Furnace Stave Protrusions for Slag Accretion

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional stave and brick designs for blast furnaces are inefficient in controlling temperature across refractory bricks and protecting them from heat and debris, with gaps between bricks leading to premature erosion and mechanical damage.

Innovation Solution

A furnace stave design with internal channels for cooling fluid circulation, protrusions for additional cooling, and bricks of varying thicknesses to create a staggered face promoting slag accretion, along with independent cooling circuits for protrusions to maintain a gummy slag accretion, enhancing thermal protection and structural integrity.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If conventional planar staves are used, then the stave structure is simple, but the refractory bricks are not effectively protected from heat and debris

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection from heat and debrisVSAvoidstave structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The stave is divided into multiple protrusions (at least three) that extend toward the furnace interior, with each protrusion containing internal cooling channels. This segmentation allows targeted protection at different locations while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different regions of the stave have different properties: protrusions have internal cooling channels for direct cooling and debris protection, while the base structure provides structural support. The protrusions create localized cool zones that promote slag accretion exactly where needed for brick protection.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Object-affected harmful factors

If uniform thickness bricks are used, then the brick layout is simple, but slag accretion is not effectively promoted

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveslag accretion for protectionVSAvoidbrick configuration

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Bricks of different thicknesses are used to create an asymmetric, staggered front face pattern. This asymmetry creates variable thermal profiles that promote slag accretion in specific zones, enhancing protection where most needed while maintaining structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #4Asymmetry

3Temperature

If protrusions with internal cooling channels are added, then cooling effectiveness is improved, but the stave manufacturing complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecooling effectivenessVSAvoidstave fabrication

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

Cooling channels are nested within the protrusions themselves, with inlet and outlet channels positioned at different ends of each protrusion. This nesting integrates the cooling function directly into the protective structure, maximizing cooling effectiveness while minimizing additional manufacturing steps.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

4Temperature

If bricks are tightly fitted without gaps, then structural integrity is improved, but temperature control across the brick face becomes inefficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetemperature controlVSAvoidstructural integrity

Core Design Contradiction:

TemperatureVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

The staggered brick pattern created by varying brick thicknesses produces a variable thermal profile across the brick face. This creates localized thermal zones that promote controlled slag accretion, improving temperature control while the interlocking brick pattern maintains structural integrity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

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 design effectively protects refractory bricks from heat and debris, promotes slag accretion for insulation, and eliminates the need for rammed gaps, increasing the furnace's integrity and operational life by maintaining continuous brick coverage.

Implementation Method 1

Coolant, such as, for example, water at an elevated pressure is pumped through the pipes and passages in order to cool the stave

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectConvection: Convection

Implementation Method 2

The cooled stave thus cools the refractory bricks disposed within slots or channels defined by the stave

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal conduction: Conduction (thermal)

Implementation Method 3

The internal channel or conduit disposed in the protrusion is design to cool such protrusion to the extent necessary to form a gummy slag accretion on a surface of the nose or protrusion

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSlag accretion: Deposition (physical)

Implementation Method 4

provides additional features such as a staggered brick face producing a variable thermal profile to promote slag accretions across the stave and face of the refractory bricks to protect the stave/brick construction

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentUS11384985B2Furnace stave

Publication Date: 2022.07.12 BERRY METAL CO

AI summary

A furnace stave comprising a plurality of internal channels or conduits for circulating cooling fluid through the stave; an inlet and an outlet channel associated with each internal channel or conduit; wherein one of the internal channels or conduits is disposed in a protrusion from the stave.