Segmented Metallurgical Furnace for Charge Preheating and Flexible Feed
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current metallurgical furnaces lack flexibility in operating with a wide range of raw materials and fuels, leading to inefficiencies and environmental impacts, and there is a need for technologies that can recycle by-products without affecting productivity or product quality.
Innovation Solution
A metallurgical furnace design with an upper stack divided into central and peripheral portions by a hood, featuring fuel and charge inlets, and gas outlets that allow for controlled gas flow and heat exchange, enabling operation with various raw materials and fuels.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the upper stack is sealed to control gas flow for homogeneous reduction, then reduction quality is improved, but air passage through the sides is blocked, preventing hot air counterflow and preheating
Solution Approach 1:
The upper stack is segmented into a central region and a peripheral annular region by a vertical hood. The hood creates distinct flow paths: cold air enters the peripheral region, rises, and exits through gas outlets, while the central region maintains sealed conditions for homogeneous reduction. This segmentation allows simultaneous achievement of controlled reduction and hot air preheating.
Solution Approach 2:
Different regions of the upper stack are assigned different functional qualities: the central region is optimized for homogeneous reduction with sealed conditions, while the peripheral annular region is optimized for hot air preheating with open sides. This local differentiation resolves the contradiction by allowing each region to perform its specific function without interfering with the other.
2Productivity
If traditional blast furnace design is used, then iron production is achieved, but waste generation is high (500 kg per ton of liquid steel)
Solution Approach 1:
The furnace is designed to process ferrous scrap and by-products that would otherwise be discarded to landfills. By recovering and melting these materials in the new furnace design, the process converts waste into valuable pig iron, reducing waste generation while maintaining productivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameters from traditional BF-BOF route to a direct melting process using electric arcs and plasma. This parameter change enables efficient processing of scrap materials with lower energy consumption and reduced waste generation, while maintaining high iron production capacity.
3Adaptability or versatility
If electric arc furnaces use scrap as majority charge, then waste recycling is improved, but waste generation remains significant (185 kg per ton of liquid steel)
Solution Approach 1:
The furnace is designed with multi-functionality to process various ferrous materials including scrap, by-products, and oxides simultaneously. This universal capability allows optimal utilization of available materials while minimizing waste, as the furnace can adapt to different charge compositions and extract maximum value from each material type.
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
Enhances operational flexibility, reduces energy demand, and improves heat exchange efficiency, contributing to environmental mitigation and increased productivity.
Implementation Method 1
a plasma generator (42) connected to the at least one lower stack (2) and adapted to produce plasma
Implementation Method 2
an electric arc furnace
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
AI summary
The present invention relates to metallurgical processes and equipment and, more particularly, to a metallurgical furnace capable of operating with a wide range of raw materials and fuels. To this end, the metallurgical furnace of the present invention comprises (i) at least one upper stack (1); (ii) at least one lower stack (2); (iii) at least one fuel inlet (10) positioned between the at least one upper stack (1) and the at least one lower stack (2); (iv) at least one charge inlet (3) positioned on the at least one upper stack (1); (v) at least one physical means (5) of internal separation of the upper stack (1) that extends longitudinally from the top thereof downwards, the physical means (5) being suitable for dividing the upper stack (1) into a central portion (6) and a peripheral portion (7); and (vi) at least one gas outlet (4) positioned on the upper part of the peripheral portion (7) of the at least one upper stack (1). The gas outlets (4) are responsible for generating a charge pre-heating region (7) that increases the operational flexibility of the furnace.