Standardized Wedge Brick Shaping for Hot Blast Stove Curved Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
The construction of refractory support rings in curved walls of hot blast stoves is costly and time-consuming due to the need for a variety of brick shapes, with existing methods producing either low-quality or excessively expensive results, and the complexity of designing specific wedge-shaped bricks for each opening diameter and curvature.
Innovation Solution
A method using standardized wedge-shaped bricks that can be individually shaped based on their intended location within the support ring, utilizing cutting tools to adapt their dimensions and profiles to fit the curvature of the stove wall, allowing for the use of a single type of brick across different curvatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If a variety of brick shapes are used to construct support rings in curved walls, then the support ring can fit the curvature of the wall, but the construction becomes expensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The support ring is segmented into multiple individual bricks that can be independently shaped and assembled. Each brick is a standardized wedge shape that can be individually cut to match the required curvature, allowing parallel processing and faster construction while maintaining the curved shape fit.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the approach from creating bricks with varying shapes to creating bricks with varying dimensions through controlled cutting. By maintaining a standardized wedge shape and adjusting only the cut dimensions (length, width, thickness) based on the required curvature radius, the system achieves curvature adaptation without the complexity of designing entirely different brick shapes for each curvature.
2Manufacturing precision
If custom wedge-shaped bricks are designed for each opening diameter and curvature, then the support ring fits precisely, but the design and production process becomes complex and waste increases
Solution Approach 1:
A single standardized wedge-shaped brick design serves multiple functions across different support ring applications. By varying the cutting dimensions of this universal brick type rather than designing new bricks for each application, the system reduces design complexity while maintaining precise fit for different opening diameters and curvatures.
Solution Approach 2:
The standardized wedge-shaped bricks are pre-formed with uniform dimensions and geometry before the actual support ring construction. This preliminary preparation allows for efficient storage, handling, and assembly, reducing on-site construction time and complexity while ensuring consistent quality across all bricks.
3Strength
If sections of the ring are formed in moulds with steel plates, then the support ring structure is created, but thick mortar joints are required and steel plates may bend compromising strength
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces expensive, reusable steel moulds with simpler, disposable or reusable wooden or plastic forms. These alternative moulding materials do not bend under pressure, eliminating the need for thick mortar joints for structural support. The moulds can be easily replaced or adjusted for different brick dimensions without compromising the strength of the final structure.
4Manufacturing precision
If hydraulic pressing is used to produce bricks in individual steel moulds, then high quality bricks are produced, but the costs involved are very high
Solution Approach 1:
The invention replaces expensive hydraulic pressing equipment and steel moulds with simpler, more economical wooden or plastic moulds. While the pressing force may be less than hydraulic systems, the alternative materials achieve sufficient brick density and quality for refractory applications at a fraction of the cost, making high-quality brick production economically viable.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for constructing a support ring in a curved wall, in particular around an opening in a curved wall of a hot blast stove, where the method includes providing a plurality of standardized wedge-shaped bricks with side faces having tongue and groove profiles for cooperating with the side faces of the neighboring bricks, the thickness of the brick in the axial direction being in excess of the desired end thickness of the brick, and determining the intended location of each individual brick in the curved wall and determining, based on the intended location, the location of a front cut line and a rear cut line for shaping the front and rear faces of the brick, where the front and rear faces of the brick are then shaped in accordance with the above determined front and rear cut lines by a cutting tool.