RU2848379C1 - Machine for destroying electrolyte crust in electrolysers - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: aluminium industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to means for mechanising the electrolytic production of aluminium. The machine is designed for the technological maintenance of aluminium electrolysers in non-ferrous metallurgy, namely for breaking up the electrolyte crust of electrolysers used to produce aluminium by electrolysis. The machine comprises a self-propelled wheeled chassis 1 with a control cab 2, a mechanism for rotating and tilting 3 the boom 4, and an extendable boom 4 with a breaking device 5 and a pick 6 at the end of the boom 4, wherein the rotation and tilt mechanism 3 of the boom 4 is designed as a hinged bracket consisting of inner 7 and outer 8 parts, with a vertical rotation axis 9 and a drive 10, wherein the inner fixed part 7 of the bracket is attached to the front part of the frame 11 of the chassis 1, and the outer movable part 8 of the bracket has a cantileveredan axis of inclination 12 projecting forward and outward, with a sleeve 13 fitted onto it and rotated by a hydraulic cylinder 14 for inclining the peak, on which, on the outside, across the axis 12 of the sleeve 13, the axis of the boom lifting lug 15 is fixed, on which, hinged on the lug 16, with the possibility of tilting the boom 4 up and down with the boom lifting hydraulic cylinder 17 into the transport 18 and working 19 positions and with the possibility of tilting to the right and left relative to the longitudinal axis 20 of the boom 4.

EFFECT: ensuring safety during operation and expanding technological capabilities.

10 cl, 5 dwg

Description

Field of technology to which the invention relates

The invention relates to the aluminum industry, specifically to mechanized aluminum electrolysis production. The machine is designed for the technological maintenance of aluminum electrolytic cells in non-ferrous metallurgy, specifically for breaking the electrolyte crust in electrolytic cells used to produce aluminum using electrolysis.

State of the art

When obtaining aluminum by electrolysis from molten cryolite containing dissolved aluminum oxide, an electrolyte crust forms on the surface of the melt, which must be periodically destroyed (pierced) in accordance with the requirements of the technology.

A device for breaking the electrolyte crust in aluminum-producing electrolytic cells, according to invention SU 639460 A3 dated December 25, 1978, is known. The device comprises a self-propelled wheeled chassis in the form of a standard forklift truck with an open-type control cabin, a boom rotation and tilt mechanism, and an extendable telescopic boom with a breaker device and a lance at the boom tip. The boom rotation and tilt mechanism is implemented in the form of a device secured to a tilter mounted on the forklift's lifting frame. The telescopic boom can be extended laterally, in a direction perpendicular to the forklift's travel, and rotate within the device along its longitudinal axis, enabling the tilter to operate at an angle to the crust. The tilter of the forklift's lifting frame can rotate the boom perpendicular to the forklift's longitudinal axis, setting the boom to the right side, to the left side of the forklift, and upward, to the transport position. The electrolyzer crust can be processed with a lance only from the right or left side of the forklift, by raising and lowering the boom vertically on the forklift's lifting frame and telescoping the boom to the side of the forklift. Crust processing can also be performed at an angle to the crust.

The well-known device is simple and reliable in operation, but has a number of significant disadvantages:

- increased danger during operation due to the difficult working conditions of the operator in an open-type cabin due to the lack of protection from thermal radiation, gas emission, dust and noise when working with a jackhammer;

- there is no electrical insulation between the peak and the frame of the device as required by industrial safety standards;

- there is no possibility of processing the crust in front of the forklift and at an angle to the direction of travel;

- the difficulty of precise positioning of the pick along the electrolyzer during processing due to the fact that the movement of the pick along the electrolyzer bath can only be achieved by moving the forklift.

The above mentioned shortcomings indicate insufficient safety during operation and low technological capabilities of the known device.

The closest device in technical essence is a known device for breaking the electrolyte crust in aluminum electrolytic cells, according to invention patent RU 2323274 C1 dated April 27, 2008. It comprises a self-propelled wheeled chassis with a control cabin, a boom rotation and tilt mechanism, and an extendable boom with a breaker device and a lance at the boom tip. The cabin is open, with a protective canopy. The boom rotation and tilt mechanism is designed as a rotary table with a vertical axis of rotation and is driven by a hydraulic rotation cylinder. The table is mounted on a power frame extending forward of the chassis, secured to the lower part of the chassis frame. A rigid housing with a boom with a breaker device and lance is mounted on top of the rotary table. The boom is short and its reach is limited, as its extension is provided by two horizontal guides attached to the turntable. Rollers from a hydraulic cylinder move the boom perpendicular to the machine's travel. The boom end, with its shock absorber, is raised and lowered by a rocker arm pivoted on the housing. One end of the rocker arm is connected to the lifting hydraulic cylinder rod, which is secured to the housing on top of the turntable. The other end of the rocker arm is connected to the boom via a fork with spring-type damping elements. The lance is tilted by rotating the boom around a horizontal axis mounted in the turntable housing by a tilt hydraulic cylinder.

The electrolyzer crust is processed with a lance either from the starboard side of the device at a perpendicular angle to the chassis's direction of travel, or at a slight boom rotation angle, controlled by a hydraulic cylinder. The lance is raised and lowered by raising and lowering the boom end with the impact device in a vertical plane. Crust processing can also be performed at an angle to the crust by rotating the boom on its pivot axis using a hydraulic cylinder.

The known device has a number of significant disadvantages:

- increased danger during operation due to the difficult working conditions of the operator in an open-type cabin due to the lack of protection from thermal radiation, gas emission, dust and noise when working with a chipping device;

- there is no electrical insulation between the peak and the frame of the device as required by industrial safety standards;

- there is no possibility of processing the crust in front of the device and no possibility of processing on the left side of the device in addition to the right one, which is required, for example, with a transverse arrangement of electrolyzers in the electrolysis body, when it is necessary to process the crust of adjacent electrolyzers located both on the right and left side of the device;

- limited reach of the peak due to the fact that the boom is short and there is no possibility of telescoping the boom.

The above mentioned shortcomings indicate insufficient safety during operation and low technological capabilities of the known device.

Disclosure of the essence of the invention

The objective of this technical solution is to create a safe-to-use, universal impact device used to break the electrolyte crust in electrolyzers for aluminum production.

The technical result of the invention is to ensure safety during operation and expand technological capabilities by increasing the processing area of the electrolyzer by minimizing the restriction of access of the working tool and the possibility of processing on the right, left and front of the machine, the possibility of adjusting the optimal angle of the peak when destroying the crust.

The stated technical result is achieved by the fact that in the machine for breaking the crust of electrolyte in electrolyzers, comprising a self-propelled wheeled chassis 1 with a control cabin 2, a mechanism for turning and tilting 3 of a boom 4, and an extendable boom 4 with a fender 5 and a peak 6 at the end of the boom 4, what is new is that the mechanism for turning and tilting 3 of the boom 4 is made in the form of an articulated bracket consisting of an internal 7 and external 8 part, with a vertical axis of rotation 9 and a drive 10, wherein the internal fixed part 7 of the bracket is attached to the front part of the frame 11 of the chassis 1, and the external movable part 8 of the bracket has a cantilevered forward-outward tilt axis 12 with a bushing 13 put on it and rotated from a hydraulic cylinder for tilting the peak 14, on which outside, across the axis 12 of the bushing 13, the axis of the boom lifting eye 15 is fixed, on which the boom 4 is pivotally fixed, on the eye 16, with the possibility of tilting by the boom lifting hydraulic cylinder 17 up and down into the transport 18 and working 19 position, and with the possibility of tilting to the right and left relative to the longitudinal axis 20 of the boom 4.

The invention is supplemented by specific distinctive features that contribute to the achievement of the technical result.

The mechanism for turning and tilting 3 of the boom 4 ensures the up-down tilt of the boom 4, tilting it relative to the horizontally located axis of the boom lifting eye 15 from the transport 18 to the working 19 position of the boom 4 at an angle α of up to 120 degrees.

In the transport position 18, the boom 4 is installed close to the vertical position, without extending beyond the lateral dimensions of the frame 11 of the machine.

The drive 10 for turning the outer part 8 relative to the inner part 7 of the articulated bracket in the mechanism for turning and tilting 3 of the boom 4 is made in the form of a hydraulic motor secured to the inner part 7, the axis of the drive shaft of which coincides with the vertical axis of rotation 9.

The mechanism for turning and tilting 3 of the boom 4 provides, in the working position 19 of the boom 4, the ability to process the crust forward along the width of the machine, and to process the crust in front to the left or to the right of the side clearance of the machine with the boom 4 turning from the forward position at an angle γ of up to ± 90 degrees or more to the right or left.

The mechanism for turning and tilting 3 of the boom 4 provides, in the working position 19 of the boom 4, the ability to process the crust with the peak 6 tilted to the left or right from the vertical position at an angle β of up to ± 40 degrees.

The extension of boom 4 is carried out, for example, in the form of telescoping.

The breaking device 5 of the boom 4 is made in the form of a hydraulic hammer or a hydraulic vibrator with a peak 6, and can be equipped with a replaceable rammer.

The breaker device 5 has two stages of electrical insulation 22 and 23 from the frame 11 of the machine.

Control cabin 2 is of a closed type.

Brief description of the drawings

The invention is illustrated by drawings showing:

Fig. 1 – general view of the machine from the side on the right, with the working element in the transport position and the dotted line showing the working element in the forward working position;

in Fig. 2 – view A in Fig. 1, general view of the machine with the working element in the working position to the right;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragment B in Fig. 1, the boom rotation and tilt mechanism;

in Fig. 4 – section B-B in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 – view G in Fig. 2, the range of deployment and rotation of the working element forward and to the right, left.

List of structural elements:

1 – chassis;

2 – control cabin;

3 – rotation and tilt mechanism;

4 – arrow;

5 – rebound device;

6 – peak;

7 – internal fixed part;

8 – external movable part;

9 – rotation axis;

10 – drive;

11 – frame;

12 – tilt axis;

13 – bushing;

14 – hydraulic cylinder for tilting the peak;

15 – boom lifting eye axis;

16 – eye;

17 – boom lifting hydraulic cylinder;

18 – transport position;

19 – working position;

20 – longitudinal axis;

21 – electrolyzer;

22 – first stage of electrical insulation;

23 – second stage of electrical insulation;

α – the angle of inclination of the boom up and down vertically;

β – angle of inclination of the peak to the left and right from the vertical position;

γ – the angle of rotation of the boom left-right horizontally;

Implementation of the invention

The machine for breaking up the electrolyte crust in electrolyzers consists of a self-propelled wheeled chassis 1 with a sealed, insulated control cabin 2 of a closed type, a mechanism for turning and tilting 3 of a boom 4, and an extendable boom 4 with a breaker device 5 and a peak 6 at the end of the boom 4.

The mechanism for turning and tilting 3 of the boom 4 is made in the form of a hinged bracket consisting of an internal fixed part 7 and an external movable part 8, with a vertical axis of rotation 9 and a drive 10, wherein the internal fixed part 7 of the bracket is attached to the front part of the frame 11 of the chassis 1, and the external movable part 8 of the bracket has a cantilever-like tilt axis 12 protruding forward outward with a bushing 13 placed on it, rotated from the hydraulic cylinder of the peak tilt 14.

The drive 10 for turning the outer movable part 8 relative to the inner fixed part 7 of the articulated bracket in the mechanism for turning and tilting 3 of the boom 4 is made in the form of a hydraulic motor secured to the inner fixed part 7 of the articulated bracket, wherein the axis of the drive shaft of the hydraulic motor coincides with the vertical axis of rotation 9 of the bracket.

On the outside of the bushing 13, across the axis of the bushing 13, the axis of the boom lifting eye 15 is horizontally fixed, on which the boom 4 is pivotally fixed, on the eye 16, with the possibility of tilting by two boom lifting hydraulic cylinders 17 installed on the sides of the boom 4 up and down at an angle α of up to 120 degrees, into the transport position 18 and the working position 19 of the boom 4. In the transport position, the boom 4 is installed close to the vertical position and does not extend beyond the lateral dimension of the frame 11 of the machine.

Due to the rotation of the sleeve 13 on the cantilevered tilt axis 12, it is possible to tilt the boom 4 to the right and left at an angle β of up to ± 40 degrees, relative to the longitudinal axis 20 of the boom 4, which makes it possible to process the crust with the peak 6 tilted to the left or right from the vertical position.

The mechanism for turning and tilting 3 of the boom 4 provides, in the working position of the boom 4, the possibility of processing the crust of the electrolyzer 21 forward along the width of the machine, and processing the crust in front to the left or to the right of the side dimension of the machine with rotation of the boom 4 from the forward position at an angle γ of up to ± 90 degrees or more to the right or left.

The extension of the boom 4 is carried out, for example, in the form of telescoping, the extension of the peak 6 allows the crust to be destroyed up to the middle of the width of the electrolyzer 21.

The breaker device 5 of the boom 4 is made in the form of a hydraulic hammer or a hydraulic vibrator with a peak 6, and to expand the technological capabilities it can be equipped with a replaceable rammer.

The fender 5 has two stages of electrical insulation 22 and 23 from the machine frame 11. The first stage of electrical insulation 22 is dielectric bushings (not shown) and a dielectric plate, through which the internal fixed part 7 of the rotation and tilt mechanism 3 is connected to the machine frame 11, the second stage of electrical insulation 23 is dielectric bushings (not shown) and a dielectric plate, through which the fender 5 is secured to the boom 4.

The machine works as follows

With a longitudinal arrangement of electrolyzers 21, when it is necessary to carry out processing only on one side of the machine, the self-propelled machine, moving in the aluminum electrolysis body, is located on any side parallel to the electrolyzer 21. When the machine stops near the electrolyzer 21 in the processing zone, the rotation and tilt mechanism 3 of the boom 4, with the help of the hydraulic motor of the drive 10, turns the boom 4 on the rotation axis 9 towards the electrolyzer 21 by the left-right rotation angle of the boom along the horizontal γ, up to ± 90 degrees, the boom 4 is tilted from the transport position 18 downwards along the vertical to the working position 19 by the hydraulic cylinders of the boom lifting 17 by the up-down tilt angle of the boom along the vertical α, up to 120 degrees, slightly not reaching the end of the peak 6 to the surface being processed.

Boom 4 extends by telescoping, moving the breaker 5 with the lance 6 into the working area above the surface being processed. For maximum efficiency, the lance's angle β relative to the surface being processed should be close to ±40 degrees. Therefore, the lance's left-to-right angle from the vertical position β is adjusted by tilting lance 6 with lance tilt hydraulic cylinder 14. If necessary, the lance's angle β can be quickly adjusted during processing.

The boom tilt mechanism 3, 4, is controlled by boom lift hydraulic cylinders 17, which tilt boom 4 on the boom lift eye axis 15, pressing lance 6 against the electrolyte crust being broken. Due to the pressure of lance 6 on the crust, breaker device 5 is activated, and lance 6 breaks the electrolyte crust. After breaking through the crust, lance 6 passes through the crust, reducing the pressure on the crust. Breaker device 5 is disengaged, and boom 4 is raised with lance 6 on the boom lift eye axis 15.

Due to the telescoping of the boom 4 and the rotation and tilt of the boom 4 on the vertical rotation axis 9, the tilt axis 12 and the axis of the boom lifting eye 15, the peak 6 is installed without interference in a new place of crust breaking and the breaking cycle continues until the moment of destruction of the entire electrolyte crust in the access zone of the breaking device 5 of the machine, then the machine, due to the movement, moves further along the electrolyzer 21 and the process of crust breaking continues.

When the processing of the entire side of electrolyzer 21 is completed, the machine moves to the next electrolyzer 21 and the processing cycle is repeated.

With the parallel arrangement of electrolyzers 21, after the crust processing on the longitudinal side of one electrolyzer 21, the boom 4 is retracted and rotated horizontally on the vertical rotation axis 9 by 180 degrees, then the boom 4 is extended by telescoping, moving the striking device 5 with the peak 6 into the working zone above the processed surface of the second electrolyzer 21 located in parallel. The crust processing process is repeated on the second electrolyzer, only the processing in this case occurs on the other side of the frame 11 of the machine and additional machine movements for turning the machine are not required.

When processing the ends and hard-to-reach areas of electrolyzer 21, boom 4, driven by hydraulic motor 10, rotates on vertical pivot axis 9 to the required horizontal angle γ and can break the crust in the direction of boom 4 in front of the machine. The crust processing sector is 180 degrees in front of and to the sides of the machine.

Upon completion of processing, boom 4 is set to transport position 18 using boom lifting hydraulic cylinders 17 of rotation and tilt mechanism 3 and the machine moves to the parking place.

Positive results of the proposed technical solution.

The design of a self-propelled machine for breaking up the electrolyte crust in electrolyzers compared to known analogues:

- provides protection for the operator from thermal radiation, gas emission, dust and noise when working with the chipping device 5, creates comfortable and safe working conditions for the operator at the workplace in the closed and isolated control cabin 2;

- ensures safety during work due to the electrical insulation stages 22 and 23 of the peak 6 from the frame 11 of the machine;

- ensures destruction of the crust from the longitudinal side to the middle of the width of the electrolyzer 21 due to the use of a telescopically extendable boom 4;

- provides the possibility of installing a hydraulic hammer or a hydraulic vibrator as a breaker device 5 of the boom 4;

- provides the possibility of installing a pick 6 or a rammer on the chipping device 5 as a working tool;

- provides the possibility of processing the crust in front of the machine and the possibility of processing from the right and left sides of the machine, for example, when, with a transverse arrangement of electrolyzers 21 in the electrolysis building, it is necessary to process the crust of adjacent electrolyzers 21, located on both the right and left sides of the machine, from the drive-through.

The stated results of the proposed technical solutions indicate safety during operation and expansion of the technological capabilities of the machine.

The technical solution is industrially applicable. Production tests of pilot prototypes of self-propelled crust-breaking machines manufactured according to the invention formula confirmed the operability, safety, and reliability of the proposed technical solution. The machine is intended for serial production for use in aluminum smelters to break the electrolyte crust in aluminum smelter cells.

Claims (10)

1. A machine for breaking up an electrolyte crust in electrolyzers, comprising a self-propelled wheeled chassis 1 with a control cabin 2, a mechanism for rotating and tilting 3 a boom 4 and an extendable boom 4 with a breaker device 5 and a peak 6 at the end of the boom 4, characterized in that the mechanism for rotating and tilting 3 of the boom 4 is made in the form of an articulated bracket consisting of an internal 7 and external 8 part, with a vertical axis of rotation 9 and a drive 10, wherein the internal fixed part 7 of the bracket is attached to the front part of the frame 11 of the chassis 1, and the external movable part 8 of the bracket has a cantilevered tilt axis 12 protruding forward outward with a bushing 13 put on it and rotated from a hydraulic cylinder for tilting the peak 14, on which the axis of the eye is fixed outside, across the axis 12 of the bushing 13 lifting boom 15, on which boom 4 is pivotally secured on eye 16 with the possibility of tilting by boom lifting hydraulic cylinder 17 up and down into transport 18 and working 19 positions and with the possibility of tilting to the right and left relative to longitudinal axis 20 of boom 4. 2. The machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the mechanism for turning and tilting 3 of the boom 4 is designed with the possibility of tilting the boom 4 up and down relative to the horizontally located axis of the boom lifting eye 15 from the transport 18 to the working 19 position of the boom 4 at an angle α of up to 120 degrees. 3. The machine according to claim 2, characterized in that in the transport position 18 the boom 4 is designed with the possibility of being installed close to a vertical position, without extending beyond the lateral dimensions of the frame 11 of the machine. 4. The machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the drive 10 for turning the outer part 8 relative to the inner part 7 of the articulated bracket in the mechanism for turning and tilting 3 of the boom 4 is made in the form of a hydraulic motor fixed to the inner part 3, the axis of the drive shaft of which coincides with the vertical axis of rotation 9. 5. The machine according to item 4, characterized in that the mechanism for turning and tilting 3 of the boom 4 provides, in the working position 19 of the boom 4, the possibility of processing the crust of the electrolyzer 21 forward along the width of the machine, and processing the crust in front to the left or to the right of the side clearance of the machine with rotation of the boom 4 from the forward position at an angle γ of up to ± 90 degrees or more to the right or left. 6. The machine according to claim 1, characterized in that the mechanism for turning and tilting 3 of the boom 4 provides, in the working position 19 of the boom 4, the ability to process the crust with the peak 6 tilted to the left or right from the vertical position at an angle β of up to ± 40 degrees. 7. The machine according to item 1, characterized in that the extension of the boom 4 is carried out, for example, in the form of telescoping. 8. The machine according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the breaking device 5 of the boom 4 is made in the form of a hydraulic hammer or hydraulic vibrator with a peak 6 and can be equipped with a replaceable rammer. 9. The machine according to item 1, characterized in that the impact device 5 has two stages of electrical insulation 22, 23 from the frame 11 of the machine. 10. The machine according to paragraph 1, characterized in that the control cabin 2 is of a closed type.