Hot-Rolling Mill Roll Cooling with Spacer-Controlled Scraper Wear

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing cooling devices for hot-rolling mills experience excessive and uneven wear, leading to spilling of cooling fluid on the metal strip, resulting in defects and increased downtime due to frequent scraper replacements.

Innovation Solution

A cooling device with a shovel-shaped body featuring spacers that contact the work roll surface to maintain a predefined distance and force, combined with a mechanical scraper and additional pressure means to ensure even wear and controlled fluid distribution, preventing fluid spillage and extending service life.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a scraper is used to prevent cooling fluid spillage, then cooling control is improved, but scraper wear increases leading to frequent replacements

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling controlVSAvoidscraper service life
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSDuration of action of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the geometric parameters of the shovel-shaped body, specifically the curvature radius of the curved portion and the positioning of openings, to optimize both cooling fluid distribution and scraper wear characteristics. By adjusting these parameters, the system achieves reliable cooling control while minimizing excessive wear.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The shovel-shaped body is designed to follow the contour of the work roll, creating a dynamic adaptation to roll surface variations. This dynamic configuration ensures consistent cooling control while distributing wear more evenly across the scraper surface, extending service life.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Reliability

If scraper pressure is increased to prevent fluid spillage, then cooling control improves, but wear on the scraper increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling controlVSAvoidscraper wear
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The openings in the shovel-shaped body are strategically positioned to create localized cooling zones. This local quality approach allows effective cooling control in specific areas without requiring excessive overall pressure, thereby reducing scraper wear while maintaining reliable cooling where most needed.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #3Local quality

3Reliability

If the scraper is positioned closer to the work roll surface, then cooling control is improved, but wear becomes uneven and excessive

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvecooling controlVSAvoidwear distribution
Core Design Contradiction:
ReliabilityVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The curved portion of the shovel-shaped body is designed with a specific curvature radius that matches the work roll contour. This curvature ensures uniform contact pressure distribution across the scraper, preventing uneven wear while maintaining stable positioning for reliable cooling control.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #14Spheroidality (Curvature)

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

The solution provides a more stable and predictable wear pattern, reducing downtime and production losses by maintaining a consistent cooling fluid cushion and minimizing unnecessary wear on the scraper and spacers, ensuring efficient and controlled cooling.

Implementation Method 1

a cooling device for a hot-rolling mill for a metal strip (10), the hot-rolling mill having at least one pair of work rolls (2) each having a work roll surface (2'), the cooling device comprising a shovel-shaped body (3) further comprising one or more spacers (8) arranged to contact the work roll surface (2')

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectHeat absorption: Absorption (physical)

Data Source

PatentEP3898020B1Cooling device for a hot-rolling mill
Publication Date: 2024.01.17 TATA STEEL IJMUIDEN BV
  • EP3898020B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3898020B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3898020B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Cooling device (1) for a hot-rolling mill for a metal strip (10), having at least one pair of work rolls (2) each having a work roll surface (2') comprising a shovel-shaped body (3) comprising a plurality of openings arranged to project a cooling fluid on a work roll (2), and a scraper (5) arranged to prevent the cooling fluid from spilling on the metal strip (10), and a pressure means (9) for pressing the scraper (5) against said work roll surface (2'), wherein the shovel-shaped body (3) further comprising one or more spacers (8) arranged to contact the work roll surface (2') with a predefined force.