Reciprocating Rotary Lance Drive for Molten Metal Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rotary lance drives for treating molten metal are complex, require frequent maintenance, and have leak-prone connections, limiting efficiency and increasing process time due to continuous 360-degree rotation and internal bearing designs.
Innovation Solution
A reciprocating rotary lance drive with externally mounted rotary bearings and a swivel coupling design that allows for less than 360-degree rotation, combined with a lance mount featuring a pivotable gate and locking mechanism for secure lance loading, and lances with non-circular refractory portions and multiple discharge ports for improved mixing and reaction zones.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If continuous 360-degree rotation is used to distribute reagents, then reagent distribution coverage is improved, but device complexity and maintenance requirements increase due to internal bearing designs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional approach by using externally mounted bearings instead of internal bearings. The drive shaft rotates externally on bearings mounted on the housing, simplifying the internal structure and eliminating the complexity of internal bearing installation and maintenance while maintaining continuous rotation capability for comprehensive reagent distribution.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the bearings from the internal structure and mounts them externally on the housing. This separation allows the drive mechanism to be simpler internally while the bearings are easily accessible for maintenance, resolving the contradiction between rotation coverage and maintenance complexity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If internal rotary bearings are used for lance rotation, then rotational stability is improved, but ease of repair deteriorates due to disassembly requirements
Solution Approach 1:
The bearings are extracted from the internal structure and mounted externally on the housing. This allows the bearings to remain functional for maintaining rotational stability while being easily accessible for inspection, lubrication, and replacement without requiring disassembly of the drive mechanism.
Solution Approach 2:
The external bearing design allows operators to perform routine maintenance such as lubrication and inspection without requiring specialized disassembly procedures. The bearings are positioned where they can be serviced during regular operation stops, improving ease of repair while maintaining rotational stability.
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple reagent transport pipe connections are used for rotation, then rotational flexibility is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to leak-prone connections
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a swivel coupling as an intermediary device between the reagent transport pipe and the rotating lance. This swivel coupling allows rotational movement while maintaining a sealed connection, eliminating leak-prone joints and improving reliability while preserving rotational flexibility for lance positioning.
4Device complexity
If fixed lance drive with limited range of motion is used, then device complexity is reduced, but productivity deteriorates due to lack of rotation capability
Solution Approach 1:
The drive mechanism is segmented into independent functional components: a simple vertical positioning system and a separate rotation system with externally mounted bearings. This segmentation maintains relative simplicity of the overall device while adding rotation capability to improve productivity through better reagent distribution and lance positioning flexibility.
Data Source
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AI summary
Rotary lance drives for rotating a lance for injecting gas and powdered reagents into molten metal include a reciprocating rotary lance drive and an associated method. A lance mount which facilitates loading of a lance into a lance drive is also disclosed. Various lance designs are described for improving dispersion of reagent and decreasing process time, including lances having non-circular refractory portions and lances having cross-port arrangements for more evenly distributed reagent discharge.