Top loading roof for electric arc, metallurgical or refining furnaces and system thereof
AssigneeAmerifab, Inc.
InventorRichard J. Manasek
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of quickly changing a portion of the roof of an electric arc furnace having a top loading roof system comprising providing at least one pie-shaped water cooled panel supported below the roof support beams and located to protect the underside hot face of the roof support beams, providing at least one quick water disconnect for connecting the at least one pie-shaped water cooled panel to a water supply, raising and removing the at least one pie-shaped water cooled roof panel, replacing the at least one pie-shaped water cooled roof panel with another pie-shaped water cooled panel or repairing the at least one pie-shaped water cooled roof panel, and continuing operation of the furnace.
Claims20
A method of replacing a damaged portion of a furnace roof of a metallurgical or refining furnace, the method comprising:
- providing the metallurgical or refining furnace with a top loading roof panel system having a top loading roof structure comprising roof support beams and a plurality of panels coupled to and supported by the roof support beams, wherein the roof support beams includes an inner support ring, an outer support ring, and a plurality of radial beams separate from the inner and outer support rings that extend radially between the inner support ring and the outer support ring to interconnect the inner support ring and the outer support ring;
- removing a first panel of the plurality of panels from the roof support beams by lifting the first panel from the top loading roof structure;
- replacing the first panel with a second panel, wherein replacing the first panel with the second panel includes inserting the second panel through an opening defined between the inner support ring, the outer support ring, and two circumferentially adjacent radial beams of the plurality of radial beams;
- and
- coupling the second panel to the top loading roof structure so that the second panel is supported below tops of the roof support beams and is located to protect underside hot faces of the roof support beams.
A method of replacing a damaged portion of a furnace roof for a metallurgical or refining furnace, the method comprising:
- providing a metallurgical or refining furnace comprising a top loading roof panel system, wherein the top loading roof panel system has a top loading roof structure that includes an inner support ring, an outer support ring, and a plurality of radial beams separate from the inner and outer support rings that extend radially between the inner support ring and the outer support ring to interconnect the inner support ring and the outer support ring;
- providing a plurality of roof panels coupled to the roof structure so that each of the plurality of roof panels is supported below tops of the inner support ring, the outer support ring, and the radial beams and is located to protect underside hot faces of the inner support ring, the outer support ring, and the radial beams;
- removing a first panel of the plurality of panels from the top loading roof structure;
- repairing the first panel;
- and
- replacing the repaired first panel on the top loading roof structure, wherein replacing the repaired first panel includes engaging the first panel with the inner support ring, the outer support ring, and at least one of the plurality of radial beams using an engagement feature directly affixed to the at least one of the plurality of radial beams to secure the first panel on the top loading roof structure.
A roof assembly for a metallurgical or refining furnace, the roof assembly comprising:
- a roof structure formed by an inner support beam, an outer support beam, and a plurality of radially-extending support beams separate from the inner and outer support beams that extend radially between the inner support beam and the outer support beam to interconnect the inner support beam and the outer support beam;
- a plurality of panels coupled to the roof structure and supported below the support beams, wherein the plurality of panels are disposed in a location to protect an underside of the roof structure;
- at least one engagement feature directly affixed to one of the plurality of radially-extending support beams to secure one of the plurality of panels to the roof structure;
- and
- a water cooling structure coupled to an underside of at least one of the plurality of panels, wherein the water cooling structure is in fluid communication with at least one quick water disconnect coupled to the at least one of the plurality of panels, and wherein the at least one quick water disconnect and the water cooling structure are further fluidly coupled to a water supply and a water return located to protect the roof structure and positioned away from a liquid metal bath in the furnace.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.