Polygonal Ceramic Refractory Stopper Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing ceramic refractory stoppers for controlling molten metal flow in metallurgical vessels are inefficient in terms of material usage, handling, and storage due to their cylindrical shape, which limits optimization opportunities.
Innovation Solution
A ceramic refractory stopper with a polygonal cross-section, featuring at least one outer planar surface section extending along 50% of its axial length, reduces material usage and weight, allowing for improved handling and storage, while maintaining the functionality of a central gas channel and ensuring a smooth transition between the stopper body and dome-like head.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of substance
If a cylindrical stopper body is used, then the stopper has good structural integrity and gas channel functionality, but it requires more refractory material and occupies more storage space
Solution Approach 1:
The stopper body is designed with a polygonal cross-section (square, rectangular, triangular, or other n-gonal shapes) instead of a conventional circular cross-section. This asymmetric geometric change reduces the amount of refractory material required while maintaining the central gas channel functionality and overall structural integrity needed for stopper operation.
2Ease of operation
If a cylindrical stopper body is used, then the stopper maintains good handling characteristics, but it can roll away and requires more storage space
Solution Approach 1:
The polygonal cross-section of the stopper body eliminates the rolling characteristic of cylindrical shapes. The flat surfaces and angular geometry provide stable resting positions on multiple faces, preventing the stopper from rolling away during handling and operation, while also reducing the overall volume required for storage.
3Loss of substance
If the stopper body has a polygonal cross-section, then material usage and storage space are reduced, but the transition to the dome-like head becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The transition zone between the polygonal stopper body and the dome-like head is designed with localized geometric features that facilitate the shape change. The transition area incorporates specific surface configurations that smoothly connect the polygonal cross-section to the rounded head geometry, managing the complexity at this specific location without affecting the overall simplicity of the polygonal body design.
4Productivity
If a polygonal cross-section is used, then manufacturing and packaging efficiency are improved, but the stopper requires specialized molding processes
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the geometric parameters of the stopper body from a circular cross-section to a polygonal cross-section. This parameter change enables more efficient packaging arrangements and manufacturing processes, as the polygonal shape can be more easily formed through molding techniques and packed into standardized containers, improving overall productivity despite requiring specialized mold designs.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a ceramic refractory stopper, shaped as a rod with a total axial length LS, comprising a) a stopper body (12) of an axial length LB, a first end section (12U) of which being equipped with means to fasten the stopper body (12) to a raise and lowering device, and a second end section (12L) of which being followed by b) a dome-like stopper head (14) of an axial length LH, wherein c) the stopper body (12) features at least one outer planar surface section (P1 P2, P3), which extends along at least 50% of the axial length LB of the stopper body (12).