Cooling Unit Pressure Control for Hot Rolling Coolant Flow
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional cooling units for hot rolled metals face inefficiencies in coolant metering and energy consumption, particularly during intensive cooling, as they often operate at higher pressures than necessary, leading to increased energy use.
Innovation Solution
An operating method where a control unit determines individual working pressures for control valves and adjusts the pump assembly to maintain the lowest possible final working pressure, ensuring required coolant flows are met while minimizing energy consumption by optimizing the actuation of both the pump assembly and control valves.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the cooling unit operates at constant high pressure to ensure sufficient coolant flow to all application units, then the coolant flow reliability is improved, but the energy consumption increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies dynamics by transitioning from constant pressure operation to variable pressure operation. The control unit dynamically adjusts the pump assembly's operating point based on real-time requirements of individual application units, allowing each branch to receive appropriate pressure while the overall system operates at lower average pressure, thus reducing energy consumption while maintaining flow reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the pressure parameter from constant to variable. By calculating individual working pressures for each application unit based on their specific flow requirements and distances from the pump, the system optimizes pressure distribution. The pump assembly operates at different pressure levels depending on demand, avoiding unnecessary high pressure operation and reducing energy consumption
2Productivity
If the pump assembly operates at higher pressure to meet peak flow demands of all application units simultaneously, then the coolant delivery capability is improved, but the energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by providing different pressure levels to different application units based on their individual requirements. Instead of pressurizing the entire system to the highest possible level, each branch receives the minimum necessary pressure to achieve its setpoint flow, allowing the system to meet peak demands locally without globally high pressure operation
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit performs preliminary calculations to determine the optimal operating point of the pump assembly before actuation. By pre-calculating the required pressure and flow based on application unit requirements, the system can directly operate at the necessary level without unnecessary energy expenditure
3Measurement precision
If control valves are operated with high pressure differential to achieve precise flow control, then the flow metering precision is improved, but the mechanical stress on valves increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the pressure parameter distribution by operating each control valve at its individually calculated working pressure rather than subjecting all valves to high system pressure. This reduces the pressure differential across each valve while maintaining precise flow control capability through optimized pressure levels
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 approach reduces energy consumption by up to 80% compared to constant pressure operations, maintaining effective cooling without adverse effects on the rolled material, while preserving mechanical integrity of control valves and pumps.
Implementation Method 1
the pump assembly has a number of pumps, by means of which the liquid coolant is fed into the header line
Implementation Method 2
a control valve is arranged in each of the branch lines
Implementation Method 3
the coolant is applied to the rolled material by means of at least some of the application units
Implementation Method 4
a cooling unit for cooling a hot rolled material made of metal
Data Source
AI summary
A liquid coolant (6) is fed into a header line (4) by means of a pump assembly (5). Branch lines (9a to 9d), in which control valves (11a to 11d) are arranged, branch off from the header line (4) to application units (10a to 10d). The coolant (6) is applied to a hot rolled material (2) made of metal by means of the application units (10a to 10d), and the rolled material (2) is thus cooled. For limit modulation values (kLim) of the control valves (11a to 11d), a control unit (12) of the cooling unit (3) uses setpoint flows (Ka* to Kd) of the application units (10a to 10d) to determine individual working pressures (pAa to pAd) which must prevail in the header line (4) for the setpoint flows(Ka* to Kd*) to flow in the branch lines (9a to 9d).