Shallow metallurgical wire injection method and related depth control

1. A method of dispensing an additive into a molten metal, the method comprising:

positioning an outlet of a lance below a surface of a metallurgical melt, the positioning including determining location data relative to the surface of the metallurgical melt; and

dispensing an additive wire out of the outlet while the outlet is below the surface of the metallurgical melt,

wherein the determining of the location data includes emitting a laser beam from a distance measuring assembly toward the surface of the metallurgical melt, and the positioning of the outlet of the lance includes sending a signal from the distance measuring assembly to a displacing assembly configured to move the lance, and

wherein the positioning of the outlet of the lance is performed in accordance with information from an encoder configured to track movement of the lance and in accordance with the location data.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metallurgical melt includes a slag layer and a molten metal below the slag layer, and the positioning includes maintaining the outlet below an interface between the slag layer and the molten metal.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the positioning includes maintaining the outlet at a predetermined depth below the interface based on the determined location data relative to the surface of the metallurgical melt.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the positioning of the outlet of the lance includes moving the lance in response to the signal from the distance measuring assembly.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the positioning of the outlet of the lance includes moving the lance together with a wire straightener.

6. A system for dispensing an additive into a molten metal, the system comprising:

a wire feeding apparatus;

a lance configured to receive a metallurgical wire from the wire feeding apparatus and to dispense the metallurgical wire from an outlet of the lance, the lance further configured to dispense the metallurgical wire below a surface of a metallurgical melt;

a distance measuring device configured to determine location data relative to the surface of the metallurgical melt, the distance measuring device configured to emit a laser beam;

a displacing assembly configured to move the lance in accordance with the location data; and

an encoder configured to track movement of the lance or movement of a position actuator of the displacing assembly, and

wherein the displacing assembly is configured to move the lance in accordance with information from the encoder and in accordance with the location data.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the displacing assembly includes an electric motor and a motor control, and the motor control is configured to control the motor in accordance with the location data.

8. The system of claim 6 , wherein the displacing assembly includes a hydraulic pump and a hydraulic control, and the hydraulic control is configured to control the hydraulic pump in accordance with the location data.

9. The system of claim 6 , wherein the displacing assembly is configured to move the wire feeding apparatus together with the lance in accordance with the location data.

10. The system of claim 6 , wherein the wire feeding apparatus includes a wire straightener.

11. The system of claim 6 , wherein the displacing assembly is configured to maintain the outlet of the lance at a predetermined depth in the metallurgical melt based on the location data.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the displacing assembly is configured to maintain the outlet of the lance at the predetermined depth from an interface between a slag layer and a molten metal of the metallurgical melt.

13. The system of claim 6 , further comprising a movable cover piece that protects laser optics of the distance measuring device.

14. The method of claim 1 , further comprising moving a cover piece of the distance measuring assembly to protect laser optics of the distance measuring assembly.