TORPEDO CARS FOR USE WITH GRANULATED METALLIC UNIT PRODUCTION, AND ASSOCIATED SYSTEMS, DEVICES, AND METHODS
Torpedo cars for use with granulated iron production, and associated systems, devices, and methods are disclosed herein. In some embodiments of the present technology, a torpedo car includes a tilting mechanism, a body rotatably coupled to the tilting mechanism, and a controller operably coupled to the tilting mechanism to control tilting of the body. The body can include (i) an inner surface defining a cavity and a channel, and (ii) an outer surface defining an opening to the cavity and a channel outlet of the channel spaced apart from the opening. The channel can extend between the channel outlet and a channel inlet interfacing the cavity. The inner surface can include a slag dam configured to prevent slag from exiting the opening while the torpedo car tilts. The controller can control the tilting mechanism to control molten metal flow out of the cavity through the channel.
1 . A torpedo car for use with granulated iron production, the torpedo car comprising:
a tilting mechanism;
a body rotatably coupled to the tilting mechanism, where the body includes an inner surface and an outer surface, wherein the inner surface defines a cavity and a channel, wherein the outer surface defines an opening to the cavity and a channel outlet of the channel spaced apart from the opening, wherein the cavity is configured to store molten metal received through the opening and slag, and wherein the channel extends between the channel outlet and a channel inlet interfacing the cavity; and
a controller operably coupled to the tilting mechanism to control tilting of the body such that as the body tilts, the molten metal flows out of the cavity through the channel.
2 . The torpedo car of claim 1 , wherein a portion of the inner surface defining the cavity comprises a slag dam configured to prevent the slag from exiting the cavity.
3 . The torpedo car of claim 1 , further comprising a refractory edge forming a slag man adjacent the opening.
4 . The torpedo car of claim 1 , wherein the channel inlet and the channel outlet have different cross-sectional dimensions.
5 . The torpedo car of claim 1 , wherein the channel has a constant cross-section along a length of the channel.
6 . The torpedo car of claim 1 , wherein the channel has a varying cross-section along a length of the channel.
7 . The torpedo car of claim 1 , wherein the channel inlet has an oblong-shaped cross-section having a width between 7-15 inches and a height between 3-7 inches.
8 . The torpedo car of claim 1 , wherein the channel outlet has an oblong-shaped cross-section having a width between 7-15 inches and a height between 3-7 inches.
9 . The torpedo car of claim 1 , wherein the channel outlet has a circular cross-section having a diameter between 5-12 inches.
10 . The torpedo car of claim 1 , wherein the channel outlet has a mushroom-shaped, a sector-shaped, or triangular cross-section.
11 . The torpedo car of claim 1 , further comprising an extension member coupled to the outer surface of the body adjacent to the channel outlet, wherein the extension member is configured to collect and facilitate pouring of the molten metal coming out of the channel outlet.
12 . The torpedo car of claim 1 , wherein the torpedo car is shaped such that the molten metal begins exiting the channel outlet when the torpedo car is tilted by angle between 40-60 from a vertical axis, and wherein the torpedo car stores a mass of molten metal between 100-150 metric tons.
13 . The torpedo car of claim 1 , wherein the torpedo car is configured to keep slag within the cavity as the torpedo car is tilted and the molten metal flows out of the cavity through the channel.
14 . A method for operating a torpedo car for use granulated iron production, the method comprising:
transporting a torpedo car having molten metal stored inside a cavity of the torpedo car to a granulation unit, wherein the molten metal is received in the cavity via an opening of the torpedo car;
tilting the torpedo car by a first angle, wherein when the torpedo car is tilted by the first angle, the molten metal stored in the cavity begins to flow out of a channel extending from the cavity, wherein the channel is separate from the opening;
receiving a feedback signal from a downstream component of the granulator unit, wherein the feedback signal is associated with a flow rate of the molten metal; and
tilting the torpedo car by a second angle in response to the received feedback signal.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the torpedo car includes a slag dam, the method further comprising preventing, via the slag dam, slag in the cavity from exiting the torpedo car as the torpedo car is tilted to the first angle or the second angle.
16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein transporting comprises transporting the torpedo car having a mass of molten metal between 100-150 metric tons.
17 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the first angle is between 40-60 degrees from a vertical axis.
18 . The method of claim 14 , wherein receiving comprises receiving a surface level measurement of molten metal in a runner positioned downstream of the torpedo car.
19 . The method of claim 14 , wherein receiving comprises receiving a weight measurement of molten metal in a runner positioned downstream of the torpedo car.
20 . The method of claim 14 , wherein receiving comprises receiving optical granulometry analysis results from an imaging sensor positioned downstream of the torpedo car to image granulated iron produced using the molten metal from the torpedo car.