A cover assembly for a vessel such as an electric arc furnace

Abstract: The present specification discloses a two component spray cooled roof (40,50) for electric furnaces (10) to accommodate off-center electrode (20) positions.

Description: The present invention relates to a cover assembly for a vessel such as an electric arc furnace. More particularly the present invention relates to a cover assembly for a vessel such as an electric arc furnace for melting metal in which said cover comprises a lower cover segment defining an opening above which a movable upper cover segment is mounted. The movable upper cover segment has an opening which is out of register with the opening of the lower cover segment and both the upper and lower segments have a bottom wall, an upstanding wall and a top wall defining an enclosed space wherein spray means are positioned to direct a spray of water for cooling the bottom walls. Electric arc furnaces for melting metal which utilize a single electrode frequently have to be positioned eccentrically i.e. off-center in order to avoid overheating of the furnace in a particular quadrant due to arc deflection caused by the field generated by the arc current. The optimal off-center location of the electrode can vary due to the field strength so that a relatively wide opening in the furnace cover is required to permit movement of the electrode to the appropriate position. This situation, with a wide cover opening, is thermally inefficient and with furnace roof covers provided with embedded pressurized water cooling conduits there has been used a center piece with an eccentrically positioned smaller opening. The center piece is also provided with embedded pressurized water cooling conduits and is moveable to position the eccentric opening to the desired position. The foregoing arrangement has the disadvantages of having a pressurized conduit relatively close to the electrode and therefore the electrode arc; in the event of arcing to the center piece, high pressure, high volume water leakage results. US-A-5115184, assigned to the present applicant, discloses a cover for an electric arc furnace comprising an outer segment defining a conically tapered opening in which a removable inner cover segment having a conically tapered exterior is seated, the cover lying over the furnace. Electrodes extend vertically through openings in the inner segment. The outer cover segment comprises a hollow section having top and bottom walls, the section defining an interior space within which are provided cooling spray nozzles leading to downwardly projecting spray heads. Coolant is supplied to the nozzles and heads through a ring shaped manifold which extends circumferentially around the outer cover. The spray heads spray coolant against the inside of the cover bottom. Coolant is removed from the outer cover through openings in a drain manifold. The inner cover comprises bottom and top walls coupled by an upstanding peripheral wall. The inner cover contains a circumferential coolant manifold leading to spray nozzles. In accordance with the present invention, there is a cover assembly for a vessel such as an electric arc furnace, said cover assembly comprising a lower cover and an upper cover, said lower cover overlying the electric arc furnace and defining an inner opening in said lower cover through which an electrode extends vertically downward into said electric furnace; said lower cover comprising a bottom wall, an upstanding peripheral wall, an upstanding inner wall and a top wall defining an enclosed space, said top wall of the lower cover having a flat shelf-like portion spaced inwardly from said upstanding peripheral wall and surrounding said inner opening in said lower cover upon which flat shelf-like portion said movable upper cover is slidably seated; first spray means comprising a plurality of tubes coupled to spray nozzles disposed within said enclosed space of the lower cover; inlet means in the form of a header conduit in said enclosed space in said lower cover surrounding said inner opening for bringing a coolant to the tubes and spray heads in said enclosed space of the lower cover with the spray nozzles arranged to direct a spray of coolant onto at least the bottom wall of the lower cover; outlet means for removing the coolant from the enclosed space of the lower cover; said upper cover comprising an upwardly tapered bottom wall, an upstanding peripheral wall, an upstanding inner wall defining an inner opening in said upper cover through which an electrode extends vertically downward into said electric furnace; and a top wall defining an enclosed annular space for said upper cover; second spray means comprising a plurality of tubes coupled to spray heads disposed within said enclosed annular space of said upper cover; inlet means in the form of a header conduit in said enclosed annular space of said upper cover surrounding said inner opening for bringing a coolant to the tubes and spray heads in the enclosed annular space of said upper cover and said spray nozzles arranged to direct a spray of coolant onto at least the bottom wall of the upper cover; outlet means for removing the coolant from the enclosed space in the upper cover; said inner opening of said upper cover defining an opening; hose means connecting said header conduits of said first and second spray means so that said header conduit of said second spray means receives coolant from said header conduit of said first spray means; outlet means for removing coolant by gravity flow from the enclosed space of the upper cover; hose means connecting the outlet means of the upper cover with the outlet means of the lower cover; the lowermost portion of the upwardly tapered bottom wall of the upper cover resting slidably on the flat shelf-like portion of the top wall of the lower cover and being slidably movable thereon in all directions. The inner opening of the upper cover may be concentrically or eccentrically positioned with respect to the inner opening of the lower cover in order to minimize thermal stress as hereinafter described when an electrode of the electric furnace is lowered through the inner openings of the upper cover and lower cover. In a particular embodiment of the present invention a portion of the top wall of the lower cover which is spaced inwardly from the upstanding peripheral wall and surrounds the inner opening is in the form of the flat shelf-like segment. Slidably moveably seating the upper cover on this flat shelf-like segment allows the inner opening of the upper cover to be placed in the most thermally advantageous position above the inner opening of the lower cover. The present invention will now be further described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a side view of an electric arc furnace having a cover assembly constructed according to the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of the electric cover assembly of Fig. 1, partially cut-away and partially in section, showing the interior of the furnace cover assembly; Fig. 3 is a side elevation sectional view of the portion of the furnace cover along lines 3-3 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4 is a plan view of the upper furnace cover as shown in Figs. 1 to 3, partly in section; and Figs. 5 and 6 are respectively elevation and plan views of the upper furnace cover of Figs. 1 to 4. With reference to FIGURE 1, an electric arc furnace is shown at 10 having a vertically extending electrode 20 supported by conventional supporting means (not shown). Arc furnace 10 comprises a steel shell 12 the lower portion of which is lined with refractory 14 which contains molten metal 16. The cover assembly 30 for arc furnace 10 includes a lower cover 40 and an upper cover 50. The lower cover 40 is seated on and directly overlies the steel shell 12 of electric arc furnace 10 and defines a relatively wide central opening 60 in the lower cover 40 through which electrode 20 passes. The opening 60 of lower cover 40 needs to be relatively wide compared to the width of electrode 20 since, as is well known in the art, it is frequently the case that electrode 20, having a longitudinal central axis 165, is required to be positioned eccentrically, i.e. off-center with respect to the central longitudinal axis 65 of opening 60, as indicated at 165, in order to avoid excessive temperatures in a particular quadrant of the furnace. In order to enable a relatively complete closure of the furnace, while still permitting eccentric positioning of the electrode 20, the upper laterally moveable cover 50 is provided, which has an opening 600 which can closely surround electrode 20. Upper cover 50 is slidably moveable laterally on supporting lower cover 40 and thus can accommodate a wide variation of off-set electrode positions. With reference to FIGURES 2-4, lower cover 40 forms a hollow interior space 70 between its top wall 72 and bottom wall 74. Within interior space 70 a plurality of spoke-like cooling spray bars 76 which are connected to and receive coolant, e.g. water, from a ring shaped water supply manifold 78, which is supported by brackets 79 and is concentric with and surrounds opening 60 of lower cover 40 and is closely adjacent thereto, the spoke-like cooling spray heads 82 within interior space 70 depending downward and away from supply manifold 78. Downwardly directed spray heads 82 on supply manifold 78 spray liquid coolant against the inside 84 of the bottom wall 74 to maintain lower cover 40 at an acceptable temperature during furnace operation. Coolant is removed from the interior space 70 of lower cover 40 at an acceptable temperature during furnace operation. Coolant is removed from the interior space 70 of lower cover 40 via openings 86 in drain manifold 87 which is concentric with opening 60 and is located at the lowermost portion of interior space 70 of lower cover 40. A screen 88 prevents debris from entering drain manifold 87 and coolant exits drain manifold 87 via discharge outlet 90 to drain line 92. Coolant is supplied to the spray heads 82 and spray bars 76 from supply manifold 78 which is closely adjacent inner opening 60 and remote from upstanding peripheral wall 100, receives coolant under pressure via inlet line 94 and pipe 21. The coolant exiting spray heads 82 into interior space 70 is no longer pressurized and after contacting bottom wall 74 spent coolant exits lower roof 40 via drain manifold 87 as described hereinabove. Upstanding peripheral wall 100, upstanding inner wall 102, bottom wall 74 and top wall 72 define the interior space 70 which is annular and enclosed and within which the spray means comprising supply manifold 78, spray heads 82 and spray bars 76 are enclosed. Top wall 72 of lower cover 40 has a flat shelf-like portion 106 spaced inwardly from peripheral wall 100 and surrounding inner opening 60 of lower cover 40. Upper cover 50 rests slidably on the flat shelf-like portion 106 of lower cover 40 and is moveable in all directions. Upper cover 50 has an upwardly tapered bottom wall 108, an upstanding peripheral wall 110, a top wall 112 and an upstanding inner wall 114 which defines an enclosed annular space 116 and an opening 600 which closely surrounds electrode 20 and through which electrode 20 extends downwardly into furnace 10. Spray means comprising spray bars 182 and spray heads 176 and coolant header conduit 118 are disposed within annular space 116 and supported therein by brackets 120. Coolant header conduit 118 is closely adjacent and concentric with peripheral wall 110 and spaced from opening 600. Spray bars 182 extend inwardly toward opening 600 from coolant header conduit 118 about 2/3 to 3/4 of the distance to opening 600. Coolant under pressure is provided to coolant header conduit 118 of upper cover 50 from supply manifold 78 of lower cover 40 by way of flexible hose 124. Coolant header conduit 118 of upper cover 50 is closely adjacent upstanding peripheral wall 110 and remote from opening 600 of upper cover 50. Coolant exiting spray heads 176 is no longer under pressure and in the form of liquid droplets contacts upwardly tapered bottom wall 108 and spent liquid coolant is collected in the lowermost portion 126 of annular space 116 and exits upper cover 50 via flexible hose 128 and flows by gravity into interior space 70 of lower cover 40 by way of drain 130 which is positioned above screen 88 so that spent coolant from upper cover 50 enters drain manifold 87 of lower cover 40 and exits the lower cover 40 via discharge outlet 90, together with and in the same manner as spent coolant from lower cover 40. The lower most edge portion of 132 of upper cover 50 rests in a substantially circumferential point contact on flat, shelf-like portion 106 of the top wall 72 of lower cover 40. Consequently, the hollow, relatively light upper cover 50 can be moved to accommodate various eccentric positions 165 for electrode 20 by sliding cover 50 on the flat shelf-like portion 106 of lower cover 40. Lifting of upper cover 50 is not necessary and it is not necessary to disconnect any coolant inlet or drain lines.

Claims: A cover assembly for a vessel such as an electric arc furnace (10), said cover assembly comprising a lower cover (40) and an upper cover (50), said lower cover (40) overlying the electric arc furnace (10) and defining an inner opening (60) in said lower cover (40) through which an electrode (20) extends vertically downward into said electric furnace (10); said lower cover (40) comprising a bottom wall (74), an upstanding peripheral wall (100), an upstanding inner wall (102) and a top wall (72) defining an enclosed space (70), said top wall (72) of the lower cover (40) having a flat shelf-like portion (106) spaced inwardly from said upstanding peripheral wall (100) and surrounding said inner opening (60) in said lower cover (40) upon which flat shelf-like portion (106) said movable upper cover (50) is slidably seated; first spray means (76,78,82) comprising a plurality of tubes (76) coupled to spray nozzles (82) disposed within said enclosed space (70) of the lower cover (40); inlet means in the form of a header conduit (78) in said enclosed space (70) in said lower cover (40) surrounding said inner opening (60) for bringing a coolant to the tubes (76) and spray heads (82) in said enclosed space (70) of the lower cover (40) with the spray nozzles (82) arranged to direct a spray of coolant onto at least the bottom wall (74) of the lower cover (40); outlet means (87,90) for removing the coolant from the enclosed space (70) of the lower cover (40); said upper cover (50) comprising an upwardly tapered bottom wall (108), an upstanding peripheral wall (110), an upstanding inner wall (114) defining an inner opening (600) in said upper cover (50) through which an electrode (20) extends vertically downward into said electric furnace (10); and a top wall (112) defining an enclosed annular space for said upper cover (50); second spray means (118,182,176) comprising a plurality of tubes (182) coupled to spray heads (176) disposed within said enclosed annular space of said upper cover (50); inlet means (124) in the form of a header conduit (118) in said enclosed annular space of said upper cover (50) surrounding said inner opening (600) for bringing a coolant to the tubes (182) and spray heads (176) in the enclosed annular space of said upper cover (50) and said spray nozzles (176) arranged to direct a spray of coolant onto at least the bottom wall (108) of the upper cover (50); outlet means (128) for removing the coolant from the enclosed space in the upper cover (50); said inner opening of said upper cover (50) defining an opening; hose means (124) connecting said header conduits (78,118) of said first and second spray means so that said header conduit (118) of said second spray means receives coolant from said header conduit (78) of said first spray means; outlet means (128) for removing coolant by gravity flow from the enclosed space of the upper cover (50); hose means (128) connecting the outlet means of the upper cover (50) with the outlet means (90) of the lower cover (40); the lowermost portion of the upwardly tapered bottom wall (108) of the upper cover (50) resting slidably on the flat shelf-like portion (106) of the top wall (72) of the lower cover (40) and being slidably movable thereon in all directions. A cover assembly as claimed in claim 1, in which the header conduit (118) in the enclosed space of the upper cover (50) is spaced adjacent the upstanding peripheral wall (110) of the upper cover (50) and remote from the inner opening (600) of said upper cover (50). A cover assembly as claimed in claim 2, in which the inner opening (600) of the upper cover (50) is smaller than the inner opening (60) of the lower cover (40) and is closely adjacent to an electrode (20) extending vertically downward therethrough. A cover assembly as claimed in claim 3, in which the header conduit (78) in the enclosed space of the lower cover (40) is spaced adjacent the inner opening (60) of said lower cover (40) and remote from the upstanding peripheral wall (100) of the lower cover (40).

Inventors: ARTHUR MARK THOMAS, MINER FRANK HENRY, ARTHUR, MARK THOMAS, MINER, FRANK HENRY
Applicants: UCAR CARBON TECH, UCAR CARBON TECHNOLOGY CORPORATION
Application year: 1995
Main classification: F27D1
IPC codes: F27B3, F27D1, C21C5, F27D9