U.S. patent application number 13/276834 was filed with the patent office on 2012-02-16 for method and device for cleaning slabs, thin slabs, profiled elements, or similar.
This patent application is currently assigned to SMS SIEMAG AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT. Invention is credited to Jurgen Armenat, Bernhard Ehls, Jurgen Hemmerle, Andreas Houben, Otmar Jannasch, Peter Jonen, Uwe Kopfstedt, Carsten Lippold, Karl Rittner, Thomas Runkel, Ingo Schuster.
Application Number | 20120036909 13/276834 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 37487471 |
Filed Date | 2012-02-16 |
United States Patent
Application |
20120036909 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Runkel; Thomas ; et
al. |
February 16, 2012 |
METHOD AND DEVICE FOR CLEANING SLABS, THIN SLABS, PROFILED
ELEMENTS, OR SIMILAR
Abstract
A method for removing loose scale and other foreign matter from
the top and/or bottom face of a cast product with the aid of
flowable media which are sprayed onto the cast product by a
cleaning device having at least one spraying apparatus that is
disposed above the cast product and at least one spraying apparatus
that is arranged below the cast product. According to the method,
the amount of media and/or the effective width and/or the pressure
of the media is/are controlled separately and independently of time
for each spraying apparatus.
Inventors: |
Runkel; Thomas; (Siegen,
DE) ; Ehls; Bernhard; (Hilchenbach, DE) ;
Jannasch; Otmar; (Duisburg, DE) ; Houben;
Andreas; (Monchengladbach, DE) ; Armenat; Jurgen;
(Hilchenbach, DE) ; Hemmerle; Jurgen; (Dusseldorf,
DE) ; Rittner; Karl; (Hilden, DE) ; Kopfstedt;
Uwe; (Meerbusch, DE) ; Schuster; Ingo;
(Willich, DE) ; Jonen; Peter; (Duisburg, DE)
; Lippold; Carsten; (Seesen, DE) |
Assignee: |
SMS SIEMAG
AKTIENGESELLSCHAFT
Dusseldorf
DE
|
Family ID: |
37487471 |
Appl. No.: |
13/276834 |
Filed: |
October 19, 2011 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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12083040 |
Mar 24, 2009 |
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PCT/EP2006/009108 |
Sep 20, 2006 |
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13276834 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
72/40 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B21B 45/04 20130101;
B21B 45/08 20130101; B21B 45/06 20130101; B22D 11/1206
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
72/40 |
International
Class: |
B21C 43/00 20060101
B21C043/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Oct 6, 2005 |
DE |
10 2005 047 936.7 |
Claims
1. A method for removing loose scale and other foreign substances
from the upper surface and/or lower surface of a cast product, such
as a slab, thin slab, profiled element, or the like, with the aid
of flowable media, which are sprayed onto the cast product by means
of a cleaning device that consists of at least one spray
arrangement positioned above the cast product and at least one
spray arrangement positioned below the cast product, where a
heating installation and a rolling mill are installed downstream of
the cleaning device, wherein the amount of medium and/or the
effective width and/or the pressure of the medium is controlled
separately and independently with respect to time for each spray
arrangement.
2. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cleaning device
is operated with at least one static spray arrangement.
3. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cleaning device
is operated with at least one movable spray arrangement.
4. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cleaning device
is operated in the low-pressure range.
5. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cleaning device
is operated in the high-pressure range.
6. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the means of
adjusting the spray arrangements are operated independently of the
casting speed and/or the cast material.
7. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the supply of
medium can be completely stopped.
8. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cleaning device
is enclosed in a housing.
9. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cleaning device
can be moved laterally completely out of the casting line.
10. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the part of the
cleaning device located above the cast product is removed.
11. A method in accordance with claim 9, wherein the cleaning
device is moved out or lifted out with a remotely controlled
drive.
12. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cleaning
device is connected to supply lines by medium connections that are
flexible.
13. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the cleaning
device is connected to supply lines by self-closing medium
couplings.
14. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein an additional
spraying off of the cast product with medium that can be adjusted
in its amount and/or pressure prevents the flow of medium in the
casting direction or in the direction opposite the casting
direction.
15. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein at least an
additional blowing off of the cast product with air helps the
medium flow off to the sides.
16. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein collecting
channels are used to remove the medium from the upper surface of
the cast product.
17. A method in accordance with claim 14, wherein the additional
devices off the cast product with medium, device for blowing off
the cast product with air, medium collecting device) are used
upstream and/or downstream of the cleaning device.
18. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the control system
of the cleaning device is operated by connection with a
higher-order guidance system.
19. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the adjustments of
the cleaning device that depend on the production process are
partly or completely automated.
20. A method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the adjustments of
the cleaning device that depend on the production process are
provided in advance to the operating personnel as proposed values.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] The present application is a Divisional Application of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 12/083,040, filed Mar. 24, 2009, which
is a 371 of International application PCT/EP2006/009108, filed Sep.
20, 2006, which claims priority of DE 10 2005 047 936.7, filed Oct.
6, 2005, the priority of these applications is hereby claimed and
these applications are incorporated herein by reference.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0002] The invention concerns a method for removing loose scale and
other foreign substances from the upper surface and/or lower
surface of a cast product, such as a slab, thin slab, profiled
element, or the like, with the aid of flowable media, which are
sprayed onto the cast product by means of a cleaning device that
consists of at least one spray arrangement positioned above the
cast product and at least one spray arrangement positioned below
the cast product. The invention also concerns a corresponding
cleaning device.
[0003] WO 2002/070157 A1 discloses a method for descaling strip in
a rolling mill with a descaler and with a finishing traln arranged
downstream of the descaler in the running direction of the strip.
In this method, water under descaling pressure acts on the upper
and lower surfaces of the strip, and the strip is cooled in the
finishing train. During descaling, a symmetrical temperature
distribution is produced on the upper and lower surfaces of the
strip inside the descaler and is maintained in the same way inside
the finishing train. The invention pertains to a descaling
operation in combination with a rolling mill.
[0004] EP 1 083 010 A2 discloses an adjusting method for two
shielding elements, in which a metal strip with a strip width, a
strip center, and edge regions is conveyed in a direction of
conveyance on a roller table with a roller table center. The metal
strip has a temperature gradient over its width. The edge regions
of the metal strip are shielded from a cooling medium by shielding
elements. In this regard, the shielding elements are adjusted in
such a way that the temperature gradient downstream of the
shielding elements with respect to the direction of strip
conveyance approaches a set temperature gradient. To this end, the
shielding elements are adjusted asymmetrically with respect to the
center of the roller table. This invention describes a method for
controlling the spray width, which necessitates the use of
shielding elements.
[0005] DE 32 30 866 C2 describes a device for a cooling steel sheet
panel immediately after hot rolling. The device is constructed with
a horizontal rolling table for the steel sheet panel; with a
plurality of spray pipes, which extend in the width direction of
the steel sheet panel and are arranged above and below the steel
sheet panel at predetermined intervals in the longitudinal
direction of the steel sheet panel, and each of which has a length
that is essentially equal to the width of the steel sheet panel;
with several nozzles for spraying cooling water onto the steel
sheet panel; and with shielding elements, which are arranged in the
region of the two lateral edges of the steel sheet panel for
interrupting the jets of cooling water and whose bases are
downwardly slanted away from the center of the steel sheet panel. A
shifting device is used to move the shielding elements towards each
other and away from each other in the width direction of the steel
sheet panel lying on the roller table. The shifting device has:
[0006] two stationary guide frames, which are arranged essentially
horizontally above the roller table in such a way that they
intersect the vertical center plane of the roller table; [0007] two
support frames, which are arranged essentially horizontally above
both sides of the roller table parallel to its center plane and
whose two ends are slidably supported in the guide frames, such
that the shielding element arranged in the area of one of the
lateral edges of the steel sheet panel lying on the roller table is
mounted on one of the two support frames, and the other shielding
element arranged in the area of the other lateral edge of the stool
shoot panel mounted en the other support frame, and [0008] a drive
for moving the two support frames, together with the two shielding
elements, towards each other and away from each other by the same
distances in the width direction of the steel sheet panel lying on
the roller table.
[0009] This invention describes a device, in which shielding
elements are used, for cooling a steel sheet panel after it has
been hot rolled.
[0010] EP 0 153 688 B1 discloses a method for cooling hot steel
sheet from an upstream hot rolling train. The steel sheet is guided
in the longitudinal direction through pairs of upper and lower
rolls arranged in the direction of conveyance of the steel sheet,
and cooling water is supplied to the upper and lower surfaces of
the steel sheet by nozzles on several cooling units arranged in the
same longitudinal direction. Each cooling unit is arranged between
adjacent pairs of upper and lower rollers. The method consists in
determining the temperature distribution in the steel sheet before
the start of cooling; setting the desired mean cooling rate;
determining the distance from the edge of the sheet along which the
supply of cooling water at least to the underside of the steel
sheet is to be interrupted on the basis of the temperature
distribution, so that the temperature of the inner edge section of
the steel sheet is kept above the temperature of the middle section
in order to ensure that the Ar.sub.3 transformation in the inner
edge section occurs at the same time as or later than the Ar.sub.3
transformation in the middle section; and shielding a suitable
number of nozzles to interrupt the direct supply of cooling water
to the edge section of the steel sheet over the distance determined
by the preceding process step. This invention applies to the hot
steel sheets after hot rolling for the purpose of producing
specific sheet characteristics by well-defined cooling.
[0011] A cleaning device for removing loose scale from the surface
of a slab, especially a thin slab produced in a mini mill, is
described, for example, by DE 101 43 868 A1 and WO 2003/022475 A1.
A mini mill of this type comprises at least a slab casting machine,
a slab cutting device, a temperature equalizing furnace, and one or
more rolling stands with a coiling installation. A device of this
type is improved if a spray arrangement comprises at least one
spray pipe each above and below the slab, with each spray pipe
having a plurality of spray nozzles. The spray arrangement is
positioned upstream of the temperature equalizing furnace,
especially a roller hearth furnace. The spray arrangement is
connected to a water supply that has the technologically required
pressure and a volume flow that is adapted to the number of spray
nozzles. Claim 6 states that the water supply pressure to the spray
pipes of the spray arrangement is 5-15 bars and preferably less
than 10 bars.
[0012] The existing solutions describe devices with no means of
adjustment. If one assumes cleaning device with fixed settings of
the amount of medium, cleaning width and position, the lack of
flexibility results, for example, in undesired cooling of the thin
slab and increased production risk. In addition, the upper surface
and lower surface experience different amounts of cooling. With the
same amount of medium and the same medium pressure, the upper
surface of the thin slab is more strongly cooled than the lower
surface due to the longer exposure time. The head of the thin slab
then tends to rise. This makes the passage of the thin slab through
the downstream installations more difficult.
[0013] When the head of the thin slab strikes something in the
downstream installations, a conveyance interruption can occur. This
makes it necessary to shut down the casting installation.
[0014] The outer edges of the thin slab are more strongly cooled
than the middle region. In addition, this effect is also dependent
on the current slab width. The causes are:
[0015] The medium applied in the middle of the thin slab flows
towards the outer edges; therefore, the amount of medium and the
cooling effect are greater at the edges. The cleaning medium
reaches the thin slab not only from above but also, depending on
the design, from the outside.
[0016] There is the danger of cooling the slab edges too
strongly.
[0017] The cooling of the thin slab depends on the casting speed.
At lower casting speeds, the cooling is more intense than at higher
casting speeds when the same of medium is applied. The casting
speed of a casting plant is typically varied according the
production conditions, including the production conditions within a
casting sequence. At the end of a casting sequence, the last length
of thin slab is ordinarily separated and lies on the roller table.
If the cleaning device is used, this last section of thin slab
cools so strongly that any possible downstream cutting operations
for reducing the size of the last section of thin slab must cut a
material that is much colder and thus stronger.
[0018] If any interruption occurs in the casting plant that makes
it impossible to continue moving the thin slab out of the plant,
the thin slab must be cut into lengths to allow it to be removed.
In the vicinity of the cleaning device, the presence of the
cleaning device makes it difficult for personnel to reach the thin
slab. In this regard, quick access to the thin slab is necessary to
prevent the hot thin slab, which is no longer being conveyed, from
overheating and thus damaging parts of the plant.
[0019] When the casting process is started up, the head of the thin
slab can strike the cleaning device, especially if the space
between the surface of the thin slab and the cleaning device is
very tight. An undesired side effect of the cleaning device is the
cooling of the thin slab. The cooling is greater the longer the
medium has contact with the thin slab.
[0020] With increasing medium pressure, the danger of medium
escaping from the cleaning device increases. If this occurs,
foreign substances, such as scale, may be carried back onto the
surface of the thin slab.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0021] The objective of the invention is to improve the previously
known cleaning devices in such a way that the properties of the
cast product, such as a slab, thin slab, profiled element or the
like, are improved by flexible means of adjustment, specifically,
of the cooling medium, and to avoid the disadvantages described
above.
[0022] In accordance with the invention, this objective is achieved
by virtue of the fact that in a method of the type specified in the
introductory clause of claim 1, the amount and/or the effective
width and/or the pressure of the flowable media is controlled
separately and independently with respect to time for each spray
arrangement.
[0023] Further refinements of the method are described in the
dependent method claims.
[0024] The invention also concerns a device for carrying out the
method of the invention. In this device, the spray arrangements
and/or the nozzles located on the spray arrangements are designed
to respond to a control/guidance system.
[0025] Further refinements of the device are described in the
dependent device claims.
[0026] The decisive advantage of the method of the invention is
that controllable means of adjustment for the amount and/or the
effective width and/or the pressure of the flowable media can be
used for separate control of the upper and lower medium supply at
every point in time.
[0027] In this way, loose scale and other foreign substances are
removed as early as possible from the upper and/or lower surface of
the cast product. With several additional devices, the use of the
cleaning device becomes much more flexible and reliable.
[0028] With means for adjusting the effective width of the cleaning
device to the width of the cast product, excessive cooling of the
edges of the cast product is avoided. Depending on the design, the
cleaning device can also follow a casting width change of the
current cast product. The width adjustment can be made by a
switching device and/or by manual devices for shutting down a
definite number of medium supply lines.
[0029] With means for adjusting the amount of medium and/or the
effective width and/or the medium pressure, the amount of medium
can be varied according to the casting speed. This makes it
possible to control the cooling independently of the casting speed
and the cast material.
[0030] With means for completely stopping the supply of medium to
the cleaning device, the supply of medium can be completely shut
off, e.g., at the end of casting.
[0031] With means for partly or completely removing the cleaning
device from the casting line, access to the cast product is greatly
improved. For example, the cleaning device can be laterally removed
from the casting line, or the parts installed above the thin slab
can be lifted off with a lifting device.
[0032] The means of the preceding point are improved if the removal
is effected with a remotely controlled drive. These means are also
improved if time-consuming disconnection of supply lines is
eliminated by flexible medium connections or self-closing medium
couplings.
[0033] With several measures used individually or together, the
residence time of the flowable medium on the surface of the cast
product can be shortened. Depending on requirements, the devices
can be used upstream and/or downstream of the cleaning device:
[0034] An additional spraying off of the cast product with flowable
medium that can be adjusted in its amount and/or effective width
and/or pressure, for example, low-pressure water, prevents the flow
of medium in the casting direction or in the direction opposite the
casting direction. [0035] An additional blowing off of the cast
product with air helps the medium flow off to the sides. [0036]
Collecting channels can be used to remove the medium from the upper
surface of the cast product.
[0037] The cleaning device is enclosed in a housing--if this is
possible from a design standpoint. The streams of medium are
possibly collected with collecting channels and drained away to the
sides in a well-defined way. To assist the draining off of the
medium, flushing with medium can be provided in these collecting
channels.
[0038] All of the means of adjustment described above can be
activated differently. In this regard, depending on the adjustment
parameter, the activation can be accomplished from one or more
places that are possibly blocked relative to each other: [0039]
Manually from the appropriate control platforms of the casting
installation. [0040] Manually from an on-site control console.
[0041] Automatically from a guidance system used expressly for the
cleaning of the cast product. [0042] When there is connection with
a higher-order guidance system, adjustments that depend on the
production process can be partly or completely automated or can be
provided in advance to the operating personnel as proposed
values.
[0043] The invention allows more flexible use and more reliable
production operation of a cleaning device and a better cleaning
effect and reduction of undesired side effects. In addition, the
adjustments of the cleaning device can be adapted with automation
to the different casting parameters and casting production
steps.
[0044] The various features of novelty which characterize the
invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed
to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding
of the invention, its operating advantages, specific objects
attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawings and
descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described
preferred embodiments of the invention.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING
[0045] In the drawing:
[0046] FIG. 1 shows a schematic side view of a thin slab
installation.
[0047] FIG. 2 shows a side view of a cleaning device of the
invention within the casting line.
[0048] FIG. 3a shows a side view of the cleaning device of the
invention, opened by swinging it up.
[0049] FIG. 3b shows a side view of the cleaning device of the
invention outside the casting line (laterally displaceable
design).
[0050] FIG. 4 shows a possible arrangement of the spray
arrangements in detail.
[0051] FIG. 5 shows an arrangement of spray nozzles in detail
(nozzles that can be turned off are drawn with a different type of
line).
[0052] FIG. 6 shows a system for longitudinal spraying in
detail.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
[0053] FIG. 1 shows a casting plant. The cast product 3 emerging
from a casting installation 2 is turned by rollers 4 from a
vertical to a horizontal position. The cast product 3 then passes
through a cleaning device 5. In the cleaning device 5, scale and
other foreign substances are removed from the upper and/or lower
surface of the cast product 3. To allow further processing, for
example, in a rolling mill 6, the cast product 3 is heated in a
heating installation 7. The cleaning device 5 is provided with at
least one spray arrangement 8 positioned above the cast product 3
and at least one spray arrangement 9 positioned below the cast
product 3. A cutting device 28 (e.g., a shear) is installed
upstream or downstream of the cleaning device 5.
[0054] An example of a cleaning device 5 is shown in greater detail
in FIG. 2. The cleaning device 5 installed/mounted on a foundation
10 consists of a top frame 11 and a bottom frame 12. Spray
arrangements 8, 9 are mounted on the top frame 11 and the bottom
frame 12. The spray arrangements 8, 9 are furnished with a
plurality of nozzles 13. The spray arrangements 8, 9 are supplied
with a flowable medium via lines 14, 15. Deflectors 17, 18 are
mounted below the casting line 16 to help carry away the flowable
medium.
[0055] The top frame 11 is supported in such a way that it can
swivel up and down. As shown in FIG. 3a, it can be swung out of the
casting line 16 by means of a hydraulic cylinder 21.
[0056] Alternatively, the cleaning device 5 is displaceably mounted
on rails 19, 20 and can be moved out of the casting line 16 by
means of a hydraulic cylinder 21. FIG. 3b shows this alternative
cleaning device 5 outside the casting line 16. In the embodiment
illustrated here, the top frame 11 and the bottom frame 12 are
designed with a U shape. To stabilize the cleaning device 5, the
free ends 22, 23 are set by means of pins 24, 25 in corresponding
bores of an abutment 28.
[0057] FIG. 4 shows details of a system with two spray arrangements
8 positioned above the cast product 3 and one spray arrangement 9
positioned below the cast product 3. The nozzles 13 are oriented in
such a way that they spray the cast product 3 with the flowable
medium in the casting direction 16 or opposite the casting
direction 16. To this end, the nozzles 13 can be oriented, for
example, at a fixed angle.
[0058] The two spray arrangements 8 positioned above the cast
product are oriented in opposite directions. This reduces the
emergence of the flowable medium in the casting direction and in
the direction opposite the casting direction.
[0059] FIG. 5 shows details of an arrangement of nozzles 13. The
spray cones 29 are configured in such a way that they overlap.
Therefore, the flowable medium strikes the entire surface of the
cast product 3. Design measures can be taken to allow a
well-defined number of outwardly arranged nozzles to be turned
off.
[0060] FIG. 6 shows a number of nozzles 13, which are arranged for
an alternative system of longitudinal spraying.
[0061] While specific embodiments of the invention have been shown
and described in detail to illustrate the inventive principles, it
will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise
without departing from such principles.
* * * * *