Generally, electrodes are baked to remove the moisture from their surface. Moisture can cause arc instabilities and lead to porosity of welds. The oven is also used to heat the electrodes, which helps to keep them at a uniform temperature. This is vital because it helps maintain the consistency of the metal composition, and electrical resistance throughout the weld.
The electrodes contain a carbon material such as anthracite. Petroleum coke, coal-tar and crushed Graphite. These raw material are mixed, molded, then batch-baked in order to form electrode paste. The electrode powder is then loaded onto an electrode cylinder installed on top of the ore thermo furnace.
As the electrode descends into the furnace's charge, the electrode will be gradually heated by an electrode heater. It will then be baked by the refractory housing. As the baking proceeds, the electrode gains in conductivity and mechanical strength. The electrode is then removed from the casing, and the next batch of electrode paste is added.
Soderberg electrodes are electrodes of this type. It consists of an internal reinforced tubular steel casing with sheet metal fins and ribs. This provides adequate support for the electrode. The electrode is surrounded by a conductive band which receives current from an electrode heater. The electrode then is advanced into furnace by slipping shoes.
This invention uses a special technique of oscillation that prevents the electrode from adhering both to the inner casing and the outer casing. This results in an electrode that is more uniformly baked and reduces wear on the shoe. Figure 5 shows the embodiment of this invention. Casing 50 terminates over shoes 68 and70, which engage directly the outer surface 62 of at least partially-baked electrode directly. Shoes 68 and 70 are operated by actuators 79 to advance the electrode into the charge of the furnace. The movement of the electrode is controlled to prevent contact with the inner case, which is made preferably of stainless steel.
The invention resolves a number problems that were encountered in the prior art. It is a new baking process that allows for a faster cooling and heating of the electrode, and a shorter time to reach optimum temperature. It also improves mechanical properties of electrodes and allows them to be used at higher voltages without damaging the inner and outer casings. This technology is expected to find wide applications in a variety or applications, including ferroalloy melting, ferrosilicon refining, industrial silicon, and metal manganese. The invention is relatively simple to manufacture, and it requires only a small investment in equipment. It is a complex product with high technical requirements. This includes raw materials, ingredient formulas, and product index.
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