Application of a method of welding for improvement of reliability of hoppers of slag carriages

Reliability of the design of slag carriages is of great importance, as these belong to transportation system of iron and steel works, operating with enhanced danger due to the necessity to carry molten materials. That is why it is required to eliminate the slightest possibility of any failures of emergency situations at operation of slag carriages. Presence of defects in the hopper's wall undermines its reliability and diminishes its service life. Hopper's wall undergo at operation tremendous mechanical and thermal loads. Heating over the temperature range 500-600C º leads to appearance of residual deformations, it deteriorating exploitation conditions of a slag carrier. Overheating of separate sections of the casing can drastically deteriorate strength characteristics of the material, specified for the hopper's design. This leads to alternations of its original geometry. The existing methods of improvement of its strength are insufficient due to economic and technological reasons. For this reason a technical solution was proposed and tested, in which additional reinforcing ribs to be installed above the deformation area on the side surface of the hopper were presumed. The indicted area is characterized by the smallest heating temperature its exploitation temperature possesses higher strength characteristics than other sections. This feature was used for strengthening of a less strong adjoining deformation area, undergoing high heating temperature. Reinforcing ribs are made by foundry methods do not always ensure the desired effect as they present the source of inner defects and formation of cracks. This is explained by formation of heat centres and T-shaped elements of casting, that are last crystallized and have no dense structure. That is why it was proposed to install welded reinforcing ribs for improved design of a slag carriers. The ribs are to be manufactured of steel rolled stock. This variant of installation of additional reinforcing ribs guarantees absence of internal casting defects within the area of ribs fixation and their high strength and reliability