Hydraulic distributor for top charging a blast furnace

Abstract

A hydraulic distributor for safely and efficiently top charging a bell-less blast furnace. The hydraulic distributor includes a main housing, an inner ring, a trunnion, and an actuator ring, which act together to lift and rotate the distributor chute. Hydraulic tilt cylinders operatively coupled to the inner ring act to lift the distributor chute to change tilt. Rotational Drives operatively coupled to the trunnion act to rotate the distributor chute. The hydraulic distributor provides improved repeatability and precision control of the distributor chute, and hence the placement of burden materials within the blast furnace resulting in improved productivity and operation of the furnace. The hydraulic distributor provides a less complex design and construction resulting in reduced costs for manufacturing and maintenance.

1 . A hydraulic distributor comprising:
 a housing comprising a top cover plate, a bottom and a sidewall extending between the top cover plate and the bottom;   an inner ring located in the housing;   a trunnion located with the housing and concentrically inward from the inner ring, and   an actuator ring located with the housing and concentrically between the inner ring and the trunnion;   a hydraulic tilt cylinder mounted to the top cover plate of the housing; the hydraulic tilt cylinder comprising a hydraulic cylinder, a cylinder stand and a cylinder rod, the cylinder rod extending into the housing and operatively coupled to the inner ring;   a rotational drive mounted to the top cover plate of the housing; the rotational drive comprising a motor, a pinion drive shaft, and a drive pinion, the pinion drive shaft and drive pinion extending into the housing and operatively coupled to the trunnion;   a distributor cradle operatively coupled to the inner ring, the trunnion, and the actuator ring;   a distribution chute mounted to the distributor cradle   wherein linear movement of the hydraulic tilt cylinder serves to lift and control tilt of the distribution chute and wherein rotational movement of the rotational drive serves to rotate the distributor chute.   
     
     
         2 . The hydraulic distributor of  claim 1 , further comprising four hydraulic tilt cylinders positioned about 90 degrees apart from one another. 
     
     
         3 . The hydraulic distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the inner ring is connected to the actuator ring using a lower roller slewing bearing, the lower bearing connection allowing the actuator ring to rotate in a continuous 360 degree motion and move up and down based on the movements of the inner ring. 
     
     
         4 . The hydraulic distributor of  claim 3 , wherein the actuator ring is connected to one or more pivoting crank shafts having linkage, crank arms and roller assemblies, wherein the rollers and crank arms force the crank shafts to pivot as the actuator ring moves up or down, this crank arms to crank shaft connection transferring the vertical motion into a horizontal rotation motion that in turn tilts the distribution chute up of down. 
     
     
         5 . The hydraulic distributor of  claim 4 , wherein the crank shafts pivot on a set of bushings located in a trunnion inner most ring, the other end of the crank shafts connected to the distribution chute cradle. 
     
     
         6 . The hydraulic distributor of  claim 1 , further comprising two rotational drives positioned about 180 degrees apart from one another, wherein during normal operations one rotational drive is operating and the other rotational drive is in stand-by. 
     
     
         7 . The hydraulic distributor of  claim 1 , wherein the rotational drive pinion is coupled to the trunnion via an upper geared slewing bearing, the trunnion is bolted to an outside externally geared race of the slewing bearing, an inside race of the slewing bearing is connected to the hydraulic distributor housing and is stationary, the upper bearing connection transferring the rotation motion from the rotation drive to the trunnion. 
     
     
         8 . The hydraulic distributor of  claim 7 , wherein as the trunnion rotates, crank shafts mounted through the trunnion rotate about the vertical centerline of the hydraulic distributor, the crank shafts are connected to and rotate the distribution chute cradle. 
     
     
         9 . The hydraulic distributor of  claim 1 , further comprising a control system for controlling rotation and tilt of the hydraulic distributor. 
     
     
         10 . The hydraulic distributor of  claim 9 , wherein the hydraulic tilt cylinder further comprises a linear transducer, wherein the linear transducer provides a precise location of the cylinder rod stroke to the control system. 
     
     
         11 . The hydraulic distributor of  claim 9 , wherein rotational drive further comprises an encoder internal to the motor, wherein the encoder is used by the control system to determine distributor chute rotation angle. 
     
     
         12 . The hydraulic distributor of  claim 9 , further comprising a source of hydraulic pressure in fluid communication with the hydraulic cylinder of the hydraulic tilt cylinder, wherein the source of hydraulic pressure is controlled by the control system to cause extension or retraction of the hydraulic tilt cylinder and control lift of the distributor chute. 
     
     
         13 . The hydraulic distributor of  claim 1 , further comprising electronics electrically connected to the rotational drive, wherein the electronics are controlled by the control systems to activate the rotational drive to control rotation of the distributor chute. 
     
     
         14 . The hydraulic distributor of  claim 1 , further comprising a linear transducer in each of the hydraulic cylinders that provide a precise location of the cylinder stroke, wherein the location of the cylinder stroke dictates the angle of the distribution chute. 
     
     
         15 . The hydraulic distributor of  claim 1 , further comprising an encoder in the rotational drive motor that provides precise location of the rotation drive, wherein the location of the rotation drive dictates a rotational angle of the distribution chute. 
     
     
         16 . A method of controlling the rotation and tilt of a distributor chute of a hydraulic distributor comprising:
 controlling distribution chute rotational motion by:
 utilizing a rotation drive having a motor; 
 energizing the motor to rotate an output shaft of the motor; 
 operatively coupling a gear reducer to the motor output shaft; 
 coupling a shaft to the gear reducer, the shaft having a drive pinion keyed to the shaft, wherein the gear reducer transmits the rotation of the motor output shaft to cause rotation of the drive pinion; 
 rotating an upper roller slewing bearing that is operatively coupled to the drive pinion; 
 connecting a trunnion to the slewing bearing, wherein the bearing connection transfers the rotation motion from the rotation drive to the trunnion; 
 as the trunnion rotates, rotating crank shafts mounted through the trunnion about a vertical centerline of the hydraulic distributor; 
 connecting a distribution chute cradle the crank shafts; 
 rotating the distribution chute cradle as the crank shafts rotate about the vertical centerline of the hydraulic distributor; 
 connecting a distribution chute to the distribution chute cradle, so as the cradle rotates the distribution chute rotates as well; 
   controlling distribution chute tilt motion by:
 utilizing hydraulic cylinders connected to a source of hydraulic pressure; 
 connecting the hydraulic cylinders to an inner ring inside a hydraulic distributor housing via connecting rods; 
 extending and retracting the hydraulic cylinder to move the inner ring in a vertical up and down motion; 
 connecting the inner ring to an actuator ring through a connection using a lower roller slewing bearing, wherein the bearing connect is designed to allow the actuator ring the ability to rotate in a continuous 360 degree motion and move up and down based on the movements of the inner ring; 
 connecting the actuator ring to two pivoting crank shafts utilizing linkage, crank arms and rollers, the rollers and crank arms force the crank shafts to pivot as the actuator ring moves up or down, this crank arms to crank shaft connection transferring the vertical motion, up and down, into a horizontal rotation motion that in turn tilts the distribution chute up or down. 
   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the upper slewing bearing is an externally geared X style roller slewing bearing, and further comprising;
 connecting the trunnion to an outside externally geared race of the slewing bearing; and   connecting an inside race of the slewing bearing to the hydraulic distributor housing.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising pivoting the crank shafts on a set of bushings located on the trunnion, and the other end of the crank shafts being connected to the distribution chute cradle. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising connecting the inner ring to the actuator ring using a lower roller slewing bearing, the lower bearing connection allowing the actuator ring to rotate in a continuous 360 degree motion and move up and down based on the movements of the inner ring. 
     
     
         20 . The hydraulic distributor of  claim 19 , further comprising connecting the actuator ring to one or more pivoting crank shafts having linkage, crank arms and roller assemblies, wherein the rollers and crank arms force the crank shafts to pivot as the actuator ring moves up or down, this crank arms to crank shaft connection transferring the vertical motion into a horizontal rotation motion that in turn tilts the distribution chute up of down.