Cover for launders
AssigneeDesom Enviromental Systems Limited
InventorJohn Albert Davis
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cover is provided for a launder, or an equivalent open-topped vessel for containing molten metal, the cover including a heat-insulative layer spanning the open top of the vessel, with a spacer arrangement to maintain a gap of uniform width between the heat-insulative layer and the open-top. A housing defines an evacuation plenum, and connections are made to allow an exhaust device to remove gaseous materials from the plenum. Adjacent the gap is an air-guide arrangement which directs outside air into the evacuation chamber along a path which is intercepted by any gaseous materials exiting through the gap, whereby such gaseous materials are entrained into the evacuation chamber.
Claims19
For use with an open-topped vessel adapted to contain molten metal, a cover comprising:
- a heat-insulative layer sized and adapted to span the open top of the vessel,
- spacer means for maintaining a gap of substantially uniform width between said heat-insulative layer and the open top of the vessel,
- housing means associated with said layer and defining an evacuation plenum,
- connection means forming part of said housing means and adapted to allow an exhaust device to exhaust gaseous materials from said evacuation plenum,
- air-guide means adapted for location adjacent said gap, and adapted to direct outside air into said evacuation plenum such that the path taken by the outside air is intersected by any gaseous materials exiting through said gap, thus entraining such gaseous materials into the evacuation plenum, and
- expulsion means comprising at least one burner which delivers hot products of combustion to the vessel below the heat-insulative layer, thus adding heat energy to the contents of the vessel while raising the pressure therein, thereby promoting the expulsion of said gaseous materials through said gap.
In combination:
- 1) an open-topped vessel adapted to contain molten metal, and 2) a cover;
- the cover comprising:
- a heat-insulative layer sized and adapted to span the open top of the vessel,
- spacer means for maintaining a gap of substantially uniform width between said heat-insulative layer and the open top of the vessel,
- housing means associated with said layer and defining an evacuation plenum,
- connection means forming part of said housing means and adapted to allow an exhaust device to exhaust gaseous materials from said evacuation plenum,
- air-guide means adjacent said gap, and adapted to direct outside air into said evacuation plenum such that the path taken by the outside air is intersected by any gaseous materials exiting through said gap, thus entraining such gaseous materials into the evacuation plenum, and
- expulsion means for raising the pressure in the vessel, thus promoting the expulsion of said gaseous materials through said gap, said expulsion means comprising at least one burner which delivers hot products of combustion to the vessel below the heat-insulative layer, thus adding heat energy to the contents of the vessel while raising the pressure therein.
A method of transporting molten metal in an open-topped launder, comprising the steps:
- 1) covering the open top of the launder with a heat-insulative layer sized and adapted to span the open top of the launder,
- 2) maintaining a gap of substantially uniform width between said heat-insulative layer and the open top of the launder,
- 3) providing an evacuation plenum adjacently above said layer,
- 4) utilizing an exhaust device to exhaust gaseous materials from said evacuation plenum, while using air-guide means adjacent said gap to direct outside air into said evacuation plenum such that the path taken by the outside air is intersected by any gaseous materials exiting through said gap, thus entraining such gaseous materials into the evacuation chamber from which they are removed by the exhaust device.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.