Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
291 words
Apparatus for refining an iron base melt by blowing a gas stream at a predetermined flow rate and containing a suspended particulate solid into said iron base melt through a tuyere located in a vessel containing said iron base melt and having a tuyere inlet, said apparatus having: a. a gas supply source at super atmospheric pressure; b. a main oxygen supply line connecting said gas supply source to said tuyere inlet for supplying said gas stream to said tuyere inlet at said predetermined flow rate for refining said iron base melt; c. injection means for suspending said suspended particulate solid in said gas stream and for injecting said suspended particulate solid at a particulate injection point in said main oxygen supply line prior to entry of said gas stream and said suspended particulate solid into said tuyere inlet thereby increasing said pressure drop of said gas stream from said gas supply source to said tuyere inlet as a result of the passage of said gas stream and said suspended particulate solid through said injection means and said main oxygen supply line; d. flow control means connected to said main oxygen supply line prior to said particulate injection point for sensing the flow of said gas stream through said main oxygen supply line; e. valve means connected to said flow control means and in communication with said main oxygen supply line prior to said particulate injection point for controlling the flow of said gas stream through said main oxygen supply line; and f. said flow control means being operable to adjust said valve means in said main oxygen supply line to maintain substantially constant said predetermined flow rate of said gas stream and said suspended particulate solid to said tuyere inlet.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
291 words
Apparatus for refining an iron base melt by blowing a gas stream at a predetermined flow rate and containing a suspended particulate solid into said iron base melt through a tuyere located in a vessel containing said iron base melt and having a tuyere inlet, said apparatus having: a. a gas supply source at super atmospheric pressure; b. a main oxygen supply line connecting said gas supply source to said tuyere inlet for supplying said gas stream to said tuyere inlet at said predetermined flow rate for refining said iron base melt; c. injection means for suspending said suspended particulate solid in said gas stream and for injecting said suspended particulate solid at a particulate injection point in said main oxygen supply line prior to entry of said gas stream and said suspended particulate solid into said tuyere inlet thereby increasing said pressure drop of said gas stream from said gas supply source to said tuyere inlet as a result of the passage of said gas stream and said suspended particulate solid through said injection means and said main oxygen supply line; d. flow control means connected to said main oxygen supply line prior to said particulate injection point for sensing the flow of said gas stream through said main oxygen supply line; e. valve means connected to said flow control means and in communication with said main oxygen supply line prior to said particulate injection point for controlling the flow of said gas stream through said main oxygen supply line; and f. said flow control means being operable to adjust said valve means in said main oxygen supply line to maintain substantially constant said predetermined flow rate of said gas stream and said suspended particulate solid to said tuyere inlet.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
78 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 and having a pressure control means associated with said main oxygen supply line adjacent said tuyere inlet for sensing the pressure of said gas stream and said suspended particulate solid and for maintaining a minimum flow rate of said gas stream to said tuyere inlet, which minimum flow rate will provide a predetermined pressure in said gas stream adjacent said tuyere inlet to prevent said iron base melt from entering said tuyere.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
54 words
The apparatus recited in claim 2 wherein pressure control means has: a. pressure sensing means for sensing the pressure of said gas stream adjacent said tuyere inlet to create a pressure signal; b. a pressure controller connected to said pressure sensing means and adapted to receive said pressure signal from said pressure sensing means.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
111 words
The apparatus recited in claim 3 wherein said pressure control means has: a. said pressure controller operable to compare said pressure signal with a reference pressure signal representing the desired pressure of said gas stream at said tuyere inlet; b. a flow limiter connected to said pressure controller and adapted to receive an output signal from said pressure controller; and c. said flow limiter being operable to apply an output signal from said flow limiter to said valve means to adjust said valve means to permit a flow rate of said gas stream through said valve means which will produce the desired Pressure of said gas stream at said tuyere inlet.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
62 words
The apparatus recited in claim 4 wherein said pressure control means has: a. blocking means disposed between said pressure controller and said flow limiter for blocking said output signal from said pressure controller to said flow limiter when the pressure of said gas stream at said tuyere inlet is greater than said desired pressure of said gas stream at said tuyere inlet.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
68 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said flow control means has: a. flow sensing means in communication with said main oxygen supply line for sensing the flow rate of said gas stream prior to said particulate injection point and to create a flow signal; and b. a flow controller connected to said flow sensing means and adapted to receive said flow signal from said flow sensing means.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
104 words
The apparatus recited in claim 6 wherein said flow control means has: a. said flow control means adapted to compare said flow signal with a reference signal representing the desired flow rate of said gas stream; b. a flow limiter connected to said flow controller; c. said flow controller being operable to apply an output flow signal to said flow limiter; and d. said flow limiter being operable to apply an output flow signal from said flow limiter to said valve means to adjust said valve means to permit passage of the desired flow return of said gas stream to said flow control means.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
22 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein: a. said gas supply means has a pressure from about 12 to about 18 atmospheres.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein: a. said gas stream is an oxygen stream.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
37 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein: a. said main oxygen supply line maintains substantially constant said predetermined flow rate at said tuyere inlet at a flow velocity of between 0.7 to about 0.8 of Mach 1.0.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
79 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein: a. said flow control means maintains the pressure of said gas stream during non-injection periods so that the pressure of said gas stream at said tuyere inlet is from about 3 atmospheres to about 5 atmospheres less than the difference between said super atmospheric pressure of said gas supply source and the pressure drop in said gas stream resulting from the passage of said gas stream through said main oxygen supply line.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein: a. said suspended particulate solid is finely divided lime.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
13 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein: a. said gas stream is nitrogen.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said tuyere is a bottom submerged tuyere.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said tuyere is a submerged side tuyere.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
24 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said tuyere is a side tuyere directed toward a carbon monoxide zone above said iron base melt.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said apparatus is a bottom blown converter.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said apparatus is an electric-arc melting furnace.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said apparauts is an open hearth furnace.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
15 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said apparatus is a tiltable open hearth furnace.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
14 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said apparatus is a molten metal mixer.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
36 words
The apparatus recited in claim 1 wherein said tuyere is a tuyere disposed adjacent a discharge opening of said apparatus to prevent the formation of skulls adjacent said pour opening during pouring of said molten metal.