(1) Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a purge plug, containing a refractory material, configured to be inserted in the bottom of a ladle for introducing purging gas through a heat of molten metal in the ladle.
(2) Description of the Related Art
The steel manufacturing process makes use of a vessel, called a ladle, which is lined with a refractory material to contain the molten steel. A purge plug is a device, installed in a passage through the exterior of the ladle, which is configured to introduce gas into the interior of the ladle. The plug may incorporate pores or passages to permit gas flow. The function of the purge plug is to provide gas stirring of the molten metal, thereby promoting thermal and chemical homogenization. The purging gas may also modify the heat (molten contents of the ladle). Stirring is normally accomplished by percolating argon or nitrogen gas through the purge plug in the bottom of the ladle. Typically, a purge plug has the shape of a truncated ceramic cone (frustum) and is enclosed in a sheet-metal casing.
In a typical configuration, the purge plug is replaceably mounted in a housing block installed in the bottom of the ladle. In the ladle, various high-temperature processes are carried out in which the purge plug is crucial. The purge plug is worn heavily during the process in its uppermost portion, which is directed towards the heat, and regularly has to be replaced by a new purge plug when its height has shrunk to a minimum permissible level. In addition, the portion of the housing block surrounding the uppermost portion of the purge plug experiences erosion. Consequently, the lateral surfaces of the purge plug are increasingly exposed to erosion as the housing block erodes, and the area of the housing block in contact with the purge plug decreases. Results of decreased contact area include mechanical instability, failure of refractory components and increased probability of breakout.
In many steel shops it is common practice to bomb or gun around a new plug installed in a used or worn housing block in order to fill any void in a worn block and to build up the ladle bottom around the newly installed plug. This procedure adds to the life of the plug installed in the worn housing block. Bombing around the new plug involves dropping refractory material from the top of the ladle around the newly installed plug in a worn housing block. Gunning involves shooting refractory material with a gunning machine against the ladle bottom and housing block surrounding the new plug in a worn housing block.
Gunning or bombing around the plug does increase the life of the plug and housing block. However in many cases the material will shear off the top of the housing block exposing the steel can of the purge plug to liquid steel. This liquid metal contact melts the steel can and the purge plug will usually shear off to a level at a height where solid refractory material surrounds the purge plug.
Plug life is greatly affected by how well the material deposited by ladle bomb or by gunning stays in place around the purge plug. The application of cement around the purge plug may leave gaps and voids that are subject to infiltration and increased erosion rate of the repaired piece. Replacement purge plugs currently in use are configured with a smooth radial surface that facilitates the placement of the purge plug in the housing block, but does not facilitate the bonding of the radial surface of the purge plug to the material deposited by ladle bombing or gunning.
If the repair, by ladle bomb or gunning, around the purge plug can be made to stay in place, plug shearing will be reduced and both plug life and housing block life will be increased. There still exists a need for a process or configuration for repair of the housing block in which the purge plug is anchored to the housing block to prevent infiltration, and the housing block is anchored to the purge plug to prevent portions of the repaired housing block from working free. There also exists a need for a process or configuration for repair of refractory pieces with similar configurations, such as well blocks around the inner nozzle of a slide gate.
Accordingly, the present invention is directed to a purge plug having one or more geometrical features on its lateral surface that simultaneously permit the purge plug to be seated in an eroded housing block and also anchor the purge plug and the repaired portions of the housing block to each other. The present invention is also directed to well nozzles and to similar refractory pieces that are subjected to erosion, or are seated in blocks that are subjected to erosion. Although it is much less common to repair slide gate well blocks than to repair purge plug housing blocks, the same principles may be applied. In most cases a well nozzle for a slide gate does not have a steel can, however, a small steel banc may be added to the well nozzle in order to attach anchors or incorporate geometric features as described for the purge plug.
Purge plugs are formed from refractory materials, and generally take the form of a cylinder, truncated cone (frustum) or truncated pyramid (pyramidal frustum).
In another embodiment of the invention, excess mortar applied over anchors or other geometrical features on the lateral face of the purge plug before installation of the plug may be substituted for, or combined with, repair refractory material introduced by bombing or gunning.
Erosion of housing blocks can take different forms, ranging from a small volume of erosion on the inside of the block mating surface to a very high degree of wear and a “U” shaped geometry (open to the working end) inside the housing block at its working end for a housing block originally having a conical inside surface with the larger diameter at the supply end.
Materials employed for geometrical features on the lateral face of the purge plug may include carbon steel, stainless steel and high temperature fiber materials, and may function over the temperature range of 2000° F. to 2600° F. (1100° C. to 1430° C.).
Geometrical features on the lateral face of the purge plug may protrude, may be indented or may combine indentations and protrusions. These geometrical features may include mesh, grilles, protrusions, ribs, fins, ripples, ridges, dimples and recesses.
To produce a replacement plug having protruding rings, the rings may be inserted onto, or formed with the housing during its production. The rings anchor the repair material to the plug reducing the shearing and washing away of the repair material. This configuration protects the plug and extends the life of the purge plug.
To produce a replacement plug having indentations, the indentations may be formed in the housing during its production. These indentations anchor the repair material to the plug reducing the shearing and washing away of the repair material. This configuration protects the plug and extends the life of the purge plug.
A replacement plug having ribs on the lateral face can be produced by welding washers to the external surface of the housing. These washers anchor the repair material to the plug reducing the shearing and washing away of the repair material. This configuration protects the plug and extends the life of the purge plug.
A replacement plug having protruding nubs on the lateral surface can be produced by welding nubs to the external surface of the housing. These nubs anchor the repair material to the plug reducing the shearing and washing away of the repair material. This configuration protects the plug and extends the life of the purge plug.
A replacement purge plug with having flexible or spring wire on the lateral surface can be produced by welding the wire to the steel can and then tying the wire with string or rope to restrain it until the plug is inserted into the housing block and the wire has cleared the portion of the internal surface of the block having a minimum diameter. The string may then be burned off when the plug is installed in a hot ladle. The repair material may then be anchored to the plug reducing the shearing and washing away of the repair material. This configuration protects the plug and extends the life of the purge plug.
A replacement purge plug with steel mesh welded to the plug can be produced by attaching steel mesh to the plug in a manner by which the mesh clears the worn housing block during insertion but yet helps to secure the repair material to the plug. The steel mesh secures the repair material to the plug, reducing the shearing and washing away of the repair material. This configuration protects the plug and extends the life of the purge plug.
A replacement purge plug with spring type anchors can be produced by attaching anchors to the plug. The spring type anchors are configured to bend inwardly to clear, during insertion, the portion of the internal surface of the block having a minimum diameter. After insertion, the spring type anchors are able to spring out to anchor the repair material. This configuration allows anchors of increased length to be attached to the lateral surface of the plug housing while simultaneously permitting the plug to pass through the portion of the internal surface of the block having a minimum diameter. The anchors secure the repair material to the plug, reducing the shearing and washing away of the repair material. This configuration protects the plug and extends the life of the purge plug.
A replacement purge plug with a stepped, decreased diameter on its working end increases the available clearance when the purge plug is inserted into a block. This configuration permits anchors to be attached to the lateral surface of the housing while maintaining the available clearance between the exterior of the housing and the portion of the internal surface of the block having a minimum diameter. The anchors secure the repair material to the plug, reducing the shearing and washing away of the repair material. This configuration protects the plug and extends the life of the purge plug
A replacement plug may be configured so that anchors can be attached from the working end of the plug. The anchors would thus be attached to plug after the replacement plug has been installed in the block. This could be done, for example, at the lancing station. A much larger anchor could be attached to the plug having this configuration as the plug would not need to clear the portion of the internal surface of the housing block having a minimum diameter during insertion.
The extent of protrusion or indentation is related to the effectiveness of these structures in holding refractory repair material in place after the replacement plug is installed. Protrusion or indentation structures having a protrusion or indentation extent greater than 5 mm, 1 cm, 2 cm or 4 cm may be effective with certain types of repair refractory material.
The area of protrusion or indentation, measured in the horizontal plane, relates to the effectiveness of these structures in holding refractory repair material in place after the replacement plug is installed. Protrusion or indentation structures having total areas (for all geometrical features) of protrusion or indentation, measured in the horizontal plane, greater than 5 cm2, 10 cm2, 25 cm2, 50 cm2 or 100 cm2 may be effective with certain types of repair refractory material.
A purge plug of the present invention may therefore have a supply end, a working end, and a lateral surface joining the supply and the working end. The lateral surface contains a geometric feature protruding from, or indented into, the lateral surface. The purge plug may contain an inlet in communication with the supply end of the plug, and in fluid communication with the working end, such as a porous configuration or channels. The purge plug may further comprise a housing enclosing the lateral surface of the purge plug. The geometric feature may be at least one protrusion, at least one indentation, a combination of at least one protrusion and one indentation, a rigid anchor, a flexible anchor, a mesh, a ring, an indentation circumscribing the lateral surface, or at least one spring-mounted anchor. The purge plug may have a locking peg on its lateral surface, so that the peg can engage a locking ring attached to a mesh that extends outwardly from the ring. The lateral surface of the purge plug may have a stepped decrease, so that the portion of the lateral surface proximal to the working end is recessed. The purge plug may also be configured so that a mesh, attached to the plug by a plurality of attachments, such as tack welds, arranged radially around the lateral face of the purge plug, encircles a portion of the lateral face of the working end of the plug. The mesh may be configured to be compressed against the lateral face of the purge plug, and encircled by at least one severable band. The band may then be severed to permit the mesh to assume an expanded configuration.
Numerous modifications and variations of the present invention are possible. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the following claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind |
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PCT/US13/32282 | 3/15/2013 | WO | 00 |
Number | Date | Country | |
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61649065 | May 2012 | US |