ELECTRIC FURNACE HEARTH ELECTRODE Russian patent published in 1998 - IPC

FIELD: electrothermics; melting furnaces where melting is performed in pool lined with refractory nonconducting materials through whose bottom one or several hearth electrodes are passed for delivery of current to metal. SUBSTANCE: hearth electrode includes water-cooled copper rod provided with cooling passages, current leads and steel head. Lower portion of head has cavity whose side surface is rigidly secured to rod located inside it. Part of head located above side surface of rod is made in the form of steel sheets. Lower portion of these sheets is rigidly secured to outer side surface of head located along rod. Part of electrode where cooling passages are made and current leads are fitted may be located outside the furnace and other part may be located inside lining. Side surface of head adjoining the copper rod may be made in the form of steel strips whose number corresponds to number of steel sheets. Part of rod located inside lining of hearth may have length no more than 0.8H and no less than 0.5H: length of sheets is no less than 0.3H, where H is thickness of hearth. Temperature sensor may be fitted in rod at level of steel sheets. Side surfaces of rod and cavities of head may be secured by soldering with alloy at melting point below melting point of copper. Part of head located along copper rod and part made in the form of steel sheets may be made from steels of different Grades. EFFECT: enhanced efficiency. 7 cl, 4 dwg