APARELHO PARA ABASTECER FLUIDOS A UM CONVERSOR

An apparatus for supplying fluids to a converter has a rotary joint (35) coupled to a trunnion shaft (37), one end of the rotary joint (35) being connected to fluid supply pipes (45, 48, 68, 69) and the other end to fluid conduits communicating with tuyeres at the bottom of the converter. The rotary joint (35) comprises a fixed casing (39) and a rotary assembly (40) that is sealedly and rotatably fitted in the casing (39) and connected to the trunnion shaft (37). The rotary assembly (40) has a cylindrical member (53) fitting in the casing (40). A plurality of axially spaced, circular communication grooves (64, 65) are provided in at least one of the internal surface of the casing (39) and the external surface of the cylindrical member (53). The cylindrical member (53) is provided with a grooves (64,65) at one end and into the atmosphere where passageway (70, 71) which opens into the communication the cylindrical member (53) emerges outside the casing (39) at the other. The fluid supply pipes (69, 69) are attached to the casing (39) so as to communicate with the communication grooves (64, 65) and the fluid conduits (73, 74) to the exposed part of the cylindrical member (53) so as to communicate with the passageway (70, 71). This apparatus is capable of independently controlling the flow rates of various kinds of fluids to a converter.