Constraint type controlled cooling device and method based on flexible multi-dimensional coordination

Abstract

The application belongs to the technical field of metal material cooling control, and discloses a constraint type cooling control device and method based on flexible multi-dimensional cooperation, which is mainly used for online cooling of a steel plate in a hot mechanical rolling process. The device comprises an intelligent control system and N flexible constraint units arranged in sequence along the running direction of the steel plate, and N is greater than or equal to 6. In each flexible constraint unit, an upper constraint roller and an upper high-density quick cooling header are rigidly connected through a coordinated beam to form a cooperative control body, which is driven by an independent closed-loop servo system to realize accurate control of vertical displacement and downward pressure. The intelligent control system sends differentiated and step-changing instructions to each unit to drive the cooperative control body to perform step-by-step downward pressing, thereby segmentally and dynamically mechanically constraining the steel plate. The application deeply cooperates constraint and cooling control, solves the problem that shape dynamic constraint and cooling control are separated in the online cooling process, and realizes integrated regulation and control of the shape and the microstructure performance in the continuous production process.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of cooling control technology for metallic materials, specifically to a constraint-type cooling control device and method based on flexible multidimensional collaboration. Background Technology

[0002] As metal materials production undergoes a profound transformation towards high-end and green manufacturing, the development of related products has shifted from pursuing economies of scale to focusing on process development centered on high performance, high added value, and reduced production. Particularly in the medium and heavy plate sector, to meet the stringent demands of key fields such as aerospace, marine engineering, and high-end equipment, products are rapidly evolving towards high-grade special steel plates, with specifications exhibiting extreme trends towards thinness, extra-thickness, and ultra-wideness. This development trend places higher demands on the uniformity of the steel plate's microstructure, the stability of its mechanical properties, and the precision of its final shape. Against this backdrop, controlled cooling, as a crucial step in thermomechanical rolling (TMCP) that directly regulates phase transformation, refines microstructure, and improves performance, has become a core factor determining the surface quality and overall performance of products, directly impacting their market competitiveness.

[0003] Currently, existing technologies for coordinated control of cooling and plate shape are mostly concentrated in offline heat treatment processes. For example, patent CN119351693A discloses a full-gap high-pressure roller quenching device and quenching method, and patent CN108070704B proposes a fully hydraulic roller quenching system for ultra-thin high-strength steel plates. Although both achieve constraint on the quenching deformation of the steel plate through hydraulic systems and upper roller conveyors, their technical essence is still aimed at the offline reheating heat treatment process after rolling. The control mode relies on the constant roller gap control of multiple upper rollers, which has high requirements for the plate shape before cooling. It is also unable to achieve independent, dynamic, and efficient adjustment of a single roller for local fluctuations in plate shape, and lacks the ability to perform real-time and coordinated control of cooling jets and dynamic deformation on continuous rolling production lines. For example, in order to improve the offline quenching quality of certain steel products with special structures, patents CN114438301B, CN116024410A and CN116121503A have disclosed similar quenching cooling devices. By controlling the vertical movement of a single lifting frame within a four-column frame structure, the height adjustment of multiple jets and constraint structures fixedly connected to it is realized. However, this technical approach also does not involve the multi-dimensional collaborative control of the head and tail plate shape problem and the cooling path, and it cannot be directly applied to the online cooling of high-grade special steel plates such as extra-thick and wide plates.

[0004] Furthermore, advanced cooling equipment for high-end products currently primarily uses slit nozzles and high-density rapid cooling manifolds as key jet impact heat exchange devices. However, slit nozzles, also known as narrow-slit nozzles, have high maintenance requirements, and the inclined water / air lines are extremely sensitive to height changes. During cooling, a fixed height often needs to be pre-set, thus limiting their use to offline heat treatment where the steel plate shape is relatively good before cooling. For example, in a 2-4mm high-strength steel plate roller-type air quenching device disclosed in patent CN115386699B, the diversion rollers and the slit-type air quenching nozzles located between them can move up and down via hydraulic cylinders. However, it specifies that the upper and lower roller gaps are equal to the steel plate thickness during operation, meaning the working height of the device is fixed and its constraint is non-dynamically adjustable. In contrast, high-density rapid cooling manifolds have a larger jet impact surface on the steel plate and are easier to maintain. While maintaining high cooling intensity, they are more adaptable to fluctuations in plate and strip specifications, allowing for a wider process adjustment window, making them more suitable for online cooling conditions. However, most existing online cooling devices focus on improving cooling intensity or local uniformity, lacking an online dynamic shape control mechanism that efficiently coordinates with high-density rapid cooling manifolds. For example, the online cooling device and control method for post-rolling stabilization and deformation reduction provided by patent CN120079706B only involves the fine-tuning of the cooling manifold itself, and remains decoupled from shape control, failing to achieve integrated control of cooling path and deformation constraints.

[0005] In summary, given the higher requirements for cooling structure and shape accuracy in high-end metal sheet and strip, especially for medium and thick plates of extreme specifications, during the TMCP process, there is an urgent need to develop an online cooling device that can be efficiently adapted to advanced high-density rapid cooling manifolds and integrate dynamic shape constraint functions. This would enable online coordinated control of the cooling process and shape control, meeting the integrated regulation requirements of the microstructure and shape of high-performance metal sheet and strip products. Summary of the Invention

[0006] In view of this, the present invention provides a constraint-type controlled cooling device and method based on flexible multidimensional collaboration, which solves the problem of separation between cooling regulation and plate shape dynamic constraint in the current online cooling process by rationally arranging and controlling the constraint and cooling components.

[0007] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution of the present invention is as follows: a constraint-type cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration for online cooling of metal products; the constraint-type cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration includes: an intelligent control system and N flexible constraint units arranged sequentially along the running direction of the metal product, where N≥6; Each of the flexible constraint units includes: Transmission components are used to control the movement of metal products in a set direction; Constraint components are used to apply mechanical constraints to metal products in different orientations. And a driving component for driving independent displacement of the constraint component in at least one orientation; Among them, the first to the (N-1)th flexible constraint units are also equipped with cooling components for jet cooling of metal products in different directions; In at least one orientation, a cooling component with the same flexible constraint unit and the same orientation is fixedly connected to the side of the constraint component facing the downstream of the metal product, and the two form a cooperative control body with synchronous displacement. The intelligent control system independently adjusts the position and pressure parameters of the constraint components in each flexible constraint unit.

[0008] The metal product is a steel plate; the constraint components are divided into an upper constraint component and a lower constraint component; the upper constraint component includes an upper constraint roller and a cooperating beam fixedly connected above it; the lower constraint component includes a lower transport roller; the upper constraint roller and the lower transport roller have the same specifications and are arranged symmetrically without offset; the steel plate is controlled to run in a set direction by the transmission component; The driving component of each of the flexible constraint units is connected to both ends of the cooperating beam to drive the upper constraint roller to move vertically up and down, and to form an independent closed-loop position and pressure servo control unit. The cooling component is a high-density rapid cooling manifold arranged opposite to each other above and below the steel plate; the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold is fixedly installed on the side of the cooperating beam facing downstream of the steel plate in the same flexible constraint unit, and forms a cooperative control body with the upper constraint roller; Based on the steel plate thickness and shape information in the feedforward information, the intelligent control system sends control commands that change with time to N independent closed-loop position and pressure servo control units, driving the upper constraint rollers in each flexible constraint unit to perform independent and dynamic vertical lifting and pressure constraint control during the operation of the steel plate.

[0009] The pressure constraint control is a variable position control with pressure protection: the distance G between the upper constraint roller and the lower transport roller in the i-th flexible constraint unit. i When the deformation resistance borne by the upper constraint roller does not exceed the preset critical pressure value F while remaining constant, i At that time, the upper constraint maintains the current G. i And apply a corresponding constraint force to the steel plate; when the deformation resistance borne by the upper constraint roller exceeds the preset critical pressure value F i And it did not exceed the limit pressure value F im At that time, the intelligent control system controls the upper constraint roller to lift to increase G. i The lifting speed depends on the deformation resistance exceeding F. iThe degree of deformation resistance is controlled in stages according to multiple preset speed levels. The greater the excess, the higher the speed level is used, until the deformation resistance drops back to the preset critical pressure value F. i The following applies when the deformation resistance of the upper constraint roller exceeds the ultimate pressure value F. im At that time, the intelligent control system controls the upper constraint roller to move away from the steel plate at a preset maximum lifting speed; wherein, F i <F im , 1≤i≤N.

[0010] In each of the flexible constraint units, the preset critical pressure values ​​at both ends of the upper constraint roller are F. i / 2; When the deformation resistance on both sides of the steel plate is inconsistent, the two ends of the upper constraint roller respond to the deformation resistance on their respective sides and independently perform position holding or lifting actions; when the deformation resistance on either side exceeds the limit pressure value F im At / 2, the intelligent control system controls both ends of the upper constraint roller to move away from the steel plate at a preset maximum lifting speed.

[0011] The control command for the step change is as follows: when the steel plate head has not crossed the center line of the upper constraint roller of the i-th flexible constraint unit, the upper constraint roller is in a waiting state; the distance G between the upper constraint roller in the waiting state and the lower transport roller is... iw =d+(1.0~50)mm; When the head of the steel plate crosses the center line of the upper constraint roller of the i-th flexible constraint unit and the travel distance reaches 100mm~500mm, the upper constraint roller switches to the constraint state, and the distance G between the upper constraint roller in the constraint state and the lower transport roller is... il =d+(0~2.0)mm; where, 1≤i≤N, G iw ≥G il d is the thickness of the steel plate.

[0012] When the upper constraint roller in each flexible constraint unit is in the waiting position state, G 1w >G iw Where 1 < i ≤ N; G 1w The distance between the upper constraint roller in the first flexible constraint unit and the lower transport roller in the waiting state.

[0013] The jet direction of the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold of the first flexible constraint unit is the same as the running direction of the steel plate, and the angle between the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold and the upper surface of the steel plate is 70°~90°; the jet direction of the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold of the second to N-1 flexible constraint units is perpendicular to the upper surface of the steel plate. In any working state, the difference D3 between the distance D3 between the upper surface of the steel plate and the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold within the same flexible constraint unit and the distance D3 between the upper surface and the bottom end of the upper constraint roller is 50mm~200mm.

[0014] The N flexible constraint units are arranged in a dense, continuous manner; Within the same flexible constraint unit, the horizontal distance D1 between the bottom surface of the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold and the upper constraint roller at the same vertical height is 8mm~12mm; Between two adjacent flexible constraint units, the horizontal distance D2 between the outermost outer side of the upper high-density fast cooling manifold of the upstream flexible constraint unit and the outermost outer side of the upper constraint roller body of the downstream flexible constraint unit is 8mm~12mm.

[0015] The upper constraint roller and the lower transport roller are solid rollers with a diameter of 380mm to 500mm; the distance between two adjacent flexible constraint units is 800mm to 1000mm. When the G of each flexible constraint unit il When d+(0~1.0)mm, the flatness of a steel plate with a thickness ≤150mm after being cooled by the aforementioned constraint-type controlled cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration is no greater than 8mm / 2m.

[0016] A constraint-based cooling method based on flexible multidimensional collaboration, implemented through a constraint-based cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration, includes the following steps: S1: Based on the material, specifications, and target microstructure of the metal product, set an initial set of process parameters for each flexible constraint unit; the initial set of process parameters includes: initial cooling parameters for each cooling component, initial transmission parameters for each transmission component, and initial position and pressure parameters of the constraint components for the independent displacement of each flexible constraint unit. S2: Start the cooling process. Each flexible constraint unit operates according to its initial process parameter set, so that the metal product passes through each flexible constraint unit in sequence. S3: During the cooling process, based on real-time detection data of temperature and deformation at least three segments (head, tail, and middle) of the metal product from the feedforward information, the intelligent control system dynamically responds and generates adjustment commands in real time; the adjustment commands are configured as follows: The position and pressure parameters of the constraint components in one or more flexible constraint units are adjusted differentially to change the local constraint state; the cooling parameters and transmission parameters of the corresponding positions are adjusted in conjunction or independently to achieve segmented multi-dimensional coordinated control of cooling, constraint and transmission; the intelligent control system independently regulates the cooling parameters of each cooling component and independently regulates the transmission parameters of each transmission component.

[0017] Compared with the prior art, the present invention has the following advantages: (1) Structural design realizes the synergistic optimization of plate shape constraint and performance: The synergistic layout of "upstream constraint and downstream cooling" is not only conducive to constraining the plate shape, but its synchronous displacement can also stabilize the cooling effect. The combination of large diameter solid roller and double-sided water blocking distance effectively isolates the cooling zone, ensuring symmetrical cooling of the upper and lower surfaces and synchronous transformation of the structure in the thickness direction, thus synergistically optimizing the plate shape and comprehensive performance from the microstructure level. (2) Single control synergy realizes segmental differentiated regulation: The constraints and cooling parameters of each unit are independently controllable. The intelligent control system can perform differentiated instruction preset and intervention for the deformation characteristics of different areas such as the head, middle, tail and both sides of the steel plate, solving the problem that the traditional overall pressing cannot take into account the plate shape of different positions. The independent control of cooling parameters is coupled with the constraint action, which can dynamically optimize the local cooling path and realize online micro-tracking control of the evolution of the structure and the fluctuation of the plate shape; (3) Step-by-step multidimensional constraint improves the control accuracy of the plate shape of the limit specifications: through the asynchronous and dynamic vertical lifting and pressure constraint control of each unit, a unique dynamic constraint control of the plate shape that changes with time is formed, and a three-dimensional multidimensional constraint system of "longitudinal segmentation and transverse partitioning" is constructed, which significantly improves the constraint ability of complex deformation of ultra-wide, extra-thick and other limit specifications of steel plates. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of the cooling control device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a partial structural schematic diagram of a flexible unit according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a partial side view of the cooling control device according to an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 for Figure 3 An enlarged schematic diagram of the structure at position A in the middle.

[0019] In the diagram: 100, Flexible constraint unit; 110, Transmission component; 111, Connecting flange; 120, Constraint component; 121, Upper constraint roller; 1211, Upper roller body support; 122, Coordinating beam; 1221, Guiding mechanism; 123, Lower transport roller; 1231, Lower roller body support; 130, Drive component; 131, Hydraulic cylinder; 132, Balance beam; 140, Cooling component; 141, Upper high-density rapid cooling manifold; 142, Lower high-density rapid cooling manifold; 150, Frame. Detailed Implementation

[0020] The description of the embodiments of this invention is intended to be illustrative, and the accompanying drawings are merely schematic diagrams to simplify the expression. The content disclosed in this specification enables those skilled in the art to understand the advantages and effects of this invention, and allows for modifications or changes based on different application scenarios without departing from the spirit of this invention.

[0021] This invention provides a flexible, multi-dimensional, collaborative constraint-type cooling device for cooling metal products. It mainly includes an intelligent control system (typically a computer system containing an industrial control computer, PLC, intelligent process model, etc.) and N flexible constraint units 100 arranged sequentially along the metal product's running direction, where N ≥ 6, for example, 6, 7, or 10 units, the specific number determined according to the production line length and cooling process requirements. Since this device is applied to online cooling scenarios where the metal product conveying speed is relatively high, typically above 1 m / s, to achieve independent constraint and coordinated cooling control of at least three sections (head, middle, and tail), each section is configured with at least two flexible constraint units 100. This ensures that during high-speed operation, each section always has at least one flexible constraint unit 100 that can respond promptly to control commands and dynamically adjust, avoiding control interruptions due to unit switching gaps.

[0022] Each flexible constraint unit 100 (hereinafter referred to as "unit") includes: a transmission component 110, which typically controls the metal product to run along a set direction with specific transmission parameters through a geared motor, coupling, or other structure; the specific structure can be based on existing technology and will not be described in detail here; a constraint component 120, which applies mechanical constraints to the metal product by arranging constraint rollers, limiting frames, etc., at different positions (such as up and down, left and right) to reduce adverse deformation during cooling; and a drive component 130, which drives the constraint component 120 in at least one position to independently displace the metal product of different specifications or the dynamic changes in the specifications of the metal product during cooling, so as to adjust the mechanical constraint state of the corresponding position. Units 1 to N-1 also have cooling components 140 at different positions of the metal product, which perform jet cooling for the corresponding process by adjusting cooling parameters such as flow rate, pressure, and opening / closing status. Meanwhile, in order to achieve unitized coordinated control of cooling and constraint, at least one cooling component 140 in at least one orientation is fixedly connected to the constraint component 120 with independent displacement in the same orientation, facing the downstream side of the metal product operation, forming a coordinated control body with synchronous displacement.

[0023] The intelligent control system can independently adjust the position and pressure parameters of the constraint member 120 with independent displacement in each unit, thereby implementing precise mechanical constraints for various deformation situations of metal products in different orientations or different positions in the same orientation. In the first N-1 units, the cooling member 140 is fixedly connected to the constraint member 120 in the same orientation to form a cooperative control body, and its position moves synchronously with the constraint member 120. Each unit can individually optimize the position and pressure of the constraint member 120 and the position of the cooling member 140 based on real-time feedback or preset data, thereby responding to the dynamic deformation control needs of the metal product during the cooling process more precisely and accurately.

[0024] Specifically, the structure of the above-mentioned controlled cooling device is arranged as follows: (1) The structure of the cooling guard plate and other guiding and shielding cooling medium in the prior art is reduced and integrated with the deformation constraint structure to improve the space utilization of the device; (2) By utilizing the synchronous displacement of the cooling component 140 and its upstream constraint component 120, the uncontrollable impact of the downstream jet medium on the upstream uncooled metal product after the upstream constraint component 120 moves alone is effectively reduced; (3) The synchronous displacement of the cooling component 140 can also better match the real-time deformation of the surface of the metal product to be cooled, avoiding frequent switching of cooling parameters during coordinated constraint and stabilizing the cooling effect; (4) For the downstream adjacent unit, the guiding, shielding and cooling parameters of this unit can be dynamically adjusted according to the real-time cooling and deformation of the upstream, and the metal product can be cooled by micro-tracking. Path optimization; (5) Independent control of movable constraint components can not only dynamically constrain the deformation of metal products in different directions within each unit, but also differentiate the local constraint state of different units in the same direction; This means that when different deformation problems occur simultaneously in the head, tail, middle and middle sections, the cooling control device of the present invention can not only differentiate the cooling deformation of each section, but also set different constraint positions and / or pressures for each section according to the stress field law during the product cooling process, forming a multi-point constraint effect on the metal product as a whole, greatly improving the shape control accuracy; (6) The Nth unit is the terminal of the cooling control device. The absence of cooling components can not only avoid a large amount of cooling medium being carried into the subsequent shearing, cooling bed and other areas, but also reduce the weakening of the final shape control accuracy due to the large deformation resistance of the product at the end of the cooling period, overcooling and unstable thermal shock.

[0025] In some embodiments, the intelligent control system can also independently adjust the cooling parameters of each cooling component and the transmission parameters of each transmission component. Thus, this invention, based on a flexible, multi-dimensional, collaborative constraint-type cooling device, further integrates the three major control dimensions of constraint, cooling, and transmission, realizing a multi-dimensional integrated plate shape and organizational collaborative control framework.

[0026] Within this framework, the constraint member 120 can not only independently adjust its position and pressure to directly constrain deformation, but also link and coordinate the cooling process and transmission parameters. For example, when the intelligent control system detects a steel plate shape problem caused by uneven cooling in a certain section, its response strategy is multi-layered and forward-looking: First, the system will link and adjust the cooling parameters (such as flow rate and pressure) of the upstream section or the current section to optimize the cooling process from the source and suppress the generation and development of unfavorable deformation; second, the system will synchronously adjust the pressure and position of the constraint member in the current section to provide immediate mechanical constraint on the deformation that has occurred; at the same time, it can independently adjust the transmission parameters of the steel plate in this section, coordinating with cooling and constraint measures to prevent the problem from being transmitted downstream; furthermore, based on the intelligent control system, the system can make preventive adjustments to the constraint, cooling, and even transmission parameters of adjacent downstream sections, forming dynamic process micro-tracking.

[0027] Furthermore, this multi-dimensional collaborative control mechanism not only achieves closed-loop dynamic adjustment of deformation in a single section, but also realizes joint optimization control of multiple sections and parameters based on the stress field characteristics of the entire steel plate. For ultra-thick and ultra-wide steel plates with extreme specifications, where different sections (head, tail, middle, etc.) often experience varying deformations and microstructure transformations simultaneously during cooling, the cooling control device of this invention can achieve global collaboration by relying on the independent control capabilities of each unit. For example, based on real-time feedback information and the dynamic response of the intelligent control system, the system can set differentiated position and pressure parameters for the same-orientation constraint components in different sections, while simultaneously matching the corresponding cooling intensity and transmission speed in the corresponding sections.

[0028] Compared to existing technologies where cooling, transmission, and constraint are often isolated or simply superimposed, this invention employs a "segmented setting, coordinated execution" strategy for the entire product. This essentially constitutes a multi-point constraint and cooling control system covering the entire product length, with individual control of process parameters at each point. It not only provides differentiated constraints on local deformations in each segment but also achieves true integrated coordination by collaboratively adjusting the overall temperature and stress field distribution of the product. This ranges from uniformity control to macroscopic shape constraint control, significantly improving the accuracy of shape and performance control. It is particularly suitable for complex, continuous operations where specifications, temperature, and deformation states constantly change during online cooling.

[0029] Figure 1 This is a partial structural diagram of a constraint-type controlled cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration provided in an embodiment of the present invention. This device can be used for the online cooling process of hot-rolled steel plates during thermomechanical rolling (TMCP).

[0030] Considering the cooling processes required for the production line, such as accelerated cooling, direct quenching, and laminar flow cooling, and taking into account the steel plate composition, specifications, and target microstructure and properties, the flexible multidimensional collaborative constraint-type controlled cooling device of this embodiment of the invention runs along the steel plate's direction of travel. Figure 1 (As shown by the middle arrow) There are 13 densely and continuously arranged flexible constraint units 100, each unit is connected and arranged at equal intervals.

[0031] See Figures 1 to 3 In this embodiment of the invention, each flexible constraint unit 100 includes the following core components: Constraint member 120: Includes an upper constraint member and a lower constraint member, used to apply mechanical constraints to the upper and lower parts of the steel plate to prevent warping and other plate shape defects during cooling. The upper constraint member includes an upper constraint roller 121 and a cooperating beam 122 arranged horizontally above the running direction of the steel plate. Since the wider the steel plate is during cooling, the more difficult it is to control its shape, and a sufficiently long constraint roller can improve the lateral deformation of the steel plate during cooling through mechanical constraints and pressure, in this embodiment of the invention, the length of the upper constraint roller along the width direction of the steel plate should be greater than the effective width of the steel plate to be cooled, in order to ensure effective lateral constraint on the wide steel plate.

[0032] The cooperating beam 122 is a high-strength box-type structure beam. Both ends of the beam are fixedly connected to the upper roller body support 1211 of the lower upper constraint roller 121, and connected to the frame 150 via its guide mechanism 1221. The lower constraint component includes a lower transport roller 123, which is fixedly mounted on the frame 150 via its lower roller body support 1231. The upper constraint roller 121 and the lower transport roller 123 have identical specifications (such as material, roller diameter, roller body length, etc.) and are arranged symmetrically without offset to form an adjustable constraint roller gap. At zero roller gap, the surfaces of the upper constraint roller 121 and the lower transport roller 123 are collinear. Simultaneously, this roller-pressing arrangement effectively improves the turbulent water flow phenomenon on the surface of the steel plate caused by the excessive height (above 400mm) of conventional ultrafast cold jet devices.

[0033] Transmission component 110: such as Figure 1 As shown, a coupling and a geared motor can be installed at the connecting flange 111 of the running roller to control the transmission parameters such as the speed of the corresponding upper constraint roller 121 or lower transport roller 123, so that the steel plate runs in the set direction to complete the corresponding cooling process.

[0034] Drive component 130: This is a hydraulic drive component. Each flexible constraint unit 100's hydraulic drive component includes a hydraulic cylinder, pressure sensor, displacement sensor, etc., forming an independent closed-loop position and pressure servo control unit to achieve independent, rapid, and precise fine-tuning of the vertical height position and downward pressure of the constraint roller 121 in each unit. Figure 3As shown, the roll gap of the upper constraint roller 121 of a certain flexible constraint unit 100 is 360mm, while the roll gaps of the adjacent flexible constraint units 100 upstream and downstream can be set differently to 0mm and 890mm respectively, without interfering with each other.

[0035] Specifically, such as Figure 1 and Figure 3 As shown, each flexible constraint unit 100's closed-loop position and pressure servo control unit includes two hydraulic cylinders 131, symmetrically arranged at both ends of the cooperating beam 122 and connected to its guide mechanism 1221. These cylinders synchronously drive the upper constraint roller 121 to stably vertically rise and fall, thereby adjusting the constraint roller gap. Furthermore, to maintain stability during the lifting process, the two hydraulic cylinders 131 are connected by a balance beam 132. In actual production, the intelligent control system can send spatially differentiated and temporally progressively changing dynamic control commands to N independent servo control units based on the steel plate thickness and shape information in the feedforward information. This drives the upper constraint roller of each unit to perform independent and dynamic vertical lifting and pressure constraint control.

[0036] The aforementioned pressure constraint control is a variable position control with pressure protection. This differs from traditional constant position control (rigidly maintaining the roll gap, which can easily lead to equipment overload) or constant pressure control (dynamically adjusting the roll gap to maintain constant pressure, which may weaken the constraint effect). In specific implementation, each flexible constraint unit 100 maintains the target roll gap G according to the process settings. i At this point, the upper constraint roller 121 operates in a closed-loop configuration, applying a constraint force to the steel plate that matches the deformation resistance. The intelligent control system monitors the actual deformation resistance borne by the upper constraint roller in real time and compares it with the preset critical pressure value F. i Comparison. When the deformation resistance does not exceed F i When the current roll gap remains unchanged, the upper constraint roll 121 automatically outputs the corresponding constraint force to limit the deformation of the steel plate; when the deformation resistance exceeds F i However, it did not exceed the limit pressure value F. im At that moment, the intelligent control system immediately switches to pressure protection mode, controlling the upper constraint roller 121 to lift and increase the roller gap G. i The lifting speed depends on the deformation resistance exceeding F. i The degree of grading is set, and the greater the excess, the faster the lifting speed, until the deformation resistance drops back to F. i Then, the maintenance of the target roll gap is resumed. When the deformation resistance exceeds F im At this time, the intelligent control system controls the upper constraint roller 121 to quickly lift away from the steel plate to avoid equipment damage. For example, in actual production, when the equipment's load-bearing capacity is 15 tons and the maximum lifting speed is 60 mm / s, i.e., the ultimate pressure value F... im =15 tons, critical pressure value F can be preset. i=10 tons, and preset three levels for deformation resistance exceeding the preset critical pressure value: 1 ton or less, 2 tons or less, and 5 tons or less, matched with lifting speeds of 10mm / s, 20mm / s, and 30mm / s. When the deformation resistance is greater than 15 tons, the upper constraint roller 121 is preset to lift away from the steel plate at the maximum lifting speed of 60mm / s. This pressure segmentation control method can flexibly cope with the rapid changes in steel plate specifications and deformation during online production, and can respond in stages under different overload levels, maximizing equipment protection. It is especially suitable for scenarios with high operating speed and large plate shape fluctuations in continuous production lines.

[0037] Furthermore, based on this, the pressure protection can be refined to allow independent control at both ends in the width direction. In specific implementation, pressure monitoring devices are installed at both ends of the upper constraint roller 121 of each flexible constraint unit 100, with critical pressure values ​​of F at each end. i / 2. During operation, the actual deformation resistance on each end is determined: if it does not exceed the critical pressure, the current roll gap is maintained and a constraint force is output; if it exceeds the critical pressure, that side is raised independently until the pressure falls back below the critical value. If the deformation resistance on either side exceeds the ultimate pressure value F... im When the speed is 2, both ends lift at the preset maximum speed simultaneously to prevent unilateral overload from causing damage due to uneven load. This mode is particularly suitable for scenarios where the wavy shape on both sides is asymmetrical, allowing one side to yield while the other side remains constrained, thus protecting the equipment while maximizing the plate shape control effect.

[0038] In some embodiments, the control logic of the step-by-step change lies in head avoidance and dynamic step-by-step adjustment. Because the steel plate travels at a high speed during online cooling, if all units descend to the constrained state simultaneously, the steel plate head is highly likely to collide with the upper constraining roller 121, leading to equipment damage or steel jamming. Therefore, a sequential control strategy of "whichever unit moves to where the steel plate moves" is adopted. In specific implementation, the intelligent control system issues commands to each flexible constraining unit 100 according to the position of the steel plate head. When the head has not reached the center line of the upper constraining roller 121 of a certain flexible constraining unit 100, that flexible constraining unit 100 is in a standby state, and the roller gap G... iw =d+(1.0~50)mm, ensuring the steel plate passes through without contact. After the head crosses the centerline by 100~500mm, the flexible constraint unit 100 switches to the constraint state, and the roll gap G... il =d+(0~2.0)mm, begin applying constraints. The gap between the 100 rolls in each flexible constraint unit differs. The G of the first flexible constraint unit... 1w Slightly larger than the G of the subsequent flexible constraint element iw(1 < i ≤ N), this is because the steel plate head may be warped or slightly deformed, leading to unstable positioning. A larger initial gap can further reduce the risk of impact and ensure that the steel plate can be smoothly introduced into the entire device. Under this control mode, different flexible constraint units 100 are in different working states at the same time: the area that the steel plate has passed through is in a constrained state, and the area that has not been reached is in a waiting state. The waiting state roll gap and the constrained state roll gap of each flexible constraint unit 100 can be set independently, which not only ensures the safety of the equipment under high-speed operation, but also realizes the fine constraint of the steel plate by region and time period.

[0039] In other embodiments, the spacing of the upper constraint rollers 121 of the N flexible constraint units 100 along the running direction of the steel plate can be flexibly arranged in a specific equal-spacing or variable-spacing manner according to the cooling strategy and pressure control logic of the intelligent control system. This structural intervention of longitudinal deformation, combined with the wide transverse constraint of the upper constraint rollers 121, effectively improves the shape of the rolled steel plate. Especially for long, wide, thick plates, the flexible distribution of longitudinal constraint points, combined with the dynamic adjustment of step-down pressing, can better adapt to the complex deformation trends caused by factors such as head-to-tail temperature differences and water-cooling phase changes throughout its entire length, effectively improving the control capability of overall flatness. In addition, as Figures 1 to 3 As shown, the modular structure designed in this invention provides the production line with extremely high layout flexibility. It not only facilitates installation and maintenance but also allows for rapid reconstruction and expansion of the cooling zone by increasing or decreasing the number of units or changing the unit arrangement, based on adjustments to the product outline (such as changes in cooling length requirements). This enhances the process adaptability and production line compatibility of the equipment. Compared to existing modular technologies that focus on cooling, where the type and number of rollers are designed according to the cooling conditions and the constraint rollers target local deformation, the modularization of this application aims to modularize the constraint mechanism. It considers the overall stress field of the product, setting at least two units in each region from the beginning to the end, and constraining overall deformation by differentially controlling the position and pressure parameters of each unit.

[0040] Cooling component 140: includes an upper cooling component and a lower cooling component, such as Figure 2 As shown, in this embodiment, the upper cooling component and the lower cooling component each include a high-density rapid cooling manifold arranged opposite each other above and below the steel plate, used for symmetrical or asymmetrical high-intensity jet cooling of the upper and lower surfaces of the steel plate. The upper high-density rapid cooling manifold 141 is fixedly installed on the downstream side of the cooperating beam 122 of the same unit, facing the steel plate. This makes the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold 141 and the upper constraint roller 121 rigidly connected as a whole through the cooperating beam 122, forming a cooperative control unit. This cooperative control unit can be vertically raised and lowered synchronously as a whole under the action of the hydraulic drive component 130. The lower high-density rapid cooling manifold 142 is fixedly arranged between adjacent lower transport rollers 123, used to cooperate with the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold 141 to cool the steel plate.

[0041] Cooling parameters include the flow rate, pressure, and on / off status of the cooling medium (usually water) in the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold or smaller jet units. Specifically, the jet direction of the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold 141 in the first flexible constraint unit (i.e., the inlet flexible constraint unit) is configured to be the same as the running direction of the steel plate, with an angle of 70°~90° to the upper surface of the steel plate. This is because forward jetting significantly reduces the backflow of cooling water towards the rolling direction, creating a "sealing" effect and preventing rapid cooling of the upper surface of the steel plate. Furthermore, the jet coverage area of ​​the high-density rapid cooling manifold is much larger than that of a traditional slit nozzle, and the vertical height change of the unit's coordinated control body has a relatively small impact on the overall cooling process.

[0042] To further adapt to the differentiated constraint design of each section, in this embodiment, the jet direction of the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold 141 of the 2nd to 12th flexible units is set to be perpendicular to the upper surface of the steel plate. When the collaborative control body adjusts the vertical height, the vertically downward jet direction can not only reduce the mutual interference of cooling water between adjacent manifolds, but also ensure that the core cooling area and the impact heat transfer intensity remain stable. Even if the upper constraint roller 121 drives the manifold to rise and fall synchronously in order to perform differentiated pressing, the vertical jet can maintain the consistency of the cooling effect on the same area of ​​the steel plate to the greatest extent, avoiding uncontrollable cooling fluctuations introduced by mechanical constraint adjustment.

[0043] Traditional roller conveyor designs often focus on "drainage," employing structures like spiral rollers to separate strong and weak cooling zones. However, this study finds that this approach, originating from offline quenching of thin plates, often overlooks the crucial requirement of symmetrical microstructure along the thickness direction when applied to online cooling of thick plates. On one hand, air-cooling and red-hot reheating is a critical production step in online cooling of thick plates. Existing technologies often define the gap between two rollers without cooling components as the air-cooling zone. However, the dense arrangement of small-diameter rollers used for drainage during offline quenching is insufficient to create a stable, sufficiently sized air-cooling and red-hot reheating zone, nor can it provide uniform and effective mechanical constraints. On the other hand, during online cooling of thick plates, roller types optimized for drainage, such as spiral rollers, significantly weaken the water-blocking effect. If the gap between the upper cooling component and the two side rollers is improperly set, the water-blocking effect on the upper surface of the steel plate will be further weakened, while the lower surface is less affected by gravity. This asymmetry directly leads to uneven cooling along the thickness direction and large differences in red-hot temperatures, resulting in asynchronous microstructure transformation and ultimately affecting plate shape and overall performance.

[0044] To address the aforementioned issues, this invention redefines and optimizes the "drainage" and "water-blocking" functions of the roller conveyor. "Drainage" aims to remove residual water from the cooling zone (either strong or weak cooling) to prevent surface overcooling. "Water-blocking," on the other hand, physically isolates the cooling zone from the air-cooling zone, ensuring independent and controllable temperature fields in each zone—a fundamental requirement for achieving symmetrical microstructure in thick plates. Based on this, this application finds that using sufficiently large-diameter solid rollers naturally creates a stable air-cooling reddening zone along the steel plate's path, providing favorable conditions for microstructure transformation in steel plates (especially thick and extra-thick plates). Furthermore, the symmetrical arrangement of large-diameter solid rollers combined with a specific roller spacing design allows the upper and lower surfaces of the steel plate to simultaneously experience strong cooling from jet water impact and weak cooling from roller contact when passing through the controlled cooling device, further promoting symmetrical microstructure in the thickness direction.

[0045] Simultaneously, this invention also incorporates collaborative design for key spacing parameters. For example... Figure 4 As shown, in this embodiment, within the same flexible constraint unit 100, the horizontal distance between the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold 141 and the upper constraint roller 121 at the same vertical height is controlled at D1 = 8mm~12mm. This distance achieves optimal local water-blocking effect while ensuring that the transmission process of the upper constraint roller is not interfered with. Between two adjacent flexible constraint units 100, the horizontal distance between the outermost part of the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold 141 of the upstream flexible constraint unit and the upper constraint roller 121 of the downstream flexible constraint unit is controlled at D2 = 8mm~12mm. This distance ensures that the downstream upper constraint roller 121 has sufficient vertical movement space while, together with the upstream upper constraint roller 121, forming a double-sided water-blocking structure for the high-density rapid cooling manifold. Furthermore, in any working state, the difference between the distance from the upper surface of the steel plate to the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold 141 within the same flexible constraint unit and the distance to the upper constraint roller 121 is limited to the range of D3 = 50mm~200mm. This differential setting ensures that, on the one hand, when the upper constraint roller 121 adjusts its height to accommodate different plate thicknesses or deformations, the distance from the jet impact point of the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold 141 to the steel plate surface is automatically maintained within the optimal heat exchange range; on the other hand, it further ensures that most of the jet cooling water can be blocked by the upper constraint rollers 121 on both sides. This combination of horizontal and vertical layout ensures that each cooling zone is effectively confined within the space separated by the solid rollers on both sides, thereby stabilizing the boundary conditions of the air-cooled zone and making the reheating process more controllable. The flexible multi-dimensional collaborative constraint-type controlled cooling device of this embodiment uses solid rollers with a diameter of 350mm~500mm and a roller spacing of 800mm~1000mm. Practical applications show that, under these parameters, when each flexible constraint unit 100 is constrained, G... ilWhen d + (0~1.0) mm, for steel plates with a thickness not exceeding 150 mm, the unevenness can be stably controlled at a good level of not exceeding 8 mm / 2 m after cooling. Specifically, when producing thick-gauge low-alloy steel plates such as Q355B, the upper constraint roller 121 can slow down the occurrence of supercooled structures by changing the heat transfer state of the upper surface, improving the symmetry between the upper and lower surfaces while optimizing the overall performance; while when producing thick-gauge high-strength steels such as Q690 and EH550, the cooling control device of this invention can make the quenching depth of the upper and lower surfaces in the thickness direction tend to be consistent, ultimately obtaining a better online quenching plate shape.

[0046] Furthermore, the design of the large-diameter solid rollers not only ensures an ideal wavy temperature change curve on the upper and lower surfaces of the steel plate throughout the cooling process, but also facilitates the application of sufficient and uniform mechanical constraint force to thick steel plates. In actual production, drainage can be achieved through an optimized side-blowing system on the frame and auxiliary means such as the upper and lower roller drainage structure, thereby maximizing the utilization of the limited space in the cooling area and achieving more precise control over the cooling path.

[0047] In summary, this invention solves the technical problem of separating cooling control from dynamic shape constraint in traditional online cooling processes. By constructing an execution module composed of multiple flexible units, it deeply integrates and optimizes the three major control dimensions of constraint, cooling, and transmission, forming a multi-dimensional integrated collaborative control framework. Specifically, the "step-down pressing" achieves segmented dynamic differentiated shape constraint; the independent closed-loop servo and collaborative control body design ensures the consistency of constraint and cooling in time and space; and the collaborative optimization of the roller system structure and spacing fundamentally guarantees the synchronization of cooling and microstructure transformation in the thickness direction of the steel plate. Ultimately, it achieves integrated control from external dynamic shape constraint to internal microstructure performance regulation, effectively meeting the demand for synergistic improvement in shape accuracy and comprehensive performance of high-end metal materials.

[0048] Finally, it should be noted that the directional terms (such as "longitudinal", "lateral", "upstream", "downstream", etc.) and connection terms (such as "installation", "connection", etc.) in this text are for descriptive purposes only and do not constitute a limitation on specific locations, structures, or connection methods. Unless otherwise explicitly defined, these terms should be interpreted broadly.

[0049] The terms "comprising," "having," and variations thereof are intended to cover non-exclusive inclusion. The scope of the claims of this invention should be interpreted as including other steps or elements not expressly listed but essential to the essence of the invention. Any modifications or equivalent substitutions to this invention, as long as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention, shall fall within the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A constraint-type controlled cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration, characterized in that, Used for online cooling of metal products; the constraint-type cooling device based on flexible multi-dimensional collaboration includes: an intelligent control system and N flexible constraint units (100) arranged sequentially along the running direction of the metal product, where N≥6; Each of the flexible constraint units (100) includes: A transmission component (110) is used to control the metal product to run in a set direction; Constraint member (120) is used to apply mechanical constraints to different orientations of the metal product; And a driving member (130) for driving independent displacement of the constraint member (120) in at least one orientation; Among them, the first to the (N-1)th flexible constraint unit (100) is also provided with a cooling component (140) for jet cooling of the metal product in different directions; In at least one orientation, the constraint member (120) is fixedly connected to a cooling member (140) of the same flexible constraint unit (100) and in the same orientation on the side facing downstream of the metal product, and the two form a coordinated control body with synchronous displacement. The intelligent control system independently adjusts the position and pressure parameters of the constraint member (120) in each flexible constraint unit (100).

2. The constraint-type controlled cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration according to claim 1, characterized in that, The metal product is a steel plate; the constraint member (120) is divided into an upper constraint member and a lower constraint member; the upper constraint member includes an upper constraint roller (121) and a cooperating beam (122) fixedly connected above it; the lower constraint member includes a lower transport roller (123); the upper constraint roller (121) and the lower transport roller (123) have the same specifications and are arranged symmetrically without offset; the steel plate is controlled to run in a set direction by the transmission member (110); The driving component (130) of each of the flexible constraint units (100) is connected to both ends of the cooperating beam (122) to drive the upper constraint roller (121) to move vertically up and down, and to form an independent closed-loop position and pressure servo control unit. The cooling component (140) is a high-density rapid cooling manifold arranged opposite to each other above and below the steel plate; the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold (141) is fixedly installed on the side of the cooperating beam (122) in the same flexible constraint unit (100) facing the downstream of the steel plate, and forms a cooperative control body with the upper constraint roller (121); Based on the steel plate thickness and shape in the feedforward information, the intelligent control system sends control commands that change with time to N independent closed-loop position and pressure servo control units, driving the upper constraint roller (121) in each flexible constraint unit (100) to perform independent and dynamic vertical lifting and pressure constraint control during the operation of the steel plate.

3. The constraint-type controlled cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration according to claim 2, characterized in that, The pressure constraint control is a variable position control with pressure protection: the distance G between the upper constraint roller (121) and the lower transport roller (123) of the i-th flexible constraint unit (100) is... i When the deformation resistance borne by the upper constraint roller (121) does not exceed the preset critical pressure value F while remaining constant, i At that time, the upper constraint roller (121) maintains the current G i And apply a corresponding constraint force to the steel plate; when the deformation resistance borne by the upper constraint roller (121) exceeds the preset critical pressure value F i And it did not exceed the limit pressure value F im At that time, the intelligent control system controls the upper constraint roller (121) to lift to increase G. i The lifting speed depends on the deformation resistance exceeding F. i The degree of deformation resistance is controlled in stages according to multiple preset speed levels. The greater the excess, the higher the speed level is used, until the deformation resistance drops back to the preset critical pressure value F. i The following applies when the deformation resistance borne by the upper constraint roller (121) exceeds the ultimate pressure value F. im At that time, the intelligent control system controls the upper constraint roller (121) to move away from the steel plate at a preset maximum lifting speed; wherein, F i <F im , 1≤i≤N.

4. The constraint-type controlled cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration according to claim 3, characterized in that, In each of the flexible constraint units (100), the preset critical pressure values ​​at both ends of the upper constraint roller (121) are F. i / 2; When the deformation resistance on both sides of the steel plate is inconsistent, the two ends of the upper constraint roller (121) respond to the deformation resistance on their respective sides and independently perform position holding or lifting actions; when the deformation resistance on either side exceeds the limit pressure value F im When / 2, the intelligent control system controls both ends of the upper constraint roller (121) to move away from the steel plate at a preset maximum lifting speed.

5. The constraint-type controlled cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration according to claim 2, characterized in that, The control command for the step change is as follows: when the head of the steel plate has not crossed the center line of the upper constraint roller (121) of the i-th flexible constraint unit (100), the upper constraint roller (121) is in a waiting state; the distance G between the upper constraint roller (121) in the waiting state and the lower transport roller (123) is... iw =d+(1.0~50)mm; When the head of the steel plate crosses the center line of the upper constraint roller (121) of the i-th flexible constraint unit (100) and the travel distance reaches 100mm~500mm, the upper constraint roller (121) switches to the constraint state, and the distance G between the upper constraint roller (121) in the constraint state and the lower transport roller (123) is... il =d+(0~2.0)mm; where, 1≤i≤N, G iw ≥G il d is the thickness of the steel plate.

6. The constraint-type controlled cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration according to claim 5, characterized in that, When the upper constraint roller (121) in each flexible constraint unit (100) is in the standby state, G 1w >G iw Where 1 < i ≤ N; G 1w The distance between the upper constraint roller (121) of the first flexible constraint unit (100) in its waiting state and the lower transport roller (123).

7. The constraint-type controlled cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration according to claim 2, characterized in that, The jet direction of the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold of the first flexible constraint unit (100) is the same as the running direction of the steel plate, and the angle between the upper and lower surfaces of the steel plate is 70°~90°; the jet direction of the upper high-density rapid cooling manifold of the second to N-1 flexible constraint units (100) is perpendicular to the upper surface of the steel plate. In any working state, the difference D3 between the distance D3 between the upper surface of the steel plate and the upper high-density fast cooling manifold (141) in the same flexible constraint unit (100) and the distance D3 between the upper surface of the steel plate and the bottom end of the upper constraint roller (121) is 50mm~200mm.

8. The constraint-type controlled cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration according to claim 2, characterized in that, The N flexible constraint units (100) are arranged in a dense, continuous manner; Within the same flexible constraint unit (100), the horizontal distance D1 between the bottom surface of the upper high-density fast cooling manifold (141) and the upper constraint roller (121) at the same vertical height is 8mm~12mm; Between two adjacent flexible constraint units (100), the horizontal distance D2 between the outermost outer side of the upper high-density fast cooling manifold (141) of the upstream flexible constraint unit (100) and the outermost outer side of the upper constraint roller (121) of the downstream flexible constraint unit (100) is 8mm~12mm.

9. The constraint-type controlled cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration according to claim 5, characterized in that, The upper constraint roller (121) and the lower transport roller (123) are solid rollers with a diameter of 380mm~500mm; the roller spacing between two adjacent flexible constraint units (100) is 800mm~1000mm. When the G of each flexible constraint unit (100) il When d+(0~1.0)mm, the flatness of a steel plate with a thickness ≤150mm after being cooled by the aforementioned constraint-type controlled cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration is no greater than 8mm / 2m.

10. A constraint-based controlled cooling method based on flexible multidimensional collaboration, characterized in that, This is achieved through the constraint-type controlled cooling device based on flexible multidimensional collaboration as described in any one of claims 1-9, comprising the following steps: S1: Based on the material, specifications and target microstructure properties of the metal product, set an initial process parameter set for each flexible constraint unit (100); the initial process parameter set includes: the initial cooling parameters of each cooling component (140), the initial transmission parameters of each transmission component (110), and the initial position and pressure parameters of the constraint component (120) for the independent displacement of each flexible constraint unit (100). S2: Start the cooling process. Each flexible constraint unit (100) operates according to its initial process parameter set, so that the metal product passes through each flexible constraint unit (100) in sequence. S3: During the cooling process, based on real-time detection data of temperature and deformation at least three segments (head, tail, and middle) of the metal product from the feedforward information, the intelligent control system dynamically responds and generates adjustment commands in real time; the adjustment commands are configured as follows: The position and pressure parameters of the constraint members (120) in one or more flexible constraint units (100) are adjusted differentially to change the local constraint state; The cooling and transmission parameters at the corresponding positions can be adjusted in a coordinated or independent manner to achieve segmented multi-dimensional coordinated control of cooling, constraint and transmission. The intelligent control system independently adjusts the cooling parameters of each cooling component (140) and independently adjusts the transmission parameters of each transmission component (110).

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