EP1371738A1 - Verwaltung von Gasströmen in einer Reaktivgaszone - Google Patents

Verwaltung von Gasströmen in einer Reaktivgaszone Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1371738A1
EP1371738A1 EP03447128A EP03447128A EP1371738A1 EP 1371738 A1 EP1371738 A1 EP 1371738A1 EP 03447128 A EP03447128 A EP 03447128A EP 03447128 A EP03447128 A EP 03447128A EP 1371738 A1 EP1371738 A1 EP 1371738A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
section
gas
airlock
reactive
furnace
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.)
Withdrawn
Application number
EP03447128A
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English (en)
French (fr)
Inventor
Arnaud Hennion
Jean-François Noville
Pierre Simon
Jean Crahay
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.)
Centre de Recherches Metallurgiques CRM ASBL
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Centre de Recherches Metallurgiques CRM ASBL
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Publication date
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Publication of EP1371738A1 publication Critical patent/EP1371738A1/de
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D9/00—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor
    • C21D9/52—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor for wires; for strips ; for rods of unlimited length
    • C21D9/54—Furnaces for treating strips or wire
    • C21D9/56—Continuous furnaces for strip or wire
    • C21D9/561—Continuous furnaces for strip or wire with a controlled atmosphere or vacuum
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D9/00—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor
    • C21D9/52—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor for wires; for strips ; for rods of unlimited length
    • C21D9/54—Furnaces for treating strips or wire
    • C21D9/56—Continuous furnaces for strip or wire
    • C21D9/562—Details
    • C21D9/565—Sealing arrangements
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D1/00—General methods or devices for heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering
    • C21D1/74—Methods of treatment in inert gas, controlled atmosphere, vacuum or pulverulent material
    • C21D1/76—Adjusting the composition of the atmosphere
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
    • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
    • C21D9/00—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor
    • C21D9/46—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor for sheet metals
    • C21D9/48—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor for sheet metals deep-drawing sheets

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a new process for dividing an annealing furnace into sections separated under controlled atmosphere which can operate co-current, counter current or mixed current, for promote specific gas-metal reactions in each of the different sections of a metallurgical line of continuous annealing.
  • the invention relates in particular to a process for minimizing the gas dilution of a section reactive resulting from the entry of the sections atmosphere adjacent in said section.
  • the invention further relates to a method of steering and control of these sections in order to obtain the targeted surface and mechanical properties.
  • the invention finally relates to the installation for the implementation of the process.
  • a continuous annealing oven allows continuous heat treatment of a metal strip, by example of steel.
  • the oven generally consists of different sections in each of which a specific heat treatment to give steel particular properties, in particular mechanical properties such as ductility (formability, stamping, etc.).
  • the stages most common of heat treatment are preheating, heating, maintaining a given temperature, cooling, overaging and sometimes the dip galvanization.
  • the various stages of the heat treatment are generally carried out under a specific atmosphere, controlled in each closed section, in which a well-defined gas or gas mixture, for example of the HN x type, is confined, and under well-defined temperature conditions.
  • the Applicant has in particular proposed a process for the continuous production of a steel strip for stamping with improved surface properties comprising a heat treatment making it possible to recrystallize and carburize the strip, simultaneously or not, under a gaseous atmosphere comprising CO and H 2 concentrations obeying the relationship [% vol H 2 ] +2 [% vol CO] - 80 ⁇ 0, in a carburetion temperature range from 650 to 950 ° C (WO 98/54371).
  • thermochemical treatment with a reactive gas when in particular a thermochemical treatment with a reactive gas must be used, the passage of a gas to another section must be do under special conditions to be able execute the processing. It is desirable that gas reagent cannot leave the reactor in order to avoid pollute or damage the oven or airlock. Too bad, we hear any reaction that could speed up the weakening of the oven or airlock elements (ex. carburation, nitriding) or pollute these elements with a deposit that could affect the tape cleanliness required for subsequent operations. So, for example, the use of a fuel gas involves a risk of carburetor and soot cover elements mechanical or oven mittens and in particular rollers fitted to the airlock. The carbon monoxide content in the fuel gas that would escape into the oven can also require strengthening of whole line safety as well as treatment particular of all the gases used in the oven.
  • an airlock The purpose of an airlock is to create a loss of maximum charge. In general, it comes in the form of a narrowing of the reactor section. Leak rate crossing an airlock depends on many parameters such as difference in pressures across the airlock, section and passage geometry, strip format, temperature and gas composition. The only knowledge of a pressure differential and a passage section therefore only allows not to strictly control the incoming flow. Else part, the flow measurement by the usual methods is made difficult by variations in composition, temperature, pressure of the gases considered.
  • the present invention aims to provide a solution which overcomes the disadvantages of the state of the art.
  • the invention aims to propose a solution that allows to realize under conditions controllable thermochemical treatment in a section reactive of a continuous annealing line, for a co-current, counter-current or mixed current.
  • the invention aims to propose a solution which makes it possible to carry out such a treatment without the reactive atmosphere leaving the reactor while controlling and minimizing the gas flow of the sections adjacent entering the reactive section and interfering with the reaction.
  • the invention also aims to provide a solution to safeguard integrity installation physics over time and the finish of surface of the steel strip under severe conditions, in temperature, to which the continuous annealing lines.
  • the present invention relates to a process for thermochemical on-line treatment of a metal strip, preferably of steel, in continuous scrolling by passing through at least one section forming part of an oven installation located under at least one first gaseous atmosphere, said section being under a second atmosphere of reactive gas, being possibly such as to damage the rest of said oven or to pollute the first atmosphere.
  • Said section is separated from the rest of the oven by at least one airlock having at least one restriction, preferably an upstream section by an entry airlock and a downstream section by an exit airlock.
  • ⁇ P sas (Pa) is a minimum differential pressure of sign such that the pressure in the furnace outside the reactive section is always greater than the pressure inside said section, so that a flow rate oven gas enters said section and not vice versa.
  • the oven gas is heated entering the airlock, more preferably from 20 to 950 ° C, and the temperature of said gas is measured.
  • the surface properties and / or mechanical targets of the metal strip determine an initial value of the flow rate of the reactive gas, as well as its chemical composition, depending on the calculated value of dilution of said gas.
  • said dilution is measured by gas analysis of at least one component of non-reactive reactive gas or gas inert tracer and the gas flow is corrected accordingly reagent and / or its chemical composition in order to obtain said targeted properties.
  • said means of limitation and control include at least one airlock separating said section of the rest of the installation, preferably an airlock upstream entry and an exit airlock downstream of said section, communicating directly respectively with a previous section and a next section of the installation, said airlock making it possible to fix a section minimum passage for gas.
  • said means gas extraction are such that they are capable ensure a minimum ⁇ P across the airlock so that a flow leakage gas enters the reactive section and not Conversely.
  • said airlock includes at least one restriction, preferably roller of adjustable passage section, retractable (s) and the speed of the parts in contact with the strip is synchronized with the speed of said strip.
  • each restriction includes a double pair of offset rollers, preferably with a single roller per pair in contact with the strip, contact rollers on the strip on opposite sides and the distance of the second roll of each pair with the band being adjustable to reduce the passage section of the band.
  • the installation of the invention is designed for a co-current injection and extraction configuration, counter current or mixed current.
  • Figure 1 shows schematically a continuous line section with improvements according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • Figure 2 schematically represents a type of airlock according to a preferred embodiment of the invention.
  • FIG. 3 graphically represents a relationship according to the invention between the pressure variation at the terminals of an airlock ⁇ P airlock , the temperature of the oven gas HN 5 and the gas flow rate passing through the airlock.
  • FIG. 4 graphically represents the dilution factor measured by the nitrogen content (N 2 ) in the reactive zone from an HN 5 oven atmosphere at 600 ° C. as a function of the strip-roll distance for four values of ⁇ P airlock .
  • D (%) 100.
  • Q oven / ( Q oven + Q section ) with Q oven kS sas .
  • a section that can contain a reactive gas is generally equipped with one or more gas extraction and injection systems. At the two ends of the section, a pressure drop is created using a contact lock known in the prior art, composed of n restrictions (n ⁇ 1), preferably with rollers, of section of adjustable passage, retractable (s) for the needs of the line, the speed of the parts in contact with the strip is synchronized with the speed of the latter.
  • n restrictions n ⁇ 1
  • rollers of section of adjustable passage, retractable (s) for the needs of the line
  • a minimum passage section of the airlock S min is fixed so as not to disturb the conduct of the line and not to scratch the strip. Extraction in the reactive zone is controlled to ensure a minimum ⁇ P across the two airlocks.
  • the gas entering the airlock is heated and its temperature measured.
  • the dilution being known and controlled, a model or an abacus used to calculate the flow and the chemistry (i.e. chemical composition) of the gas reagent necessary to reach the objective in terms of tape properties.
  • the dilution is measured by gas analysis, the value obtained then being injected into said model to correct the flow rate and reactive gas chemistry in order to achieve the objective in terms of strip properties.
  • measuring the chemistry of the reactive gas at its entry and exit provides a progress report of the reaction which allows the flow rate and the chemistry of the reactive gas to reach the target in terms of tape properties.
  • a section that can contain a reactive gas 20 is equipped with one or more extraction systems 2.
  • An extraction of said reactive atmosphere is carried out at at least one point in the treatment section located near one of the two SAS in and / or SAS out ( Figure 1).
  • Injection 1 and extraction 2 can be located respectively at the exit and the entry of the strip 3 so that the movement of the strip 3 is opposed in the direction of gas flow: this configuration is called “against a current”. Injection 1 and extraction 2 can be located at the entrance and exit of the band 3 so that the movement of band 3 supports gas flow: this configuration is called “co-current”. Injection 1 can be central and extractions 2 can be located at the entrance and at the exit from strip 3 so that the movement of the band 3 opposes the flow of gas in part of the reactor and accompanies it in another: this configuration is called “mixed current”. Regardless reactor configuration, minimum dilution level must be guaranteed.
  • section S is preceded by an SAS airlock in and followed by a SAS out airlock.
  • Airlocks are made up of n restrictions (n ⁇ 1) which create a pressure drop.
  • S in and S out are brought into contact by a deflection (by-pass) of the furnace atmosphere so that the pressures in S in and S out are equivalent or close and in order to ensure the continuity of the flow of protective gas in the line.
  • said airlocks are made up two pairs of rollers 4,4 ', 5,5', in order to obtain a maximum pressure drop ( Figure 2).
  • the two pairs of rolls 4,4 ', 5,5' are offset in order to remove the curvature according to the width of the strip (effect of Fish). Only one 4 ', 5' roller per pair is in contact with strip 3, the contact of the rollers on the strip doing on opposite sides.
  • the distance from the second roller 4,5 to the band is adjustable by rotation so as not to reduce the band passage section only when it's necessary, the tape can then pass without risk attachment when heat buckles or other faults of conformation appear.
  • the speeds of the rollers 4 ', 5' in contact with the tape are synchronized with the tape speed for avoid scratches (a torque instruction is given).
  • FIG. 3 shows the influence of the gas passing through the airlock on the pressure variation at the terminals of the airlock (expressed in pascal) at different temperatures of the oven gas, in the case of an airlock with 5 restrictions of 3 x 300 mm ( HN 5 : 5% H 2 - N 2 ).
  • a strip-roll safety distance D min corresponding to an equivalent passage section S min is fixed.
  • a safety ⁇ P min at the terminals of the two airlocks is also fixed so that a minimum extraction rate always ensures gas flow from the oven to the reactive section.
  • the chemistry and the tape format are known before entering it in the reactive section so that a goal in terms of taking items or amount of deposit is fixed.
  • This dilution is treated on the basis of a model for calculating gas flow and chemistry reactive to adjust in order to reach the objective in terms of targeted properties of the band.
  • the dilution is measured by gas analysis, this value being injected into the model which allows readjust the flow rate and / or the chemistry of the reactive gas to achieve the goal.
  • gas analysis in a point AG1 representative of section S so as to calculate the level of dilution of the atmosphere 20 by the leakage rate from adjacent sections and correct the flow and / or chemistry of the reactive gas for the realization of the objective in terms of targeted band properties.
  • measuring the chemistry of the reactive gas at its entering point AG3 and leaving point AG2 allows obtain a progress of the reaction and correct the flow and / or chemistry of the reactive gas for the realization of the target in terms of band properties targeted ( Figure 1).
  • determining the number of moles of water released by the reaction allows to assess the number of moles of carbon formed on the surface of the strip.
  • section S of FIG. 1 has injections 1 of gas, located at the outlet of the strip 3 and extractors 2 located at the inlet of the strip 3, the gas being injected against the flow of the strip.
  • the successive adjacent sections S in , S, S out , etc., are separated by roller locks.
  • the gases of the S in and S out sections can advantageously be brought into contact by bypassing the S section arranged in such a way that the pressures in S in and S out are equivalent or close, as has been suggested.
  • American patent application US-A-2001/045024 where it is proposed to balance the pressures at the inlet and at the outlet of a cooling chamber with a controlled atmosphere of hydrogen by means of a pipe in by -pass.
  • the reactive section does not contain rollers.
  • Section S is preceded by a SAS in airlock and is followed by a SAS out exit airlock.
  • the gas from the oven entering the airlock is heated before entering the airlock and its temperature measured.
  • the chemistry and the format of the strip are known before the entry of it so that a target in terms of taking C elements is set to obtain the desired properties of Bake Hardening.
  • the minimum strip-roll distance D min is for example fixed at 5 millimeters, the ⁇ P min at 10 Pa.
  • a first estimate of the leakage rate is obtained using these data and equation 3 (or 4 ') .
  • the atmosphere injected into the reactor contains 33% CO, 66% H 2 and is added with 1.38% water (dew point PR: +12 ° C).
  • the atmosphere in the adjacent sections contains 5% H 2 , 0.037% water (dew point PR: -30 ° C) and the rest in nitrogen. Taking into account the dilution, a necessary flow of fuel gas which makes it possible to reach the objective is obtained using a model or an abacus as mentioned above.
  • Reagent gas chemistry measurement respectively when entering AG3 and when leaving AG3 point AG2 provides an advance of the reaction is readjust the gas flow or chemistry if necessary reagent.
  • Table 1 represents the treatment conditions carried out in a preferred mode of the invention in which the viability of the process could be demonstrated (counter-current reactor containing a highly fuel mixture, adjacent section 5% H 2 -N 2 - PR : -30 ° C crossing airlock with 5 restrictions of 0.35 x 0.005 m 2 , coefficient k close to 8.4 x 10 4 ). comparison of the measurement and calculation of the nitrogen content of the reactor for different fuel gas flow rates and differential pressures across the airlock.
EP03447128A 2002-06-14 2003-05-30 Verwaltung von Gasströmen in einer Reaktivgaszone Withdrawn EP1371738A1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
BE2002/0389A BE1014880A4 (fr) 2002-06-14 2002-06-14 Gestion des flux de gaz dans une section reactive.
BE200200389 2002-06-14

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Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AT511034A1 (de) * 2011-02-04 2012-08-15 Andritz Tech & Asset Man Gmbh Verfahren zum kontrollieren einer schutzgasatmosphäre in einer schutzgaskammer zur behandlung eines metallbandes
EP2915887A1 (de) * 2014-03-03 2015-09-09 Acciai Speciali Terni S.p.A. Vorrichtung für Metalbandbehandlung in eine Vertikal-Glühanlage

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2775825A (en) * 1954-02-01 1957-01-01 Surface Combustion Corp Apparatus for treating a strip of metal
WO1998054371A1 (fr) * 1997-05-27 1998-12-03 Centre De Recherches Metallurgiques Procede de fabrication en continu d'une bande en acier pour emboutissage presentant des proprietes de surface ameliorees
EP1069193A1 (de) * 1998-03-26 2001-01-17 Kawasaki Steel Corporation Ofen zur kontinuierlichen wärmebehandlung und verfahren zur überwachung der atmosphäre und der kühlung in diesem ofen
EP1160342A1 (de) * 2000-05-25 2001-12-05 Stein Heurtey Verfahren zum Sichern eines Gefässes für die thermische Behandlung in Schutzatmosphäre

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2775825A (en) * 1954-02-01 1957-01-01 Surface Combustion Corp Apparatus for treating a strip of metal
WO1998054371A1 (fr) * 1997-05-27 1998-12-03 Centre De Recherches Metallurgiques Procede de fabrication en continu d'une bande en acier pour emboutissage presentant des proprietes de surface ameliorees
EP1069193A1 (de) * 1998-03-26 2001-01-17 Kawasaki Steel Corporation Ofen zur kontinuierlichen wärmebehandlung und verfahren zur überwachung der atmosphäre und der kühlung in diesem ofen
EP1160342A1 (de) * 2000-05-25 2001-12-05 Stein Heurtey Verfahren zum Sichern eines Gefässes für die thermische Behandlung in Schutzatmosphäre

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
AT511034A1 (de) * 2011-02-04 2012-08-15 Andritz Tech & Asset Man Gmbh Verfahren zum kontrollieren einer schutzgasatmosphäre in einer schutzgaskammer zur behandlung eines metallbandes
AT511034B1 (de) * 2011-02-04 2013-01-15 Andritz Tech & Asset Man Gmbh Verfahren zum kontrollieren einer schutzgasatmosphäre in einer schutzgaskammer zur behandlung eines metallbandes
EP2915887A1 (de) * 2014-03-03 2015-09-09 Acciai Speciali Terni S.p.A. Vorrichtung für Metalbandbehandlung in eine Vertikal-Glühanlage

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