Molten Slag Vitrification via Immersion Pipe and Inert Gas Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for vitrifying molten materials, such as slag, using aqueous cooling media face inefficiencies due to the Leidenfrost effect and produce toxic, corrosive vapors, posing environmental and safety concerns, while alternative methods like cooling on a metal bath are procedurally unsuitable.
Innovation Solution
Introducing molten material into a metal bath through a dip tube, where it is subjected to mechanical disintegration and gas flow shearing forces, allowing for rapid cooling and comminution without vapor formation, thus avoiding the Leidenfrost effect and reducing chemical contamination.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If aqueous cooling media are used for vitrification, then cooling effect is achieved, but toxic and corrosive vapors are produced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses an inert gas atmosphere (nitrogen or carbon dioxide) instead of aqueous cooling media. The inert gas prevents the formation of toxic and corrosive vapors while maintaining the cooling function through controlled thermal exchange, eliminating the harmful byproducts of water-based granulation
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and eliminates the water component from the cooling system entirely, replacing it with inert gas. This removes the source of vapor formation and associated harmful chemical reactions between water and molten slag, while preserving the essential cooling function
2Manufacturing precision
If boiling water granulation is used, then slag glass content is increased and grindability is improved, but complex vapor treatment installations are required
Solution Approach 1:
By conducting the granulation process in an inert gas atmosphere rather than boiling water, the invention achieves high slag glass content and improved grindability without generating the chemically loaded vapors that would require complex treatment installations. The inert gas eliminates harmful chemical reactions while maintaining effective cooling
Solution Approach 2:
The invention removes the water-based vapor generation mechanism entirely, extracting the harmful vapor production aspect while retaining the core granulation function. This eliminates the need for vapor condensation and treatment systems while achieving superior product quality
3Temperature
If cooling water is used for granulation, then heat removal is achieved, but the Leidenfrost effect reduces cooling efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces water-based cooling with inert gas cooling, eliminating the Leidenfrost effect that occurs when molten material contacts water. The inert gas provides consistent thermal exchange without the vapor barrier formation that reduces cooling efficiency in water-based systems
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extracts and removes the water component that causes the Leidenfrost effect, replacing it with inert gas that provides uninterrupted thermal contact and more efficient heat removal from the molten slag
4Temperature
If molten material is cooled on metal bath surface, then rapid cooling is achieved, but procedural implementation is unsuitable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a fluidized bed of inert gas particles to achieve rapid cooling of molten material. The pneumatic fluidization provides uniform heat exchange and automatic granulation without the procedural complexities of metal bath surface cooling, enabling easy implementation and continuous operation
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
This method enables the production of highly amorphous, finely divided products with improved grindability and hydraulic activity, eliminating toxic vapors and ensuring stable, continuous operation with reduced plant engineering complexity.
Implementation Method 1
the molten material is subjected to shearing forces for comminution in the granulating tundish
Implementation Method 2
the molten material is cooled in the granulating tundish
Implementation Method 3
the molten material is delivered from a storage tundish into a granulating tundish with a dip tube that is immersed in a metal bath
Data Source
Figure 1~5
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
The invention relates to a method for processing molten material (5), in the form of non-metallic melts (5) such as slag, into amorphous material (11), in which method the molten material (5) is vitrified by cooling, the molten material (5) being brought into contact with a metal bath (3) for vitrification and then being discharged from the metal bath (3) as amorphous material (11). According to the invention, the molten material (5) is introduced into the metal bath (3) via an open end (4'') of an immersion pipe (4') leading into the metal bath (3) and, in the metal bath (3), is conveyed out of the region of the open end (4'') of the immersion pipe (4'), preferably by means of a mechanical disintegrator (8), preferably rotor (8).