US 12,378,616 B2
Sealing a reduction assembly
Robert Millner, Loosdorf (AT); Johannes Rothberger, Hellmonsödt (AT); and Hans Thomas Sattler, Linz (AT)
Assigned to Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH, Linz (AT)
Appl. No. 17/625,874
Filed by Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH, Linz (AT)
PCT Filed Jul. 3, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/068774
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Jan. 10, 2022,
PCT Pub. No. WO2021/004914, PCT Pub. Date Jan. 14, 2021.
Claims priority of application No. 19184964 (EP), filed on Jul. 8, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0259685 A1, Aug. 18, 2022
Int. Cl. C21B 13/00 (2006.01); F27D 7/02 (2006.01); F27D 7/06 (2006.01); F27D 15/00 (2006.01); F27D 19/00 (2006.01)
CPC C21B 13/0093 (2013.01) [F27D 7/02 (2013.01); F27D 7/06 (2013.01); F27D 15/00 (2013.01); F27D 2007/063 (2013.01); F27D 2019/0028 (2013.01); F27D 2019/0081 (2013.01)] 23 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for sealing a reduction apparatus, the reduction apparatus comprising a product discharge device, the method comprising:
supplying the product discharge device with a barrier gas;
providing at least one compressor for supplying treated barrier gas to the product discharge device; and
providing at least one nitrogen generator for producing pure barrier gas;
wherein when a barrier gas requirement of the product discharge device rises above a maximum capacity of the at least one nitrogen generator, the treated barrier gas from the at least one compressor is added to the pure barrier gas stream, and a mixture barrier gas formed by the two gases is supplied to the product discharge device.