Claims
- 1. A method of simultaneously preheating a plurality of ladles and curing at least one other ladle comprising the steps of
- arranging the ladles with the rims about the openings of the ladles accessible for engagement by lids,
- engaging the rim of each ladle with a lid including a heat resistant material that substantially closes the ladle,
- moving combustion air first through a heat exchanger and then through the lids of and into the ladles to be preheated,
- combining fuel with the combustion air and burning the combustion air and fuel in the ladles to be preheated,
- moving the exhaust gases from the ladles being preheated through the lids of each ladle and through the heat exchanger,
- directing the exhaust gases moved through the heat exchanger through the lid of and into the ladle to be cured, and
- exhausting the gases from the ladle to be cured.
- 2. The method of claim 1 and wherein the step of moving the combustion air through a heat exchanger comprises moving the combustion air first through a heat exchanger mounted to the lid of each ladle, and wherein the step of moving the exhaust gases from the ladles being preheated comprises moving the exhaust gases through the lid of the ladle and through the heat exchanger mounted to the lid of the ladle.
- 3. The method of claim 1 and further including the step of adding controlled amounts of dilution air to the exhaust gases introduced to the ladle that is being cured to provide a controlled rate of curing.
- 4. The method of claim 1 and further including the step of adding dilution air to the exhaust gases before the exhaust gases are introduced to a heat exchanger.
- 5. The method of claim 1 and wherein the step of moving the exhaust gases from the heat exchanger through the lid of and into the ladle to be cured comprises moving exhaust gases from at least two heat exchangers through the lid of and into one ladle to be cured.
- 6. The method of claim 1 and wherein the step of directing the exhaust gases moved through the heat exchanger through the lid of the ladle being cured comprises moving the exhaust gases from a ladle being preheated at a temperature up to about 2200.degree. F., and further comprising the step of adding dilution air at a varying rate to the exhaust gases as the exhaust gases are moved to the ladle to be cured to adjust the temperature of the exhaust gases entering the ladle to be cured to follow a schedule of curing the refractory of the ladle.
- 7. The method of claim 1 and wherein the step of moving the exhaust gases from the ladles being preheated through the lids of each ladle and through the heat exchanger comprises forming a zone of reduced pressure at the lid of the ladles being preheated so that if any leakage occurs at the rim of the ladle atmospheric air will be drawn between the ladle rim and the lid, through the lid and moved with the gases of combustion through the heat exchanger.
- 8. A method of simultaneously and independently preheating a plurality of ladles with open flames and utilizing the exhaust gases from the ladles being preheated to preheat the oncoming combustion air and to cure at least one ladle at a lower temperature, comprising the steps of
- arranging the ladles in a group with their openings accessible for engagement by a lid,
- engaging the rim of each ladle to be preheated with a lid to substantially close each ladle,
- moving combustion air from a common supply through a heat exchanger at each lid of a ladle to be preheated,
- preheating the combustion air in the heat exchangers,
- moving the preheated combustion air from each heat exchanger through the lid of the heat exchanger and into a ladle to be preheated,
- combining fuel with the combustion air at each lid of a ladle to be preheated and burning the fuel and combustion air in the ladles to be preheated,
- moving the exhaust gases from the ladles being preheated through the lid of each ladle and through the heat exchanger of the lid, and
- moving the exhaust gases from the heat exchangers through a lid to be applied to a ladle to be cured.
- 9. The method of claim 8 and further including the step of introducing controlled amounts of dillution air into the exhaust gases to be applied to a ladle to be cured for providing the required temperature schedule of ladle curing.
- 10. The method of claim 8 and further including the step of disengaging the lid and the rim of one or more ladles that have been preheated while continuing to preheat others of said ladles and continuing to cure at least one ladle.
- 11. A method of simultaneously heating a plurality of ladles or the like comprising the steps of
- arranging the ladles with their openings accessible for engagement by a lid,
- engaging the rim of each ladle with a lid that substantially closes the opening of each ladle,
- moving combustion air and fuel through the lid of at least one ladle into the ladle and burning the combustion air and fuel in the one ladle,
- moving the exhaust gases from the at least one ladle through its lid and through the lid of and into a second ladle, and
- exhausting the gases from the second ladle.
- 12. The method of claim 11 and further including the step of adding dilution air to the exhaust gases received in the second ladle to reduce the temperature of the gases in the second ladle.
- 13. The method of claim 11 and wherein the step of engaging the rim of each ladle with a lid comprises engaging the rims of the ladles with a ceramic fiber material that substantially closes the opening of each ladle.
- 14. A method of simultaneously heating a plurality of ladles or the like comprising the steps of
- engaging the rim of each ladle with a lid including a heat resistant soft fibrous material that substantially closes the ladle,
- moving combustion air and fuel through the lid of at least one ladle and into the ladle and burning the combustion air and fuel in the one ladle,
- moving the exhaust gases from the at least one ladle through the lid of and into a second ladle, and
- exhausting the gases from the second ladle.
- 15. The method of claim 14 and further including the step of adding diution air to the exhaust gases received in the second ladle to reduce the temperature of the gases in the second ladle.
- 16. Apparatus for simultaneously preheating at least two ladles to releatively high temperatures and curing at least one ladle at a relatively low temperature comprising a lid to be applied to the rim of each ladle to be preheated, a lid to be applied to the rim of each ladle to be cured, a heat exchanger assembly mounted to the lids of the ladles to be preheated, means for supplying combustion air through the heat exchanger assembly and through its lids and to the ladles to be preheated, means for supplying fuel to the combustion air as the combustion air is moved into the ladles to be preheated so that the combustion air and fuel is burned in the ladles to be preheated, and means for directing the exhaust gases from the ladles being preheated through their lids and heat exchanger assemblies to the ladle to be cured.
- 17. The apparatus of claim 16 and further including means for controlling the temperature of the exhaust gases entering the ladle to be cured comprising means for adding dilution air at a controlled rate to the exhaust gases as the exhaust gases move from the heat exchanger assembly into the ladle to be cured.
- 18. The apparatus of claim 16 and wherein each lid to be applied to the rim of a ladle to be preheated is movable with respect to its heat exchanger assembly and comprises a soft refractory fiber seal surface for engaging the rim of a ladle, whereby the lid can be moved with respect to its heat exchanger assembly and with respect to its ladle when moving toward or away from engagement with the rim of a ladle.
- 19. The apparatus of claim 16 and wherein the heat exchanger assembly for each lid to be applied to the rim of a ladle to be preheated comprises a radiative recuperator comprising an array of heat exchange tubes arranged about an exhaust gas passageway for moving combustion air through the heat exchange tubes about the exhaust gas.
- 20. The apparatus of claim 16 and wherein the heat exchanger assembly for each lid to be applied to the rim of a ladle to be preheated comprises a radiative recuperator mounted on a lid and including an array of heat exchange tubes arranged about an exhaust gas passageway for moving combustion air through the heat exchange tubes about the exhaust gas.
- 21. The apparatus of claim 16 and wherein the means for collecting and directing the exhaust gases from the ladles being preheated through their lids and heat exchanger assemblies to the ladle to be cured comprises blower means for creating a zone of reduced pressure upstream of the ladle being cured so that any leakage between the rims of the ladles being preheated and their lids results in atmospheric air being drawn between the rim of the ladle being preheated and the lid.
- 22. A centralized ladle heating and drying assembly for simultaneously preheating some ladles to a relatively high temperature while curing other ladles to a releatively low temperature comprising:
- preheater lid means including a refractory ceramic fiber surface for engaging the rims and closing the ladles to be preheated,
- curing lid means for engaging the rims and closing the ladles to be cured,
- heat exchanger means for each preheater lid means,
- an open flame burner mounted to each preheater lid means for directing a flame from the lid means into a ladle to be preheated,
- combustion air conduit means for directing combustion air through the heat exchanger and then to the open flame burner of the preheater lid means,
- fuel conduit means for directing fuel to each burner,
- exhaust conduit means for directing exhaust gases from each ladle being preheated and through its preheater lid means and heat exchanger means and through a common curing lid means and into a ladle to be cured.
- 23. The centralized ladle heating and curing assembly of claim 22 and wherein there are at least two preheater lid means for every curing lid means, whereby one of the preheater lid means can function to preheat a ladle and supply exhaust gases to said dryer lid means while the other preheater lid means can become inoperative.
- 24. The centralized ladle heating and drying assembly of claim 22 further including blower means for drawing gases of combustion through said heat exchanger means and expelling the gases of combustion through said curing lid means.
- 25. A centralized ladle heating and drying assembly for simultaneously preheating at least two ladles and curing at least one other ladle comprising a plurality of ladle preheating assemblies with each ladle preheating assembly comprising a lid for engaging the upwardly facing rim about the opening of a ladle to be preheated, a heat exchanger, a burner mounted on said lid, combustion air conduit means for directing a stream of combustion air through said heat exchanger and then through said burner, fuel conduit means for adding fuel to the preheated combustion air in said burner, and exhaust gas conduit means communicating through said lid with the interior of the ladle and for directing exhaust gases through said heat exchanger,
- a ladle curing assembly for at least two ladle preheating assemblies comprising a lid for engaging the rim about the opening of a ladle to be dried, and conduit means for directing exhaust gases from the heat exchangers of at least two ladle preheating assemblies through the lid of the ladle curing assembly to the ladle to be cured.
- 26. The centralized ladle heating and curing assembly of claim 25 and further including temperature control means for adding dilution air in regulated amounts to the exhaust gases directed through the lid of the ladle curing assembly.
- 27. A ladle heating and curing apparatus for simultaneously preheating one ladle to a relatively high temperature and curing another ladle to a lower temperature comprising
- a ladle preheating assembly including a lid with a heat resistant surface for engaging and closing the rim of a ladle to be preheated, heat generating means mounted to said lid for forming a source of heat in the ladle, and an exhaust opening formed in said lid,
- a heat exchanger, including first air duct means for directing ambient air through the heat exchanger and the lid of said ladle preheating assembly to the ladle being preheated, and second air duct means for directing hot exhaust gases from the ladle being preheated through the lid of said ladle preheating assembly and through the heat exchanger and in heat exchange relationship with the ambient air,
- a ladle curing assembly including a lid for engaging and closing the rim of a ladle to be cured, and
- air duct means for directing exhaust gases from the heat exchanger through the lid of said ladle curing assembly.
- 28. The ladle heating system of claim 27 and further including blower means for drawing the exhaust gases through said heat exchanger and expelling the gases of combustion through the lid of said ladle curing assembly.
- 29. The ladle heating system of claim 27 and wherein said ladle preheating assembly, said heat exchanger and said ladle curing assembly are constructed and arranged to be movable in unison toward and away from the upwardly facing rims of the ladles.
- 30. A ladle heating system for simultaneously heating ladles and the like that are arrangeed with their rims accessible for engagement by lids comprising at least two ladle lids movable with respect to the rims of the ladles to be heated to close the ladle opening, heat generating means mounted to one of said lids for forming a source of heat in the ladle engaged by the said one lid, an exhaust opening formed in said one lid, and exhaust duct means for directing hot gas from the exhaust opening from said one lid through a second lid and into a second ladle whereby the second ladle is heated by the hot gas exhausted from the first ladle and directed by the exhaust duct means into the second ladle.
- 31. The ladle heating system of claim 30 and further including inlet air duct means in communication with said heat generating means for supplying air to the said one lid, and a heat exchanger in communication with said inlet air duct means and said exhaust duct means for preheating the air moved through the inlet duct means with the heat of the hot gas exhausted from the first ladle.
- 32. The ladle heating system of claim 30 and further including means for forming a zone of reduced air pressure at said one lid so that if any leakage of atmospheric air occurs between the rim of the one ladle and said one lid the atmospheric air will be drawn between the ladle rim and the lid and through the lid.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 418,798 filed Sept. 16, 1982 now U.S. Pat. No. 4,432,726.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Continuation in Parts (1)
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Number |
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418798 |
Sep 1982 |
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