A headless billet flame cleaning device

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of metal cleaning technology, specifically to a headless billet flame cleaning device. It includes a support and guide rail beam platform, a billet flame cleaning device body mounted on the rail beam platform for asymmetric surface cleaning of the billet, and a scraper assembly located at the outlet end of the rail beam platform for mechanically removing edge residue from the billet. This invention, through its dual-module "L-shaped" layout (side and horizontal), coordinated scraper assembly, guide locking and positioning, automatic length-setting linkage, and modular design, effectively solves problems such as head defects, high auxiliary costs, and poor stability in existing billet cleaning processes. It significantly improves billet cleaning quality and efficiency, reduces production costs, and enhances equipment adaptability and service life.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of metal cleaning technology, specifically to a headless flame cleaning device for cast billets. Background Technology

[0002] The billet flame cleaning device is a key piece of equipment in steel production for improving the surface quality of billets. Its working principle involves using a gas-fired flame to preheat the billet surface, forming a molten pool. Then, a high-pressure oxygen stream is injected, causing a vigorous oxidation reaction between the oxygen and the surface metal, releasing heat. Under the force of the airflow, the oxidized slag is pushed forward, thereby removing defects such as cracks, pitting, inclusions, and bubbles from the billet surface, resulting in a smooth and even surface after cleaning.

[0003] However, traditional billet flame cleaning devices typically employ a structure that cleans all four sides simultaneously, which has the following significant drawbacks in practical applications: 1. "Preheating pit" and head defect issues: To prevent the molten pool generated during the preheating stage from falling into and clogging the lower spraying module, traditional processes must reserve a 50-80mm head uncleaned area. This not only causes defects in the uncleaned area to affect rolling quality, but also inevitably generates irregular preheating pits with a depth of 15-25mm during the preheating process, resulting in serious metal loss or rolling defects. High-end products often require forced head removal, reducing the yield.

[0004] 2. Mismatch between investment costs and production capacity: Traditional four-sided cleaning equipment has a complex structure and a huge demand for auxiliary energy sources such as oxygen, gas, water, and electricity. For small and medium-sized steel companies or those with insufficient order volume, not only are the initial investment costs high, but the equipment capacity often far exceeds actual demand, resulting in the equipment being idle for a long time and causing serious waste of resources.

[0005] 3. Limitations of asymmetric cleaning: Simply reducing the number of nozzles to lower costs will lead to equipment stability issues caused by uneven cleaning stress, as well as edge adhesion issues caused by uncontrollable slag flow, affecting the accuracy and surface quality of subsequent flipping cleaning.

[0006] Therefore, developing a flame cleaning device that can reduce investment costs, fundamentally solve preheating head defects, and ensure cleaning stability is an urgent problem to be solved in this field. Summary of the Invention

[0007] In order to overcome the above-mentioned technical problems, the purpose of this invention is to provide a headless billet flame cleaning device to solve the problems mentioned in the background art.

[0008] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A headless billet flame cleaning device includes a billet body, further comprising: a track beam platform for support and guidance; a billet flame cleaning device body disposed on the track beam platform for asymmetric surface cleaning of the billet body; and a scraper frame assembly disposed at the outlet end of the track beam platform for mechanically stripping residue from the edge of the billet body. The billet flame cleaning device body includes a portal frame, on which a side spray module for cleaning the side surface of the billet body and a horizontal spray module for cleaning the upper surface of the billet body are provided.

[0009] Preferably, the portal frame is provided with a floating beam for supporting the spraying mechanism. The side spraying module is installed on the left end of the floating beam via a side slider, and the horizontal spraying module is installed on the bottom end of the floating beam. The side spraying module and the horizontal spraying module form an L-shaped layout for enclosing the right-angled edge of the left side of the billet.

[0010] Preferably, the portal frame is provided with four large wheels distributed at the bottom for traveling along the track beam platform, and the portal frame is provided with an air motor for driving the large wheels to rotate.

[0011] Preferably, the left and right sides of the portal frame are symmetrically provided with double-headed cylinders for driving the vertical displacement of the floating beam. A locking cylinder is installed on the upper side of the double-headed cylinder for locking the stroke. The left and right sides of the floating beam are provided with inner guide wheels for constraining the displacement trajectory. The portal frame is correspondingly provided with guide wheel grooves for the inner guide wheels to be inserted and slid.

[0012] Preferably, a horizontal cylinder for lateral locking is provided on one side of the portal frame, and a second locking cylinder for gripping the cylinder rod is provided on the horizontal cylinder, and a locking head is provided at the end of the horizontal cylinder; the track beam platform is correspondingly provided with an end locking device for cooperating with the locking head.

[0013] Preferably, the bottom corner of the portal frame is provided with guide wheels to counteract the friction between the spraying device and the billet, and the track beam platform is provided with guide grooves to limit the displacement path of the guide wheels.

[0014] Preferably, the horizontal injection module is equipped with a second air motor for adjusting the injection range and a wire encoder for feeding back position information.

[0015] Preferably, the scraper assembly includes a scraper body for bearing function, and the scraper body is provided with a scraper for generating frictional shear force, the scraper being detachably installed in a groove of the scraper body by a sealing plate.

[0016] Preferably, the scraper body has a guide frame on its side, and the guide frame has a guide wheel for contacting the surface of the billet; the scraper body and the guide frame have a thrust assembly at their bottom for maintaining the contact state.

[0017] Preferably, the scraper is made of a heat-resistant alloy material, and the top surface of the scraper is provided with an inclined surface for guiding the residue to detach, the inclined surface forming an angle with the forward direction of the billet.

[0018] Preferably, the scraper assembly is electrically connected to the horizontal spraying module via a PLC system, and the scraper assembly is used to synchronously adjust the opening on the track beam platform according to the width signal fed back by the wire encoder.

[0019] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are: This device adopts an "L-shaped" layout with side and horizontal dual modules, eliminating the lower spray module. This structural innovation allows the device to preheat the billet head directly without worrying about the molten pool clogging the nozzle, achieving a smooth cleaning transition at the head. It fundamentally solves the defects of preheating pits and uncleaned heads, significantly improving product quality and reducing metal loss during head cutting. Due to the adoption of an asymmetric layout, the unit's demand for auxiliary energy media such as oxygen, gas, water, and electricity is halved, and the corresponding investment and maintenance costs for auxiliary equipment are significantly reduced. This allows the cleaned-up capacity to be precisely matched with the production needs of small and medium-sized enterprises, lowers the entry threshold for steel companies, and avoids waste of resources. The scraper assembly works closely with the cleaning process. Utilizing the kinetic energy of the billet's forward movement, the scraper can precisely remove the residue that adheres to the bottom edge due to side cleaning. In particular, the design of the inclined angle (30°-60°) converts the scraping force into an outward discharge force, ensuring that the residue falls off smoothly. This provides a clean reference surface for subsequent flipping and secondary cleaning, ensuring the consistency of cleaning the entire surface. To counteract the torque generated by asymmetric cleaning, the device effectively offsets lateral impact forces through the mechanical constraints of the guide wheel and guide groove, as well as the longitudinal locking of the end locking device. This ensures the stability of the body's posture during high-speed cleaning and prevents uneven cleaning patterns caused by equipment tipping over or vibration. Automatic length adjustment is achieved through a wire encoder and a pneumatic motor, and signal linkage between the PLC and the scraper assembly enables rapid switching between different specifications of cast billets. At the same time, the internal chamber PID adjustment control allows for fixed-depth cleaning of specific defect areas on the surface of the cast billet, further improving production flexibility and surface repair accuracy. The scraper assembly adopts a modular design. The heat-resistant alloy scraper can be quickly disassembled and replaced through the sealing plate. The cooperation between the guide wheel and the thrust assembly ensures continuous and stable contact between the scraper and the edge of the billet, reducing the risk of accidental scraping or missed scraping caused by mechanical vibration and extending the service life of the core components. Attached Figure Description

[0020] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall two-dimensional structure of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the overall three-dimensional structure of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a cross-sectional structural schematic diagram of the main body of the billet flame cleaning device of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a top view of the main body of the billet flame cleaning device of the present invention; Figure 5 This is a left-side structural schematic diagram of the main body of the billet flame cleaning device of the present invention; Figure 6 This is a schematic diagram of the wall scraper assembly and the casting billet portion of the present invention; Figure 7 This is a schematic diagram of the wall scraper assembly of the present invention.

[0021] In the diagram: 100. Main body of the billet flame cleaning device; 101. Portal frame; 102. Guide wheel; 103. Floating beam; 104. Double-headed cylinder; 105. Locking cylinder one; 106. Guide wheel groove; 107. Large wheel; 108. Inner guide wheel; 109. Side slider; 110. Horizontal cylinder; 111. Locking cylinder two; 112. Locking head; 113. Air motor one; 114. Side spray module; 115. Horizontal spraying module; 116, wire encoder; 117, pneumatic motor II; 200, track beam platform; 201, guide groove; 202, stairs; 203, track body; 204, end locking device; 205, mechanical impact block; 206, railing; 300, scraper frame assembly; 301, scraper frame body; 302, scraper blade; 303, sealing plate; 304, guide frame body; 305, guide wheel; 400, cast billet. Detailed Implementation

[0022] The technical solutions of the embodiments of the present invention will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only some embodiments of the present invention, and not all embodiments. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0023] One embodiment provided by the present invention: refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 A headless flame cleaning device for cast billets includes a cast billet body 400, which further includes: It includes a track beam platform 200 and a billet flame cleaning device body 100 disposed thereon, and also includes a scraper frame assembly 300.

[0024] refer to Figures 3-5 The track beam platform 200 is equipped with two parallel track bodies 203. The billet flame cleaning device body 100 includes a portal frame 101, with four large wheels 107 mounted below the portal frame 101, which rest on the track bodies 203. An air motor 113 is mounted on the portal frame 101 to drive the billet flame cleaning device body 100 along the track bodies 203.

[0025] To achieve precise fixation of the cleaning position, a horizontal cylinder 110 is provided at the right end of the portal frame 101, and a locking cylinder 111 is installed on this cylinder. A locking head 112 is installed at the end of the cylinder rod of the horizontal cylinder 110. Correspondingly, an end locking device 204 is provided at the corresponding position on the track beam platform 200. When the billet flame cleaning device body 100 is driven to the cleaning position by the air motor 113, the locking head 112 is inserted into the end locking device 204, and the end locking device 204 locks the locking head 112, thereby locking the billet flame cleaning device body 100 in the cleaning position.

[0026] The track beam platform 200 is equipped with stairs 202 and railings 206 to facilitate maintenance of the overall equipment by operators. Mechanical impact blocks 205 are provided at both ends of the track body 203 to limit the main body 100 of the billet flame cleaning device.

[0027] Double-headed cylinders 104 are provided on the left and right sides of the portal frame 101. A floating beam 103 is suspended from the lower rod of the double-headed cylinder 104, and a locking cylinder 105 is installed on the upper side. Inner guide wheels 108 are provided on the left and right sides of the floating beam 103. The inner guide wheels 108 are embedded in the guide wheel grooves 106 inside the portal frame 101 to constrain the movement trajectory of the floating beam 103.

[0028] Side cleaning: The left end of the floating beam 103 is provided with a side slider 109 that can move up and down, and a side spraying module 114 is installed on the side slider 109.

[0029] Horizontal cleaning: A horizontal spraying module 115 is installed at the lower end of the floating beam 103.

[0030] This device only includes a side spray module 114 and a horizontal spray module 115, used to simultaneously clean the upper and left sides of the cast billet. By eliminating the lower and right-side spray modules, the auxiliary energy requirements for oxygen, fuel gas, and other fuels are significantly reduced. More importantly, the absence of a lower spray module avoids the problem of molten pool falling and clogging the nozzles, allowing the device to preheat directly at the head of the cast billet, eliminating the recessed preheating pit defect found in traditional processes.

[0031] The horizontal spraying module 115 integrates a second air motor 117 and a wire encoder 116. Based on the billet width data sent from the upper-level system, the device's PLC system drives the second air motor 117 and, in conjunction with the displacement feedback from the wire encoder 116, automatically adjusts the effective spraying width of the horizontal spraying module 115, thereby achieving automatic length setting for billets of different specifications.

[0032] Considering that the spray pressure and friction during single-sided (left side) and top cleaning will generate torque that could destabilize the main body 100 of the billet flame cleaning device, guide wheels 102 are provided at the lower left and right corners of the portal frame 101. Corresponding guide grooves 201 are provided on the track beam platform 200. By confining the guide wheels 102 within the guide grooves 201, lateral forces are effectively counteracted, preventing the device from tipping over during operation.

[0033] The horizontal injection module 115 has a fixed-end piston and a floating-end piston inside, dividing the oxygen cleaning chamber into three independent chambers: a fixed end, an intermediate use section, and a floating end. Each chamber is equipped with an independent valve group for PID regulation, which can set the cleaning pressure individually according to the defect depth requirements of different areas on the surface of the billet, so as to achieve fixed-area and fixed-depth cleaning.

[0034] refer to Figures 6-7 The scraper assembly 300 includes a scraper body 301, on which a scraper 302 and a sealing plate 303 are provided. The top surface of the scraper 302 is inclined and is used to rub the edge of the billet 400. The sealing plate 303 is connected to the scraper body 301 by bolts. The scraper 302 is detachably installed in the groove of the scraper body 301 through the sealing plate 303. A guide frame 304 is connected to the side of the scraper body 301 through a bracket. A guide wheel 305 is rotatably connected to the guide frame 304 and is used to contact the surface of the billet 400. A thrust assembly is provided at the bottom of the scraper body 301 and the guide frame 304 to generate a pushing force so that the guide wheel 305 is in continuous contact with the bottom surface of the billet 400.

[0035] The scraper body 301 and the guide frame body 304 are slidably connected by an outer support frame via a rail, and the outer support frame is connected in the rail beam platform 200. Drive roller mechanisms for conveying the cast billet 400 are provided on both sides of the rail beam platform 200, for reference. Figure 2 As shown, the arrows indicate the processing and conveying direction of the billet 400 in this mechanism. The movement of the billet 400 is driven by the roller mechanism. After passing through this flame cleaning device, the end of the billet 400 will contact the scraper assembly 300 before entering the exit roller. The scraper assembly 300 has two sets, located on both sides of the bottom of the billet 400. The guide wheel 305 is used to contact the ground of the billet 400 without any sticky residue. The bottom edges of the billet 400 directly contact the scraper 302. The inclined surface of the scraper 302 will scrape away the sticky residue on the edges, ensuring the cleaning effect on the billet 400.

[0036] The scraper assembly 300 and the horizontal spraying module 115 are linked via a PLC. When the automatic length-setting mechanism detects a change in the billet width, the scraper assembly 300 can synchronously adjust its opening on the track to ensure that the scraper 302 is always accurately aligned with the edge of the billet. The scraper 302 is made of heat-resistant alloy. The inclined surface forms a 30°-60° angle with the forward direction of the billet body 400, converting the lateral scraping force into a component force pointing outwards from the billet, causing the residue to fall off smoothly and avoiding secondary pollution.

[0037] Working principle: The operating procedure for this device is as follows: Initial positioning: The main body 100 of the billet flame cleaning device moves to the cleaning position and is longitudinally locked by the locking head 112.

[0038] Vertical closing and positioning: Exhaust air is released from the lower end of the double-headed cylinder 104, and the floating beam 103 descends under its own weight, causing the horizontal injection module 115 to fit against the upper surface of the billet. Subsequently, the locking cylinder 105 locks the cylinder rod, and the double-headed cylinder 104 moves slightly in the opposite direction to maintain a preset gap between the module and the surface of the billet.

[0039] Horizontal Closure and Positioning: The horizontal cylinder 110 drives the main body 100 of the billet flame cleaning device to move laterally, so that the side spray module 114 fits against the left side of the billet. Then, the locking cylinder 111 locks the cylinder rod, and the horizontal cylinder 110 moves slightly in the opposite direction to leave a gap.

[0040] Preheating and cleaning: The billet is retracted to the preheating position, and the spraying module is aligned with the head of the billet at a right angle for preheating. After forming a molten pool, high-pressure oxygen is sprayed for cleaning.

[0041] Secondary cleaning: For the uncleaned lower and right sides, the billet is flipped 180° by the steel turning machine of the external roller conveyor system and sent back into this device for the cleaning process described above.

[0042] Before the cleaning operation begins, the scraper assembly 300 is pre-installed at the outlet end of the track beam platform 200 via its outer support frame. When the drive roller mechanism conveys the billet 400 towards the outlet, the guide frame 304, located on the side of the scraper assembly 301, comes into play first. The guide wheels 305 on the guide frame contact the bottom surface (or clean side surface) of the billet 400, which is not yet covered with residue, and roll.

[0043] By mechanically limiting the guide wheel 305, the scraper body 301 can overcome minor vibrations during the conveying process, ensuring that its horizontal and vertical positions relative to the edge of the billet remain constant, providing a stable mechanical reference for subsequent precise scraping.

[0044] When the end of the billet 400 enters the scraping position, its bottom two side edges (i.e., the slag flow area generated by the side spraying module 114) directly contact the scraper 302. Since the top surface of the scraper 302 is designed with an inclination, and the scraper 302 is rigidly fixed in the groove of the scraper body 301 by the sealing plate 303, the forward movement energy of the billet 400 under the push of the drive roller is converted into shear force on the inclined surface of the scraper 302.

[0045] The beveled design creates a sharp angle between the scraper 302 and the sticky residue, enabling it to quickly pierce the bond layer between the slag and the billet surface. As the slag rapidly cools and becomes more brittle after leaving the cleaning zone, the hard friction action of the scraper 302 can forcibly peel it off from the edge.

[0046] After prolonged operation, the scraper 302 may wear down due to frequent mechanical friction. In this case, simply loosen the connecting bolts on the sealing plate 303 to remove the old scraper 302 from the groove in the scraper frame 301 and replace it. This detachable modular design ensures that the device consistently provides high-precision edge cleanliness during secondary cleaning (turning over cleaning) processes, preventing residue from entering subsequent steel turning or re-cleaning processes and affecting positioning accuracy.

[0047] It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the details of the exemplary embodiments described above, and that the invention can be implemented in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. Therefore, the embodiments should be considered in all respects as exemplary and non-limiting, and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. Thus, all variations falling within the meaning and scope of equivalents of the claims are intended to be included within the present invention. No reference numerals in the claims should be construed as limiting the scope of the claims.

Claims

1. A headless flame cleaning device for cast billets, comprising a cast billet body, characterized in that, Also includes: The track beam platform for bearing and guiding, the main body of the billet flame cleaning device set on the track beam platform for asymmetric surface cleaning of the billet, and the scraper frame assembly set at the outlet end of the track beam platform for mechanically peeling off the edge residue of the billet. The main body of the billet flame cleaning device includes a portal frame, on which a side spray module for cleaning the side surface of the billet and a horizontal spray module for cleaning the upper surface of the billet are provided.

2. The headless billet flame cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The portal frame is equipped with a floating beam for supporting the spraying mechanism. The side spraying module is installed on the left end of the floating beam via a side slider, and the horizontal spraying module is installed on the bottom end of the floating beam. The side spraying module and the horizontal spraying module form an L-shaped layout for enclosing the right-angled edge of the left side of the billet.

3. The headless billet flame cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The portal frame is provided with four large wheels distributed at the bottom for traveling along the track beam platform, and the portal frame is provided with an air motor for driving the large wheels to rotate.

4. The headless billet flame cleaning device according to claim 2, characterized in that: The portal frame is symmetrically provided with double-headed cylinders on the left and right sides for driving the vertical displacement of the floating beam. A locking cylinder is installed on the upper side of the double-headed cylinder for locking the stroke. The floating beam is provided with inner guide wheels on the left and right sides for constraining the displacement trajectory. The portal frame is provided with guide wheel grooves for the inner guide wheels to be inserted and slid.

5. The headless billet flame cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: One side of the portal frame is provided with a horizontal cylinder for lateral locking. The horizontal cylinder is provided with a second locking cylinder for gripping the cylinder rod. The end of the horizontal cylinder is provided with a locking head. The track beam platform is provided with an end locking device for cooperating with the locking head.

6. The headless billet flame cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The bottom corner of the portal frame is provided with guide wheels to counteract the friction between the spraying device and the billet, and the track beam platform is provided with guide grooves to limit the displacement path of the guide wheels.

7. The headless billet flame cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The horizontal injection module is equipped with a pneumatic motor for adjusting the injection range and a wire encoder for feedback of position information.

8. The headless billet flame cleaning device according to claim 1, characterized in that: The scraper assembly includes a scraper body for bearing function, and the scraper body is provided with a scraper for generating frictional shear force. The scraper is detachably installed in the groove of the scraper body by a sealing plate.

9. The headless billet flame cleaning device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The scraper body has a guide frame on its side, and the guide frame has a guide wheel for contacting the surface of the billet; the scraper body and the guide frame have a thrust assembly at their bottom for maintaining the contact state.

10. A headless billet flame cleaning device according to claim 8, characterized in that: The scraper is made of heat-resistant alloy material, and the top surface of the scraper is provided with an inclined surface for guiding the residue to detach, the inclined surface forming an angle with the forward direction of the billet.

11. A headless billet flame cleaning device according to claim 7, characterized in that: The wall scraper assembly is electrically connected to the horizontal spraying module via a PLC system. The wall scraper assembly is used to synchronously adjust the opening on the track beam platform according to the width signal fed back by the wire encoder.

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