Refractory Brick Fastening with Decoupled Connecting Piece

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Solution Overview

Problem

Industrial furnace doors face significant thermal stress due to abrupt temperature changes, leading to high maintenance and operational costs, and existing solutions like water cooling or multi-layered structures are cumbersome and costly.

Innovation Solution

A furnace wall design featuring a refractory layer with refractory bricks and a connecting piece made of refractory material, which decouples the bearing device from the holding element, allowing for a positive connection with the steel wall without the need for form fits, and using a threaded or bayonet closure system to reduce heat load and facilitate assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If water cooling is used for furnace doors, then thermal stress resistance is improved, but production cost and operational expense increase significantly

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal stress resistanceVSAvoidproduction cost
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The invention extracts and removes the water cooling system from the furnace door structure, replacing it with a purely refractory and insulating material construction. This eliminates the complexity and cost of water cooling infrastructure while maintaining thermal stress resistance through appropriate material selection and layering.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention employs composite material structures combining refractory bricks, insulating materials, and protective layers to achieve thermal stress resistance without water cooling. The composite construction provides both thermal protection and structural integrity through the synergistic properties of different materials.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

2Reliability

If multi-layered structure is used for furnace doors without water cooling, then thermal protection is improved, but weight and construction complexity increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvethermal protectionVSAvoiddoor weight
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSWeight of stationary object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention applies local quality by providing thermal protection only where genuinely needed - the refractory layer is positioned directly on the steel wall where thermal stress occurs, while other areas use lighter insulating materials. This localized approach maintains protection effectiveness while reducing overall weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The multi-layered structure is segmented into distinct functional layers: a refractory layer for direct thermal protection, insulating layers for heat reduction, and protective layers for mechanical strength. This segmentation allows optimization of each layer's properties and reduces unnecessary weight.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

3Ease of manufacture

If refractory bricks are directly fastened to steel wall with metallic anchors, then assembly is simplified, but thermal conduction to steel wall increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveassembly simplicityVSAvoidsteel wall temperature
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSTemperature

Solution Approach 1:

The invention introduces an intermediary refractory connecting piece between the metallic anchor and the refractory brick. This refractory connector acts as a thermal barrier, preventing direct thermal conduction from the hot refractory brick through the metal anchor to the steel wall, while still providing mechanical fastening functionality.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

4Strength

If form fit connection is used between bearing device and holding element, then connection strength is improved, but manufacturing precision requirements increase

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveconnection strengthVSAvoidform fit precision
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The connection system is segmented into three independent parts: a bearing device fastened to the steel wall, a refractory connecting piece, and a holding element in the refractory brick. This segmentation eliminates the need for precise form fit between the bearing device and holding element, as they are connected through the intermediate refractory piece using standard fastening methods.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

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 design simplifies construction, reduces costs, and enhances thermal protection by allowing for interchangeable refractory bricks and bolts, enabling efficient thermal management and easy maintenance without the need for casting compounds.

Implementation Method 1

with at least one insulating layer arranged on the steel wall and with a refractory layer arranged on the insulating layer

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectThermal insulation: Thermal Insulation

Data Source

PatentEP3312537B1Industrial furnace wall with refractory liner
Publication Date: 2019.05.15 JUNGER & GRATER GMBH FEUERFESTBAU
  • EP3312537B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3312537B1 patent drawingFigure 2~6b
  • EP3312537B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4

AI summary

The invention relates to a furnace wall 1 with a steel wall 1.1 forming an outer surface, with at least one insulating layer 2 arranged on the steel wall 1.1, and with a refractory layer 3 arranged on the insulating layer, wherein the refractory layer is formed from several refractory bricks 3a, 3b which, as a masonry bond with an inner surface 3.4, define a furnace interior, wherein each refractory brick 3a, 3b has a recess 3.1 and is positively engaged with the steel wall 1.1 in a direction N normal to the steel wall 1.1 via a support 1.2, 4, 5, wherein the support 1.2, 4, 5 has a bearing device 1.2 which is attached directly to the steel wall 1.1 and has a retaining element 4 which is mounted in the recess 3.1 and establishes a positive engagement with the refractory brick 3a, 3b in the direction N, wherein the retaining element 4 is made of refractory material. is, where the bracket is 1.2, 4, 5 has a separate connecting piece 5 that connects the bearing device 1.2 to the retaining element 4, wherein the bearing device 1.2 and the retaining element 4 are each only coupled to the connecting piece 5, so that the bearing device 1.2 and the retaining element 4 have no coupling, wherein the retaining element 4 is designed as a closing part and has a closing surface 4.1 that forms part of the inside 3.4 of the refractory layer 3 and seals off the connecting piece 5 from the furnace interior.