Praxair Technology, Inc.

Union Carbide Industrial Gases Technology Corporation

Sudhir K Sharma

Michael F Riley

Alan R Barlow

Mark S Nowotarski

Ronald Joseph Selines

Paul J Schaffer

Allen H Chan

An apparatus and method for providing a selected atmosphere at and within an opening to the interior volume of a furnace. Two or more paralleled diffusers adjacent to the furnace opening laminarly emit different fluids and provide a multilayer fluid curtain over the opening. The curtain has a composite modified Froude number from 0.05 to 10, and a thickness at emission of at least 5% of its extent in the flow direction. Partially covering the outside of the curtain is an optional, substantially flat, outer shield with an aperture coinciding with the furnace opening, which reduces the necessary flow rates of fluids. Optional side shields around the sides of the curtain also reduce the necessary fluid flow. A preferred diffuser comprises a porous tube in a housing with an outlet directed to emit fluid across the furnace opening. The outlet is covered with a screen to disperse the fluid flow and to protect the porous tube.

Multi-layer fluid curtains for furnace openings

An apparatus and method for providing a selected atmosphere at and within an opening to the interior volume of a furnace. Two or more paralleled diffusers adjacent to the furnace opening laminarly emit different fluids and provide a multi-layer fluid curtain over the opening. The curtain has a composite modified Froude number from 0.05 to 10, and a thickness at emission of at least 5% of its extent in the flow direction. Partially covering the outside of the curtain is an optional, substantially flat, outer shield with an aperture coinciding with the furnace opening, which reduces the necessary flow rates of fluids. Optional side shields around the sides of the curtain also reduce the necessary fluid flow. A preferred diffuser comprises a porous tube in a housing with an outlet directed to emit fluid across the furnace opening. The outlet is covered with a screen to disperse the fluid flow and to protect the porous tube.

A tuyere and method for discharging an agitating gas into the molten contents of an electrically heated furnace to reduce temperature and composition variations in its contents. The tuyere comprises a refractory plug and sleeve for installation into the refractory wall and shell of the furnace, and a dielectric section in the tuyere pipe outside the furnace shell to prevent electrical arcing and current flow into the gas supply piping and external supports.

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Stormville, NY, United States of America

Sudhir K Sharma