Uniform Nozzle Gas Blower for Strip Cooling
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current gas blower devices for cooling metal strips in thermal processing lines suffer from poor temperature uniformity and high electrical consumption, leading to non-uniform cooling rates and increased strip vibrations, particularly evident in the production of high-strength steels where precise temperature control is required.
Innovation Solution
A gas blower device featuring a hollow plenum with a convex dihedral front surface and uniformly lengthed tubular nozzles, where all nozzles have the same length and are connected internally, allowing for consistent gas impingement across the strip width, reducing vibrations and enhancing temperature uniformity by ensuring constant mass flow and Reynolds number across the strip.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If gas flow rate and speed are increased to achieve higher cooling rate, then cooling efficiency is improved, but electrical consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating different gas flow conditions at different locations on the strip surface. The nozzle arrangement and angles are optimized for specific zones (edges vs center) to achieve uniform cooling across the entire strip width, allowing effective cooling without excessive gas flow rates that would increase energy consumption.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses adjustable nozzle angles and positions that can be dynamically optimized for different strip widths and cooling requirements. This dynamic adjustment capability allows the system to maintain high cooling efficiency while minimizing gas consumption and electrical energy usage by adapting to specific process conditions.
2Productivity
If non-uniform cooling is applied to the strip, then localized cooling needs are met, but temperature uniformity across the strip width deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality through strategically positioned nozzles with specific angles targeted at different strip zones. Edge nozzles are angled to direct gas toward strip edges, while center nozzles address the central region, creating locally optimized cooling that results in uniform overall temperature distribution across the strip width.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies asymmetry by using different nozzle angles and positions on opposite sides of the strip. The nozzle configuration is asymmetrically arranged to compensate for heat loss patterns that differ between strip edges and center, achieving symmetric temperature uniformity through asymmetric means.
3Productivity
If high blowing pressure is used to achieve high cooling rate, then cooling efficiency is improved, but strip vibrations increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent reduces vibrations by applying gas flow locally at optimized positions rather than uniform high-pressure flow across the entire strip. The nozzle arrangement directs gas flow to specific zones, reducing overall pressure requirements and minimizing the mechanical impact that causes strip vibrations while maintaining effective cooling rates.
4Temperature
If gas flow is increased to reduce boundary layer thickness, then heat transfer coefficient is improved, but turbulence and strip instability increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent achieves effective boundary layer disruption by positioning nozzles at specific locations and angles that create localized turbulence zones where needed. This targeted approach reduces the overall gas flow rate required compared to uniform high-flow systems, thereby reducing strip instability and vibrations while maintaining sufficient heat transfer coefficients for effective cooling.
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 achieves improved temperature uniformity and reduced strip vibrations, ensuring a consistent cooling rate and lower electrical consumption by maintaining uniform gas flow and pressure distribution across the strip, thereby producing higher quality finished products.
Implementation Method 1
gas blower devices for blowing gas onto one or both faces of a traveling metal strip, in order to cool said metal strip
Implementation Method 2
gas cooling requires a high level of turbulence on the strip surface to reduce the thickness of the boundary layer
Implementation Method 3
reduce the thickness of the boundary layer
Data Source
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AI summary
A gas blower device (1) for blowing gas onto a surface of a traveling strip (2), comprising : - a plenum (3) in the form of a hollow box for containing gas and comprising two side surfaces (31), a back surface (32) and a front surface (33) opposite to the back surface (32), the front surface (33) presenting a plurality of tubular nozzles (4) protruding at the front surface (33) and having a gas outlet orifice facing in use the traveling strip (2), all the outlet orifices being preferably in a plane parallel to the strip plane ; - a gas intake tube (5) for feeding the plenum (3) with gas ; characterised in that all the tubular nozzles (4) have the same length, said length being defined as the length between the gas inlet and the gas outlet of a nozzle