Cooling structure for a metallurgical furnace

Abstract

A metallurgical vessel includes a cylindrical portion which is supported on a ring carrying a tilting spindle which is mounted for pivotal tilting movement of the vessel. The vessel includes a frustoconical mouth portion at its upper end which terminates in a mouth ring of reinforced construction. The construction includes a cooling arrangement for the mouth portion which comprises a plurality of groups of coils which are wound around the mouth portion and which are advantageously wound in the form of a multistart screw thread. Each group of coils includes an inlet and an outlet which is connected to a distributor through suitable valves. This distributor in turn is connected through a main distribution pipe which extends through an opening in the tilting ring and the tilting spindle and is connected to a source of fluid cooling medium through a rotary seal at the outer end of the tilting spindle.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A metallurgical vessel construction, comprising a vessel having an exterior wall which is subjected to high temperatures, a plurality of .[.groups of.]. .Iadd.individual discrete .Iaddend.coolant conduits positioned at a plurality of locations over said wall .Iadd.each defining a discrete fluid flow path for coolant extending .Iaddend.to cover at least a .Iadd.widely distributed .Iaddend.portion of a defined area of said wall for cooling said wall, .[.a separate.]. coolant supply .Iadd.means .Iaddend.for each conduit, .[.each of said groups including a plurality of separate coolant conduits and.]. each conduit being connected .Iadd.respectively .Iaddend.to .[.a respective one of.]. said coolant supply .Iadd.means.Iaddend., .[.and .]. said conduits .[.of each of said groups.]. being located alongside each other in each location so that there is always one of said .[.separate.]. .Iadd.discrete .Iaddend.coolant conduits located adjacent each other .[.so.].  .Iadd.to .Iaddend..[.that both.]. cover .[.and.]. adjacent .[.area.]. .Iadd.areas .Iaddend.of said wall, .[.whereby at least one of said conduits will be effective in each groups even though another.]. .Iadd.and valve means for enabling said coolant conduits to be individually shut off to terminate fluid flow therethrough, said conduits being arranged so that if any .Iaddend.of said conduits is ruptured or disconnected from its coolant supply.Iadd., any one of the other of said conduits through which fluid flow is maintained will provide a cooling effect which is widely distributed through the area of said wall to be cooled to compensate for the loss of conduits through which fluid flow is terminated.Iaddend.. 
     
     
       2. A metallurgical vessel, according to claim 1, including a distributor for connecting .[.said groups of.]. said conduits to said fluid coolant supply, each of said .[.groups of.]. conduits being connected to said distributor. 
     
     
       3. A metallurgical vessel, according to claim 1, wherein said .[.groups.]. .Iadd.conduits .Iaddend.are formed as continuous windings .[.of.]. .Iadd.with .Iaddend.at least two separate conduits extending around said wall. 
     
     
       4. A metallurgical vessel, according to claim 2, wherein said .[.groups of.]. conduits comprise at least three separate conduits wound continuously around said wall, said wall being tubular and said conduits being in closely spaced side-by-side relationship. 
     
     
       5. A metallurgical vessel construction, .[.comprising a vessel having an exterior wall, a plurality of groups of conduits defined over said wall with at least one of the conduits of one group being adjacent at least one of the conduits of another group, means for connecting said groups of conduits to a fluid coolant,.]. said conduits .[.comprising.]. .Iadd.comprise .Iaddend.a partial tubular wall portion located over said vessel, said vessel wall .[.closing.]. .Iadd.completing .Iaddend.said partial tubular conduit. 
     
     
       6. A metallurgical vessel construction.[., comprising a vessel having an exterior wall, a plurality of groups of conduits defined over said wall with at least one of the conduits of one group being adjacent at least one of the conduits of another group, means for connecting said groups of conduits to a fluid coolant,.]. said vessel .[.including.]. .Iadd.comprise .Iaddend.a cylindrical wall portion and a frustoconical mouth cap portion, .[.said groups of said.]. conduits comprising coils distributed over said mouth cap portion. 
     
     
       7. A metallurgical .[.vessel, comprising.]. .Iadd.vessel construction according to claim 1, further comprising .Iaddend.a cylindrical wall portion and an upper mouth cap portion, a supporting ring extending around said cylindrical portion and having a hollow tilt spindle adapted to be pivotally mounted for tilting said vessel with said .[.support.]. .Iadd.supporting .Iaddend.ring .[.a plurality of loops of conduits defined over said mouth cap portion wall with at least one of the conduits of one group being adjacent at least one of the conduits of another group, and means on said vessel for connecting said groups of said conduits to said fluid coolant..]. 
     
     
       8. A metallurgical vessel according to claim .[.6,.]. .Iadd.7, .Iaddend.wherein said means .[.for connecting said groups of conduits to a fluid coolant.]. .Iadd.coolant supply .Iaddend.comprises a conduit extending through said hollow tilt spindle. 
     
     
       9. A metallurgical vessel, according to claim 8, including a distributor carried on said vessel, each of said .[.groups of.]. conduits being separately connected to said distributor, a main conduit connected to said distributor, .Iadd.said .Iaddend.valve means .Iadd.being connected .Iaddend.between said distributor and each of said .[.groups of.]. conduits. 
     
     
       10. A metallurgical vessel, according to claim 9, wherein said main conduit extends through .Iadd.said .Iaddend.hollow spindle and is adapted to be connected to a station fluid coolant supply said main conduit having an expansion portion therein located between said supporting ring and said vessel. 
     
     
       11. A metallurgical vessel, according to claim 10, including a rotary seal adjacent said hollow tilt spindle for connecting said main conduit to a fluid coolant.