Dismantling system and dismantling method

Abstract

A purpose of the present invention is to dismantle a shaped refractory layer without mixing shaped refractories having different compositions. This dismantling system for dismantling a shaped refractory layer that is provided on an inner surface of a structure and is composed of a plurality of layers comprises: a three-dimensional shape measuring device for measuring the three-dimensional shape of the structure inner surface; a calculation device for determining, on the basis of the three-dimensional shape measured by the three-dimensional shape measuring device, the specific layer of the shaped refractory that is exposed to the surface of the shaped refractory layer; and a dismantling device for dismantling the shaped refractory layer layer-by-layer on the basis of the result calculated by the calculation device.

Description

Dismantling system and dismantling method

[0001] The present invention relates to a demolition system for dismantling a shaped refractory layer consisting of multiple layers provided on the inner surface of a structure, and also to a demolition method for dismantling a shaped refractory layer consisting of multiple layers provided on the inner surface of a structure.

[0002] A refractory layer is generally provided on the inner surface of a structure for holding high-temperature contents to protect the structure from the heat of the contents. Examples of structures having such a refractory layer include a container for holding molten metal (hereinafter referred to as a "molten metal container") and a trough for molten metal such as a blast furnace trough.

[0003] As the refractory layer, a shaped refractory layer is generally used, which is produced by stacking shaped refractories on the inner surface of a structure. The shaped refractory layer has a multi-layer structure in which shaped refractories with different compositions are combined depending on the required properties, such as abrasion resistance and spalling resistance. In the case of a molten metal vessel, the first layer in contact with the molten metal is subject to severe wear, so a relatively low-quality shaped refractory made from recycled materials is sometimes used. In this case, the shaped refractory composition varies depending on the layer.

[0004] For example, Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of a structure 100 provided with a molded refractory layer. The structure 100 includes a metal structure main body 110 and a molded refractory layer 120 provided on the inner surface of the structure main body 110. The structure main body 110 is usually made of metal, more typically steel. Therefore, the structure main body 110 is also referred to as iron skin.

[0005] In the example shown in Figure 1, the molded refractory layer 120 has a two-layer structure consisting of a first molded refractory layer 121 and a second molded refractory layer 122. The first molded refractory layer 121 and the second molded refractory layer 122 are made of molded refractories of different compositions. The number of layers making up the molded refractory layer may be more than two, and even in such cases, molded refractories of different compositions may be used for each layer. Furthermore, a layer made of a molded refractory (not shown) may be further provided on the surface of the molded refractory layer 120, i.e., on the inner surface side of the structure 100.

[0006] During the use of such structures, the shaped refractory layer gradually deteriorates due to wear caused by contact with high-temperature contents and spalling (cracks and peeling) caused by thermal shock, etc. Therefore, to maintain the functionality of the shaped refractory layer, periodic repairs are required. In a typical periodic repair, the shaped refractory layer on the inner surface of the structure is broken up and removed with heavy machinery (breakers), and new shaped refractory is then laid down by hand.

[0007] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 10-238963

[0008] However, when the shaped refractory layer is crushed and removed as described above, fragments of shaped refractory with different compositions are collected in a mixed state. Therefore, in order to reuse the collected shaped refractory, it is necessary to separate the fragments of shaped refractory according to their composition. Methods for separating refractories include, for example, methods using magnetic force, specific gravity, color, etc. However, depending on the type of shaped refractory used, it may be difficult to separate them using these methods, which is a factor hindering the reuse of used shaped refractory.

[0009] Therefore, in order to efficiently reuse used shaped refractories, a technology is required that can dismantle shaped refractories of different compositions without mixing them.

[0010] On the other hand, Patent Document 1 proposes a method of dismantling a refractory layer by using a wheel cutter to make cuts in the refractory layer and causing it to separate and fall off. Unlike the above-mentioned method of crushing a refractory layer using heavy machinery, this method does not break the shaped refractory into small fragments.

[0011] However, Patent Document 1 merely proposes the above method for reducing noise during demolition, and does not consider demolition without mixing shaped refractories with different compositions. Therefore, the method described in Patent Document 1 does not allow demolition without mixing shaped refractories with different compositions.

[0012] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to dismantle a shaped refractory layer without mixing shaped refractories of different compositions.

[0013] The present invention aims to solve the above problems, and has the following gist and configuration.

[0014] 1. A demolition system for dismantling a standardized refractory layer consisting of multiple layers provided on the inner surface of a structure, comprising: a three-dimensional shape measuring device that measures the three-dimensional shape of the inner surface of the structure; a calculation device that determines which layer of standardized refractory material exposed on the surface of the standardized refractory layer is based on the three-dimensional shape measured by the three-dimensional shape measuring device; and a demolition device that dismantles the standardized refractory layer layer by layer based on the results of calculation by the calculation device.

[0015] 2. The demolition system according to claim 1, further comprising an imaging device that captures an image of the inner surface of the structure, wherein the arithmetic device detects boundaries between adjacent shaped refractories in a plane direction among the shaped refractories that make up the shaped refractory layer, based on the image captured by the imaging device and the three-dimensional shape measured by the three-dimensional shape measuring device.

[0016] 3. The demolition system according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising a carrying-out device that carries the shaped refractories dismantled by the demolition device out of the structure.

[0017] 4. The dismantling system according to claim 3, further comprising a sorting device that sorts the shaped refractories carried out by the carrying-out device according to the layer number of the shaped refractories and collects them in separate containers.

[0018] 5. A demolition method for dismantling a standardized refractory layer consisting of multiple layers provided on the inner surface of a structure, the demolition method comprising: a three-dimensional shape measurement step of measuring the three-dimensional shape of the inner surface of the structure; a calculation step of determining which layer of standardized refractory material exposed on the surface of the standardized refractory layer is based on the three-dimensional shape measured in the three-dimensional shape measurement step; and a demolition step of dismantling the standardized refractory layer layer by layer based on the result of the calculation in the calculation step.

[0019] 6. The dismantling method according to claim 5, further comprising an imaging step of acquiring an image of the inner surface of the structure, wherein in the calculation step, a boundary between adjacent shaped refractories constituting the shaped refractory layer in a surface direction is detected based on the image acquired in the imaging step and the three-dimensional shape measured in the three-dimensional shape measurement step.

[0020] 7. The dismantling method according to claim 5 or 6, further comprising a carrying-out step of carrying out the shaped refractories dismantled in the dismantling step to the outside of the structure.

[0021] 8. The dismantling method according to item 7 above, further comprising a sorting step of sorting the shaped refractories carried out in the carrying-out step according to the layer number of the shaped refractories, and recovering the shaped refractories in separate containers.

[0022] According to the present invention, a shaped refractory layer can be dismantled without mixing shaped refractories having different compositions.

[0023] Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram showing an example of the structure of a structure provided with a refractory layer. Fig. 2 is a block diagram of a demolition system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 3 is a block diagram of a demolition system according to another embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 4 is a schematic diagram of a demolition system according to an embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of a suction hand. Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of a wedge-shaped plate. Fig. 7 is a schematic diagram showing an example of a sorting device.

[0024] The present invention will be described in detail below. Note that the following description is of preferred embodiments of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described below.

[0025] [Demolition System] A demolition system 1 according to one embodiment of the present invention is a demolition system for demolishing a shaped refractory layer consisting of multiple layers provided on the inner surface of a structure, and as shown in Fig. 2, includes a three-dimensional shape measuring device 10, a computing device 20, and a demolition device 30. Each part will be described in detail below.

[0026] The structure may be any structure having a refractory layer at least on its inner surface. The structure may be, for example, a structure for molten metal. Examples of the structure for molten metal include molten metal vessels such as hot metal ladles, molten steel ladles, and refining vessels, and molten metal troughs such as blast furnace troughs.

[0027] Refractory Layer: The present invention can be applied to any shaped refractory layer, regardless of its material or structure, as long as it is a shaped refractory layer consisting of multiple layers. The number of layers constituting the shaped refractory layer may be any number of two or more, and there is no particular upper limit. Typically, the number of layers may be five or less, four or less, or three or less.

[0028] Although the numbering of layers is not particularly limited, in this specification, the layer on the innermost side of the structure is defined as the first layer as shown in FIG.

[0029] Of the multiple layers constituting the shaped refractory layer, it is preferable that at least one of the shaped refractory layers has a composition different from the shaped refractories constituting the other layers. For example, when the number of layers is two, the shaped refractory of the first layer may have a different composition from the shaped refractory of the second layer. When the number of layers is three, the shaped refractory of the first layer, the shaped refractory of the second layer, and the shaped refractory of the third layer may all have different compositions. Furthermore, two of the three layers may have the same composition, and the remaining layer may have a different composition. The same applies when the number of layers is four or more. However, the present invention can also be applied without any problems to the dismantling of shaped refractories in which all layers are composed of shaped refractories of the same composition.

[0030] As mentioned above, a monolithic refractory layer may be further provided on the surface of the monolithic refractory layer (on the inner surface side of the structure). The present invention is also applicable to such cases. When a monolithic refractory layer is present, the monolithic refractory layer may be removed prior to the dismantling of the monolithic refractory layer according to the present invention. The removal of the monolithic refractory layer is not particularly limited and can be carried out using various known methods.

[0031] Three-dimensional shape measuring device: The three-dimensional measuring device is not particularly limited, and any device can be used as long as it can measure the three-dimensional shape of the inner surface of a structure. Suitable three-dimensional shape measuring devices include, for example, a three-dimensional laser scanner, a photogrammetry-based three-dimensional shape measuring device, and a pattern projection-based three-dimensional shape measuring device. Among these, it is preferable to use a pattern projection-based measuring device, which is a measurement method based on triangulation.

[0032] The measurement of the three-dimensional shape may be performed once or multiple times. If the entire measurement range fits within the field of view of the measuring device used, three-dimensional shape data of the entire structure can be obtained in a single measurement. For example, if the structure is a container, a three-dimensional laser scanner is placed on the central axis of the container and at the height of the container mouth, and a 360° laser scan is performed around the central axis of the container, thereby obtaining the three-dimensional shape of the inner surface of the container in a single measurement.

[0033] On the other hand, when performing measurements using photogrammetry, the measurement range is limited to the camera's field of view due to the measurement principle. Therefore, the inner surface of a structure must be measured multiple times while changing the orientation and position of the measuring device (camera), and the data must be combined in post-processing to obtain 3D shape data for the entire inner surface of the structure.

[0034] By measuring the three-dimensional shape in this way, it is possible to measure the shape of the inner surface of the structure, including fine structures such as the unevenness of the joints between the shaped refractories. From the viewpoint of measurement accuracy, it is preferable to measure multiple times using a pattern projection method, which is a measurement method based on triangulation.

[0035] The type of data obtained by the three-dimensional shape measuring device is not particularly limited, but may be, for example, three-dimensional point cloud data. When performing multiple measurements, the measured shape data may be stitched together to create one three-dimensional shape data. In this case, when measuring the shape of adjacent areas, it is preferable to set the measurement ranges so that they partially overlap. This makes it easy to stitch together the data.

[0036] The data measured by the three-dimensional shape measuring device includes positional information of the shaped refractory exposed on the surface of the shaped refractory layer. Examples of the positional information include the position of the shaped refractory in the depth direction and the surface direction. Here, the "depth direction" can be referred to as the thickness direction of the shaped refractory layer. Furthermore, the "surface direction" is a direction parallel to the inner surface of the structure. For example, if the structure is a vessel having a circular cross section, the "surface direction" can be rephrased as the circumferential direction of the vessel's inner surface.

[0037] The installation position of the three-dimensional shape measuring device is not particularly limited, and it can be installed at any position where it can measure the inner surface of the structure, i.e., the shape of the fixed refractory layer to be demolished. The three-dimensional shape measuring device may be provided in a demolition device described below. When the three-dimensional shape measuring device is provided in the demolition device, the measurement range of the three-dimensional shape measuring device can be changed by driving the demolition device. The three-dimensional shape measuring device may also be provided separately from the demolition device. When the three-dimensional shape measuring device is provided separately from the demolition device, the measuring device can also be installed in the facility that uses the structure.

[0038] It should be noted that dust is generated when the shaped refractory layer is dismantled, so it is preferable that the three-dimensional shape measuring device is provided with dust-proof measures.

[0039] As described above, the present invention aims to dismantle a shaped refractory layer without mixing shaped refractories of different compositions. To achieve this, the shaped refractory layer is dismantled layer by layer using a dismantling device, which will be described later. In this case, if the shaped refractory layer is unused, all of the shaped refractory exposed on the surface of the shaped refractory layer is the first shaped refractory layer. However, as the structure is used, contact with contents such as molten metal progresses the deterioration of the refractory layer, and portions of the shaped refractory may peel off. In such peeled portions, the shaped refractory of the second or subsequent layers is exposed on the surface. Therefore, in order to dismantle shaped refractories of different compositions without mixing them, it is necessary to determine the layer number of each shaped refractory to be dismantled.

[0040] Therefore, the dismantling system of the present invention includes a computing device that determines the layer number of the shaped refractory exposed on the surface of the shaped refractory layer based on the three-dimensional shape measured by the three-dimensional shape measuring device.

[0041] The computing device may be any device capable of making the determination, and may be, for example, a computer having a recording medium containing software for making the determination.

[0042] The arithmetic unit can also serve as a control unit that controls the various devices included in the dismantling system of the present invention and the various devices used in cooperation with the dismantling system. Also, a control unit that controls the various devices can be provided separately from the arithmetic unit.

[0043] Dismantling device: The dismantling device dismantles the shaped refractory layer layer by layer based on the results of calculation by the computing device. Here, dismantling the shaped refractory layer means removing the shaped refractories that make up the shaped refractory layer. In the dismantling, the shaped refractories may be removed one by one, or multiple shaped refractories may be removed together. In addition, in the dismantling, the shaped refractories may be pulled out from the shaped refractory layer while being held, or may be peeled off and dropped downward.

[0044] The dismantling device preferably includes a dismantling tool for dismantling the shaped refractory layer. The dismantling tool may have any structure as long as it can dismantle the shaped refractory layer layer by layer. The dismantling tool may include, for example, a holding mechanism (hand) for holding the shaped refractory and pulling it out of the shaped refractory layer. As the holding mechanism, a suction hand that suction-holds the shaped refractory is preferably used. The suction hand may be configured to suction-hold only one shaped refractory, but from the viewpoint of work efficiency, it is preferably configured to suction-hold multiple shaped refractories together.

[0045] The demolition tool may also include a peeling mechanism for peeling off the shaped refractory material. The peeling mechanism preferably includes, for example, a wedge-shaped plate for inserting into the back surface of the shaped refractory material layer. Details of these demolition tools will be described later.

[0046] The dismantling device preferably includes a moving means for moving the dismantling tool. The moving means is not particularly limited and any moving means may be used, but it is preferable to use a moving means having three or more degrees of freedom.

[0047] For example, when demolishing a shaped refractory layer provided on the inner peripheral surface of a structure having a circular cross section as shown in FIG. 1, a moving means capable of moving in three directions, namely, the vertical direction (lifting direction), the circumferential direction (turning direction), and the front-rear direction (radial direction), may be used. Furthermore, a multi-joint robot may also be used as the moving means. The multi-joint robot may be, for example, a horizontal multi-joint robot or a vertical multi-joint robot. Of these, a vertical multi-joint robot is preferably used, and a six-axis vertical multi-joint robot is more preferably used. A commercially available general-purpose robot may be used as the multi-joint robot.

[0048] When an articulated robot is used as the moving means, it is preferable to provide the demolition tool at the tip of the robot arm. In other words, it is preferable that the demolition device includes an articulated robot and a demolition tool attached to the tip of the arm of the articulated robot. With this structure, a wide range of shaped refractory layers can be demolitioned with a single demolition tool. The tool attached to the tip of the robot arm in this way is generally called an end effector.

[0049] When a demolition tool is attached to the tip of the robot arm, the demolition tool can be detachable so that it can be replaced with another tool. For example, if the demolition tool is replaced with a hydraulic drifter, the articulated robot can be used to crush and remove the castable refractory layer on the inner wall of the structure, as well as the slag and metal adhering to its surface. A system that allows the exchange of different types of tools in this way is generally called a tool changer. In other words, the demolition device of the present invention preferably includes a tool changer.

[0050] Furthermore, when the size of the structure is large and the robot's range of motion is not sufficient to cover the entire height of the shaped refractory layer, it is preferable to use a combination of a robot and a lifting device that moves the robot vertically as the moving means.

[0051] The shaped refractories dismantled by the dismantling device can be recovered and reused as necessary. It is preferable to use a discharge device and a sorting device to recover the shaped refractories, as described below, but even if a discharge device is not available, the shaped refractories can be recovered by any method. If a discharge device and a sorting device are not used, some of the work must be done manually, but the configuration of the dismantling system can be simplified and costs can be reduced.

[0052] For example, the shaped refractories dismantled by the dismantling device can be temporarily placed inside the structure (such as at the bottom of a container), and then the temporarily placed shaped refractories can be recovered using heavy machinery or the like. In this case, it is preferable to recover the shaped refractories layer by layer so that shaped refractories with different compositions do not mix. That is, when the first layer of shaped refractories has been completely dismantled, the shaped refractories are recovered, and then the dismantling of the second layer of shaped refractories begins.

[0053] The structure can also be tilted to make it easier to retrieve it using heavy machinery, etc. The method for tilting the structure is not particularly limited, but for example, a tilting device for tilting the structure can be installed at the location where the demolition work will be carried out.

[0054] It is also preferable to install a container in the structure for temporarily storing the dismantled shaped refractories. For example, the first layer of shaped refractories is dismantled using a dismantling device, and the dismantled first layer of shaped refractories is collected in the container. Thereafter, the second layer is dismantled while the container is covered to prevent the shaped refractories from entering. In this way, it is possible to prevent the mixing of shaped refractories having different compositions.

[0055] Imaging Device: As shown in Fig. 3, the demolition system 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include an imaging device 15 for capturing images of the inner surface of the structure. That is, the shaped refractory layer is made by stacking a plurality of shaped refractories. Therefore, when demolition of the shaped refractory layer with the demolition equipment, it is preferable to detect the boundaries (joints) between the shaped refractories constituting the shaped refractory layer and operate the demolition equipment based on the detection results.

[0056] The joints between the shaped refractories usually have a different shape from the shaped refractory parts. Typically, the joints are more convex or concave than the surrounding shaped refractories. Therefore, the joints can be detected based on the three-dimensional shape measured by a three-dimensional shape measuring device. However, if the demolition system is equipped with an imaging device, the boundaries between adjacent shaped refractories constituting the shaped refractory layer in the planar direction can be detected based on the images acquired by the imaging device and the three-dimensional shape measured by the three-dimensional shape measuring device. This improves the accuracy of boundary detection. The boundary detection can be performed by the computing device.

[0057] The imaging device may be a monochrome camera, but is preferably a color camera from the viewpoint of detection accuracy.

[0058] A machine learning model can also be used to detect the boundaries. In this case, images captured by an imaging device can be used as training data. For example, multiple image data of the refractory surface layer are collected, and labels are assigned to the joints in the image data (annotation). Next, model learning is performed using the image data as training data. The resulting learning model is used to automatically detect joints from images acquired by the imaging device. It is more preferable to use both images captured by the imaging device and three-dimensional shape data acquired by a three-dimensional shape measuring device.

[0059] The installation position of the imaging device is not particularly limited, and it can be installed at any position where it can acquire an image of the inner surface of the structure, i.e., the standard refractory layer to be demolished. The imaging device may be provided in a demolition device. When the imaging device is provided in the demolition device, the imaging range of the imaging device can be changed by driving the demolition device. The imaging device may also be provided separately from the demolition device. When the imaging device is provided separately from the demolition device, a measuring device can also be provided in the facility that uses the structure.

[0060] The imaging device may be provided separately from the three-dimensional shape measuring device, or the three-dimensional shape measuring device may also function as the imaging device. In other words, a three-dimensional shape measuring device having a function of acquiring images can be used.

[0061] It should be noted that dust is generated when the shaped refractory layer is dismantled, so it is preferable that the imaging device be provided with dust-proof measures.

[0062] The demolition system 1 according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include a carrying-out device 40 for carrying out the shaped refractories dismantled by the demolition device to the outside of the structure, as shown in Fig. 3. By using the carrying-out device, the dismantled shaped refractories can be efficiently carried out.

[0063] The discharged shaped refractory is preferably recovered in a container or the like. In this case, by replacing the recovery container depending on which layer the discharged shaped refractory is, the shaped refractory constituting each layer can be separated and recovered in separate containers. The recovery container may be replaced manually, for example. However, from the viewpoint of automating the work, it is preferable to use a sorting device as described below.

[0064] The carrying-out device is not particularly limited, and any device can be used as long as it can carry shaped refractories.

[0065] As shown in Fig. 3, the dismantling system 1 in another embodiment of the present invention preferably further includes a sorting device (sorter) 50 that sorts the shaped refractories carried out by the carrying-out device according to the layer number of the shaped refractories and collects them in separate containers. By using the sorting device, the shaped refractories can be separated and collected without manual intervention.

[0066] The sorting device is not particularly limited, and any device can be used as long as it can collect the shaped refractory material in separate containers for each layer. Typically, a sorting device including a conveyor that transports the shaped refractory material to the collection container and a switching device that switches the destination of the shaped refractory material midway along the transporting device may be used. The switching device may be any type, such as a flip-up type that switches the destination by flipping up a part of the conveyor, a turntable type that switches the destination by rotating on a plane, or a guide plate type that switches the destination by driving a guide plate on the conveyor.

[0067] The sorting device is preferably an automatic sorting device that automatically sorts the shaped refractory discharged by the discharge device according to the layer number of the shaped refractory. For example, the information determined by the arithmetic device can be transmitted to a control device, and the control device can automatically control the sorting device.

[0068] As described above, by using the imaging device, the carrying-out device, and the sorting device, the dismantling and separation and recovery of shaped refractories can be performed more efficiently. Note that, although the dismantling system 1 in Fig. 3 is equipped with all of the imaging device 15, the carrying-out device 40, and the sorting device 50, these devices can be used in any combination as needed.

[0069] The recovered shaped refractories may contain components other than the shaped refractories, such as slag and metals. Therefore, an additional sorting device may be provided downstream of the sorting device. The additional sorting device is not particularly limited, and any type of sorting device may be used alone or in combination. Examples of sorting devices include magnetic separators, gravity separators, and color separators. By providing an additional sorting device, the adhering slag and metals can be separated, further facilitating the recycling of the recovered refractories.

[0070] Next, specific embodiments of the dismantling system of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0071] 4 is a schematic diagram of a dismantling system 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The dismantling system 1 includes a three-dimensional shape measuring device 10, an imaging device 15, a dismantling device 30, a carrying-out device 40, a sorting device 50, and a computing device (not shown).

[0072] Structure 100 is a molten metal vessel having a circular cross section, and shaped refractory layer 120 provided on the inner surface of structure 100 has a two-layer structure consisting of a first shaped refractory layer 121 and a second shaped refractory layer 122.

[0073] The demolition device 30 is installed inside the structure 100, and includes a vertical articulated robot 31, a suction hand 32 as a demolition tool, and a lifting device 33. The suction hand 32 is provided at the tip of the arm of the vertical articulated robot 31.

[0074] The suction hand 32 can reach the entire circumference of the inner surface of the structure 100 by rotating the vertical articulated robot 31. Furthermore, the vertical articulated robot 31 is placed on a lifting device 33 and is configured to be able to move up and down freely. Therefore, by combining the operation of the vertical articulated robot 31 itself with the lifting operation of the lifting device 33, the suction hand 32 can reach any position on the inner surface of the structure 100.

[0075] 5 is a schematic diagram showing the operation of the suction hand 32. The shaped refractory can be removed from the shaped refractory layer by pulling it out while it is suctioned by the suction hand 32. By repeating this operation, the shaped refractory layer can be dismantled. When using the suction hand 32, it is preferable to suction a flat portion of the surface of the shaped refractory. It is also preferable to suction the shaped refractory at a position as close as possible to the center of gravity.

[0076] The three-dimensional shape measuring device 10 and the imaging device 15 are provided on a vertical articulated robot 31 of the dismantling device 30. Therefore, by operating the vertical articulated robot 31 and the lifting device 33, the measurement ranges of the three-dimensional shape measuring device 10 and the imaging device 15 can be changed.

[0077] A carrying-out device 40 is installed inside the structure 100 to carry out the dismantled shaped refractories to the outside of the structure 100. The shaped refractories dismantled by the dismantling device 30 are carried out by the carrying-out device 40 and handed over to the sorting device 50. The carrying-out device 40 having the structure shown in Fig. 4 is generally called a hoist.

[0078] The dismantling system 1 of this embodiment includes a flip-up type sorting device 50. The sorting device 50 includes belt conveyors 51a, 51b, and 51c, and the belt conveyor 51b can be flipped up as shown in FIG. 4. When the first layer of shaped refractory material is being dismantled, the belt conveyor 51b is in a flip-up state. As a result, the shaped refractory material transported by the belt conveyor 51a is collected in a collection container 52a.

[0079] When the dismantling and recovery of the first layer of shaped refractories is completed, the belt conveyor 51b is lowered. Then, the belt conveyors 51a and 51c are connected via the belt conveyor 51b. Therefore, the shaped refractories are transported sequentially by the belt conveyors 51a, 51b, and 51c, and are finally recovered in the recovery container 52b.

[0080] By operating the sorting device 50 in this manner, the first layer of shaped refractory and the second layer of shaped refractory can be collected in separate containers. Note that although the example described here is one in which the shaped refractory layer is made up of two layers, even if the number of layers is three or more, separation and collection can be achieved in the same way by adding a belt conveyor and collection containers.

[0081] The operation of the sorting device 50, for example, the lifting operation of the belt conveyor 51b, is preferably controlled by a control device (not shown).

[0082] (Variation 1) In the embodiment shown in Figures 4 and 5, the suction hand 32 is used as the demolition tool, but other demolition tools can also be used. For example, as shown in Figure 6, a wedge-shaped plate 34 can be used as the demolition tool. By inserting the wedge-shaped plate 34 between the first shaped refractory layer 121 exposed on the surface and the second shaped refractory layer, the first shaped refractory layer 121 can be peeled off. Generalizing this, that is, by inserting the wedge-shaped plate 34 between the nth shaped refractory layer exposed on the surface and the (n+1)th shaped refractory layer, the nth shaped refractory layer can be peeled off. Here, n is a natural number.

[0083] When peeling off the shaped refractory material using the wedge-shaped plate 34, as shown in FIG. 6( b), the wedge-shaped plate 34 is first moved along the inner circumferential direction of the structure 100 to insert it between the shaped refractory materials. Next, the wedge-shaped plate 34 is pulled toward the user to peel off the shaped refractory material. This operation can basically be performed by moving the arm of the vertical articulated robot 31. In this case, to properly insert the wedge-shaped plate 34 between the shaped refractory materials, it is necessary to accurately control the position of the wedge-shaped plate 34 and press it against the second shaped refractory layer 122. Therefore, for example, the force applied to the arm of the vertical articulated robot 31 can be measured by a sensor, and the pressing force of the wedge-shaped plate 34 can be controlled based on the measurement result.

[0084] Furthermore, the wedge-shaped plate 34 can be inserted between the shaped refractories and moved in the inner circumferential direction of the structure 100, thereby utilizing the thickness of the wedge-shaped plate 34 to peel off the shaped refractories. In this case, only one shaped refractory can be peeled off in one operation, but by continuing to move the wedge-shaped plate 34 laterally, multiple shaped refractories present in the same row can also be peeled off consecutively.

[0085] It is also preferable to use an air cylinder 35 provided between the tip of the arm and the wedge-shaped plate 34. Specifically, by operating the air cylinder 35 to press the wedge-shaped plate 34 against the second shaped refractory layer 122, and then moving the arm, the wedge-shaped plate 34 can be easily inserted.

[0086] In cases where there is not enough space between the shaped refractories or where the shaped refractories are tightly adhered to each other by a joint material (mortar), it is difficult to insert the wedge-shaped plate 34 by simply moving the arm. In such cases, it is preferable to insert the wedge-shaped plate 34 while applying impact vibrations to it using a piston vibrator 36.

[0087] Furthermore, if the air cylinder 35 and the piston vibrator 36 are used together, the impact vibration transmitted to the arm can be attenuated by the air cylinder 35, so that the wedge-shaped plate 34 can be controlled more accurately.

[0088] When the wedge-shaped plate 34 is used as a demolition tool, the peeled shaped refractory material falls downward. Therefore, the demolition system 1 preferably includes an intermediate conveying device for transporting the fallen shaped refractory material and transferring it to the carrying-out device 40. The intermediate conveying device may be, for example, an annular conveyor installed below the structure 100. By installing the annular conveyor adjacent to the inner surface of the structure 100, the peeled shaped refractory material falls onto the conveyor and is automatically transported to the carrying-out device 40. The annular conveyor may be operated, for example, to circulate continuously. With this structure, the shaped refractory material can be automatically transported to the outside of the structure regardless of where the demolition is performed around the entire circumference (360°) of the inner surface of the structure.

[0089] 4, a flip-up type sorting device is used as the sorting device 50, but other types of sorting devices may also be used. For example, as shown in FIG. 7, a guide plate type sorting device 50 may be used in which a guide plate 53 on a belt conveyor 51 is driven to switch the destination of the transport.

[0090] In the sorting device 50 shown in Fig. 7, collection containers 52a and 52b are installed at the end of one belt conveyor 51, and it is possible to switch which collection container the shaped refractories are collected into depending on the position of the guide plate 53. That is, when the guide plate 53 is in the position shown in Fig. 7(a), the shaped refractories are collected into the collection container 52a, and when the guide plate 53 is in the position shown in Fig. 7(b), the shaped refractories are collected into the collection container 52b.

[0091] Therefore, when the first layer of shaped refractories is being dismantled and carried out, the guide plate 53 is set to the position shown in Fig. 7(a). After that, when the first layer of shaped refractories has been completely carried out, the guide plate 53 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 7(b), and the second layer of shaped refractories can be dismantled and carried out.

[0092] [Dismantling Method] Next, a dismantling method according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described, although explanations of parts that overlap with the explanation of the dismantling system will be omitted.

[0093] It should be noted that the matters described in the description of the dismantling system above can be applied to the dismantling method of this embodiment in any combination, either in part or in whole. For example, when implementing the dismantling method of this embodiment, the above-mentioned dismantling system can be used in part or in whole. Conversely, the matters described in the following description of the dismantling method can be applied to the dismantling system in any combination, either in part or in whole. For example, the above dismantling system can be equipped with a control device for implementing the dismantling method described below and its detailed operations.

[0094] The demolition method of the present invention comprises a three-dimensional shape measurement process for measuring the three-dimensional shape of the inner surface of a structure, a calculation process for determining which layer of standard refractory material exposed on the surface of the standard refractory layer is based on the three-dimensional shape measured in the three-dimensional shape measurement process, and a demolition process for dismantling the standard refractory layer layer by layer based on the results calculated in the calculation process.

[0095] The three-dimensional shape measurement process is as already described in the description of the three-dimensional shape measurement device, and the measurement may be performed once or multiple times. When measuring the inner surface of a structure multiple times while changing the orientation or position of the three-dimensional shape measurement device, it is preferable to perform the measurements while shifting the measurement range so that part of the measurement range overlaps so that the measurement data can be combined.

[0096] In the calculation step, the layer number of the shaped refractory exposed on the surface of the shaped refractory layer is determined based on the three-dimensional shape measured in the three-dimensional shape measurement step. That is, the measured three-dimensional shape data includes information on the irregularities (depth position) of the inner surface of the structure, so that the layer number of the refractory located on the surface at each position on the inner surface of the structure can be determined based on that information. In other words, the determination can be made by utilizing the fact that the depth (depth position) varies from layer to layer. For example, in the measured three-dimensional shape data, the refractory located closest to the surface can be determined to be the first layer, and the shaped refractory located further back can be determined to be the second layer or later.

[0097] The specific determination method in the calculation step is not particularly limited, and can be performed by any method. The calculation step preferably includes a boundary detection step for detecting boundaries between adjacent shaped refractories. The boundary detection step can include one or both of a surface direction boundary detection step for detecting boundaries between adjacent shaped refractories in the surface direction, and an interlayer boundary detection step for detecting boundaries between adjacent shaped refractory layers in the depth direction. In the subsequent demolition step, information on the detected boundaries can be used to control the position, direction, operation, etc. of a demolition tool.

[0098] In the above determination, in addition to the measured three-dimensional shape data, any other information may be used. For example, design information (drawing information) including the structure and dimensions of the standard refractory layer and the entire structure may be used. In this case, by comparing the measured three-dimensional shape data with the design information, it is possible to easily determine which layer of standard refractory the standard refractory is. 3D CAD data, etc. may be used as the design information. When comparing the measured three-dimensional shape data with the design information, it is preferable to fit the two and determine a coordinate transformation matrix.

[0099] In addition, it is also preferable to use the dimensions of the shaped refractory material used, particularly its thickness (depth dimension), to determine the boundary between layers. For example, a threshold value for determination may be determined in advance based on the thickness of the shaped refractory material used, and when the difference in the depth direction position in the three-dimensional shape data exceeds the threshold value, it may be determined that a layer has changed.

[0100] In the calculation process, the operator may first input which shaped refractory layer the surface in the measured three-dimensional shape data is. In this case, the demolition system preferably includes a display device (such as a monitor) for visually displaying information such as the three-dimensional shape data, and an input device (such as a keyboard or mouse) for the operator to input information. Furthermore, after the demolition of one layer is completed, the operator may again input the layer number.

[0101] To facilitate the layer determination, one or more pieces of the first shaped refractory layer may be removed by an operator in advance. That is, the determination can be easily made by removing the first shaped refractory layer before performing the three-dimensional shape measurement and calculation.

[0102] The three-dimensional shape measurement step and the calculation step may each be performed once, or may be repeated multiple times. For example, the three-dimensional shape of the entire area of ​​the inner surface of the structure to be dismantled may be measured, and then the calculation step may be performed all at once based on the obtained three-dimensional shape data. Furthermore, when the inner surface of the structure is measured multiple times while changing the orientation or position of the three-dimensional shape measurement device, the calculation step may be performed for the measured area each time a measurement is performed.

[0103] In the calculation step, various other pieces of information can be further obtained based on the obtained three-dimensional shape data. Typically, it is preferable to calculate the position information of each shaped refractory to be dismantled. Examples of the position information of the shaped refractory include the position of the shaped refractory in a direction parallel to the inner surface of the structure (face direction) and the position of the shaped refractory in a direction perpendicular to the inner surface of the structure (depth direction), and it is preferable to calculate both of these.

[0104] The calculation step can also determine the order in which the shaped refractories are dismantled. For example, the first layer of shaped refractories can be dismantled one by one from the top to the bottom, and then the second layer can be similarly dismantled one by one from the top to the bottom. When dismantling one layer of shaped refractories, the dismantling can be performed by moving the demolition tool in the circumferential direction along the inner surface of the structure. It is also preferable to determine a specific operation plan (operation pattern) for the demolition device based on this dismantling order. When actually performing the dismantling, a signal for operating the demolition device can be sent from a controller connected to the calculation device based on the determined operation plan.

[0105] Dismantling step: Next, the shaped refractory layer is dismantled layer by layer based on the results calculated in the calculation step. Details of the dismantling step have already been described in the description of the dismantling device, and the dismantling step can typically be performed using a dismantling device equipped with a dismantling tool for dismantling the shaped refractory layer.

[0106] The movements and movement paths of the demolition tools when carrying out the demolition are preferably determined based on the three-dimensional shape data measured as described above, and more preferably determined by the arithmetic device.

[0107] The dismantling method according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include an imaging step of acquiring an image of the inner surface of the structure. Then, in the calculation step, the boundaries between adjacent shaped refractories can be detected based on the image acquired in the imaging step and the three-dimensional shape measured in the three-dimensional shape measurement step. This improves the accuracy of boundary detection.

[0108] The dismantling method according to another embodiment of the present invention may further include a carrying-out step of carrying out the shaped refractories dismantled in the dismantling step to the outside of the structure. For example, when the structure is a molten metal vessel, the shaped refractories are carried out of the molten metal vessel. In the carrying-out step, it is preferable to use the carrying-out device described above.

[0109] In another embodiment of the present invention, the dismantling method preferably further comprises a sorting step of sorting the shaped refractories carried out in the carrying-out step according to the layer number of the shaped refractories, and recovering the shaped refractories in separate containers. In the sorting step, it is preferable to use the sorting device described above.

[0110] The recovered shaped refractories may have components other than the shaped refractories, such as slag or metals, attached to them. Therefore, an additional sorting step can be provided after the sorting step. The additional sorting step is not particularly limited, and any sorting step can be used, either alone or in combination. Examples of sorting steps include magnetic sorting, gravity sorting, and color sorting. By providing an additional sorting step, the attached slag, metals, etc. can be sorted out, making it even easier to recycle the recovered refractories.

[0111] As described above, according to the present invention, a shaped refractory layer can be dismantled without mixing shaped refractories of different compositions. Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment of the present invention, shaped refractories of different compositions can be recovered without being mixed. Therefore, according to the present invention, the recovered shaped refractories can be easily recycled and the quality of the shaped refractories produced by recycling can be improved.

[0112] REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 1 Demolition system 10 Three-dimensional shape measuring device 15 Imaging device 20 Computing device 30 Demolition device 31 Vertical articulated robot 32 Suction hand (demolition tool) 33 Lifting device 34 Wedge-shaped plate (demolition tool) 35 Air cylinder 36 Piston vibrator 40 Carrying-out device 50 Sorting device 100 Structure 110 Structure main body 120 Fixed shaped refractory layer 121 First fixed shaped refractory layer 122 Second fixed shaped refractory layer

Claims

1. A demolition system for dismantling a multi-layered shaped refractory layer provided on the inner surface of a structure, comprising: a three-dimensional shape measuring device for measuring the three-dimensional shape of the inner surface of the structure; a calculation device for determining which layer of shaped refractory material exposed on the surface of the shaped refractory layer is based on the three-dimensional shape measured by the three-dimensional shape measuring device; and a demolition device for dismantling the shaped refractory layer layer by layer based on the results calculated by the calculation device.

2. The demolition system of claim 1 further comprises an imaging device that acquires images of the inner surface of the structure, and the computing device detects the boundaries between adjacent standard refractories that make up the standard refractory layer in the surface direction based on the images acquired by the imaging device and the three-dimensional shape measured by the three-dimensional shape measuring device.

3. A demolition system as described in claim 1 or 2, further comprising a conveying device for conveying the shaped refractory materials dismantled by the demolition device outside the structure.

4. A dismantling system as described in claim 3, further comprising a sorting device that sorts the standard refractory materials carried out by the carrying-out device according to the layer number of the standard refractory materials and collects them in separate containers.

5. A demolition method for dismantling a multi-layered shaped refractory layer provided on the inner surface of a structure, comprising: a three-dimensional shape measurement step for measuring the three-dimensional shape of the inner surface of the structure; a calculation step for determining which layer of shaped refractory material exposed on the surface of the shaped refractory layer is based on the three-dimensional shape measured in the three-dimensional shape measurement step; and a demolition step for dismantling the shaped refractory layer layer by layer based on the results calculated in the calculation step.

6. A dismantling method as described in claim 5, further comprising an imaging step of acquiring an image of the inner surface of the structure, wherein in the calculation step, boundaries between adjacent shaped refractories constituting the shaped refractory layer in the surface direction are detected based on the image acquired in the imaging step and the three-dimensional shape measured in the three-dimensional shape measurement step.

7. A dismantling method according to claim 5 or 6, further comprising a carrying-out step of carrying out the shaped refractories dismantled in the dismantling step outside the structure.

8. A dismantling method as described in claim 7, further comprising a sorting step of sorting the standard refractories carried out in the carrying-out step according to the layer number of the standard refractories and recovering them in separate containers.

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