EP2468905A1 - Cooling section with integrated vertical belt storage - Google Patents

Abstract

Cooling section comprises a front, a middle and a rear cooling section, which are passed successively in this order of the metal strip , where the front cooling section (6) has a front cooling device (8), and the rear cooling section (10) has a rear cooling device (12) through which the metal strip is acted upon by a cooling medium while passing through the front and the rear cooling section, and the middle cooling section (16) has a vertical strip accumulator by which the metal strip is bufferable between the front and the rear cooling section. Cooling section for cooling a metal strip (3), preferably a steel strip , comprises a front, a middle and a rear cooling section, which are passed successively in this order of the metal strip , where the front cooling section (6) has a front cooling means (8), through which the metal strip is acted upon by a cooling (9) medium, while passing through the front cooling section; where the rear cooling section (10) has a rear cooling means, through which the metal strip is acted upon by the cooling medium while passing through the rear cooling section; and where the middle cooling section has a vertical strip accumulator by which the metal strip is bufferable between the front and the rear cooling section.

Description

• wobei die Kühlstrecke einen vorderen und einen hinteren Kühlstreckenabschnitt aufweist, die von dem Metallband nacheinander durchlaufen werden,
• wobei der vordere Kühlstreckenabschnitt vordere Kühleinrichtungen aufweist, mittels derer das Metallband während des Durchlaufens des vorderen Kühlstreckenabschnitts mit einem Kühlmedium beaufschlagbar ist,
• wobei der hintere Kühlstreckenabschnitt hintere Kühleinrichtungen aufweist, mittels derer das Metallband während des Durchlaufens des hinteren Kühlstreckenabschnitts mit einem Kühlmedium beaufschlagbar ist.

The present invention relates to a cooling section for cooling a metal strip, in particular a steel strip,

• wherein the cooling section has a front and a rear cooling section, which are passed through by the metal strip,
• wherein the front cooling section has front cooling means, by means of which the metal strip is acted upon during the passage of the front cooling section with a cooling medium,
• wherein the rear cooling section has rear cooling means, by means of which the metal strip during the passage of the rear cooling section can be acted upon by a cooling medium.

Such a cooling section is well known. Purely by way of example is on the EP 1 732 716 B1 and the corresponding one US 2007/198122 A1 directed.

Finished rolled metal strip products, especially steel products, must have a specific microstructure, depending on the intended use. To achieve this microstructure, it is necessary to cool the finished rolled metal strip in a cooling line to a certain reel temperature, then to wrap into a waistband and finally let it cool gradually in the waist to ambient temperature. The desired reel temperature (ie reel temperature) depends on the material and its intended use. With the choice of the reel temperature and in particular the exact course of the cooling, the material properties of the material are crucially adjusted. This applies in particular to steel grades that are finish rolled in the austenitic range and are converted in the cooling section completely or partially into a ferritic microstructure or into a ferritic mixed structure with other conversion products should. In such cases, almost exclusively the cooling process is decisive for the setting of the desired material properties.

In order to meet the requirements of the material properties for the entire product range of a rolling mill, the cooling lines are designed according to the requirements of the product with the largest required length of the cooling section for a given cooling capacity in the prior art. Nevertheless, the distance between rolling train and reel assembly must not exceed a certain maximum length. For some applications, even the shortest possible cooling path is favorable or even mandatory, both in terms of the required costs and for setting the desired metallurgical properties. On the other hand, other types of materials - in particular multiphase steels - often require a minimum length of the cooling section between the broadband line and the coiler, because such steels require a special cooling strategy that includes phases of intensive cooling and phases with reduced cooling or even without cooling. Since it depends crucially on the duration of holding such products on the period between two cooling phases, is not affected in such steels as the only influencing factor, the finishing speed directly on the length of the cooling section to be installed. With the desired high productivity and thus high discharge speeds, a correspondingly long cooling distance is consequently required.

The object of the present invention is to provide a compact cooling section, which is still flexible, especially for a wide range of products to be cooled metal bands is optimally used.

The object is achieved by a cooling section with the features of claim 1. Advantageous embodiments of the cooling section according to the invention are the subject of the dependent claims 2 to 14.

According to the invention it is provided that a cooling section of the aforementioned type additionally has a central cooling section, which is arranged between the front and the rear cooling section and has a vertical belt storage, by means of which the metal strip is buffered.

By this configuration is achieved on the one hand, that the cooling section is compact, because the possibly required for holding the metal strip without cooling length - at least partially - is shifted from the horizontal to the vertical. On the other hand, the cooling section is considerably more flexible operable as cooling sections of the prior art, because the stored in the vertical band memory tape length is readily variable.

• dass der Vertikalbandspeicher eine Anzahl von vertikal verstellbaren Rollenanordnungen aufweist,
• dass der Vertikalbandspeicher zum vorderen Kühlstreckenabschnitt hin eine Eingangsrollenanordnung aufweist, die mindestens eine obere und mindestens eine untere Rolle aufweist,
• dass die Rollen der Eingangsrollenanordnung derart angeordnet sind, dass das Metallband im Bereich der Eingangsrollenanordnung mittels der Rollen der Eingangsrollenanordnung in Vertikalrichtung fixiert ist,
• dass der Vertikalbandspeicher zum hinteren Kühlstreckenabschnitt hin eine Ausgangsrollenanordnung aufweist, die mindestens eine obere und mindestens eine untere Rolle aufweist, und
• dass die Rollen der Ausgangsrollenanordnung derart angeordnet sind, dass das Metallband im Bereich der Ausgangsrollenanordnung mittels der Rollen der Ausgangsrollenanordnung in Vertikalrichtung fixiert ist.

In a preferred embodiment of the cooling section is provided

• in that the vertical band store has a number of vertically adjustable roll arrangements,
• in that the vertical band store has, for the front cooling section section, an input roller arrangement which has at least one upper and at least one lower roller,
• that the rollers of the input roller assembly are arranged such that the metal strip is fixed in the region of the input roller assembly by means of the rollers of the input roller assembly in the vertical direction,
• in that the vertical band store has an output roller arrangement toward the rear cooling section that has at least one upper and at least one lower roller, and
• that the rollers of the output roller assembly are arranged such that the metal strip is fixed in the region of the output roller assembly by means of the rollers of the output roller assembly in the vertical direction.

It is possible that at least one of the rollers of the input roller arrangement and at least one of the rollers of the output roller arrangement - in particular vertically - are adjustable. Alternatively, it is possible that the rollers of the input roller assembly and the rollers of the output roller assembly are fixedly arranged.

In a minimal configuration of the vertical belt storage, which is sufficient in many cases, the number of vertically adjustable roller arrangements is exactly equal to 1. Alternatively, it is possible that the number of vertically adjustable roller arrangements is greater than one. In this case, between each two adjacent vertically adjustable roller assemblies depending on a further metal band in the vertical direction fixing roller assembly is arranged.

In the case of a plurality of vertically adjustable roller arrangements of the vertical belt storage operates particularly reliable when the other roller assemblies each have at least one upper and at least one lower roller, which are arranged such that the metal strip in the region of the respective other roller assembly by means of the rollers of the respective further roller assembly in Vertical direction is fixed.

It is possible that at least one of the vertically adjustable roller assemblies has a single lifting roller. The diameter of this single lifting roller is preferably larger than the diameter of transport rollers of the front and / or the rear cooling section. For example, the transport rollers may have a diameter of about 200 mm to about 350 mm, while the lifting roller has a diameter of about 800 mm to about 1200 mm or even more.

In the case of a single lifting roller with a larger diameter in the retracted state of the corresponding vertically adjustable roller assembly, the distance of the lifting roller to the adjacent rollers is greater than the distance from the transport roller to the transport roller. To safely guide the metal band To ensure the lifting roller and from the lifting roller to the next roller, it is preferably provided that the vertical band storage at the level of the lower rollers of the adjacent roller assemblies on both sides of the lifting roller positionable transfer elements, by means of which the metal strip in the event that a crest line of the lifting roller to the height a crest line of the lower rollers of the adjacent roller assemblies is lowered, is guided by the lower roller of the upstream roller assembly to the lifting roller and the lifting roller to the lower roller of the downstream roller assembly.

In an alternative embodiment, it is provided that at least one of the vertically adjustable roller assemblies having at least three lifting rollers and that the lifting rollers are arranged or arranged relative to each other such that the metal strip contacted all lifting rollers of the respective vertically adjustable roller assembly and due to the contact with the lifting rollers of the respective vertically adjustable roller assembly wraps the corresponding vertically adjustable roller assembly with an effective bending diameter, which is greater than the distance between the two outermost lifting rollers of the respective vertically adjustable roller assembly from each other.

In the case of the latter embodiment, it is possible that the lifting rollers of the corresponding vertically adjustable roller assembly are individually vertically adjustable. Alternatively, it is possible for the lifting rollers of the corresponding vertically adjustable roller arrangement to be grouped into a plurality of lifting roller segments and for at least one of the lifting roller segments to comprise a plurality of lifting rollers. In this case, the lifting rollers can be vertically adjustable in segments. Also, a fixed arrangement with fixed predetermined effective bending diameter is possible.

In a preferred embodiment of the cooling section is further provided that the front cooling devices - related on the front cooling section - at least one input side and at least one output side cooling device comprise and that at least one of the output side cooling means is designed for a greater cooling capacity than the input side cooling means. Likewise, another preferred embodiment of the cooling section is that the rear cooling devices - based on the rear cooling section - at least one input side and at least one output side cooling device comprise and that at least one of the input side cooling devices is designed for greater cooling capacity than the output side cooling devices.

It is possible that cooling devices are also arranged in the region of the vertical belt accumulator, by means of which the metal belt can be acted upon by a cooling medium during the passage of the vertical belt accumulator. The application of the cooling medium can be particularly useful when the vertically adjustable roller assemblies are retracted, so are at the height of the transport rollers of the front and the rear cooling section. In many cases, however, no such cooling devices are arranged in the region of the vertical band memory.

• dass eingangsseitig und ausgangsseitig des Vertikalbandspeichers Temperaturmesseinrichtungen angeordnet sind, mittels derer die Temperatur des Metallbandes eingangsseitig und ausgangsseitig des Vertikalbandspeichers erfasst wird,
• dass die Temperaturmesseinrichtungen entsprechende Temperaturmessungen an eine Steuereinrichtung für den Vertikalbandspeicher übermitteln,
• dass die Steuereinrichtung unter Verwendung der übermittelten Temperaturmessungen und einer Bandgeschwindigkeit des in die Kühlstrecke einlaufenden Metallbandes eine im Vertikalbandspeicher zu puffernde Sollbandlänge und anhand der ermittelten Sollbandlänge einen Stellbefehl für eine Verstelleinrichtung zum Verstellen des Vertikalbandspeichers ermittelt und
• dass die Steuereinrichtung den von ihr ermittelten Stellbefehl an die Verstelleinrichtung übermittelt.

In a further preferred embodiment of the cooling section according to the invention is provided

• temperature measuring devices are arranged on the input side and output side of the vertical band memory, by means of which the temperature of the metal strip is detected on the input side and output side of the vertical band memory,
• the temperature measuring devices transmit corresponding temperature measurements to a control device for the vertical strip memory,
• in that the control device uses the transmitted temperature measurements and a belt speed of the metal strip entering into the cooling section to form a reference strip length to be buffered in the vertical band store and based on the determined set band length determines a control command for an adjustment for adjusting the vertical band memory and
• the control device transmits the control command determined by it to the adjusting device.

This embodiment is particularly useful if no cooling devices are arranged in the region of the vertical band memory. However, a combination with this feature is not mandatory.

If the temperature measuring devices are present, a cooling medium removal device is preferably arranged on the input side of the vertical band storage in front of the local temperature measuring device.

FIG 1

schematisch einen Teil einer Warmbandstraße,

FIG 2 und 3

mögliche Ausgestaltungen einer Kühlstrecke,

FIG 4 bis 7

mögliche Ausgestaltungen von vertikal verstellbaren Rollenanordnungen,

FIG 8

eine weitere Ausgestaltung einer Kühlstrecke und

FIG 9

schematisch ein Ablaufdiagramm.

Further advantages and details will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments in conjunction with the drawings. In a schematic representation:

FIG. 1

schematically a part of a hot strip mill,

FIGS. 2 and 3

possible embodiments of a cooling section,

4 to 7

possible embodiments of vertically adjustable roller arrangements,

FIG. 8

a further embodiment of a cooling section and

FIG. 9

schematically a flowchart.

According to FIG. 1 a cooling section 1 is arranged downstream of the (possibly last) rolling stand 2 of a (usually multi-stand) finishing train. In the finishing train, a metal strip 3 - often a steel strip, in some cases a copper or aluminum strip, in some cases another metal strip - is hot rolled to a final dimension. The metal strip 3 exits the (last) rolling stand 2 of the finishing train at a belt speed v. It has a final rolling temperature T1 at this time. The final rolling temperature T1 is usually detected by means of a corresponding temperature measuring device 4 and a control device 5 supplied, which - at least among other things - the cooling path 1 controls. Often, the thickness with which the metal strip 3 runs out of the (last) rolling stand 2 is detected metrologically and fed to the control device 5. The same often applies to the belt speed v.

The cooling section 1 has according to FIG. 1 a front cooling section 6 on. The front cooling section 6 has transport rollers 7, by means of which the metal strip 3 is conveyed through the front cooling section 6. The transport rollers 7 are at least partially driven. The transport rollers 7 have a diameter d, which is usually between 200 mm and 350 mm. In some cases, larger diameters d up to 500 mm are possible. The transport rollers 7 support the metal strip 3 from below.

The front cooling section 6 further comprises a number of cooling devices 8, for example so-called spray bars. The cooling means 8 of the front cooling section 6 are hereinafter referred to as front cooling means 8 to designate their affiliation with the front cooling section 6. By means of the front cooling devices 8, the metal strip 3 is acted upon during the passage of the front cooling section 6 with a liquid cooling medium 9. The cooling medium 9 is usually water with or without additives. A distance between the rolling mill 2 nearest the front cooling device 8 to the roll stand 2 is usually between 5 m and 20 m, often between 8 m and 12 m.

As shown by FIG. 1 (And the remaining FIG), the front cooling means 8 are arranged exclusively above the metal strip 3. Such a configuration of the front cooling section 6 is possible, but not mandatory. Often, 3 corresponding cooling devices are arranged below the metal strip. However, this is not shown in the FIG, since it is within the scope of the present Invention does not matter if the metal strip 3 is cooled only from above, only from below or from both sides (ie from above and from below).

The cooling section 1 has according to FIG. 1 furthermore a rear cooling section 10. The rear cooling section 10 has transport rollers 11, by means of which the metal strip 3 is conveyed through the rear cooling section 10. The transport rollers 11 are at least partially driven. They may be formed analogously to the transport rollers 7 of the front cooling section 6.

The rear cooling section 10 further comprises a number of cooling devices 12, analogous to the front cooling section 6. The cooling devices 12 are subsequently referred to as belonging to the rear cooling section 10, referred to as rear cooling devices 12. The rear cooling devices 12 may be formed analogously to the front cooling devices 8.

The metal strip 3 exits the rear cooling section 10 at a reel temperature T2. The reel temperature T2 is usually detected by means of a corresponding temperature measuring device 13 and fed to the control device 5.

The cooling section 1 (or the rear cooling section 10) is arranged downstream of a reel assembly 14. The reel assembly 14 has at least one reel 15. By means of the reel assembly 14, the expiring from the cooling section 1 metal strip 3 is wound into a coil (coil).

Between the front and the rear cooling section 6, 10, the cooling section 1 further comprises a central cooling section 16 on. The middle cooling section 16 has according to FIG. 1 a vertical band memory 17. By means of the vertical band memory 17, the metal strip 3 - so far it is located in the vertical band memory 17 - bufferable.

Preferably, only the central cooling section 16 has a vertical belt storage 17. The front and the rear cooling section 6, 10 preferably have no vertical band storage.

The metal strip 3 is subjected to no cross-sectional changes in the entire cooling section 1. In general, only the cooling with the cooling medium 9 takes place. Further influencing of the metal strip 3, such as pickling or otherwise descaling, does not take place in the cooling section 1. In particular, the metal strip 3, with the exception of the thermal shrinkage, thus runs out of the rear cooling section 10 with the same dimensions (width and thickness) with which it has entered the front cooling section 6.

According to the FIGS. 2 and 3 - see also partially FIG. 1 - The vertical belt storage 17, a number of roller assemblies 18 which are vertically adjustable. The vertical adjustability is in the 1 to 3 indicated by a corresponding double arrow A. In a retracted position are the vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 at the level of the transport rollers 7, 11. More specifically, the apex lines of lifting rollers 19 of the vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 are in the retracted position at the same height as the apex lines of the transport rollers 7, eleventh When the vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 are retracted, the effective length of the cooling section 1 is therefore determined by its geometric length (ie the distance of the first front cooling device 8 from the last rear cooling device 12).

For the sake of good order, it should be pointed out that the term "lifting roller" selected above is only used to distinguish between the lifting rollers 19 and the transport rollers 7, 11 should serve. The term is intended to indicate that the lifting rollers 19 are those rollers which are moved in the vertical direction and over which the metal strip 3 runs in the form of loops. A more important meaning does not apply to this choice of words.

When the vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 are extended, however - this condition is in the FIG. 1 . 2 and 3 shown -, the effective length of the cooling section 1 is determined by their geometric length plus the tape length stored in the vertical band memory 17. The stored in the vertical band storage 17 tape length substantially corresponds to the product of the number of vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 and twice the lifting height (if this is the same for all vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18, because this example, on a common cross member 18 '- see FIG. 3 - are arranged).

The number of vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 may be determined as needed. Minimal is according to FIG. 2 a single vertically adjustable roller assembly 18 is present. Alternatively, the number of vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 may be greater than one. For example, as shown in FIG FIG. 3 three such roller assemblies 18 may be present. In the case of a plurality of vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 is between each two adjacent vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 as shown by FIG. 3 each arranged a further roller assembly 20, by means of which the metal strip 3 is fixed in the vertical direction.

Regardless of the number of vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18, the buffering capacity of the vertical belt storage 17 may be determined as needed. Preferably, a band length of at least 20 m can be buffered in the vertical band memory 17. In particular, in one or two vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 - in principle, but also in more than two vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 - this is connected to a height adjustment of the vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 by at least 8 m.

The vertical band memory 17 has according to the 1 to 3 towards the front cooling section 6 towards an input roller assembly 21. The input roller assembly 21 has at least one upper and at least one lower roller 22, 23. The metal strip 3 passes between the two rollers 22, 23 therethrough. The rollers 22, 23 of the input roller assembly 21 are arranged such that the metal band 3 is fixed in the region of the input roller assembly 21 in the vertical direction.

It is possible that both rollers 22, 23 of the input roller assembly are fixedly arranged. Alternatively, it is possible that at least one of the rollers 22, 23 - in particular vertically - is adjustable. Preferably this is possibly the upper roller 22. The adjustability is - representative of all embodiments - in FIG. 5 indicated by a double arrow B. By adjusting the rollers 22, 23 can be adjusted in particular whether the metal strip 3 is clamped in the region of the input roller assembly 21 for tension adjustment or not, the input roller assembly 21 thus acts as a driver or not. An adjustment range is usually up to 200 mm, in some cases up to 400 mm, but at most 10% of the stroke range of the vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18th

Likewise, the vertical band memory 17 according to the 1 to 3 towards the rear cooling section 10 toward a output roller assembly 24. The output roller assembly 24 has at least one upper and at least one lower roller 25, 26. The metal strip 3 passes between the two rollers 25, 26 therethrough. The rollers 25, 26 of the output roller assembly are arranged such that the metal band 3 is fixed in the region of the output roller assembly 24 in the vertical direction. The rollers 25, 26 of the output roller assembly may - analogously to the rollers 22, 23 of the input roller assembly 21 and for the same reasons - be alternatively adjustable or fixed be. The adjustability is - again representative of all configurations - in FIG. 5 indicated by a double arrow C.

If the further roller arrangements 20 are present, each further roller arrangement 20 also has at least one upper and one lower roller 27, 28. According to FIG. 3 There are even two such pairs of rollers. The metal strip 3 in this case passes between the respective rollers 27, 28 of the respective roller pairs. The rollers 27, 28 of the further roller assemblies 20 are also arranged such that the metal strip 3 is fixed in the region of the respective further roller assembly 20 in the vertical direction. Analogous to the rollers 22, 23, 25, 26 of the input roller assembly 21 and the output roller assembly 24 and the rollers 27, 28 of the other roller assemblies 20 may alternatively be arranged adjustable or fixed.

The lower rollers 23, 26, 28 of the roller assemblies 21, 24, 20 correspond to the approach transport rollers. They can be powered. The upper rollers 22, 25, 27 of the roller assemblies 21, 24, 20 may also be driven. Alternatively, the upper and / or lower rollers 22, 23, 25, 26, 27, 28 - at least partially - be designed without drive.

The individual vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 are in the FIGS. 2 and 3 shown with two lifting rollers 19. This embodiment is possible, but not preferred. Preferred embodiments of the vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 are explained below.

Thus, according to the representation of 4 and 5 at least one of the vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 have a single lifting roller 19. In this case, a diameter D of the lifting roller 19 is preferably larger than the diameter d of the transport rollers 7, 11. Preferably, the diameter D of the lifting roller 19 is at least 500 mm. For example the diameter D of the lifting roller 19 can be between 800 mm and 1200 mm or even up to 2000 mm. The design criterion for the diameter D of the lifting roller 19 are the metal strips 3 to be cooled and their strip thicknesses. The diameter D of the lifting roller 19 should be at least 25 times - more preferably 50 times to 150 times, in particular 60 times to 100 times - the maximum strip thickness. For example, 65x, 70x, 75x or 80x is possible.

In the case of such an embodiment of the corresponding roller assembly 18, the vertical belt storage 17 at the level of the lower rollers 23, 26, 28 of the adjacent roller assemblies 21, 24, 20 preferably transfer elements 29. The transfer elements 29 are shown schematically in FIG FIG. 5 shown. The transfer elements 29 are positionable. In the event that the corresponding vertically adjustable roller assembly 18 is raised, the transfer elements 29 are offset from the metal strip 3. This is in FIG. 5 indicated by corresponding arrows E. In the event that the corresponding vertically adjustable roller assembly 18 is lowered, the apex line of the lifting roller 19 is thus at the level of the apex line of the transport rollers 7, 11, the transfer elements 29 are employed on the metal strip 3. In this position, the transfer elements 29 are in FIG. 5 located. When lowered lifting roller 19, the metal strip 3 is guided by means of the lifting roller 19 upstream transfer element 29 of the lower roller 23, 28 of the upstream roller assembly 21, 20 to the lifting roller 19. In an analogous manner, the metal strip 3 is guided by means of the lifting roller 19 downstream transfer element 29 from the lifting roller 19 to the lower roller 26, 28 of the downstream roller assembly 24, 20.

It is also possible that at least one of the vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 according to the FIG. 6 and 7 has at least three lifting rollers 19. For example, shows FIG. 6 an embodiment with exactly three individual lifting rollers 19th FIG. 7 shows an embodiment with five Hubrollensegmenten 30, each carrying two lifting rollers 19. Other configurations are possible, for example, four individual lifting rollers 19, two Hubrollensegmente 30 with two lifting rollers 19, three Hubrollensegmente 30 with two lifting rollers 19, etc. In the case of several lifting rollers 19, the lifting rollers 19 smaller diameter d 'than the only lifting roller 19 of the embodiment of the 4 and 5 , In particular, the diameter d 'of the lifting rollers 19 in the embodiments of FIG. 6 and 7 be equal to the diameter d of the transport rollers 7, 11.

The lifting rollers 19 are in the embodiments of FIG. 6 and 7 preferably not only relative to the transport rollers 7, 11, but also adjustable in height relative to each other. The adjustability is given in this case individually or in segments. In the case of segmental adjustment, the individual Hubrollensegmente 30 are preferably mounted pivotably about a respective pivot point. Alternatively, the lifting rollers 19 of the respective vertically adjustable roller arrangement can be fixed relative to one another.

The height adjustment of the lifting rollers 19 of the respective vertically adjustable roller assembly 18 is in the embodiments of FIG. 6 and 7 so coordinated that the metal strip 3 contacted in the extended state of the corresponding roller assembly 18 all lifting rollers 19 of the corresponding roller assembly 18 and due to the contact with the lifting rollers 19 of the corresponding roller assembly 18, the corresponding roller assembly 18 wraps around with an effective bending diameter D '. The bending diameter D 'is greater than the distance a of the two outermost lifting rollers 19 of the corresponding roller assembly 18 - this measured from the center of the roll to the middle of the roll. The bending diameter D 'is approximately equal to said distance a plus the diameter d' of the lifting rollers 19. For the dimensioning of the bending diameter D 'the same design criteria apply as for the diameter D of the single lifting roller 19 of 4 and 5 , Incidentally, analogous embodiments - where appropriate, based on a quarter circle instead of a semicircle - also for the upper rollers 22, 25, 27 of the input roller assembly 21, the output roller assembly 24 and the other roller assemblies 20 possible. In particular, the corresponding upper rollers 22, 25, 27 may be arranged, for example, in a so-called roller basket.

The above-described possible embodiments of the vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 have been described in connection with the 4 to 7 with respect to a single such roller assembly 18 explained. Of course, several such roller assemblies 18 may be present. If several corresponding roller assemblies 18 are present, the roller assemblies 18 are generally all the same. In principle, however, it is possible to design each vertically adjustable roller assembly 18 independently, so for example in three vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 each one according to the embodiment of 4 and 5 , of the FIG. 6 and the FIG. 7 , An independent embodiment may be particularly useful if the vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18 are independently adjustable.

FIG. 8 shows two further advantageous embodiments of the cooling section according to the invention 1. These embodiments are as needed with each other and with the embodiments of FIGS. 2 to 7 combined. Also, the design of FIG. 8 explained in conjunction with a single vertically adjustable roller assembly 18. However, it is also applicable to a vertical belt storage 17 having a plurality of vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18.

According to FIG. 8 The front cooling devices 8 comprise at least one input-side cooling device 31 and at least one output-side cooling device 32. The terms "input-side" and "output-side" are related in this context to the front cooling section 6. The input-side cooling means 31 are designed for a specific cooling capacity, with which they can act on the metal strip 3 maximum. In an analogous way are the output side Cooling devices 32 designed for a certain maximum cooling capacity, with which they can act on the metal strip 3. However, the cooling capacity of the output-side cooling devices 32 is greater than the cooling capacity of the input-side cooling devices 31. This is in FIG. 8 indicated that the output side cooling means 32 of the front cooling section 6 are shown larger than the input side cooling means 31 of the front cooling section 6th

Analogously, the rear cooling devices 12 comprise at least one input-side cooling device 33 and at least one output-side cooling device 34. In this context, the terms "input side" and "output side" refer to the rear cooling section 10. Analogous to the front cooling section 6 and the input side and output side cooling means 33, 34 are designed for a respective cooling capacity, with which they can act on the metal strip 3 maximum. With respect to the rear cooling means 12, however, in contrast to the front cooling section 6, the input side cooling means 33 are designed for a larger cooling capacity than the output side cooling means 34. This is in FIG. 8 indicated that the input side cooling devices 33 are shown larger than the output side cooling devices 34th

In the region of the vertical band memory 17, cooling devices can also be arranged-purely theoretically-by means of which the metal strip 3 can be acted upon by a cooling medium 9 during the passage of the vertical band memory 17. In this case, these cooling devices are switched off when the metal strip 3 is buffered in the vertical band memory 17, the vertical band memory 17 is thus actively operated (with a non-zero stored band length). Preferably, according to the illustration of FIG. 1 However, no cooling devices arranged in the region of the vertical band memory 17.

Furthermore, according to FIG. 1 preferably on the input side and output side of the vertical band memory 17 temperature measuring devices 35, 36 are arranged. By means of the temperature measuring devices 35, 36, the temperature of the metal strip 3 on the input side of the vertical band memory 17 (input temperature T3) and the output side of the vertical band memory 17 (output temperature T4) is detected. The temperature measuring devices 35, 36 transmit the corresponding temperature measurements to the control device 5.

The control device 5 determined - see schematically the FIG. 1 and 9 - Setting commands S _n (n = 1 ... j) for the individual controllable elements 8, 12, 37 of the cooling section 1. In particular, the control device 5 determines the corresponding control commands S ₁ ... S _i-1 for the front cooling devices 8 and the corresponding control commands S _{i + 1} ... S _j for the rear cooling means 12. Further, it determines a control command S _i 17 for the vertical tape storage, the control device 5 determines in particular the control command S _i for the vertical band memory 17 by using the temperature measurement transmitted, so the inlet temperature T3 and the outlet temperature T4. Furthermore, it also takes into account other variables, such as the desired end properties of the metal strip 3 and the belt speed v. The control device 5 also takes into account whether and, if so, which of the cooling devices 8, 12 are active directly in front of and behind the vertical belt storage 17. The control device 5 preferably first determines a target strip length to be buffered in the vertical strip store 17 on the basis of the variables mentioned. Based on the determined target band length, the control device 5 determines the required lifting height of the vertically adjustable roller assemblies 18. Based on the lifting height, the control device 5 determines the control command S _i for an adjusting device 37 for adjusting the vertical belt memory 17. The control device 5 transmits the determined control commands S _n (n ₌ 1 ... j) to the corresponding devices 8, 37, 12, so in particular the control command S _i to the adjustment 37. The adjusting device 37 adjusts the vertical belt storage 17 accordingly.

The above-explained procedure is of course carried clocked, for example, with a clock of about 200 ms.

So that the temperature measurement on the input side of the vertical band memory 17 is particularly reliable, a cooling medium removal device 38, for example a blower, is preferably arranged on the input side of the vertical band memory 17 in front of the local temperature measuring device 35. This is - representative of all configurations - in FIG. 5 shown.

The present invention has many advantages. In particular, the cooling section 1 is compact and can be operated flexibly. Because of the vertical band memory 17, it is possible to vary the - in contrast to the prior art vertical - holding zone for the metal strip 3 as needed. The geometric length of the cooling section 1 can therefore be determined according to the cooling requirements, without having to consider a desired holding period in the design. Furthermore, it is possible existing cooling sections - ie cooling sections, although the front and the rear cooling section 6, 10 have, in between but no vertical band storage - retrofit according to the invention. The cooling section 1 according to the invention can be used or retrofitted in particular in cast roll composite systems, for example Dünnbrammengießwalzverbundanlagen.

The above description is only for explanation of the present invention. The scope of the present invention, however, is intended to be determined solely by the appended claims.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

cooling section

2

rolling mill

3

metal band

4, 13, 35, 36

Temperature measurement devices

5

control device

6, 10, 16

Cooling sections

7, 11

transport wheels

8, 12, 31 - 34

cooling equipment

9

cooling medium

14

reel stand

15

reel

17

Vertical tape storage

18, 20, 21, 24

roller assemblies

18 '

traverse

19

lifting rollers

22, 25, 27

upper rollers

23, 26, 28

lower rollers

29

Überleitelemente

30

Hubrollensegmente

37

adjustment

38

Coolant removal means

a

distance

A, B, C

double arrows

d, d 'D, D'

diameter

e

arrows

S _n

commands

T1 - T4

temperatures

v

tape speed

Claims (14)

Cooling section for cooling a metal strip (3), in particular a steel strip (3), - wherein the cooling section has a front, a middle and a rear cooling section (6, 16, 10), which are traversed by the metal strip (3) in this order, - wherein the front cooling section (6) front cooling means (8), by means of which the metal strip (3) during the passage of the front cooling section (6) is acted upon with a cooling medium (9), - Wherein the rear cooling section (10) rear cooling means (12), by means of which the metal strip (3) during the passage of the rear cooling section (10) is acted upon with a cooling medium (9), - Wherein the central cooling section (16) has a vertical band memory (17), by means of which the metal strip (3) is buffer-buffered. Cooling section according to claim 1,
characterized, in that the vertical band store (17) has a number of vertically adjustable roller arrangements (18), in that the vertical band store (17) has an input roller arrangement (21) towards the front cooling section (6), which has at least one upper and at least one lower roller (22, 23), - That the rollers (22, 23) of the input roller assembly (21) are arranged such that the metal strip (3) in the region of the input roller assembly (21) by means of the rollers (22, 23) of the input roller assembly (21) is fixed in the vertical direction, - That the vertical band storage (17) to the rear cooling section (10) towards an output roller assembly (24) having at least one upper and at least one lower roller (25, 26), and - That the rollers (25, 26) of the output roller assembly (24) are arranged such that the metal strip (3) in the region of the output roller assembly (24) by means of the rollers (25, 26) of the output roller assembly (24) is fixed in the vertical direction. Cooling section according to claim 2,
characterized,
in that at least one of the rollers (22, 23) of the input roller arrangement (21) and at least one of the rollers (25, 26) of the output roller arrangement (24) are adjustable, in particular vertically, or that the rollers (22, 23) of the input roller arrangement (21) and the rollers (25, 26) of the output roller assembly (24) are fixedly arranged. Cooling section according to claim 2 or 3,
characterized,
in that the number of vertically adjustable roller arrangements (18) is greater than 1 and that between each two adjacent vertically adjustable roller arrangements (18) a respective further the metal band (3) in the vertical direction fixing roller assembly (20) is arranged. Cooling section according to claim 4,
characterized,
in that the further roller arrangements (20) each have at least one upper and at least one lower roller (27, 28) which are arranged such that the metal band (3) in the region of the respective further roller arrangement (20) by means of the rollers (27, 28 ) of the respective further roller arrangement (20) is fixed in the vertical direction. Cooling section according to one of claims 2 to 5,
characterized,
in that at least one of the vertically adjustable roller arrangements (18) has a single lifting roller (19). Cooling section according to claim 6,
characterized ,
that the diameter (D) of the single lifting roller (19) is greater than the diameter (d) of transport rollers (7, 11) of the front and / or the rear cooling section (6, 10) and that the vertical belt store (17) is level with the has lower rollers (23, 26, 28) of the adjacent roller assemblies (21, 24, 20) on both sides of the lifting roller (19) positionable transfer elements (29) by means of which the metal strip (3) in the event that a crest line of the lifting roller (19 ) is lowered to the level of a crest line of the lower rollers (23, 26, 28) of the adjacent roller assemblies (21, 24, 20), from the lower roller (23, 28) of the upstream roller assembly (21, 20) to the lift roller (19 ) and from the lifting roller (19) to the lower roller (26, 28) of the downstream roller assembly (24, 20) is guided. Cooling section according to one of claims 2 to 7,
characterized ,
in that at least one of the vertically adjustable roller arrangements (18) has at least three lifting rollers (19) and that the lifting rollers (19) are arranged or arrangeable relative to one another such that the metal band (3) covers all lifting rollers (19) of the respective vertically adjustable roller arrangement (18 ) and due to contact with the lifting rollers (19) of the respective vertically adjustable roller assembly (18) wraps around the corresponding vertically adjustable roller assembly (18) with an effective bend diameter (D) greater than the distance (a) of the two outermost lift rollers (18). 19) of the respective vertically adjustable roller assembly (18) from each other. Cooling section according to claim 8,
characterized ,
in that the lifting rollers (19) of the corresponding vertically adjustable roller arrangement (18) are grouped into a plurality of lifting roller segments (30) and that at least one of the lifting roller segments (30) comprises a plurality of the lifting rollers (19). Cooling section according to one of the above claims,
characterized,
that the front cooling means (8) - in relation to the front cooling section portion (6) - at least one input side and at least one output-side cooling device (31, 32) comprise and that at least one of the output-side cooling means (32) is designed for a greater cooling power than the input-side Cooling devices (31). Cooling section according to one of the above claims,
characterized,
in that the rear cooling devices (12) comprise at least one input-side and at least one output-side cooling device (33, 34) relative to the rear cooling section (10) and that at least one of the input-side cooling devices (33) is designed for greater cooling output than the output side Cooling devices (34). Cooling section according to one of the above claims,
characterized,
in that no cooling devices are arranged in the region of the vertical belt accumulator (17) by means of which the metal belt (3) can be acted on by a cooling medium (9) during the passage of the vertical belt accumulator (17). Cooling section according to claim 12,
characterized, in that temperature measuring devices (35, 36) are arranged on the input side and output side of the vertical band memory (17) by means of which the temperature (T3, T4) of the metal strip (3) is detected on the input side and output side of the vertical band memory (17), - That the temperature measuring means (35, 36) transmit corresponding temperature measurements to a control device (5) for the vertical band memory (17), - That the control device (5) using the transmitted temperature measurements and a belt speed (v) of the incoming into the cooling metal strip (3) in the vertical band memory (17) to be buffered target band length and based on the determined target band length a control command (S _i ) for an adjustment (37) for adjusting the vertical band memory (17) determined and - That the control device (5) transmits the control command determined by it (S _i ) to the adjusting device (37). Cooling section according to claim 13,
characterized,
in that a cooling medium removal device (38) is arranged on the input side of the vertical band store (17) in front of the local temperature measuring device (35).

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