[0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application Serial No. 62/703,150, filed on July 25, 2018 and entitled GREEN CARBON BODY EXTRUSION PRESS AND METHOD USING SAME, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The present disclosure relates to an extrusion press for forming extruded bodies, such as green carbon bodies, and more specifically to an extrusion press having a compaction container assembly which is rotatable between a first or vertical orientation for loading and a second or horizontal orientation for extruding.

[0003] Graphite electrodes are a necessary consumable in an electric arc furnace and are able to withstand the extremely harsh operating environment of the electric furnace steelmaking operation. Graphite electrodes are typically manufactured by forming cylindrical green carbon bodies. The green carbon bodies are typically formed by mixing and kneading raw materials including coke, such as powdered needle coke, and binder pitch at a high temperature. The raw material mixture is then extruded from a press to form an extruded green carbon body. The green carbon body is subsequently graphitized to form the graphite electrode.

SUMMARY

[0004] In one embodiment the present disclosure is directed to a system and method for improved extrusion. More particularly, in one embodiment the invention is an extrusion press including a ram having a ram body configured for movement along a ram axis, and a compaction container defining a compaction compartment and having a compaction container axis. The compaction container is rotatable between a first orientation wherein the compaction container axis is not aligned with the ram axis and a second orientation wherein the compaction container axis is aligned with the ram axis such that the ram body is movable into the compaction compartment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] The structure and certain embodiments can be understood by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: [0006] Fig. l is a perspective view of one embodiment of an extrusion press, with the compaction container assembly in a vertical orientation;

[0007] Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the extrusion press of Fig. 1, with the lid in a closed position;

[0008] Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the extrusion press of Fig. 1 with the compaction container in a horizontal orientation;

[0009] Fig. 4 is a side cross-sectional view of the extrusion press of Fig. 1 illustrating the loading of the compaction container, and with a particular ram body configuration;

[0010] Fig. 5 is a side cross-sectional view of the extrusion press of Fig. 2;

[0011] Fig. 6 is a side cross-sectional view of the extrusion press of Fig. 3;

[0012] Fig. 7 shows the extrusion press of Fig. 6, with the ram body advanced forwardly;

[0013] Fig. 8 shows the extrusion press of Fig. 7, with the lid opened and the ram body advanced forwardly;

[0014] Fig. 9 shows the extrusion press of Fig. 8, with the vacuum shroud advanced forwardly, and with a particular ram body configuration;

[0015] Fig. 10 shows the extrusion press of Fig. 9 with the vacuum shroud retracted and the ram body advanced forwardly;

[0016] Fig. 11 shows the extrusion press of Fig. 10 with the ram body advanced forwardly and extruding a body; and

[0017] Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the upper part of the compaction container, illustrating an alternate embodiment of the container assembly valve.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0018] Referring now to Figs. 1-3, an extrusion press is shown generally at 100. The extrusion press includes a hydraulic ram or extrusion ram 102, which includes a hollow ram casing 105 receiving a ram body 104 therein. The ram 102 is, in the illustrated embodiment maintained in a generally horizontal orientation (with respect to a

gravitational frame of reference) such that the ram body 104 is configured for axial movement in the horizontal direction. In the illustrated embodiment the ram casing 105 has an annular shape defining a cylindrical inner cavity, and the ram body 104 has a generally cylindrical shape (e.g. having a circular cross section) such that the ram body 104 is closely received in the ram casing 105. However the ram body 104 and ram casing 105 can instead have other shapes, including shapes other than circular in cross section. [0019] The ram body 104 can be moved forwardly and/or rearwardly in the horizontal direction using, for example, pressurized hydraulics (shown schematically at 111) operatively coupled to the ram casing 105 so that the ram body 104 can extrude material as described in further detail below. The extrusion press 100 can include auxiliary cylinders 103 coupled to the ram 102 and/or ram body 104 for moving the ram body 104 along the axial direction via, for example, electrical power, or via a separate hydraulic circuit, when hydraulic pressure is not applied to the ram 102 through the ram casing 105.

[0020] The ram l02/ram body l04/ram casing 105 have a longitudinal axis A _R A _M disposed in a horizontal orientation. The ram body 104 includes a ram face or end face 106 disposed at a first end thereof and aligned in a radial plane. The ram body 104 can include a series of nozzles or openings 107 extending through the ram body 104 and terminating at the ram face 106, as shown in Fig. 1. In one case the nozzles 107 can be pressure activated - e.g. remain closed except when exposed to sufficient pressure. Fig. 4 illustrates one of the nozzles 107 extending through the ram body 104, although the nozzles 107 can have any of a wide variety of configurations and paths. As an alternate embodiment Fig. 9 illustrates the ram body 104 as being hollow and having an inner cavity which fluidly communicates with nozzle 107. The nozzles 107 can have various other shapes and configurations beyond that shown. The upstream end of the nozzles 107 can be coupled to a fluid source (not shown) such as a compressed air source and operate as described in further detail below. Moreover, if desired it may be possible to draw a vacuum through the nozzles 107 as described below.

[0021] The press 100 includes a compaction container assembly 110 which includes a compaction container 112 having a wall 114 (such as a cylindrical wall 114) defining a compaction compartment 116 within. The compaction container assembly 1 lO/container 112 extend and are oriented along a longitudinal container axis A _c , and have a first opening or first open end 120 and a second opening or second open end 122 disposed opposite the first open end 120. The compaction container assembly 1 lO/container 112 are rotatably mounted to the remainder of the press 100 and/or the ram 102 such that the compaction container assembly 1 lO/container 112 are rotatable about a horizontal axis of rotation A _ROT as described in further detail below.

[0022] The compaction container assembly 110 also includes a valve assembly 124 at or adjacent to the first open end 120. The valve assembly 124 has an actuator 125 operably connected to a lid 126 for moving the lid 126 between a closed position wherein the lid 126 engages and sealingly covers the first open end 120, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, and an open position, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, wherein the lid 126 does not engage or cover the first open end 120 such that the first open end 120 is uncovered. The embodiment of Figs. 1-11 show the valve assembly 124 as including or taking the form of a rotating valve (also known as a swing valve) in which the lid 126 rotates about an axis between the open and closed positions. However the valve assembly 124 can include or take the form of various other types of valve assemblies, including but not limited to a gate valve or a sluice valve as shown in Fig. 12 in which the lid 126 is generally flat and planar, and slides open and closed along the plane. The valve assembly 124 including the actuator 125 and lid 126 rotate together with the compaction container assembly 1 lO/container 112 as they rotate about the axis of rotation AROT.

[0023] The compaction container assembly 110 can also include a die 130 disposed at the second open end 122 of the compaction container assembly 110. The die 130 has a die opening 132, through which the material l38/extruded article 140 is forced during the extrusion process, as shown in Fig. 11 and as described in further detail below. The compaction container assembly 110 can include a die cover 134 is disposed at the second open end 122 adjacent to the die 130. The die cover 134 is movable between a closed position and an open position. The die cover 134 sealingly engages or covers the die opening 132 when in the closed position, as shown in Figs. 1-10. When the die cover 134 is in the open position as shown in Fig. 11, the die cover 134 is spaced away from and does not cover the die opening 132, to allow the material to be extruded from the die 130 as described in further detail below. The die 130 and die cover 134 rotate together with the compaction container assembly 1 lO/container 112 as they rotate about the axis of rotation AROT, as described in further detail below.

[0024] The press 100 also includes a generally annular vacuum shroud 150 disposed concentrically about and coaxial with the ram body 104. The vacuum shroud 150 has an annular front face 152 that is adapted to sealingly engage a flange or mating surface 154 (Figs. 1, 8 and 9) positioned at or adjacent to the first open end 120 of the container 112. The flange or mating surface 154 is positioned on an outer surface of the container 112, and spaced slightly downstream from the first open end 120 in the illustrated embodiment. The vacuum shroud 150/face 152 is movable along the ram axis ARAM between a retracted position in which the vacuum shroud 150/face 152 are spaced apart from and do not engage the mating surface 154, and a sealing or engaged position in which the vacuum shroud 150/face 152 sealingly engage the mating surface 154 for drawing a vacuum in the container 112, as will be described in further detail below.

[0025] As noted above, the compaction container assembly 110 and container 112 are rotatable about the axis of rotation A _RO T, between a first or vertical orientation wherein the container axis Ac is oriented generally or strictly vertically and the first open end 120 is positioned above the second open end 122, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, 4 and 5, and a second or horizontal orientation wherein the container axis Ac is oriented generally or strictly horizontally and the first open end 120 is generally aligned with the second open end 122 as shown in Figs. 3 and 6-11. When the compaction container assembly 110 is first moved to the horizontal orientation the first open end 120 is positioned adjacent to, and faces, the ram face 106, and the container axis A _c is aligned with the longitudinal axis ARAM of the ram body 104. The amount of rotation of the container assembly 1 lO/container 112 is about 90 degrees in the illustrated embodiment, but is at least about 45 degrees in one case or can vary as desired. The axis of rotation AROT can in one case be oriented perpendicular with respect to the ram axis A _R , as shown in Fig. 1, but the axes of rotation can be at varying different angles if desired.

[0026] Referring now to Figs. 4-11, one method for operating of the press 100 is now described. The container assembly 110 begins in, or is rotated to, the first or vertical orientation, as shown in Fig. 4, and arranged such that lid 126 is in its open position and the die cover 134 is closed. The container assembly 110 is secured, locked or blocked into this first orientation. In this orientation the first open end 120 is positioned above the second open end 122 such that raw material 138 to be extruded, such as green carbon raw material 138, can be easily loaded into the container 112. The raw material 138 can be loaded into the container 112 in any suitable known manner, such as for example by conveyer 144 shown in Fig. 4 having an end 146 disposed above the first open end 120 such that the raw material 138 is naturally fed into the container 112, and retained therein, by gravity. In one case the raw material 138 is green carbon raw material 138 used to form an extruded green carbon body and includes coke, such as for example needle coke, calcined petroleum coke, calcined anthracite and binder, such as for example pitch, coal tar pitch or petroleum pitch. The green carbon raw material 138 is mixed and kneaded at a high temperature and then loaded into the first open end 120 of the container 112.

[0027] After the desired amount of material 138 has been loaded into the container 112, the valve assembly 124 is closed, thereby moving the lid 126 to the closed position to sealingly cover the first open end 120, as shown in Fig. 5. The container assembly 1 lO/container 112 is then released, unlocked or unblocked and rotated (90° in one case) about axis AROT until the container assembly 1 lO/container 112 is in the second or horizontal orientation, such that container axis A _c is aligned with the axis ARAM of the ram body 104, as shown in Fig. 6. When the container assembly 110 is in the horizontal orientation, the first open end 120 and/or lid 126, faces, and is adjacent or immediately adjacent to, the ram face 106. The vacuum shroud 150 and ram body 104 are sufficiently retracted at this stage to allow the compaction container assembly 110 to freely rotate to its horizontal orientation. As described above, the valve assembly 124/lid 126 and die cover 134 rotate with the container 112. The container assembly 1 lO/container 112 is then secured, locked or blocked in the horizontal orientation to prevent movement of the container assembly 1 lO/container 112 during the subsequent steps, such as during extrusion.

[0028] Referring now to Fig. 7, the ram body 104 is moved forward from its retracted position to an external position where the ram face 106 is positioned proximate, near, adjacent or immediately adjacent to the lid 126. The valve assembly 124 is then opened, moving the lid 126 away from the first open end 120 to the open position. In this position, the ram face 106 retains the material 138 within the container 112 preventing most of the material 138 from spilling out of the first open end 120 of the container 112. The maximum size of the gap between the ram face 106 and the first open end l20/container 112 at this stage may be relatively small to reduce or minimize spilling, such as less than about 7.5 cm in one case, or less than about 5 cm in one case, or less than about 2 cm in another case.

[0029] Referring now to Fig. 8, the ram body l04/ram face 106 is then advanced from a position at least partially external to but proximate to the container 112, to a first internal position in which the ram body l04/ram face 106 fully enters the container 112 through the first open end 120, and is partially positioned in the casing 105 without compacting, or without significantly compacting, the raw material 138. For example, in this step the ram body 104 may extend less than 10%, or in another case less than 5%, or in yet another case less than 1%, of the axial length of the container 112.

[0030] The vacuum shroud 150 is then moved towards the container 112 until the shroud 150/shroud face 152 is in a sealing position where the shroud 150/shroud face 152 sealingly engage the mating surface or flange 154 of container 112 as shown in Fig. 9. The shroud 150 including an inner sealing member 151 that closely, slidably and sealingly receives the ram body 104 therein. The shroud 150 thus generally closes and seals the container 112 and compaction compartment 116 so that a vacuum can be drawn in the container 112 and compaction compartment 116. A vacuum cycle is then performed by drawing a vacuum within the vacuum shroud 150 and to remove air in the container 1 l2/compaction compartment 116. In one embodiment, vacuum shroud 150 has one or a plurality of radially-extending openings 153 (Fig. 3 and 9) to which a vacuum source can be coupled to draw down the vacuum. However the vacuum can be formed by various other methods such as possibly in one case applying a vacuum via the nozzles 107. The vacuum can help to facilitate the compaction process as described in the next step.

[0031] When a desired level of vacuum is reached (in one case less than about lOkPA, or in another case less than about 2kPA), a compaction cycle is performed wherein the raw material 138 is compacted without extruding the material 138 through the die 130. During the compaction cycle, the ram 102 is moved from the first internal position towards and into the container 112/raw material 138 to compact the material 138 in container 112 while the die cover 134 remains closed, as shown in Fig. 10. For example, in this step the ram body 104 may extend less than 25%, or in another case less than 10%, or in yet another case less than 5%, of the axial length of the container 112, and may extend at least about 1%, or in another case at least about 5% of the axial length of the container 112. The compaction process helps to eliminate voids in the extruded material and provide a more uniform extruded product. Upon completion of compaction, the vacuum shroud 150 is retracted, thereby moving the shroud face 152 away from the container mating surface 154 and breaking the vacuum.

[0032] The die cover 134 is then moved to the open position to uncover the die opening 132 and the extrusion commences by moving the ram body 104 further into the container 112 as shown in Fig. 11. The ram body 104 is extended into the container 112 and the raw material 138 is extruded through the die opening 132 to form an extruded article 140, such as an extruded green carbon article 140. The extrusion process can be carried out at various temperatures and pressures, and in one case between about 90 degrees Celsius and about 130 degrees Celsius, and in one case at a pressure of about least about 20bar in one case, or at least about 50bar in another case, or at least about 150 bar in yet another case. The extruded article 140 can be cut away or otherwise separated from the press 100 and further processed, such as by graphitizing, to form the graphite electrode for use an electric arc furnace.

[0033] Upon completion of the extrusion step, the ram body 104 is retracted away from the die opening 132. Air or some other fluid can be sprayed against the material 138 within the container 112 via the nozzles 107 in the ram face 106 before or as the ram body 104 is retracted from within the container 112. The sprayed air acts as a release and prevents the raw material 138 from sticking to the ram face 106, which is known as the stick effect. A source of compressed air can be fluidly coupled to the upstream end of the nozzles 107 to provide the sprayed air. The die cover 134 can also move to its closed position as the ram 102 is retracted from the container 112. The ram body 104 is then retracted out of the container 112 until it is fully retracted out of the container assembly 1 lO/container 112.

The container assembly 1 lO/container 112 is then rotated about the axis of rotation A _RO T back to the first or vertical orientation where it is ready to be loaded again with the raw material 138 as shown in Fig. 4.

[0034] It should be noted that although the figures and description show the container assembly 1 lO/container 112 being rotated between a vertical orientation, where it is loaded, to a horizontal orientation, where extrusion takes place, the container assembly 110 can be rotated through various different angles and oriented in differing positions. In addition, the loading process can be carried out at various orientations other than vertical, and the extrusion process can be carried out at various orientations other than horizontal. The rotatable nature of the container assembly 110 allows freedom in separating the orientation of loading from the orientation of extrusion. In the particular illustrated embodiment, the ability to load in the vertical direction, and then move to the horizontal direction, enables the ram body 104 to perform both the compaction and the extrusion, in one case in the horizontal configuration. This avoids the need to use a separate component, device or mechanism to provide compaction of the raw material 138, which enables faster processing and the elimination of additional equipment and steps. Thus such a separate compacting component, device or mechanism can be lacking from the press 100 or excluded from the press 100.

[0035] The above description is intended to enable the person skilled in the art to practice the invention. It is not intended to detail all of the possible variations and modifications that will become apparent to the skilled worker upon reading the description. It is intended, however, that all such modifications and variations be included within the scope of the invention that is defined by the following claims. The claims are intended to cover the indicated elements and steps in any arrangement or sequence that is effective to meet the objectives intended for the invention, unless the context specifically indicates the contrary.