Metal Strip Cooling Start Control for Precise Finish Temperature
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing metal strip cooling technologies struggle to control the finish cooling temperature effectively, often resulting in temperature differences between the upper and lower surfaces, and require expensive special liquids or high-pressure water ejection, limiting control over the cooling process.
Innovation Solution
A metal-strip rapid cooling apparatus and method that uses nozzles to eject cooling fluid from both sides of the metal strip, combined with movable masking plates and gas ejection nozzles, to control the cooling start position and remove residual fluid, allowing precise temperature control without special liquids.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If water quenching method is used to achieve high cooling rate, then cooling rate is improved, but finish cooling temperature cannot be controlled
Solution Approach 1:
The cooling process is divided into two distinct stages: first, water quenching for rapid cooling to achieve high cooling rate; second, air cooling for controlled temperature reduction to achieve desired finish cooling temperature. This segmentation allows independent optimization of each stage's parameters.
Solution Approach 2:
Air cooling is introduced as an intermediary process between water quenching and the final cooled state. The air cooling section acts as a mediator that gradually reduces the temperature from the high cooling rate phase to the target finish cooling temperature, enabling precise temperature control.
2Manufacturing precision
If cooling fluid removing rolls are used to remove remained fluid, then uniform cooling is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Gas ejection nozzles use pneumatic principles to blow air onto the metal strip surface, effectively removing remained cooling fluid and promoting uniform cooling. This pneumatic approach is simpler than mechanical rolling methods while achieving the same uniform cooling effect.
Solution Approach 2:
The function of removing remained cooling fluid is extracted from the cooling apparatus itself and performed separately by gas ejection nozzles positioned downstream. This separation allows the main cooling system to focus on uniform fluid application while the fluid removal function is handled independently.
3Adaptability or versatility
If movable masking plates are used to control cooling start position, then temperature control freedom is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
Movable masking plates are introduced to dynamically adjust the cooling start position along the metal strip travel direction. This dynamic adjustment capability allows flexible control of cooling parameters for different production requirements while maintaining a relatively simple overall apparatus structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The masking plates are positioned upstream to preliminarily control which portions of the metal strip enter the cooling zone. By adjusting the masking plate position beforehand, the cooling start position can be precisely controlled before the actual cooling process begins.
4Temperature
If expensive ionic liquid is used to control finish cooling temperature, then temperature control is improved, but cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
Air is used as the cooling medium in the air cooling section, which is abundant, free, and requires no special handling or disposal. This replaces expensive ionic liquids while achieving the same temperature control function through a simple, cost-effective gaseous medium.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling medium is changed from liquid (ionic liquid) to gas (air), fundamentally changing the physical state and properties of the cooling medium. This parameter change enables temperature control through means that are both effective and economically viable.
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
Achieves precise control over the finish cooling temperature, ensuring uniform cooling across both surfaces and reducing costs by avoiding the use of expensive liquids, while maintaining flexibility across varying production conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a plurality of nozzles arranged in the horizontal direction ejecting cooling fluid onto a metal strip
Implementation Method 2
ejecting cooling fluid onto the metal strip from both sides of the metal strip
Implementation Method 3
gas ejection nozzles... to remove residual fluid
Data Source
AI summary
A metal-strip rapid cooling apparatus includes a cooling fluid ejection device including one set of nozzles or a plurality of sets of nozzles arranged in a horizontal direction, and configured to eject a cooling fluid onto the metal strip from both sides of the metal strip; cooling fluid removing rolls configured to remove a remaining fluid from the metal strip onto which the cooling fluid has been ejected; and movable masking plates on both sides of a metal strip pass line along which the metal strip passes, the movable masking plates each disposed between the metal strip pass line and the nozzles, and configured to move in the horizontal direction to adjust a cooling start position and control a distance from the cooling start position to the cooling fluid removing rolls, the cooling start position positioned such that the metal strip starts to be cooled with the cooling fluid.