Melting Furnace Cooling Element Bead Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling elements for melting furnaces, such as arc furnaces, face high attachment effort and risk of leakage and warping due to welded connections between cooling tubes and steel plates, making repair difficult and prone to thermal stress.
Innovation Solution
A cooling element design featuring a bead on the cooling tube for secure attachment to a cover plate using screws or stud bolts, with threaded sleeves to transmit forces without weakening the tube, and additional fins for improved refractory adhesion and even material distribution.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If welded connections are used between cooling tubes and steel plate, then attachment strength is improved, but attachment effort and risk of leakage and warping increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary component (clamp or bracket) between the cooling tube and steel plate. This intermediary serves as a mediator that transfers loads without requiring direct welding between the tube and plate, thereby reducing attachment effort and eliminating leakage risks while maintaining attachment strength through the intermediary's mechanical fastening system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the attachment system into separate components: the cooling tube, the intermediary (clamp/bracket), and the steel plate. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently and assembled through mechanical means rather than requiring complex welded joints, reducing overall attachment effort and improving ease of manufacture.
2Strength
If welded connections are used between cooling tubes and steel plate, then attachment strength is improved, but repair difficulty increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the attachment into separate mechanical components (cooling tube, intermediary, steel plate), the patent enables easy disassembly and reassembly for repair purposes. The intermediary component can be removed and replaced without affecting the cooling tube or steel plate, making repairs straightforward compared to welded connections which require cutting and rewelding.
Solution Approach 2:
The intermediary component acts as a replaceable mediator that simplifies repair operations. If failure occurs, the intermediary can be quickly removed and replaced without damaging the cooling tube or steel plate, significantly reducing repair difficulty compared to welded joints where the tube itself must be cut and reattached.
3Strength
If welded connections are used between cooling tubes and steel plate, then attachment strength is improved, but warping risk increases due to thermal stress
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediary component (clamp or bracket) serves as a thermal buffer between the cooling tube and steel plate. It allows mechanical force transmission while minimizing direct thermal contact, reducing the transfer of thermal stresses that cause warping. The intermediary can be made of materials with appropriate thermal properties to further mitigate thermal stress transmission.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the welding operation from the attachment process, eliminating the source of high-temperature thermal stress. By using mechanical fastening through an intermediary instead of welding, the harmful thermal effects are completely removed from the attachment process, preventing warping while maintaining attachment strength.
4Weight of moving object
If cooling tubes are made thinner to reduce weight, then weight reduction is achieved, but structural strength decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The intermediary component (clamp or bracket) acts as a structural reinforcement that compensates for the reduced strength of thinner cooling tubes. It provides additional load-bearing capacity at the attachment points, allowing the tubes to be made thinner for weight reduction while the intermediary maintains the required structural strength through its own robust construction and mechanical fastening system.
Data Source
Figure 1~2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a cooling element for a melting furnace having a cover plate (2) and at least one cooling pipe (3) fastened to the cover plate (2), wherein the at least one cooling pipe (3) comprises a bead (4) on the face thereof that faces the cover plate (2), via which bead said pipe is connected to the cover plate (2).