Reduced Iron Charging with Horizontal Velocity
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional methods for producing reduced iron in traveling hearth reduction-melting furnaces face inefficiencies due to reduced contact area and heat input, as raw materials often embed or stack, and existing charging devices are costly and unreliable under high-temperature conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method and device where spherical reduced iron raw materials are charged onto a powder hearth covering material with a horizontal velocity matching the hearth's travel direction, preventing embedding and ensuring sufficient heat input through rolling motion, without increasing equipment complexity or costs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If reduced iron raw materials are charged by free fall onto the hearth covering material, then the charging operation is simple, but the raw materials embed in or stack on the hearth covering material, reducing contact area with high-heat gas and heat-receiving area
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by extending the charging device downward beyond the ceiling to a position close to the hearth covering material before charging occurs. This preliminary positioning of the charging device allows raw materials to be charged with reduced fall distance, preventing embedding and stacking while maintaining operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the charging approach by moving the charging device into the high-temperature zone below the ceiling, utilizing the vertical dimension to reduce fall distance. This dimensional change allows the charging operation to occur closer to the hearth surface, preventing embedding while maintaining simplicity.
2Productivity
If the charging device is extended downward beyond the ceiling to charge raw materials close to the hearth, then embedding is prevented, but the device must withstand high temperatures, increasing cost and reducing reliability
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a water-cooled charging device with a protective structure that can withstand high temperatures. The cooling system acts as a protective barrier, allowing the charging device to operate in the high-temperature zone below the ceiling without compromising reliability or incurring excessive costs.
3Reliability
If hearth covering material is spread on the hearth to protect the refractory, then the refractory is protected, but gas flow turbulence causes scattering of the hearth covering material and embedment of pellets
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by positioning the charging device below the ceiling before charging occurs. This preliminary positioning reduces the fall distance of raw materials, preventing embedding in the hearth covering material while maintaining the protective function of the covering material on the refractory.
4Device complexity
If raw materials are charged with vertical free fall, then charging is simple, but contact area with high-heat gas and heat-receiving area are reduced due to embedding and stacking
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the charging approach by utilizing the vertical dimension to extend the charging device below the ceiling. This dimensional change reduces fall distance and prevents embedding, thereby maintaining contact area with high-heat gas and heat-receiving area while keeping the charging device relatively simple.
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 approach enhances treatment efficiency by maintaining equipment reliability and reducing costs, allowing for effective heating and processing of reduced iron raw materials with improved heat input and reduced embedment issues.
Implementation Method 1
letting the reduced iron raw materials fall onto the hearth covering material while giving a horizontal velocity to the reduced iron raw materials... to thereby bring the reduced iron raw materials into rolling motion
Implementation Method 2
securing a contact area at which each of the reduced iron raw materials and a high-heat gas in the surroundings thereof make contact with each other and securing a heat-receiving area which is a part of the surface area of the reduced iron raw materials at which area the reduced iron raw materials receive the heat given to the reduced iron raw materials by radiation
Data Source
AI summary
A method and a device for charging a plurality of reduced iron raw materials into a traveling hearth reduction-melting furnace and treating the raw materials, allowing sufficient input of heat to the reduced iron raw materials on a hearth covering material to improve treatment efficiency are provided. The reduced iron raw materials are released downward from the lower surface of a ceiling of the reduction-melting furnace to be set on a hearth covering material on a hearth and reduced on the hearth covering material. The falling reduced iron raw materials are given a horizontal velocity having a direction equal to the travel direction of the hearth and being greater than the travel speed of the hearth to enable the reduced iron raw materials to roll in the same direction as the travel direction of the hearth after landing on the hearth covering material.