Slide Gate Compensation Device for Ladle Sealing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing slide gates for metallurgical vessels face issues with unevenly distributed contact pressure due to manufacturing inaccuracies, thermal deformations, and spring failures, leading to leakage and premature wear of refractory plates, compromising safety and operational reliability.
Innovation Solution
A slide gate with a compensating device comprising rotatable carrier bodies and spring elements that balance contact pressure between the slide plate and head plate, ensuring even distribution and compensation of forces across the contact surface, even in the event of spring failure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional springs are used to apply contact pressure to the slide plate, then the slide gate can maintain basic sealing function, but the contact pressure becomes unevenly distributed due to manufacturing inaccuracies, thermal deformations, or spring failures, leading to leakage and premature wear
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces static spring support with dynamic carrier bodies that can rotate about axes of rotation. This rotational capability allows the carrier bodies to automatically adjust and compensate for uneven contact pressure distribution caused by manufacturing inaccuracies, thermal deformations, or spring failures, thereby maintaining reliable sealing without requiring high manufacturing precision
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces compensating devices with rotatable carrier bodies that can change their orientation parameters (rotation angles about axes of rotation) to adapt to varying contact conditions. This parameter change capability enables the system to maintain even contact pressure distribution despite variations in manufacturing precision, temperature, or spring performance
2Force
If multiple springs are used to ensure adequate contact pressure, then the sealing force is sufficient, but the complexity of the compensating device increases and the risk of spring failure rises
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the functions of multiple springs into a single integrated compensating device with rotatable carrier bodies. Instead of using multiple independent springs that could fail individually, the carrier bodies integrate the pressure distribution function, reducing component count and overall device complexity while maintaining sufficient contact pressure force through the rotational compensation mechanism
3Strength
If rigid support structures are used for the slide plate, then the structural strength is high, but the system cannot compensate for thermal deformations or manufacturing variations, resulting in uneven contact pressure
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces rigid support structures with dynamic carrier bodies that can rotate about axes of rotation. This rotational freedom provides adaptability to compensate for thermal deformations and manufacturing variations, while the overall structural strength is maintained through the robust design of the carrier bodies and their integration with the slide gate housing
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
The solution enhances the tightness and durability of the slide gate, maintaining even contact pressure and preventing uncontrolled leakage, thereby ensuring safer and more reliable operation.
Implementation Method 1
at least one spring element via which the carrier body is coupled to the slide frame
Data Source
AI summary
Slide gate for a metallurgical vessel, in particular a ladle, including a slide gate housing attachable to a metallurgical vessel, a head plate accommodated in the slide gate housing and having a passage opening for a metallic melt, a slide frame mounted in the slide gate housing so as to be displaceable in a direction relative to the head plate, and a slide plate accommodated in the slide frame and having a passage opening, characterized in that a device for compensating the contact pressure of the slide plate against the head plate is arranged between the slide gate housing and the slide frame, wherein the compensating device includes at least one carrier body mounted in the slide gate housing so as to be rotatable about at least one axis of rotation, and at least one spring element, via which the carrier body is coupled to the slide frame.