Tap hole drilling and setting device

Abstract

The invention relates to a drilling and setting device (10), wherein the drilling and setting device (10) has a drilling device (20) and a setting device (30), the drilling device (20) has a drill pipe (22), the drill pipe (22) has an inner cylinder (70) for receiving the drill core, the drill pipe (22) has an outer pipe (24) and an inner pipe (26), the inner pipe (26) is adjacent to the inner cylinder (70), a cavity for guiding water is provided between the inner pipe (26) and the outer pipe (24), the setting device (30) has a support device (34) for a refractory lining element (90) and a fixing device (32) for temporarily fixing the refractory lining element (90), and the drilling and setting device (10) has a movement device (40) for moving the drilling device (20) and the setting device (30).

Description

[0001] January 9, 2026

[0002] 1 / 14

[0003] Keyhole drilling and setting device

[0004] The invention relates to a drilling and setting device with which a tap hole in a converter can be drilled and fitted with new wear elements.

[0005] In steel production, pig iron is melted in a converter and, for example, converted into low-carbon steel through the introduction of oxygen in the Linz-Donawitz process. The steel is then poured through the taphole. However, the lining of this taphole must be renewed regularly, on the order of weekly. This requires removing the old refractory lining, preferably without damaging the permanent refractory lining of the converter housing itself, and installing a new refractory lining, particularly in the form of a tubular refractory taphole brick. Several aspects should be considered during this process. Firstly, downtime due to failure should always be minimized. In the case of the converter, it is also important that the converter remains at operating temperature as much as possible to reduce unnecessary energy losses. This means that a shorter downtime is particularly advantageous.Additionally, the higher temperature also means that greater automation and the elimination of manual labor are advantageous for safety reasons. Currently, various drilling or chiseling methods are used, mostly with manual steps, for example, to temporarily fix the new keyhole stone after insertion by wedging.

[0006] From DE 100 12014 A1 a device for renewing a spout opening of a converter is known.

[0007] A drill string is known from CN 204752771 U.

[0008] From EP 0065943 B1, a method for the rapid drilling of a pilot hole is known, which enables the production of a refractory lining inside a large-diameter borehole. 09.01.2026

[0009] 2 / 14

[0010] From DE 102016 110548 A1 a drilling tool for a drilling machine for drilling out tap holes of furnaces, in particular blast furnaces, is known.

[0011] The object of the invention is to provide a device for the rapid replacement of the fireproof lining of a taphole.

[0012] This problem is solved by the drilling and setting device with the features specified in claim 1 and by the method with the features specified in claim 8. Advantageous embodiments are described in the dependent claims, the following description, and the drawings.

[0013] The drilling and setting device according to the invention serves, for example, to drill a taphole in a converter, i.e., to remove the old and no longer adequate tubular taphole bricks of the refractory lining and to insert new ones. For this purpose, the drilling and setting device comprises a drilling device and a setting device. Both processes are thus combined mechanically, which on the one hand accelerates the process and is therefore advantageous for both downtime and temperature of the converter, and on the other hand allows for extensive mechanization, which avoids or at least reduces the need for human labor directly at the taphole. The drilling device includes a drill tube. The drill tube has an inner cylinder, a cavity inside the drill tube, for receiving the drill core.The drilling rig bores around this inner cylinder into the taphole of the converter, thereby preferably and precisely drilling out the old, tubular taphole brick. The drill pipe is stabilized during the initial drilling and guided through the hot rock during the subsequent drilling process. This makes it possible to design the drill pipe to the exact size of the refractory lining elements, ensuring that only the refractory lining elements are reliably removed with minimal ejecta onto the converter platform, while the actual load-bearing structure of the converter around the taphole remains undamaged. The drill pipe has an outer tube and an inner tube. The inner tube is adjacent to the inner cylinder, thus representing the actual physical boundary of the inner cylinder. A cavity for water conveyance is arranged between the inner and outer tubes. This cavity can be tubular, but it can also be, for example, made of [09.01.2026].

[0014] 3 / 14

[0015] The system consists of one or, preferably, several channels. Water is pumped from back to front, i.e., from the rear in a longitudinal direction towards the drilling area, where the water then exits. This actively cools both the active drilling area and the surfaces adjacent to the converter and the removed refractory lining elements in the inner cylinder. This allows for early intervention without the need for a lengthy prior cooling of the converter. Combined with the rapid replacement of new refractory lining elements described below, this enables a very quick replacement without long cooling and waiting times. However, this also results in the drill core inside the inner tube being particularly hot, making core drilling inherently disadvantageous and problematic.Therefore, cooling between the inner and outer pipes is not only important for cooling the drilling area, but more importantly for cooling and protecting the inner pipe from the drill core and the outer pipe from the converter wall. This provides cooling water not only for the drill bit, but also, and more importantly, for cooling the entire drill pipe, regardless of rotation or feed rate. This prevents excessive thermal changes to the inner pipe, as well as to other components such as the drill bit or chisel, which would otherwise lead to problems caused by excessive heating and cooling. These problems, in turn, would cause stress in the material due to constant expansion and contraction. The installation device includes a support for a refractory cladding element and a fixing device for temporarily securing the refractory cladding element.The support structure, also called a dome, can, for example, consist of a tube or rod in the shape of the future taphole, onto which the ring-shaped refractory lining elements are then slid. The fixing device can, for example, consist of one or more bolt guns to create a connection sufficient for temporary fixing between the refractory lining elements and the converter. The drilling and setting device has a movement device for moving the drilling device and the setting device. This differs from a movement device for moving the entire drilling and setting device. This allows the new refractory lining elements to be installed directly and very quickly in front of the taphole, which has been enlarged by drilling, without any further work.

[0016] 4 / 14

[0017] This system can be used because the entire drilling and setting device does not need to be moved or, more importantly, realigned. The movement device only moves the drilling and setting devices. This keeps the drilling and setting devices in their position and thus perfectly aligned with the borehole. The drilling and subsequent setting processes can therefore be carried out quickly one after the other, as the movement device allows for easy positioning of first the drilling device and then the setting device in front of the taphole, without having to move the entire drilling and setting device.Therefore, the combination of both components, along with the rapid exchange facilitated by the movement device, allows the taphole to be replaced very quickly while already extremely hot. This synergistic effect is achieved through the combined action of cooled drilling, the simple procedure, and the mechanized temporary fixation. This also allows the comparatively hot drill core to be removed from the drilling device more quickly, thus enabling a hotter core sample and reducing negative thermal effects on the device.

[0018] In a further embodiment of the invention, the drill pipe has a drill bit. The drill bit is arranged in front of the inner and outer pipes and preferably connects them. As is customary, the drill bit is preferably provided with suitable, particularly hard and wear-resistant drill teeth. The drill bit has a plurality of water outlets. Through these water outlets, the water conveyed between the inner and outer pipes along the longitudinal direction of the drill pipe can escape, thus enabling drilling operations even in a still very hot converter for replacing the converter taphole. Advantageously, the water outlets are distributed around the entire circumference of the borehole, so that nearly uniform cooling is achieved.

[0019] In a further embodiment of the invention, the fixing device is rotatably arranged about the longitudinal axis of the support device. This allows the temporary fixing to be carried out in several steps by rotation, thus achieving a stronger temporary fixation in a simple manner. 09.01.2026

[0020] 5 / 14

[0021] In a further embodiment of the invention, spacers are arranged between the inner and outer pipes. These ensure that the water-bearing cavity is maintained and that the water flow is not restricted or interrupted by pressure and / or temperature influences. Alternatively or additionally, preferably also in the area of ​​the spacers, the inner pipe has recesses on the side facing the outer pipe. These recesses create water-bearing channels that remain water-bearing even if the cavity between the inner and outer pipes is reduced in size.

[0022] In a further embodiment of the invention, the drilling and setting device includes a transport device for moving the drilling and setting device. Preferably, the transport device and the movement device have orthogonal directions of movement. For example, the transport device (for normal straight-line travel) has a first direction of travel that is advantageously directed in the longitudinal direction of the drill pipe, as this facilitates positioning in front of the taphole. Preferably, the drilling device and the setting device can then be moved to the right and left, respectively, in the longitudinal direction by means of the movement device, so that first the drilling device is aligned in front of the taphole and then the setting device, without having to move the entire drilling and setting device via the transport device.This not only speeds up the overall process but also minimizes safety risks after the taphole has been enlarged by drilling.

[0023] In another aspect, the invention relates to a method for renewing the refractory lining element of a taphole in a converter, wherein the method comprises the following steps:

[0024] a) Emptying the converter,

[0025] b) Arranging the drilling device of a drilling and setting device according to one of the preceding claims in front of the taphole of the converter,

[0026] c) Drilling out the taphole with the drilling device, whereby water is passed between the inner pipe and the outer pipe during drilling and released at the end of the drill pipe,

[0027] d) Removal of the drill core from the converter, 09.01.2026

[0028] 6 / 14

[0029] e) Arranging the setting device of a drilling and setting device in front of the taphole of the converter,

[0030] f) Inserting a fire-resistant cladding element into the bore created in step c),

[0031] g) Temporarily fixing the fire-resistant cladding element with the fixing device,

[0032] h) Permanently fixing the fire-resistant cladding element by introducing a connecting element into the interior of the converter.

[0033] The advantages of the previously described drilling and setting device also become apparent during operation. The movement device allows for the only necessary step before work begins: positioning, specifically moving the component using an optional transport device. This reduces the precise alignment step required for accurate positioning to a single step, which then does not need to be repeated during insertion.

[0034] Step a) may also include, in particular, cleaning the tap hole.

[0035] Water cooling allows step b) to be performed very early, i.e., on a very hot converter, which minimizes downtime (production loss) and heat loss (energy savings during reheating). This, in turn, combined with the quick and safe changeover to the setting device and the quick fixing, enables a rapid changeover, as the subsequent steps can also be carried out under these conditions.

[0036] The removal in step d) is usually done by pulling out the drill pipe. Only later is the drill core removed from the drill pipe.

[0037] The arrangement in step e) is carried out by means of the movement device. The movement device moves, for example, and preferably, a common platform on which both the drilling device and the setting device are arranged, for example, and preferably, by lateral movement. The platform can be [09.01.2026]

[0038] 7 / 14

[0039] It can be arranged horizontally or at an angle. Alternatively, the moving device can also perform a rotating movement.

[0040] In the simplest case, the insertion in step f) is carried out by a simple method, for example via a telescopic device or a chain drive.

[0041] The temporary fixing in step g) serves only to create the necessary stability for step h) to permanently fix the converter, in particular by tilting it to allow the connecting element to be inserted into the converter. This temporary fixing is achieved, for example, and preferably, by inserting bolts.

[0042] In a further embodiment of the invention, the fire-resistant cladding element is applied to the installation device before step b). This can be done in a secure area, away from the converter, to avoid being affected by the converter's radiant heat. Furthermore, this step can be carried out while the converter is still in operation, further minimizing downtime and thus also the converter's temperature loss.

[0043] In a further embodiment of the invention, prior to step b), a metal plate projecting laterally beyond the refractory cladding element is arranged at its end. This metal plate can be used for simple temporary fixing, for which purpose bolts are inserted through this metal plate into the converter, thereby achieving a stable fix.

[0044] In a further embodiment of the invention, the fixing device is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the fireproof cladding element after a first fixing step, and at least a second fixing step is performed. This makes it possible to easily set a larger number of fixing points, for example, bolts. Furthermore, the rotary movement minimizes the forces and movements occurring before the temporary fixing is complete, thus avoiding problems. 09.01.2026

[0045] 8 / 14

[0046] In a further embodiment of the invention, before step h), the converter is rotated so that the tap hole is located on the underside. This makes bonding from the inside of the converter easy. For example, and preferably, a liquid refractory compound is used as the bonding agent.

[0047] The drilling and setting device according to the invention is explained in more detail below with reference to an embodiment shown in the drawings.

[0048] Fig. 1 Drilling and setting device and converter from above

[0049] Fig. 2 Step b)

[0050] Fig. 3 Step c)

[0051] Fig. 4 Step e)

[0052] Fig. 5 Step f)

[0053] Fig. 6 Drill pipe in longitudinal section

[0054] Fig. 7 Setting device from

[0055] The illustrations are purely schematic, not to scale, and serve only to illustrate the invention.

[0056] In Fig. 1, the converter 50 with the taphole 60 to be renewed is shown on the left. The drilling and setting device 10 is shown on the right. The drilling and setting device 10 has a drilling device 20 with which the taphole 60 can be drilled. Furthermore, the drilling and setting device 10 has a setting device 30 for inserting a new, refractory lining element 90 to form the new taphole 60. To temporarily fix the new refractory lining element 90 in the converter 50, the setting device 30 has a fixing device 32. The drilling device 20 and the setting device 30 are arranged on a movement device 40, which, in the example shown, allows movement from top to bottom (transverse to the longitudinal direction of the drilling device 20 and the setting device 30).This allows either the drilling device 20 or the setting device 30 to be positioned in front of the taphole 60 without having to move the entire drilling and setting device 10. (See drilling-09.01.2026.)

[0057] 9 / 14

[0058] and to be able to move the setting device 10 as a whole, it has a driving device 12, for example a crawler chassis.

[0059] Figures 2 to 5 illustrate the process, starting from the initial position shown in Figure 1. First, the drilling and setting device 10 is positioned so that the drilling device 20 is aligned with the taphole 60, as shown in Figure 2. Then, the drilling device 20 bores out the taphole, removing the spent refractory lining elements and any adhering slag or similar material, as shown in Figure 3. The drilling device 20 is then retracted, removing the resulting core sample from the converter 50. Subsequently, the movement device 40 moves both the drilling device 20 and the setting device 30 so that the setting device 30 is now aligned with the taphole, as shown in Figure 4. Finally, as shown in Figure 5, a new refractory lining element 90 is inserted using the setting device 30.The drilling and setting device 10 can then be removed, so that, for example, the initial position shown in Fig. 1 is restored, but with a repaired and temporarily fixed taphole 60.

[0060] Fig. 6 shows a longitudinal cross-section of the front end of the drill pipe 22 as part of the drilling device 20. Between the inner pipe 26 and the outer pipe 24 is a cavity through which water flows forward to the drill bit 28. At the drill bit 28, the water exits through water outlets 80, thus cooling the drill head in particular during drilling into the hot converter 50 and enabling rapid replacement of the taphole 60. Simultaneously, the outer pipe 24, which is in contact with the converter 50, and the inner pipe 26, which is in contact with the drill core, are also cooled by the water. Inside is the cavity of the inner cylinder 70, which is capable of receiving the drill core.

[0061] Fig. 7 shows the setting device 30 from the front. In the center, a rod-shaped support device 34 can be seen, around which the fire-resistant cladding element 90 is arranged in a ring. Behind and to the side of the fire-resistant cladding element 90, four components of a fixing device are arranged on a rotating device 36 in the example shown. The rotating device 36 allows the 09.01.2026

[0062] 10 / 14

[0063] Fixing devices 32 can be rotated, for example, by -20°, -10°, 0°, +10° and +20°, thus enabling a total of 20 temporary fixing points in a quick and easy manner.

[0064] Reference sign

[0065] 10 Drilling and setting device

[0066] 12 Driving device

[0067] 20 Drilling device

[0068] 22 drill pipe

[0069] 24 Outer pipe

[0070] 26 inner tube

[0071] 28 drill bits

[0072] 30 Setting device

[0073] 32 Fixing device

[0074] 34 Carrying device

[0075] 36 Rotating device

[0076] 40 Motion device

[0077] 50 converters

[0078] 60 keyhole

[0079] 70 internal cylinders

[0080] 80 Water outlet

[0081] 90 fire-resistant cladding element

Claims

January 9, 2026 11 / 14 Patent claims 1. Drilling and setting device (10), wherein the drilling and setting device (10) comprises a drilling device (20) and a setting device (30), wherein the drilling device (20) comprises a drill pipe (22), wherein the drill pipe (22) comprises an inner cylinder (70) for receiving the drill core, wherein the drill pipe (22) comprises an outer tube (24) and an inner tube (26), wherein the inner tube (26) is adjacent to the inner cylinder (70), wherein a cavity for water guidance is arranged between the inner tube (26) and the outer tube (24), wherein the setting device (30) comprises a support device (34) for a refractory lining element (90) and a fixing device (32) for temporarily fixing the refractory lining element (90), wherein the drilling and setting device (10) comprises a movement device (40) for moving the drilling device (20) and the setting device (30) shows.

2. Drilling and setting device (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the drill pipe (22) has a drill bit (28), wherein the drill bit (28) is arranged in front of the inner pipe (26) and the outer pipe (24), wherein the drill bit (28) has a plurality of water outlets (80).

3. Drilling and setting device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the fixing device (32) is rotatably arranged about the longitudinal axis of the support device (34).

4. Drilling and setting device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that spacer elements are arranged between the inner tube (26) and the outer tube (24).

5. Drilling and setting device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the inner tube (26) has recesses on the side facing the outer tube (24). 09.01.2026 12 / 14 6. Drilling and setting device (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the drilling and setting device (10) has a transport device (12) for moving the drilling and setting device (10).

7. Drilling and setting device (10) according to claim 6, characterized in that the travel device (12) and the movement device (40) have orthogonal main directions of movement.

8. Method for renewing the refractory lining element (90) of a taphole (60) in a converter (50), the method comprising the following steps: a) Emptying the converter (50), b) Arranging the drilling device (20) of a drilling and setting device (10) according to one of the preceding claims in front of the tap hole (60) of the converter (50), c) Drilling out the taphole (60) with the drilling device (20), whereby water is passed between the inner tube (26) and the outer tube (24) during drilling and released at the end of the drill pipe (22), d) Removing the drill core from the converter (50), e) Arranging the setting device (30) of a drilling and setting device (10) in front of the taphole (60) of the converter (50), f) Inserting a fire-resistant cladding element (90) into the bore created in step c), g) Temporarily fixing the fire-resistant cladding element (90) with the fixing device (32), h) Permanently fixing the fire-resistant cladding element (90) by introducing a connecting element into the interior of the converter (50).

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that, prior to step b), the fire-resistant cladding element (90) is applied to the setting device (30). 09.01.2026 13 / 14 10. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that, prior to step b), a metal plate projecting laterally beyond the fire-resistant cladding element (90) is arranged at the end of the fire-resistant cladding element (90).

11. Method according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that, for fixing, the fixing device (32) is rotated about the longitudinal axis of the fire-resistant cladding element (90) after a first fixing step and performs at least one second fixing step.

12. Method according to one of claims 8 to 11, characterized in that before step h) the converter (50) is rotated so that the tap hole (60) is arranged on the underside.

13. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that liquid refractory material is used as the connecting agent.

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