Hot air ladle preheat station and method

In combination:

• A. a ladle stand;
• B. a hot air ladle preheat station adjacent said ladle stand and including an outer casing having a ladle receiving opening, a wall spaced inward of the outer casing and defining a space therebetween, said space having a lower section in the area of said receiving opening and an upper flue section associated with a recuperator and an exit stack, said wall including burner means in said lower section;
• C. a ladle horizontally mounted on said ladle stand and extending into said receiving opening and short of said wall so as to define a dilution air space between the ladle and the outer casing and a products of combustion space between a ladle rim and said wall;
• whereby said burner means directs flame into said ladle, products of combustion exit the ladle through said products of combustion space and mix with dilution air prior to passing in heat exchange relationship through said recuperator with combustion sustaining gas directed to said burner means.

A method of heating ladles or the like comprising:

• A. positioning a ladle horizontally in a hot air ladle preheat station short of a burner wall to define a dilution air entrance space about said ladle and a products of combustion exit space between a ladle rim and said burner wall;
• B. directing flame into said ladle from burner means associated with said wall;
• C. exiting products of combustion through said exit space;
• D. mixing said products of combustion with dilution air from the entrance space to form an air mixture;
• and
• E. passing said air mixture in heat exchange relationship with combustion sustaining gas directed to said burner means.