US20080209849A1 - Method and Apparatus for Replacing Coke Oven Wall - Google Patents

Abstract

Methods of replacing a damaged wall of a coke oven having a height h and a length l are provided. In one aspect, the method comprises removing the damaged wall from the coke oven, casting, outside of the oven, a replacement wall section having a length equal to the length l of the damaged coke oven wall and a height equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall, and positioning, inside the coke oven, the replacement wall section.

Description

FIELD
• This relates generally to coke ovens, and more particularly to the walls of coke ovens and to methods of replacing those walls.
BACKGROUND
• Coke oven batteries include a number of horizontal coke ovens that range up to twenty feet or more in height and up to fifty feet in length. An oven is approximately eighteen inches wide. Individual ovens are laterally arranged in groups to form a battery. A coke oven has a chamber with opposite open ends closed by doors. Positioned on both sides of a coke oven chamber are heating walls.
• Internally of the heating walls are vertical heating flues in which combustion of air and gas takes place. The combustion produces heat which moves vertically through the flues. Heat is then supplied to the coking chambers from the adjacent heating flues through the heating walls.
• The heating walls are heated to an elevated temperature to carry out the coking process. The coke oven doors at both the pusher side and the coke side are closed when coal is being coked within the coke oven chambers. These doors are removed when the coke is pushed out of the ovens. Thermal expansion and contraction of the bricks, and normal wear due to pushing the coke out of the coking chamber, results in spalling, deterioration, and eventually disintegration of entire brick sections of the heating walls.
• One method of replacing the heating walls entails replacing one-by-one the old refractory brick with new refractory brick. The new bricks are laid in courses to form the new, replacement wall. Such a process is laborious, expensive, and time consuming, especially when an entire wall requires not just repair but wholesale replacement.
• It is desirable to provide a method of replacing coke oven walls which is not nearly so laborious, expensive, and time consuming.
SUMMARY
• Accordingly, methods of replacing a damaged wall of a coke oven having a height h and a length l are provided. In one aspect, the method comprises removing the damaged wall from the coke oven, casting, outside of the oven, a replacement wall section having a length equal to the length l of the damaged coke oven wall and a height equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall, and positioning, inside the coke oven, the replacement wall section.
• In another aspect, the method comprises removing the damaged wall from the coke oven, casting, outside of the oven, a plurality of replacement wall sections, each replacement wall section having a length equal to the length l of the damaged coke oven wall and a height equal to a fraction of the height h of the damaged coke oven wall, and positioning, inside the coke oven, the plurality of replacement wall sections one on top of another, such that the plurality of replacement wall sections has a combined height equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall.
• The plurality of replacement wall sections can comprise a lower half section and an upper half section.
• In yet another aspect, the method comprises removing the damaged wall from the coke oven, casting, outside of the oven, a plurality of replacement wall sections, each replacement wall section having a length equal to a fraction of the length l of the damaged coke oven wall and a height equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall, and positioning, inside the coke oven, the plurality of replacement wall sections end to end, such that the plurality of replacement wall sections has a combined length equal to the length l of the damaged coke oven wall.
• The plurality of replacement wall sections can comprise a pusher side section, a middle section, and a coke side section. Abutting ones of the pusher side, middle, and coke side sections can be formed to have mating, interlocking ends. The replacement wall sections can be cast with air/gas passages and vertical flues therein.
• In still another aspect, a method of replacing a damaged wall of a coke oven comprises removing the damaged wall from the coke oven, casting, outside of the oven, a replacement wall section, providing first and second fixture plates, sandwiching the replacement wall section between the plates, lifting the replacement wall section by lifting the plates, positioning the plates and hence the replacement wall section inside the coke oven, and removing the plates from the replacement wall section.
• The method can further comprise providing a layer of rubber on each of the fixture plates for contacting the replacement wall section so as to avoid damage to the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven. The method can further comprise providing rolling trucks secured to the fixture plates for rolling movement of the replacement wall section and plates in the oven during installation of the wall section in the oven. The method can further comprise interconnecting the rolling trucks and the fixture plates with hydraulic cylinders to facilitate leveling and load distribution of the fixture plates and hence replacement wall section during installation of the replacement wall section in the oven. The method can further comprise providing a computer and a controller in operable association with the hydraulic cylinders to automate leveling and load distribution of the fixture plates and hence replacement wall section during installation of the replacement wall section in the oven. The method can further comprise casting holes through the replacement wall section, and compressing the replacement wall section between the fixture plates by compression pins which pass through the holes in the wall section and connect the fixture plates. The replacement wall section can be installed in the oven through an open end of the oven or through an open roof of the oven. The method can further comprise casting mortar joints in at least one of upper and lower surfaces of the replacement wall section. The method can further comprise providing a vertically movable leveling bed adjacent the coke oven, and at least partially supporting the replacement wall section and fixture plates with the leveling bed as the replacement wall section is installed in the oven. The method can further comprising providing a frame, and interconnecting the leveling bed and the frame with hydraulic cylinders to facilitate vertical movement of the leveling bed during installation of the replacement wall section in the oven. The method can further comprise providing a computer and a controller in operable association with the hydraulic cylinders to automate vertical movement of the leveling bed during installation of the replacement wall section in the oven.
• In still a further aspect, a fixture for installing a replacement wall section into a coke oven comprises a pair of plates for sandwiching the replacement wall section therebetween, rolling trucks for rolling movement of the replacement wall section and the plates during installation of the wall section in the oven, hydraulic cylinders interconnecting the plates and trucks, and a computer/controller in operable association with the hydraulic cylinders to automate leveling and load distribution of the fixture plates and hence the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven.
• Each of the fixture plates can have a layer of rubber thereon for contacting the wall section so as to avoid damage to the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven. Angle clips can be removably secured to bottoms of the plates to add support for the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven. The upward facing surface of each of the angle clips can have a layer of rubber thereon for contacting a bottom of the wall section so as to avoid damage to the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven. The fixture can further comprise a plurality of compression pin assemblies for securing the plates to the wall section. Each compression pin assembly can comprise a two-piece outer sleeve, and a two-piece inner pin. One portion of the two-piece inner pin can have a male threaded portion on one end which fits in a complimentary female threaded portion of the other portion of the two-piece inner pin. Bellville washers can be placed on the other end of the one portion of the two-piece inner pin, which can be threaded, and a nut can be placed on the other end of the one portion of the two-piece inner pin. The fixture plates can be a side plates, and can further comprise a pair of end plates removably secured to ends of the side plates. The side plates and the end plates can each have a layer of rubber thereon for contacting the wall section so as to avoid damage to the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven.
DRAWINGS
• FIG. 1 is a side view of apparatus for installing replacement oven wall sections,
• FIG. 2A is an exploded cross-sectional view taken alongline2A-2A inFIG. 1,
• FIG. 2B is an assembled view of the apparatus ofFIG. 2A,
• FIG. 3 is an enlarged partial cross-sectional view of a compression pin assembly used in the apparatus ofFIGS. 1,2A, and2B,
• FIGS. 4A-4C are successive steps in installing replacement oven wall sections,
• FIG. 5 is an alternative method to the one shown inFIGS. 4A-4C for installing replacement oven wall sections,
• FIG. 6 is a side view of an alternative embodiment of replacement oven wall sections, and
• FIG. 7 is a side view of another alternative embodiment of replacement oven wall.
DESCRIPTION
• Referring first toFIGS. 1,2A, and2B, illustrated is a replacement cokeoven wall section10 and a fixture or anapparatus40 for installing thereplacement wall section10 into acoke oven30. The coke ovenreplacement wall section10 is cast outside of the oven with, for example, a zero expansion pourable and castable refractory material or mix. A suitable pouring fixture or mold (not shown) can be used to cast thereplacement wall section10, and can include a pair of side plates, a pair of end plates removably bolted to the side plates, and a bottom plate removably bolted to the side plates. The pouring fixture plates can reinforced with suitable support beams as required. Forms (not shown) can be positioned in the pouring fixture or mold so as to form thereplacement wall section10 with air/gas passages and/orvertical flues12 therein. Thereplacement wall section10 can also be formed to include mortar joints14 inlower wall surface16, inupper wall surface18, or in lower and upper wall surfaces16,18, depending on the height of thereplacement wall section10. Thereplacement wall section10 can also be formed to includeholes20 for securingapparatus40 to thewall section10 for lifting and placement of thewall section10. Once thusly formed, thereplacement wall section10 is then positioned inside the coke oven30 (FIGS. 4A-C) and mortared/grouted as required.
• In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 1,2A,2B,4A-C, and5, thereplacement wall section10 has a length which is equal to the length l of the damaged coke oven wall to be replaced, and a height which is equal to a fraction of the height h of the damaged coke oven wall to be replaced, for example, one-half of the height h of the damaged coke oven wall. Alternatively, thereplacement wall section10 has a length which is equal to the length l of the damaged coke oven wall, and a height which is equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall, as shown inFIG. 7. Yet still alternatively, thereplacement wall section10 has a length which is equal to a fraction of the length l of the damaged coke oven wall, for example, roughly one-third of the length l of the damaged coke oven wall, and a height with is equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall, as shown inFIG. 6.
• Referring back toFIGS. 1,2A, and2B, theapparatus40 for lifting thereplacement wall section10 and placing it in theoven30 can comprise a pair ofsteel side plates42 each of which can have a layer ofrubber44 on the inward facing surface of theplate42 for contacting the sides of thereplacement wall section10 so as to avoid damage to the wall section during lifting and installation into theoven30. Eachplate42 can include one or more steel support beams45, for example I-beams, secured thereto to provide the required stiffness and strength for supporting thereplacement wall10 during installation, and to provide a travel platform, as will be described in more detail below. Lifting lugs46 can be removably secured to thebeams45 for lifting theapparatus40 andwall section10 by, for example,cables48 raised and lowered by a crane50 (FIGS. 4A-C). The lifting lugs46 can be removed so as not to interfere with thebeams45 functioning as a travel platform, as will be described in more detail below.Removable end plates52 can be bolted to the ends of theside fixture plates42 for further stiffness and strength, each of which, likeside plates42, can have a layer ofrubber44 on the inward facing surface of theplate52 for contacting the ends of thereplacement wall section10 so as to avoid damage to the wall section during lifting and installation into theoven30. Eachside plate42 can have removable angle clips54 bolted to the bottom thereof to add support for thewall section10 during lifting and installation. The upward facing surface of each of theclips54 can have a layer ofrubber56 thereon for contacting the bottom of thereplacement wall section10 so as to avoid damage to the wall section during lifting and installation into theoven30. Once thewall section10 is positioned correctly horizontally and before thewall section10 is lowered to mate with the oven floor the angle clips54 are removed to provide access to the bottom of thewall section10 to grout it to the oven floor.
• Eachside plate42 can have self levelingtransport truck assemblies60 to assist during the installation of thewall section10 into the oven chamber. Thetruck assemblies60 can each comprise awheel housing62 housing a plurality ofwheels64.Hydraulic cylinders66 can be interconnected between the rollingtrucks60 and their respectivefixture side plate42. For example, ahydraulic cylinder66 can have itspiston end68 pivotally connected to the upper end of thetruck wheel housing62 at70, and itscylinder end72 pivotally connected to asupport74 at76, which support74 can be secured to beam45 (or otherwise to side fixture plate42). The axes of thepivot connections70,76 of thehydraulic cylinders66 to thetruck assemblies60 and beams44, respectively as illustrated can be perpendicular to one another to thereby help to distribute the load of thewall section10 evenly. Thehydraulic cylinders66 can be computer controlled via a computer processor/controller80 (FIGS. 4A-C) to ensure that uniform pressure is applied to the floor of the oven during installation of thereplacement wall section10. In the event that multiple wall sections are stacked one atop another as shown inFIGS. 4A-4C, thetruck assemblies60 of theuppermost wall section10 andapparatus40 can run on the support beams45 of thelowermost wall section10 andapparatus40.
• FIG. 3 illustrates a two piececompression pin assembly90 which can be used to secure the twofixture plates42 to thereplacement wall section10. Thepins90 pass through theholes20 in the replacement wall section, which holes20 can be purposely larger than thepin assembly90 to make sure that thepin assembly90 does not contact thewall section10. Eachpin assembly90 can comprise a two-pieceouter sleeve92,94 and a two-pieceinner pin96,98.Pin portion96 has male threaded portion96a which fits in complimentary female threadedportion98a ofpin portion98.Bellville washers100 are placed over the opposite threadedend96b ofpin portion96 to apply consistent pressure on each assembly and are tightened withnut102 to apply pressure on theBellville washers100.
• As shown inFIGS. 4A-4C, a levelingbed110 can be used to aid installation ofreplacement wall section10 into thecoke oven30. Levelingbed110 can be interconnected to aframe112 withhydraulic cylinders114, for example four suchhydraulic cylinders114. Thehydraulic cylinders114 can be computer controlled via the computer/controller80 to ensure the correct elevation of thereplacement wall10 andfixture40, and to ensure equalized, uniform loading of same. The levelingbed110 can also be used during changing the cable hook up during installation of the wall section, as illustrated inFIGS. 4A-C.
• Lastly,FIG. 5 shows installation ofreplacement wall sections10 by being lowered through the top120 of theoven30, which can be accomplished if the roof brick work is removed.
• The embodiments shown and described are merely for illustrative purposes only. The drawings and the description are not intended to limit in any way the scope of the claims. Those skilled in the art will appreciate various changes, modifications, and alternative embodiments. All such changes, modifications and embodiments are deemed to be embraced by the claims. Accordingly, the scope of the right to exclude shall be limited only by the following claims and their equivalents.

Claims (31)

1. A method of replacing a damaged wall of a coke oven, the damaged coke oven wall having a height h and a length1, the method comprising:

removing the damaged wall from the coke oven,

casting, outside of the oven, a replacement wall section having a length equal to the length l of the damaged coke oven wall and a height equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall, and

positioning, inside the coke oven, the replacement wall section.

2. A method of replacing a damaged wall of a coke oven, the damaged coke oven wall having a height h and a length l, the method comprising:

removing the damaged wall from the coke oven,

casting, outside of the oven, a plurality of replacement wall sections, each replacement wall section having a length equal to the length l of the damaged coke oven wall and a height equal to a fraction of the height h of the damaged coke oven wall, and

positioning, inside the coke oven, the plurality of replacement wall sections one on top of another, such that the plurality of replacement wall sections has a combined height equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall.

3. The method ofclaim 2 wherein the plurality of replacement wall sections comprise a lower half section and an upper half section.

4. A method of replacing a damaged wall of a coke oven, the damaged coke oven wall having a height h and a length l, the method comprising:

removing the damaged wall from the coke oven,

casting, outside of the oven, a plurality of replacement wall sections, each replacement wall section having a length equal to a fraction of the length l of the damaged coke oven wall and a height equal to the height h of the damaged coke oven wall, and

positioning, inside the coke oven, the plurality of replacement wall sections end to end, such that the plurality of replacement wall sections has a combined length equal to the length l of the damaged coke oven wall.

5. The method ofclaim 4 wherein the plurality of replacement wall sections comprise a pusher side section, a middle section, and a coke side section.

6. The method ofclaim 5 wherein abutting ones of the pusher side, middle, and coke side sections are formed to have mating, interlocking ends.

7. The method of any ofclaims 1-6 wherein the replacement wall sections are cast with air/gas passages and vertical flues therein.

8. A method of replacing a damaged wall of a coke oven, the method comprising:

removing the damaged wall from the coke oven,

casting, outside of the oven, a replacement wall section,

providing first and second fixture plates,

sandwiching the replacement wall section between the plates,

lifting the replacement wall section by lifting the plates,

positioning the plates and hence the replacement wall section inside the coke oven, and

removing the plates from the replacement wall section.

9. The method ofclaim 8 further comprising:

providing a layer of rubber on each of the fixture plates for contacting the replacement wall section so as to avoid damage to the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven.

10. The method ofclaim 8 further comprising:

providing rolling trucks secured to the fixture plates for rolling movement of the replacement wall section and plates in the oven during installation of the wall section in the oven.

11. The method ofclaim 10 further comprising:

interconnecting the rolling trucks and the fixture plates with hydraulic cylinders to facilitate leveling and load distribution of the fixture plates and hence replacement wall section during installation of the replacement wall section in the oven.

12. The method ofclaim 11 further comprising:

providing a computer and a controller in operable association with the hydraulic cylinders to automate leveling and load distribution of the fixture plates and hence replacement wall section during installation of the replacement wall section in the oven.

13. The method ofclaim 8 further comprising:

casting holes through the replacement wall section, and

compressing the replacement wall section between the fixture plates by compression pins which pass through the holes in the wall section and connect the fixture plates.

14. The method ofclaim 8 wherein the replacement wall section is installed in the oven through an open end of the oven.

15. The method ofclaim 8 wherein the replacement wall section is installed in the oven through an open roof of the oven.

16. The method ofclaim 8 further comprising:

casting mortar joints in at least one of upper and lower surfaces of the replacement wall section.

17. The method ofclaim 8 further comprising:

providing a vertically movable leveling bed adjacent the coke oven, and

at least partially supporting the replacement wall section and fixture plates with the leveling bed as the replacement wall section is installed in the oven.

18. The method ofclaim 17 further comprising:

providing a frame, and

interconnecting the leveling bed and the frame with hydraulic cylinders to facilitate vertical movement of the leveling bed during installation of the replacement wall section in the oven.

19. The method ofclaim 18 further comprising:

providing a computer and a controller in operable association with the hydraulic cylinders to automate vertical movement of the leveling bed during installation of the replacement wall section in the oven.

20. A fixture for installing a replacement wall section into a coke oven, said fixture comprising:

a pair of plates for sandwiching the replacement wall section therebetween,

rolling trucks for rolling movement of the replacement wall section and said plates during installation of the wall section in the oven,

hydraulic cylinders interconnecting said plates and trucks, and

a computer/controller in operable association with said hydraulic cylinders to automate leveling and load distribution of said fixture plates and hence the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven.

21. The fixture ofclaim 20 further including a layer of rubber on each of said fixture plates for contacting the wall section so as to avoid damage to the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven.

22. The fixture ofclaim 20 further comprising angle clips removably secured to bottoms of said plates to add support for the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven.

23. The fixture ofclaim 22 further comprising a layer of rubber on an upward facing surface of each of said clips for contacting a bottom of the wall section so as to avoid damage to the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven.

24. The fixture ofclaim 20 further comprising a plurality of compression pin assemblies for securing said plates to the wall section, each said compression pin assembly comprising:

a two-piece outer sleeve, and

a two-piece inner pin, one portion of said two-piece inner pin having a male threaded portion on one end which fits in a complimentary female threaded portion of the other portion of said two-piece inner pin,

Bellville washers on the other end of said one portion of said two-piece inner pin, said other end of said one portion of said two-piece inner pin being threaded, and

a nut on said other end of said one portion of said two-piece inner pin.

25. The fixture ofclaim 20 wherein said pair of plates side plates, and further comprising a pair of end plates removably secured to ends of said pair of side plates.

26. The fixture ofclaim 25 further comprising a layer of rubber on each of said side plates and each of said end plates for contacting the wall section so as to avoid damage to the wall section during installation of the wall section in the oven.

27. A method of repairing a damaged wall of a coke oven, the coke oven wall having a floor to ceiling height h and a pusher side to coke side length l, the method comprising:

removing a damaged portion of the wall of the coke oven, the damaged wall portion having a height equal to the height h of the coke oven wall and a length equal to a fraction of the length l of the coke oven wall,

casting, outside of the oven, a replacement wall section, the replacement wall section having a height equal to the height h of the coke oven wall and a length equal to the fraction of the length l of the coke oven wall, and

positioning the replacement wall section inside the coke oven.

28. The method ofclaim 27 further comprising casting at least one vertical flue in the replacement wall section.

29. The method ofclaim 27 wherein the replacement wall section is a pusher side replacement wall section.

30. The method ofclaim 27 wherein the replacement wall section is a coke side replacement wall section.

31. The method ofclaim 27 wherein the fraction is about one-third.

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