METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR HEATING MOLTEN STEEL UTILIZING A PLASMA ARC TORCH

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heating molten steel in a steel making operation is disclosed, and which includes a refractory lined vessel (12) having an open top, a removable cover (30) adapted to overlie the top, and at least one plasma arc torch (34) mounted so as to extend through the cover at an angle of about 60°. The arc gas for the torch includes a substantial percentage of nitrogen, which permits a higher power level as compared to conventionally used argon, and the mass flow rate of the arc gas is maintained at a sufficiently high level to produce a continuous blast of gas which impinges at an angle upon any slag formed on the surface of the molten steel with sufficient force to move the slag and expose the underlying molten steel. As a result, the attachment of the arc to the underlying molten steel is facilitated, and the impingement of the gas contributes to the mixing of the steel to avoid heat stratification.

Description: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for heating molten steel in a steel making operation, and which employs the use of a plasma arc torch. In a conventional steel making operation, the iron is extracted from the ore in a blast furnace, and the resulting molten iron or "hot metal" is delivered from the furnace to a mixer, which serves as an accumu­ lator. From the mixer, the hot metal is periodically delivered to the basic oxygen furnace where oxygen is blown through the metal, which raises its temperature by the exothermic reaction between carbon and the gaseous oxygen, and which also results in the impurities of the hot metal being oxidized and removed. When heating in the basic oxygen furnace is completed, the molten steel is poured into a preheated transfer ladle at a captive argon bubbling (CAB) station, where argon is bubbled up through the melt to facilitate mixing and where the final alloying and metallurgy tests take place. The transfer ladle is a very large refractory lined vessel, typically having a capacity on the order of 225 tons of steel. Upon the final alloying being completed at the CAB station, the ladle is transported by a crane or the like to a continuous casting station, or to a teem ingot mold, for further processing. At the casting station, the steel is delivered from the ladle to a tundish, which in turn distributes the steel through apertures in its bottom to the continuous casting molds. A similar procedure is employed to fill the teem ingot molds with the steel. A significant problem associated with the above conventional steel making process resides in the fact that the continuous casting station is subject to many operational breakdowns, which may cause it to stop func­ tioning. When this happens, the ladles with the hot steel and which are on their way to the casting station, stand idle and rapidly lose temperature. If the tem­ perature drops below a specified minimum temperature, the steel is no longer suitable for being processed in the caster, and the ladle is therefore returned and dumped into the basic oxygen furnace as liquid scrap. The resulting "abort" or "recycle" is quite expensive, since much of the cost of the initial processing of this metal is lost. While the problem of aborts is par­ ticularly applicable to the continuous casting opera­ tion, it also sometimes occurs where the steel is delivered to the teem ingot molds. In an attempt to alleviate the "abort" problem, several steel mills have installed graphite electrode arc heaters to maintain the temperature of the steel in the ladles and possibly add superheat. In addition, several other steel mills have incorporated a separate abort saving station (or coupler), which acts as a reheating station between the CAB station and the caster. These present couplers also use a graphite electrode arc to heat the molten steel. However, these systems are not totally satisfactory, since the heat from the arc does not readily penetrate the molten steel and thus the heat stratifies within the ladle. Also, there is a metallurgical problem, in that the carbon from the graphite electrodes is released into the molten steel. It has also been proposed to employ plasma arc torches in steel making furnaces of various types, note for example U.S patent Nos. 3,496,280 and 3,749,803. Plasma torches of the type previously suggested for this use typically comprise a housing mounting a tungsten cathode at the rear end, with the forward end including a nozzle or collimator which is directed toward a pool of molten metal. An electrical arc is then struck bet­ ween the cathode and the molten metal, with the molten metal serving as the anode. Also, an inert gas is forced through the nozzle in a vortical pattern, with the gas serving to collimate the arc and while being ionized by the arc and raised to a high temperature. However, such plasma arc torches have not heretofore been found to be suitable for use in heating the large ladles used in the steel making industry, by reason of the relatively low power capacity of such torches and the other problems noted below. It is recognized in the plasma technology art that the power delivered by the torch depends in part upon the particular inert gas employed in the torch. Thus for example, it is known that argon, which is easy to ionize and thus has a relatively low electrical resistance, results in a relatively low operating voltage and power level. Nitrogen, which also has been used in plasma arc torches, is more difficult to ionize and has a higher operating voltage and thus a much higher power level. Hydrogen has also been proposed for use in plasma arc torches, and hydrogen has a still higher operating voltage and power level. In spite of the above knowledge, the use of nitrogen and hydrogen in steel heating operations has not been considered feasible. In particular, it has been the belief of those skilled in the steel making art that the use of any nitrogen in the arc gas would be totally unsatisfactory, since the molten steel would absorb the nitrogen and thereby upset the highly sen­ sitive metallurgical requirements of the resulting steel products. Hydrogen on the other hand is too expensive, and is hazardous to use in a steel making atmosphere. For these reasons, it is believed that all prior attempts to utilize plasma arc torches in steel making operations have employed argon as the arc gas, and these prior attempts have been largely unsuccessful because of the limited power capacity available when argon is employed. A further difficulty associated with the use of plasma arc torches for heating molten steel, resides in the fact that a layer of slag inherently forms on the surface of the molten steel, and the slag is essentially electrically non-conductive. As a result, it has been difficult to establish the arc through the slag to the underlying melt. It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for heating molten steel which avoids the limitations and disdavan­ tages of the prior systems as noted above, and which is particularly adapted for heating molten steel in the large transfer ladles of the type used in steel making operations and so as to avoid "aborts". It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for heating molten steel utilizing a plasma arc torch, with the torch being adapted to be operated at a power level suf­ ficient to maintain or increase the temperature of the molten steel while the steel is held in a transfer ladle in a steel making operation. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for heating molten steel utilizing a plasma arc torch, which does not adversely effect the metallurgy of the molten steel, and which assists in the stirring of the molten steel so as to avoid heat stratification in the ladle. It is still another object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for heating molten steel utilizing a plasma arc torch, and which includes provision for establishing and maintaining the arc through any slag formed on the surface of the molten steel. These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved in the embodiments illustrated herein by the provision of a method and apparatus which includes a steel heating apparatus which comprises a refractory lined vessel having an open top, a removable cover adapted to overlie the top, and at least one plasma arc torch mounted so as to extend through the cover. The torch includes a housing defining a forward end positioned on the under side of the cover, a rear electrode mounted within the housing, and gas vortex generating means for generating a vor­ tical flow of gas which exits from the forward end of the torch. In operation, the vessel is substantially filled with the molten steel, and the cover is then placed so as to overlie the open top, with the forward end of the torch disposed in spaced relation above the surface of the molten steel in the vessel. The torch is then operated to produce a plasma arc having one end thereof attached to the rear electrode, and with the arc preferably extending to the molten steel. A gas which includes a substantial quantity of nitrogen is supplied to the gas vortex generating means such that the vor­ tical flow of gas contains a substantial percentage of nitrogen and such that the torch may be operated at a relatively high power level. Surprisingly, it has been found that the presence of substantial quantities of nitrogen in the arc gas, and indeed up to 100% nitrogen, have had no deleterious effects on the metallurgy of the resulting steel, and no significant pick-up of the nitrogen has been detected. As a further aspect of the present invention, a further inert gas, such as argon, may be concurrently supplied to the vortex generating means with the nitro­ gen, and while the relative percentages of nitrogen and the other gas are adjustably controlled so as to permit adjustment of the power level of the torch, Preferably, during normal operation, the percentage of nitrogen in the gas supplied to the gas vortex generating means is between about 80 to 100 percent. As still another aspect of the present inven­ tion, the quantity of gas supplied to the vortex generating means is supplied at a relatively high mass flow rate which is sufficient to produce a continuous blast of gas from the forward end of the torch. Also, the torch is preferably mounted in the cover at an angle of between about 30° to 70° with respect to the surface of the cover, and the high gas flow rate acting in con­ junction with the angular disposition of the torch causes the gas to impinge at an angle upon any slag on the surface of the molten steel, causing the slag to move and expose the underlying molten steel. This not only facilitates the attachment of the arc between the rear electrode and the underlying exposed molten steel, but also contributes to the mixing of the molten steel, to thereby reduce heat stratification. The present invention also involves a novel starting procedures for the torch, wherein a relatively large quantity of pressurized gas is supplied to the vortex generating means so as to produce an initial blast of gas from the forward end of the torch which impinges at an angle upon any slag on the surface of the molten steel to expose the underlying molten steel. Concurrently, there is established an electrical poten­ tial between the rear electrode and the molten steel in the vessel so as to cause the electrical arc to jump between the rear electrode and the exposed molten steel. Some of the objects and advantages of the pre­ sent invention having been stated, others will become apparent as the description proceeds, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which -- Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of certain steps of a steel making operation, and which incor­ porates the features of the present invention; Figure 2 is a sectional view of a steel transfer ladle and plasma arc torches in accordance with the present invention; and Figure 3 is a top plan view of the ladle and torches shown in Figure 2. Referring more particularly to the drawings, Figure 1 illustrates a basic oxygen furnace 10, which is designed to receive molten iron from the blast furnace or an intermediate mixer or accumulator at a temperature of between about 2100 to 2400° F. In addition, metal scrap and various ferro alloys may be added to achieve the desired metallurgical composition. Oxygen is blown through the metal in the furnace, causing its tem­ perature to rise to about 3000 to 3100° F., which results in the impurities of the metal being oxidized and removed. When heating in the furnace is complete, the vessel is rotated or "turned down" as shown in dashed lines in Figure 1 to deliver the molten steel 11 (or melt) to a preheated transfer ladle 12 at the cap­ tive argon bubbling (CAB) station, where the final alloying and metallurgical tests take place. The ladle 12 is generally cylindrical and includes a refractory lining 14 and a open top, and typically has a capacity of about 225 tons of steel. Also, the ladle 12 may include a porous plug 16 adjacent the bottom of the ladle for the introduction of argon or other inert gas which bubbles up through the steel and which contributes to the mixing of the molten metal during final alloying as further described below. Upon the final alloying being completed, the ladle 12 is transported by a crane or the like to con­ tinuous casting station 20, or to a teem ingot mold sta­ tion (not shown) for further processing. At the casting station 20, the steel is delivered from the ladle 12 to a tundish 22, which in turn distributes the steel through apertures in its bottom to the continuous casting mold 24 which casts the ingots 25. Also, a cover 30 is placed over the open top of the filled ladle when a delay is anticipated at the casting station 20 or teem ingot mold station, and the cover 30 mounts two plasma arc torches 32 for maintaining or increasing the temperature of the melt during such period of time. In accordance with the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, the two plasma arc torches 32 are of like construction, and they are mounted so as to extend through the cover 30. When viewed in plan as seen in Figure 3, the torches 32 are mounted approxima­ tely midway between the center and inside periphery of the ladle, on planes that are perpendicular to radial lines. The torches 32 also inclined in the circumferen­ tial direction at an angle of between about 30° to 70° with respect to the surface of the cover and the surface of the underlying melt. The most preferred angle is about 60°. In addition, each torch 32 is preferably mounted to the cover so as to permit the torch to be adjustably moved along its longitudinal axis in the direction of the arrows 33 (Figure 2) so that the spacing between the forward end of the torch and the level of the melt may be adjusted. Further, when again viewed in plan, the two torches are disposed on opposite sides of the center of the ladle and they are oriented in opposite directions so as to be adapted to impart a common circular movement to the molten metal in the ladle, note Figure 3. The construction of each torch 32 is generally conventional, and as best seen in Figure 2, each torch includes a tubular housing 34 which mounts a cup-shaped tubular rear electrode 35, a tubular nozzle 36 or colli­ mator adjacent the forward end of the torch, and a gas vortex forming ring 37 disposed in the housing coaxially between the rear electrode and nozzle. A gas supply system is provided for supplying pressurized gas to the ring 37 such that a helical or vortex flow of gas is formed between the rear electrodes 35 and nozzle 36 and which flows forwardly through the nozzle. The torch also includes a water cooling circulation system, and a DC power supply 38 for establishing an electrical poten­ tial between the rear electrode and the molten steel in the vessel, so as to cause an electrical arc to jump between the rear electrode and the molten steel, with the gas vortex serving to closely collimate the arc. As illustrated, the rear electrode 35 is the anode of the system, and a graphite electrode 40 extends through the cover and is immersed in the steel melt 11, so that the electrode 40 and steel melt serves as the cathode. Further constructional details of a torch of the described type may be obtained from prior U.S. Patent No. 4,549,045, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference. As shown schematically in Figure 2, the gas supply system includes a source of nitrogen, and a separate source of argon, together with an adjustable control 42 by which the percentage and amount of each gas delivered to the gas vortex forming ring 37 may be regulated. Thus it is possible to operate the torch using only nitrogen, or only argon, or any relative amounts of the two gases. By this arrangement, the power level of the torch may be effectively controlled by adjusting the percentage of nitrogen in the arc gas, with the power level increasing as the percentage of nitrogen increases. A torch suitable for use with conventional steel transfer ladles having a capacity of about 225 tons, may have a power rating of about 3000 kw. Most conventional plasma torches of this size are designed to operate with a gas flow rate less than about 10 scfm, although higher flow rates have been previously tested in other specific applications. In accordance with the present invention however, the flow rate is signifi­ cantly increased beyond the normal flow rates, for example to about 100 scfm for a 3000 kw torch, which has been found to provide several unexpected and significant advantages. Specifically, the relatively large quantity of pressurized gas which is introduced into the torch produces a continuous blast of gas from the forward end of the torch which tends to blow through any slag 11′ which forms on the surface of the melt and so as to expose the melt itself. Further, the high flow rate, in conjunction with the angled orientation of the torch, causes the blast of gas to impinge at an angle on the surface of the melt, which not only facilitates blowing through the slag 11′ to expose the melt, but also complements the effect of the argon bubbling to effect stirring of the melt itself, both downwardly as illustrated schematically in Figure 2, and circularly as seen in Figure 3. Thus the tendency of heat stratifica­ tion within the melt is minimized. Still further, the high gas flow rate serves to closely collimate the arc, and it is believed that a high percentage of the radiant energy of the arc is absorbed by the gas and transferred by convection to the melt, rather than being radiated from the arc to the walls of the vessel and the cover. The inside of the cover 30 is preferably lined with a refractory-material 43, which may for example comprise alumina fibers, refractory bricks, or a com­ bination thereof. In addition the cover mounts the graphite electrode 40 as noted above, and the cover also includes an exhaust port 44 to exhaust the gases from the interior of the ladle. As noted above, it is common for slag to form on the surface of the melt 11 as indicated at 11′ in Figure 2, and the presence of the slag renders the starting of the arc difficult, since the slag is relati­ vely non-conductive. In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, a starting procedure may be employed wherein the torch is initially held with its forward end a distance of about 18 inches above the slag, and the torch is initially started in a non-­ transfer mode wherein the arc extends between the rear electrode 35 and nozzle 36. A blast of arc gas is then introduced into the torch which results in the gas pushing the slag 11′ to one side to expose the underlying melt, while also carrying the arc directly to the exposed melt 11. The flow rate of the gas may then be reduced to normal operating levels as described above.

Claims: 1. A method of heating molten steel utilizing a steel heating apparatus which comprises a refractory lined vessel (12) having an open top, a removable cover (30) adapted to overlie said top, and at least one plasma arc torch (32) mounted so as to extend through said cover, said torch including a housing (34) defining a forward end positioned on the under side of said cover, a rear electrode (35) mounted within the housing, and gas vortex generating means (37) for generating a vortical flow of gas which exits from the forward end of the torch, said method including the steps of substantially filling the vessel (12) with molten steel, placing the cover (30) so as to overlie said open top, and including positioning the forward end of the torch (32) in spaced relation above the surface of the molten steel in the vessel, and operating said torch to produce a plasma arc having one end thereof attached to said rear electrode, while supplying a gas which includes nitrogen and another inert gas to said said gas vortex generating means such that said vortical flow of gas contains a substantial percentage of nitrogen and the torch may thus be operated at a relatively high power level, and while adjustably controlling the relative percentages of nitrogen and the other inert gas so as to permit adjustment of the operating power level of said torch. 2. The method as defined in claim 1 wherein the other inert gas is argon. 3. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein the percentage of nitrogen in the gas supplied to said gas vortex generating means (37) is at least 80 percent. 4. The method as defined in any preceding claim wherein said torch (32) is mounted at an angle of 30° to 70° with respect to the surface of the molten steel when the cover (30) is placed to overlie the open top of the filled vessel, and wherein the step of operating the torch includes supplying a sufficient quantity of gas to said vortex generating means (37) so that the gas impinges at an angle upon the surface of the molten steel and effectively blows through any slag formed on the surface of the molten steel to expose the underlying molten steel, and so that the impingement of the gas also contributes to mixing of the molten steel. 5. The method as defined in claim 4 comprising the further step of bubbling an inert gas upwardly through the molten steel in the vessel (12) to further contribute to mixing of the molten steel. 6. A method as defined in any preceding claim wherein the step of operating said torch to produce a plasma arc includes establishing an electrical potential between said rear electrode (35) and said molten steel in said vessel so as to cause the arc to extend between said rear electrode and the exposed molten steel. 7. A method of heating molten metal utilizing a metal heating apparatus which comprises a refractory lines vessel (11) having an open top, a removable cover (30) adapted to overlie said top, and at least one plasma arc torch (32) mounted so as to extend through said cover at an angle of 30° to 70° with respect to the surface of said cover, said torch including a housing (34) defining a forward end (36) positioned on the under side of said cover, a rear electrode (35) mounted within the housing, and gas vortex generating means (37) for generating a vortical flow of gas which exits from the forward end of the torch, said method including the steps of substantially filling the vessel (12) with molten metal, placing the cover (30) so as to overlie said open top, and including positioning the forward end of the torch in spaced relation above the surface of the molten metal in the vessel, supplying a pressurized gas to said vortex generating means (37) at a flow rate sufficient to produce a continuous blast of gas from the forward end of of the torch which impinges at an angle upon any slag on the surface of the molten metal with sufficient force to move the slag and expose the underlying molten metal, and which further contributes to mixing of the molten metal, and operating said torch to produce a gas stabilized plasma arc extending between said rear electrodes and said exposed molten metal. 8. A method of heating molten metal utilizing a metal heating apparatus which comprises a refractory lined vessel (12) having an open top, a removable cover (30) adapted to overlie said top, and at least one plasma arc torch (32) mounted so as to extend through said cover at an angle of 30° to 70° with respect to the surface of said cover, said torch including a housing (34) defining a forward end positioned on the under side of said cover, a rear electrode (35) mounted within the housing, and gas vortex generating means (37) for generating a vortical flow of gas which exits from the forward end of the torch, which method includes a starting procedure which comprises the steps of substantially filling the vessel (12) with molten metal, placing the cover (30) so as to overlie said open top, thereby positioning the forward end of the torch in spaced relation above the surface of the molten metal in the vessel, supplying relatively large quantity of pressurized gas to said vortex generating means (37) so as to produce an initial blast of gas from the forward end of the torch which impinges at an angle upon any slag on the surface of the molten metal with sufficient force to move the slag and expose the underlying molten metal, and establishing an electrical potential between said rear electrode and said molten metal in said vessel so as to cause an electrical arc to jump between said rear electrode and said exposed molten metal. 9. The method as defined in claim 8 comprising the further step of establishing an electrical potential between said rear electrode and a collimator (36) at the forward end of the torch so as to cause an electrical arc to jump there­ between prior to the step of supplying a relatively large quantity of pressurized gas to said vortex generating means, and such that the subsequent blast of gas from the forward end of the torch facilitates the jump of the arc to said exposed molten metal. 10. Apparatus for heating a molten metal such as steel and which includes a refractory lined vessel (12) having an open top and a removable cover (30) adapted to overlie said open top, characterised by at least one plasma arc torch (32) mounted so as to extend through said cover, said torch including a housing (34) defining a forward end positioned on the under side of said cover, a rear electrode (35) mounted within the housing, tubular collimator (36) mounted within said housing forwardly of and in coaxial alignment with said rear electrode, power supply means (38) for generating an arc which extends from said rear electrode to said collimator or an external conductor, and vortex generating means (37) for generating a vortical flow of gas which includes nitrogen and another inert gas at a location between said rear electrode and collimator and so that a vortical flow of gas exits forwardly through said collimator and substantially surrounds and collimates said arc, and control means (42) by which the relative percentages of nitrogen and the other inert gas may be adjusted so as to permit adjustment of the power level of said torch. 11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said torch (32) is mounted at an angle of 30° to 70° with respect to the surface of the cover, and wherein said vortex generating means provides a sufficient mass flow rate to impinge at an angle upon the surface of the molten metal in said vessel and contribute to the stirring thereof. 12. The apparatus as defined in claim 11 wherein said torch (32) is mounted approximately midway between the centre and the inside periphery of the vessel when viewed in plan, and also is mounted along a plane that is perpendicular to a radial line from the centre of the vessel. 13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein two of said plasma arc torches (32) are mounted to extend through said cover, with said two torches being disposed on opposite sides of the centre of the vessel and being oriented in opposite directions when viewed in plan so as to be adapted to impart a common circular movement to the molten metal in the vessel. 14. The apparatus as defined in any one of claims 10 to 13 wherein the surface of said cover (30) which is adapted to directly overlie the open top of said vessel includes a refractory lining (43). 15. The apparatus as defined in any one of claims 10 to 14 wherein said vessel includes opening means (16) disposed adjacent the bottom thereof for admitting an inert gas which is adapted to bubble upwardly through the molten metal and contribute to the mixing of the metal. 16. The apparatus as defined in any one of claims 10 to 15 wherein an electrode (40) is mounted through said cover, with said electrode being adapted to contact and ground the molten metal. 17. The apparatus as defined in claim 16 further comprising a direct current power supply (38), with the anode thereof connected to the rear electrode (35) of each of said torches, and the cathode thereof connected to said electrode (40) in said cover. 18. The apparatus as defined in any one of claims 10 to 17 wherein said cover (30) further includes an exhaust gas port (44) whereby the gases introduced into the vessel by said torches may be exhausted.

Inventors: CHEEK, DAVID L.
Applicants: PLASMA ENERGY CORPORATION
Application year: 1987
Main classification: C21C7
IPC codes: B22D41, C21C5, C21C7