WO2003081157A1 - Method for measuring the residual thickness of the lining of a metallurgical vessel and for optionally repairing the areas of wear that have been identified and device for carrying out a method of this type - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for measuring the residual thickness of the refractory lining in the wall and/or base area of a metallurgical vessel, e.g. an arc furnace, by means of a measuring unit that can be brought into a measuring position. Said method comprises the following steps: the measuring unit is mounted onto a manipulator that repairs the lining; the measuring unit is moved into a measuring position over the metallurgical vessel, or inside said metallurgical vessel using the manipulator; the residual thickness of the lining is measured in the wall and/or base area of the lining; the measurement data is evaluated and optionally used during the subsequent repair of the areas of wear that have been identified. The invention also relates to a device for carrying out a method of this type.

Description

Method for measuring the remaining thickness of the lining of a metallurgical vessel and, if necessary, renovating the identified wear areas, and device for carrying out such a method.

The invention relates to a method for measuring the residual thickness of the refractory lining in the wall and / or floor area of a metallurgical vessel, e.g. an arc furnace, by means of a measuring unit that can be brought into the measuring position.

Masonry wear is currently in a metallurgical vessel, e.g. B. in an electric arc furnace, by visual observation by the furnace personnel. The pre-wear points found are z. B. with a spray manipulator or manually with a spray lance. Some of this work has to be carried out in difficult to see critical areas and requires a subjective assessment, which is not always possible. The use of lasers is known for measuring masonry wear in converters and pans. Measurements are taken from outside the metallurgical vessel. It is also known to use stereo matrix cameras in the motor vehicle sector, that is to say not in the steel mill sector, in order, for example, to determine painting defects.

With the previous proposals, the wear areas of the refractory masonry can only be measured from outside the metallurgical vessel. This means that certain pre-wear points, e.g. B. due to caking (slag, scrap, etc.), the vessel shape in an electric furnace and / or small-scale stone flaking not or not satisfactory can be viewed and an optimal measurement is therefore impossible. Due to the recording position of the measuring device outside, different rastering of the measuring field points results due to different distances from the individual measuring fields to the recording unit and different surface angles to the viewing angle of the recording unit.

DE 28 53 160 C2 discloses a device for applying heat-resistant material to the inner surface of a furnace with an elongated spray tube, at the front end of which is arranged an angled spray nozzle which can be inserted into the interior of the furnace and aligned there by shifting and rotating. A television camera of a surveillance system is located on the spray tube near the spray nozzle and is movable therewith only to be able to observe the eroded or worn portion of the inner surface of the furnace during application. A similar spray device results from EP 0 039 212 B1.

The object of the present invention is to propose a method of the type mentioned at the outset which can be carried out quickly and reliably with little technical effort.

According to the invention, this object is achieved in a method of the type mentioned at the outset by the following method steps:

- Mount the measuring unit on a manipulator serving to renovate the lining, e.g. B. a spray manipulator,

Moving the measuring unit in a measuring position above the metallurgical vessel or inside the metallurgical vessel by means of the manipulator,

Measuring the remaining thickness of the lining in its wall and / or floor area, evaluating the measurement data, and if necessary - Use of the measurement data in the subsequent renovation of the identified wear areas.

In this way - apart from a refurbishment by spray lances - using the manipulator that is already present on such metallurgical vessels, the residual thickness of the refractory lining can be measured quickly and reliably, and a corresponding refurbishment can be carried out, so that a safe furnace operation can be carried out with optimum economy. By using the manipulator, the measuring unit can be moved from an external rest position into an optimal measuring position into the metallurgical vessel without additional mechanical effort. When measuring the residual thickness of the refractory lining in its base area, the measuring unit only needs to be moved over the metallurgical vessel. In any case, you get optimal measurement results and thus a safe melting operation by simply checking the refractory lining. A safe extension of the service life of the refractory lining can also be achieved by targeted refurbishment. An additional manipulator for the measuring unit is unnecessary, which also saves space. Another advantage of the invention is that the measuring unit can be retrofitted to an existing manipulator.

In practice, the lining is preferably measured in such a way that the respective actual profile of the lining is measured and the respective wear is determined from a comparison with an actual profile of the non-worn lining measured in the same way at the beginning of the furnace journey. The residual thickness can then be calculated, for example, as a difference to the known starting thickness of the lining. An alternative possibility is to measure the respective actual profile of the lining and to determine the residual thickness from a comparison with the inner contour of the metallurgical vessel measured in the same way without a refractory lining. The comparison can be made by forming the difference.

Furthermore, the data of the measured actual profiles can also be used to determine the volume of the refractory lining that has been worn away by wear at selected points (e.g. pre-wear areas). The result can be used to optimize the use of the materials required for renovation (e.g. a spray compound).

The use of a data processing system is expedient for these measures.

If, according to a further embodiment of the method according to the invention, the ascertained wear areas are remedied directly by means of the manipulator used to hold the measuring unit, further time can be saved for the remediation process.

A measuring unit with non-contact, e.g. B. stereoscopic recording technology, which uses at least one stereo matrix camera pair, the two cameras may be variable in their distance from each other. Known CCD cameras with image evaluation can serve as such cameras.

With the help of a pair of cameras, the measurement field of the lining to be checked can be recorded from different angles, thereby easily obtaining the desired depth information become. The number of camera pairs can also be increased if necessary.

In order to be able to carry out the measurement even on a metallurgical vessel that is still hot, a cooled measuring unit is used in a further embodiment of the inventive concept. This can be done, for example, by the measuring unit in a parking position on the manipulator in a z. B. is housed in a water-cooled protective housing, from which it moves out when the measuring process is initiated and into which it is retracted after the measurement. In this way, the measuring unit is only briefly exposed to the possibly relatively high temperatures. If necessary, d. H. especially if the measurement takes a long time or during the renovation with the help of the manipulator, the measuring unit may also be cooled in the measuring position itself.

For exact positioning of the measuring unit relative to the lining to be measured, the height of the measuring unit can also be adjusted and / or rotated and / or pivoted on the manipulator.

The processing of the measurement data, the evaluation of the wear pattern, the comparison of the wear pattern with target values and the renovation of the wear point (s) can take place when the measuring unit has already returned to its parking position, e.g. B. has been retracted in the protective housing.

The refurbishment that follows the measurement of the residual thickness of the lining in its wall and / or floor area of the metallurgical vessel can advantageously be carried out with the aid of the data obtained during the evaluation of the wear pattern by automatic control of the manipulator. After repairing the wear point (s) or if the repair is to be carried out at a later time, after measuring the residual thickness, the manipulator with the measuring unit is moved out of the metallurgical vessel and into a rest position of the manipulator next to the metallurgical vessel ,

The invention further relates to an apparatus for performing the above-described method, which essentially comprises a manipulator, e.g. B. a spray manipulator with a measuring unit movable in a measuring position above the metallurgical vessel (when measuring a floor area) or within the metallurgical vessel (when measuring a wall area).

In this case, the measuring unit is preferably assigned a device for evaluating the measurement data and, if necessary, further processing for controlling the renovation process, so that immediately after the measurement, or at a later point in time if the measurement data is stored, the found pre-wear points are cleaned up to the required extent can be done.

The measuring unit preferably works with non-contact, e.g. Stereoscopic recording technology with the help of which it is possible without problems at the high temperatures prevailing in the vicinity of or in metallurgical vessels.

In a special embodiment of the invention, the measuring unit has at least one pair of stereo matrix cameras. Known CCD cameras with image evaluation can serve as stereo matrix cameras. The distance between the two cameras of a pair can be changed, for example, in order to be able to determine the desired depth information in a correct manner, taking into account the special conditions.

Because of the high temperatures that may prevail in or above a metallurgical vessel, the measuring unit can be cooled, for example, in a further development of the inventive concept, specifically during the measuring process and / or during the refurbishment process and / or in a rest position outside the vessel and in its vicinity. The cooling can e.g. B. happen that the measuring unit in a parking position on the manipulator in a z. B. is housed in a water-cooled protective housing. The measuring unit can be extended for measurement from this parking position and can be designed to be moved back into this protected parking position after the measurement.

It is furthermore expedient if the height of the measuring unit on the manipulator is adjustable and / or rotatable and / or pivotable, so that the measuring unit - regardless of the adjustment possibilities of the manipulator - can each be arranged at a defined height and in alignment with the measuring field ,

Further objectives, features, advantages and possible uses of the invention result from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawing. All of the described and / or illustrated features, alone or in any combination, form the subject matter of the invention, regardless of their combination in the claims or their relationship.

Show it: Fig. 1: schematically in side view a z. B. designed as a spray manipulator manipulator in its rest position next to a metallurgical vessel shown in section, whose refractory lining is to be examined with regard to pre-wear points,

Fig. 2: a representation corresponding to Fig. 1, but the manipulator is brought into such a position that an arranged on it

Measuring unit is located in the measuring position within the metallurgical vessel for measuring a wall area of the refractory lining,

3: a representation corresponding to FIG. 2, but with the measuring unit on the manipulator in its retracted, for example folded back, parked position on the manipulator and a spray head of the

Spray manipulator-trained manipulator has been put into action to rehabilitate a pre-wear part, and

FIG. 4: a representation corresponding to FIG. 2, but with the manipulator being brought into such a position that the measuring unit is in one position

Measuring position for measuring the bottom area of the lining of the metallurgical vessel is located.

According to the figures, the device according to the invention for measuring the residual thickness of, for. B. executed as masonry refractory lining 1 in the wall and floor area 2, 3 of a metallurgical vessel 4 arranged on a vessel platform 7 next to the metallurgical vessel 4, designed as a spray manipulator 6, which is laterally displaceable and / or articulated that, as illustrated in Fig. 3, the spray head 8 carried by him in any position within the metallurgical vessel 4 can be brought, in which the renovation of found pre-wear points of the lining 1 is to be carried out by applying refractory mass. A measuring unit 5 attached to the free end of the manipulator 6 is in the shown rest position at the greatest possible distance from the vessel 4.

2, a measuring unit 5, preferably height-adjustable, rotatable and / or pivotable, is also attached to the manipulator 6. In this way, the measuring unit 5 can be brought into any desired measuring position directly above or within the metallurgical vessel 4 with the aid of the spray manipulator 6, as illustrated in FIG. 2, and can be aligned such that a measurement of the residual thickness of the refractory lining 1 in the wall area 2 of the metallurgical vessel 4 can take place. The measuring unit 5 has, for example, a pair of stereo matrix cameras, with the aid of which the desired depth information of the respective actual profile of the refractory lining 1 can be measured contactlessly and stereoscopically and a comparison made with an actual profile of the non-worn lining 1. The comparison is made e.g. B. by forming the difference between the measured profile values. Taking into account the known thickness of the refractory lining in the initial state or the inner contour of the metallurgical vessel without the refractory lining, the residual thickness results from this. The measurement data can then be used to automatically bring the spray head 8 according to FIG. 3 into the correct spray position.

4, the manipulator 6 is set in such a way that the measuring unit 5 is located above the metallurgical vessel 4 and is aligned in such a way that the residual thickness of the refractory lining 1 can be measured in the base region 3 of the metallurgical vessel 4. The measurement data obtained in this way with regard to the pre-wear points found can be used directly for moving the pointed head 8 so that it enters the required spray position can be brought adjacent to the pre-wear point of the floor area 3 to be renovated.

Both in the rest position of the spray manipulator 6 as a whole and in particular in the working position of the spray head 8, the measuring unit 5 is located on the spray manipulator 6 in a retracted parking position within a z. B. water-cooled housing. In this way, the measuring unit 5 can only be briefly exposed to the high temperatures of the metallurgical vessel 4 in order to carry out the measuring process. However, it is also possible to cool the measuring unit 5 during the measuring process.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1 lining, e.g. B. masonry

2 wall area

3 floor area

4 metallurgical vessel

5 measuring unit 6 manipulator, e.g. B. Spray manipulator

7 vascular stage

8 spray head

Claims

claims 1. Method for measuring the residual thickness of the refractory lining (1) in the wall and / or floor area (2, 3) of a metallurgical vessel (4), e.g. of an arc furnace, by means of a measuring unit (5) that can be brought into the measuring position, and, if necessary, refurbishing the determined wear areas, characterized by the following process steps: - mounting the measuring unit (5) on a manipulator (6), in particular spraying manipulator, used to refurbish the lining (1) . - Moving the measuring unit (5) into a measuring position above the metallurgical vessel (4) or within the metallurgical vessel (4) by means of the manipulator (6), - Measuring the remaining thickness of the lining (1) in its wall and / or floor area ( 2, 3), - Evaluation of the measurement data, and if necessary - Use of the measurement data in the subsequent renovation of the identified wear areas. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective actual profile of the lining (1) measured and from a comparison with a e.g. at the beginning of the furnace trip measured actual profile of the lining (1) its wear, z. B. is determined by difference. 3. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the respective actual profile of the lining (1) measured and from a comparison with the measured actual profile of the inner surface of the metallurgical vessel without lining (1), the remaining thickness of the lining (1), for. B. is determined by difference. 4. The method according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the data of the measured actual profiles are used to determine the wear of the volume of the lining and thus to determine the amount of the repair material to be used for renovation. 5. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by remediation of the identified wear areas by means of the manipulator (6) serving to accommodate the measuring unit (5). 6. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized by using a measuring unit (5) with contactless, e.g. stereoscopic recording technique. 7. The method according to claim 6, characterized by using a measuring unit (5) with at least one stereo matrix camera pair (z. B. CCD camera with image processing). 8. The method according to claim 7, characterized by using at least two stereo matrix camera pairs for recording a measuring field of the lining (1) from different angles. 9. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the measuring unit (5) is cooled. 10. The method according to claim 9, characterized by receiving the measuring unit (5) in a parking position in a z. B. water-cooled housing on the manipulator (6), from which the measuring unit (5) is moved to initiate the measuring process and into which the measuring unit (5) is retracted after the measurement. 11. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the height of the measuring unit (5) on the manipulator (6) is adjusted and / or rotated and / or pivoted. 12. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the processing of the measurement data, the evaluation of the wear pattern, the comparison of the wear pattern with the target values and the renovation of the wear point (s) takes place while the measuring unit (5) is again in its Parking position is located in the housing. 13. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the scope of the renovation is carried out with the aid of the data obtained when evaluating the wear pattern by automatically controlling the manipulator (6). 14. The method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that after the repair of the wear point (s), the manipulator (6) with the measuring unit (5) from the metallurgical vessel (4) into a rest position of the manipulator (6) outside the Vessel (4) is driven. 15. Device for carrying out the method according to one of claims 1 to 14, characterized by a manipulator (6), preferably a spray manipulator, with a measuring unit (5) which can be moved into a measuring position above the metallurgical vessel (4) or within the metallurgical vessel (4) ). 16. The apparatus according to claim 15, characterized in that the measuring unit (5) is assigned a device for evaluating the measurement data and, if necessary, expanding / elaborating to control the refurbishment process. 17. The apparatus according to claim 15 or 16, characterized in that the measuring unit (5) with contactless, e.g. stereoscopic recording technology works. 18. The apparatus according to claim 17, characterized in that the measuring unit (5) has at least one stereo matrix camera pair (z. B. CCD camera with image processing), preferably at least two pairs of stereo matrix cameras. 19. The apparatus according to claim 18, characterized in that the distance between the two stereo matrix cameras of the at least one stereo matrix camera pair can be changed. 20. Device according to one of claims 15 to 19, characterized in that the measuring unit (5) can be cooled. 21. The apparatus according to claim 20, characterized by the inclusion of the measuring unit (5) in a z. B. water-cooled protective housing, from which the measuring unit (5) can be extended for measurement and retracted into its parked position there after measurement. 22. Device according to one of claims 15 to 21, characterized in that the height of the measuring unit (5) is adjustable and / or rotatable and / or pivoted on the manipulator (6). 23. Device according to one of claims 15 to 22, characterized by a data processing system for storing and / or processing the data resulting from the measurement of the actual profiles, in particular for Determination of the wear volume and, if necessary, the amount of repair material required for renovation.