Ration Balancing: A Practical Approach for Reducing Methanogenesis in Tropical Feeding Systems

Effective application of slag-forming mixtures (SFM), being fed into continuous castingg machine (CCM) moulds, depends on their even distribution on the melt surface. Manual feeding of the SFM which is widely usedd does not provide this condition, resulting in the necessity to actualize the work to elaborate systems of SFM mechanized feedingg into moulds of various types CCM. A concept of the designing of a system of SFM feeding into CCM moulds presented with the ratte strictly correspondent to the casting speed and providing formation of an even layer of fine material of given thickness on the whoole surface of liquid steel. The proposed methods of designing of the SFM mechanized feeding systems based on three-dimensional computer simulation with the subsequent verification of the correctness of the adopted technical solutions on field samples. Informattion is presented on the design features of the adjusted facilities intended for continuous supply of finely granulated and powder mixtuures on metal mirror in moulds at the production of high-quality billets, blooms and slabs. Variants of mechanical and pneumo-mechaanical SFM supply elaborated. At the mechanical supply the fine material from the feeding hopper is moved at a adjusted distance bby a rigid horizontally located screw. At the pneumo-mechanical supply the metered doze of the granular mixture is delivered by a sshort vertical screw, the lower part of which is located in the mixing chamber attached from below to the hopper and equipped with ann ejector serving for pneumatic supply of the SFM in a stream of transporting gas. It was proposed to use flexible spiral screws in the ffuture facilities of mechanical SFM feeding. It will enable to eliminate the restrictions stipulated by the lack of free surface for locatiion of the facility in the working zone of the tundish, as well as to decrease significantly the mass of its movable part and to decreaase the necessary power of the carriage moving mechanism driver. The novelty of the proposed technical solutions is protected by thhree patents. The reduction of 10–15% in the consumption of slag-forming mixtures during the transition from manual to mechanizeed feeding confirmed. The resulting economic effect from the implementation of technical development enables to recoup the costs inncurred within 8–10 months.

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