Deskulling lance

Abstract

A lance for discharging high velocity oxygen or other gases to remove skulls which form within the upper cone section of steelmaking vessels. The lance includes a lance tip having a plurality of sets of radially spaced nozzles whereby gas is directed generally laterally outwardly against the inner wall of the cone section to retard or remove the skulls.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A deskulling lance tip comprising: 
 a first set of deskulling nozzles; and    at least one additional set of deskulling nozzles disposed at a different orientation in said tip relative to said first set of deskulling nozzles.    
     
     
         2 . The deskulling lance tip of  claim 1  wherein said tip has a longitudinal axis, said first set of deskulling nozzles are disposed at an angle with respect to said longitudinal axis, and said at least one additional set of deskulling nozzles are disposed at an angle with respect to said longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         3 . The deskulling lance tip of  claim 2  wherein said angles are at least about 30°.  
     
     
         4 . The deskulling lance tip of  claim 1  wherein said first set of deskulling nozzles is disposed at a first angle with respect to said longitudinal axis and said at least one additional set of deskulling nozzles is disposed at at least one additional angle with respect to said longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         5 . The deskulling lance tip of  claim 4  wherein said at least one additional angle is different from said first angle.  
     
     
         6 . The deskulling lance tip of  claim 1  further comprising means for plugging desired nozzles of at least one of said first set of deskulling nozzles and said at least one additional set of deskulling nozzles.  
     
     
         7 . The deskulling lance tip of  claim 6  wherein said plugging means comprise at least one threaded plug.  
     
     
         8 . The deskulling lance tip of  claim 6  wherein said plugging means comprise at least one slotted plug.  
     
     
         9 . The deskulling lance tip of  claim 6  wherein said plugging means comprise at least one friction plug.  
     
     
         10 . A deskulling lance comprising: 
 a lance body and a lance tip connected to said lance body, said lance tip comprising: 
 a first set of deskulling nozzles; and  
 at least one additional set of deskulling nozzles disposed at a different orientation in said tip relative to said first set of deskulling nozzles.  
   
     
     
         11 . The deskulling lance of  claim 10  wherein said tip has a longitudinal axis, said first set of deskulling nozzles are disposed at an angle with respect to said longitudinal axis, and said at least one additional set of deskulling nozzles are disposed at an angle with respect to said longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         12 . The deskulling lance of  claim 11  wherein said angles are at least about 30°.  
     
     
         13 . The deskulling lance of  claim 10  wherein said first set of deskulling nozzles is disposed at a first angle with respect to said longitudinal axis and said at least one additional set of deskulling nozzles is disposed at at least one additional angle with respect to said longitudinal axis.  
     
     
         14 . The deskulling lance of  claim 13  wherein said at least one additional angle is different from said first angle.  
     
     
         15 . The deskulling lance of  claim 10  further comprising means for plugging desired nozzles of at least one of said first set of deskulling nozzles and said at least one additional set of deskulling nozzles.  
     
     
         16 . The deskulling lance of  claim 15  wherein said plugging means comprise at least one threaded plug.  
     
     
         17 . The deskulling lance of  claim 15  wherein said plugging means comprise at least one slotted plug.  
     
     
         18 . The deskulling lance of  claim 15  wherein said plugging means comprise at least one friction plug.  
     
     
         19 . A method of removing skull from a steelmaking vessel comprising the steps of: 
 inserting a deskulling lance having a lance body and a lance tip into the vessel;    discharging gas from the lance toward a skull deposit on the interior of the vessel, said discharging comprising: 
 discharging gas from a first set of deskulling nozzles in the lance tip; and  
 discharging gas from at least one additional set of deskulling nozzles disposed at a different orientation in the lance tip relative to the first set of deskulling nozzles.  
   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising selectively plugging at least one nozzle of the first set of deskulling nozzles and the at least one additional set of deskulling nozzles.