Portable device for sealing a cavity

Abstract

The invention relates to a portable device for sealing a cavity of an industrial installation, the device comprising: - a gun (10) comprising: - a cannula (14); - a piston (18); - a cylinder (16) comprising: - a cylinder body (36) in which the piston (18) is mounted slidably, along an axis X, between an initial position and a final position; and - an end-piece (40) bearing the cannula (14), closing off a distal cylinder opening (38d) of the cylinder body and traversed by a hole (44), the cylinder (16) defining with the piston (18) a chamber (34), and the hole (44) bringing the lumen (31) of the cannula into fluidic communication with the chamber (34), - an actuator (20) for driving the piston along the axis X; and - an actuator control (22) that can be activated by an operator; and - an open pouch (30) containing a sealing product, arranged in the chamber (34) and opening out opposite the hole (44) in such a way that the driving pushes the piston against the pouch so as to deform the pouch and thus expel the sealing product to the outside through the cannula, the sealing product consisting of a particulate filler and a liquid phase. The product comprises more than 80% by mass of particles and more than 1% by mass of grains made of a refractory material, a grain being a particle of which at least one dimension is greater than 0.5 mm.

Description

[0001] Description

[0002] Title: PORTABLE CAVITY FILLING DEVICE

[0003] Technical field

[0004] The present invention relates to a portable device for sealing a cavity of an industrial installation, in particular a glass melting furnace.

[0005] Prior art

[0006] An industrial installation, in particular a glass melting furnace, typically comprises parts made of a refractory product, chosen according to the location where they are arranged, so as to withstand local constraints, in particular chemical and / or thermal attacks linked to the operation of said industrial installation, in particular said glass melting furnace, and to provide it with a satisfactory service life.

[0007] In some cases, during the manufacture of industrial installations, in particular glass melting furnaces, a jointing product is used to seal the gaps existing between certain parts, and thus create joints between said parts.

[0008] When the industrial installation, in particular the glass melting furnace, is in operation, passages may be provided through the wall of the enclosure in order to access the interior of said enclosure, for example to carry out measurements. In one embodiment, these passages are created by partially destroying joints. The destroyed joints must then be reconstituted.

[0009] Furthermore, in order to increase the lifespan of an industrial installation, in particular a glass melting furnace, the operator is required to carry out repairs. A repair consists of filling an empty space resulting from wear of the industrial installation, in particular the glass melting furnace, with a repair material, i.e. fixing a repair material in a region initially occupied by a refractory material and which has disappeared due to wear. This repair may in particular be carried out on the external part of the enclosure, in particular to repair cracks which appeared during use of the industrial installation, in particular the glass melting furnace. The external part of the enclosure may be at a temperature above 100°C.

[0010] The repair product may be the same or different from the grouting product. Hereinafter, we refer generically to:

[0011] - “filling product” a repair product and a jointing product; - “cavity” a volume to be filled with a filling product, in particular in the form of a crack, a hole, through or not, for example resulting from wear, or in the form of an expansion space between two blocks or a space resulting from the assembly of blocks;

[0012] - “fill a cavity” to fill, partially or completely, the cavity and place the filling product, for example in the form of a bead, in such a way as to restrict or even prevent access to the cavity, for example during grouting.

[0013] A "hot" operation is an operation that is carried out to seal a cavity at a temperature typically above 100°C. Operating hot therefore requires only a limited reduction in temperature, or even no reduction in temperature, which considerably limits the duration of interruption of the operation of the industrial installation, or even eliminates it.

[0014] Furthermore, the cavity to be filled with a filling product may be difficult to access, whether in terms of size or temperature, which then makes it difficult to place the filling product.

[0015] Depending on the layout of the premises, the sealant is typically applied with a trowel or spatula, or using a type of "syringe." For this purpose, the sealant must be sufficiently fluid to be drawn into the syringe body and then ejected under the pressure of the plunger. The fluidity of the sealant typically results from dilution with water. Using a syringe requires a long preparation time. The yield is therefore low. Grains of the sealant can also cause premature wear of the syringe, or even impair its operation.

[0016] For larger quantities of sealant, it is also known to use a pump or a drum equipped with a piston suitable for expelling the sealant through an outlet hole in the drum lid. However, this solution is complex and sometimes too bulky.

[0017] Furthermore, FR 2 646 790 discloses a gun for pasty products. In the embodiment of Figure 7, a product contained in a cartridge has fine grains which risk becoming interposed between the piston and the skirt of the cartridge, causing scratches. Since the piston is pushed by a compressed gas, these scratches can lead to gas entering the ejected product. To avoid this risk, the piston is moved by means of a bellows which deploys under the effect of the compressed gas, while isolating the piston from this gas. The presence of a bellows makes the gun complex and reduces its robustness.

[0018] FR 2 646 790 also refers to the extrusion of a product contained in a flexible packaging placed in a tubular sleeve. The flexible packaging, which is substantially cylindrical, is closed by a ring. Tests have shown that the strength of such packaging is not suitable for a sealing product for a glass melting furnace.

[0019] There is thus a continuing need for a sealing device that solves the above-mentioned problems, in particular for a device that is easy to use, compact and capable of operating without reducing the temperature of the industrial installation, in particular the glass melting furnace.

[0020] The present invention aims to satisfy, at least partially, this need.

[0021] Summary of the invention

[0022] The invention provides a portable device for sealing a cavity of an industrial installation, preferably a glass melting furnace, in particular for grouting and / or repairing a wall of such an installation, said device comprising:

[0023] 1) a pistol comprising:

[0024] - a cannula;

[0025] - a piston, or “gun piston”;

[0026] - a cylinder comprising: i) a cylinder body in which the piston is mounted to slide, along an axis

[0027] X, between an initial position and a final position; and ii) a tip carrying the cannula, closing a cylinder opening distal to the cylinder body and crossed by a hole, the cylinder defining with the piston a chamber and the hole putting in fluid communication the lumen of the cannula, that is to say the passage which crosses the cannula, and said chamber,

[0028] - an actuator for driving the piston along the X axis; and

[0029] - an actuator control activatable by an operator; and

[0030] 2) an open pocket containing a sealing product, arranged in the chamber and opening opposite said hole so that said drive pushes the piston against the pocket so as to deform said pocket and thus expel said sealing product towards the outside, through said cannula. Advantageously, as will be seen in more detail in the remainder of the description, such a device can be reloaded and easily manipulated by an operator to inject sealing product into locations that are difficult to access.

[0031] According to a first main aspect of the invention, the sealing product is “granular”, that is to say contains grains, preferably refractory grains, a grain being a particle of which at least one dimension is greater than 0.5 mm.

[0032] The mass of the particles in the sealant preferably represents more than 80% of the mass of the sealant. The remainder is preferably a liquid phase which gives fluidity to the sealant so that it can flow into the cannula.

[0033] The mass of the grains, preferably the mass of the refractory grains, preferably represents more than 1%, preferably more than 4%, preferably more than 8%, preferably more than 10% of the mass of the sealing product.

[0034] Preferably, more than 3%, preferably more than 5%, by mass percentage, of said grains each have at least one dimension greater than 1.0 mm, preferably greater than 1.25 mm.

[0035] Tests have shown that grains of the sealant can block the advancement of the piston if the sealant is in direct contact with the piston. A cartridge integrating the cylinder and the piston and containing the sealant is therefore not suitable. The use of a bag isolating the sealant from the inner surface of the cylinder advantageously avoids these blockages.

[0036] While the principle of a pocket containing a product to be injected has been known for a very long time, it is to the credit of the inventors that they imagined that this principle could be used to seal a cavity with a granular sealing product.

[0037] A device according to the invention may also include one or more of the following optional and preferred features:

[0038] - the piston has a concave shape on the pocket side, so as to push the pocket towards the X axis when the piston advances towards the cannula;

[0039] - the piston has a cup shape, preferably the shape of a cup coming into contact with the inner surface of the cylinder body;

[0040] - the piston has a shaped notch to interrupt a contact zone between the piston and the inner surface of the cylinder body;

[0041] - said contact zone has the shape of a line less than 3 mm wide; - the pocket comprises, in the initial position of the piston, an excess length compressed by the tip inside the chamber and / or pinched between the cylinder body and the tip;

[0042] - the tip is mounted on the cylinder body by a bayonet mechanism;

[0043] - the piston is in exclusively linear contact with the inner surface of the cylinder body;

[0044] - the piston is in exclusively linear contact with the inner surface of the cylinder body over more than 60% and less than 95% of its perimeter, due to the presence of said notch;

[0045] - the industrial installation is chosen from:

[0046] - a glass melting furnace;

[0047] - an iron or steel melting furnace, and part of such a furnace;

[0048] - a non-ferrous metal melting furnace;

[0049] - an element configured to transfer molten metal;

[0050] - a cement kiln;

[0051] - an ore reduction furnace;

[0052] - an incinerator;

[0053] - a hazardous waste treatment furnace;

[0054] - a gasifier;

[0055] - a reformer;

[0056] - a ceramic firing oven;

[0057] - a carbon black reactor;

[0058] - a retention tank intended to retain a molten product at a temperature above 250°C;

[0059] - an aluminum electrolysis cell;

[0060] - a combustion chamber of a turbine;

[0061] - a boiler;

[0062] - the industrial installation is a glass melting furnace.

[0063] These preferred features contribute considerably to improving the reliability of the device, and in particular to improving its robustness when the sealing product is granular. In particular, the device is suitable for injecting a sealing product comprising large grains, in particular comprising grains of which at least one dimension exceeds 0.5 mm. According to a second main aspect of the invention, the cannula, preferably metallic, is made of a material resistant to a temperature above 100°C, preferably above 250°C.

[0064] As will be seen in more detail in the remainder of the description, the device can be used for grouting with the sealing product or injecting the sealing product into a cavity at high temperature. The device allows in particular repair of a cavity or grouting at a local temperature above 100°C, or even above 250°C, without stopping the industrial installation, preferably the glass melting furnace.

[0065] Preferably, the cannula has a length greater than 20 cm, preferably greater than 30 cm.

[0066] The features of the different main aspects of the invention are preferably combined.

[0067] Preferably, the actuator is pneumatic.

[0068] Preferably, the actuator is a pneumatic cylinder. A pneumatic cylinder conventionally comprises a cylinder cylinder, a cylinder piston and a cylinder rod, the cylinder piston being movable in translation in the cylinder cylinder under the effect of pneumatic pressure (pressurized air) created in a chamber of the cylinder cylinder, upstream of the cylinder piston, so as to drive the rod in translation, along the axis of the cylinder.

[0069] The rod can thus extend out of the ram cylinder and push the gun piston. The gun piston is therefore not pushed by direct contact with pressurized air, which

[0070] - simplifies the design of the gun, as the contact of the gun piston and the gun cylinder does not need to be sealed, and

[0071] - limits the risk of air being introduced into the injected sealing product.

[0072] Preferably the gun includes a regulator allowing the operator to adjust the flow rate of the sealing product ejected by the advancement of the piston after activation of the actuator.

[0073] The invention also relates to a hermetic pouch intended, after opening, to be integrated into a device according to the invention. The sealing product may comprise one or more characteristics of the sealing product of the device according to the invention described below. When repairing and / or jointing an industrial installation, preferably a glass melting furnace, the cannula may be at a high temperature, leading to drying of the sealing product during its transit in the cannula, which makes this transit difficult for conventional sealing products. However, the sealing product must not flow after leaving the cannula. It must harden quickly after leaving the cannula.

[0074] In order for the sealing product to be effectively used to seal a cavity at a local temperature above 100°C, or even above 250°C, the inventors invented a specific sealing product.

[0075] Particularly advantageously, the sealing product has a viscosity greater than 100 Pa.s. and less than 250 Pa.s.

[0076] Viscosity can be measured in particular with a Rheomat RM 200 device, under the following conditions:

[0077] - Speed ​​gradient: 1.5 Pa.s' 1

[0078] - Acquisition for 20 seconds

[0079] - Cylindrical mobile.

[0080] It is classically measured at room temperature (20°C).

[0081] Remarkably, such a viscosity offers an excellent compromise between ease of flow in the cannula at high temperature and rapidity of solidification at the outlet of the cannula. The device according to the invention can thus be used to seal a cavity at a temperature above 100°C, or even above 250°C.

[0082] Preferably, the sealing product comprises a binder, preferably chosen from colloidal silica, a clay and their mixtures, in an amount preferably greater than 1%, preferably greater than 2% and less than 9%, preferably less than 7%, based on the mass of the particles of the sealing product.

[0083] Although colloidal silica is traditionally supplied in the form of a suspension, its quantity is measured without taking into account the liquid phase: in a suspension of colloidal silica, a distinction is therefore made between colloidal silica and the liquid phase.

[0084] According to a third main aspect of the invention, the piston drive actuator is pneumatic and the gun comprises a vent putting the interior of the cylinder in fluid communication with the atmospheric pressure environment outside the cylinder, the vent being arranged:

[0085] - downstream of the piston or, the piston not being in sealed contact with the cylinder, upstream of the piston; or

[0086] - upstream of the piston, the actuator being a pneumatic cylinder comprising a rod arranged to push the piston, the piston preferably not being in sealed contact with the cylinder; the upstream and downstream being determined according to the direction of advancement of the piston to eject the sealing product through the distal cylinder opening.

[0087] As will be seen in more detail in the remainder of the description, the vent limits the excess air pressure downstream of the piston, and therefore prevents an injection of air into the sealing product. The properties of the latter are therefore not modified. In particular, the vent prevents the introduction of air bubbles into the sealing product, and therefore any deterioration in its homogeneity.

[0088] The vent may be downstream of the piston.

[0089] In one embodiment, the piston is pushed by pressurized air in contact with the upstream side of the piston. A downstream vent then provides the pressurized air that may have entered the cylinder chamber by passing between the piston and the cylinder with the possibility of exiting the cylinder chamber without having to pass through the distal cylinder opening, and therefore without the risk of mixing with the sealing product. A leak in the seal between the cylinder and the piston therefore has no effect on the sealing product. This solution is technically simpler and more reliable than the use of a bellows to act as a barrier to the pressurized air, as described in FR 2 646 790.

[0090] Generally speaking, a vent downstream of the piston allows, if the contact between the piston and the cylinder is watertight, to avoid any excess air pressure, downstream of the piston, resulting from the advancement of the piston.

[0091] A vent downstream of the piston is preferably disposed less than 5 cm, preferably less than 3 cm, preferably less than 1 cm, from the distal cylinder opening. Overpressure air can thus be evacuated without reaching the sealing product with limited risk of clogging the vent.

[0092] The vent may be upstream of the piston, particularly when the piston is pushed by the extension of the rod of a pneumatic cylinder, or by the equivalent of such a rod. Generally, the vent may be upstream of the piston, in the part of the cylinder located between the piston and the body of the pneumatic cylinder, or "cylinder cylinder".

[0093] The vent then prevents any increase in pressure, upstream of the piston, resulting from a leak in the pneumatic cylinder, such an increase in pressure being able to lead to air entering the chamber if the piston does not slide tightly in the cylinder.

[0094] If the contact between the piston and the cylinder is not tight, that is to say the upstream and downstream of the piston are at the same pressure, the vent can be upstream or downstream.

[0095] In a preferred embodiment, the piston is shaped to allow fluid communication between the upstream and downstream sides of the piston. In other words, the contact between the piston and the cylinder is not sealed and air can freely circulate between the upstream and downstream sides of the piston. Advantageously, the vent can be arranged upstream of the piston and therefore does not risk being blocked by the pocket when the latter is compressed by the piston.

[0096] The vent may be a through hole drilled through the cylinder, or be a functional clearance, for example between the cylinder body and the end cap.

[0097] Preferably, the vent is provided through the bayonet mechanism used to mount the nozzle to the cylinder body.

[0098] The pneumatic pressure, that is to say the air pressure, upstream of the piston, which pushes on the piston to make it move towards the nozzle, is preferably greater than 4 bar and less than 10 bar.

[0099] The pressure balancing on each side of the vent is not instantaneous. The vent is preferably sized to maintain, downstream of the piston, an air pressure of less than 2 bar, preferably less than 1.5 bar, preferably less than 1.1 bar, particularly under the conditions of use of the gun.

[0100] The shape of the vent is not limiting. When the vent is downstream of the piston, its shape is preferably determined to avoid clogging of the vent by the pocket.

[0101] The number of vents can be any.

[0102] According to a fourth main aspect of the invention, the bag is closed, on the piston side, by at least one heat-sealing line. In other words, the proximal edge of the bag, i.e. its small side which extends against the piston, comprises a line along which the two sheets of the bag are welded to each other. Unlike bags which are closed, on the piston side, by a crimped ring (used in applications other than a glass furnace), the inventors have discovered that a heat-sealing line is suitable for a sealing product for a glass furnace. In particular, when filling the bag, a heat-sealing facilitates the hermetic closure of the bag, made difficult due to the presence of grains in the sealing product and the viscosity of this product. It also avoids "hard" pressure of the piston through a rigid ring.

[0103] Preferably, the pocket comprises, preferably consists of, an upper sheet and a lower sheet, which constitute the large upper and lower faces thereof, respectively, heat-sealed to each other.

[0104] Each sheet preferably comprises several sheets, preferably at least two sheets, more preferably three sheets. The sheets are heat-sealed together, i.e. fixed to one another, or to each other, by heat-sealing. Tests have shown that a plurality of sheets is more effective than a single sheet of greater thickness, in particular because it provides more flexibility and limits the risk of breakage of the heat seal.

[0105] Heat sealing advantageously allows the sheets of a leaflet to be fixed to each other, but also to simultaneously fix the two leaves to each other.

[0106] Each sheet preferably has a thickness of less than 200 microns.

[0107] Heat sealing advantageously allows all the sheets to be assembled simultaneously and quickly.

[0108] Preferably, the pouch is heat sealed not only along the short side, but also along at least one of the long sides, preferably along each of the long sides. Preferably, the heat seal is continuous and runs around the periphery of the pouch, forming the general shape of a U, the base of the U being along the short side of the pouch that extends against the piston.

[0109] The combination of sheets made of several sheets and assembly of the sheets by heat sealing has proven to be particularly well suited to a sealing product for glass furnaces.

[0110] Preferably, said at least one heat-sealing line is made flat so as to create a peripheral fin in the form of a strip with a width greater than 3 mm, preferably greater than 5 mm, and / or less than 10 mm, preferably at least along a large side of the pocket.

[0111] Preferably, all the heat-sealing lines are made flat, so that they create peripheral fins, in the form of strips with a width preferably greater than 3 mm, preferably greater than 5 mm, and / or less than 10 mm, around the perimeter of the pocket, and in particular along the long sides of the pocket. When the pocket is filled with sealing product, it thus has a generally cylindrical shape, with, along the long sides, peripheral fins which extend substantially radially. The presence of two longitudinal welding lines can thus facilitate the evacuation of air through the optional vent.

[0112] Preferably, at least one of the sheets of each leaflet is aluminized.

[0113] The invention also relates to the gun of the device according to the invention.

[0114] The invention finally relates to a method for sealing a cavity of an industrial installation, preferably a glass melting furnace, said method comprising the following steps: a) opening a hermetic bag, preferably a hermetic bag according to the invention, and inserting the resulting open bag into a gun so as to constitute a device according to the invention; b) positioning, by an operator, of the free end of the gun cannula in said cavity; c) control of the actuator by the operator so as to advance the piston so that it presses the bag into the cylinder and ejects the sealing product out of the bag into the cannula, then out of the cannula into the cavity.

[0115] A method according to the invention may also comprise one or more of the following optional and preferred features:

[0116] - the cavity is in a wall of the enclosure of the industrial installation, preferably of the glass melting furnace, and said cavity is accessible from outside the enclosure;

[0117] - the enclosure is closed and inaccessible to the operator, in particular when the industrial installation, preferably the glass melting furnace, is in operation;

[0118] - the industrial installation is a glass melting furnace;

[0119] - the cavity is located in the tank of a glass melting furnace; - the airtight pocket is a pillow-shaped pocket;

[0120] - in step a), the pocket is opened across its entire width;

[0121] - the airtight pouch comprises at least one pre-cut and, in step a), the pouch is preferably open over its entire width from the pre-cut;

[0122] - in step a), the operator removes the tip, inserts the open pocket into the cylinder body, then reassembles the tip onto the cylinder body;

[0123] - in step a), the tip is fixed to the cylinder body while the open pocket inserted into said cylinder body protrudes by more than 1 cm outside the cylinder body; an excess length of the pocket thus partially protrudes outside the chamber before reassembly of the tip.

[0124] Brief description of the figures

[0125] Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon examination of the description which follows and with regard to the appended drawing in which:

[0126] - figure 1 [Fig 1] represents a device according to the invention in a preferred embodiment;

[0127] - figure 2 [Fig 2] represents a part of the device of figure 1, the end piece being removed from the cylinder body;

[0128] - figure 3 [Fig 3] represents the cylinder body of the device of figure 1;

[0129] - figure 4 [Fig 4] represents a part of the device of figure 1, the cylinder and the cannula having been previously dismantled;

[0130] - Figure 5 [Fig 5] shows a part of the piston of the device of Figure 1, and in particular the cup-shaped front face of the piston;

[0131] - Figure 6 [Fig 6] represents a close-up view of the part of the device of Figure 1 shown in Figure 4;

[0132] - figure 7 [Fig 7] represents, seen from the front, a hermetic (empty) bag intended, after opening, to be introduced into the chamber of the device of figure 1;

[0133] - figure 8 [Fig 8] represents the pocket of figure 7 after opening and introduction into the cylinder, while the piston is in the initial position, that is to say moved back as far as possible, before reassembly of the nozzle.

[0134] Definitions The X-axis is the direction in which the piston moves. Unless otherwise stated, "radial" refers to a direction perpendicular to the X-axis, and "transverse" refers to a plane perpendicular to the X-axis.

[0135] The piston is considered to be "advancing" when it moves towards the cannula, i.e., "forward," and "retreating" in the opposite direction, "backward."

[0136] The upstream and downstream of the piston are to be considered with regard to the direction of advancement of the piston when the sealing product is ejected. The piston advances downstream.

[0137] "Proximal" refers to a position on the operator's side, as contrasted with "distal" which refers to a position on the side of the free end of the cannula.

[0138] Unless otherwise stated, the “length” is measured along the X axis. The “width” of the pocket is measured flat, outside the cylinder body, perpendicular to the direction of the pocket which, in the device, merges with the X axis.

[0139] Unless otherwise indicated, "inside" and "outside" are to be considered relative to the chamber delimited by the cylinder and the piston.

[0140] The contact between the piston and the cylinder is said to be “linear” when the width of the contact line, measured perpendicular to the contact line, is less than 4 mm.

[0141] By "portable device" is meant that the device is intended to be carried and operated by an operator without external assistance (except, optionally, to provide power to the actuator). For this purpose, the device preferably weighs less than 20 kg, preferably less than 15 kg.

[0142] A "bayonet" mechanism is a well-known fastening mechanism, allowing two parts to be rigidly joined by a push-turn movement. Generally, the first part comprises a Y-axis sleeve, generally cylindrical in revolution, which carries at least two radially projecting tenons, relative to the Y-axis. The second part comprises a Y'-axis skirt, the free end of which defines, for each tenon, a corresponding notch, conventionally in the shape of an "L", the first branch of the "L" opening at said free end. The skirt is shaped to allow axial insertion of the sleeve into the skirt when the Y and Y' axes coincide, provided that the tenons are introduced into the first branches of the corresponding notches.When the tenons have entered the bottom of the first branches of the notches, a rotation of the second part relative to the first part allows the tenons to be housed at the bottom of the second branches of the notches. A separation of the two parts by axial traction is then prevented.

[0143] The pouch is a "soft" pouch in that it can be crushed, under the action of the piston, without breaking. Before use, the pouch is airtight, that is to say that the sealing product it contains is physically isolated from the outside. During use, the pouch is "open", that is to say that the sealing product it contains is put into contact with the external environment by creating an opening in the pouch.

[0144] The term "enclosure" means a part of an industrial installation, preferably a glass melting furnace, delimited laterally by a side wall, the shape of which is not limiting, by a bottom wall, and optionally by a roof wall. The term "tank" means the part of the enclosure which, in operation, contains a molten product, preferably molten glass.

[0145] A “closed” tank or enclosure means a tank or enclosure which an individual cannot enter during operation.

[0146] By "glass melting furnace" we traditionally mean the enclosure of said furnace, but also its peripherals, in particular the glass distribution channels (or "feeders" in English), the regenerators and the recuperators.

[0147] The "equivalent diameter" of a surface is the diameter of a disk with the same area as that surface.

[0148] By product “in one material” or “of one material” is meant a product consisting of more than 95%, more than 98%, preferably substantially 100% of its mass of said material.

[0149] By "refractory material" is meant a material with a melting temperature above 1500°C. This definition is commonly used by those skilled in the art and cited in "Refractory materials and technical ceramics (elements of ceramics and technology)", G. Aliprandi, Septima Paris, 1979. This work also gives examples of refractory materials, including oxides, carbides and nitrides, on pages 297 to 301.

[0150] Particle size distributions and maximum size can be determined using a laser particle size analyzer. The laser particle size analyzer can be a Partica LA-950 from HORIBA. The term "maximum size" refers to the 99.5th percentile (099.5) of a particulate filler, the percentile corresponding to the mass percentage of 99.5%, on the cumulative particle size distribution curve of the particle sizes of the particulate filler, the particle sizes being listed in ascending order.

[0151] The "minimum size" is the 10th percentile (D10) of a particulate load, the percentile corresponding to the mass percentage of 10%, on the cumulative particle size distribution curve of the particle sizes of the particulate load, the particle sizes being classified in ascending order.

[0152] By "ceramic" we mean a product that is neither metallic nor organic.

[0153] “Behave” or “include” or “present” shall be interpreted in a non-limiting manner.

[0154] Detailed description

[0155] Preferably, the industrial installation is chosen from:

[0156] - a glass melting furnace;

[0157] - an iron or steel melting furnace, and a part of such a furnace, in particular an electric arc furnace (or "electrical arc fumace" in English), a submerged arc furnace (or "submerged arc furnace" in English), an electric furnace with plunged electrodes (or "open slag bath fumace" in English), a blast furnace (or "blast fumace" in English), an oxygen converter (or "basic oxygen furnace" in English), a direct reduction iron shaft fumace (or "direct reduction iron shaft fumace" in English), a casting channel (or "runner" in English), a steel reheating furnace (or "metal and iron reheat furnace" in English), a holding furnace (or "holder and melter fumace" in English), a tundish (or "tundish" in English);

[0158] - a non-ferrous metal melting furnace, in particular an aluminium melting furnace, a magnesium melting furnace, a copper melting furnace;

[0159] - an element physically independent of a melting furnace or physically detachable from a metal melting furnace, in contact with said molten metal and allowing said molten metal to be transferred from said melting furnace to another installation, in particular a transfer ladle (or “transfer ladle” in English);

[0160] - a cement kiln, in particular a rotary kiln;

[0161] - an ore reduction furnace, in particular an iron ore reduction furnace;

[0162] - an incinerator, in particular a domestic waste incinerator, a household waste incineration boiler;

[0163] - a hazardous waste treatment furnace;

[0164] - a gasifier, in particular a coal gasifier, a petroleum coke gasifier, a biomass gasifier;

[0165] - a reformer, in particular a methane reformer or a secondary reformer;

[0166] - a ceramic firing oven;

[0167] - a carbon black reactor;

[0168] - a retention tank intended to retain a product at a temperature above 250°C in the event of accidental spillage of said product;

[0169] - an aluminum electrolysis cell;

[0170] - a combustion chamber of a turbine, in particular a gas turbine;

[0171] - a boiler, in particular a thermal power station boiler.

[0172] Preferably the industrial installation is a glass melting furnace.

[0173] A device 10 according to the invention is shown in Figure 1.

[0174] H includes:

[0175] - a 12 pistol comprising:

[0176] - a 14 cannula;

[0177] - a cylinder 16 of X axis;

[0178] - a piston 18 movable in the cylinder along the X axis;

[0179] - an actuator 20 for driving the piston along the X axis;

[0180] - an actuator control 22 which can be activated manually by an operator;

[0181] - a 30 pocket.

[0182] The cannula 14 delimits a lumen 31 which opens, at the ends of the cannula, through proximal 32p and distal 32d cannula openings towards the cylinder and towards the outside, respectively. The distal opening 32d, at the free end, is the opening through which the sealing product exits the gun.

[0183] The cannula 14 is preferably rectilinear, with an X axis. Its length is preferably greater than 10 cm, preferably greater than 20 cm, preferably greater than 30 cm, preferably greater than 40 cm, preferably greater than 45 cm, preferably greater than 50 cm, and / or less than 100 cm, preferably less than 80 cm, preferably less than 60 cm. The great length of the cannula advantageously makes it possible to seal deep cracks or deep joints, in particular between blocks of the industrial installation, preferably the glass melting furnace.

[0184] The cannula 14 preferably has the general shape of a profile, that is to say that its section is preferably constant over substantially its entire length. It preferably has the shape of a tube whose lumen 31, preferably of circular section, has an equivalent diameter preferably greater than 5 mm, preferably greater than 10 mm, preferably greater than 15 mm and / or less than 30 mm, preferably less than 25 mm, preferably less than 20 mm.

[0185] The distal end 32d can be adapted to the shape of the cord to be deposited, for example being of round or flattened section.

[0186] The cannula 14 is made of a material resistant to a temperature greater than 250°C, preferably greater than 300°C, preferably greater than 400°C. It is preferably made of a metallic material.

[0187] Cylinder 16 includes:

[0188] - a cylinder body 36 (figure 3), preferably made of a metal, of generally tubular shape with axis X, the interior space of which, preferably of circular section, extends between proximal and distal ends to which it opens through proximal cylinder openings 38p and distal 38d, respectively; and

[0189] - a tip 40 (figure 2), preferably made of metal, which extends substantially transversely and closes the distal cylinder opening 38d.

[0190] The cylinder body 36 preferably has

[0191] - a length greater than 20 cm, preferably greater than 25 cm, preferably greater than 27 cm, and / or less than 40 cm, preferably less than 35 cm, and / or

[0192] - an equivalent internal diameter greater than 5 cm, preferably greater than 6 cm, preferably greater than 7 cm, and / or less than 10 cm, preferably less than 9 cm, preferably less than 8 cm.

[0193] The cylinder body 36 is delimited by a side wall 37, solid or perforated, intended to retain the pocket 30 when it is compressed by the piston 18. The side wall 37 is preferably solid. In the embodiment, however, it is crossed by an axial slot 42, parallel to the axis X, which extends more than 80%, or more than 90%, or more than 95% of the length of the cylinder body, intended to allow the movement of a lever of the piston described later, or even to serve as a guide rail for this movement.

[0194] The slot 42 forms a vent 43 putting the chamber 34 in fluid communication with the environment outside the gun. The vent advantageously prevents any overpressure in the chamber and thus prevents the injection of air into the sealing product.

[0195] The slot 42 advantageously also forms a vent 43 putting the external environment in fluid communication with the volume inside the cylinder which is upstream of the piston. It thus avoids any excess pressure upstream of the piston likely to damage the contact between the piston and the internal surface of the cylinder.

[0196] The end piece 40 is preferably fixed to the cylinder body by a bayonet mechanism. Advantageously, such a mechanism allows very rapid assembly and disassembly.

[0197] In the embodiment shown, the tip comprises tenons 41 which are inserted into notches 44, preferably non-through, formed at the distal end of the cylinder body 36. Each notch comprises an axial branch extending parallel to the axis X and opening on the side of the cannula, and a transverse branch, in continuity with the axial branch, extending in a transverse plane. The transverse branch preferably extends, around the axis X, over an angular sector greater than 5°, preferably greater than 10°, preferably greater than 15°, and / or less than 45°, preferably less than 30°, preferably less than 25°.

[0198] The proximal end of the cannula 14 is fixed, preferably screwed, onto the tip, facing a hole 45 drilled through the tip 40, along the axis X, so as to put the lumen 31 of the cannula 14 and the interior of the cylinder body 36 into fluid communication.

[0199] The notches and the tenons 41 can also be shaped so as to provide a vent 43 putting the chamber 34 in fluid communication with the exterior of the gun.

[0200] The piston 18 defines, with the cylinder, a chamber 34 of axis X, of variable length. The piston is in fact movable in the cylinder, along the axis X, from an initial position, corresponding to a maximum retraction of the piston, to a final position corresponding to a maximum advancement of the piston. In the initial position, the piston is preferably more than 20 cm, preferably more than 25 cm, preferably more than 27 cm, and / or less than 40 cm, preferably less than 35 cm, preferably less than 30 cm from the tip. In the final position, the piston is preferably less than 5 cm, preferably less than 3 cm from the tip. The piston 18 extends transversely and is in contact with the inner surface of the cylinder body 36 along a contact line 46.The contact is preferably exclusively linear, the width of the contact line, measured perpendicular to the contact line, being preferably less than 3 mm, preferably less than 2 mm and / or greater than 0.5 mm. The risk of the piston 18 jamming is advantageously reduced.

[0201] The contact line 46 is preferably circular.

[0202] The front face of the piston, or "front face" 48, has a concave shape on the outside, towards the cannula (figure 5). Preferably, it has the general shape of a cup.

[0203] Preferably, the front face connects to the inner surface of the cylinder body 36 with a break in slope P of less than 60°, preferably less than 50°, which advantageously limits the risks of pinching the pocket between the piston and the cylinder body (figure 6).

[0204] Preferably, the front face comprises at least one notch 50 which interrupts the line of contact of the piston with the cylinder body. In other words, the contact line 46 is not closed, but interrupted at the location of the notch 50. The interruption of the contact line preferably extends over an angular sector a greater than 2°, preferably greater than 5°, preferably greater than 10°, and / or less than 45°, preferably less than 30°, preferably less than 20°. The depth pso of the notch 50, measured along a radial line, is preferably less than 15 mm, preferably less than 10 mm and / or greater than 0.5 mm, preferably greater than 5 mm. Seen from the front, the notch preferably has a flat bottom. In a transverse plane, the flat bottom preferably extends more than 10 mm, preferably more than 15 mm and / or less than 25 mm, preferably less than 20 mm.

[0205] The inventors have found that the presence of a notch is particularly advantageous for limiting the risks of pinching the pocket between the piston and the inner surface of the cylinder body when the piston moves forward.

[0206] The piston is preferably arranged in the chamber 34 so that the notch 50 opens into the slot 42. The sliding of the piston is preferably guided so that the notch 50 opens into the slot 42 regardless of the position of the piston along the axis X. More preferably, the opening of the notch has a width I50 greater than or equal to the width I42 of the slot 42 and, preferably, the piston is oriented, around the axis X, so that the notch 50 covers the slot, that is to say so that the longitudinal edges of the slot 42 are not in contact with the piston.

[0207] Preferably, the pocket is oriented so that when it comprises at least one longitudinal weld, that is to say which extends parallel to the X axis when the pocket is mounted on the gun, said longitudinal weld is not located at the level of the notch.

[0208] The piston may have several notches, preferably regularly distributed around the X axis, preferably of the same shape. Observed along the X axis, the front face 48 of the piston may thus have a star shape. The number of branches of the star formed by the piston may be greater than 2, greater than 3, greater than 5 and / or less than 10.

[0209] Preferably, at least the part of the piston in contact with the cylinder, or even the entire piston, is made of a plastic material, and thus advantageously light.

[0210] In one embodiment, the piston is provided with a lever 52, rigidly fixed to the piston and projecting out of the cylinder body through the slot 42, preferably substantially radially (Figure 6, Figure 1). The lever 52 is dimensioned so that an operator can grasp it and manually retract the piston. It can optionally be guided by the slot 42.

[0211] The actuator 20 is intended to drive the piston along the X axis, preferably at least to push it from the initial position to the final position. It receives energy from an energy source not shown, preferably independent of the gun to limit its weight, and transforms it into work to move the piston.

[0212] The actuator 20 may in particular be electric, hydraulic or pneumatic. It is preferably pneumatic. Unlike an electric actuator, in particular one powered by a battery, a pneumatic actuator is advantageously not affected by the high temperature in which the device according to the invention must sometimes operate. A pneumatic actuator is also more robust and more powerful than an electric actuator.

[0213] Preferably, the pneumatic actuator operates at a pressure of less than 10 bar, preferably less than 8 bar. The gun preferably comprises a connector 53 for selectively connecting the gun to a source of pressurized gas, not shown. The gas is preferably air, the pressure of the gas delivered to the gun preferably being greater than 2 bar, preferably greater than 4 bar, preferably greater than 6 bar and preferably less than 10 bar. The actuator 20 preferably comprises a cylinder 54 whose rod 56 is coupled to the piston. In the embodiment shown, the cylinder 54 is a “single-acting” cylinder which, when activated, can only push the piston forward. When it is deactivated, however, pulling on the lever 52 allows the piston to be moved back.

[0214] In one embodiment, the cylinder 54 is a "double-acting" cylinder that can selectively push the piston forward or pull the piston in the opposite direction. The lever 52 and the slot 42 are then useless for moving the piston back. The slot 42, however, remains useful for viewing the level of advancement of the piston in the cylinder body.

[0215] Preferably, the actuator 20 is provided with a regulator 58 allowing the operator to define the intensity of the action exerted on the piston, and therefore its forward speed, or even its reverse speed. The regulator may in particular be a pressure reducer allowing a pneumatic pressure to be set.

[0216] All conventional actuators can be considered.

[0217] The actuator control 22 is the interface that allows the operator to control the actuator, i.e., to activate it to push the piston forward, or to deactivate it. The actuator control 22 is preferably in the form of a button or trigger.

[0218] The gun preferably further comprises a handle 60 which the operator can grasp to facilitate manipulation of the gun. The handle is preferably arranged so that the operator can, during this manipulation, selectively press or release the trigger.

[0219] The assembly consisting of the piston, the actuator, the control and preferably the handle, is fixed to the proximal end of the cylinder body, preferably in a removable manner, preferably by means of a bayonet mechanism. Preferably, the bayonet mechanism may have one or more of the characteristics of the bayonet mechanism used to fix the tip.

[0220] The gun can thus be disassembled for cleaning and then stored compactly, preferably in a suitcase.

[0221] The device also preferably comprises a shoulder strap, not shown, which the operator can rest on one of his shoulders in order to limit the fatigue resulting from the use of the device, but also to improve the precision of the placement, relative to the cavity, of the free end of the cannula.

[0222] The pouch 30 is sealed before being inserted into the chamber defined by the piston and the cylinder, as shown in Figure 7.

[0223] Preferably, the material constituting the pocket has a tensile strength, measured by the GRAB method, greater than 400 N, preferably greater than 450 N, and / or a puncture resistance greater than 110 N, preferably greater than 120 N.

[0224] Preferably, the domed pocket 30 has a substantially rectangular shape when viewed from the front, with upper and lower sheets, preferably made of flexible plastic, preferably being heat-sealed or glued to each other at least along the long sides of the pocket, preferably along each side. The pocket then has two longitudinal heat-sealing lines 55.

[0225] Preferably, each heat seal line is made flat, so as to create a fin on the periphery of the pocket.

[0226] In a preferred embodiment, the set of heat-sealing lines forms, when the pocket is viewed from the front and before opening the pocket, a frame at the periphery of the pocket. After opening, the set of heat-sealing lines forms a “U”.

[0227] Alternatively, a single sheet may be folded back on itself along a fold line in the length direction, then heat-sealed along the long side opposite the fold line and along the two short sides. The pouch then advantageously has a single longitudinal weld line.

[0228] A heat seal advantageously allows the bag to resist when it is compressed in the gun.

[0229] The flexibility of the bag is sufficient for it to be crushed by the piston so that more than 80%, preferably more than 90%, preferably more than 95% by volume of the sealing product is extracted therefrom.

[0230] Before being filled, the pocket preferably had a flattened, rectangular shape when viewed from the front.

[0231] The shape of the pouch is preferably determined so that after being placed in the chamber 34, before use and in the initial position of the piston, it fills more than 80%, preferably more than 90%, preferably more than 95% of the volume of the chamber 34. The pouch 30 preferably contains more than 1.5 kg, preferably more than 2.0 kg, preferably more than 2.5 kg of sealing product.

[0232] The sealing product is preferably ready-to-use, that is to say that after opening the bag, it can be immediately injected by the gun.

[0233] The pocket 30 is preferably opaque, preferably aluminized, so as to protect the sealing product it contains from atmospheric radiation.

[0234] More preferably, the pocket 30 comprises, on a large side, a pre-cut 56, preferably a pre-cut on each large side of the pocket, so as to facilitate tearing across the entire width of the pocket in order to open it. A tear across the entire width is advantageous for limiting pressure losses when expelling the sealing product from the pocket.

[0235] Pocket 30 contains the sealing product.

[0236] Guns similar to the one described above were known, well before the present invention, for injecting, in small quantities, products not containing grains and of low viscosity, for example for injecting grease. It is to the credit of the inventors to have imagined that the technique implemented by these similar guns could be used for injecting a granular sealing product, in particular in applications for the repair and jointing of an industrial installation, preferably a glass melting furnace.

[0237] The sealant may be a conventional sealant, particularly for a glass melting furnace, when used at a temperature below 100°C.

[0238] For hot repair, the inventors have also developed the sealing product according to the invention which, advantageously, can be easily implemented with the gun while hardening quickly after ejection.

[0239] Preferably, the sealing product is the result of humidification of a dry particulate filler, for example in a mixer.

[0240] The particulate filler, consisting of all the particles of the sealing product, preferably comprises, in mass percentage, more than 80%, preferably more than 90%, preferably more than 95%, preferably substantially 100% of refractory particles. The refractory particles preferably consist, in mass percentages, of oxides for more than 90%, preferably for more than 95%, preferably for substantially 100%. AI2O3, ZrO2, &2O3, MgO and S1O2 together preferably represent more than 90%, more than 95%, or even more than 98% of said oxides.

[0241] In one embodiment, the sealing product is chosen so that after exposure of said sealing material to 1100°C for 2 hours, the mass content of any constituent of the sealing product present in a mass content greater than 5%, differs by less than 20%, preferably by less than 10% from the content of said constituent in the material of the part(s) of the industrial installation, preferably of the glass melting furnace, which delimit(s) the cavity.

[0242] When the cavity is defined by parts made of different materials, the sealing product is preferably chosen so that after exposure of the sealing product to 1100°C for 2 hours, the mass content of any constituent of the sealing product present in a mass content greater than 5%, differs by less than 20%, preferably by less than 10% from the content of said constituent in a said material.

[0243] All particles known to produce repair and / or jointing products, particularly for an industrial installation, preferably a glass melting furnace, are considered.

[0244] The sealing product preferably contains more than 1%, preferably more than 4%, preferably more than 8%, preferably more than 10%, by mass percentage, of grains whose smallest dimension is greater than 0.5 mm.

[0245] Preferably, more than 3%, preferably more than 5%, by mass percentage, of said grains each have at least one dimension greater than 1.0 mm, preferably greater than 1.25 mm.

[0246] Preferably, the maximum size of the particulate filler is less than 2.5 mm, preferably less than 2 mm. Preferably, the minimum size of the particulate filler is greater than 2 pm, preferably greater than 3 pm.

[0247] In addition to the particulate filler, the sealant contains a liquid phase which preferably constitutes the 100% complement.

[0248] The liquid phase is preferably an aqueous phase.

[0249] The liquid phase preferably represents more than 5%, preferably more than 7% and / or less than 20%, preferably less than 15%, preferably less than 10% of the mass of the sealing product. The liquid phase preferably consists of water, which preferably represents more than 80%, more than 90% or more than 95% of the mass of the liquid phase, and preferably one or more additives. The additives may be chosen from the additives used in conventional sealing products, such as surfactants, biocides, binders, and plasticizers. The amount of an additive may be any amount conventionally used in conventional sealing products.

[0250] The viscosity of the sealing product is preferably less than 250 Pa.s, preferably less than 200 Pa.s, preferably less than 180 Pa.s, and / or greater than 50 Pa.s, preferably greater than 100 Pa.s, preferably greater than 150 Pa.s. It can in particular be measured with a Rheomat RM 200 device, under the following conditions:

[0251] - Speed ​​gradient: 1.5 Pa.s' 1

[0252] - Acquisition for 20 seconds

[0253] - Cylindrical mobile.

[0254] Conventionally, viscosity is measured at room temperature, typically 20°C.

[0255] The filling product is preferably pasty.

[0256] H is preferably suitable for being sintered.

[0257] Process

[0258] The use of the device follows directly from the preceding description.

[0259] The airtight bags are preferably stored flat, which is advantageously space-saving. The opacity of the bag limits the deterioration, during storage, of the sealing product it contains.

[0260] To seal a cavity of an industrial installation, preferably a glass melting furnace, the operator can proceed according to said steps a) to c).

[0261] The cavity to be sealed with the sealing product, in particular for repairing the industrial installation, preferably the glass melting furnace or for making joints, in particular between blocks, in particular seals, may be located in a wall of the industrial installation, preferably the glass melting furnace, for example outside the side wall of the tank. The wall may be a wall of a closed enclosure, in particular a closed tank. In particular, the cavity may be a passage through said wall, putting the hot face and the cold face of the wall into fluid communication. The sealing product is however not necessarily injected until this passage is completely filled.

[0262] The cavity, in particular in the form of a passage, may in particular have a flattened shape, and preferably have:

[0263] - a height, measured between the two large faces of the passage, greater than 0.5 cm, or greater than 1.0 cm, and / or less than 5 cm, preferably less than 3 cm, preferably less than 2 cm; and / or

[0264] - a depth, measured from the cold face towards the hot face, greater than 10 cm, preferably greater than 20 cm, and / or less than 60 cm, preferably less than 50 cm, preferably less than 40 cm, preferably less than 30 cm.

[0265] The passage may in particular be an expansion space between two adjacent or superimposed blocks of an industrial installation, preferably a glass melting furnace.

[0266] More generally, the cavity may in particular have a depth greater than 10 cm, preferably greater than 20 cm, preferably greater than 25 cm, and / or less than 60 cm, preferably less than 50 cm, preferably less than 30 cm, preferably less than 35 cm, preferably less than 30 cm.

[0267] The cavity may be at a temperature above 100°C, above 150°C, above 200°C, above 250°C, above 300°C, or above 400°C, the device preferably allowing “hot” intervention to seal the cavity.

[0268] In step a), the operator pulls on a corner of the pocket, at the end of the pocket near the pre-cuts, so as to tear the pocket across its entire width.

[0269] Then, if the nozzle is fixed on the cylinder body, the operator removes the nozzle and, if the piston is not in the initial position, he pulls the lever 52 backwards, so as to provide a chamber 34 of maximum volume. He then introduces the bag, by its closed side, that is to say its bottom, into the chamber 34. The order of operations can be modified, the operator opening the bag after having introduced it into the chamber.

[0270] Preferably, the position of the piston and the length of the pocket are such that after opening the pocket, a portion of the pocket, or "excess length" 62, protrudes outside the chamber, preferably over its entire periphery (figure 8). The excess length 62, measured while the piston is in the initial position, preferably has a length greater than 5 mm, preferably greater than 1 cm, preferably greater than 1.5 cm, and / or less than 5 cm.

[0271] The operator then reassembles the tip onto the cylinder body.

[0272] To this end, it inserts the tenons 41 of the tip into the respective notches 44 provided at the distal end of the cylinder body 36 until each tenon reaches the bottom of the axial branch of its respective notch. It then rotates the tip around the X axis until each tenon reaches the bottom of the transverse branch of its respective notch.

[0273] This reassembly of the tip is advantageously simple, quick and possible even if the tip or the cylinder body is soiled by traces of sealing product.

[0274] The excess length 62 of the pocket, that is to say the part of the pocket which protruded from the chamber, is then crushed in the chamber, which advantageously contributes to filling the space between the interior surface of the chamber and the pocket, and therefore limits the risk of leakage of sealing product between the interior surface of the chamber and the pocket.

[0275] Furthermore, the excess length 62 can be partially pinched between the tip and the cylinder body, which further limits the risk of leakage and improves the immobilization of the pocket.

[0276] Unlike screw-on fixing, bayonet fixing allows for such a clamping action. Furthermore, bayonet fixing is quick and easy to implement. Finally, this fixing is possible even if the end piece and / or cylinder body are slightly soiled by traces of sealing product.

[0277] In step b), the operator connects the connector 53 to a source of pressurized gas, not shown, adjusts the regulator according to the desired flow rate of sealing product in the cannula, and arranges the free end so that the ejected sealing product enters the cavity. The great length of the cannula allows it to reach deep regions, for example to reach, from outside a glass melting furnace tank, a region close to the hot face of the tank. The resistance to high temperatures allows it to reach hot regions, for example at more than 250°C.

[0278] In step c), the operator then acts on the control 22, in this case by pulling the trigger of the gun. With a pneumatic actuator, actuation of the control causes an increase in pressure behind the piston, which itself pushes the piston forward. The advancement of the piston compresses the bag against the tip, which expels the sealing product through the opening of the bag, then, through the hole 44 of the tip 40, into the cannula and then into the cavity.

[0279] The pressure of the pocket on the tip tends to move the tip away from the cylinder body, and thus to tighten the lugs of the bayonet mechanism against the edges of the corresponding notches. It therefore secures the attachment of the tip and eliminates the risk of an unexpected detachment.

[0280] The operator can then move the free end of the cannula to deposit a bead of filling product, or even move it back and forth to deposit and fuse a succession of beads. At any time, he can release the trigger to stop injecting the filling product into the cavity.

[0281] The handle and shoulder strap make it easy to handle the device.

[0282] During the entire step of injecting the sealing product into the cavity, all or part of the cavity may be at a temperature greater than 100°C, greater than 150°C, greater than 200°C, greater than 250°C, greater than 300°C, or greater than 400°C, greater than 500°C, greater than 600°C, greater than 700°C, greater than 800°C, greater than 900°C, and / or less than 1550°C, or less than 1500°C.

[0283] The bottom of the pocket, that is to say the part of the pocket on the side opposite its opening, is in contact with the front face of the piston. The concave shape, and in particular the cup-shaped shape of the front face, allows the folds of the pocket to be pushed towards the X axis, like a snowplow, which limits the risk of the pocket being pinched between the piston and the inner surface of the cylinder body.

[0284] Due to the small angle P, the cup is substantially tangent to the inner surface of the cylinder body, so as to avoid an excessive break in slope, i.e. a marked re-entrant edge, at the transition between the piston and the inner surface of the cylinder body. The risk of pinching the pocket between the piston and the inner surface of the cylinder body is further reduced.

[0285] Furthermore, it cannot be ruled out that sealing product may penetrate between the pocket and the inner surface of the cylinder body and then flow to the piston. Grains of sealing product may then penetrate between the piston and the inner surface of the cylinder body, which may damage the condition of this surface and / or the piston, or even block the piston from moving forward. The fact that the cup is flush with the inner surface of the cylinder body advantageously limits this risk.

[0286] The cup notch further improves reliability.

[0287] Without being bound by this theory, the thrust of the cup on the bottom of the pocket brings the pocket back towards the X axis. This action could be progressively hindered, during the advancement of the piston, by this "concentration" of the pocket around the X axis. The notch advantageously offers an escape space for the pocket towards the rear of the piston, which limits this detrimental effect.

[0288] The linear contact between the piston and the inner surface of the cylinder body is preferably at the periphery of the cup. Linear contact reduces the risk of overhang.

[0289] The linear contact also facilitates the rearward escape of a grain of the sealing product which may have entered between the piston and the inner surface of the cylinder body.

[0290] As the piston advances, the deformation of the pocket is limited by the cylinder. The pocket can escape through the slot. However, the material of the pocket is designed to reduce this escape.

[0291] The piston can be continued until the bag is completely compressed. The piston is then in its final position. The flexibility of the bag advantageously allows the ejection of more than 90%, preferably more than 95% by mass of the sealing product it initially contained.

[0292] The operator then stops activating the actuator by releasing the trigger, disassembles the nozzle and extracts the crushed, substantially empty bag.

[0293] A bayonet-type attachment makes it easier to remove the tip. A simple rotation of a few degrees around the X axis, followed by a forward pull, is enough to separate the tip from the cylinder body. In addition, a bayonet-type attachment is not very sensitive to the possible presence of grains of the filling product, unlike a screw-on attachment of the tip onto the cylinder body.

[0294] Before or after dismantling the nozzle, the operator pulls the lever 52 backward to return the piston 18 to its initial position. H can then load the gun with a new full pouch, and immediately resume the sealing operations. The operator's work is advantageously made particularly efficient.

[0295] When the obturation operations are completed, the operator cleans the parts of the device, which is then available for a subsequent obturation operation.

[0296] As is now clear, a device according to the invention is robust and allows the simple and very effective sealing of both small and large cavities not only cold but also hot.

[0297] Of course, the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described or represented, provided as illustrative and non-limiting examples.

[0298] The tip may be integral with the cylinder body, i.e. form a single-piece unit with it that cannot be dismantled. Access to the chamber then requires access through the end of the cylinder body opposite the cannula, and therefore disassembly of the actuator and the piston. This more complex embodiment is not preferred.

[0299] The cannula may be made of the same material as the tip.

[0300] Other shapes are possible, particularly for the pocket. For example, the pocket can be shaped like a bellows.

[0301] The cylinder is not necessarily provided with a slot 42. The cylinder body may have a solid cylindrical side wall.

[0302] In an embodiment in which the gun does not have a slot 42, a vent upstream of the piston prevents any excess pressure likely to push pressurized air downstream of the piston and possibly into the sealing product.

[0303] The invention is particularly well suited to the repair of an industrial installation, preferably a glass melting furnace, in particular a tank, but is not limited to this embodiment.

Claims

CLAIMS 1. Portable device for sealing a cavity, at a temperature above 100°C, of ​​an industrial installation, said device comprising: - a gun (10) comprising: - a cannula (14); - a piston (18); - a cylinder (16) comprising: - a cylinder body (36) in which the piston (18) is mounted to slide, along an axis X, between an initial position and a final position; and - a tip (40) carrying the cannula (14), closing a cylinder opening (38d) distal to the cylinder body and crossed by a hole (44), the cylinder (16) defining with the piston (18) a chamber (34), and the hole (44) putting the lumen (31) of the cannula and said chamber (34) into fluid communication, - an actuator (20) for driving the piston along the X axis; and - an actuator control (22) activatable by an operator; and - an open pocket (30) containing a sealing product suitable for sealing said cavity, the pocket being arranged in the chamber (34) and opening opposite said hole (44) so ​​that said drive pushes the piston against the pocket so as to deform said pocket and thus expel said sealing product towards the outside, through said cannula, the sealing product being made up - a particulate charge consisting of all the particles of the sealing product, and - of a liquid phase, the mass of the particles representing more than 80% of the mass of the sealing product, the particulate charge comprising, in mass percentage, more than 80% of refractory particles consisting, in mass percentage, of oxides for more than 90%, the mass of the grains in a refractory material representing more than 1% of the mass of the sealing product, a grain being a particle of which at least one dimension is greater than 0.5 mm, a refractory material being a material having a melting temperature greater than 1500°C, the maximum size of the particulate filler being less than 2.5 mm, the filling product comprising a binder, preferably chosen from colloidal silica, a clay and their mixtures, in an amount greater than 1% and less than 9%, based on the mass of the particles of the filling product, water preferably representing more than 80% of the mass of the liquid phase.

2. Device according to the immediately preceding claim, in which the piston has a concave shape on the side of the pocket (30), so as to force the pocket towards the X axis when the piston advances towards the cannula (14).

3. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the piston is shaped to allow fluid communication between the upstream and downstream of the piston.

4. Device according to the immediately preceding claim, in which the piston has a notch (50) shaped to interrupt a contact zone (46) between the piston and the inner surface of the cylinder body (36).

5. Device according to the immediately preceding claim, in which said contact zone (46) between the piston (18) and the inner surface of the cylinder body (36) has the shape of a line less than 3 mm wide.

6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the pocket comprises, in the initial position of the piston, an excess length (62) compressed by the end piece (40) inside the chamber (34) and / or pinched between the cylinder body and the end piece (40).

7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the end piece (40) is mounted on the cylinder body by a bayonet mechanism (41, 44).

8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the piston (18) is in exclusively linear contact with the inner surface of the cylinder body.

9. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the cannula has a length greater than 30 cm and is made of a material resistant to a temperature greater than 250°C.

10. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the actuator is pneumatic.

11. Device according to the immediately preceding claim, in which the actuator is a pneumatic cylinder comprising a rod (56) extending into the cylinder body to push the piston.

12. Device according to any one of the two immediately preceding claims, in which the gun comprises a regulator (58) allowing the operator to adjust the flow rate of the sealing product ejected by the advancement of the piston after activation of the actuator.

13. A device according to any one of the three immediately preceding claims, wherein the gun comprises a vent (43) placing the interior of the cylinder in fluid communication with the atmospheric pressure environment outside the cylinder, the vent being arranged: - downstream of the piston or, the piston not being in sealed contact with the cylinder, upstream of the piston; or - upstream of the piston, claim 11 applying, the piston preferably not being in sealed contact with the cylinder; the upstream and downstream being determined according to the direction of advancement of the piston to eject sealing product through the distal cylinder opening.

14. A device according to the immediately preceding claim, wherein the vent is disposed less than 5 cm from the distal cylinder opening.

15. A device according to any one of the two immediately preceding claims, claim 7 applying, wherein the vent (43) is provided through the bayonet mechanism.

16. Device according to any one of the three immediately preceding claims, in which the vent (43) is sized so as to maintain, downstream of the piston, an air pressure of less than 2 bar when the gun is in use.

17. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, the sealing product having a viscosity, measured at room temperature, greater than 100 Pa.s and less than 250 Pa.s.

18. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, the mass of the refractory grains representing more than 8% of the mass of the sealing product.

19. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the pocket is closed, on the piston side, by at least one heat-sealing line (55).

20. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the pouch consists of two upper and lower sheets heat-sealed to each other at least along one long side of the pouch.

21. Device according to the immediately preceding claim, in which each sheet comprises two sheets or three sheets.

22. Device according to any one of the three immediately preceding claims, in which said at least one heat-sealing line (55) is made flat so as to create a peripheral fin in the form of a strip with a width greater than 3 mm, preferably at least along one long side of the pocket.

23. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, the pocket being pillow-shaped and having at least one pre-cut (56).

24. Portable device for sealing a cavity of an industrial installation, at a temperature above 100°C, preferably a glass melting furnace, in particular for jointing and / or repairing a wall of such an installation, said device comprising: 1) a pistol comprising: - a cannula; - a piston, or “gun piston”; - a cylinder comprising: i) a cylinder body in which the piston is mounted to slide, along an axis X, between an initial position and a final position; and ii) an end piece carrying the cannula, closing a cylinder opening distal to the cylinder body and crossed by a hole, the cylinder defining with the piston a chamber and the hole putting the lumen of the cannula, i.e. the passage which passes through the cannula, and said chamber, into fluid communication, - a pneumatic actuator for driving the piston along the X axis; and - an actuator control activatable by an operator; and 2) an open pocket containing a sealing product suitable for sealing said cavity, the pocket being arranged in the chamber and opening opposite said hole so that said drive pushes the piston against the pocket so as to deform said pocket and thus expel said sealing product towards the outside, through said cannula, the sealing product being made up - a particulate charge consisting of all the particles of the sealing product, and - a liquid phase, the mass of the particles representing more than 80% of the mass of the sealing product, the particulate filler comprising, in mass percentage, more than 80% of refractory particles consisting, in mass percentage, of oxides for more than 90%, the mass of the grains of a refractory material representing more than 1% of the mass of the sealing product, a grain being a particle of which at least one dimension is greater than 0.5 mm, a refractory material being a material having a melting temperature greater than 1500°C, the maximum size of the particulate filler being less than 2.5 mm, the sealing product comprising a binder, preferably chosen from colloidal silica, a clay and their mixtures, in an amount greater than 1% and less than 9%, based on the mass of the particles of the sealing product, water preferably representing more than 80% of the mass of the phase liquid,the gun comprising a vent (43) putting the interior of the cylinder in, fluid communication with the atmospheric pressure environment outside the cylinder, the vent being arranged: - downstream of the piston or, the piston not being in sealed contact with the cylinder, upstream of the piston; or - upstream of the piston, the actuator being a pneumatic cylinder comprising a rod (56) extending into the cylinder body to push the piston; the upstream and downstream being determined according to the direction of advancement of the piston to eject sealing product through the distal cylinder opening.

25. Device according to the immediately preceding claim, in which the piston is not in sealing contact with the cylinder.

26. Method for sealing a cavity, at a temperature above 100°C, of ​​an industrial installation, said method comprising the following steps: a) opening a hermetic bag, and inserting the resulting open bag into a gun so as to constitute a device according to any one of the preceding claims; b) positioning, by an operator, of the free end of the cannula (14) of the gun (10) in said cavity; c) control of the actuator by the operator so as to advance the piston so that it presses the bag into the cylinder and ejects the sealing product out of the bag into the cannula, then out of the cannula into the cavity.

27. Method according to the immediately preceding claim, in which the cavity is located in the tank of a glass melting furnace.

28. Method according to any one of the two immediately preceding claims, in which, in step a), the tip is fixed to the cylinder body while the open pocket inserted into said cylinder body protrudes more than 1 cm outside the cylinder body.

29. Method according to any one of the three immediately preceding claims, in which, in step c), all or part of the cavity is at a temperature above 400°C.

30. Method according to the immediately preceding claim, in which, in step c), all or part of the cavity is at a temperature above 800°C.

31. Method according to any one of the four immediately preceding claims, in which the industrial installation is chosen from: - a glass melting furnace; - an iron or steel melting furnace, and part of such a furnace; - a non-ferrous metal melting furnace; - an element configured to transfer molten metal; - a cement kiln; - an ore reduction furnace; - an incinerator; - a hazardous waste treatment furnace; - a gasifier; - a reformer; - a ceramic firing oven; - a carbon black reactor; - a retention tank intended to retain a molten product at a temperature above 250°C; - an aluminum electrolysis cell; - a combustion chamber of a turbine; - a boiler.

32. Method according to the immediately preceding claim, in which the industrial installation is a glass melting furnace.

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