Improvements in or relating to the Circulation of Water through the Tuyeres of Blast Furnaces
Year: 1899

page_text: Date of Application, 18th Nov., 1899
Complete Specification Left, 5th Mar., 1900-Accepted, 14th Apr., 1900
PROVISIONAL SPECIFICATION.
Improvements in or relating to the Circulation of Water through the
Tuyeres of Blast Furnaces.
•
I, WILLIAM JAMES FOSTER, of Arnside House, Gorden Street, Darlaston, in
the County of Stafford, Blast Furnace Manager, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention to be as follows:
This invention relates to the tuyeres of blast furnaces, and has distinct
reference to those through which a circulation of water is brought about to keep
the parts thereof, especially the extreme inner ends, from becoming burnt.
Such tuyeres are usually constructed of a tubular spirally winding coil or of a
double casing divided up into chambers communicating with each other, and
the water for keeping them cool is passed throughout the entire length and
surface thereof has to be constantly changed. In such water circulations
through tuyeres considerable pressure of water is necessary, and the system now
employed to obtain this is to feed the water from a considerable elevation
through the coils of the tuyere and from thence allow it to flow to an outlet,
the water in many instances being first pumped up to a supply tank at a elevá-
tion of sixty feet. This system of circulation frequently causes considerable
trouble and damage to the furnace, inasmuch as the tuyeres are constantly, in
spite of the circulation, becoming burnt, which allows the water to flow into
the interior of the furnace, and this without it being possible from a practical
stand point to ascertain if the same is taking place.
According to this invention I employ a system of circulation which will pre-
vent water at any time finding its way into the furnace through a hole in the
burnt part of the tuyere. This system is essentially characterised by providing
at the discharge or outlet end of the system, viz. the outlet from the tuvere
coils or chambers, with suction, either in the form of a pump, or by giving the
water a considerable fall at it leaves the tuyere, or by other means which will
pull the water through the tuyeres at a pressure, in contradistinction to it being
forced through. According to this invention the supply tank to the tuyere coils
is arranged on a level with the tuyere, or approximately so, but preferably
below the tuyere, so that the water in order to circulate must be drawn through
and, preferably, lifted by the suction or similar force at the outlet end; the
result being that if any part of the tuyere is burnt into a hole the circulation
of water through the tuyeres or through the burnt tuyere immediately ceases,
or the pull on the water is such as to prevent it flowing through said hole.
It may be found practical for some purposes to arrange the water supply at
a considerable elevation, but this elevation will not be used to force the water
through the tuyeres, as the said water will be drawn through from the outlet
end of the system by suction; further in some cases the pressure on the eleva-
tion of water might be used but the pull on the water at the suction end of
the system would be greater than the pressure at the supply.
In this system of circulation, if a hole is burnt in the tuyere a pull upon the
air in the blast furnace takes place at the hole, which said pull may be instru-

page_text: mental in drawing a substance such as graphite over the said hole to close it.
In this case the tuyere might be used for a further period without renewal.
Dated this 17th day of November 1899.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.
Improvements in or relating to the Circulation of Water through the
Tuyeres of Blast Furnaces.
I, WILLIAM JAMES FOSTER, of Armside House, Gordon Street, Darlaston, in
the County of Stafford, Blast Furnace Manager, do hereby declare the nature of
this invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, to be parti-
cularly described and ascertained in and by the following statement:-
This invention has reference to the circulation of water through tuyères and
coolers of blast furnaces for keeping the said tuyères and coolers, particularly
their extreme inner or nose ends, from becoming burnt. Such tuyères and
coolers are usually constructed of a number of tubular spirally winding coils,
or of a double casing divided up into communicating chambers. When a
tuyère or cooler is burnt a hole or a number of such is made in the water
passages, namely, in the walls of the winding coils, or in the casing of the
communicating chambers.
The present system of water circulation in tuyères and coolers is one in
which the water is forced or pushed through the tuyères and coolers from the
water supply end, and this at a considerable pressure, in order to ensure a very
rapid flow and a constant and quick change of the water through the coils or
chambers or the tuyères and coolers. In order to effectively accomplish this it
is often necessary to feed the water to the said tuyères and coolers from a con-
siderable elevation in respect thereof, sometimes as much as 60 feet. Prac-
tical experience clearly shows that no matter how good such water circulation
may be it is impossible (even if the tuyères and coolers are frequently changed)
to prevent the said tuyères or coolers at times burning out, and this without it
being possible, from a practical stand-point, to ascertain that the same has
taken place.
The burning out of the tuyères and coolers allows part of the circulating
water to flow into the furnace, with very serious results to the interior and to
the working which is taking place.
Now this invention is an improved system of water circulation as aforesaid
which will prevent the flow of water into the furnace should any of the tuyères
or coolers burn out. The said improved system is characterized by the appli-
cation of a force at the discharge end of the tuyères and coolers to pull, draw,
or suck the water through the latter, in contradistinction to pushing it through
from the water supply end as before defined, and also by arranging the water
supply or feed in respect to the tuyères and coolers so that without the pulling
or drawing through force, as aforesaid, in the operation no water can flow; so
that the flow of water from the supply must automatically cease immediately a
hole sufficiently large is burnt in the tuyères and coolers to cause a break or a
diminution of the suction in the system.
The invention can be carried into effect by the application of a pump at the
discharge end of the tuyères and coolers, or by giving the said end a consider-
able fall and causing the system to act on the principle of a syphon, but in
each case the pulling or drawing-through force at the discharge end of the

page_text: tuyères or coolers must exceed any pushing through force which may be present
on the supply end of the tuyères and coolers, although according to this inven-
tion a strong point is claimed by arranging the water supply so that the circu-
lating water before passing through the tuyères and coolers must be lifted.
In the accompanying sheet of drawings a diagram shows a practical way of
carrying this invention into effect, the tuyères and coolers being shown con-
structed of tubular coils. In this diagram is the furnace, c, c are the tubular
blast tuyères, dd are the tubular coolers, ee are the blast supply pipes, f is the
water supply, and g is the water discharge. Arrows are used to indicate the
direction of the water circulation. The water supply f is a tank into which
feed pipes, d, dip. These pipes lead respectively to the tuyère e and the
cooler and are connected up to the coils composing them so that the water
first flows to the inner or nose ends. Pipes ³,, are respectively attached to
the discharge end of the coils of the tuyère and cooler, and are connected up
with a pump o placed in some suitable and convenient position.
The pipe m
may supply water to the tank of the water supply f. From the said drawing
and the foregoing it will be clearly seen that the water at the supply end of
the tuyères and coolers system has to be lifted before it can flow, and this is done
by means of the pump o at the discharge end. It will also be obvious that if
the tuyère or cooler gets burnt out air is at once admitted and a break caused
in the water supply.
If the hole burnt in the tuyère or cooler is not too large a one the continued
working of the pump will sometimes cause a piece of substance inside the fur-
nace, such as graphite, to be drawn into the said hole and effect, a temporary
repair.
If the circulating water is not lifted at the supply a valve may be fitted to
the said end to automatically close immediately the pull on the water from the
pump is lessened by the air admitted through the tuyères or coolers burning.
Having now particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said
invention, and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what
I claim is:
First. A water circulation through tuyères and coolers in blast furnaces,
characterized by the application at the discharge end or side of the said tuyères
and coolers of a suitable force or power which will pull or draw the circulating
water through the said tuyères and coolers in contra-distinction to it being
pushed or forced through from the supply end or side of the said tuyères and
coolers, substantially as described.
Second. A water circulation through tuyères and coolers of blast furnaces,
characterized by the application at the discharge end or side of the said tuyères
and coolers of a suitable force or power, such as a pump, which will pull or
draw the circulating water through from the supply end or side of the said
tuyères and coolers, and by arranging the water supply on the feed side of the
tuyères and coolers so that the circulating water must first be lifted, substan-
tially as described.
Third. In tuyères and coolers of blast furnaces, a water circulation working
upon the principle of a syphon pulling from the discharge end, substantially
as described.
U.
W. P. THOMPSON & Co.,
11, Burlington Chambers, New Street, Birmingham;
Also at Liverpool, London and Manchester,
Patent Agents for the Applicant.