Steel Surface Cleaning With Transverse Liquid Jets
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing surface cleaning methods for steel products in casting-rolling plants face challenges in adapting to varying product widths and risk edge cracking, as traditional high-pressure jetting devices struggle to uniformly cover the surface and may cause damage due to direct kinetic energy impact.
Innovation Solution
A method involving two liquid jets directed from opposite edges of the steel product, aligned transversely to the movement, which intersect in a central area without overlapping, ensuring even coverage and minimizing edge impact to prevent cracking, with the jets positioned at a distance from the edges to maintain kinetic energy and avoid direct hits.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single nozzle applies high-pressure liquid jet to the steel product surface, then cleaning effectiveness is improved, but the risk of edge cracking increases due to direct kinetic energy impact
Solution Approach 1:
The cleaning system is divided into multiple nozzles (at least two nozzles) that direct liquid jets at different locations on the steel product surface. This segmentation distributes the kinetic energy impact across multiple points rather than concentrating it at one location, reducing the risk of edge cracking while maintaining cleaning effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The liquid jet application is localized to specific areas of the steel product surface through strategically positioned nozzles. The jets are directed at the surface at locations that optimize cleaning while avoiding direct impact on vulnerable edge regions, applying different treatment qualities to different surface areas.
2Manufacturing precision
If the liquid jet is directed at a fixed angle to cover the entire width of the surface, then uniform coverage is improved, but adaptability to different product widths deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The nozzle arrangement is designed to be universally applicable to steel products of varying widths. The at least two nozzles can be positioned and angled to accommodate different product dimensions without requiring fundamental changes to the system, enabling the same cleaning device to handle multiple product specifications.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates adjustable nozzle positioning and angling capabilities that allow dynamic adaptation to different product widths. The nozzles can be repositioned and reangled according to the specific dimensions of the steel product being cleaned, providing flexibility while maintaining uniform coverage.
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 allows for effective cleaning of steel products of varying widths with reduced risk of edge cracking and damage, ensuring optimal surface quality and ductility, while maintaining productivity without significant adjustments to the cleaning device.
Implementation Method 1
The dirt and accumulations of oxides adhering to the surface are to be separated from the surface by the jet of liquid hitting them with high kinetic energy and washed away from the steel product by the outflowing liquid.
Data Source
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AI summary
The invention relates to a method and to a device for cleaning a surface of a steel product (3). In the method, a liquid jet (S1) is directed at the surface (2) from a nozzle (6), which is located at a position associated with an edge (11) of the surface (2) to be cleaned, relative motion occurs between the nozzle (6) and the steel product (3) during the cleaning process, and the liquid jet (S1) is oriented perpendicular to the direction (R) of the relative motion of the steel product (3) and the nozzle (6). According to the invention, in order in particular to minimize the danger of cracks forming on the edges of the steel product to be cleaned, an additional liquid jet (S2) oriented perpendicular to the direction (R) of the relative motion between the nozzles (6, 7) and the steel product (3) is directed at the surface (2) from an additional nozzle (7) without intersecting with the first liquid jet (S1), said additional nozzle being located at a position associated with the edge (12) of the surface (2) that is opposite the edge (6) of the steel product (3) associated with the first nozzle (6), wherein the incidence region (AB1, AB2) of the liquid jets (S1, S2) is at a distance from the edge (11, 12) associated with the nozzle (6, 7) that outputs the liquid jet (S1, S2).