Annular Swivel Joint Cooling System for Shaft Furnace
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for metallurgical reactors, such as shaft furnaces, face challenges with fluid-tight seals deteriorating rapidly due to high temperatures and dust contamination, leading to reduced service life and increased maintenance costs, while also limiting cooling efficiency and requiring additional components like pumps for pressurized circulation.
Innovation Solution
An annular swivel joint with a partition structure that divides the annular trough into external and internal cavities, allowing for forced circulation without fluid-tight seals, using flow restrictors like non-contact labyrinth seals to maintain pressure differential and minimize coolant loss, and integrating a venting function to prevent dust contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If fluid-tight seals are used in the annular swivel joint, then coolant circulation is enabled, but the seals deteriorate rapidly due to high temperatures and dust contamination
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes fluid-tight seals from the annular swivel joint design. Instead of using seals that deteriorate in high-temperature and dusty environments, the invention creates an open joint where the rotary part and fixed part are positioned close to each other, allowing coolant to pass through the gap without requiring sealing elements.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a baffle plate as an intermediary element that directs coolant flow through the annular swivel joint. The baffle plate creates a controlled path for coolant between the rotary part and fixed part, enabling effective coolant circulation while maintaining the open joint design without seals.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If open annular swivel joint is used without seals, then dust contamination is eliminated, but coolant pressure differential is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The baffle plate serves as a flow-directing intermediary that maintains pressure differential in the open joint design. By strategically positioning the baffle plate, the system guides coolant through a controlled path that preserves sufficient pressure difference for effective cooling without requiring fluid-tight seals.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes geometric parameters of the annular swivel joint, including the gap width between rotary and fixed parts, the positioning of the baffle plate, and the overall dimensions. These parameter adjustments ensure adequate coolant pressure differential is maintained despite the open joint configuration.
3Device complexity
If gravity-driven cooling system is used, then system complexity is reduced, but cooling efficiency is insufficient for high-temperature applications
Solution Approach 1:
The patent designs the cooling system to be largely self-driven. The annular swivel joint configuration with the baffle plate creates natural circulation patterns that enhance cooling efficiency without requiring additional external pumps or complex control systems. The geometry itself facilitates effective coolant flow.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes hydraulic principles by optimizing coolant flow dynamics through the annular swivel joint. The baffle plate configuration and gap dimensions are designed to create effective pressure-driven flow patterns that enhance cooling efficiency, leveraging fluid dynamics rather than mechanical pumping.
4Productivity
If annular swivel joint with partition structure is used, then forced circulation is enabled, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The baffle plate acts as a simple intermediary element that enables forced circulation without complex partition structures. By positioning the baffle plate within the annular gap, the system creates effective flow separation and directional control, achieving forced circulation with minimal additional components.
Solution Approach 2:
The baffle plate performs multiple functions simultaneously: it directs coolant flow, maintains pressure differential, prevents direct exposure of the joint to dust-laden gases, and facilitates both forward and return coolant paths. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components for each function.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The solution enables efficient forced circulation of coolant through the rotary circuit portion, reducing maintenance needs, eliminating dust contamination, and maintaining high cooling efficiency without the need for wear-prone seals or additional components like pumps, thus extending the service life and simplifying the cooling system design.
Implementation Method 1
allowing for forced circulation without fluid-tight seals
Implementation Method 2
using flow restrictors like non-contact labyrinth seals to maintain pressure differential and minimize coolant loss
Implementation Method 3
cooling the suspension rotor, which is exposed to high internal furnace temperatures, by means of liquid coolant
Data Source
AI summary
A shaft furnace charging device and cooling system includes a suspension rotor with a charge distributor and stationary housing. The cooling system includes an annular swivel joint arranged coaxially on an axis, connecting stationary and rotary circuit portions. The swivel joint includes forward connections for receiving cooling fluid from the stationary circuit portion and supplying cooling fluid to the rotary circuit portion; return connections for receiving cooling fluid from the rotary circuit portion; and returning cooling fluid to the stationary circuit portion. The swivel joint includes a partition dividing the annular volume into cavities wherein an internal cavity is partially surrounded by an external cavity, and the forward connections are coupled via one of the cavities and the return connections are coupled via the other of the cavities. The swivel joint includes leakage-permitting communication between the external and internal cavities through annular clearances. Annular flow restrictors are provided in clearances.