Converter Lining Patching Machine - The Patching Revolution from Manual to Intelligent Operation
As the core equipment in steelmaking, the converter’s lining is prone to local damage under high temperatures and slag erosion. Inadequate maintenance will shorten the converter’s service life and increase the cost of shutdowns. Traditional manual patching requires workers to operate within 3 meters of the converter mouth, exposing them to the risk of high-temperature burns. Additionally, the patching accuracy for concealed areas such as trunnions and slag lines is insufficient.
The emergence of the converter lining patching machine has completely changed this situation. As an automated device replacing manual labor, it has become a standard configuration in leading steel enterprises such as Shougang Jingtang and Baowu Masteel, driving the steelmaking industry to achieve dual upgrades in safety and efficiency.
II. Core Function: The Key Line of Defense for Protecting Lining Service Life
The core value of the converter lining patching machine lies in the precise and efficient hot-state maintenance of the converter lining, whose functions can be summarized in three dimensions:
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All-round Lining Protection
The equipment can operate immediately after the converter dumps slag or taps molten steel, enabling precise patching of weak areas (e.g., molten pools, trunnions, and slag lines) that cannot be covered by large-area refractory materials. After high-temperature sintering, the patching material forms a solid carbon-bonded layer, which effectively resists the erosion of molten steel and extends the converter’s service life by more than 30%. Data from Baowu Masteel shows that the patching machine has reduced the average monthly converter shutdowns for maintenance from 2.3 times to 0.8 times.
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Engine for Improving Production Efficiency
The patching machine has a feeding speed of 10 minutes per ton, which is more than 4 times higher than that of manual patching. After hot-state patching, the converter can resume steelmaking only after 10 minutes of sintering, significantly shortening non-production time. After introducing the equipment, Shougang Jingtang increased its converter operation rate from 82% to 91%, with an annual increase in molten steel output of over 150,000 tons.
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Dual Optimization of Cost and Safety
Automated patching reduces refractory consumption per ton of steel by 12-18%. For a steel enterprise with an annual output of 1 million tons, this translates to annual refractory cost savings of over 8 million yuan. Meanwhile, operators can remotely control the equipment from more than 5 meters away from the converter mouth, completely eliminating the risk of high-temperature burns and reducing the incidence of occupational health accidents to zero.
III. Product Features: Performance Advantages Driven by Technological Innovation
Represented by the mainstream QLZK-T2 model, modern converter lining patching machines exhibit four major technical features:
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Precise Delivery System
The equipment is equipped with a discharge port with adjustable elevation angle and a horizontal steering mechanism. Combined with an ultra-long throwing distance of 15 meters, it achieves full coverage inside the converter. Through the coordinated operation of the ejection column and the conveyor belt, patching material bags (2.7-3kg per bag) can land accurately within a range of ±0.5 meters, solving the problem of landing deviation in manual patching.
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Intelligent Adaptive Design
The ejection column is provided with multiple sets of adjustment holes. The ejection force can be changed by adjusting the position of the abutment rod, making it suitable for converters of different specifications (30-120 tons). The dual-mode operation (long-distance operation in front of the converter and short-distance operation behind the converter) meets the needs of complex working conditions and helps enterprises such as groove special steel realize the "one machine replacing two posts" mode.
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Safe and Reliable Structure
The inclined ejection guide rail and material baffle design not only ensure the automatic feeding of patching materials but also prevent material falling. The support block structure effectively offsets the recoil force during operation, improving the equipment stability by 60% compared with the first-generation products. The maintenance cycle of once every two years, along with simple processes such as roller oiling and component replacement, reduces the difficulty of operation and maintenance.
IV. Industry Application and Development Trend
Currently, converter lining patching machines have evolved from single-function patching equipment to intelligent maintenance terminals. In the intelligent workshop of Hebei Iron and Steel Group, the patching machine is linked with the lining temperature measurement system. Through big data analysis, it automatically matches the type and dosage of patching materials, further improving the patching accuracy by 20%.
V. Conclusion
The popularization of converter lining patching machines epitomizes the transformation of the iron and steel industry from extensive production to refined management. With its core advantages of replacing manual labor, achieving precise patching, and reducing consumption, it has become a key equipment for steel enterprises to cut costs and increase efficiency. Driven by intelligent manufacturing and low-carbon metallurgy, converter lining patching machines will continue to iterate and upgrade, laying a solid equipment foundation for the high-quality development of the iron and steel industry.
IV. Industry Application and Development Trend
