Rotary Charging Device Cooling System for Shaft Furnaces
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cooling systems for rotary charging devices in shaft furnaces face inefficiencies due to the need for complex and maintenance-prone rotary joints, contamination of cooling fluids, and limited cooling efficiency, particularly in high-temperature environments like blast furnaces.
Innovation Solution
A cooling system with a rotary and stationary cooling circuit, where heat transfer occurs through a stationary and rotary heat transfer element separated by a small gap, eliminating the need for a rotary joint and allowing for closed-loop configurations that enhance cooling efficiency and reduce maintenance, using configurations such as natural convection, heat pipes, vapor-compression refrigeration, or adsorption cooling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a rotary joint is used to connect stationary and rotary cooling circuits, then fluid connection between circuits is achieved, but device complexity increases and maintenance requirements increase due to wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the rotary joint from the system by using a stationary heat transfer element that receives cooling fluid from a stationary cooling circuit and transfers heat to a rotary cooling circuit without requiring fluid connection between the circuits. This eliminates the complex rotary joint while maintaining reliable thermal coupling between stationary and rotary components.
Solution Approach 2:
The stationary heat transfer element acts as an intermediary that transfers thermal energy from the stationary cooling circuit to the rotary cooling circuit without requiring direct fluid connection or a rotary joint. The heat transfer element mediates the thermal coupling while maintaining structural simplicity and reliability.
2Productivity
If cooling water circuit is open to the environment for gravity-fed water cooling, then cooling efficiency is improved, but contamination with fine particles and furnace dust occurs
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the cooling system into a stationary cooling circuit that receives cooling fluid from an external source and a rotary cooling circuit that circulates fluid internally. The stationary heat transfer element creates a thermal bridge between these circuits without requiring the rotary circuit to be open to the environment, thus preventing contamination while maintaining cooling efficiency.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If inert gas injection is used for cooling, then dust accumulation is reduced, but cooling efficiency becomes very limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a liquid cooling system with a stationary cooling circuit that can be connected to external water sources and a rotary cooling circuit that circulates the liquid internally. This hydraulic system provides efficient cooling through liquid convection while the stationary heat transfer element prevents dust contamination, overcoming the limitations of inert gas cooling.
4Productivity
If a complex ring-shaped joint construction is used to feed cooling liquid to rotary cooling coils, then cooling liquid circulation is achieved, but manufacturing cost increases and maintenance becomes labor-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the complex ring-shaped joint construction by using a stationary heat transfer element that transfers heat from the stationary cooling circuit to the rotary cooling circuit without requiring fluid connection. This eliminates the need for elaborate rotary joints, reducing manufacturing cost and maintenance labor while maintaining effective cooling liquid circulation.
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 solution provides efficient heat transfer without fluid mixing, reduces maintenance needs, and allows for the use of more expensive cooling fluids, increasing the operating temperature and reducing constructional constraints, while eliminating the need for fluid treatment installations.
Implementation Method 1
heat transfer region for achieving heat transfer by convection and/or radiation through the heat transfer region
Implementation Method 2
heat transfer region for achieving heat transfer by convection and/or radiation through the heat transfer region
Data Source
AI summary
A rotary charging device for a shaft furnace, in particular a blast furnace, is disclosed. The charging device is equipped with a cooling system. The rotary charging device includes a rotatable support for rotary distribution means as well as a stationary housing for the rotatable support. The cooling system includes a rotary cooling circuit fixed in rotation with the rotatable support as well as a stationary cooling circuit on the stationary housing. A heat transfer device is provided which includes a stationary heat transfer element configured to be cooled by a cooling fluid flowing through the stationary cooling circuit and which includes a rotary heat transfer element configured to be heated by a separate cooling fluid circulated in the rotary cooling circuit. These heat transfer elements are arranged in facing relationship and have there between a heat transfer region for achieving heat transfer by convection and/or radiation through the heat transfer region without mixing of the separate cooling fluids of the rotary and stationary cooling circuits.