US 4,728,240 AGranted

Charging installation for a shaft furnace

AssigneePaul Wurth S.A.

InventorsRene Mahr, Emile Lonardi, Gilbert Bernard, Marc Solvi, Pierre Mailliet

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Abstract

An apparatus for distributing charge material to a shaft furnace is presented which effectively reduces the segregation of the particles in a storage housing positioned above the shaft furnace. In the present invention, the storage hopper and the distribution device are movable about the vertical axis of the shaft furnace and are mounted inside a sealed chamber. Above the chamber are arranged at least two locks which are each provided with upper and lower sealing flaps. Preferably, the storage hopper and the bottom of each of the locks are in the configuration of tapered funnels, the conical wall of which forms an angle of less than or equal to about 30.degree. with respect to the vertical axis of the furnace. The storage hopper is preferably supported by support and guide rollers which move on a circular rail integral with the wall of the sealed chamber and is subjected to the action of a drive mechanism for rotation about the vertical axis of the furnace. Anti-segregation boxes are preferably provided both in the locks and in the hopper, to ensure better filling and guarantee a more uniform distribution of the particles of differing granulometry.

Claims16

Dependent claims

A charging installation for a shaft furnace, the furnace having an axis, the furnace further having a charge material supply opening which is coaxial with said axis, said furnace also having a rotary or oscillating chute for distributing charge material from the charge material supply opening into the furnace, said charging installation comprising:

an intermediate charge material storage vessel, said vessel having an axis, said vessel further having an upper end and a lower end with a discharge opening at its lower end, said discharge opening being coaxial with said vessel axis;
means for coupling said vessel discharge opening to the furnace to selectively establish a flow of charge material from said vessel to the rotary or oscillating chute, said coupling means including flow control means, said flow control means defining a variable area orifice which is generally symmetrical with respect to a prolongation of the furnace axis;
means for rotating said intermediate storage vessel and said flow control means about said vessel axis;
sealed chamber means, said sealed chamber means enclosing said intermediate storage vessel, said sealed chamber means having a lower end associated with said lower end of said intermediate storage vessel and an upper end associated with said upper end of said intermediate storage vessel, said upper end of said sealed chamber means including a plurality of loading openings, said loading openings communicating with said upper end of said intermediate storage vessel;
at least two lock means, each lock means having an upper and lower sealing means for entry and exit of charge material, said lock means being positioned above said upper end of said sealed chamber means and each of said lower sealing means selectively communicating with one of said loading openings of said sealed chamber means.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.