Ladle apparatus with erosion-resistant gas-permeable mechanism

Abstract

The application provides a ladle device with an erosion-resistant and gas-permeable mechanism, comprising a ladle body, a sliding nozzle mechanism and a gas-permeable plug arranged at the bottom of the ladle body. A plurality of gas-permeable slits are arranged on the end face of the end of the gas-permeable plug towards the interior of the ladle body, the plurality of gas-permeable slits are arranged in a cross shape on the end face of the gas-permeable plug, and each gas-permeable slit is cross-connected at the center of the end face of the gas-permeable plug to uniformly release the gas introduced from the bottom of the gas-permeable plug. The gas introduced from the bottom of the gas-permeable plug can be uniformly released after being mutually penetrated by arranging the cross-shaped gas-permeable slits cross-connected at the center. Even if a gas-permeable slit is partially blocked by molten steel, the gas can still be transferred to the remaining unblocked slits through the cross-connection point at the center of the end face for release, thereby reducing the influence of the blocking of a single slit on the overall gas permeation amount and improving the anti-blocking capacity and blow-through stability of the gas-permeable plug.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of smelting equipment technology, specifically relating to a ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism. Background Technology

[0002] The ladle is a core and critical vessel in the steel smelting process, used to receive and transfer molten steel at high temperatures, and to perform ladle refining and controlled-flow casting. The ladle has an external steel shell and an internal multi-layered refractory and heat-resistant lining. It is equipped with a sliding gate system at the bottom to control the outflow of molten steel and permeable bricks for argon blowing to agitate the molten steel.

[0003] The vent plug is a core functional refractory component at the bottom of the ladle, assembled and fixed inside the ladle lining, and is a key element in the ladle refining process. During operation, inert gases such as argon are introduced through the bottom of the vent plug. The gas escapes through the internal channels of the vent plug and enters the molten steel from the end face. The rising air bubbles agitate the molten steel, thereby homogenizing the temperature and alloy composition, adsorbing non-metallic inclusions from the rising molten steel, and removing harmful gases such as hydrogen and oxygen, thus purifying the steel and improving its quality.

[0004] Existing vent plugs mostly adopt a diffuse, irregular slit structure or a slit-type ventilation design. Among them, the pores inside the diffuse vent plug are randomly distributed, with poor permeability, low blowing rate, and weak corrosion resistance. As for the traditional slit-type vent plug, the slits on its end face are mostly independent straight slits that are parallel to each other and do not communicate with each other, or are evenly distributed radially. Once a slit is blocked by molten steel, the slit will be permanently disabled and cannot be restored to ventilation, resulting in a decrease in the overall blowing rate, and even causing problems such as vent plug breakage, melting and steel leakage, making it difficult to ensure the long-term stable and safe operation of the bottom blowing refining process of the ladle.

[0005] Therefore, there is an urgent need for a ladle device with a more reasonable ventilated slit structure design, strong anti-clogging ability, and stable and reliable blow-through rate. Summary of the Invention

[0006] Purpose of the invention: In order to overcome the above shortcomings, the present invention provides a steel ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism, wherein the breathable slits of the breathable plug are arranged in a cross shape and intersect and connect with each other at the center of the end face, which significantly improves the anti-clogging ability and blowing stability of the breathable plug.

[0007] Technical Solution: To achieve the above objectives, this invention provides a ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism, including a ladle body, a sliding gate mechanism, and a breathable plug at the bottom of the ladle body. Several breathable slits are formed on the end face of the breathable plug facing inwards from the ladle body. These slits are arranged in a star-shaped pattern on the end face of the breathable plug, and each slit intersects and connects with the others at the center of the end face, allowing gas introduced from the bottom of the breathable plug to be uniformly released from the end face. This invention, by setting up star-shaped breathable slits with intersecting centers, allows gas introduced from the bottom of the breathable plug to be interconnected and uniformly released. Even if a breathable slit is partially blocked by molten steel seepage, the gas can still be transferred to the remaining unblocked slits through the intersecting points at the center of the end face, reducing the impact of a single slit blockage on the overall breathability and improving the anti-blocking ability and blowing stability of the breathable plug.

[0008] Furthermore, in the aforementioned ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism, the width of a single breathable slit is 0.1–0.15 mm. By controlling the slit width within the narrow range of 0.1–0.15 mm, sufficient ventilation can be ensured while significantly inhibiting the seepage of molten steel into the slit by utilizing the capillary resistance of the molten steel within the narrow gap, further reducing the risk of slit blockage, melting, and steel leakage.

[0009] Furthermore, in the aforementioned ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism, the interior of the breathable plug is provided with spiral air channels that correspond one-to-one with each of the breathable slits. Each spiral air channel extends upward from the bottom of the breathable plug and connects to the corresponding breathable slit; each spiral air channel extends spirally around the axis of the breathable plug. By setting the air channels as a spiral structure extending along the axis of the breathable plug, the flow path of the gas within the breathable plug is lengthened, allowing the gas to be fully mixed and evenly distributed before reaching the end face, thereby ensuring the uniformity and stability of the gas output from each breathable slit; at the same time, the spiral air channels provide a certain flow resistance, forming a stable back pressure, avoiding airflow concentration caused by local slits competing for air, and improving the blowing stability and anti-clogging ability of the breathable plug.

[0010] Furthermore, in the aforementioned ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism, the sliding nozzle mechanism includes a water outlet arranged from top to bottom, comprising an upper outlet on the upper side and a lower outlet on the lower side. A sliding plate mechanism is provided between the upper and lower outlets, comprising an upper sliding plate and a lower sliding plate. The upper outlet is embedded in the bottom of the ladle body, with its upper end connected to the interior of the ladle body and its lower end abutting the upper surface of the upper sliding plate, used to receive and discharge molten steel from the ladle body. The lower outlet is located below the lower sliding plate, used to guide the molten steel flowing out through the lower sliding plate. The upper sliding plate is fixedly installed to the ladle body, and the lower sliding plate can slide laterally relative to the upper sliding plate. Flow holes through which molten steel can pass are respectively opened on the upper and lower sliding plates. By translating the lower sliding plate relative to the upper sliding plate, the flow holes of the two sliding plates are aligned or staggered to adjust the flow and cross-sectional area of ​​the molten steel.

[0011] Furthermore, in the aforementioned ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism, the upper and lower sliding plates are fitted together to form a sliding sealing pair. During relative sliding, the upper and lower sliding plates, with their surfaces in contact, form a sliding sealing pair, which can prevent molten steel from leaking between the mating surfaces of the two sliding plates while adjusting the cross-sectional area for molten steel flow.

[0012] Furthermore, in the aforementioned ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism, the upper nozzle and the upper sliding plate, as well as the lower sliding plate and the lower nozzle, are all sealed and fitted together. By forming a sealed and fitted connection between the nozzle and the sliding plate, molten steel is prevented from leaking outward along the connection gap, improving the sealing reliability of the sliding nozzle mechanism and avoiding production safety problems such as steel leakage and seepage.

[0013] Furthermore, in the aforementioned ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism, both the upper and lower water inlets are made of refractory materials that are resistant to high temperatures and corrosion. Using refractory materials to make the upper and lower water inlets can resist the scouring of high-temperature molten steel and the corrosion of slag, thus extending the service life of the water inlets.

[0014] Furthermore, in the aforementioned ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism, the sidewall of the ladle body is a multi-layered refractory lining structure consisting of a working layer, a permanent layer, and a heat insulation layer stacked sequentially from the inside out. The outer side of the multi-layered refractory lining structure is covered by a steel structure shell. The working layer is in direct contact with the molten steel to resist corrosion, the permanent layer provides structural support, and the heat insulation layer reduces the temperature drop of the molten steel. The three layers work together and are encased in a steel structure shell, taking into account corrosion resistance, structural strength, and thermal insulation performance.

[0015] Furthermore, in the aforementioned ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism, the working layer includes ladle opening bricks along the ladle body, slag line bricks at the slag line height, and refractory bricks on the remaining walls. The permanent layer is a permanent layer castable, and the insulation layer is an insulation material. Differentiated brick types are used in the working layer according to location, with specialized brick types used in vulnerable areas such as the ladle opening and slag line, which improves the overall corrosion resistance life of the lining. The permanent layer uses castable and the insulation layer uses insulation material, balancing construction convenience and heat preservation effect.

[0016] Furthermore, in the aforementioned ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism, a breathable seat brick is provided between the breathable plug and the ladle body, and ramming material is filled between the breathable seat brick and the ladle body. The breathable plug is made of zirconium oxide. By supporting and positioning the breathable plug with the breathable seat brick, and filling the space between the breathable seat brick and the ladle body with ramming material, irregular gaps can be densely filled, achieving reliable fixation and sealing of the breathable plug. The breathable plug, made of zirconium oxide, possesses excellent resistance to molten steel corrosion, thermal shock, and erosion, and is less prone to problems such as airway blockage, melting, and steel leakage.

[0017] As can be seen from the above technical solution, the present invention has the following beneficial effects: ① The steel ladle device of the present invention has a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism. The breathable slits on the end face of the breathable plug are arranged in a cross shape and intersect and connect with each other at the center of the end face. This allows the gas introduced from the bottom to be interconnected and redistributed at the center of the end face and then uniformly released. This avoids the impact of blockage of a single slit on the overall breathability and ensures the stable blowing rate and long-term safe operation of the bottom blowing refining process of the steel ladle.

[0018] ② The star-shaped slits allow gas to radiate evenly from the center of the end face, resulting in a more uniform distribution of bubbles in the molten steel. During the upward stirring, the temperature and alloy composition of the molten steel can be more evenly distributed, and the non-metallic inclusions can be adsorbed more efficiently, as well as harmful gases such as hydrogen and oxygen in the molten steel, thus improving the purification effect of the molten steel and the quality of the steel.

[0019] ③ The vent plug is made of zirconium oxide and is used in conjunction with vent seat bricks and ramming material to achieve reliable fixation and sealing. It has excellent resistance to molten steel corrosion, thermal shock and erosion. It is not prone to problems such as air passage blockage, cross-section or melting and leakage of steel, thus extending the service life of the vent plug and ladle lining. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is an axial sectional view of the steel ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism according to the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the vent plug; Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the interior of the vent plug; Figure 4 for Figure 1 A partial enlarged view of the sliding gate mechanism area shown; Figure 5 for Figure 1 A magnified view of the vent plug area shown.

[0021] In the diagram: 1. Steel ladle body, 2. Vent plug, 21. Vent slit, 3. Inlet, 4. Upper slide plate, 5. Lower slide plate, 6. Outlet, 11. Working layer, 12. Permanent layer, 13. Insulation layer, 22. Vent seat brick, 23. Ramming material, 24. Spiral air channel. Detailed Implementation

[0022] Example 1 like Figure 1-4 The steel ladle device shown includes a steel ladle body 1, and a sliding gate mechanism and a vent plug 2 are provided at the bottom of the steel ladle body 1.

[0023] Several venting slits 21 are provided on the end face of the vent plug 2 facing the inside of the ladle body 1. The venting slits 21 are arranged in a cross shape on the end face of the vent plug 2, and the venting slits 21 intersect and connect with each other at the center of the end face of the vent plug 2, so as to uniformly release the gas introduced from the bottom of the vent plug 2 from the end face.

[0024] In this embodiment, the width of a single breathable slit 21 is 0.1 to 0.15 mm.

[0025] In this embodiment, the interior of the vent plug 2 is provided with spiral air channels 24 that correspond one-to-one with each of the vent slits 21. Each spiral air channel 24 extends upward from the bottom of the vent plug 2 and connects to the corresponding vent slit 21. Each spiral air channel 24 extends spirally around the axis of the vent plug 2. Each spiral air channel 24 is connected to the corresponding vent slit 21.

[0026] During operation, inert gases such as argon are introduced from the bottom of the vent plug 2. The gas is transported upwards along the regular gas channels 24 to the corresponding vent slits. After interconnecting and redistributing at the center of the end face, the gas is evenly precipitated into the molten steel through each vent slit. Because the vent slits are interconnected at the center of the end face, even if a vent slit is partially blocked due to molten steel seepage, the gas can still be transferred to the remaining unblocked slits through the central interconnection point, thus significantly reducing the impact of blockage of a single slit on the overall gas permeability and ensuring a stable blowing rate. The rising bubbles agitate the molten steel, uniformly distributing the temperature and alloy composition of the molten steel, and adsorbing non-metallic inclusions and removing harmful gases such as hydrogen and oxygen from the molten steel, thereby purifying the molten steel.

[0027] like Figure 4As shown, the sliding nozzle mechanism includes outlets arranged from top to bottom, comprising an upper outlet 3 on the upper side and a lower outlet 6 on the lower side. A sliding plate mechanism is provided between the upper outlet 3 and the lower outlet 6, comprising an upper sliding plate 4 and a lower sliding plate 5. The upper outlet 3 is embedded in the bottom of the ladle body 1, with its upper end connected to the interior of the ladle body 1 and its lower end abutting the upper surface of the upper sliding plate 4, used to receive and discharge molten steel from the ladle body 1. The lower outlet 6 is located below the lower sliding plate 5, used to guide the molten steel flowing out through the lower sliding plate 5. The upper sliding plate 4 is fixedly installed to the ladle body 1, and the lower sliding plate 5 can slide laterally relative to the upper sliding plate 4. The upper sliding plate 4 and the lower sliding plate 5 each have flow holes through which molten steel can pass. By translating the lower sliding plate 5 relative to the upper sliding plate 4, the flow holes of the two sliding plates are aligned or staggered to adjust the flow and cross-sectional area of ​​the molten steel. Both the upper sliding plate 4 and the lower sliding plate 5 can be made of any one of corundum refractory materials, alumina-carbon refractory materials, or alumina-zirconium-carbon refractory materials to resist the erosion of molten steel and resist thermal shock cracking.

[0028] In this embodiment, the surfaces of the upper sliding plate 4 and the lower sliding plate 5 are fitted together to form a sliding sealing pair. The surfaces of the upper sliding plate 4 and the lower sliding plate 5 are precision ground to ensure the reliability of the sliding seal.

[0029] In this embodiment, the upper water inlet 3 and the upper sliding plate 4, as well as the lower sliding plate 5 and the lower water inlet 6, are sealed and fitted together.

[0030] In this embodiment, both the upper water inlet 3 and the lower water inlet 6 are made of refractory material that is resistant to high temperature and corrosion.

[0031] In this embodiment, the sidewall of the steel ladle body 1 is a multi-layer fire-resistant lining structure consisting of a working layer 11, a permanent layer 12 and a heat insulation layer 13 stacked sequentially from the inside to the outside, and the outside of the multi-layer fire-resistant lining structure is covered with a steel structure shell.

[0032] In this embodiment, the working layer 11 includes a ladle opening brick 111 disposed along the ladle opening of the ladle body 1, a slag line brick 112 disposed at the slag line height zone, and refractory bricks disposed on the remaining wall surfaces. The permanent layer 12 is a permanent layer castable, and the insulation layer 13 is an insulation layer material. The ladle opening brick can be made of high-alumina refractory material or corundum refractory material, the slag line brick can be made of magnesia-carbon refractory material or magnesia-chrome refractory material, and the refractory bricks on the remaining wall surfaces can be made of high-alumina refractory material or corundum-spinel refractory material; the permanent layer 12 can be made of permanent layer castable such as corundum castable or high-alumina castable, and the insulation layer 13 can be made of insulation material such as lightweight insulation castable or insulation fiber.

[0033] like Figure 4As shown, a venting seat brick 22 is provided between the venting plug 2 and the ladle body 1, and ramming material 23 is filled between the venting seat brick 22 and the ladle body 1. The venting plug 2 is made of zirconia. Zirconia has excellent high-temperature stability, resistance to molten steel erosion, thermal shock resistance, and erosion resistance, which can effectively prevent problems such as airway blockage and molten steel leakage from the venting plug. The zirconia material can be fused zirconia, stabilized zirconia (such as yttrium stabilized zirconia, calcium oxide stabilized zirconia), or zirconia-containing composite refractory materials. The venting seat brick 22 can be made of corundum refractory material or high-alumina refractory material, and the ramming material 23 can be made of corundum ramming material or high-alumina ramming material.

[0034] Example 2 The difference between this embodiment and Embodiment 1 is that the outer wall of the vent plug 2 is a tapered surface that gradually decreases in size towards the interior of the ladle body 1. The radius of rotation of each spiral air channel 24 gradually decreases from the bottom to the end face of the vent plug 2 as the tapered surface decreases, causing each spiral air channel 24 to extend in a tapered spiral shape. This design, on the one hand, extends the flow path of the gas within the vent plug 2, allowing the gas to be more fully mixed before reaching the end face; on the other hand, each spiral air channel 24 converges towards the axis as it approaches the end face, connecting with the vent slits 21 arranged in a star-shaped pattern on the end face and intersecting at the center. This allows the gas to be redistributed at the center and then evenly released from each slit, further improving the uniformity of gas distribution and anti-clogging ability. By setting the extension trajectory of the spiral air passage 24 as a conical spiral that converges with the conical surface, the gas flow path is extended compared to a spiral with an equal radius, resulting in more thorough mixing. At the same time, the conical convergence causes the gas to converge towards the center near the end face, forming a structural echo with the central intersection point of the star-shaped slit, thereby achieving a central redistribution of the gas and significantly improving the uniformity of gas distribution and anti-clogging ability.

[0035] Comparative Example The slit width should be less than 0.1 mm (e.g., 0.05 mm). When the slit width is too narrow, although the capillary resistance to molten steel penetration is greater and the anti-clogging ability is stronger, the ventilation cross-sectional area of ​​a single slit is significantly reduced. The total ventilation volume of the vent plug is insufficient, making it difficult to meet the argon blowing intensity required for ladle refining, leading to a decrease in stirring efficiency. Simultaneously, excessively narrow slits require extremely high precision in the forming process; during forming, the slit is easily blocked by refractory clay or fine particles generated during firing, actually reducing the actual blowing rate. Therefore, the slit width should not be less than 0.1 mm.

[0036] The slit width should not exceed 0.15 mm (e.g., 0.3 mm). When the slit width is too wide, the capillary resistance of the molten steel within the slit decreases significantly, making it easier for the molten steel to seep into the slit and solidify during argon blowing pauses or pressure fluctuations, causing slit blockage or even melt leakage. Simultaneously, an excessively wide slit results in larger bubbles during argon blowing, reducing the surface area for bubble agitation and decreasing the efficiency of adsorbing non-metallic inclusions and removing hydrogen and oxygen from the molten steel, thus worsening the steel purification effect. Therefore, the slit width should not exceed 0.15 mm.

[0037] Limiting the width of a single venting slit to 0.1–0.15 mm achieves the best balance between ensuring sufficient ventilation and preventing molten steel from seeping in and causing blockage. This avoids both insufficient ventilation and forming blockage caused by excessive narrowness, and steel seepage blockage and reduced purification efficiency caused by excessive width. As a result, the anti-clogging ability and service life of the venting plug are significantly improved while ensuring the blowing rate.

[0038] The above embodiments are exemplary and are intended to illustrate the technical concept and features of the present invention, so that those skilled in the art can understand the content of the present invention and implement it accordingly. They should not be construed as limiting the scope of protection of the present invention. All equivalent changes or modifications made according to the spirit and essence of the present invention should be covered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism, characterized in that: The ladle includes a ladle body (1), and a sliding gate mechanism and a vent plug (2) are provided at the bottom of the ladle body (1). The vent plug (2) has several vent slits (21) on the end face facing the interior of the ladle body (1). The several vent slits (21) are arranged in a cross shape on the end face of the vent plug (2), and the vent slits (21) intersect and connect with each other at the center of the end face of the vent plug (2), so as to uniformly release the gas introduced from the bottom of the vent plug (2) through the end face.

2. The ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The width of a single breathable slit (21) is 0.1 to 0.15 mm.

3. The ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The interior of the vent plug (2) is provided with spiral air channels (24) that correspond one-to-one with each of the vent slits (21). Each spiral air channel (24) extends upward from the bottom of the vent plug (2) and connects to the corresponding vent slit (21). Each spiral air channel (24) extends spirally around the axis of the vent plug (2).

4. The ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sliding nozzle mechanism includes a water outlet arranged from top to bottom, the water outlet including an upper water outlet (3) on the upper side and a lower water outlet (6) on the lower side; a sliding plate mechanism is provided between the upper water outlet (3) and the lower water outlet (6), the sliding plate mechanism including an upper sliding plate (4) and a lower sliding plate (5); the upper water outlet (3) is embedded in the bottom of the ladle body (1), its upper end is connected to the interior of the ladle body (1), and its lower end is attached to the upper surface of the upper sliding plate (4), for receiving and discharging the ladle body (1). Molten steel inside; the outlet (6) is located below the lower slide plate (5) and is used to guide the molten steel flowing out after passing through the lower slide plate (5); the upper slide plate (4) is fixedly installed with the ladle body (1), and the lower slide plate (5) can slide laterally relative to the upper slide plate (4); the upper slide plate (4) and the lower slide plate (5) are respectively provided with flow holes through which molten steel can pass. By translating the lower slide plate (5) relative to the upper slide plate (4), the flow holes of the two slide plates are aligned or staggered to adjust the flow and cross-sectional area of ​​the molten steel.

5. The ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The upper sliding plate (4) and the lower sliding plate (5) are fitted together to form a sliding sealing pair.

6. The ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: The inlet (3) and the upper slide plate (4) are sealed and fitted together, as are the lower slide plate (5) and the outlet (6).

7. The ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism according to claim 4, characterized in that: Both the upper water inlet (3) and the lower water inlet (6) are made of refractory material that is resistant to high temperature and corrosion.

8. The ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: The sidewall of the steel ladle body (1) is a multi-layer fire-resistant lining structure consisting of a working layer (11), a permanent layer (12) and a heat insulation layer (13) stacked sequentially from the inside to the outside. The outer side of the multi-layer fire-resistant lining structure is covered with a steel structure shell.

9. The ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism according to claim 8, characterized in that: The working layer (11) includes a ladle opening brick (111) arranged along the ladle opening of the ladle body (1), a slag line brick (112) arranged in the slag line height zone, and refractory bricks arranged on the remaining wall surfaces; the permanent layer (12) is a permanent layer castable, and the heat insulation layer (13) is a heat insulation layer material.

10. The ladle device with a corrosion-resistant and breathable mechanism according to claim 1, characterized in that: A breathable seat brick (22) is provided between the breathable plug (2) and the ladle body (1), and ramming material (23) is filled between the breathable seat brick (22) and the ladle body (1); the breathable plug (2) is a breathable plug made of zirconium oxide.

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