A wire feed pipe protection device for steel refining

Abstract

This utility model provides a wire feeding tube protection device for steel refining, including a wire feeding tube, a protective sleeve, and an airtight pipe assembly. The airtight pipe assembly is installed on the upper end of the protective sleeve. The airtight pipe assembly includes a main pipe component with a through hole along its length. The upper part of the main pipe component extends radially to form an air inlet communicating with the through hole. The upper and lower outer circumferences of the main pipe component are both provided with threads, and the middle part extends outward to form an externally protruding step for sealing. The threads on the lower outer circumference of the main pipe component are adapted to connect with an internally embedded nut provided inside the protective sleeve, and the externally protruding step is adapted to be embedded in a first sealing groove opened at the upper end of the protective sleeve. The protective sleeve and the main pipe component are both sleeved on the outer circumference of the wire feeding tube. The above configuration solves the problems of easy damage and short service life of the wire feeding tube, and the airtightness is good due to the tight fit between the airtight pipe assembly and the protective sleeve, further ensuring the protective effect of this utility model on the wire feeding tube and the anti-oxidation effect on the wire.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of metallurgical ladle refining technology, specifically relating to a wire feeding pipe protection device for steel refining. Background Technology

[0002] Wire feeding, a core ladle refining technology, works by precisely feeding wire, prepared with refining agents, deep into molten steel using a wire feeder. The wire's reaction within the molten steel allows for composition adjustment and refining. This technology is widely used in critical refining processes such as ladle, tundish, and intermediate-flow pipe refining. It effectively improves the morphology and distribution of non-metallic inclusions in molten steel, significantly enhancing its purity and playing a crucial role in ensuring steel quality and performance.

[0003] In the practical application of wire feeding, the wire feeder pulls the wire through a drive mechanism, and the wire must follow the guide path of the wire feed tube to be accurately and stably fed into the molten steel. As a key guiding component connecting the wire feeder and the molten steel, the wire feed tube operates in an extremely harsh environment and must withstand the coupled effects of multiple extreme working conditions over a long period of time. First, the high-temperature radiation from the molten steel and slag causes the wire feed tube material to heat up rapidly, leading to deterioration of its microstructure and properties. Second, the flow and scouring of molten slag on the surface of the molten steel causes continuous erosion of the end of the wire feed tube. Furthermore, friction during wire feeding and mechanical collisions that may occur during operation exacerbate the physical damage to the wire feed tube.

[0004] The combined effects of the aforementioned multiple operating conditions result in existing wire feeding pipes being prone to damage and having a short service life. Once the wire feeding pipe fails, it will not only lose its effective guiding function for the wire, causing the wire to deviate from its feeding position and fail to achieve the expected refining effect, but it will also expose the wire directly to the high-temperature furnace gas during the feeding process, causing accelerated oxidation of the wire surface and even leading to wire breakage, jamming, and other malfunctions. This seriously affects the stability and reliability of the wire feeding refining process, and consequently has an adverse impact on the steel refining quality and production efficiency. Utility Model Content

[0005] In order to solve the above-mentioned technical problems, this utility model provides a wire feeding pipe protection device for steel refining.

[0006] The technical solution adopted by this utility model is as follows: a wire feeding pipe protection device for steel refining, including a wire feeding pipe, a protective sleeve, and an airtight pipe assembly. The airtight pipe assembly is installed on the upper end of the protective sleeve. The airtight pipe assembly includes a main pipe component, which has a through hole along its length. The upper part of the main pipe component extends radially to form an air inlet interface communicating with the through hole. The upper and lower outer circumferences of the main pipe component are both provided with threads, and the middle part extends outward to form an externally protruding step for sealing. The threads on the lower outer circumference of the main pipe component are adapted to be connected with an internally embedded nut provided inside the protective sleeve. The externally protruding step is adapted to be embedded in the first sealing groove opened at the upper port of the protective sleeve. The protective sleeve and the main pipe component are both sleeved on the outer circumference of the wire feeding pipe.

[0007] The bottom of the protective sleeve is provided with a shrinking variable diameter section, the inner diameter of which gradually decreases from top to bottom, and the inner diameter at the smallest point of the section is smaller than the outer diameter of the feed tube.

[0008] The airtight pipe assembly includes a second sealing groove on the upper end face of the main pipe, and a flexible sealing ring is adapted to be installed in the second sealing groove.

[0009] The airtight pipe assembly includes a fastening cap installed on the upper end of the main pipe. The fastening cap is a structure consisting of an end face with a through hole in the middle and a cylinder. The inner wall of the cylinder is threaded, and the thread on the inner wall of the cylinder is screwed into the thread on the outer periphery of the upper end of the main pipe.

[0010] The inner diameter of the through hole on the end face of the fastening cap and the inner diameter of the through hole along the length of the main component are both larger than the inner diameter of the flexible sealing ring.

[0011] The flexible sealing ring is made of graphite, and its inner diameter is 1-2 mm larger than the outer diameter of the feed tube.

[0012] The convex step is a cylindrical structure with a chamfered edge on the lower end face; the edge of the first sealing groove is provided with a matching chamfer, which can fit with the chamfer on the lower end face of the convex step, and a flexible sealing sheet is sandwiched between the chamfered bevels of the two.

[0013] The flexible sealing sheet is a circular thin sheet structure made of graphite with a thickness of 1-4 mm.

[0014] The protective sleeve is made of aluminum-carbon, magnesium-carbon, or zirconium-carbon.

[0015] The protective sleeve, main pipe and feed pipe are all coaxial.

[0016] Beneficial effects: 1. The protective sleeve and main fitting are both fitted around the outer periphery of the feeding tube, directly blocking the direct impact of high-temperature radiation and molten slag on the feeding tube, while isolating the feeding tube from physical damage caused by friction during wire feeding and mechanical collisions during operation; the upper part of the main fitting has an air inlet port that connects to the through hole, which can fill the space between the feeding tube and the protective sleeve with inert gas, creating a slightly positive pressure environment. This slightly positive pressure can further weaken the impact of external friction and collisions on the feeding tube. The synergistic effect of the protective sleeve and the slightly positive pressure buffer effectively solves the problems of easy damage and short service life of the feeding tube, thus stably ensuring the protection and guiding function of the feeding tube for the wire. In addition, filling the space between the feeding tube and the protective sleeve with inert gas can effectively prevent wire oxidation and ensure production quality; 2. Through the airtight pipe assembly The tight fit between the main component and the protective sleeve ensures good airtightness, further guaranteeing the protection of the feeding tube and the anti-oxidation effect of the wire. The thread on the outer periphery of the lower end of the main component is adapted to connect with the embedded nut inside the protective sleeve. The middle part of the main component of the airtight tube assembly extends outward to form an outward protruding step. This step is adapted to be embedded in the first sealing groove at the upper end of the protective sleeve. A flexible sealing sheet made of graphite is sandwiched between the chamfered surfaces of the two. Through the dual action of structural fitting and sealing sheet, a radial tight seal is achieved at the connection between the main component and the protective sleeve. A second sealing groove is opened on the upper end face of the main component, with a flexible sealing ring inside. It is fastened with a fastening cap with a through hole and threaded to the upper end of the main component, so that the flexible sealing ring fits tightly against the outer periphery of the feeding tube and the end face of the main component, forming an axial tight seal between the feeding tube and the main component. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of this utility model;

[0018] Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the airtight pipe assembly structure of this utility model;

[0019] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the flexible sealing sheet structure of this utility model;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram of the protective sleeve structure of this utility model;

[0021] The markings in the diagram are: 1. Feed tube; 2. Protective sleeve; 21. Embedded nut; 22. First sealing groove; 23. Shrinkable reducing section; 3. Airtight pipe assembly; 31. Main pipe fitting; 32. Air inlet; 33. Second sealing groove; 34. Flexible sealing ring; 35. Fastening cap; 4. Flexible sealing sheet. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The specific embodiments of this utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] like Figure 1-4 As shown, the technical solution adopted by this utility model is: a wire feeding pipe protection device for steel refining, including a wire feeding pipe 1, a protective sleeve 2, and an airtight pipe assembly 3. The airtight pipe assembly 3 is installed on the upper end of the protective sleeve 2. The airtight pipe assembly 3 includes a main pipe member 31, which has a through hole along its length. The upper part of the main pipe member 31 extends radially to form an air inlet 32 ​​communicating with the through hole. The upper and lower outer circumferences of the main pipe member 31 are both provided with threads, and the middle part extends outward to form an externally protruding step for sealing. The threads on the lower outer circumference of the main pipe member 31 are adapted to be connected with an internally embedded nut 21 provided inside the protective sleeve 2. The externally protruding step is adapted to be embedded in the first sealing groove 22 opened at the upper end of the protective sleeve 2. The protective sleeve 2 and the main pipe member 31 are both sleeved on the outer circumference of the wire feeding pipe 1. The above-mentioned configuration... The working principle is as follows: Inert gas is introduced into the device through the air inlet 32. The inert gas enters through the through hole of the main pipe 31 and fills the space between the feeding tube 1 and the protective sleeve 2, thus protecting the feeding tube 1 and slowing down the corrosion of it by high temperature and molten slag. After the inert gas is introduced between the feeding tube 1 and the protective sleeve 2, a micro-positive pressure environment is formed between them. This micro-positive pressure can further weaken the impact of external friction and collision on the feeding tube 1, thereby effectively protecting the wire inside the feeding tube 1. During the assembly process, the main pipe 31 is screwed so that the thread on the outer circumference of its lower end moves downward along the axis until it is fully adapted and connected with the embedded nut 21 inside the protective sleeve 2. During this process, the protruding step in the middle of the main pipe 31 will move down synchronously with the main pipe 31 and finally be tightly embedded in the first sealing groove 22 at the upper end of the protective sleeve 2. This design combines ingenuity and practicality: the threaded connection between the embedded nut 21 and the main pipe 31 enables the rigid fixation of the protective sleeve 2 and the airtight pipe assembly 3, ensuring structural stability; at the same time, the tight fit between the protruding step and the first sealing groove 22 ensures the airtightness of the device and prevents inert gas from escaping from the connection between the protective sleeve 2 and the airtight assembly, demonstrating the scientific rationality and practicality of this utility model design.

[0024] The bottom of the protective sleeve 2 is provided with a shrinking diameter section 23, the inner diameter of which gradually decreases from top to bottom, and the inner diameter at the smallest point of the section is smaller than the outer diameter of the feeding tube 1. This design creates an interference fit between the protective sleeve 2 and the feeding tube 1. To further enhance the sealing performance here, a sealing ring can be provided at the interference fit. When the feed tube 1 passes through the shrinking reducer section 23, this structure functions in three ways: First, it provides axial restraint to the feed tube 1, preventing it from moving excessively downwards and being directly exposed to the high-temperature molten slag. Second, through the radial constraint generated by the interference fit, it guides the feed tube 1 to always maintain coaxiality with the protective sleeve 2 and the main fitting 31, reducing deviations caused by wire traction or external forces and ensuring guiding accuracy. Third, by utilizing the tightness of the interference fit, it significantly reduces the gap between the protective sleeve 2 and the feed tube 1, effectively preventing inert gas from escaping from the bottom of the protective sleeve 2. Together with the sealing structure of the airtight pipe assembly 3, it maintains a slightly positive pressure environment between the two, ensuring that the protective effect of the inert gas on the feed tube 1 and the wire remains continuous and stable.

[0025] The airtight pipe assembly 3 includes a second sealing groove 33 on the upper end face of the main pipe component 31, and a flexible sealing ring 34 is adapted to be installed in the second sealing groove 33. The function of this setting is to achieve radial sealing between the feeding pipe 1 and the main pipe component 31: the second sealing groove 33 provides a fixed installation position for the flexible sealing ring 34 to prevent the sealing ring from shifting during assembly or use; the flexible sealing ring 34 has good flexibility, and its inner diameter is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the feeding pipe 1. After being pressed, it will fit tightly against the outer circumference of the feeding pipe 1, and at the same time form reliable contact with the inner wall of the groove. It can effectively prevent inert gas from escaping upward from the gap between the feeding pipe 1 and the main pipe component 31, and can also prevent external high-temperature furnace gas from entering the interior of the protective sleeve 2 from this position. Together with other sealing structures, it can enhance the overall sealing performance of the device and ensure the inert gas protection effect and the stability of wire feeding and refining.

[0026] The airtight pipe assembly 3 includes a fastening cover 35 installed on the upper end of the main pipe component 31. The fastening cover 35 is a structure consisting of an end face with a through hole in the middle and a cylinder. The inner wall of the cylinder is threaded, and the thread on the inner wall of the cylinder is screwed into the thread on the outer periphery of the upper end of the main pipe component 31. The function of this setting is to press the flexible sealing ring 34 in the second sealing groove 33 on the upper end face of the main pipe component 31, so that the sealing ring fits tightly against the outer periphery of the wire feeding pipe 1 and the inner wall of the groove, thereby enhancing the sealing effect between the wire feeding pipe 1 and the main pipe component 31 and further preventing inert gas from escaping or external furnace gas from entering. At the same time, the through hole design in the middle of the fastening cover 35 can ensure that the wire passes smoothly and is stably conveyed along the wire feeding pipe 1 without affecting the continuity of the wire feeding operation.

[0027] The inner diameter of the through hole on the end face of the fastening cap 35 and the inner diameter of the through hole along the length of the main pipe 31 are both larger than the inner diameter of the flexible sealing ring 34. The principle of this setting is to ensure that the feeding tube 1 can pass smoothly through the through holes of the fastening cap 35, the main pipe 31, and the flexible sealing ring 34. After the fastening cap 35 presses the flexible sealing ring 34, the flexible sealing ring 34 can deform to generate a radial clamping force to tightly fit the feeding tube 1, thereby achieving a reliable seal.

[0028] The flexible sealing ring 34 is made of graphite, and its inner diameter is 1-2 mm larger than the outer diameter of the wire feeding tube 1. This dimensional difference allows the flexible sealing ring 34 to be smoothly fitted onto the wire feeding tube 1. Subsequently, with the clamping force of the fastening cap 35, the graphite flexible sealing ring 34 will deform under pressure to fill the gap and fit tightly against the outer circumference of the wire feeding tube 1. This prevents inert gas from escaping from the gap between the wire feeding tube 1 and the main fitting 31, and also isolates the intrusion of external high-temperature furnace gas. This differential design can balance the sealing effect and the ease of assembly, and prevent assembly difficulties or damage to the wire feeding tube 1 due to excessive dimensional difference.

[0029] The convex step is a cylindrical structure with a chamfered lower end face edge; the edge of the first sealing groove 22 is provided with an adaptive chamfer, which can fit with the chamfer of the lower end face of the convex step, and a flexible sealing sheet 4 is sandwiched between the chamfered bevels of the two; in this arrangement, the chamfer of the lower end face edge of the convex step and the adaptive chamfer of the edge of the first sealing groove 22 can fit precisely to form a complementary sealing contact surface, ensuring the alignment accuracy of the two during assembly; at the same time, the flexible sealing sheet 4 sandwiched between the chamfered bevels of the two will be compressed and deformed when the main pipe 31 and the protective sleeve 2 are fastened by threads, which can fill the small gaps that may exist on the contact surface, further enhancing the sealing effect of the convex step and the first sealing groove 22, effectively preventing inert gas from escaping from the connection between the two, and working together with other sealing structures to improve the overall airtightness of the device.

[0030] The flexible sealing sheet 4 is a circular thin sheet structure made of graphite with a thickness of 1-4mm.

[0031] The protective sleeve 2 is made of aluminum-carbon, magnesium-carbon, or zirconium-carbon materials. All three materials are resistant to high temperatures and corrosion. In this scenario, they can resist the high temperatures and slag corrosion during the steel refining process, thereby effectively protecting the feed pipe 1.

[0032] The protective sleeve 2, main fitting 31 and feed tube 1 are all coaxial. This design ensures that the axes of the three are aligned, preventing the feed tube 1 from rubbing against or getting stuck with other components due to misalignment, thus ensuring smooth wire delivery. It also allows the inert gas to be evenly distributed between the feed tube 1 and the protective sleeve 2, while ensuring that each sealing structure is subjected to balanced force, thus ensuring a comprehensive and stable protective effect and enhancing the overall airtightness.

[0033] Specific working principle: During assembly, the flexible sealing sheet 4 is first placed on the chamfer of the first sealing groove 22 at the upper end of the protective sleeve 2. Then, the main pipe component 31 of the airtight pipe assembly 3 is passed through the flexible sealing sheet 4, so that the thread on the outer periphery of the lower end of the main pipe component 31 is aligned with the embedded nut 21 inside the protective sleeve 2 and screwed on. During the screwing of the main pipe component 31, the protruding step in the middle of the main pipe component 31 moves down, and the chamfer of its lower end face gradually fits with the matching chamfer of the edge of the first sealing groove 22. At the same time, the flexible sealing sheet 4 undergoes flexible deformation under the compression of the two, fully filling the mating gap between the main pipe component 31 and the protective sleeve 2. To achieve a reliable seal at the connection point, the flexible sealing ring 34 is installed in the second sealing groove 33 on the upper end face of the main pipe 31. The feed tube 1 is then inserted sequentially through the through holes along the length of the fastening cap 35 and the main pipe 31, and through the protective sleeve 2. The shrinking diameter section 23 at the bottom of the protective sleeve 2, with a smaller diameter at its minimum point than the feed tube 1, forms an interference fit with the feed tube 1. This prevents the feed tube 1 from excessively descending and being exposed to high-temperature molten slag, while also ensuring the coaxiality of the feed tube 1, the protective sleeve 2, and the main pipe 31 through radial constraint. Simultaneously, it reduces the gap between the two to prevent inert gas from escaping from the bottom. The fastening cap 35 is then screwed onto the upper outer periphery of the main pipe 31 using the inner wall thread of the cylinder. The thread tightening force compresses and deforms the flexible sealing ring 34, ultimately ensuring that the flexible sealing ring 34 tightly fits against the outer periphery of the feed tube 1 and the inner wall of the second sealing groove 33. During operation, inert gas is introduced through the air inlet 32 ​​at the top of the main pipe 31. The inert gas enters the space between the wire feeding tube 1 and the protective sleeve 2 through the through hole of the main pipe 31. Due to the combined action of the flexible sealing sheet 4, the flexible sealing ring 34 and the interference fit, a slightly positive pressure environment is formed, which not only slows down the corrosion of the wire feeding tube 1 by high temperature and slag, and weakens the impact of external friction and collision on the wire feeding tube 1, but also fully protects the wire inside the wire feeding tube 1 through the uniformly distributed inert gas, ensuring the stable operation of wire feeding and refining.

Claims

1. A wire feeder protection device for steel refining, comprising a wire feeder, characterized in that: The device includes a protective sleeve and an airtight pipe assembly, with the airtight pipe assembly installed on the upper end of the protective sleeve. The airtight pipe assembly includes a main pipe component, which has a through hole along its length. The upper part of the main pipe component extends radially to form an air inlet interface communicating with the through hole. The upper and lower outer circumferences of the main pipe component are both provided with threads, and the middle part extends outward to form an externally protruding step for sealing. The threads on the lower outer circumference of the main pipe component are adapted to connect with an internally embedded nut provided inside the protective sleeve, and the externally protruding step is adapted to be embedded in the first sealing groove opened at the upper port of the protective sleeve. Both the protective sleeve and the main pipe component are sleeved on the outer circumference of the feed tube.

2. The wire feeder protection device for steel refining according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom of the protective sleeve is equipped with a shrink-fit section, the inner diameter of which gradually decreases from top to bottom, and the inner diameter at the smallest point of this section is smaller than the outer diameter of the feed tube.

3. The feed pipe protection device for steel refining according to claim 2, characterized in that: The airtight pipe assembly includes a second sealing groove on the upper end face of the main pipe, and a flexible sealing ring is adapted to be installed in the second sealing groove.

4. A wire feeder protection device for steel refining according to claim 3, characterized in that: The airtight pipe assembly includes a fastening cap installed on the upper end of the main pipe. The fastening cap is a structure consisting of an end face with a through hole in the middle and a cylinder. The inner wall of the cylinder is threaded, and the thread on the inner wall of the cylinder is screwed into the thread on the outer periphery of the upper end of the main pipe.

5. A wire feeder protection device for steel refining according to claim 4, characterized in that: The inner diameter of the through hole on the end face of the fastening cap and the inner diameter of the through hole along the length of the main pipe are both larger than the inner diameter of the flexible sealing ring.

6. A wire feed pipe protection device for steel refining according to claim 5, characterized in that: The flexible sealing ring is made of graphite, and its inner diameter is 1-2 mm larger than the outer diameter of the feed tube.

7. A wire feed pipe protection device for steel refining according to claim 1, characterized in that: The convex step is a cylindrical structure with a chamfered edge on the lower end face; the edge of the first sealing groove is provided with a matching chamfer, which can fit with the chamfer on the lower end face of the convex step, and a flexible sealing sheet is sandwiched between the chamfered bevels of the two.

8. A wire feed pipe protection device for steel refining according to claim 7, characterized in that: The flexible sealing sheet is a thin, circular sheet structure made of graphite, with a thickness of 1-4mm.

9. The wire feeder protection device for steel refining according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protective sleeve is made of aluminum-carbon, magnesium-carbon, or zirconium-carbon materials.

10. A wire feeder protection device for steel refining according to claim 1, characterized in that: The protective sleeve, main fittings, and feed tube are all coaxially designed.

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