Operating bottom pour stoppers on metallurgical vessels - where sliding stopper plates are driven by work cylinders using pressurised water as the hydraulic fluid instead of oil

摘要

The sliding plate in each stopper is connected to a piston; and each piston is actuated in a hydraulic cylinder by purified water at 160-300 bars, which is used as the hydraulic fluid. The pref. pressure generating sytem consists of a water tank using motor-driven pumps to feed the water into >=1 compressed air reservoir, from which the water is driven through a network of valves to the hydraulic cylinders. Pref. the pressure generator consists of compressed air reservoirs fed with air from a compressor fitted with a dryer or ultra-filter for the air, which is fed from the reservoirs to an air/water pressure transducer. The system is used esp. on continuous casting plant. The use of water as the hydraulic fluid eliminates the danger of fire, explosion or injuries which can occur when oil is employed as the hydraulic fluid.