Castings: Cupola Furnace Operations

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The Cupola Furnace Operations course aims to provide cupola operators and other interested individuals a basic understanding of the cupola furnace and how it operates. This course focuses on the melting process of the cupola, its method of heat transference, as well as the chemical reactions and gas reactions that occur within the furnace. There is also an examination of cupola turnaround procedures, operating procedures, and control tests that should be performed to run the cupola efficiently and consistently.

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Learning Objectives

  • Identify the zones of the cupola and describe what occurs in each.
  • Understand the principles of heat exchange and the chemical and gas reactions in the cupola.
  • Breakdown and discuss the heat turnaround and campaign turnaround processes.
  • Recognize and explain the operating procedures used to improve the cupola’s efficiency.
  • Distinguish between the control tests and understand their importance.
Course Length: 4 HRS

Table of Contents

Cupola Furnace Operations Overview

Operating Procedures

  • Cupola Procedures
    • Preparation: Equipment Checks
    • Preparation: Purchased Material
    • Preparation: Construction
    • Preparation: Coke Bed
    • Preparation: Cupola Patching
    • Preparation: Cupola Bottom
    • Fill-Up
    • Start of Melt
    • Operating
    • Shutdown
  • Melting Records
    • Raw Material Log
    • Daily Charge Calculation
    • Cupola Log

The Cupola Process

  • The Melting Process in the Cupola Zones
    • Preheating Zone
    • Melting Zone
    • Reduction Zones
    • Oxidation or Combustion Zone
    • Well Zone
  • Heat Transfer
  • Chemical Reactions
  • Gas Reactions in the Oxidation Zone

Control Tests

  • Metal Tests
    • Temperature Measurement
    • Cooling Curve Analysis
    • Chill and Wedge Tests
    • Pouring a Chill or Wedge Sample
  • Slag Tests
    • Slag Appearance
    • Chemical Analysis (Slag)

Cupola Turnaround

  • Heat Turnaround
  • Campaign Turnaround
    • Draining the Trough
    • Quenching the Cupola
    • Dropping the Cupola Bottom
    • Chipping and Patching the Cupola
    • Making the Cupola Bottom
    • Coke Bed Preparation: Igniting the Coke Bed
    • Coke Bed Preparation: Measuring the Coke Bed

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