, Dusseldorf, and Firma Carl Still,
Recklinghausen, both of West Germany.
Yet another type of system is illustrated by British
Patent specification 1,310,980. In systems of this
type, a collapsible hood expanded and contracted by a
fluid motor is provided around the colce guide to collect
dusts and fumes generated during the push. A duct-and-
car arrangement is used to evacuate the collapsible
hood In this embodiment, the car is inside the duct,
and the duct is supported above the coke guide locomotive
on a suitable support frame. An apparent weakness of
the systems of this type is that no separate hood
mechanism is provided for close capture of contaminants
released from hot coke in the quench car after the push.
Therefore~ to insure capture of such contaminants, the
coke guide locomotive must always accompany the quench
car. Further, the coke guide hood must be sufficiently
long to cover the entire length of the quench car. In
very many situations, such requirements for adequate
ventilation make installations of this type prohibitively
expensive.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to the invention, a contaminant capture
system fo~ a coke oven pushing operation includes suction
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means, a duct and ~eans for coupling the ~uction me~ns
to the duct for evacuation thereby. The duct i8 of a
type including a wall portion closed by a ~lexible we~,
means, such as a grate, ~or supporting the web against
collapse into the duct under such evacuation, and a car
disposed for movement along the duct to raise ~he web to
couple the interior of the car to the interior of the
duct. Means are provided for guiding the car along the
duct, The car includes means cooperating with the ~uide
means to support and guide the car along the duct, and a
door for providing access ~o the interior of the car for
entry into the duct ~or inspection.
Alternatively, a second car may be provided for
movement along the duct, the second car including means
lS for raislng the web to couple the interior of the second
car to the interior of the duct, and a door for providing
access to the interior of the second car for entry into
the duct for inspection.
Further according to the invention, means are
provided for moving the car along the duct to a selected
position. The moving means includes a motor, a drive
wheel, means for engaging the drive wheel, means for
attaching the drive wheel engaging means to the car,
means for mounting the drive wheel, and means for coupling
the motor to the drive wheel. The motor is actuable
selectively to drive the drive wheel to move the drive
wheel engaging means, and thus the car, along the duct.
Further according to the invention, a mobile first
hood, and means for coupling the first hood to the car
and for moving the car to dispose the first hood in
overlying relation to a selected portion of a conveyor
for incandescent coke are provided. This apparatus
permits withdrawal into the first hood means of con-
taminants evolved as the incandescent coke is conveyed,
for example, to a quenching station. The system further
includes a mobile second hood mounted on the coke guide
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through which the incandescent coke is pushed from the
oven. The mobile second hood is provided to withdraw
contaminants evolved as the coke is pushed from the oven
to the conveyor. The second hood includes blower means,
means for forming an air curtain and for directing the
air curtain to contain and prevent the escape of con-
taminants evolved during the push, and means for con-
necting the air curtain-Eor~ing means to the blower
means. ~le blower means includes means defining a
suction inlet within the second hood and filter means
disposed between the inlet and the air curtain-forming
means. This arrangement permits filtering of the evolved
contaminants ~rom the air stream provided by the blower
means, such that the filtered air stream can be used to
Eorm the air curtain.
Additionally, according to the invention, a second
duct can be provided Eor coupling the second hood to the
car. In this manner, contaminants in the interior of
the second hood are evacuated cooperatively through the
blower inlet and the first duct.
According to the invention, for a coke guide means
having two opposed side walls, a bar or plate is provided
which extends between, and is attached to, the two side
walls at the height at which the coke is exhausted from
the guide means. The coke strikes the bar or plate and
is broken into suitably sized lumps.
Further according to the invention, the coke guide
means includes a surrounding coke guide hood, and means
for projecting and retracting the coke guide hood respec-
tively toward and away from the walls of a selected coke
oven. Alternatively, or additionally, the projecting
and retracting means can be provided to project and
retract the second hood means respectively toward and
away from the mobile first hood.
Further according to the invention, the duct includes
a plurality of duct sections each having at least one
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free end, an-l~neans for supporting each duct section.
The free end of each duct section etlgages an adjacent
duct section to couple all of the duct sections to the
suction means, thereby permitting thermally induced
variations in the length of each duct section. The duct
is pro-vided with first track means. First wheel means
on the car engage the first track means. Second ~rack
means extend along the duct parallel to the first track
means. The car is provided with second track-engaging
wheel means for engaging the second track and assisting
to support the hood means in cantilever manner from the
car over the conveyor.
Additionally, means are provided for maintaining a
predetermined tension on the web or belt notwithstanding
the thermally induced variations in the length o the
duct. The illustrative belt tension maintaining means
includes means for coupling ~he flexible web adjacent
one of its ends to the duct, and means adjacent the
other end of the flexible web on the duct permit~ing
relative movement between sa~id other end of the web and
the duct. Such relative movernent compensates for differ-
ences be~ween the thermally induced variations in length
of the duct and web. The illustrative means for permitting
relative movement between said other end of the web and
the duct includes roller means over which lhe web is
trained adjacent the other end, and means for yieldably
urging said other end of the web away from said one end
of the web. The yieldable urging means includes, for
example, a weight, and means for attaching the weight to
the web ad~acent said other end of the web.
Further according to the invention, valve means,
such as dampers, are provided for selectively controlling
evacuation of the second hood means. In the illustrated
embodiment, the valve means is mounted in a third duct
provided in the first hood means.
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In the ~llustrated embodiment, proportioning guldes
are provided in the car, and are provided with selectively
actuable dampers~ These independent dampers permi~
valving of suction selectively either only through the
second hood means, or through both the second hood means
and first hood means.
Further, the first hood means, the quench car hood,
is divided into a plurality of sectors, in accordance
with the illustrated embodiment. Division of the quench
car hood into sectors and independent valving or damping
of each sector, or group of sectors, permits establish-
ment of suction selectively in various areas of the
quench car hood. In many instances -this is highly
desirable, since at times the quench car hood may overlie
only a portion of the quench car, or only a portion of
the quench car may contain out-gassing coke over which
suction musk be established.
Further according to the invention, a system of
multiple cars is provided on the first duct, illus-
tratively one car for each twenty feet of length of thefi-rst hood means. A primary advantage o a rnultiple car
system is that the weight of the first hood means can be
supported cooperatively, and the load of the first hood
means distributed over several cars.
~RIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
-
The invention may be best understood by referring
to the following description and accompanying drawings
which illustrate the invention. In the drawings:
Fig. 1 is a partly fragmentary perspective view of
a typical coke oven battery installation, with the
close-capture contaminant control system of the instant
invention installed;
Fig. 2 is a partly fragmentary end elevational view
of the installation of Fig. l;
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Fig. 3 is a Eragmentary sectional view of a detail
of Figs. 1-2, taken generally along section lines 3-3
of Fig, 2;
Fig. 4 is a fragmentary sectional view of a detail
of the system taken generally along section lines 4-4
of Fig. 2;
Fig. 5 is a sectional view of a de-tail of the
system, taken generally along section lines 5-5 of
Fig. 4, but illustrating an alternative to structures
illustrated in Fig. 4;
Figs. 6-10 illustrate a number of drive arrange-
ments for systems of the type illustrated in E'igs. 1-2;
Fig. 11 i5 a fragmentary perspective view of a
detail of the installation of Figs. 1-2;
Fig. ~2 is a ragmentary sectional view taken
generally along section lines 12 12 of Fig. 11;
Fig. 13 is a fragmentary sectional view of a detail
of the installation, taken generally along section lines
13-13 of Fig. 12;
Fig. 14 is a fragmentary sectional view of a detail
of the installation, taken generally along section lines
14-14 of Fig. 11;
Fig. 15 is a fragmentary sectional view taken
generally along section lines 15-15 of Fig. 14;
Fig. 16 is a partly fragmentary end elevational
view of a detail of the installation, taken generally
along section lines 16-16 of Fig. 11;
Fig. 17 is a sectional view of a detail taken along
section lines 17-17 of Fig. ll;
Fig. 18 is a sectional view of a detail taken
generally along sectional lines 18-18 of Fig. 11;
Fig. 19 is a fragmentary side eleva~ional view of a
detail of the illustration of Figs. 1-2;
Fig. 20 is a fragmentary sectional view of the
detail of Fig. 19, taken generally along section lines
20-20 of Fig. 19;
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Fig. 21 is a fragmentary sectional vlew of the
de~ail illustra~ed in Figs. '19-20, taken general.ly along
section lines 21-21 of Fig. 20;
Fig. 22 is a fragmentary sectional view of the
detail of Figs. 19-20, taken generally along section
lines 22-22 of Fig. 20;
Fig. 23 is a fragmentary sectional view of the
detail of Fig. 19, taken generally along section lines
23-23 of Fig. 19;
Fig. 24 is a fragmentary side elevational view of
an illustrative web- or belt-tensioning mechanism
according to the present invention;
Fig. 25 is a fragmentary top plan view of the belt-
tensioning mechanism of Fig. 24, taken generally along
section lines 25-25 of Fig. 24;
Fig. 26 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a
detail of the installation of Figs. 1-2, in operation;
Fig. 27 is a fragmentary perspective view of an
alternative detail of the installation of Figs. 1-2;
Fig. 28 is a fragmentary top plan view of an
alternative detail of the installation of Figs. 1-2;
Fig. 29 is a fragmentary perspective view of an
alternative detail of the installation of ~igs~ 1-2;
Fig. 30 is a fragmentary perspective view of an
alternative detail of the installation of Figs. 1-2.
_TAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now particularly to Figs. 1-2, a coke
oven battery 10 consists of several coke ovens 12 in
parallel. Each oven 12 is provided at its coke side end
14 with a door 16, and at its pllsh side end (not shown)
with a ram for pushing coke through the oven from the
ram side to the coke side 14 -to empty the oven. The
oven 12 is emptied through its door opening 18 and a
coke guide 20 into a waiting quench car 22. The coke
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guide 20 is movable along a master gallery 24 on railroad-
type rails 26 to align it with a selected oven 12 to be
emptied. Similarly, the quench car 22 is movable along
the coke side 14 of ~he oven battery 10 to receive the
coke pushed through the guide 20 The ~uench car 22 is
movable on rai]road-type rails 28 which extend along the
coke side and to a quenching station 30, illus~ratively,
a quenching tower. The means for moving the coke guide
20 to a selected oven 12 is a door machine locomotive 32
movable on rails 26. This machine 32 incorporates the
function of supporting and moving the coke guide with
the function of removing the door 16 from the selected
oven 12 and replacing the door after a push is completed.
The quench car 22 is moved by a locomotive 34 mounted on
the rails 28.
An unloading wharf 36 is provided adjacent the
rails 28 to permit quenched coke from station 30 to be
unloaded through a door 40 on quench car 22 and gravity-
fed to a continuous coke conveyor belt 42. Coke conveyor
belt 42 transfers the finished coke to a storage area.
The door 40 i5 perforated to permit the water used to
quench the coke in car 22 to drain from the car 22.
Quench car 22 also includes ex~ended side walls 44
which increase the vertical height of the quench car 22
up to the vertical height of the top of the locomotive
34.
The ventilation, or pollution evacuation, system
for the pushing operation includes a longitudinally
spaced series of support posts or pillars 46 anchored in
the wharf 36 adjacent ra~ls 28. Each pillar 46 supports
a longitudinally extending section 48 of a first duct
50. Each section 48 includes its own supporting frame-
work 52 which cooperates with a respective pillar 46 to
make each section 48 generally self-supporting. As
discussed in detail below, each section 48 is coupled in
sliding, substantially air-tight sealing engagement with
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its adjacerlt duct sections 48. This sect:Lonal arrange-
ment permits relatively unimpaired thermal variations ln
the length of each section 48 without adversely affecting
the total length of the duct 50. Transit:Lon and connector
duct sections 54 at one end oE the first duct 50 couple
the interior of duct 50 through suction means 56 to an
assernbly, such as a bag house~ fume scrubber or separator
58. Dust and fumes from the hot coke are separated at
station 58 and clean air is exhausted to atmosphere.
The duct 50 i9 generally rectangular in transverse
section, and includes three rigid walls 51 supported in
the framework 52, and an upper wall section which is
closed by a flexible web or belt 60. The vertically
upper edges of the vertically extending wall of duct 50
are provided with rails or tracks 62 supporting substan-
tially identical, belt-lifting first and second cars 64,
66 for movement along duct 50. The operation of the
cars 64, 66 on duct 50 is generally as described in U.S.
Patents 2,923,227, 3,478,668, 3,481,265, 3,698,137,
3,705,545, 3,788,208, and 4,086,847, as well as the
above-identiied British patent specification 1,310,980,
and U.S. Patents 4,029,551, 4,069,10R.
As discussed in detail below, vertically extending
supports 70 are attached to the framework 52 so as to
avoid interference with movement of the cars 64, 66
along tracks 62. Each car 64, 66 includes a pair of
upper wheels 72. Supports 70 support a track 74 which
is engaged by wheels 72 of each car. Supports 70 also
support a pent roof 76 which protects wheels 72, tracks
74 and the web or belt 60 from weather.
The contaminant capture system includes a mobile
hood 80, described in detail below, supported from cars
64, 66 for movement along duct 50 in overlying relation
with a selected portion of quench car 22.
As best illustrated in Figs. 3~5, a support means
140 is provided in the duct 50 directly beneath the web
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60. The ill~s~rative web support means 140 can be a
grate 142 (Fig. 3), or transversely extending slats 144
(Figs. 4-5), or other suitable means. Occasionally, it
is necessary or desirable to enter the in~erior of duct
50 for inspection purposes, for maintenanc~, or the
like. To accomplish this, the support means 140 can
include a section 146 attached by a hinge 148 to the
surrounding support means 140 portion (see Figs. 4 and
5). Alternatively, the web support means 140 can include
adjacent support means sections separated to define an
access space 150, as illustrated in Fi.g. 4.
Car 66 (Fig. 4) include.s access doors 152. Movement
of cars 64, 66 into position such that car 66 lifts the
web 60 Erom the section 146 or access space 150, followed
by opening of the doors 152, permits inspection and/or
repair personnel to enter the duct 50 directly.
Alternatively, as illustrated in Fig. 4, a separate
and independently movable inspection car 154 has access
doors 152 and interior rollers to lift the web 60 from
the support means 140. The inspection car 154 can be
stored at the end of the duct 50 when not in use.
Turning now to Figs. 6-10, several arrangements for
driving cars 64, 66, as well as inspection car 154,
along the duct 50 are illustrated.
In Fig. 6, electrical connections are made to the
car 64 from overhead buses 170. An electric motor 172
is mounted on a bracket 174 at the end o the car 64. A
small sprocket 176 is mounted on the motor 172 output
shaft. A sprocket 178 is mounted on the axle 180 upon
which the track 62 engaging wheels 182 are mounted. The
sprocket 178 is mounted between the bearings :l84 by
which the axle 180 is rotatably attachPd to the car 64
body. One of wheels 182 is cut to provide pinion gear-
like teeth 186. One of the tracks 62 is provided with
longitudinally extending rack-like teeth 188. Actuation
of motor 172 may be by any suitable means, such as, for
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example, swi~ching o power to buses 170. Contact is
maintained between buses 170 and the motor 172 through
spring~urged contact brushes 190 mounted on top of the
car 64.
Sprockets 176, 178 are coupled by a roller chain
192. The direction o~ motion of the car 64, and therefore,
the hood 80, along duct 50 can be reversed, for example,
by reversing the polarity of the potential across buses
170.
In Fig. 7, the sprocket 178 is replaced by a roller
chain 194 which extends the entire length of travel o
the car 64 along duct 50. The electric motor 172 is
positioned so that sprocket 176 projects beyond the side
wall of car 64 to engage the roller chain 194. Rotation
o motor 172 ln a first direction pulls the car 64 along
duct 50 in one direction. Reversal of motor 172, such
as by reversal of the polarity of the voltage on buses
170 plllls car 64 along duct 50 in the opposite direction.
In this manner, cars 64 and 66, and hood 80 (see Figs.
1-2) can be positioned along the coke side 14 of battery
10 as desired.
Referring to Fig. 8, the track 62 and the associated
wheels 182 are avoided. Ra~her, one o the belt directing
rollers 200 is provided with an annular groove 202. A
sprocket 204 is positioned in the groove so that the
teeth of the sprocket 204 lie well below the belt-
contacting surface 206 of the roller 200. A roller
chain 208 is trained about the sprocket 176 of an
electric motor 172 and about the sprocket 204 in groove
202. Chain 208 passes through a slot 210 in the side
wall of car 64. Actuation of the motor 172 in a first
direction drives the belt roller 200 to pull the car 64,
and the hood 80 along web 60. Of course, in this embodi-
ment, sufficient friction must exist between the belt
contacting surface 206 and the web 60 to overcome the
inertia of hood 80 and associated components. The car
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64 is guided a]ollg the web 60 by ~he guide s~.r:ip~ 212
positioned on both sides of the duct 50 at the verti-
cally upper extents of the duct 50 side walls 51. It
will be appreci.ated that the regic~n of the car 64
interior between the vertical r~m 106 o~ web 60 and the
car 64 sidewall 214 in which slot 210 is provided is
isolated from the evacuated volume of car 64 by the
vertical run 106 itsel.
In the embodiment illustrated in Fig 9, the electric
motor 172 is mounted adjacent one end of the duct 50 on
a moun~ing bracket 220. A drive wheel sprocket 222 is
mounted on the motor 172 shaft. An idler wheel sprocket
224 is mounted adjacent the other end o~ the duct 50.
Sprockets 222, 224 are thus mounted beyond the limits of
travel of car 64 along duct 50 to avoid interference
with the travel of car 64 along duct 50. A length 226
o~ roller chain is attached at one of its ends to
sidewall 214 of car 64, and at its other end, at 228, to
the sidewall 230 of car 66. Small roller guides 232 are
mounted on the sidewalls 234 of cars 64, 66 to assist in
supporting the weight of roller chain 226 between
sprockets 222, 224.
In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in
Fig. 10, motor 250 driven winches 252 are coupled to
attachment points 254, 256 of cars 64, 66, respectively,
through flexible elements, such as ropes or cables 258.
Motors 250 are synchronously driven, one to pay out
cable 258 from its respective winch 252, and one to take
up cable 248 on its respective winch 252. This moves
cars 64, 66 along rails 62 on the duct 50 to position
hood 80 as desired. Of course, the winches 252 could be
motor 250 driven in opposite directions, with clutches
which disengage them from their respective winches 252
when cable 258 is being paid out. In such an embodiment,
it would not be necessary to drive the motors 250
synchronously. Rather only one motor 250 would need to
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be driven at any particular time.
Returning briefly ~o Fig. 3, it will seem that
there are two difEerent types of rollers provided within
each car 64, 66. The first rollers, 200, are provided
primarily for directing the web or belt 60 through the
car. That is, rollers 200 lift and lower the web 60
from and to the web support means 140.
As was illustrated in Fig. 8~ rollers 200 may
permit the elimination of the separate carriage wheels
182. Alternatively, as illustrated in Flg. 7, the
vertically lower rollers 200 and c:arriage wheels 182 can
be ~ounted on the same axle. It is possible to construct
the axle, the carriage wheels 182 and the rollers 200 in
one piece if the effective diameters of the rollers 200
and carriage wheels 182 are the same.
The second type of roller, 450, in each of cars 64,
66 is provided above and below the horizontal run 108 of
the web 60 within each car 64, 66. Rollers 450 are
rotatably mounted upon spring 452 urged, pivotally
mounted arms 454 from the sidewalls of cars 64, 66.
Rollers 450 serve to guide and stabilize the web 60, and
to maintain tension on the web.
As illustrated in Fig. 11, the contaminant capture
system includes a first, mobile hood 80. Hood 80 is
divided by a central, vertical partition 82. Hood 80 is
further divided by two partitions 84, 86, which extend
along the length of the hood, into six sectors 88.
As described in detail below, the coke guide 20 is
surmounted, and substantially enclosed, by a second
mobile hood 90 (Fig. 29). Hood 90 is coupled to a
second duct 92 which terminates at a flange 94 adjacent
hood 80. Hood 80 is provided with a mating flange 96
(Figs. 11-12). A third duct 98 is provided internally
of hood 80.
Hood 80 is supported from the cars 64, 66. Hood 80
is evacuated into the duct 50 through openings lO0 in
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cars 64, 66. As best illustrated in Fig, 16, each car
64, 66 includes an internal rectangular e:lbow duct
section 102 with internal proportioning guides or vanes
104. The duct section 102 lies between the vertically
extending runs 106 and beneath the horizontally extending
run 108 of belt 60 within each car 64, 66 (see Fig. 18).
The partitions 84, 86 angle upwardly, as illustrated
in Figs. 12 and 14. Near the cars 64, 66 partitions 84,
86 extend generally horiæontally to rnate with the exposed
edges of the proportioning guides 10~ in the internal
elbow duct sections 102 of cars 64, 66. Flexible flaps
110 insure tight sealing engagement between the partition
8~, 86 edges and the propor~ioning guides 104 in cars
64, 66. The hood 80 is illustratively attached to the
cars 64, 66 by bolts through the car 64, 66 side wall~
and mating flanges 112 on the hood 80 (Figs. 12, 14).
It is highly desirable under certain circumstances
to be able to valve air flow from various sectors 88 as
required during the various coke oven operations, To
this end, butterfly valve dampers are provided for
controlling flow from the various sectors 88 into cars
64, 66. Referring particularly to Figs. 11-13, a damper
116 controlled by a handle 118 permits selective control
of the flow into the lowermost sector 88 which is
evacuated through the car 64. As best illustrated in
Fig. 13, the upper and middle sectors 88 which empty
into car 64 are not damper-controlled in this embodiment.
However, i~ should be appreciated that dampers can be
added as desired to control flow in these sectors.
With reference to Figs. 11, 14 and 15, the lowermost
sector 88 which is evacuated through car 66, is controlled
by a damper 120 which is selectively actuable by a
handle 122. The middle sector 88 which is evacuated
through car 66 is controlled by a damper 124 which is
selectively actuable by a handle 126. The upper sector
88 of the hood which is evacuated through car 66 is not
Case 935-939
~57~30;2
damper controlled in the illu6tra-ted embocliment. However,
it should be appreciated that a damper can be provided
for such control.
Typically, the weight of the hood 80 is substantial.
Prior art means for supportlng such weight have included
a separate framework adjacent the hoodJ with the frame-
work supporting rails, and wheels on the hood movably
engaging the rails. Such a system is the previously
described Hartung, Kuhn-Carl Still system. A cantilever-
support system illustrated herein, includes the wheels72 rotatably mounted on cars 64, 66 and engaging the
rail 74 mounted (70) from the duct 50 support pillars
46. This system supports the hood 80 by a simpler
construction than systems o the above-described types.
The upward extensions 44 on the side walls of the
quench car 22 permit the quench car locomotive 34 to
pass freely beneath the hood 80 on its way to and from
the quench tower 30.
Referring back to Figæ. 11-13, second valve means
for selectively controlling evacuation of the second
hood 90 through duct 98 includes a damper 128 control-
lable by a handle 130. As will be appreciated, the
single damper 128 permits ~alving of the air flow
through duct 98 from the hood 90. With the illustrated
damper arrangement, flow from hood 90 canno~ be com-
pletely stopped. However, it must be appreciated that
- an additional damper can be added to the duct 98 above
internal partition 132 to halt the flow through the
third duct 98 entirely, to suit the needs of a parti-
cular application.
The selectively actuable damper system illustratedpermits a high degree of flexibility in the control of
the extent of evacua~ion from beneath hoods 80, 90.
The illustrated multiple-car system helps to distri-
bute the load represented by the weight of hood 80.Illustrativelys a car, such as car 64, 66 may be provided
Case 935-939
l9 ~ 57~()Z
for each 20 feet (approximately 6.1 meters~ of leng~h of
hood 80.
Turning now to Figs. 19 23, the manner by which
each section 48 is supported and coupled in sliding
engagement to an adjacent section 48 of the duct 50 wlll
be explained. Fig. 19 is a detail of one such junction.
As illustrated, each pillar 46 provides a horizontally
extending support 270 upon which the adjacent ends of
adjacent duct sections 48 rest. With particular refer-
ence to Fig. 20, the three rigid side walls 51 o~ duct
50 are provided at their junctions with rectangulartransverse-section members 272. Members 272 extend
longitudinally of each section 48. Together with the
members 274 which extend diagonally across the walls 51,
and members 276 which extend vertically across the walls
51, members 272 form the self-supporting framework 52
for duct 50. Rails or tracks 62 are provided by track
~ sections 278 mo~mted on the tops of the vertically upper
horizontally members 272. A support means 140, such as
a grate, extends across each duct section 48 between the
vertially upper members 272 to support the flexible web
60. An additional horizontally extending, rectangular
transverse section member 280 is attached, as by welding,
to the pillar 46 side of the upper horizontal member 272
adjacent each pillar 46.
The illustrative pillars 46 and horizontal supports
270 are I-beams which provide attachment flanges 282,
284, respectively, adjacent the duct sections 48. It
should be appreciated that T-beams, or other suitably
shaped beams providing attachment flanges such as
flanges 282, 284 could also be used.
A sliding attachment shoe 290 is mounted by bolts
292 and nuts 294 from flange 282. The passageways 29~
in shoe 290 through which bolts 292 pass are elongated
and slot-like in the longitudinal direction of the duct
50 for one of the adjacent duc~ sections 48. This is
Case 935-939
~5713~)~
~o
illustratcd in Fig. 21, In t~e adjacent duct section-
support:i.ng shoe 297, the passageways 298 receiving the
bolts 292 are circular. This arrangement permits sliding
movement of the shoe 290 provided with the slot-like
passageways 296 relative to the flange 282. Such sliding
movement accommodates therrnal varlations in the length
of each duct section 48. Resistance to such sliding
movement by shoe 290 is minimized by placement o~ a pad
of antifriction material between the shoe and ~lange
282. One such material is FLUOROGOL~ TE~LON~ material
witl~ a glass aggregate filler. This material is available
from FLUOROCARBON COMPANY, 337 Change Bridge Road, Pine
Brook, New Jersey, 07058. This material typically is
bonded to a ten gauge carbon steel backing plate.
As best illustrated in Figs. 20 and 22, a similar
arrangement is provided for two attachment shoes 300
within which the vertically lower horizontally extending
frame members 272 are cradled. Attachment shoes 300 are
attached by bolts 292 and nuts 294 to the attachment
flange 284 of horizontal support 270. As best seen in
Fig. 22, the passageways 302 receiving bolts 292 to
attach one of the adjacent duct sections 48 to flange
284 are elongated and slot-like in the longitudinal
direction of the duct 50. The attachment shoes 301 for
the other adjacent duct section 48 are provided with
circular transverse section passageways 304. It should
be appreciated that, while in the illustrated embodiment,
only one of the adjacent duct sections 48 is permitted
to move longitudinally through the connection technique
of the shoes 29G, 300, under certain circumstances, it
may be desirable to permit both adjacent duct sections
48 so to move.
In order to maintain a substantially air-tight
sealing engagement between adjacent duct sections 48,
the configuration of Fig. 23 is employed. In Fig. 23,
a joint sleeve 306 having outside dimensions equal to
Case 935-939
~L l S7 ~3 ~ ) Z
21
the inside transverse dimensions of the cluct 50, is
at~ached, as by welding at 308, to one of ~he adjacent
duct sections 48. The sleeve 306 ls freely slidable in
the other adj~cent duct section 43. The sleeve 306 is
swfficiently long in the longitudinal direction of the
duct 50 to prevent the adjacent duct secti.ons 48 from
becoming disengaged in the "worst case" of duct section
48 thermal contraction.
Generally, the varie-ty of materials available for
the construction of the duct sections 48 and :Eor the
flexible web or belt 60 permits choosing of ma~erials
which have fairly closely matched coefficients of thermal
expansi.on. This perrnits the web 60 to expand fairly
uniformly in length with the duct 50, This7 of course,
prevents damage, either to the web 60 or to the duct 50
which might otherwise result rom too great a difference
between the coefficients of thermal expansion of the
duct 50 materials and the flexible web 60. ~owever,
under certain circumstances, it is not possible or
practical to match very closely the changes in length
due to thermal expansion of the duct 50 materials and
the web 60. Under these circumstances, some means must
be provided to accommodate diferent rates of thermal
expansion, especially over the length of a very long
duct 50. One such means for accommodating these varying
rates of thermal expansion is illustrated in Figs.
24-25. A supporting ~ramework 310 is mounted adjacent
one end wall 312 of the duct 50. The web 60 extends out
over the end wall 312, is looped about a roller 314 and
is clamped about the roller 314 by a belt clamp 316.
Clamp 316 is adjustable along the length of the web 60
to accommodate stretching of the web 60 over long periods
of time, such as may be due to tension on the web, etc.
Excess web 60 material can be stored in coils 318 in a
box-like receptacle 320 provided by framework 310. The
axle 322 of roller 314 rests upon blocks 324. Pulleys
Case 935-939
Il. 22 ~ S'7~Z
326 are mo~nted on the ends of an axle 328 supported ln
bearings 330 from the end of framework 310. Cables 332
are attached by yokes 334 to the ends of axle 322. The
cables 332 extend over the pulleys 326. The other ends
of cable 322 are attached to eyes 336 provided on a
weight 338. Weight 338 dangles from the framework 310
to maintain tension on the web 60. Chains 340 are also
provided between the eyes 336 and eyes 342 mounted on
framework 310. Chain~ 340 prevent the weight 338 rom
dropplng from the duct 50 in the event of breakage of
cables 332.
As discussed above, the contaminant capture system
includes a first, mobile hood 80. As shown in Figs.
26-30, the coke guide 20 is sùrmounted by a second
mobile hood 90. Hood 90 ls coupled to a second duct 92
which terminates at a flange 94 adjacent hood 80. Hood
80 is provided with a mating flange 96. A third con-
necting duct 98 is provided internally of hood 80. Hood
80 is supported from the cars 64, 66. Hood 80 is evacuated
into the duct 50 through openings in cars 64, 66. Hood
90 is evacuated through ducts 92, 98 and car 64 into
duct 50.
Fig. 26, a fragmentary end elevation of the battery
10 from the coke side 14, shows in greater detail adjacent
ovens 12, a selected one of which (12') is being emptied.
For this purpose, the door 16 of oven 12' has been
removed by the door machine 32, exposing the door opening
18 of oven 12'. The door machine locomotive 32 has been
moved on rails 26 to place the coke guide 20 directly in
front of the opening 18.
Here it should be noted that the guide 20 can be of
a type which can be projected, or otherwise moved perpen-
dicular to the longitudinal extent of rails 26. Alterna-
tively, guide 20 can be the type which, when positioned
along rails 26 by the locomotive 32, does not project
toward the door opening 18 of t~e selected oven 12'
Case 935-939
23 ~S7~302
between the oven ba~tery 10 buclcs~ays, or vertical
supports, 350 which bracket each door opening 18. This
latter type of guide 20 is generally reerred to as a
"stationary" guide, although it must be understood that
all guides are moved longitudinally along the coke side
14 into alignment with the various ovens 12.
Fig. 26 illustrates a mass 352 of incandescent coke
being pushed from the door opening 18 through the guide
20 toward the waiting quench car 22 (Figs. 1-2). The
evolved dusts and fumes captured lmder the hood 90 are
evacuated through the duct 92, past flanges 94, 96,
through the duct 98 internally of hood 80, and through
the interior of car 64 into the main duct 50.
In an alternative arrangement, illustrated in
lS Fig. 27, the hood 90 overlies the guide 20, and a duct
92 (not shown) still couples the hood 90 through the
duct 98 in hood 80 to the car 64. However, in the
embodiment illustrated~in Fig. 27, an air curtain-
generator hood 360 has been added. Hood 360 overlies
the hood 90. Hood 360 is provided with a blower 362
having an intake port 364 through which fresh air is
drawn into the hood 360. The illustrated coke guide 20
is of a "slatted" type having side walls 366 provided
with openings 368. This is a common type of guide 20,
To prevent the escape of contaminant dusts and
fumes evolved during the push through the openings 368,
hood 360 is provided with two downwardly directed
elongated, slot-shaped air curtain generating nozzles
370. Nozzles 370 direct air provided by blower 362 at
high velocity through the interior of hood 360 down-
wardly across the side walls 366 of guide 20. Thiscontinuous air curtain prevents the escape of such
contaminant dusts and fumes through openings 368.
The illustrated guide 20 is of a "stationary" type,
meaning that it does not project between the buckstays
350 into contact with the oven 12 sidewall adjacent door
Case 935-939
~71~()2
24
opening 18 during the pu~h. Consequently, it is desirable
to prevent, to the greatest extent possible, contaminant
fumes and dusts from escaping frorn the space between the
coke slde end 14 of oven 12 and the adjacent surfaces
372 of hood 360. Thus, surfaces '372 are also provided
with air curtain-generating nozzles 370 which direct
clean air at high velocity and under pressure frorn
blower 362 toward the coke side end 14 of oven 12 around
~he upper extent of door opening 18. The air curtain
thus formed, along with the suction provided by hood 90
through duct 92, duct 98, car 64 cmd duct 50, minimizes
the escaping contaminant dusts and fumes from between
the oven and the air curtain generator hood 360.
The alternative system illustrated in Fig. 28 can
be used in at least two different modes of operation.
The guide 20 is surmounted by an auxiliary ventilation
hood 374. Space i5 provided under hood 374 for the hood
90 and duct 92 of the prior embodiments. However, it
must be understood that ventilation hood 374 can be used
either with or without the accompanying structure 90,
~ 92, 94. Ventilation hood 3i4 includes intake ports 376
in surfaces 372 adjacent the coke side end 14 of oven
12. An internal shroud space 378 is established be~ween
hood 90 and the outer walls of hood 374. When no hood
90 is used, the entire interior of hood 374 is exposed
directly ~o the hot coke moving through the guide 20.
Hood 374 is provided with blower 362. A filtration
apparatus 380, such as a stack of disposable filter
elements, is positioned in the intake port 364 of blower
362. Blower 362 is provided with an exhaust port 382
controlled by a damper 384 and an exhaust port 386
controlled by a damper 388~ Dampers 384, 388 are
simultaneously controllable such that when one of them
is fully opened, the other is fully closed.
When the system of Fig. 28 is used in conjunction
with the hood 90, exhaust port 382 is coupled through a
Case 935-939
~' 7 ~
conduit 390, and the wall of hood 90 to the lnterior oE
the hood. In this embodiment, the hood 90 include~ an
internal baffle 392 above the level of the coke mass
movlng through the g~lide 20. The bafle 392 directs air
from port 382 toward duct 92 for entry into the duct 50
through duct 98 in car 64. See F:ig. 2. In the described
mode, blower 362 thus acts as an auxiliary ventilation
system to the suction means 5~ (Fig. 1).
In the alternative mode of operation of the apparatus
of Fig. 28, hood 90 is deleted. '~us, all dusts and
fumes evolved from the mass of coke moving through guide
20 are drawn through the filter stack 380 to remove the
dusts and fumes from the flowing air stream. In thi
mode, damper 388 is opened and damper 384 is closed.
The filtered air is exhausted directly from the blower
362 through port 386 to atmosphere.
In the embodiment of the apparatus illustrated in
Fig. 29, the coke guide 20 is surrounded and closed by
the overlying hood 90, which is connected through duct
92 to flange 94 for evacuation through the main exhaust
duct 50 (Figs. 1-2), stationary side wall 394, and
movable side wall portions 396, 398. Side wall portions
396, 398 project generally transversely to the direction
of motion of the door locomotive 32 on rails 26 along
the coke side 14 of the battery 10. Side walls 396 are
contoured at their outer edges 400 to fit closely the
side wall contours of the hood 80 (see Fig. 2). This
contour 400 helps minimize the escaping contaminants
from a pushing operation.
The movable side wall portions 398, and a connecting
top portion 402, form basically an extension of the hood
90. This extension is projectable between the buckstays
350 of a particular oven 12, and into closely spaced,
surrounding relation with the door opening 18 of the
oven 12 to prevent contaminant dusts and fumes from
escapir-g from between the hood 90 and coke side end 14
Case 935-939
:~L A~ 2
26
of the oven ~2. The projection of side wall portions
396, 398 ls achieved through the use of pneurnatic or
hydraulic piston-and-cylinder arrangements 404 rnounted
on the stationary side wall 394. The mounting mechanism
for each piston-and-cylinder arrangement 404 includes an
arm 406 attached at 408 to movable side wall portions
396 near the contoured edges 400 thereof, and slidably
reciprocably mounted at 410 from the stationary side
walls 394 by means of an elongated slot aperture in the
arm 406 and a pin mounted on the side wall 394 and
projecting through the aperture. The piston rod 412 of
each piston-and-cylinder arrangement ~04 extends through
a bearing block 414 on the supporting framework and is
attached by means o~ a connecting link 416 to the movable
side wall portion 398.
The projection and retraction of the movable side
wall portions 396, 398 by actuation of the double-acting
piston-and-cylinder arrangement 404 is t~us l'self-
centering." That is, side wall portions 396, 398 are
provided with sufficient travel that they abut positively
the hood 80 contours and the oven 12 coke side contours.
Of course, as previously rnentioned, the coke guide 20
itself may be "stationary" or may, in fact, project with
side wall portions 396, 398 toward the coke side end 14
and the quench car 22 (see Figs. 1-2).
In the embodiment of Fig. 30, the air curtain
generator hood 360 is mounted over the hood 90, duct 92
and flange 94. The air curtain generator hood 360 in
the embodiment of Fig. 30 is provided with nozzles 370
which direct air downwardly across the openings 368 in
coke guide 20 side walls 366 to prevent contaminant
dusts and fumes from escaping through these openings
368. Additional nozzles 370 are provided for vertically
the full height of door openings 18. These nozzles 370
direct a surrounding and enclosing curtain of air toward
the perimeter of door 18 to prevent dusts and fumes from
Case 935-939
~L1S'7~()2
27
esc~ping be~ween ~he adjacerlt s~lrf~ce 372 o~ hood 360
and the coke side 14 of oven 12 between buckstays 350.
A further Eull length set of air curtain generator
nozzles 370 is provi.ded along each of the contoured
edges 400 of hood 360 ~o direct a surrounding and
enclosing air curtain toward the hood 80 to prevent
contaminant fumes and dusts from escapi.ng between the
contoured surfaces of hood 80 and the contoured edges
400 during the push.
As best illustrated in Fig. 29, the breaker mechanism
which conventionally is supported from the coke guide,
and extends out between the coke guide and quench car,
can be provided on the movable side wall portion 396 of
the close-capture hood. Typlcally, the breaker mechanism
consists of a plate or bar suspended i.n the path of the
incandescent coke as the coke is pushed through the
gulde. This breaker mechanism insures the break-up of
the coke into smaller lu~ps. The illustrative~breaker
- mechanism in Fig. 29 consists of both a plate 420 and a
bar 422 attached to the side walls of movable side wall
portion 396. Both the plate 420 and bar 422 are disposed
in the path of the hot coke as it emerges from the oven
12, such that the hot coke strikes plate 420 and bar 422
and is broken up prior to falling into the quench car 22
tFigs. l-2).
Case 935-939
