Panel for ferrous or non-ferrous metal making furnace

1. A plate cooler stave for use in a furnace having a shell wall, comprising:

a top portion housing a cooling fluid circulating tube including at least one cooling fluid inlet and at least one cooling fluid outlet for a flow of cooling fluid to and from the plate cooler stave from outside the furnace; and

a main body, wherein the main body includes the top portion and wherein the main body is disposed at an angle relative to the top portion so that the main body is insertable into the furnace through an opening defined by the shell wall, wherein upon installation, at least a part of the top portion is disposed in the opening;

wherein the main body defines a plurality of ribs and a plurality of channels, wherein a front face of the main body defines a first opening into each of the channels; and

wherein the plate cooler stave further comprises a plurality of bricks wherein at least one of the plurality of bricks is insertable into one of the plurality of channels via its first opening to a position, upon rotation of said at least one of the plurality of bricks, partially disposed in the one channel such that one or more portions of said at least one of the plurality of bricks at least partially engage one or more surfaces of the one channel and/or of a first rib of the plurality of ribs whereby said at least one of the plurality of bricks is locked against removal from the one channel through its first opening via linear movement without first being rotated.

2. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the main body is disposed along the shell wall.

3. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the main body is disposed substantially parallel to the shell wall.

4. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the main body is disposed between the shell wall and a refractory lining in the furnace.

5. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 further comprising a refractory lining disposed at least in part in or on the main body.

6. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the top portion is attached to a cover plate and the cover plate is secured to the shell wall.

7. The plate cooler stave of claim 6 wherein the cover plate is secured to an outside of the shell wall.

8. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the main body has one or more curved profiles.

9. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the main body has at least one curved profile substantially complementary with a curvature of the shell wall.

10. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the main body defines grooves or channels for holding refractory bricks.

11. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the angle between the top portion and the main body is greater than 90 degrees.

12. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the angle between the top portion and the main body is substantially 90 degrees.

13. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein, upon installation of the plate cooler stave, the main body is disposed up, down or sideways with respect to the top portion.

14. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the plate cooler stave comprises a construction selected from the group consisting of cast copper with cast in pipe, cast copper with cored water passages, cast iron with cast in pipe, cast iron with water passages, drilled copper and extruded copper.

15. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 further comprising a thermocouple, wherein the thermocouple extends through the top portion and into the main body.

16. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 further comprising one or more surfaces defined by the top portion and/or the main body for supporting one or more adjacent plate cooler staves.

17. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 further comprising a spacer support.

18. The plate cooler stave of claim 17 wherein the spacer support contacts the shell wall upon installation of the plate cooler stave in the furnace.

19. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the main body and the shell wall are separated by a spacer support attached to the shell wall.

20. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 further comprising a steel band disposed around at least a part of the top portion, and a cover plate attached to the steel band.

21. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the main body defines one or more side openings into each of the channels.

22. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the rotation of the brick comprises a bottom of the brick moving in a direction towards the main body.

23. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein a first rib surface of the first rib is complementary to a groove defined by a top of the brick and wherein the first rib surface is at least partially disposed in the groove.

24. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the main body is substantially flat.

25. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the main body is curved with respect to one or both of a horizontal axis and a vertical axis.

26. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the main body houses a plurality of pipes.

27. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the plurality of bricks at least partially disposed in the plurality of channels form a plurality of stacked, substantially horizontal rows of bricks protruding from the front face of the main body.

28. The plate cooler stave of claim 27 wherein one of the bricks cannot be pulled and/or rotated out of the first opening of its respective channel when another brick is disposed in a row above and partially or completely covers the one brick.

29. The plate cooler stave of claim 1 wherein the plurality of bricks comprise exposed faces that define a flat or uneven surface.