Method and apparatus for drying the refractory lining
AssigneeNippon Steel Corporation
InventorTeruyuki Nishitani
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The refractory material lined inside a ladle, tandish or other container or sluice, etc. for molten metal can be dried by dielectric heating using microwave. In this case, a space surrounded by a metallic frame and a metallic cover plate can be used as a cavity resonator. If a hot blast is concurrently supplied inside the space, the time for drying can be made shorter.
Claims10
A method for drying the refractory lining of a ladle, tandish or like device for containing molten metal to remove water from said refractory, said device comprising an outer metallic shell and an inner lining of refractory material in said shell, said device enclosing a space for normally holding molten metal, said device having an open top, said method comprising:
- positioning a metallic cover on top of said device to fully enclose the space therein and thereby constitute said space a cavity resonator,
- supplying microwave energy to said cavity resonator to effect dielectric heating of said refractory material sufficient to cause evaporation of water therefrom as steam, and
- removing steam from said space.
Apparatus for drying the refractory lining of a ladle, tandish or like device for containing molten metal to remove water from said refractory, said device comprising an outer metallic shell and an inner lining of refractory material in said shell, said device enclosing a space for normally holding molten metal, said device having an open top, said apparatus comprising the combination with said device of
- a metallic cover receivable on top of said device to fully enclose the space therein and thereby constitute said space a cavity resonator,
- means for supplying microwave energy through said cover to said cavity resonator to effect dielectric heating of said refractory material sufficient to cause evaporation of water therefrom as steam, and
- an exhaust conduit connected to said cover and communicating with said space through which steam can be removed from said space.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.