U.S. patent number 3,823,929 [Application Number 05/396,912] was granted by the patent office on 1974-07-16 for nozzle for fuel and oxygen lance assembly.
This patent grant is currently assigned to Berry Metal Company. Invention is credited to Leo L. Meinert, Nicholas M. Rymarchyk.
United States Patent |
3,823,929 |
Rymarchyk , et al. |
July 16, 1974 |
NOZZLE FOR FUEL AND OXYGEN LANCE ASSEMBLY
Abstract
A lance for directing oxygen and fuel oil to a basic oxygen
furnace includes a central fuel pipe, an insulating pipe around
said fuel pipe, an oxygen pipe and water coolant pipes, all
concentrically disposed. The central fuel pipe and insulating pipe
have closed bottom walls and a plurality of relatively narrow fuel
tubes are connected to bores in the bottom wall of the fuel tube,
extend through the bottom wall of the insulating pipe and extend
into three converging-diverging orifices. The narrow fuel tubes are
supported in cantilever fashion and are concentric with each
orifice.
Inventors: |
Rymarchyk; Nicholas M.
(Pittsburgh, PA), Meinert; Leo L. (Baden, PA) |
Assignee: |
Berry Metal Company (Harmony,
PA)
|
Family
ID: |
23569096 |
Appl.
No.: |
05/396,912 |
Filed: |
September 13, 1973 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
239/132.3;
239/398 |
Current CPC
Class: |
C21C
5/4606 (20130101) |
Current International
Class: |
C21C
5/46 (20060101); F27d 023/00 () |
Field of
Search: |
;239/132.3
;266/34L,41 |
Foreign Patent Documents
Primary Examiner: Dost; Gerald A.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Vogel; Hilmond O.
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. For a lance adapted for mixing oxygen and fuel and
including,
a first central fuel pipe,
a second pipe concentric with said first pipe and providing an
insulating space around said fuel pipe,
a third pipe concentric with and providing an oxygen conveying
space around said second pipe,
fourth and fifth pipes concentric with each other and said other
pipes providing concentric coolant circulating spaces;
a nozzle head,
a first lower closure wall connected at its peripheral edge to said
fifth pipe,
at least one cylindrical passage means opening outwardly of said
first closure wall to provide an oxygen and fuel discharge
orifice,
an extension of said fourth pipe providing at a lower portion of
said nozzle head a coolant chamber surrounding said cylindrical
passage and communicating with said coolant circulating spaces,
a second closure wall on said third pipe above said first closure
wall,
a third closure wall on said second pipe enclosing said insulating
space and being disposed above said second closure wall,
a fourth closure wall on said first pipe disposed above said third
closure wall, and
a tube connected to said fourth closure wall and communicating with
said first fuel pipe,
said tube being connected to and extending through said third
closure wall, and
said tube having a discharge end terminating within said
cylindrical passage in spaced relation relative to said oxygen and
fuel discharge orifice.
2. The invention in accordance with claim 1,
said closure walls extending transversely to the axis of said
lance.
3. The invention in accordance with claim 1,
wherein said tube is supported on said third and fourth closure
walls in cantilever relation.
4. The invention in accordance with claim 3,
said discharge orifice having a cylindrical wall portion converging
inwardly and then outwardly toward said first closure wall.
5. The invention in accordance with claim 4,
said cylindrical wall having a portion thereof disposed between
said converging diverging portion of constant cross sectional
diameter.
6. The invention in accordance with claim 5,
the discharge end of said tube terminating outwardly relative to
said portion of constant cross section.
7. The invention in accordance with claim 3,
including supporting means for supporting an intermediate portion
of said tube on said third pipe.
8. The invention in accordance with claim 7,
said supporting means including circumferentially spaced space
elements supported in said orifice adjacent to said coolant
chamber.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
Application Ser. No. 396,911 filed Sept. 13, 1973.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the art of steel making equipment and
more particularly to an improved oxygen-fuel injection lance for
introducing oxygen and fuel gas simultaneously into an open hearth
furnace or basic oxygen furnace without the intermixture of the
oxygen and fuel anywhere in the lance except in the nozzle ejecting
orifices.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art is disclosed in the following patents:
2,991,173 7/4/61 75/52 Trentini and Vayssiere 3,076,642 2/5/63
266/41 Dhenein 3,313,535 4/11/67 266/34 Hopkins 3,342,473 9/19/67
266/41 White 3,556,497 1/19/71 266/34 Grenfell 3,608,881 9/28/71
266/41 Yordanov et al. 3,626,501 12/7/71 266/41 Baird et al.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present lance includes five concentric pipes, with a central
fuel pipe having a transverse first closure wall. An insulating
pipe around said closure wall also includes a second transverse
closure wall below said first wall. The lance end or nozzle is of
the multiple type including three equally spaced orifices of
convergent-divergent cylindrical wall construction. Three
relatively narrow fuel tubes are secured to the first wall,
communicate with the first or central fuel pipe and project through
the second wall in cantilever relation. The narrow tubes are
supported further by spacers within the orifices, the said spacers
permitting the free flow of oxygen around the narrow tubes. The
ends of the narrow tube terminate within the orifices where the gas
and oxygen are intermixed and directed to the B.O.F. bath.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective view disclosing one embodiment of the gas
injection lance of this invention;
FIG. 2 is a cross sectional view disclosing a top adapter assembly
of the injection lance shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through the lower portion or
nozzle end of a gas injection lance;
FIG. 4 is a detail view in cross section taken substantially along
the line 4--4 of FIG. 1;
FIG. 5 is a detail cross sectional view through the uppermost part
of an adaptor assembly showing a modified detail of the invention;
and
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along the line
6--6 of FIG. 3.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring to the drawings, an oxygen fuel lance assembly is
designated at 10 and includes a top assembly 11 and a lower nozzle
or lance tip designated at 12. The lance assembly 10 comprises a
first inner pipe 13 which is utilized for the flow of fuel oil, or
similar type of fuel, adapted to effectively mix with the oxygen at
the nozzle end and to be directed therewith to the interior of a
basic oxygen furnace to provide for the refining of steel. The
basic oxygen process is well known to those skilled in the art and
the physical and organic reactions occurring in the steel and bath
assembly as a result of the oxygen and fuel flow need not be
described in detail since the present invention is primarily
directed to the construction of the lance assembly.
The first inner pipe 13 which extends substantially the full length
of the lance is surrounded and concentric with a second insulating
pipe 14 which provides therebetween an insulating space 15. As
disclosed in FIG. 2, the upper end of the pipe 13 is provided with
an enlargement and which has integral therewith an enlarged sleeve
16 of piston-like configuration. The enlarged piston type sleeve is
provided with a plurality of sealing rings 17. The sealing rings 17
may be of any suitable conventional construction and O-type sealing
rings are effective for this purpose. A stub pipe 18 is in mating
relation with respect to the sleeve 16 and is provided at its upper
end with an adaptor connection 19 which may be suitably connected
to a source of fuel oil. The lower end of the stub pipe 18 is
provided with a piston sleeve portion 20, also including a
plurality of sealing rings 21. The second insulating pipe 14 is
also similarly provided with an enlarged piston sleeve 22 at its
upper end which projects upwardly beyond the sleeve 16. The piston
sleeve 22 is also provided with a plurality of seals 23.
A third pipe is indicated at 24 and is provided with an extension
or lower section 24', the connection therebetween which will be
later described. The third pipe 24 has connected thereto an oxygen
inlet connection 26 which provides for the flow of oxygen through
an oxygen passage 25 provided between the pipe 24 and the pipe 14.
As best shown in the upper portions of FIGS. 1 and 2, a cover plate
27 is removably connected by means of cap screws 28 to the upper
ends of a sleeve or bushing 29. For the purposes of terminology,
the piston sleeves 16 may be simply referred to as sleeves, as well
as the bushing 29, since they are of sleeve-like construction and
are all connected to respective pipes. The sleeve 29 is provided
with a circumferential flange 30 and has also connected thereto a
reduced portion 31 which is in overlapping engagement with the
upper end of the third pipe 24. Since the upper terminal ends of
the enlarged sleeves 16 and 22 are disposed below or in spaced
relation with respect to the cover plate 27, there is provided a
space or chamber 32. The upper portions of the bushing 29 are
provided with a pair of threaded bores 33, only one of which is
shown in FIG. 4, the said bores 33 having contained therein
threaded plugs 34 which each include a vent bore 35 adapted to vent
the chamber 32 to the atmosphere. A circumferential flange 36 is
connected to the flange 30 by means of bolt and nut assemblies 37.
A circumferential flange 38 is connected to the third pipe 24 and a
fourth pipe 39 is provided with a flange 40 suitably connected to
the flange 38 by means of bolt and nut assemblies 41. A flange 42
is sandwiched between flanges 38 and 40, the said flange 42 being
provided on a bushing or sleeve 43 which is provided with a
circumferential seal 44 in sealing engagement with respect to the
fourth pipe 39. The flange 42 is sealed against the flange 40 by
means of a circumferential seal 45. A vent space or chamber 46 is
provided between the pipe 24 and the bushing 43, the same being
vented to the atmosphere by virtue of a pair of vent openings 46'.
As shown in FIG. 2, the third pipe 24 consists of two sections and
the section 24' is provided with an upwardly extending sleeve 47
which is in sliding engagement with a piston sleeve 48 connected to
the lower end of the third pipe 24. Suitable seals 49 on the piston
sleeve 48 are in sealing engagement with an inner surface of the
sleeve 47 and similarly, seals 50 on the sleeve 47 are in sealing
relation with respect to the cylindrical surface of the bushing or
sleeve 43.
The third pipe section 24' and fourth pipe extension section 39'
provide a water directing space 51 which communicates with the
water inlet 52. A flange 53 is connected to the lower end of the
section 39 and the extension 39' of the pipe 39 provides a passage
54 in communication with the water circulating space 51. A flange
55 is connected to a fifth pipe 57 and suitable bolt and nut
connections 56 connect flanges 53 and 55. The lower portions of the
fifth pipe 57 are connected by means of a flange 59 to which is
connected a downwardly projecting pipe extension 57' providing for
a continuation of the pipe 57. The fifth pipe 57 provides for a
water outlet space 60 which is fed by means of a water circulating
space 60' formed by the fifth pipe extension 57' thereby
circulating water outwardly through the discharge pipe 58.
Referring now particularly to FIG. 3, the lower or nozzle end 12 of
the lance will be described. The fifth pipe extension 57' extends
downwardly and is suitably connected by welding to a dish-shaped
lower or transverse wall 61 having upwardly extending peripheral
edge portions 62 conforming and being connected to the pipe
extension 57'. The pipe extension 57' may consist of suitable
similar extensions connected together by welding, these additional
extensions not being designated separately but being considered
part of the fifth pipe arrangement. The same is true for the other
pipes in that the extensions are provided and are necessary to form
slip joints accommodating the longitudinal expansion and
contraction to which these assemblies are subjected by extreme
temperatures. The pipe extension 39', for instance, is provided
with a reduced portion 63 which is in relative sliding and mating
relation with a pipe extension 64 which still is considered an
extension of the pipes 39 and 39'. This type of arrangement
accommodates the contractions and expansions which occur. The
extension 64 is provided at its lower end with a skirt 65 defining
a portion of an enlarged cooling chamber 66.
The present nozzle arrangement is of the multiple orifice type,
meaning that in this case three orifices are utilized. FIG. 3
discloses only one such orifice since they are identical and are
equally spaced about the circumference of the nozzle arrangement
12. The dish-shaped lower wall 61 which encloses the lower end of
the nozzle can be described as transverse in that it extends across
the lower end of the pipe section 57'. Similarly, an arcuate but
nevertheless somewhat transverse closure wall 67 encloses the lower
end of the first inner pipe 13. Similarly, the insulating pipe 14
is enclosed by a transverse or generally arcuate closure wall 68. A
similarly extending wall 69 encloses the oxygen space which is
provided between the pipes 14 and 24'. Three cylindrical walls 70
are provided in the lower end of the nozzle arrangement 12, only
one of which is shown. The cylindrical walls 70 are cooled by means
of the water circulating within the chamber 66. The lower ends of
each of the cylindrical walls 70 are provided with an outlet
orifice 71 through which the combined fuel and oxygen flows into
the oxygen vessel of a BOF operation. Each orifice 71 is of
converging diverging type in that a cylindrical diverging wall
portion 74 is provided at the upper end of the orifice 71 and
communicates with a cylindrical portion 73 of constant diameter
throughout its length, the said cylindrical portion 73 then
communicating with the diverging cylindrical portion 74 extending
to the end of the nozzle tip. Each of the orifices 74 is provided
with a fuel tube 75 welded within an opening 76 in the closure wall
67. Each fuel tube 75 extends through an opening 77 provided in the
transverse closure walls 68 to which it is also welded. The fuel
tube 75 is thus supported in cantilever relation relative to the
tubes 13 and 14 and projects centrally into the nozzle 71
terminating slightly below the terminal end of the constant
cylindrical wall portion 73. The tube 75 is also supported as best
shown in FIGS. 3 and 6 by means of spacers 78 and 79 in turn
rigidly welded to the cylindrical converging wall portion 72'. Each
tube 75 thus is effectively supported within each orifice 71, yet
permitting the free flow of oxygen and fuel through the ends of
each orifice.
Referring now to FIG. 2 and particularly to the portion of the
insulating pipe 14 below its piston sleeve 22, there is provided a
threaded test opening 80 which is normally closed by means of a
threaded plug 81. Similarly, referring now to the modification of
FIG. 5, the parts are identical except that the piston sleeve 16
forming part of the first pipe 13 is provided with one or more
passages 82 which communicate at their lower ends with the
insulating space 15, the said passage 82 being normally closed at
its upper end by means of a threaded plug 83.
THE OPERATION
In the operation of the lance, it is supported at its upper end by
means of a suitable crane type structure above a bath provided in a
basic oxygen furnace. The nozzle is disposed a predetermined
distance from the bath and fuel oil may enter through the stub pipe
18, whereupon it flows to the ends thereof and out through the
tubes 75 where it is mixed in the orifices 71. Oxygen, of course,
is supplied through the oxygen pipe 26 downwardly through the
passage 25 through the converging cylindrical portion 70 through
and outwardly through the portion 74. Water is circulating through
the inlet 52 downwardly through the spaces 51 and 54 to the lower
end of the nozzle tip whereupon it is circulated around the
cylindrical wall 72 in the chamber 66, then flows outwardly through
water circulating space 60' upwardly into the space 60 and
outwardly through the water outlet 58.
One of the primary features of the invention is the easily
repairable feature and also the ease with which the sealing
surfaces and seals may be inspected. When the removable bushing 29
is removed by removal of the bolts 37, the seals 23 may be
immediately inspected and replaced. Further, by the removal of the
stub pipe 18, the seals 21 may be either inspected or replaced.
As indicated in the above referenced Berry patent, the vent chamber
is extremely important in venting any leaking oxygen to the
atmosphere before it can be intermixed with other elements which
might be leaking. In other words, oxygen which may leak past the
seals 23 immediately is vented to the atmosphere through the vent
openings 35. The threaded bores 33 also serve the purpose of
permitting the insertion of a test nipple replacing the one-half
inch plug which is shown in FIG. 4. A test nipple may be a portion
of a pressure testing unit which provides high pressure fluid into
the vent chamber 32 for the purpose of testing the seals 23 and
21.
The insulating pipe 14 provides an insulating space 15 which serves
as a safety chamber between the oxygen passage 25 in the event that
there is a leakage of any of the connections of the pipe 13. As
indicated previously, the pipes may all be made in sections which
are welded together and any leakage such as could occur because of
an improper weld in the fuel tube 13 will be taken care of because
of the insulating space 15. The seal 17 prevents the escape of fuel
oil from the insulating chamber, but in the event some does escape
by the seals 17, the same is carried from the vent chamber 32
through the vent openings and is quickly noticed the operator so
that the operation may be halted for repair.
The threaded test opening 80 and pipe plug arrangement 81 also
serve a distinct and effective purpose during the testing procedure
of the lance. In order to properly test the welds and the seals 17
upon partial disassembly of the upper end of the arrangement, a
suitable nipple is attached to the threaded opening 18 to direct
water under pressure into the insulating chamber 15 thereby
providing for the desired test of the seals 17 and the welds of the
various sections of the pipes involved. It is apparent that in view
of the arrangement of the sleeves 16, 22 and bushing 29 with their
respective seals, vertical expansion and contraction of the pipes
is accommodated. Expansion of the pipe 39 and section 39' is
accommodated as shown in FIG. 3 by the sliding slip joint or
reduced section 63 relative to the pipe extension 64.
FIG. 5 shows a modified arrangement. In this case the sleeve 16 is
provided with one or more vertical passages 82 which communicates
with the insulating chamber 15. In the pressure tests of the seals
17 the passages 82 would be closed by the pipe plug 83. Thus, the
seals 17 would be effectively tested. However, it is contemplated
that the seals 17 could be eliminated or the passage 82 could
remain open so as to permit any leakage from the chamber 15 to be
immediately directed into the chamber 32 where it would become
quickly visible to the operator. Thus, the alternate is provided in
that during operation where the seals 17 are employed the operator
may remove the pipe plug 83, opening the bore 82 to accommodate the
free flow of escaping fuel oil into the vent chamber 32, whereupon
it would be quickly noticed due to leakage outwardly of the vent
openings. In this type of modification the O-rings or seals 17
would be primarily utilized in the pressure testing of the unit,
but would not have any effect during the normal operation of the
lance, since the passages 82 would be open.
A further advantage is the provision of the venting chamber 46 and
the vent opening 46'. Thus, any leakage of oxygen past the seals 49
would immediately appear in the chamber 46 and be dissipated
through the openings 46'. The advantages of the quickly removable
disconnect of the bushing 43 is also apparent, the same permitting
quick inspection of the seals and proper replacement of any
portions of this particular assembly. Thus, it is also apparent
that the arrangement permits pressure testing of the lance prior to
its use which is not accomplished or contemplated in the prior
art.
Referring now particularly to the nozzle structure disclosed, the
tubes 75 are effectively cantilevered on the lower ends of the
pipes 13 and 14, and thus an effective operation is secured.
The cantilever arrangement of the tubes 75 provides for a strong
anchoring of said tubes. Further, the spacers 78 and 79 further
support the tubes 75 in the orifices 71 effectively and thereby
eliminate the tendency of vibration which would otherwise occur.
Yet the passage of oxygen through the orifices is facilitated and
mixture of oxygen and oil is achieved in the diverging position of
the orifice thereby effectively mixing and discharging the
combination.
* * * * *