Coolable Furnace Roller Fiber Insulation Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional furnace rollers experience high energy consumption and weight due to inefficient heat extraction, which complicates preventive maintenance and affects surface quality during the transportation of slabs.
Innovation Solution
Implementing fiber insulation and measuring the temperature difference and mass flow of the cooling medium to trigger a signal when a specified limit is exceeded, along with optimizing support ring arrangements for reduced contact pressure and improved surface quality.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If conventional concrete insulation is used in furnace rollers, then the rollers can be cooled effectively, but the weight of the furnace rollers becomes relatively high and energy consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies composite materials by combining fiber insulation material with the roller structure. The fiber material (such as ceramic fibers) provides effective thermal insulation properties while having significantly lower density and weight compared to conventional concrete insulation, thus resolving the contradiction between cooling effectiveness and weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the material parameter from concrete to fiber material, which fundamentally alters the density and thermal conductivity characteristics. This parameter change enables the roller to maintain effective cooling while reducing weight by up to 90%, as the fiber material provides equivalent insulation with much lower mass.
2Temperature
If conventional concrete insulation is used in furnace rollers, then the rollers can be cooled effectively, but the energy consumption in the furnace increases due to large heat removal
Solution Approach 1:
The fiber insulation material used in the patent has superior thermal insulation properties compared to concrete, creating a more effective thermal barrier. This reduces the amount of heat that needs to be removed from the furnace, thereby lowering energy consumption by approximately 20% under normal operating conditions while maintaining effective roller cooling.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the insulation material parameter from concrete to fiber material, the thermal conductivity is reduced, improving the insulation effectiveness. This parameter change directly reduces heat loss from the furnace to the roller cooling system, thereby reducing overall energy consumption while maintaining the same cooling effectiveness.
3Reliability
If support rings are arranged closely together to support slabs, then the load is better distributed, but the contact pressure increases and degrades surface quality
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the axial spacing of support rings along the roller length. Instead of uniform spacing, the rings are positioned with different intervals to optimize both load distribution and surface quality in different zones. This allows closer spacing where load distribution is critical while maintaining larger spacing in zones where surface quality is the priority concern.
Solution Approach 2:
The support ring arrangement is dynamically optimized based on the specific slab dimensions (width, length, weight) being processed. The system adapts the ring spacing and positioning to match the varying load requirements and surface quality requirements for different product specifications, rather than using a fixed static arrangement.
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 20% and weight by over 90%, allowing for operating temperatures of 1,250°C and improved surface quality by evenly distributing slab weight across support rings.
Implementation Method 1
the furnace roller is flowed through in its interior with a cooling medium in order to cool the furnace roller
Implementation Method 2
the furnace roller is flowed through in its interior with a cooling medium
Implementation Method 3
insulation being arranged in the axial region between at least two support troughs, wherein the insulation consists at least partially of a fiber material
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3a~3b
AI summary
The invention relates to a coolable furnace roller (1) for transporting a strip or a slab through a furnace, comprising a carrying axle (2), which is mounted rotatably about an axis (a) and on which a number of carrying rings (4) are arranged. To provide the possibility of reducing the heat loss in the furnace while maintaining a low weight, the invention provides that an insulation (6) is arranged in the axial region between at least two carrying rings (4), wherein the insulation (6) consists at least partially of a fibrous material.