Modular Gas Injection Lance with Internal Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing gas injection lances for direct smelting vessels face challenges in withstanding high temperatures and maintaining efficiency over prolonged periods, requiring larger structures and increased gas volumes when using air or oxygen-enriched air, which leads to larger vessel sizes and complex lance designs.
Innovation Solution
A modular gas injection lance design featuring a gas flow duct with internal cooling water passages, swirl directing vanes, and a modular construction allowing for independent cooling circuits and differential expansion, enabling efficient heat management and extended operation in high-temperature environments.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Quantity of substance
If air or oxygen-enriched air is used as oxygen-containing gas, then larger volumes of gas are required to achieve post combustion, but this leads to considerably larger vessel and lance structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameter of the oxygen-containing gas from air (21% O2) to pure oxygen (100% O2). This parameter change dramatically reduces the volume of gas required to achieve the same post-combustion effect, thereby reducing the size requirements for both the vessel and the lance structure while maintaining effective operation.
2Ease of operation
If a lance extends a substantial distance into a direct smelting vessel to inject preheated air, then the lance must be relatively large and unsupported over most of its length, but this increases structural complexity and size
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the gas composition from air to pure oxygen, which eliminates the need for large-volume gas flow. This allows the lance to be designed as a compact, supported structure rather than a large, unsupported span, significantly simplifying the structural design while maintaining effective gas injection capability.
3Duration of action of moving object
If direct smelting campaigns are extended for economic reasons, then lances must withstand high temperatures for prolonged periods, but this increases demands on lance durability and cooling systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the cooling function as a separate, dedicated system with multiple independent cooling circuits. By providing specialized cooling infrastructure rather than relying on the lance structure alone to withstand thermal stress, the system enables prolonged campaign durations while managing the high temperature demands through active thermal control.
4Ease of manufacture
If modular lance design with independent cooling circuits is implemented, then ease of installation and removal is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the lance into three independently fabricable modules (main duct module, gas inlet module, central module) that can be manufactured separately and assembled using releasable fasteners. This segmentation enables easier installation and removal while the standardized fastening systems manage the complexity of modular construction.
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 modular lance design effectively withstands high temperatures, reduces vessel size requirements, and maintains operational efficiency by optimizing gas flow and heat management, allowing for longer direct smelting campaigns with improved lance durability and ease of installation/removal.
Implementation Method 1
cooling water supply and return passages extending through the wall of the gas flow duct and extending from the rear end to the forward end of the gas flow duct for supply and return of cooling water to the forward end of the duct
Implementation Method 2
an annular duct tip disposed at the forward end of the duct and having an internal cooling water passage connecting with the cooling water supply and return passages so as to receive and return a flow of cooling water to internally cool the duct tip
Implementation Method 3
a plurality of flow directing vanes disposed about the central structure adjacent the forward end of the duct to impart swirl to a gas flow through the forward end of the duct
Data Source
AI summary
A hot gas injection lance (26) for injecting hot gas into a vessel (11) is made of three modules (26A, 26B and 26C) which all fabricated separately and brought together in successive steps and connected together by releasable fastenings. Lance module (26A) is a main duct module providing an elongate duct (31) through which to direct hot gas into an upper region of the vessel. Lance module (26B) is a gas inlet module through which to direct hot gas into duct (31) of module (26A). Lance module (26C) is a central module which includes an elongate central tubular structure (33) that extends within the gas flow duct (31) and carries at its lower end a series of swirl imparting tubular structure (33) that extends within the gas flow duct (31) and carries at its lower end a series of swirl imparting vanes (34) for imparting swirl to the gas flow exiting the duct. Main duct module (26A) has a mounting flange (110) that abuts a flange (122) on vessel (11) and the flanges (110, 122) are fastened together by bolts (121). Gas inlet module has a lower mounting flange 111 which abuts a flange (103) at the upper end of module (26A) and the flanges (111, 103) are connected together by bolts (112). Central module (26C) has a mounting flange (115) that abuts a flange (114) at the upper end of inlet module (26B) and the flanges (114, 115) are fastened together by bolts (116).