Bearing Housing Cooling Channel for High-Heat Continuous Casting Rolls
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Solution Overview
Problem
The high temperature conditions in continuous casting machines pose a significant threat to bearing reliability due to the limitations of traditional cooling channels in bearing housings, which cannot effectively manage heat exchange without compromising the load-bearing capacity or increasing the size of the cooling channel.
Innovation Solution
The introduction of a tortuous passage in the cooling channel, created by flow guide members that extend radially and circumferentially, increases water flow velocity and heat exchange area without altering the existing water cooling system, enhancing heat exchange efficiency.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If the radial size of the cooling channel is enlarged to improve cooling effect, then the heat exchange area increases, but the load-bearing capacity of the roller line decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention transforms the traditional straight radial cooling channel into a tortuous three-dimensional path using flow guide members. The cooling channel now extends in multiple directions (radially, axially, and circumferentially) rather than simply increasing radial size, thereby increasing heat exchange area without compromising structural strength.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling channel is designed with tortuous curved paths instead of straight lines. The flow guide members create serpentine flow patterns that increase the cooling channel's effective length and surface area for heat exchange while maintaining a compact radial footprint.
2Temperature
If the radial size of the bearing housing is increased to accommodate larger cooling channels, then the cooling effect improves, but the bearing housing may touch and get damaged by the billet
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling channel utilizes three-dimensional space by extending axially and circumferentially in addition to radially. This multi-dimensional approach increases cooling surface area without increasing the external radial dimensions of the bearing housing, preventing contact with the billet.
Solution Approach 2:
The flow guide members are nested within the existing bearing housing structure. The tortuous cooling channel path is embedded inside the housing, maximizing the use of internal space without expanding the external footprint.
3Volume of moving object
If the cooling channel is made thinner to meet miniaturized design requirements, then the bearing housing becomes more compact, but the heat exchange efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The tortuous cooling channel with curved serpentine paths increases the effective heat exchange length within a compact volume. The curved paths allow the cooling channel to pack more length into a smaller space compared to straight channels.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling channel exploits three-dimensional space by extending in multiple directions (radial, axial, circumferential) rather than being confined to a single plane. This multi-dimensional routing increases heat exchange surface area within a compact housing volume.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This design significantly improves heat exchange efficiency, reducing bearing failure rates and maintaining load-bearing capacity, making it suitable for upgrading existing continuous casting systems with a cost advantage.
Implementation Method 1
the bearing housing 10 is provided with a cooling channel 1 in most part of its circumference around the bearing 20, which is intended to reduce the temperature inside the bearing housing by means of forced water cooling
Implementation Method 2
The introduction of a tortuous passage in the cooling channel, created by flow guide members that extend radially and circumferentially, increases water flow velocity and heat exchange area without altering the existing water cooling system, enhancing heat exchange efficiency
Data Source
Figure 1~4
AI summary
A bearing housing (10) is provided with a cooling channel (1) in at least part of the circumference around the bearing (20). The cooling channel is provided with a flow guide member at least in part of its flow section to construct a tortuous passage whose flow distance is longer than the corresponding circumferential length of the flow section. On the basis of the above-mentioned bearing housing, the present invention also provides a bearing housing unit (30), a continuous casting roll line (100) and a continuous casting machine that use the bearing housing. The above-mentioned bearing housing adopts an optimized cooling channel design, which can obtain a better cooling effect without changing other structures of the bearing housing. Therefore, it is particularly suitable for upgrading existing equipment and has a huge cost advantage and a wide range of application prospects.