Cooling plate for metallurgical furnace

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11505840-B2
Application number	US-201816483731-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 2, 2018
Priority date	Feb 9, 2017
Publication date	Nov 22, 2022
Grant date	Nov 22, 2022

Abstract

A cooling plate for a metallurgical furnace including a body with a front face and an opposite rear face, the body having at least one cooling channel therein having an opening in the rear face and a coolant feed pipe is connected to the rear face of the cooling panel and is in fluid communication with the cooling channel, where in use, the front face is turned towards a furnace interior, and at least one emergency cooling tube is arranged within the cooling channel, the emergency cooling tube having a cross-section smaller than a cross-section of the cooling channel, the emergency cooling tube has an end section with connection means for connecting an emergency feed pipe thereto, and in an emergency operation, the emergency cooling tube is physically connected to an emergency feed pipe via the connection means; while, in a normal operation, the connection means of the emergency cooling tube is physically disconnected from the emergency feed pipe. The invention also concerns the use of such a cooling plate.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A cooling plate for a metallurgical furnace comprising: a body with a front face and an opposite rear face, the front face being turned towards a furnace interior when the cooling plate is in use; a cooling channel formed in the body and having an opening in said rear face; a coolant feed pipe being connected to said rear face and being in fluid communication with said cooling channel; an emergency cooling tube arranged within said cooling channel, said emergency cooling tube having a cross-section smaller than a cross-section of said cooling channel; connection means disposed on an end section of the emergency cooling tube for connecting an emergency feed pipe thereto, said connection means being arranged within said cooling channel or said coolant feed pipe; wherein, in a normal operation, coolant is fed to the cooling channel via the coolant feed pipe whereas the connection means of the emergency cooling tube is physically disconnected from the emergency feed pipe; and wherein, in an emergency operation, the feeding of coolant through the coolant feed pipe is interrupted and the emergency cooling tube is physically connected to the emergency feed pipe via the connection means, whereby coolant is then fed via the emergency feed pipe to the emergency cooling tube.

2. The cooling plate according to claim 1 , wherein said cross-section of said emergency cooling tube is at most three quarters, of the cross-section of said cooling channel.

3. The cooling plate according to claim 1 , wherein said end section of said emergency cooling tube comprises a bent portion.

4. The cooling plate according to claim 3 , wherein said cooling channel is formed by a first bore hole and a second bore hole, said first and second bore holes overlapping, said second bore hole having a smaller diameter than said first bore hole and being arranged in a direction facing said rear face of said cooling plate, said second bore hole being arranged and dimensioned so as to accommodate said emergency cooling tube.

5. The cooling plate according to claim 1 , wherein said end section is straight and comprises said connection means in a lateral portion of said end section.

6. The cooling plate according to claim 5 , wherein said cooling channel is formed by a central bore hole and two auxiliary bore holes arranged either side of said central bore hole, both said auxiliary bore holes overlapping said central bore hole, said central bore hole being arranged and dimensioned so as to accommodate said emergency cooling tube.

7. The cooling plate according to claim 6 , wherein said central bore hole has a diameter essentially corresponding to an outer diameter of said emergency cooling tube.

8. The cooling plate according to claim 6 , wherein said central bore hole and said auxiliary bore holes have the same diameter.

9. The cooling plate according to claim 6 , wherein said central bore hole has larger diameter than said auxiliary bore holes.

10. The cooling plate according to claim 6 , wherein said emergency cooling tube comprises lateral wings, said lateral wings protruding into said auxiliary bore holes.

11. The cooling plate according to claim 6 , wherein said emergency cooling tube comprises a central section, wherein said central section has reduced wall thickness with respect to said end section.

12. The cooling plate according to claim 1 , wherein at least two emergency cooling tubes are arranged within said cooling channel.

13. The cooling plate according to claim 12 , wherein said at least two emergency cooling tubes are arranged and configured so as to have merging end sections with common connection means for connecting said emergency feed pipe thereto.

14. The cooling plate according to claim 1 , wherein said cooling plate comprises an emergency feed pipe for connection to said emergency cooling tube, said emergency feed pipe being arranged through said coolant feed pipe.

15. The cooling plate according to claim 1 , wherein said connection means comprises screw fit, bayonet fit, or any other appropriate means for connecting said emergency feed pipe to said emergency cooling tube.

16. The cooling plate according to claim 1 , wherein said emergency cooling tube comprises a coating of resistant material.

17. Method for operating a cooling plate for a metallurgical furnace, the method comprising the steps of:
providing a cooling plate according to claim 1 ;
detecting a leak of the coolant from the cooling channel;
interrupting the feed of coolant through the cooling channel;
feeding an emergency feed pipe through the coolant feed pipe;
connecting the emergency feed pipe to the emergency cooling tube; and
feeding coolant via the emergency feed pipe to the emergency cooling tube and through the cooling plate.

18. Method according to claim 17 , wherein
in a normal operation, the connection means of the emergency cooling tube is physically disconnected from the emergency feed pipe; and
in an emergency operation, the emergency cooling tube is physically connected to an emergency feed pipe via the connection means.

Assignees

• Wurth Paul Sa

Inventors

• Maggioli Nicolas

Classifications

• F27B3/24

  Cooling arrangements · CPC title

• C21B7/103 Primary

  Detection of leakages of the cooling liquid · CPC title

• F27D2009/0048

  incorporating conduits for the medium · CPC title

• C21B7/10 Primary

  Cooling; Devices therefor · CPC title

• F27B3/28

  Arrangement of controlling, monitoring, alarm or the like devices · CPC title