Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
~gell l.ance_and Sensing Adapter Arrangemellt
This appllcation is-a division of Canadian patent
application Se.rial No. 279,018 filed May 24, l.977.
Background oE -the Invention
l. Field o:E the Inventioll `
Thls invention relates to the ar-t of steel making ~ ..
equipment and more particularly to an improved gas lance which
includes provisions and an arrangement adapted to support
sensing devices for the purpose of securing various information
10 relating to the condition of the refractory or bath in a basic
oxygen furnace at any given time during the charge to tap stage
- of refinement or in the periods between these times.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior ar-t is exemplified by U.S. patents
3,620,455, November 16j 1971 to Berry and 3,827,632, August 6,
1974 to Rymarchyk, et al. U.S. paten-ts particularly pertaining
to sensor lances are 3,396,960, ~uyust 13, 1968 to Maatsch;
3,413,852, December 3, 1968 to Engel et al; and 3,727,897,
April 17, 1973 to Bennet-t.
The present lnvention is an improvement in
providing an arrangement particularly adapted to accommoda-te
effectively different -types of sensing or other devices which
may be utilized in analyzing the condition of the bath within
the refractory in one or another stages of its refinement from
charge to tap and in the periods between these times.
Summary
Broadly disclosed is an oxygen lance and nozzle
including a central pipe enclosin~ a conductor, either
electrical, optical, or other. The lower end of the central
pipe is provided with supporting structure for accommodating any
sensing device which is arranged to transmit signals, or
information it receives through the oxygen orifice concerning
conditions relating to the contents within the refractory in one
or another stages of its refinement from charge to tap and in ~ ~-
the periods between these times. Such signals or information
may be initiated through radar, optical, sonar or other
electrical means and may relate to, but is not limited to
pyrometric conditions, sound, heat, lights or metallurgical
content.
.
The invention in this divisional application
particularly pertains to a gas injection lance for insertion
into a vessel for processing molten me-tal. The lance includes a
nozzle head at one end adapted to be positioned proximate to the
molten metal, a plurality of concentric gas and coolant-carrying
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8~
tubes, at least thc innermost gas-carryiny tube of which is
connected to and in communication with the nozzle head Eor
discharging gas therethrough. A sensor-mounting support is
positioned within the gas-carryin~ tube and a se1lsor ;s. niounted
by the sensor-mounting support proximate to and out of contact
with the nozzle head and in axially spaced relation thereto.
The support includes a sleeve portion with means mounting the
sleeve portion from the innermos-t -tube comprising bracket means
extending from the innermost tube toward the support. Slot
means in the bracket means open axially toward one end of -the
lance. Lug means radially e~-tend from the sleeve portion illtO
the slot means, and means hold the lug means within the slot
means.
Brief Description oE the Drawings
FIG. l is a side elevational view of a lance and
nozzle combination;
FIG. 2 is an enlar~ed cross-sectioncal view of ~1e
upper portion of the lance disclosed in FIG. l;
FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a
lower portion oE the lance and nozzle disclosed in FIG. l;
FIG. 4 is a cro6s-sectional view taken along the ~ ~
line 4 - 4 of FIG. 2; ~ ;
;; FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the
line 5 - 5 of FIG. 3;
FIG. 6 is a view of a modified lower portion of
the lance;
FIG. 7 is a view similar to FIG. 6 showing a
modified instrumentation adapter;
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the
line 8 - 8 of FIG. 7; and,
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of a
L9~6
modified upper portion of a lance.
Description oE the Preferred Embodiment
FIG. 1 discloses a lance 10 having an adapter
head 11, and a hanger 12 connected there-to. The head includes a
bushing sleeve 13 provided with a flange 14 to which is connected
a cover plate 15 by means of bolt and nut fasteners 16. I'he
bushing sleeve 13 also includes a second flange 17 connec-ted by
means of bolt and nut fasteners 18 to a flange 19 attached -to
the upper end of a first pipe 20. The pipe 20 is provided with
an oxygen inlet tube 21 communicating with an upper gas chan~er
22. The first pipe 20 is provided with a quick disconnect
coupling including a flange 23 connected to a flange 24 by means
of bolt and nut fasteners 25. A second bushing sleeve 26 is
connected to the flange 24.
A first tubular mernber 27 is provided with an
upper piston sleeve 28 having O-ring seals 29 in sliding sealing
relation with respect to the bushing sleeve. An inner sleeve 30
is connected to a ring 31 having O-ring seals 32 in engagement
with the inner surface of the piston sleeve 28. The first tu-
bular member forms an oxygen passage 33 in communication with the
chamber 22.
A first pipe ex-tension 34 is connected at its
upper end to a flange 35 providing support for hanger members
12 from which the lance is hung when used in the vertical
: 25 operating position~ A water inlet connection 36 is connected to :~:
the pipe 34. The pipe 34 is connected to a flange 37 in turn :;
connected to a flange 38 by fasteners 39. The flange 37 is
: connected to a ring 40 in turn connected to a second tubular mem-
ber 41 providing a water inlet passage 42 communicating with
the inlet connection 36. A water outlet connection 43 communi-
cates with an outlet passage 44 provided by an outer third
tubul.ar member 45.
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1~)83L~46
A nozzle head or lanee tip is designatecl at 46
as best shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. As shown in FIG. 3 the nozzle
46 is provided with a cylindrical skirt 47 connected to the
third or outer tubular member 45. The tubular members 27, 41
and 45 may comprise a plurality of individual sections as shown
in FIG. 3 which are welded together for manufacturing reasons.
The tubular member 41 includes a section 41a which is in over-
lapping relation with respect to the lower portion of the
tubular member 41. The nozzle is provided at its lower end with
a water chamber 48 whieh eommunieates with the inlet pass.lgc 42
and outlet passage 44. The oxygen passage communicates with an
oxygen chamber 49 directing oxygen through one or more discharge
orifiees 50 to a suitable basie oxygen furnaee vessel (not
shown).
An arrangement and adaptation for supporting
a sensing deviee is indieated generally at 51. This ineludes
:~ a eentral pipe 52 provided with eentering spaces 52' to
centrally spaee and support the eentral pipe relative to the
tubular member 27.
The lower end of the sensor mounting pipe 52
is eonneeted to a eylindrieal sleeve 53 having a spider type
arrangement ineluding lugs 54 eonneeted thereto. The lugs 54
are seeured in slots 55 provided in bracke-ts 56 to which they
are seeured by taek welding after alignment. The lower elld of
the sleeve 53 is sealingly seeured to a eylindrical block 57
having a bore 57' within which a cylindrieal housing 60 is
supported. The housing 60 is supported by a eircumferential
flange 60' and eap serews 61 on bloek 57. A top plate 63
supports a eonventional eleetrieal outlet 64 whieh is eonneeted
to an eleetrieal eo-axial eable or collductor G5. l'lle colldllct:or
cable may be straight or of serpentine eonfiguration as dis-
elosed.
L946
As best shown in FIG. 2, the conductor cable
65 extends upwardly wi-thin the pipe 51 in-to a conical adapter
66, in turn connected to a third piston sleeve 67. The third
piston sleeve 67 is in engagement with -the inner surface of
the bushing sleeve 13 and is sealed relative thereto by O-riny
seals 68.
A bracket 69 is connec-ted to lugs 70 carried
by the adapter 66 by means of screws 71. A lock sleeve or
screw type connector 72 supports the cable 65 on the bracket
69. The cable is formed with an expansion loop 72 dlsposed
within the piston sleeve 67.
A lock sleeve 73 also secures the cable 65 to
the plate 15. Lock sleeves 72 and 73 are of a conventional
type for tightly securing the cable to the support 69 allcl plate
15. Thus the cable disposed below the suppor-t 69 is held within
the pipe 52 in taut relation.
The modified constructions FIGS. 6 discloses
; a lower portion of a modified lance. This lance is particularly `
adapted for a single orifice lance though it may be adapted to
a multi-orifice lance where the signals are to be received
through a single orifice.
In this modification a section of pipe 53'
is connected to the lower end of the sleeve 53 and is disposed
.: ; '
angularly to be in axial alignmen-t with the discharge orifice
50. The other structure is similar and the same reference
- characters are applied. ~
FIG. 7 discloses a lance similar to FIG. 6 .
with an adapter 82 connected to plate 80 on block 57 by
means of cap screws 61 through a circumferential flange 85
provided on said adapter.
The adapter 82 includes a cave shaped opening
83 communicating with a holder opening or socket 81 within
which may be secllred a probe thermocouple or othcr instrument
designated at 84.
FIG. 9 discloses a modified top portion oE the
lance similar to FIG. 2 with the same reference characters
applied. ~lowever in this case it will be noted that the third
piston sleeve 67 has an outside diameter which is less than the
diameter of the inner sleeve 30. This permits -the sensing device
arrangement 51 including centered pipe 52 third piston sleeve
67 and other associated structure to be drawn downwardly through
the sleeve 30 for disassembly when required. Thus t]lis modifi-
cation permits withdrawl of the arrangement 51 through the top
or through the bottom of the lance as desired.
, '
The Operation
In operation the lance 10 is hung ver-tically
from the hanger 12 from suitable hoist structure and the nozzle
is disposed within a B.O.F. vessel. Oxygen is directed through
the inlet 21 through chamber 22 passage 33 chamber 49 and
outwardly through the nozzles onto the surface of a molten bath.
The lance is cooled by water entering into the water inlet
connection 36 whereupon it circulates downwardly through passage
42 upwardly through water outlet connection 43. The O-rings
seal the upper end of the pipe 52 against the entrance of
oxygen and the lower sleeve structure 60 and block 57 prevent
the entrance of any oxygen into the pipe 52. Further the
interior of the pipe 52 may be vented as disclosed in U. S.~
patent 3 827 632 to discharge any oxygen which may be inadver-
tently leaked into the pipe 52.
An electronic unit or any other type of
sensor may be placed within the housing 60 whlcll provicleci
a space which is isolated from the pipe 52. A sensor may
be any signal conducting medium such as cable wire light
transmitting medium or sonic transmitting medium. It may
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~8~946
be a fiber optic conductor. The sensor which may be associated
with the lance may be a probe or thermocouple as shown in FIG.
7, and is not limited to any type, it is intellded tll;lt it m.ly
observe, see, read, receive, monitor and transmit conditions
within -the refractory. Such a sensor may be plugged into the
electrical co-axial cable and will function to receive
occurrences emanating from the refractory through the oxygen
discharge orifice. Thus occurrences in thè bath may be
electronically communica-ted through the co-axial cable to
suitable receiving means provided for this purpose. The
sensor and receiving means will function to permit analysis of
certain ba-th conditions which might be metallurgical, relate
to sound and light or be pyrometric, etc., -the primary purpose
of the present invention being to provide an arrangemént which
can easily accommodate sensing devices in a lance that will
function effectively and permit the safe, quic]c and reliable
installa-tion of such sensing devices.
The inner pipe will be protected against the
inadvertent entrance and build up of oxygen in the pipe 52
by suitable vent means above referred to or by signalling
means as deemed necessary for the beneficiation of the process
involved.
Since the pipe 5~ is provided with the piStOIl
sleeve 67 and first pipe 20, bushing sleeve 13, arrangement can
contract and expand vertically as necessary to accommodate the
extreme temperatures to which oxygen lances are subjected.
Such expansion and contraction over the length of a lance
assembly is considerable and the expansion loop 72 permits this
to take place. The present arrangement can be utilized in
various lances of different designs which have in common the
contraction and expansion requirements described above.
.
L9d~6
The arrangement may be utilized with any gas
lance or oxygen-oil or oxygen fuel burner lance where some
form of sensor or information gatllerillg means is to l~c
incorporated. The central tube provides a safe and yet
effective construc-tion and shielding means for the cable
conductor.
The arrangement shown may be also be u-tilized
with any signal or information -transmittal method such as
but not limited to light usage or fiber optic transfer medium
as well as the transmittal of an electrical signal by cable.
It provides a safe and economlc manner in which the desired
result may be achieved.
.
