Unitary Refractory Ring With Lifting Lugs For Ladle Installation

Solution Overview

Problem

The installation of inner refractory linings in ladles is laborious, ergonomically unfriendly, and poses injury hazards due to the handling of heavy bricks, with existing preassembled refractory rings still requiring improvement for efficient assembly and quality control.

Innovation Solution

A unitary refractory ring with a continuous sidewall forming a closed loop and distributed lifting lugs for easy handling and assembly, allowing for a monolithic structure that can be pre-assembled and fitted into a ladle with improved ergonomics and reduced labor, featuring various configurations such as cylindrical or frustoconical shapes to match ladle dimensions.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If individual bricks are assembled inside the ladle, then the refractory lining can be customized to fit the ladle shape, but the installation process becomes laborious and ergonomically unfriendly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecustomization to fit ladle shapeVSAvoidinstallation process

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of manufactureVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The refractory lining is segmented into modular ring assemblies, each comprising multiple bricks pre-assembled into a ring structure with radial segments. This allows the lining to be customized to fit the ladle shape while reducing the installation effort compared to handling individual bricks, as the rings can be lifted and positioned as larger modular units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The brick assemblies are pre-assembled into ring structures outside the ladle before installation. This preliminary assembly allows for quality control and customization to be performed in a controlled environment, and the pre-formed rings with integrated lifting features make the subsequent installation process easier and safer.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If heavy bricks are handled individually during assembly, then precise placement is possible, but injury hazards increase due to the heavy load

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebrick placement precisionVSAvoidinjury hazard from heavy load

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The refractory lining is segmented into modular ring assemblies, each comprising multiple bricks pre-assembled into a ring structure with radial segments. This allows the lining to be customized to fit the ladle shape while reducing the installation effort compared to handling individual bricks, as the rings can be lifted and positioned as larger modular units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Lifting lugs are provided on the brick assemblies as intermediary structures that enable safe handling of the heavy brick compositions. These lugs allow cranes or hoists to engage with the assemblies, distributing the heavy load through proper lifting mechanisms rather than requiring manual handling of individual heavy bricks.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Productivity

If preassembled refractory rings are used, then installation time is reduced, but the complexity of the ring structure increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinstallation speedVSAvoidring structure complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The refractory lining is segmented into modular ring assemblies, each comprising multiple bricks pre-assembled into a ring structure with radial segments. This allows the lining to be customized to fit the ladle shape while reducing the installation effort compared to handling individual bricks, as the rings can be lifted and positioned as larger modular units.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The brick assemblies are designed with universal lifting lugs and standardized radial segments that can be used across different ladle sizes and shapes. This multi-functionality reduces the need for completely custom-designed rings for each application, simplifying the overall structure while maintaining the benefits of preassembly and quick installation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Data Source

PatentUS11724308B2Refractory ring and refractory ring system and methods for assembling the same

Publication Date: 2023.08.15 REFRACTORY INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY GMBH & CO KG

AI summary

A unitary refractory ring having a sidewall surrounding and spaced from a center axis, and one or more lifting lugs distributed around the center axis. The lifting lugs extend from an inner face of the sidewall towards the center axis, and are located between lower and upper axial faces of the sidewall. Each lifting lug has a lower lug face extending radially towards the center axis from the inner face of the sidewall, and a backing structure extending upwards along an axial direction from the lower lug face towards the upper axial face of the sidewall. An assembly of refractory rings, and methods for making and assembling refractory rings are also provided.