U.S. patent application number 11/098307 was filed with the patent office on 2005-10-06 for dross removal system and method.
This patent application is currently assigned to Edw. C. Levy, Co. Invention is credited to Goffette, Julien.
Application Number | 20050218567 11/098307 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 35150570 |
Filed Date | 2005-10-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20050218567 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Goffette, Julien |
October 6, 2005 |
Dross removal system and method
Abstract
A system for dross removal on steel products has a housing. A
heat source is attached to the housing. An oxygen jet is pointed
perpendicular to the heat source.
Inventors: |
Goffette, Julien;
(Deyvillers, FR) |
Correspondence
Address: |
LAW OFFICE OF DALE B. HALLING, LLC
655 SOUTHPOINTE COURT, SUITE 100
COLORADO SPRINGS
CO
80906
US
|
Assignee: |
Edw. C. Levy, Co
|
Family ID: |
35150570 |
Appl. No.: |
11/098307 |
Filed: |
April 4, 2005 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
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60559664 |
Apr 5, 2004 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
266/121 |
Current CPC
Class: |
Y02P 10/20 20151101;
C22B 7/001 20130101; B22D 11/1265 20130101; Y02P 10/214
20151101 |
Class at
Publication: |
266/121 |
International
Class: |
C21D 001/52 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A system for dross removal on steel products, comprising: a
housing; a heat source attached to the housing; and an oxygen jet
pointed perpendicular to the heat source.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the heat source is a flame.
3. The system of claim 1, wherein the oxygen jet is coupled to a
source of pure oxygen.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the oxygen jet is coupled to a
source of compressed air.
5. The system of claim 2, wherein the flame is perpendicular to a
line of dross.
6. The system of claim 5, further including a cooling system
attached to the heat source.
7. The system of claim 1, further including a plurality of wheels
attached to the housing.
8. A method of dross removal comprising the steps of: (a) heating a
portion of a line of dross with a heat source that is projecting
perpendicular to the line of dross; (b) moving the heat source
along the line of dross; and (c) moving a stream of oxygen behind
the heat source.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein step (a) further includes the
step of creating a flame.
10. The method of claim 8, wherein step (a) further includes the
step of heating the portion of the line of dross to a temperature
sufficient to make the dross molten.
11. The method of claim 8, wherein step (b) further includes the
step of determining a rate of movement at which the portion of the
line of dross becomes molten.
12. The method of claim 11, further including the step of cooling
the heat source.
13. The method of claim 8, wherein step (c) further includes the
step of providing a source of pure oxygen.
14. The method of claim 8, wherein step (c) further includes the
step of providing a source of compressed air.
15. A system for dross removal on steel products, comprising: a
housing; a burner attached to the housing; a cooling system pumping
liquid around the burner; and an oxygen stream pointed towards the
heat source.
16. The system of claim 15, wherein the housing has a plurality of
wheels.
17. The system of claim 15, wherein the oxygen stream is coupled to
a compressed air source.
18. The system of claim 15, wherein the oxygen stream is coupled to
a pure oxygen source.
19. The system of claim 15, wherein the burner is made of
copper.
20. The system of claim 15, wherein the burner is a pair of flames.
Description
RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present invention claims priority on provisional patent
application Ser. No. 60/559,664, filed on Apr. 5, 2004, entitled
"Method and Apparatus for Dross Removal on Steel Products".
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The present invention relates generally to the field of
steel processing and more particularly to a dross removal system
and method.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0003] In the steel making process, steel slabs and other steel
structures are cut along their widths after exiting a continuous
caster. This step is necessary before the steel structures can
enter subsequent steel making processes. During the cutting
process, which commonly occurs in-line after the continuous caster,
there is a molten metal residue or dross formed at the point where
the oxygen torch flame exits the steel structure.
[0004] This residue or dross is made up of a mixture of base metals
and ferrous oxides and creates an unsmooth surface. The dross must
be removed for subsequent steel making processes. Failure to remove
the dross, results in an unacceptable end product.
[0005] Traditionally, the dross has been manually burnt off or
chiseled off which is labor intensive, slow and cannot be part of a
seamless manufacturing process. Another approach has been to use an
automated machine that removes the dross with rotating mechanically
hammers. These deburring machines require a significant amount of
power, require frequent maintenance and as a result are very
expensive to operate.
[0006] Thus there exists a need for dross removal system that can
be part of a seamless manufacturing process, is not labor
intensive, is cost efficient and does not require frequent
maintenance.
SUMMARY OF INVENTION
[0007] A system for dross removal on steel products that overcomes
these and other problems has a housing. A heat source is attached
to the housing. An oxygen jet is pointed perpendicular to the heat
source. The heat source may be a flame. The oxygen jet may be
coupled to a source of pure oxygen or to a source of compressed
air. The flame may be perpendicular to a line of dross. A cooling
system may be attached to the heat source. The housing may be on
wheels.
[0008] In one embodiment, a method of dross removal includes the
steps of heating a portion of a line of dross with a heat source
that is projecting perpendicular to the line of dross. The heat
source is moved along the line of dross. A stream of oxygen moves
behind the heat source. The step of heating may include creating a
flame. The step of heating the portion of the line of dross may
include heating the dross to a temperature sufficient to make the
dross molten. A rate of movement at which the portion of the line
of dross becomes molten may be determined. The heat source may be
cooled. A source of pure oxygen or compressed air may be coupled to
the stream of oxygen.
[0009] In one embodiment, a system for dross removal on steel
products has a housing. A burner is attached to the housing. A
cooling system pumps liquid around the burner. An oxygen stream is
pointed towards the heat source. The housing may be on wheels. The
oxygen stream may be coupled to a compressed air source or a pure
oxygen source. The burner may be made of copper. The burner may
have a pair of flames.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1A is a cross sectional view of a continuous caster
system in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;
[0011] FIG. 1B is a cross section of a section of steel with dross
in accordance with one embodiment of the invention;
[0012] FIG. 2 is a block diagram view of a dross removal system in
accordance with one embodiment of the invention;
[0013] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a dross removal system in
accordance with one embodiment of the invention;
[0014] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a dross removal system in
accordance with one embodiment of the invention; and
[0015] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a dross removal system
in accordance with one embodiment of the invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0016] The dross removal system and method described herein is an
automated system having a heat source that heats the dross to a
molten state. A stream of oxygen is directed at the molten dross
which causes the dross to fall off the steel structure.
[0017] FIG. 1A is a cross sectional view of a continuous caster
system 10 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The
continuous blooms, billets and slabs 12 exit the continuous caster
at temperature at which the steel is almost molten. The stabs 12
then move along rollers 14. At preset points the slab 12 stops and
is cut into sections by a cutting torch 16. Dross 18 forms on both
sides of the exit of the cut. FIG. 1B shows a close up of the cut
line 20. The torch 16 cuts through the steel slab 12 and creates
the dross formations 18 on the underside of the steel slabs 12.
[0018] FIG. 2 is a block diagram view of a dross removal system 30
in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. The dross
removal system 30 has a housing 32. The housing 32 holds a heat
source 34. The heat source 34 has an exit 36 that points toward the
dross when the system 30 is in use. The heat source 34 is a
commonly a combustible gas and creates a flame at the exit 36; The
housing 32 also holds a source of oxygen 38 that has an exit 40
that forms a stream of oxygen. The source of oxygen 38 may be pure
oxygen or may be compressed air. In one embodiment, the stream of
oxygen 40 is essential perpendicular to the direction the flame 36
is pointed. The housing 32 holds a motor 42 that drives a plurality
of wheels 44. The housing 32 also has a guide 46. In one
embodiment, the wheels 44 run inside a guide. Other mechanisms for
guiding and moving the housing are also contemplated by the
invention and are well know to those skilled in the art. The
housing 32 also holds a cooling system 48. The cooling system 48
circulates a cooling liquid 50 through the heat source 34 to keep
it from melting. In one embodiment, the heat source 34 is a burner
with a flame or flames as its output. The burner is made of cooper
in one embodiment. The cooling liquid flows in cooling channels in
the burner.
[0019] FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a dross removal system 50 in
accordance with one embodiment of the invention. A steel structure
52 is sitting on a plurality of rollers 54. The steel structure 52
has a line of dross 56 along an edge of the steel structure 52. A
burner 58 projects hot flames onto the dross formation 56. Commonly
the flames are perpendicular to the line of the dross 56. The
burner 58 moves along the length of the dross 56. A stream of
oxygen 60 then blows the molten dross 56 off the steel structure
52. In one embodiment, a method of dross removal includes the steps
of heating a portion of a line of dross with a heat source that is
projecting perpendicular to the line of dross. The heat source is
moved along the line of dross. A stream of oxygen moves behind the
heat source. The step of heating may include creating a flame. The
step of heating the portion of the line of dross may include
heating the dross to a temperature sufficient to make the dross
molten. A rate of movement at which the portion of the line of
dross becomes molten may be determined. The heat source may be
cooled. A source of pure oxygen or compressed air may be coupled to
the stream of oxygen.
[0020] FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a dross removal system 70 in
accordance with one embodiment of the invention. This figure is
looking through the steel structure 72 to the dross removal device
74. The dross 76 is shown along the bottom edge of the steel
structure 72. The dross removal device 74 has a burner 78 that
heats the dross to a molten state. An oxygen jet 80 follows behind
the burner 78 to blow the dross off the steel structure. The dross
removal device 74 has a housing 82 with a number of wheels 84.
[0021] FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a dross removal system
90 in accordance with one embodiment of the invention. In this
embodiment, the dross removal system is used to remove dross from a
circular cross section steel structure 92. A burner 94 heats a
portion of the line of dross. An oxygen jet 96 then blows the dross
off the steel structure 92. A turning device 98 is used to rotate
the steel structure 92. Note that the heat source can be any heat
source that is capable of efficiently raising the temperature of
the dross so that it is in an essentially molten state. So the
heater could be a laser or a source of infrared radiation or any
other device that meets the requirements of the system.
[0022] Thus there has been described a dross removal system and
method that can be part of a seamless manufacturing process, is not
labor intensive, is cost efficient and does not require frequent
maintenance.
[0023] While the invention has been described in conjunction with
specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alterations,
modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in
the art in light of the foregoing description. Accordingly, it is
intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications, and
variations in the appended claims.
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