Abstract:
A method of replacing a damaged portion of a wall of a coke oven, the coke oven wall having a height h and a length l, the damaged coke oven wall portion having a height h and a length l 1 , comprises removing the damaged wall portion from the coke oven, casting, outside of the oven, a replacement wall section having a length equal to the length l 1  of the damaged coke oven wall portion and a height equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall portion, and positioning, inside the coke oven, the replacement wall section.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 11/681,228, hereby incorporated by reference herein as if fully set forth in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD 
       [0002]    This relates generally to coke ovens, and more particularly to the walls of coke ovens and to methods of replacing those walls. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Coke oven batteries include a number of horizontal coke ovens that range up to twenty feet or more in height and up to fifty feet in length. An oven is approximately eighteen inches wide. Individual ovens are laterally arranged in groups to form a battery. A coke oven has a chamber with opposite open ends closed by doors. Positioned on both sides of a coke oven chamber are heating walls. 
         [0004]    Internally of the heating walls are vertical heating flues in which combustion of air and gas takes place. The combustion produces heat which moves vertically through the flues. Heat is then supplied to the coking chambers from the adjacent heating flues through the heating walls. 
         [0005]    The heating walls are heated to an elevated temperature to carry out the coking process. The coke oven doors at both the pusher side and the coke side are closed when coal is being coked within the coke oven chambers. These doors are removed when the coke is pushed out of the ovens. Thermal expansion and contraction of the bricks, and normal wear due to pushing the coke out of the coking chamber, results in spalling, deterioration, and eventually disintegration of entire brick sections of the heating walls. 
         [0006]    One method of replacing the heating walls entails replacing one-by-one the old refractory brick with new refractory brick. The new bricks are laid in courses to form the new, replacement wall. Such a process is laborious, expensive, and time consuming, especially when an entire wall requires not just repair but wholesale replacement. 
         [0007]    It is desirable to provide a method of replacing coke oven walls which is not nearly so laborious, expensive, and time consuming. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0008]    Accordingly, methods of replacing a damaged wall of a coke oven having a height h and a length I are provided. In one aspect, the method comprises removing the damaged wall from the coke oven, casting, outside of the oven, a replacement wall section having a length equal to the length I of the damaged coke oven wall and a height equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall, and positioning, inside the coke oven, the replacement wall section. 
         [0009]    In another aspect, the method comprises removing the damaged wall from the coke oven, casting, outside of the oven, a plurality of replacement wall sections, each replacement wall section having a length equal to the length I of the damaged coke oven wall and a height equal to a fraction of the height h of the damaged coke oven wall, and positioning, inside the coke oven, the plurality of replacement wall sections one on top of another, such that the plurality of replacement wall sections has a combined height equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall. 
         [0010]    The plurality of replacement wall sections can comprise a lower half section and an upper half section. 
         [0011]    In yet another aspect, the method comprises removing the damaged wall from the coke oven, casting, outside of the oven, a plurality of replacement wall sections, each replacement wall section having a length equal to a fraction of the length l of the damaged coke oven wall and a height equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall, and positioning, inside the coke oven, the plurality of replacement wall sections end to end, such that the plurality of replacement wall sections has a combined length equal to the length l of the damaged coke oven wall. 
         [0012]    The plurality of replacement wall sections can comprise a pusher side section, a middle section, and a coke side section. Abutting ones of the pusher side, middle, and coke side sections can be formed to have mating, interlocking ends. The replacement wall sections can be cast with air/gas passages and vertical flues therein. 
         [0013]    In still another aspect, a method of replacing a damaged wall of a coke oven comprises removing the damaged wall from the coke oven, casting, outside of the oven, a replacement wall section, providing first and second fixture plates, sandwiching the replacement wall section between the plates, lifting the replacement wall section by lifting the plates, positioning the plates and hence the replacement wall section inside the coke oven, and removing the plates from the replacement wall section. 
         [0014]    The method can further comprise providing a layer of rubber on each of the fixture plates for contacting the replacement wall section so as to avoid damage to the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven. The method can further comprise providing rolling trucks secured to the fixture plates for rolling movement of the replacement wall section and plates in the oven during installation of the wall section in the oven. The method can further comprise interconnecting the rolling trucks and the fixture plates with hydraulic cylinders to facilitate leveling and load distribution of the fixture plates and hence replacement wall section during installation of the replacement wall section in the oven. The method can further comprise providing a computer and a controller in operable association with the hydraulic cylinders to automate leveling and load distribution of the fixture plates and hence replacement wall section during installation of the replacement wall section in the oven. The method can further comprise casting holes through the replacement wall section, and compressing the replacement wall section between the fixture plates by compression pins which pass through the holes in the wall section and connect the fixture plates. The replacement wall section can be installed in the oven through an open end of the oven or through an open roof of the oven. The method can further comprise casting mortar joints in at least one of upper and lower surfaces of the replacement wall section. The method can further comprise providing a vertically movable leveling bed adjacent the coke oven, and at least partially supporting the replacement wall section and fixture plates with the leveling bed as the replacement wall section is installed in the oven. The method can further comprising providing a frame, and interconnecting the leveling bed and the frame with hydraulic cylinders to facilitate vertical movement of the leveling bed during installation of the replacement wall section in the oven. The method can further comprise providing a computer and a controller in operable association with the hydraulic cylinders to automate vertical movement of the leveling bed during installation of the replacement wall section in the oven. 
         [0015]    In a further aspect, a fixture for installing a replacement wall section into a coke oven comprises a pair of plates for sandwiching the replacement wall section therebetween, rolling trucks for rolling movement of the replacement wall section and the plates during installation of the wall section in the oven, hydraulic cylinders interconnecting the plates and trucks, and a computer/controller in operable association with the hydraulic cylinders to automate leveling and load distribution of the fixture plates and hence the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven. 
         [0016]    Each of the fixture plates can have a layer of rubber thereon for contacting the wall section so as to avoid damage to the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven. Angle clips can be removably secured to bottoms of the plates to add support for the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven. The upward facing surface of each of the angle clips can have a layer of rubber thereon for contacting a bottom of the wall section so as to avoid damage to the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven. The fixture can further comprise a plurality of compression pin assemblies for securing the plates to the wall section. Each compression pin assembly can comprise a two-piece outer sleeve, and a two-piece inner pin. One portion of the two-piece inner pin can have a male threaded portion on one end which fits in a complimentary female threaded portion of the other portion of the two-piece inner pin. Beilville washers can be placed on the other end of the one portion of the two-piece inner pin, which can be threaded, and a nut can be placed on the other end of the one portion of the two-piece inner pin. The fixture plates can be a side plates, and can further comprise a pair of end plates removably secured to ends of the side plates. The side plates and the end plates can each have a layer of rubber thereon for contacting the wall section so as to avoid damage to the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven. 
         [0017]    In yet a further aspect, a method of replacing a damaged portion of a wall of a coke oven, the coke oven wall having a height h and a length l, the damaged coke oven wall portion having a height h and a length l 1 , comprises removing the damaged wall portion from the coke oven, casting, outside of the oven, a replacement wall section having a length equal to the length l 1  of the damaged coke oven wall portion and a height equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall portion, and positioning, inside the coke oven, the replacement wall section. 
         [0018]    The replacement wall section can be cast with at least one vertical flue therein, for example from one to ten vertical flues therein, and l 1  can be equal to l or l 1  can be less than l. 
     
    
     
       DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is a side view of apparatus for installing replacement oven wall sections, 
           [0020]      FIG. 2A  is an exploded cross-sectional view taken along line  2 A- 2 A in  FIG. 1 , 
           [0021]      FIG. 2B  is an assembled view of the apparatus of  FIG. 2A , 
           [0022]      FIG. 3  is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a compression pin assembly used in the apparatus of  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A, and  2 B, 
           [0023]      FIGS. 4A-4C  are successive steps in installing replacement oven wall sections, 
           [0024]      FIG. 5  is an alternative method to the one shown in  FIGS. 4A-4C  for installing replacement oven wall sections, 
           [0025]      FIG. 6  is a side view of an alternative embodiment of replacement oven wall sections, 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is a side view of another alternative embodiment of replacement oven wall, and 
           [0027]      FIG. 8  is a side view of yet another alternative embodiment of replacement oven wall section. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0028]    Referring first to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A, and  2 B, illustrated is a replacement coke oven wall section  10  and a fixture or an apparatus  40  for installing the replacement wall section  10  into a coke oven  30 . The coke oven replacement wall section  10  is cast outside of the oven with, for example, a zero expansion pourable and castable refractory material or mix. A suitable pouring fixture or mold (not shown) can be used to cast the replacement wall section  10 , and can include a pair of side plates, a pair of end plates removably bolted to the side plates, and a bottom plate removably bolted to the side plates. The pouring fixture plates can reinforced with suitable support beams as required. Forms (not shown) can be positioned in the pouring fixture or mold so as to form the replacement wall section  10  with air/gas passages and/or vertical flues  12  therein. The replacement wall section  10  can also be formed to include mortar joints  14  in lower wall surface  16 , in upper wall surface  18 , or in lower and upper wall surfaces  16 ,  18 , depending on the height of the replacement wall section  10 . The replacement wall section  10  can also be formed to include holes  20  for securing apparatus  40  to the wall section  10  for lifting and placement of the wall section  10 . Once thusly formed, the replacement wall section  10  is then positioned inside the coke oven  30  ( FIGS. 4A-C ) and mortared/grouted as required. 
         [0029]    In the embodiment shown in  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A,  2 B,  4 A-C, and  5 , the replacement wall section  10  has a length which is equal to the length l of the damaged coke oven wall to be replaced, and a height which is equal to a fraction of the height h of the damaged coke oven wall to be replaced, for example, one-half of the height h of the damaged coke oven wall. Alternatively, the replacement wall section  10  has a length which is equal to the length l of the damaged coke oven wall, and a height which is equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall, as shown in  FIG. 7 . Yet still alternatively, the replacement wall section  10  has a length which is equal to a fraction of the length l of the damaged coke oven wall, for example, roughly one-third of the length l of the damaged coke oven wall, and a height with is equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall, as shown in  FIG. 6 . 
         [0030]    Referring back to  FIGS. 1 ,  2 A, and  2 B, the apparatus  40  for lifting the replacement wall section  10  and placing it in the oven  30  can comprise a pair of steel side plates  42  each of which can have a layer of rubber  44  on the inward facing surface of the plate  42  for contacting the sides of the replacement wall section  10  so as to avoid damage to the wall section during lifting and installation into the oven  30 . Each plate  42  can include one or more steel support beams  45 , for example I-beams, secured thereto to provide the required stiffness and strength for supporting the replacement wall  10  during installation, and to provide a travel platform, as will be described in more detail below. Lifting lugs  46  can be removably secured to the beams  45  for lifting the apparatus  40  and wall section  10  by, for example, cables  48  raised and lowered by a crane  50  ( FIGS. 4A-C ). The lifting lugs  46  can be removed so as not to interfere with the beams  45  functioning as a travel platform, as will be described in more detail below. Removable end plates  52  can be bolted to the ends of the side fixture plates  42  for further stiffness and strength, each of which, like side plates  42 , can have a layer of rubber  44  on the inward facing surface of the plate  52  for contacting the ends of the replacement wall section  10  so as to avoid damage to the wall section during lifting and installation into the oven  30 . Each side plate  42  can have removable angle clips  54  bolted to the bottom thereof to add support for the wall section  10  during lifting and installation. The upward facing surface of each of the clips  54  can have a layer of rubber  56  thereon for contacting the bottom of the replacement wall section  10  so as to avoid damage to the wall section during lifting and installation into the oven  30 . Once the wall section  10  is positioned correctly horizontally and before the wall section  10  is lowered to mate with the oven floor the angle clips  54  are removed to provide access to the bottom of the wall section  10  to grout it to the oven floor. 
         [0031]    Each side plate  42  can have self leveling transport truck assemblies  60  to assist during the installation of the wall section  10  into the oven chamber. The truck assemblies  60  can each comprise a wheel housing  62  housing a plurality of wheels  64 . Hydraulic cylinders  66  can be interconnected between the rolling trucks  60  and their respective fixture side plate  42 . For example, a hydraulic cylinder  66  can have its piston end  68  pivotally connected to the upper end of the truck wheel housing  62  at  70 , and its cylinder end  72  pivotally connected to a support  74  at  76 , which support  74  can be secured to beam  45  (or otherwise to side fixture plate  42 ). The axes of the pivot connections  70 ,  76  of the hydraulic cylinders  66  to the truck assemblies  60  and beams  44 , respectively as illustrated can be perpendicular to one another to thereby help to distribute the load of the wall section  10  evenly. The hydraulic cylinders  66  can be computer controlled via a computer processor/controller  80  ( FIGS. 4A-C ) to ensure that uniform pressure is applied to the floor of the oven during installation of the replacement wall section  10 . In the event that multiple wall sections are stacked one atop another as shown in  FIGS. 4A-4C , the truck assemblies  60  of the uppermost wall section  10  and apparatus  40  can run on the support beams  45  of the lowermost wall section  10  and apparatus  40 . 
         [0032]      FIG. 3  illustrates a two piece compression pin assembly  90  which can be used to secure the two fixture plates  42  to the replacement wall section  10 . The pins  90  pass through the holes  20  in the replacement wall section, which holes  20  can be purposely larger than the pin assembly  90  to make sure that the pin assembly  90  does not contact the wall section  10 . Each pin assembly  90  can comprise a two-piece outer sleeve  92 ,  94  and a two-piece inner pin  96 ,  98 . Pin portion  96  has male threaded portion  96   a  which fits in complimentary female threaded portion  98   a  of pin portion  98 . Bellville washers  100  are placed over the opposite threaded end  96   b  of pin portion  96  to apply consistent pressure on each assembly and are tightened with nut  102  to apply pressure on the Bellville washers  100 . 
         [0033]    As shown in  FIGS. 4A-4C , a leveling bed  110  can be used to aid installation of replacement wall section  10  into the coke oven  30 . Leveling bed  110  can be interconnected to a frame  112  with hydraulic cylinders  114 , for example four such hydraulic cylinders  114 . The hydraulic cylinders  114  can be computer controlled via the computer/controller  80  to ensure the correct elevation of the replacement wall  10  and fixture  40 , and to ensure equalized, uniform loading of same. The leveling bed  110  can also be used during changing the cable hook up during installation of the wall section, as illustrated in  FIGS. 4A-C . 
         [0034]    Lastly,  FIG. 5  shows installation of replacement wall sections  10  by being lowered through the top  120  of the oven  30 , which can be accomplished if the roof brick work is removed. 
         [0035]    The embodiments shown and described are merely for illustrative purposes only. The drawings and the description are not intended to limit in any way the scope of the claims. Those skilled in the art will appreciate various changes, modifications, and alternative embodiments. All such changes, modifications and embodiments are deemed to be embraced by the claims. For example, only a portion of the coke oven wall, rather than the entire coke oven wall, may require replacement. In that case, only the portion requiring replacement need be replaced by the method and/or apparatus herein. For example, often times only a relatively short length of coke oven wall at the pusher side and/or coke side of the oven is damaged requiring replacement. See, for example,  FIG. 8 , which shows a coke oven wall  10   a  having a damaged coke oven wall portion  10  having a height h (equal to the height of the coke oven wall  10   a ) and a length l 1  (equal to a portion of the length l of the coke oven wall  10   a ). Accordingly, the scope of the right to exclude shall be limited only by the following claims and their equivalents.