Method for maintenance of a cooling assembly for a metallurgical furnace

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12276458-B2
Application number	US-202017633775-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Aug 4, 2020
Priority date	Aug 9, 2019
Publication date	Apr 15, 2025
Grant date	Apr 15, 2025

Abstract

A cooling assembly for a metallurgical furnace
includes a cooling plate disposed inside of a furnace shell of the metallurgical furnace; a cooling pipe traversing a shell opening in the furnace shell and being connected to the cooling plate; and a compensator disposed around the cooling pipe for forming a seal between the cooling pipe and the furnace shell.

In order to provide ways for facilitating repair of a cooling system of the metallurgical furnace, the method includes at least the step of performing at least one cutting operation with a cutting device having a fixture and a cutting tool movably connected to the fixture for a guided movement with respect to the fixture. The fixture is mounted to the cooling pipe, whereby the cutting device is aligned with respect to the cooling pipe, and the cutting tool is guidedly moved while performing the cutting operation.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A method for maintenance of a cooling assembly for a metallurgical furnace, the cooling assembly comprising:
a cooling plate disposed inside of a furnace shell of the metallurgical furnace;
a cooling pipe traversing a shell opening in the furnace shell and being connected to the cooling plate; and
a compensator disposed around the cooling pipe for forming a seal between the cooling pipe and the furnace shell,

wherein the method includes performing at least one cutting operation with at least one cutting device comprising at least one fixture and a cutting tool that is movably connected to the fixture for a guided movement with respect to the fixture, wherein the fixture is mounted to the cooling pipe, whereby the cutting device is aligned with respect to the cooling pipe, and the cutting tool is guidedly moved while performing the cutting operation.

2. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the cutting tool is connected to the fixture to be movable along a predefined path transversal to an axial direction of the cooling pipe.

3. The method according to claim 1 , wherein the fixture is firmly attached to the cooling pipe.

4. The method according to claim 1 , further including the step of removing the compensator and installing a new compensator.

5. The method according to claim 4 , whereby removing the compensator comprises a first cutting operation of the at least one cutting operation for removing a weld between the compensator and the cooling pipe.

6. The method according to claim 5 , whereby the first cutting operation is performed with a first cutting device of the at least one cutting device comprising a first fixture of the at least one fixture and a first cutting tool, which is rotatable with respect to the first fixture.

7. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the first cutting tool is adapted to remove the weld.

8. The method according to claim 6 , wherein the first fixture is mounted on an inside of the cooling pipe.

9. The method according to claim 5 , further including a second cutting operation of the at least one cutting operation for enlarging the shell opening.

10. The method according to claim 9 , whereby the second cutting operation is performed with a second cutting device of the at least one cutting device comprising a second fixture of the at least one fixture that is connected to an outside of the cooling pipe, wherein a mount for a second cutting tool is connected to the second fixture for a guided movement with respect to the second fixture and the second cutting tool performs the cutting operation while being held by the mount.

11. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the mount is connected for a circular movement.

12. The method according to claim 10 , wherein the mount is connected for an eccentric movement with respect to the second fixture.

13. The method according to claim 4 , further including the following steps: after removing the compensator, installing a hood, having at least one hood opening of a plurality of hood openings, on the furnace shell so that the hood sealingly covers at least one shell opening, and connecting at least one new compensator of a plurality of new compensators to a hood opening of the hood.

14. The method according to claim 13 , wherein the hood has the plurality of hood openings and is installed to cover a plurality of shell openings, and the plurality of new compensators are connected to the plurality of hood openings.

15. The method according to claim 4 , wherein the new compensator is installed so that the cooling pipe passes through a sleeve portion of the new compensator, wherein the sleeve portion has an inner cross-section that increases towards the furnace shell.

Assignees

• Wurth Paul Sa
• Paul Wurth Deutschland Gmbh

Inventors

• Ricke Marco
• Schneider Rene
• Tennagels Frank
• Maggioli Nicolas

Classifications

• F27D2009/0029

  fixed, e.g. welded to a supporting surface · CPC title

• F27D2009/0024

  with contiguous tubes, which may be separately welded one to the other · CPC title

• F27D2001/0046

  Means to facilitate repair or replacement or prevent quick wearing · CPC title

• C21C5/4646 Primary

  Cooling arrangements · CPC title

• C21B7/10

  Cooling; Devices therefor · CPC title