Upper & Lower Electrode Clamping Brake Assembly

Upper & Lower Electrode Clamping Brake Assembly

1. Product Overview

Upper & Lower Electrode Clamping Brake Assembly, short for Dual Brake Slipping Device, is the core execution equipment of electrode slipping system for submerged arc furnaces, industrial silicon furnaces, ferroalloy furnaces, calcium carbide furnaces and closed refining furnaces. It cooperates with slipping hydraulic cylinders to realize automatic electrode feeding, continuously compensating electrode consumption during smelting and maintaining stable working length of electrodes.

Traditional single-clamp slipping structure has unstable clamping force, prone to electrode slipping deviation, frequent manual adjustment and high risk of electrode breakage. Our dual upper & lower brake set adopts disc spring hydraulic clamping structure. The upper brake is movable while the lower brake is fixed. Through PLC interlocked sequential opening & clamping actions, electrodes are fed quantitatively and accurately. It ensures steady arc operation, reduces electrode breakage accidents, and is a standard matching component for automatic intelligent furnace electrode systems, applicable to 6,300kVA–63,000kVA full-series metallurgical electric furnaces.

2. Main Product Classification

2.1 Disc Spring Hydraulic Dual Brake 

• Clamping principle: Disc spring mechanical clamping, hydraulic pressure for release
• Structure layout: 4 groups of disc springs + hydraulic cylinders symmetrically arranged around brake housing; vulcanized wear-resistant brake shoes inside
• Matched furnaces: 12,500–63,000kVA medium & large closed submerged arc furnaces, industrial silicon furnaces
• Core advantages: Stable and uniform clamping force, large friction coefficient of brake shoes, anti-slip electrode, long service life of friction lining, complete interlock protection
• Application: High-current, continuous production smelting workshops with high automation requirements

2.2 Lightweight Dual Brake (Small & Medium Furnace Cost-Effective Model)

• Structure: Integrated thin-wall brake housing, compact single-side hydraulic cylinder layout
• Matched furnaces: 6,300–25,000kVA silicomanganese, ferronickel and calcium carbide furnaces
• Core advantages: Light self-weight, small occupied space, low manufacturing cost, convenient on-site maintenance and replacement of brake shoes
• Application: Semi-closed small-capacity furnaces with moderate electrode load

2.3 Intelligent Monitoring Integrated Dual Brake (High-End Automatic Model)

• Upgraded configuration: Built-in pressure sensors, position limit switches, temperature monitoring modules, wired signal transmission to furnace PLC system
• Supporting parts: Anti-spatter heat insulation shield, automatic wear compensation mechanism for brake shoes
• Matched furnaces: 33,000–63,000kVA ultra-large intelligent unmanned smelting furnaces
• Core advantages: Real-time monitoring of clamping pressure and brake opening state, automatic alarm for insufficient pressure or shoe wear, fully automatic unmanned slipping operation

3. Core Structure & Working Principle

The complete dual brake assembly consists of 5 key modules: upper movable brake unit, lower fixed brake unit, disc spring clamping assembly, hydraulic release cylinder and friction brake shoe lining.

1. Upper Movable Brake UnitConnected with slipping hydraulic cylinders, capable of vertical lifting movement. It clamps electrodes to bear electrode weight during slipping stroke, and releases before ascending. Interlocked with lower brake to avoid simultaneous opening.
2. Lower Fixed Brake UnitFixed on electrode holder barrel, bears full electrode weight under normal smelting state, always keeps clamping electrodes; only releases temporarily during electrode slipping descending stroke.
3. Disc Spring Clamping AssemblyMultiple groups of high-strength disc springs provide lasting radial clamping force to lock electrodes tightly. Hydraulic cylinders compress disc springs to realize brake release when electrode slipping is required.
4. Wear-Resistant Brake Shoe LiningAdopts rubber vulcanized composite friction material, high friction coefficient, good heat insulation, anti-abrasion and anti-electrode surface scratch; single shoe can be replaced separately without disassembling the whole brake.
5. Hydraulic Interlock Control SystemElectrical interlock logic ensures upper & lower brakes cannot open simultaneously to prevent electrode falling risk. Single slipping stroke adjustable from 15–50mm, supports automatic cycle slipping, manual local control and remote PLC control three operation modes.

Standard Electrode Slipping Cycle Flow

1. Lower brake keeps clamped, upper brake releases → slipping cylinder lifts upper brake to target height
2. Upper brake re-clamps electrode, lower brake releases → slipping cylinder descends to complete electrode feeding
3. Lower brake re-clamps tightly, upper brake releases and resets to initial position, waiting for next slipping cycle

4. Core Product Advantages

4.1 Safe & Reliable Dual Interlock Protection

Strict electrical interlock prohibits upper & lower brakes opening at the same time, thoroughly eliminating electrode falling accidents caused by double release; pressure & position double monitoring triggers automatic shutdown alarm under abnormal clamping force, greatly improving furnace operation safety.

4.2 Stable Clamping Force, Less Electrode Breakage

Disc spring constant force clamping ensures uniform contact friction between brake shoes and electrode surface, no local stress concentration; quantitative slipping avoids irregular electrode descent, effectively reducing electrode crack and breakage rate, cutting electrode consumption cost.

4.3 High Automation, Labor Saving

Supports PLC full-automatic cyclic slipping without frequent manual on-site operation; remote monitoring model uploads operation data to central control room, realizing unmanned electrode feeding management and lowering furnace front labor intensity.

4.4 Long Service Life, Low Maintenance Cost

Vulcanized friction brake shoes feature strong high-temperature wear resistance, long replacement cycle; modular split design allows single brake shoe or spring group replacement without integral disassembly, short maintenance downtime and few spare parts consumption.

4.5 Wide Adaptability & Convenient Retrofit

Customizable inner diameter of brake housing for Φ400–Φ1200 self-baking electrodes; matched with new furnace complete equipment and old furnace electrode system renovation, no large-scale structural modification required for on-site equipment.

4.6 Anti-High Temperature, Stable Operation in Severe Environment

Outer heat insulation anti-spatter shield isolates furnace top radiant heat, preventing spring aging and hydraulic cylinder seal burnout; stable performance under long-term continuous high-load smelting condition.

5. Applicable Industries & Furnace Capacity Range

• Ferroalloy smelting: Ferrosilicon, silicomanganese, ferronickel, ferrochrome, ferrovanadium submerged arc furnaces
• Chemical smelting: Industrial silicon, calcium carbide, yellow phosphorus melting furnaces
• Non-ferrous metallurgy: Copper slag, aluminum ash, lead-zinc closed refining electric furnaces
• Capacity coverage: 6,300kVA, 12,500kVA, 16,500kVA, 25,000kVA, 33,000kVA, 45,000kVA, 63,000kVA full-spec metallurgical furnaces

6. Optional Matching Configurations

1. Real-time clamping pressure & brake position online monitoring alarm system
2. High-temperature anti-spatter stainless steel heat insulation shield
3. Wear self-compensation assembly for brake friction shoes
4. Integrated slipping hydraulic cylinder manifold assembly
5. Complete spare parts package: disc springs, vulcanized brake shoes, hydraulic sealing kits

7. Full-Lifecycle Service Guarantee

1. Custom non-standard design: Customize brake inner diameter, clamping stroke, spring group quantity and slipping stroke according to electrode diameter and furnace operation parameters
2. On-site technical survey: Professional engineers provide overall matching scheme for electrode slipping system
3. Strict factory inspection: Clamping force fatigue test, hydraulic leakage test and interlock logic test before delivery
4. After-sales support: Whole assembly warranty, long-term supply of brake shoes, disc springs and other vulnerable spare parts, nationwide on-site installation & maintenance