Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for use with a steel-refining apparatus comprising a converter, a supply of fluid, a primary conduit coupled between said converter and said fluid source for supplying fluid to said converter and a secondary conduit having its input and output coupled to upstream and downstream portions of said primary conduit between said converter and said supply, and a pressure tank containing a powdered flux to be supplied to said converter, said method including the steps of: a. pressurizing said tank to a predetermined pressure;
Claim 2
Independent Claim
85 words
A method for use with a steel-refining apparatus comprising a converter, a supply of fluid, a primary conduit coupled between said converter and said fluid source for supplying fluid to said converter and a secondary conduit having its input and output coupled to upstream and downstream portions of said primary conduit between said converter and said supply, and a pressure tank containing a powdered flux to be supplied to said converter, said method including the steps of: a. pressurizing said tank to a predetermined pressure;
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
94 words
b. establishing flow of said fluid through said secondary conduit; c. supplying flux from said tank to said secondary conduit after said tank has been pressurized in step a. and fluid flow has been established in step (b); d. measuring the difference in pressure between said tank and said primary conduit; and e. controlling the pressure supplied in said tank in step a. to thereby control the rate at which flux is supplied to said secondary conduit from said tank as a function of the pressure differential between said primary conduit and said tank.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
94 words
b. establishing flow of said fluid through said secondary conduit; c. supplying flux from said tank to said secondary conduit after said tank has been pressurized in step a. and fluid flow has been established in step (b); d. measuring the difference in pressure between said tank and said primary conduit; and e. controlling the pressure supplied in said tank in step a. to thereby control the rate at which flux is supplied to said secondary conduit from said tank as a function of the pressure differential between said primary conduit and said tank.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
73 words
The method according to claim 1, including the further steps of: f. measuring the rate at which flux is supplied to said secondary conduit from said tank; g. comparing the rate measured in step (f) with a preset reference rate; h. comparing the output of step (g) with the measured pressure differential of step (f); and i. controlling the pressure supplied to said tank in step (a) by the output of step (h).
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
66 words
The method according to claim 1, including the further steps of: f. measuring the amount of flux supplied to said secondary conduit from said tank; g. comparing said measured amount with a preset reference amount; and h. shutting off the supply of flux from said tank to said secondary conduit in step (c) when the difference between said measured and reference amounts reaches a predetermined value.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method recited in claim 1 wherein said converter is a Q-BOP converter.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method recited in claim 1 wherein said converter is an open hearth converter.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
13 words
The method recited in claim 1 wherein said converter is an electric furnace.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
15 words
The method recited in claim 1 wherein said converter is a tiltable open hearth furnace.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
14 words
The method recited in claim 1 wherein said converter is a hot metal mixer.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method recited in claim 1 and including the steps of: a. shutting off said pressure tank; and b. actuating another pressure tank containing a powdered flux to supply said flux to said converter.