Metallurgical Cooling Plate With Internal Wear Inserts
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current cooling elements for metallurgical furnaces face wear and tear issues, especially when operating in more demanding conditions, as superficial inserts can act as thermal barriers preventing the formation of protective layers and have limited service life due to material removal.
Innovation Solution
A cooling plate design with internal wear protection inserts, located away from coolant channels, which are more wear-resistant than the surrounding metallic material, providing enhanced protection when the superficial layer is worn, and can be pre-assembled or inserted later, without affecting the cooling function or surface design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If superficial inserts are arranged on the hot side of the cooling plate, then wear protection is improved, but the inserts can act as thermal barriers preventing the freezing of protective layers and have limited service life
Solution Approach 1:
The invention moves the wear protection inserts from the superficial hot side surface to the interior of the cooling plate, positioning them in a different spatial dimension (inside vs. outside). This internal positioning eliminates the thermal barrier effect while maintaining wear protection capability, as the inserts are now surrounded by cooling plate material that conducts heat away from them.
Solution Approach 2:
The wear protection inserts are nested within cavities in the interior of the cooling plate. This nesting approach allows the inserts to be protected by and integrated into the cooling plate structure, eliminating their harmful thermal barrier effect on the hot side while preserving their wear protection function where they are needed.
2Reliability
If inserts are inserted into grooves on the hot side, then wear resistance is improved, but the inserts are exposed to direct wear and have limited service life
Solution Approach 1:
The invention relocates the inserts from the exposed hot side surface to the interior of the cooling plate. This dimensional change protects the inserts from direct exposure to the harshest wear conditions while still providing wear protection to the cooling plate structure, thereby extending their service life.
Solution Approach 2:
The inserts are positioned in advance within the cooling plate interior to provide protective support before the cooling plate material is worn through. This preemptive positioning allows the inserts to bear the brunt of wear only after the cooling plate material is removed, extending the overall service life of the cooling element.
3Use of energy by stationary object
If coolant channels are placed close to the hot side for efficient cooling, then heat dissipation is improved, but wear protection inserts cannot be effectively positioned without interfering with cooling function
Solution Approach 1:
The invention segments the cooling plate into distinct functional zones: coolant channels for heat dissipation and internal cavities for wear protection inserts. This segmentation allows both cooling efficiency and wear protection to be optimized independently without interference, as each function has its designated space within the plate structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention applies local quality by creating specific cavities at predetermined positions within the cooling plate interior, away from the coolant channels. This allows wear protection inserts to be positioned in locations that do not interfere with the cooling function, maintaining efficient heat dissipation while providing targeted wear protection where needed.
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 internal wear protection inserts significantly extend the service life of the cooling elements by preventing further wear and maintaining operational reliability even when the metallic material is exposed, while optimizing heat dissipation and reducing the risk of damage during assembly.
Implementation Method 1
The cooling plate has coolant channels running in its interior
Implementation Method 2
coolant channels running at a distance from the hot side
Implementation Method 3
The wear protection inserts, which are also referred to below as inserts, have no negative influence on the normal cooling function of the cooling element and in particular on the freezing of a protective layer
Implementation Method 4
All of these measures are aimed at increasing the service life of the cooling elements. However, in the case of the superficial inserts arranged on the hot side of the cooling element, wear or damage sometimes occurs even during normal furnace operation. In addition, inserts made of certain materials can represent a thermal barrier that can prevent the desired freezing of a protective layer when starting up and during operation of the furnace
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
AI summary
Cooling plate 2 for a cooling element for metallurgical furnaces, with coolant channels running inside it, wherein at least one cavity 17 for receiving a wear protection insert 12, 13, 14 which can be placed inside the cooling plate 2 may be arranged in the cooling plate 2.