Mintek

Top-blown rotary converter (TBRC)


Top-blown rotary converter

The TBRC is a tilting, rotary furnace equipped with an oxygen-propane lance


It has the following benefits:

Because of its versatility, the TBRC has a wide range of applications

The TBRC can be divided into the following sub-systems

Vessel, frame, hydraulic cylinders and variable speed geared motor
The vessel consists of a mild-steel flanged cylinder with a length of 585 mm and a diameter of 600 mm. A mild-steel cone tapering from 600 mm to 430 mm is bolted onto the top flange. A mild-steel base-plate with a diameter of 600 mm is bolted to the base flange of the vessel.

The drive shaft is bolted to the base-plate, and located by a plumber block bolted to the furnace support frame at an angle of 30° to the horizontal. This frame is supported by the upright cradle arms.

The vessel is lined with 500 kg of chrome-magnesite castable. The wall thickness of the refractory at the base of the vessel is 150 mm, and at the sides, 138 mm.

A 25-teeth sprocket is bolted to the drive shaft, and a 25,4 mm pitch single chain connects it to a 17-teeth sprocket, which forms part of the variable speed geared motor. The motor has an output of 0.37 kW, and can rotate the vessel at a minimum of 2 r/min and at a maximum of 11 rmin.

The vessel is tilted by two hydraulic pistons fastened to the vessel's frame at one end and the mainframe at the other. When the hydraulics are activated, the arms lift the frame upwards allowing the vessel's contents to pour into a ladle.


Lance
The lance has a power rating of 120 kW maximum and turn down to 20 kW. It is 1.2 m long, and consists of four concentric stainless-steel pipes with diameters of 10, 20, 30 and 50 mm.

The 10 mm pipe carries the propane while the annulus surrounding it, formed by the 20 mm pipe, carries the oxygen. Because the oxygen flows through an open annulus, only low line pressure is required. The 20, 30 and 50 mm diameter pipes form the jacket, with the inlet water flowing through the 30 mm inner pipe and out through the 50 mm pipe.

Running the TBRC


Contact Information
Pyrometallurgy Division, Mintek,
200 Hans Strijdom Drive, Randburg, 2125, South Africa
Private Bag X3015, Randburg, 2125, South Africa.

Phone: +27 (11) 709-4642
Fax: +27 (11) 793-6241


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Copyright © 1996-97 George la Grange, Mintek, rtj@pyro.mintek.ac.za
7 October 1997