GB2152176A - Cleaning of industrial oven doors or oven door jambs - Google Patents

Abstract

An apparatus for cleaning an industrial oven door or oven door jamb includes cleaning means for directing a high pressure water jet 8 on to at least some of the sealing surfaces of the door or jamb to remove deposits therefrom; a cleaner carriage 6 carrying the cleaning means; a closed track 2 adapted to carry the cleaner carriage in a path to register with the surfaces of the door or jamb to be cleaned; a continuous pin rack 12 associated with and following the closed track; a toothed wheel 15 supported by the cleaner carriage and engaging with the pin rack: and motor means 14 associated with the toothed wheel for driving the wheel along the pin rack so as to move the carriage around the closed track. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Improvements in or relating to the cleaning of industrial oven doors or oven door jambs This invention relates to the cleaning of industrial oven doors and oven door jambs and especially, but not exclusively, to the cleaning of coke oven doors and door jambs. More particularly the invention relates to such cleaning by means of high pressure water jets, by which is meant water jets operating at a pressure between 1,000 and 10,000psi.

Coke oven doors and coke oven door jambs are liable to become fouled with carbon and tar during firing operation of the oven. This fouling can create operational problems, particularly when sealing surfaces of the door and/or jamb become fouled, since sealing between the door and jamb can be hindered or prevented. This can lead to inefficient operation of the coke oven and, in addition, can lead to the escape of smoke and fumes from between the door and jamb, creating substantial environmental problems, and flames which resultion structural damage to oven ends.

Proposals have been made for apparatus for cleaning, by means of high pressure water jets at least the peripheral sealing surfaces of such oven doors or door jambs. One such high pressure water jet cleaning apparatus is described and illustrated in UK Patents 159179 and 1603104. This apparatus comprises at least one cleaner carriage carrying water jetting means, mounted so as to be able to traverse around a closed track mounted on a frame and formed and disposed such that it is located, in use, adjacent the peripheral sealing surfaces of the coke oven door and/or coke oven door jamb.

The operation of this form of high pressure water jet cleaning apparatus requires the traversing of the cleaner carriage around its closed track by means of chain drives. In operation these chain drives can become fouled by deposits removed from the door and/or from the jamb by means of the high pressure water jet. Such deposits may be either of hard carbon or soft tarry matter previously condensed on the doors from operation of the coke oven. This fouling of the chain drives affects the operation of the system and can cause stoppage, so that frequent maintenance is required which can be expensive and time consuming and reduce the operational availability of the apparatus.

It is an object of the present invention to overcome or at least substantially reduce the above mentioned problem.

According to the invention there is provided apparatus for cleaning an oven door or oven door jamb cleaning means for directing a high pressure water jet onto at least some of the sealing surfaces of the door or jamb to remove deposits therefrom; a cleaner carriage carrying the cleaning means; a closed track adapted to carry the cleaner carriage in a path in register with the surfaces of the door or jamb to be cleaned; a continuous pin rack associated with and following the closed track; a toothed wheel supported by the cleaner carriage and engaging with the pin rack; and motor means associated with the toothed wheel for driving the wheel along the pin rack so as to move the carriage around the closed track.

The motor for driving the toothed wheel (or sprocket) may be a hydraulic motor. The cleaner carriage may carry a water jet lance and nozzle by means of which the cleaning water is applied to the surfaces to be cleaned.

Water may be supplied to the lance from an exterior source via a swivel head connection supported from the carriage to permit full movement of the carriage about its path. The swivel head connection may incorporate channels for the communication of water to the water jet lance and, in addition, channels for the transfer of hydraulic fluid to and from the hydraulic motor.

The motor and sprocket may be supported by the carriage by means of an extension arm thereof. The pin rack and sprocket may be arranged on that side of the leaning apparatus remote, in operation, from the coke oven door and jamb so as to be at least partially shielded therefrom so as to prevent deposition of carbonaceous material in the rack and sprocket drive mechanism during the cleaning operation.

In order that the invention may be more readily understood, one embodiment thereof will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Figure 1 is a front elevation illustrating the general track arrangement of coke oven door and coke oven door jamb cleaning apparatus of the type to which the invention relates; Figure 2 is a sectional plan view of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 1; Figure 3 is an enlarged partial section in plan of the apparatus of Fig. 1 with the incorporation of an embodiment of the invention; and Figure 4 is a side elevation of the portion of the apparatus illustrated in Fig. 3.

The apparatus to which the invention is applied is shown generally in Figs. 1 and 2.

Supported on a frame 1 is a tracks 2 of generally rectangular shape (shown cut away in two places in Fig. 1). As can be seen, the height of the track is considerably greater than its width and as a such is compatible with and capable of registering with a generally veritically disposed coke oven door and coke oven door jamb of this common configuration. The frame 1 can be carried by a coke oven pusher car or guide car 3, or can in an alternative arrangement be mounted as a fixed station cleaner in the end or interconnecting platforms of a coke oven battery.

It is to be noted that Fig. 2 includes, in addition to the overall sectional plan of the cleaning apparatus, a partial sectional plan (as shown at 10) of the apparatus in its operational relationship with the internal sealing surfaces 11 and of a coke oven door 1 2.

The track 2 comprises four continuous tubular members 4 each of which extend in a generally rectangular closed path.

The tubular members 4 are supported by plates 5 at spaced intervals around the track to which the members are welded.

A carriage 6 is arranged to run around the track, the carriage having a total of either wheels 7 arranged in two sets of four so that two wheels of the carriage 6 engage each tubular member. The carriage carries a high pressure water jet directing lance 8.

The apparatus of the type illustrated in Figs.

1 and 2 has hitherto incorporated a driving chain (not shown) engaging the carriage 6 and passing around rollers 9 at the corners of the rectangular track, the chain being driven by a motor (not shown) to traverse the carriage around the track. In accordance with the invention, the driving chain and its motor are dispensed with, and a continuous pin rack 1 2 mounted adjacent the track 2 and secured to plates 5 is provided.

The arrangement of the carriage and the rack incorporating the embodiment of the invention are most clearly seen in Figs. 3 and 4.

Mounted on a support arm 1 3 from the carriage, in a direction away (in operation) from the coke oven door or jamb, is a hydraulic motor 14 and an associated sprocket 15.

The hydraulic motor 14 is located adjacent a fluid supply manifold 1 6 which extends from a swivel joint fluid connection block 1 7. It is to be seen that the fluid connection block 1 7 has three external communications, two being to hydraulic fluid input and output pipes 1 8 and 19, and the third being to a high pressure water inlet pipe 20. These pipes are connected, in a manner not shown, to appropriate fluid supplies adjacent the apparatus.

From manifold 16, supply lines 21, 22 and 23 pass to the motor 14 and lance 6 respectively.

By means of the connection block 1 7 fluid supply from external sources can be provided whilst moving the carriage 6 around its closed path.

Slashguards 24 (shown in Fig. 2) are provided to shield the sprocket 1 5 and pin rack against hard carbon or tarry matter being flung from the door or jamb during the cleaning operation.

In operation, supply of hydraulic fluid through the motor 14 rotates the sprocket upon the rack 1 2 causing the carriage to move around the track 2 and supply of water to lance 8 initiates appropriate water jet cleaning.

By means of the invention we have provided a robust oven door or jamb cleaning apparatus capable of sustained operation without breakdown of the drive mechanism due to any fouling thereof.

Claims (9)

1. Apparatus for cleaning an industrial oven door jamb including cleaning means for directing a high pressure water jet on to at least some of the sealing surfaces of the door or jamb to remove deposits therefrom, a cleaner carriage carrying the cleaning means and a closed track adapted to carry the cleaner carriage in a path to register with the surfaces of the door or jamb to be cleaned, characterised by a continuous pin track associated with and following the closed track, a toothed wheel supported by the cleaner carriage and engaging with the pin rack, and motor means associated with the toothed wheel for driving the wheel along the pin rack so as to move the carriage around the closed track.

2. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 1 wherein the motor for driving the toothed wheel is a hydraulic motor,

3. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 2 wherein the cleaner carriage carries a water jet lance and nozzle by means of which the cleaning water is applied to the surfaces to be cleaned.

4. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 3 including a swivel head connection supported from the carriage through which water is arranged to be supplied to the lance from an exterior source, to permit full movement of the carriage around the closed track.

5. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 4 wherein the swivel head connection incorporates channels for the transfer of hydraulic fluid to and from the hydraulic motor.

6. Apparatus as claimed in any one of the preceding claims wherein the motor and the toothed wheel are supported by the carriage by means of an extension arm thereof.

7. Apparatus as claimed in Claim 6 wherein the pin rack and the toothed wheel are disposed on that side of the cleaning apparatus which is remote, in operation, from the oven door or door jamb so as to be at least partially shielded from deposits dislodged from the door or jamb during operation of the apparatus.

8. Apparatus as climed in Claim 7 wherein the carriage supports shield plates adapted to shield the pin rack and the toothed wheel from deposits dislodged from the door or jamb during operation of the apparatus.

9. Apparatus for cleaning an industrial oven door or oven door jamb substantially as shown in and as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.