CA1238182A - Steel strip heating furnace - Google Patents

Steel strip heating furnace

Info

Publication number
CA1238182A
CA1238182A CA000480748A CA480748A CA1238182A CA 1238182 A CA1238182 A CA 1238182A CA 000480748 A CA000480748 A CA 000480748A CA 480748 A CA480748 A CA 480748A CA 1238182 A CA1238182 A CA 1238182A
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
steel
furnace
movable wall
furnace body
heating
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
CA000480748A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Shinichiro Mutoh
Akira Toyokawa
Sadao Fujita
Kenji Ueda
Eishu Shimomukai
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
JFE Steel Corp
Original Assignee
Kawasaki Steel Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Kawasaki Steel Corp filed Critical Kawasaki Steel Corp
Priority to CA000480748A priority Critical patent/CA1238182A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of CA1238182A publication Critical patent/CA1238182A/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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  • Heat Treatment Of Strip Materials And Filament Materials (AREA)
  • Heat Treatments In General, Especially Conveying And Cooling (AREA)
  • Tunnel Furnaces (AREA)

Abstract

ABSTRACT OF TIE DISCLOSURE:

A steel strip heating furnace has a movable wall which can be positioned closer or farther away from the transverse edges of the steel in order to adjust the heat radiation applied to the opposing edges of the steel. The movable wall extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of a course along which the steel is transported through the furnace. The movable wall constitutes part of a ceiling of a furnace body and can be shifted vertically toward and away from the transverse edges of the steel so as to adjust the high-temperature heat radiation transmission area about the opposing transverse edge and thus control the heat applied to the corresponding section of the steel Also, it is especially advantageous to provide means for cooling the movable wall so as to adjust the heat radiation therefrom. Therefore, the heating furnace can control the heat applied to the transverse edges of the steel so that the entire surface of the steel can be heated uniformly.

Description

Steel STRIP ElEATIltl~; FURNAC13 AC~RG~)IJ~ OF_q~lE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to a steel strip heating furnace for heating steel strip conveyed along a preset course. More particularly, the invention relates to a steel strip heating furnace which can eliminate the adverse influence of heat radiation.
0 The structure of a typical furnace 10 is shown in Fig 1 in transverse section The furnace 10 has a furnace body comprising a ceiling 12, a floor 14 and side walls 16 extending between the ceiling and the floor. The course for the steel strips 20 is defined within the furnace body by a skid beam 22 supported us the floor 14. A plurality of the steel strips 20 are mounted on the skid beam 22 transversely across the course, and forcibly transported along the course.
As they travel along the course the steel strips 20 are heated by radiation from the furnace body. Therefore, the central section AYE of each steel strip 20 generally receives heat radiated by the ceiling 12 and the floor 14. On the other hand, the ends 20B of the steel strips are subject not only to heat from the ceiling 12 and floor 14 but also from the opposing side wall 16. Therefore, the end sections 20B
receive more heat than the central section. This generates a thermal gradient between the central section AYE and the end sections 20B, and, as a result 30 tends to heat the end sections 20B excessively. These thermal gradients generate deformation stresses between the end sections and the central section.
In view of the above defect, an improvement to this furnace, shown in Fig. 2 has been proposed. In the proposed improvement, an attempt has been made to reduce the effective heat radiation area by forming a .

.. .

recess in the side wall of the furnace opposite the transverse edges of the steel strip. The recess 18 is of depth a cud and width (be) which are significantly smaller than the depth ABED and width (BY) of the corresponding area of the furnace of Fig. 1. Since the heating at the transverse ends of the steel strip is determined by effective heat radiation area a x be x furnace length), the end heating can be moderated by reducing the effective heat radiation area JAB x BY x furnace length) of the furnace of Fig. 1.
However, even the improvement of Fig. 2 is not fully satisfactory in that it does not actually control the heat radiation applied to the transverse - 15 ends of the steel strip, but rather relies solely on geometry for even heating.
SMEAR OF TOE I~V~TIO~
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a heating furnace for steel strips or plate which can uniformly heat the entire surface of the steel.
Another and more specific object of the invention is to provide a heating furnace which can adjust the heat applied to the transverse ends or edges of the steel in order to achieve even heating over the entire surface of the steel.
In order to accomplish the above-mentioned and other objects, a steel strip heating furnace, according to the invention, has a movable wall which can be positioned closer or farther away from the transverse edges of the steel in order to adjust the heat radiation applied to the opposing edges of the steel. The movable wall extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of a course along which the steel is transported through the furnace.
Preferably, the movable wall constitutes part 1~38~

of a ceiling of a furnace body and can be shifted vertically toward and away from the transverse edges of the steel so as to adjust the high-temperature heat radiation transmission area about the opposing transverse edge and thus control the heat applied to the corresponding section of the steel. Also, it is especially advantageous to provide means for cooling the movable wall so as to adjust the heat radiation then from.
0 Therefore, the heating furnace, according to the present invention, can control the heat applied to the transverse edges of the steel so that the entire surface of the steel can be heated uniformly.
According to one aspect of the invention, a heating furnace for heating steel strip comprises a furnace body defining an enclosed heating space therein, the furnace body including a longitudinal side wall, means for conveying the steel along a preset course through the furnace body, a movable wall extending along at least part of the longitudinal length of the course and having a section interfering with heat radiation from furnace body toward an end section of the steel nearest the side wall and an actuator associated with the movable wall for moving I the latter toward and away from the end section of the steel strip According to another aspect of the invention, a process for heating steel strips comprises the steps of:
feeding a plurality of steel strips along a preset course;
heating walls of a furnace surrounding the course so as to heat the steel strips by radiation from the walls;
I providing a movable wall opposing the transverse end sections of the steel strips on opposite 81~
_ 4 _ sides of the axis of travel thereof, which movable wall extends essentially parallel to and overlapping at least a part of the entire length of the course; and positioning the movable wall relative to the transverse end section of the steel strips so as to control heat transmission from the walls of the furnace to the transverse end section of the steel strip.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF TOE DRYNESS
The present invention will be understood more fully from the detailed description given horribly and from the accompanying drawings of the preferred embodiment of the invention, which, however, should not be taken to limit the invention to the specific embodiment, but are for explanation and understanding only.
In the drawings:
Figs. 1 and 2, as explained above, are cross-sections through major parts of conventional furnaces;
Fig 3 is a longitudinal section through a heating furnace in accordance with the preferred embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 4 is a cross-section through the heating furnace taken along line IV-IV of Fig. 3;
Fig. 5 is an enlarged section through a movable wall employed in the preferred embodiment of the heating furnace of Fig. 3; and Fig. 6 is a graph of the relationship between the temperature gradient and distance across the steel wrap.
DE:SCRIPq~IO~ OF lye: PREFERRED E~!lBODIlqENT
Referring now to the drawings, particularly to Figs. 3 and 4, a furnace body 30 generally comprises the ceiling 32, the floor 34 and side walls 36 I extending between the ceiling and the floor. The furnace body 30 defines a heating chamber AYE for heating a plurality of steel strips 20 transported or conveyed along a preset course A. A plurality of skid beams 37 supported by the floor 34 extend longitudinally along the furnace body 30. The skid beams 37 define the course through the furnace. As in the prior art, the steel strips are mounted sideways on the skid beams so that their longitudinal ends 20C
oppose the side walls 36, which longitudinal ends will be referred to hereafter as transverse edges. The 0 sections 20B of the steel strips surrounding the transverse edges 20C will be referred to hereafter as "transverse end sections.
Vertically extending end walls 35 also extends between the ceiling 32 and the floor 34 and form part of the furnace body 30. The vertical wall 35 located at the downstream of the course A is formed with an outlet 68 through which the heated metal strips 20 are taken out. The outlet 68 can be closed by a closure aye.
A movable wall 40 opposes each of the transverse end sections 20B. The movable wall 40 extends along the side wall 36 parallel to the transverse end section 20B of the step strip 20, as shown in Fig. 4. The movable wall 40 is suspended from the ceiling 32 by means of a hanger mechanism 50. The hanger mechanism 50 comprises vertical hanger pipes AYE
and 52B at the opposite longitudinal ends AYE and 40B
of the movable heating wall 40. The hanger pipes AYE
and 52B pass through openings 38 in the ceiling 32 of 30 the furnace body 30 and are connected to each other by a horizontal beam 54. The horizontal beam 54 is connected to a pair of actuators 56 such as hydraulic cylinders which can be operated manually or automatically to raise and lower the horizontal beam 54 35 and the movable wall 40 toward and away from the transverse end section 20B of the steel strip 20.

~23~3~l8~

If necessary, the actuators 56 may be associated with a controller to be controlled the operation thereof. The controller may control the actuator operation and whereby control the height of the movable wall 40. The controller may also associated with a heating condition sensor for detecting heating condition of the steel strips in the furnace on the basis of the condition detecting by the sensor. This may ensure uniformity of heating over the entire surrounding of the steel strip.
The hanger pipes AYE and 52B are hollow cylindrical pipes serving as cooling water conduits with passages AYE and 53B. The cooling water passages AYE and 53B communicate with cooling water passages 1 formed in the movable wall 40. As shown in Fig. 5, the cooling passage in the movable wall 40, which is generally referred to by the reference numeral ~41", comprises a plurality of, e.g. six, hollow pipes 45 each connected to the cooling passages AYE and 53B
through galleries (not shown). The cooling water passages AYE, 53B and 41 form a complete cooling water circuit 44.
Flow control valves AYE and 58B installed in the cooling water passages AYE and 53B control the cooling water flow rate through the cooling water circuit. the flow control valves AYE and 58B can be controlled manually or automatically so as to adjust the cooling water flow through the cooling water circuit in accordance with the heating conditions of the movable wall.
The cooling water passage AYE is connected to a fluid pump 55 which draws cooling water from a cooling water reservoir 59 for circulation through the cooling water circuit 44. The cooling water passage 44 is connected to the cooling water reservoir 59 at one end and to a return line (not shown) at the other end via flexible hoses AYE.
The pipes aye forming the cooling water passages 45 within the movable wall 40 are anchored within a matrix of fireproof material 62 forming the movable wall 40. Also, the lower section of the hanger pipes AYE and 52B are anchored within the fireproof material 62 surrounding the lower ends of the hanger pipes .
The flow control valve and the fluid pump may be controlled the operations manually or automatically in per so well known manner in accordance with the heating condition in the furnace. By controlling the flow control valves and the fluid pump, flow rate of the cooling water can be varied for varying cooling effect for the movable wall 40.
Water-tight traps 64 with metal water seals 66 encircle both openings 38 in the ceiling 12 through which the hanger pipes AYE and 52B pass. The water-tight traps 64 and metal water seals 66 seal the furnace against water leakage.
With the furnace construction according to the preferred embodiment as set forth above.
The steel strips 20 enter the heating furnace from the upstream end of the course A. The steel strips are lazed across the skid beams 37 so that their longitudinal end sections 20B oppose the side walls 36.
The actuators 56 are operated to place the movable wall 40 near the transverse end section 20B of the steel strip. At the same time, the fluid pump 55 starts to circulate the cooling water trough the cooling water circuit 44.
The steel strips 20 are heated by radiation from the ceiling 32, the floor 34 and the side walls 36. The movable wall 40 interferes with transmission of heat radiated toward the transverse end sections 20B
of the steel, Therefore, the effective heat . . . . . ..

~23~ 2 transmission area adjoining the transverse end sections 20B is smaller than in conventional furnaces.
Fig. 6 shows the results of experiments designed to measure the temperature difference between the transverse end section 20B and the central section AYE. As is apparent wherefrom, in conventional furnaces (as shown in solid line), the temperature difference between the end section 20B and the central section AYE
can be as high as approximately 80C. This contrasts 0 sharply with the results for the inventive furnace shown in broken line in Fig. 6. In this case, there is almost no temperature difference between the end section 208 and the central section AYE. In other words, the steel strip can be heated evenly over its entire surface.
According to the shown embodiment, since the movable wall can be cooled by circulating cooling water through the cooling water circuit 44, the surface temperature of the movable wall can be held low enough 7 to significantly influence the heating conditions at the transverse end section 20B.
In addition, according to the shown embodiment, the thickened lower section of the side wall AYE narrows the clearance between the transverse edge 20C of the steel strip 20 and the inner periphery of the side wall 36. This suppresses convection of gaseous combustion products between the lower combustion zone and the upper combustion zone in order to reduce convection heating.
It should be noted that although the thicker side wall AYE will help reduce convection of combustion product and thus reduce convection heating, it is not a necessary aspect of the invention. In cases where the heat isolation due to the movable wall 40 is sufficient, the side wall can be of sheer configuration. On the other hand, the fluid ~93~
_ g _ circulating through the cooling water circuit 44 need not necessarily be water. It can be replaced with any suitable cooling fluid. Further, it is not always necessary to build the cooling system into the movable 5 wall.
Furthermore, although hydraulic cylinders have been shown for actuating the movable wall relative to the transverse end section 20B of the steel strip 20, they may be replaced by any suitable actuating 0 system.
As will be appreciated wherefrom, according to the present invention, heat can be applied uniformly over the entire surface of the steel strips for even hefting. This prevents the generation of uneven 5 deformation stresses across the steel strip. As a result, tube steel strip can be rolled andtor forged to an even thickness and width.
Therefore, the present invention satisfactorily and successfully fulfills all of the 20 objects and advantages sought therefore

Claims (8)

WHAT IS CLAIMED IS:
1. A heating furnace for flat steel products comprising:
a furnace body defining an enclosed heating space therein said furnace body including a longitudinal side wall;
means for conveying the steel along a preset course through said furnace body;
a movable wall extending along at least part of the longitudinal length of said course and having a section interfering with heat radiation from furnace body toward an end section of said steel nearest said side wall; and an actuator associated with said movable wall for moving the latter toward and away from said end section of said steel strip.
2. The furnace as set forth in claim 1, which further comprises a cooling system for said movable wall for cooling the movable wall.
3. The furnace as set forth in claim 1, wherein said movable wall is suspended from the ceiling of said furnace body and vertically movable toward and away from said end section of said steel.
4. The furnace as set forth in claim 3, wherein said movable wall is associated with a hanger mechanism which is driven vertically by means of said actuator.
5. The furnace as set forth in claim 1, wherein the lower section of said longitudinal side wall of said furnace body lies closer to the end section of said steel so as to suppress convection between a lower combustion zone and an upper combustion zone in said furnace body.
6. A process for heating steel strips comprising the steps of:
feeding a plurality of steel strips along a preset course;
heating walls of a furnace surrounding said course so as to heat said steel strips by radiation from said walls;
providing a movable wall opposing the transverse end sections of said steel strips on opposite sides of the axis of travel thereof, which movable wall extends essentially parallel to and overlapping at least a part of the entire length of said course; and positioning said movable wall relative to said transverse end section of the steel strips so as to control heat transmission from said walls of the furnace to said transverse end section of said steel strip.
7. The process as set forth in claim 6, which further comprises a step of circulating a cooling fluid through said movable wall for cooling the latter.
8. The process as set forth in claim 6, further comprising thickening a lower section of a side walls of said furnace so as to reduce clearances around the transverse edges of said steel strips and so suppress convection within the furnace.
CA000480748A 1985-05-03 1985-05-03 Steel strip heating furnace Expired CA1238182A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000480748A CA1238182A (en) 1985-05-03 1985-05-03 Steel strip heating furnace

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
CA000480748A CA1238182A (en) 1985-05-03 1985-05-03 Steel strip heating furnace

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA1238182A true CA1238182A (en) 1988-06-21

Family

ID=4130425

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA000480748A Expired CA1238182A (en) 1985-05-03 1985-05-03 Steel strip heating furnace

Country Status (1)

Country Link
CA (1) CA1238182A (en)

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