EP2595766A1 - Continuous casting and rolling method and line to make long rolled metal products - Google Patents

Continuous casting and rolling method and line to make long rolled metal products

Info

Publication number
EP2595766A1
EP2595766A1 EP11760547.7A EP11760547A EP2595766A1 EP 2595766 A1 EP2595766 A1 EP 2595766A1 EP 11760547 A EP11760547 A EP 11760547A EP 2595766 A1 EP2595766 A1 EP 2595766A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
rolling
reduction
continuous casting
casting
rolling train
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.)
Granted
Application number
EP11760547.7A
Other languages
German (de)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP2595766B1 (en
Inventor
Gianpietro Benedetti
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.)
Danieli and C Officine Meccaniche SpA
Original Assignee
Danieli and C Officine Meccaniche SpA
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 Danieli and C Officine Meccaniche SpA filed Critical Danieli and C Officine Meccaniche SpA
Publication of EP2595766A1 publication Critical patent/EP2595766A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP2595766B1 publication Critical patent/EP2595766B1/en
Not-in-force legal-status Critical Current
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
    • B21B1/00—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations
    • B21B1/46—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations for rolling metal immediately subsequent to continuous casting
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
    • B21B13/00—Metal-rolling stands, i.e. an assembly composed of a stand frame, rolls, and accessories
    • B21B13/22—Metal-rolling stands, i.e. an assembly composed of a stand frame, rolls, and accessories for rolling metal immediately subsequent to continuous casting, i.e. in-line rolling of steel
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
    • B21B1/00—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations
    • B21B1/08—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations for rolling structural sections, i.e. work of special cross-section, e.g. angle steel
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
    • B21B1/00—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations
    • B21B1/08—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations for rolling structural sections, i.e. work of special cross-section, e.g. angle steel
    • B21B1/0805—Flat bars, i.e. having a substantially rectangular cross-section
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
    • B21B1/00—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations
    • B21B1/46—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations for rolling metal immediately subsequent to continuous casting
    • B21B1/463—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations for rolling metal immediately subsequent to continuous casting in a continuous process, i.e. the cast not being cut before rolling
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
    • B21B1/00—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations
    • B21B1/46—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations for rolling metal immediately subsequent to continuous casting
    • B21B1/466—Metal-rolling methods or mills for making semi-finished products of solid or profiled cross-section; Sequence of operations in milling trains; Layout of rolling-mill plant, e.g. grouping of stands; Succession of passes or of sectional pass alternations for rolling metal immediately subsequent to continuous casting in a non-continuous process, i.e. the cast being cut before rolling
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B21—MECHANICAL METAL-WORKING WITHOUT ESSENTIALLY REMOVING MATERIAL; PUNCHING METAL
    • B21B—ROLLING OF METAL
    • B21B45/00—Devices for surface or other treatment of work, specially combined with or arranged in, or specially adapted for use in connection with, metal-rolling mills
    • B21B45/004—Heating the product

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns a continuous casting and rolling method and plant, or line, in endless or semi-endless mode, to make high productivity long rolled metal products such as bars, rod, girders, rails or shapes in general.
  • Plants known in the state of the art for the production of long rolled products provide a casting machine and a rolling train, which is disposed in line and downstream of the casting machine. It is also known that in solutions in which the casting axis defined by the casting machine and the rolling axis defined by the rolling train coincide, the plant can be configured and used in endless mode (that is, without a break in continuity), or in semi-endless mode (that is, starting from segments of the cast product sheared to size).
  • One purpose of the present invention is to make a high productivity casting and continuous rolling in line process which can work both in endless and semi- endless mode, and to perfect a relative production plant which allows to manage the stoppages of the rolling train, substantially without interrupting the casting and therefore without loss in production and without penalizing the steelworks upstream.
  • Another purpose of the invention is to reduce to a minimum or eliminate waste material in emergency situations or during the programmed stoppages and in any case to completely recover the product which in such situations is temporarily accumulated in an intermediate point along the production line.
  • a further purpose of the invention is to exploit to the full the enthalpy of the original liquid steel along the whole production line so as to obtain a considerable saving in energy and a reduction in working costs compared to conventional processes.
  • the Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.
  • a casting and rolling plant for the production of long rolled products comprises a single continuous casting machine and a rolling train disposed downstream and in line with the casting machine.
  • a hypothetical casting axis of the casting machine substantially coincides with a hypothetical rolling axis of the rolled products, so that this configuration is suitable to obtain a continuous process of the endless type; in any case it is always possible to also make a continuous process of the semi-endless type.
  • the casting machine has a crystallizer suitable to cast liquid steel at high speed and high productivity (for example, but only indicatively, from 35 to 200 ton/h).
  • high speed casting we mean that the continuous casting machine can cast products, in relation to thickness, at a speed variable from about 3 to about 9 m/min.
  • the crystallizer produces a substantially rectangular section, hereafter defined in general as bloom, in which the ratio between long side and short side is comprised between 1.02 and 4, that is, just higher than the square section up to a rectangular section in which the long side is up to 4 times longer than the short side.
  • the section of the cast product is not limited to the quadrangular with straight sides, parallel two by two, but also comprises sections with at least a curved, concave or convex side, advantageously but not necessarily two by two opposite and specular, or combinations of the said geometries.
  • the rectangular sections cast have sizes of about 100 mm x 140 mm, 130 mm x 180 mm, 130 mm x 210 mm, 140 mm x 190 mm, 160 mm x 210 mm, 160 mm x 280 mm, 180 mm x 300 mm, 200 mm x 320 mm or intermediate sizes.
  • bigger sections can also be used, for example about 300 mm x 400 mm and similar.
  • the cast section has a surface equal to that of a square with equivalent sides comprised between 100 to 300 mm.
  • the rolling train advantageously comprises from 3 to 4 rolling stands up to 15 or 18 rolling stands in relation to the type of final product to be obtained, to the thickness of the cast product, to the casting speed or other parameters.
  • the line provides an additional rolling unit, consisting of at least a stand, advantageously from 1 to 4 stands, in order to return the rectangle to a square, round or oval shape or in any case less wide, suitable for the rolling train.
  • the additional rolling unit in a first solution, is placed immediately downstream of the casting machine, while in another solution it is placed immediately upstream of the rolling train.
  • the positioning along the line of the additional rolling unit conditions, as will be explained hereinafter, both the lay- out configuration and the rolling process modes which are performed.
  • the casting and rolling line also comprises, downstream from the continuous casting, at least shears for shearing the blooms to size, into segments of desired length in semi-endless mode or in the event of an emergency in endless mode.
  • desired lengths of the segments we mean a value comprised between 12 and 80 meters.
  • the shears can carry out the emergency scrapping of the material coming from casting.
  • a maintenance and/or possible heating unit downstream of the casting machine which comprises a tunnel furnace configured to act, as well as a heating and/or temperature maintenance chamber, also as a possible store for accumulating the blooms in the case of a temporary interruption of the rolling train, for example to allow programmed maintenance programs or channel changes or changes in production, or due to accidents.
  • the casting machine does not necessarily have to be stopped, but only slowed down, at least for a predetermined period of time, the so-called "buffer-time", because the product exiting therefrom, sequentially sheared into blooms of a predefined length, is accumulated inside the furnace and is maintained there at a working temperature, thus releasing it from the rolling train which is stopped. The blooms, accumulated and maintained at temperature, are then fed again toward the rolling train, once this is working again.
  • the maintenance and/or possible heating unit can also perform the function of restoring the temperature of the blooms in transit and/or stopped inside it.
  • the minimum length of the maintenance and/or possible heating unit is advantageously determined as a function of the buffer time, as a function of the casting speed, lower than the value of the normal speed in an emergency condition, and as a function of the rolling speed of the rolling line placed downstream.
  • the maintenance and/or possible heating unit can provide to heat the blooms to suitable values for rolling, restoring the loss of temperature caused by the rolling step in the additional reduction unit.
  • a rapid heating device can be provided, advantageously one or more inductor furnaces, downstream of the additional rolling unit and upstream of the rolling train, in this case too with the function of restoring the temperature of the blooms, bringing it to a suitable value for rolling, and therefore of recovering the loss of temperature due to the rolling pass in the additional reduction unit.
  • the inductor furnace may be present, or also present, in an intermediate position between the stands of the rolling train, for example after the first stand and/or after the second stand up to the tenth if the number of stands is comprised between ten and eighteen.
  • the intermediate disposition of the inductor furnace between the stands of the rolling train allows to roll the product at a more balanced and uniform temperature along the rolling train, and therefore a reduction in power, less wear on the rolling channels etc.
  • the inductor furnace can be advantageously used in said positions in order to recover the considerable heat dispersions due substantially to the low rolling speeds which must be maintained, above all in the first rolling stands of the train.
  • the inductor furnace allows, by its action, to obtain a more uniform heating of the blooms, in particular to also heat the edges, thus avoiding the formation of cracks in these zones during rolling.
  • - figs. 1-3 show three possible layouts of a rolling plant according to the present invention
  • - figs 4-7 show examples of some different sections that can be cast with the plant in fig. 1 ;
  • - fig. 8 is a summary Table of a numerical example of sizing of a component of the plants in figs. 1-3;
  • - fig. 9 is a graphic representation of the numerical example in fig. 8.
  • fig. 1 shows a first example of a layout 10 of a plant for the production of long rolled products according to the present invention.
  • the layout 10 in fig. 1 comprises, in its essential elements shown, a continuous casting machine 1 1 with a single line which uses a crystallizer, or other suitable device to cast blooms of various sizes and rectangular shape with straight, curved, concave or convex sides, or other shape.
  • Some examples of sections that can be cast in the context of the present invention are shown in figs. 4-7, which respectively show a rectangular section with straight and parallel sides (fig. 4), a section with short sides with a convex curve and long, straight parallel sides (fig. 5), a section with short sides with a concave curve at the center and long, straight parallel sides (fig. 6), and a section with short sides with a concave curve and long, straight parallel sides (fig. 7).
  • the continuous casting machine 1 1 is disposed on a line coincident with the rolling line defined by a rolling train 16 placed downstream. In this way it is possible to realize an endless process, that is without a break in continuity. A semi-endless process can also be realized.
  • the continuous casting machine 1 1 has high productivity, being able to reach casting speeds comprised between 3 and 9 m/min, depending on the type of product (section, quality of steel, final product to be obtained etc.), and casting sections with one size predominant over the other, in a ratio preferably comprised between 1.02 and 4.
  • the casting machine 1 1 allows to obtain a variable productivity from 35 ton/h to 200 ton/h.
  • the cast blooms have sizes of about 100 mm x 140 mm, 130 mm x 180 mm, 130 x 210 mm, 140 mm x 190 mm, 160 mm x 210 mm, 160 mm x 280 mm, 180 mm x 300 mm, 200 mm x 320 mm or intermediate sizes.
  • bigger sections can also be used, for example about 300 mm x 400 mm and similar.
  • the cast section has a surface equal to that of a square with equivalent sides comprised between 100 and 300 mm.
  • shears 12 Downstream of the continuous casting machine 1 1 there are shears 12 to shear to size, which can cut the blooms cast into segments of desired length, both for the semi-endless mode functioning of the plant 10, and for the endless mode functioning when the rolling train 16 is stopped.
  • the shears 12 can also carry out the emergency scrapping of the material coming from casting.
  • an additional reduction/roughing unit 13 present in the line, generally consisting of from 1 to 4 rolling stands, and, in this case, of 3 alternate vertical/horizontal/vertical rolling stands or in other forms of embodiment vertical-vertical-horizontal or other combinations. It is also possible to use a single vertical rolling stand.
  • the stands are used for bringing the rectangular cast section to a square, round, oval or in any case, less wide shape than the starting shape, in order to make it suitable for rolling in the rolling train 16 placed downstream. It is understood that the number of rolling stands can be selected between 1 and 4, depending on the overall design parameters of the line and the products to be continually cast.
  • the best positioning of the additional reduction/roughing unit 13 along the line comprised from end of casting to start of rolling train 16 is established in relation to the speed which can be obtained at the entrance to the first stand of the unit. For example, if the speed is comprised between 3 and 4.8 m/min (0.05 m/s and 0.08 m/s), the reduction/roughing unit 13 is positioned immediately downstream of the continuous casting machine 1 1 and upstream of the cutting to size shears 12 (fig. 1), while if the entrance speed to the stand is greater, for example comprised between 5 and 9 m/min, the additional reduction/roughing unit 13 is placed at the head of the rolling train 16 and downstream of the maintenance and/or possible heating furnace 14 (fig. 2), as will be shown hereafter.
  • the speed is comprised between 3 and 4.8 m/min (0.05 m/s and 0.08 m/s)
  • the reduction/roughing unit 13 is positioned immediately downstream of the continuous casting machine 1 1 and upstream of the cutting to size shears 12 (fig. 1), while
  • Another parameter that can condition the choice of inserting the additional reduction/roughing unit 13 immediately downstream of the continuous casting machine 1 1 and upstream of the shears 12 is the energy factor.
  • a maintenance and/or possible heating tunnel furnace 14 of the horizontal type is disposed downstream of the continuous casting machine 1 1 . More precisely the tunnel furnace 14 is disposed along the continuous casting line and along the rolling line which are defined respectively by the continuous casting machine 1 1 and the rolling train 16.
  • the furnace tunnel 14 can act as a heating element, for example, in cases where the reduction/roughing unit 13 is placed immediately downstream of the continuous casting machine 1 1 , in order to bring the temperature of the bloom to a value suitable for the subsequent rolling, or to restore the loss of temperature deriving from the passage through the reduction/roughing unit 13 when this is located between the continuous casting machine 1 1 and the shears 12.
  • the furnace tunnel 14 can also carry out the function of maintenance chamber, maintaining the temperature of the blooms, between entrance and exit, between about 900°C and about 1, 100°C, for example when the reduction/roughing unit 13 is not provided immediately downstream of the continuous casting machine 1 1, but upstream of the rolling train 16.
  • the furnace tunnel 14 can also act as a store to accumulate the blooms, in particular in the event of an interruption in the functioning of the rolling train 16 because of accidents or programmed roll change or change in production.
  • the length of the tunnel furnace 14 is determined depending on the accumulation time of the blooms, or buffer time, which is required so that the stoppage of the continuous casting machine 1 1 is not necessary.
  • the continuous casting machine in an emergency condition, is made to work at a reduced casting speed compared with normal working speed.
  • the time needed to fill the tunnel furnace in this emergency condition, or with a reduced casting speed, is the buffer time.
  • VL is the rolling speed of the rolling line (in m/min) when the rolling line is working under normal conditions
  • VE is the reduced casting speed compared with the normal working speed VL (in m/min) in an emergency condition
  • BT is buffer time (in minutes), that is, the maximum time in which the continuous casting machine 1 1 in a condition of reduced casting time VE fills the tunnel furnace 14 because of a stoppage of the rolling train 16
  • LFT is thus the minimum length of the tunnel furnace (in meters).
  • a table and a graph are respectively shown in which the minimum lengths of the tunnel furnace 14 are shown for some casting speeds VE and for a rolling speed VL equal to 6m/min, depending on the three examples (10 min, 20 min and 30 min) of buffer time which may be required in situations relating to a casting and rolling cycle.
  • an inductor furnace 15 is provided having the function of bringing the temperature of the blooms exiting from the unit 13 to suitable values for rolling.
  • the inductor furnace 15 provides to restore the temperature to a value higher than about 1,000°C, whereas when the blooms exit from the unit 13 at a temperature comprised between about 1,050 and about 1,080°C, then it is not necessary to provide the functioning of the inductor furnace 15 at exit from the tunnel furnace 14, which can be kept switched off.
  • the number of rolling stands 17 used in the rolling train 16 is variable from 3- 4 to 15-18 and more, depending on the type of final product to be obtained, on the thickness of the product cast, on the casting speed and on other parameters.
  • the inductor furnace 15 is installed in an intermediate position between the rolling stands 17 of the rolling train 16, in this case after the fourth rolling stand, even if, in other forms of embodiment, it is - Im possible to provide that it is disposed, for example, after the first and/or after the second rolling stand 17 as far as the tenth, when there are 15 or 18 rolling stands.
  • the intermediate disposition, between the stands of the rolling train 16, of the inductor furnace 15 allows to roll at more balanced and uniform temperatures along the rolling train 16 and therefore with less power, less wear on the rolling channels etc.
  • the inductor furnace 15 can be advantageously used in the aforesaid positions in order to recover the considerable heat dispersions substantially due to the low rolling speeds which must be maintained above all in the first rolling stands of the train.
  • cropping shears 18 present upstream of the rolling train 16 (fig. 1 ), hydraulic shears for example, which as well as cropping the head end of the bloom before it enters the rolling train 16 and/or the additional reduction unit 13, can also carry out emergency scrapping.

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metal Rolling (AREA)
  • Laminated Bodies (AREA)

Abstract

Method to make long metal rolled products in a line comprising at least a continuous casting machine (1 1), a maintenance and/or possible heating unit (14) and a rolling train (16), comprising the following steps: high productivity continuous casting made by a single continuous casting machine (1 1), defining a casting axis, of a rectangular section product with a ratio between the long side and the short side comprised between 1.02 and 4; first reduction of section in an additional reduction/roughing unit (13) disposed upstream of the rolling train (16); second reduction of section in a rolling train (16) defining a rolling axis substantially coinciding with the casting axis.

Description

"CONTINUOUS CASTING AND ROLLING METHOD AND LINE TO MAKE LONG ROLLED METAL PRODUCTS"
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns a continuous casting and rolling method and plant, or line, in endless or semi-endless mode, to make high productivity long rolled metal products such as bars, rod, girders, rails or shapes in general.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Plants known in the state of the art for the production of long rolled products provide a casting machine and a rolling train, which is disposed in line and downstream of the casting machine. It is also known that in solutions in which the casting axis defined by the casting machine and the rolling axis defined by the rolling train coincide, the plant can be configured and used in endless mode (that is, without a break in continuity), or in semi-endless mode (that is, starting from segments of the cast product sheared to size).
In these operating solutions, if the rolling train is stopped, either accidentally due to obstacles for example, or programmed so as to change channels or change production for example, it is necessary to stop the rolling process, which also entails interrupting the casting machine; moreover, in the event of an accidental stoppage of the rolling mill, it is necessary to scrap both at least part of the intermediate material between the casting and the point of stoppage, and also the material being processed from the tundish to the rolling train.
Consequently stopping the rolling train entails a reduction in productivity and the factor of use of the plant, an increase in management costs which are the principal cause of an increase in energy required.
Document WO 2006/092404 Al describes a casting line connected to a rolling line to produce rolled products starting from a continuous casting of square billets. This document provides a temperature restoration system consisting of an inductor which cannot in any way carry out the function of a buffer in the event of a temporary stoppage of the line.
One purpose of the present invention is to make a high productivity casting and continuous rolling in line process which can work both in endless and semi- endless mode, and to perfect a relative production plant which allows to manage the stoppages of the rolling train, substantially without interrupting the casting and therefore without loss in production and without penalizing the steelworks upstream.
Another purpose of the invention is to reduce to a minimum or eliminate waste material in emergency situations or during the programmed stoppages and in any case to completely recover the product which in such situations is temporarily accumulated in an intermediate point along the production line.
A further purpose of the invention is to exploit to the full the enthalpy of the original liquid steel along the whole production line so as to obtain a considerable saving in energy and a reduction in working costs compared to conventional processes.
Further purposes of the present invention are:
-to guarantee an increased yield, equal to the ratio between weight of the finished product and weight of the liquid steel to produce a ton;
-to obtain a greater stability of the rolling train and an improved dimensional quality of the finished product;
- to guarantee the possibility of changing production sizes and types without stopping the continuous casting, obtaining a higher factor of use for the plant. The Applicant has devised, tested and embodied the present invention to overcome the shortcomings of the state of the art and to obtain these and other purposes and advantages.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is set forth and characterized in the independent claims, while the dependent claims describe other characteristics of the invention or variants to the main inventive idea.
A casting and rolling plant for the production of long rolled products according to the present invention comprises a single continuous casting machine and a rolling train disposed downstream and in line with the casting machine. By disposed in line, we mean that a hypothetical casting axis of the casting machine substantially coincides with a hypothetical rolling axis of the rolled products, so that this configuration is suitable to obtain a continuous process of the endless type; in any case it is always possible to also make a continuous process of the semi-endless type. In some forms of embodiment, the casting machine has a crystallizer suitable to cast liquid steel at high speed and high productivity (for example, but only indicatively, from 35 to 200 ton/h). By high speed casting we mean that the continuous casting machine can cast products, in relation to thickness, at a speed variable from about 3 to about 9 m/min.
Advantageously, the crystallizer produces a substantially rectangular section, hereafter defined in general as bloom, in which the ratio between long side and short side is comprised between 1.02 and 4, that is, just higher than the square section up to a rectangular section in which the long side is up to 4 times longer than the short side.
In the present invention the section of the cast product is not limited to the quadrangular with straight sides, parallel two by two, but also comprises sections with at least a curved, concave or convex side, advantageously but not necessarily two by two opposite and specular, or combinations of the said geometries.
Casting a rectangular section, given the same casting speed and thickness (or height) of the section, one obtains a greater quantity in tons of material in the unit of time, that is, an increase in the hourly productivity, for example higher than 120 t/h.
To give an example, the rectangular sections cast have sizes of about 100 mm x 140 mm, 130 mm x 180 mm, 130 mm x 210 mm, 140 mm x 190 mm, 160 mm x 210 mm, 160 mm x 280 mm, 180 mm x 300 mm, 200 mm x 320 mm or intermediate sizes. In the production of average profiles bigger sections can also be used, for example about 300 mm x 400 mm and similar.
In general the cast section has a surface equal to that of a square with equivalent sides comprised between 100 to 300 mm.
The rolling train advantageously comprises from 3 to 4 rolling stands up to 15 or 18 rolling stands in relation to the type of final product to be obtained, to the thickness of the cast product, to the casting speed or other parameters.
According to the invention, the line provides an additional rolling unit, consisting of at least a stand, advantageously from 1 to 4 stands, in order to return the rectangle to a square, round or oval shape or in any case less wide, suitable for the rolling train. The additional rolling unit, in a first solution, is placed immediately downstream of the casting machine, while in another solution it is placed immediately upstream of the rolling train. The positioning along the line of the additional rolling unit conditions, as will be explained hereinafter, both the lay- out configuration and the rolling process modes which are performed.
The casting and rolling line also comprises, downstream from the continuous casting, at least shears for shearing the blooms to size, into segments of desired length in semi-endless mode or in the event of an emergency in endless mode. By desired lengths of the segments we mean a value comprised between 12 and 80 meters.
Moreover, the shears can carry out the emergency scrapping of the material coming from casting.
According to the present invention, there is a maintenance and/or possible heating unit downstream of the casting machine, which comprises a tunnel furnace configured to act, as well as a heating and/or temperature maintenance chamber, also as a possible store for accumulating the blooms in the case of a temporary interruption of the rolling train, for example to allow programmed maintenance programs or channel changes or changes in production, or due to accidents.
In this way, the casting machine does not necessarily have to be stopped, but only slowed down, at least for a predetermined period of time, the so-called "buffer-time", because the product exiting therefrom, sequentially sheared into blooms of a predefined length, is accumulated inside the furnace and is maintained there at a working temperature, thus releasing it from the rolling train which is stopped. The blooms, accumulated and maintained at temperature, are then fed again toward the rolling train, once this is working again.
The maintenance and/or possible heating unit can also perform the function of restoring the temperature of the blooms in transit and/or stopped inside it.
The minimum length of the maintenance and/or possible heating unit is advantageously determined as a function of the buffer time, as a function of the casting speed, lower than the value of the normal speed in an emergency condition, and as a function of the rolling speed of the rolling line placed downstream. In particular, if the additional rolling unit is placed immediately downstream of the casting machine, the maintenance and/or possible heating unit can provide to heat the blooms to suitable values for rolling, restoring the loss of temperature caused by the rolling step in the additional reduction unit.
On the other hand, if the additional rolling unit is placed upstream of the rolling train, and therefore downstream of the maintenance and/or possible heating unit, a rapid heating device can be provided, advantageously one or more inductor furnaces, downstream of the additional rolling unit and upstream of the rolling train, in this case too with the function of restoring the temperature of the blooms, bringing it to a suitable value for rolling, and therefore of recovering the loss of temperature due to the rolling pass in the additional reduction unit.
In another form of embodiment, the inductor furnace may be present, or also present, in an intermediate position between the stands of the rolling train, for example after the first stand and/or after the second stand up to the tenth if the number of stands is comprised between ten and eighteen.
The intermediate disposition of the inductor furnace between the stands of the rolling train allows to roll the product at a more balanced and uniform temperature along the rolling train, and therefore a reduction in power, less wear on the rolling channels etc.
In a further form of embodiment, that is, when products with small sections are rolled, for example round pieces with a diameter between about 5 mm and about 20 mm, the inductor furnace can be advantageously used in said positions in order to recover the considerable heat dispersions due substantially to the low rolling speeds which must be maintained, above all in the first rolling stands of the train.
In any case the inductor furnace allows, by its action, to obtain a more uniform heating of the blooms, in particular to also heat the edges, thus avoiding the formation of cracks in these zones during rolling.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
These and other characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of a preferential form of embodiment, given as a non-restrictive example with reference to the attached drawings wherein:
- figs. 1-3 show three possible layouts of a rolling plant according to the present invention;
- figs 4-7 show examples of some different sections that can be cast with the plant in fig. 1 ;
- fig. 8 is a summary Table of a numerical example of sizing of a component of the plants in figs. 1-3;
- fig. 9 is a graphic representation of the numerical example in fig. 8.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF SOME PREFERENTIAL FORMS OF
EMBODIMENT
With reference to the attached drawings, fig. 1 shows a first example of a layout 10 of a plant for the production of long rolled products according to the present invention.
The layout 10 in fig. 1 comprises, in its essential elements shown, a continuous casting machine 1 1 with a single line which uses a crystallizer, or other suitable device to cast blooms of various sizes and rectangular shape with straight, curved, concave or convex sides, or other shape. Some examples of sections that can be cast in the context of the present invention are shown in figs. 4-7, which respectively show a rectangular section with straight and parallel sides (fig. 4), a section with short sides with a convex curve and long, straight parallel sides (fig. 5), a section with short sides with a concave curve at the center and long, straight parallel sides (fig. 6), and a section with short sides with a concave curve and long, straight parallel sides (fig. 7).
The continuous casting machine 1 1 is disposed on a line coincident with the rolling line defined by a rolling train 16 placed downstream. In this way it is possible to realize an endless process, that is without a break in continuity. A semi-endless process can also be realized.
The continuous casting machine 1 1 has high productivity, being able to reach casting speeds comprised between 3 and 9 m/min, depending on the type of product (section, quality of steel, final product to be obtained etc.), and casting sections with one size predominant over the other, in a ratio preferably comprised between 1.02 and 4.
In particular, the casting machine 1 1 allows to obtain a variable productivity from 35 ton/h to 200 ton/h.
To give an example, the cast blooms have sizes of about 100 mm x 140 mm, 130 mm x 180 mm, 130 x 210 mm, 140 mm x 190 mm, 160 mm x 210 mm, 160 mm x 280 mm, 180 mm x 300 mm, 200 mm x 320 mm or intermediate sizes. In the production of average profiles, bigger sections can also be used, for example about 300 mm x 400 mm and similar. In general, the cast section has a surface equal to that of a square with equivalent sides comprised between 100 and 300 mm.
Downstream of the continuous casting machine 1 1 there are shears 12 to shear to size, which can cut the blooms cast into segments of desired length, both for the semi-endless mode functioning of the plant 10, and for the endless mode functioning when the rolling train 16 is stopped. The shears 12 can also carry out the emergency scrapping of the material coming from casting.
There is also an additional reduction/roughing unit 13 present in the line, generally consisting of from 1 to 4 rolling stands, and, in this case, of 3 alternate vertical/horizontal/vertical rolling stands or in other forms of embodiment vertical-vertical-horizontal or other combinations. It is also possible to use a single vertical rolling stand.
The stands are used for bringing the rectangular cast section to a square, round, oval or in any case, less wide shape than the starting shape, in order to make it suitable for rolling in the rolling train 16 placed downstream. It is understood that the number of rolling stands can be selected between 1 and 4, depending on the overall design parameters of the line and the products to be continually cast.
The best positioning of the additional reduction/roughing unit 13 along the line comprised from end of casting to start of rolling train 16 is established in relation to the speed which can be obtained at the entrance to the first stand of the unit. For example, if the speed is comprised between 3 and 4.8 m/min (0.05 m/s and 0.08 m/s), the reduction/roughing unit 13 is positioned immediately downstream of the continuous casting machine 1 1 and upstream of the cutting to size shears 12 (fig. 1), while if the entrance speed to the stand is greater, for example comprised between 5 and 9 m/min, the additional reduction/roughing unit 13 is placed at the head of the rolling train 16 and downstream of the maintenance and/or possible heating furnace 14 (fig. 2), as will be shown hereafter.
Another parameter that can condition the choice of inserting the additional reduction/roughing unit 13 immediately downstream of the continuous casting machine 1 1 and upstream of the shears 12 is the energy factor.
Indeed, when the first section reduction is carried out immediately downstream of the continuous casting, immediately after the closing of the metallurgical cone, there is a reduction in energy consumption because the section reduction occurs on a product with a core which is still very hot, and therefore it is possible to use a lower force of compression and use smaller stands which require less power installed.
In three layouts 10, 1 10, 210 shown as examples in figs. 1-3, downstream of the continuous casting machine 1 1 a maintenance and/or possible heating tunnel furnace 14 of the horizontal type is disposed. More precisely the tunnel furnace 14 is disposed along the continuous casting line and along the rolling line which are defined respectively by the continuous casting machine 1 1 and the rolling train 16.
The furnace tunnel 14 can act as a heating element, for example, in cases where the reduction/roughing unit 13 is placed immediately downstream of the continuous casting machine 1 1 , in order to bring the temperature of the bloom to a value suitable for the subsequent rolling, or to restore the loss of temperature deriving from the passage through the reduction/roughing unit 13 when this is located between the continuous casting machine 1 1 and the shears 12.
The furnace tunnel 14 can also carry out the function of maintenance chamber, maintaining the temperature of the blooms, between entrance and exit, between about 900°C and about 1, 100°C, for example when the reduction/roughing unit 13 is not provided immediately downstream of the continuous casting machine 1 1, but upstream of the rolling train 16.
The furnace tunnel 14 can also act as a store to accumulate the blooms, in particular in the event of an interruption in the functioning of the rolling train 16 because of accidents or programmed roll change or change in production.
The length of the tunnel furnace 14 is determined depending on the accumulation time of the blooms, or buffer time, which is required so that the stoppage of the continuous casting machine 1 1 is not necessary.
In particular, in an emergency condition, the continuous casting machine is made to work at a reduced casting speed compared with normal working speed. The time needed to fill the tunnel furnace in this emergency condition, or with a reduced casting speed, is the buffer time.
More particularly, to determine the minimum length of the tunnel furnace 14 the following equation is used :
LFT=BT/(1/VE-1VL)
in which VL is the rolling speed of the rolling line (in m/min) when the rolling line is working under normal conditions, VE is the reduced casting speed compared with the normal working speed VL (in m/min) in an emergency condition, BT is buffer time (in minutes), that is, the maximum time in which the continuous casting machine 1 1 in a condition of reduced casting time VE fills the tunnel furnace 14 because of a stoppage of the rolling train 16, and LFT is thus the minimum length of the tunnel furnace (in meters).
To give an example, in figs. 8 and 9 a table and a graph are respectively shown in which the minimum lengths of the tunnel furnace 14 are shown for some casting speeds VE and for a rolling speed VL equal to 6m/min, depending on the three examples (10 min, 20 min and 30 min) of buffer time which may be required in situations relating to a casting and rolling cycle.
With reference to fig. 2, between the reducing/roughing unit 13 and the rolling train 16 an inductor furnace 15 is provided having the function of bringing the temperature of the blooms exiting from the unit 13 to suitable values for rolling.
For example, when the blooms exit from the reducing/roughing unit 13 at a temperature comprised between about 920 and about 950°C, then the inductor furnace 15 provides to restore the temperature to a value higher than about 1,000°C, whereas when the blooms exit from the unit 13 at a temperature comprised between about 1,050 and about 1,080°C, then it is not necessary to provide the functioning of the inductor furnace 15 at exit from the tunnel furnace 14, which can be kept switched off.
The number of rolling stands 17 used in the rolling train 16 is variable from 3- 4 to 15-18 and more, depending on the type of final product to be obtained, on the thickness of the product cast, on the casting speed and on other parameters.
In another form of embodiment (fig. 3), the inductor furnace 15 is installed in an intermediate position between the rolling stands 17 of the rolling train 16, in this case after the fourth rolling stand, even if, in other forms of embodiment, it is - Im possible to provide that it is disposed, for example, after the first and/or after the second rolling stand 17 as far as the tenth, when there are 15 or 18 rolling stands.
The intermediate disposition, between the stands of the rolling train 16, of the inductor furnace 15 allows to roll at more balanced and uniform temperatures along the rolling train 16 and therefore with less power, less wear on the rolling channels etc.
In one form of embodiment, that is, when products with small sections are rolled, for example round pieces with diameters comprised between about 5 mm and about 20 mm, the inductor furnace 15 can be advantageously used in the aforesaid positions in order to recover the considerable heat dispersions substantially due to the low rolling speeds which must be maintained above all in the first rolling stands of the train.
There are cropping shears 18 present upstream of the rolling train 16 (fig. 1 ), hydraulic shears for example, which as well as cropping the head end of the bloom before it enters the rolling train 16 and/or the additional reduction unit 13, can also carry out emergency scrapping.
Other known components in the state of the art, such as descalers, gauges etc. not shown, are normally present along the lay-out 10, 1 10, 210, present in the attached drawings.

Claims

1. Method to make long metal rolled products in a line comprising at least a continuous casting machine (1 1), a maintenance and/or possible heating tunnel furnace (14) and a rolling train (16), characterized in that it comprises the following steps:
- high productivity continuous casting made by a single continuous casting machine (1 1), defining a casting axis, of a rectangular section product with a ratio between the long side and the short side comprised between 1.02 and 4;
- first reduction of section in an additional reduction/roughing unit (13) disposed upstream of the rolling train (16), having the function of bringing the rectangular section of the product at entrance to a square, round, oval or in any case less wide shape at exit;
- second reduction of section in a rolling train (16) defining a rolling axis substantially coinciding with the casting axis,
wherein said continuous casting machine (1 1) operates at a casting speed comprised between 3 and 9 m/min and with an hourly productivity comprised between 35 t/h and 200 t/h, and wherein the length of said tunnel furnace (14) is calculated as a function at least of the rolling speed (VL), the casting speed (VE) reduced with respect to the normal operating speed in an emergency situation, and of the desired accumulation time (BT) in the event of a stoppage of the line.
2. Method as in claim 1, characterized in that said first reduction of section in the reduction/roughing unit (13) is carried out immediately downstream of the continuous casting (1 1).
3. Method as in claim 1 , characterized in that said first reduction of section in the reduction/roughing unit (13) is carried out downstream of the maintenance and/or possible heating tunnel furnace (14) and upstream of the rolling train ( 16).
4. Method as in claim 2, characterized in that it provides a step of heating the cast product, carried out in said maintenance and/or possible heating tunnel furnace (14), so as to restore at least part of the temperature loss due to the passage of the product in the reduction/roughing unit (13).
5. Method as in claim 3, characterized in that it provides a step of heating the cast product, carried out in a rapid heating unit such as an inductor furnace ( 15), disposed between the reduction/roughing unit ( 13) and the rolling train (16), so as to restore at least part of the temperature loss due to the passage of the product in the reduction/roughing unit (13).
6. Method as in claim 1 or 2 or 3, characterized in that it provides a step of heating the cast product, carried out in a rapid heating unit such as an inductor furnace (15), disposed in an intermediate position between the stands (17) of the rolling train (16), wherein the number of stands (17) of the rolling train (16) is comprised between three and eighteen, and wherein said inductor furnace (15) is disposed, depending on said number of stands (17), after the first and/or after one of the passes from the second to the tenth, through said stands (17), so as to roll with more balanced temperatures and/or to roll round sections of a diameter from about 5mm to about 20mm.
7. Method as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it also comprises at least a selective shearing step in which the cast product is sheared to size in order to define segments of product to be accumulated and maintained at temperature inside the maintenance and/or possible heating tunnel furnace (14), in case of emergency stops or operating stops of the rolling train (16).
8. Method as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that the section of the cast product has a surface equal to that of a square with equivalent sides from 100 to 300 mm.
9. Casting and rolling line to make long rolled metal products, comprising at least a continuous casting machine (1 1), a maintenance and/or possible heating tunnel furnace (14) and a rolling train (16), characterized in that:
- the continuous casting machine (1 1) has a single line defining a casting axis, and is able to cast a product of rectangular section or equivalent with a ratio between the long side and the short side comprised between 1.02 and 4;
- the rolling train (16) defines a rolling axis substantially coinciding with the casting axis;
and in that there is an additional reduction/ roughing unit (13) comprising from 1 to 4 rolling stands, able to carry out a first reduction of section of the cast product, wherein the length of said tunnel furnace (14) is a function at least of the rolling speed (VL), the casting speed (VE) reduced with respect to the normal operating speed in an emergency situation, and of the desired accumulation time (BT) in the event of a stoppage of the line.
10. Casting and rolling line as in claim 9, characterized in that said reduction/roughing unit (13) is located immediately downstream of the continuous casting machine (1 1).
1 1. Casting and rolling line as in claim 9, characterized in that said reduction/roughing unit (13) is located downstream of said maintenance and/or possible heating tunnel furnace (14), there being at least a rapid heating unit (15) present between said reduction/roughing unit (13) and said rolling train (16) in order to restore at least part of the temperature loss due to the passage of the long product in the reduction/roughing unit (13).
EP11760547.7A 2010-07-21 2011-07-20 Continuous casting and rolling method and line to make long rolled metal products Not-in-force EP2595766B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
ITUD2010A000147A IT1402237B1 (en) 2010-07-21 2010-07-21 PROCEDURE AND LINE OF CASTING AND CONTINUOUS LAMINATION TO MAKE LONG METAL LAMINATE PRODUCTS
PCT/IB2011/001694 WO2012010956A1 (en) 2010-07-21 2011-07-20 Continuous casting and rolling method and line to make long rolled metal products

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP2595766A1 true EP2595766A1 (en) 2013-05-29
EP2595766B1 EP2595766B1 (en) 2016-03-09

Family

ID=43740039

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP11760547.7A Not-in-force EP2595766B1 (en) 2010-07-21 2011-07-20 Continuous casting and rolling method and line to make long rolled metal products

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP2595766B1 (en)
IT (1) IT1402237B1 (en)
WO (1) WO2012010956A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CN105689389B (en) * 2016-03-08 2017-09-05 新兴河北冶金资源有限公司 A kind of rolling mill practice of hot rolling tooth form band steel

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITMI20050315A1 (en) * 2005-03-02 2006-09-03 Danieli Off Mecc COMPACT PLANT FOR THE CONTINUOUS PRODUCTION OF E-O PROFILE BARS
DE102007058709A1 (en) * 2007-08-04 2009-02-05 Sms Demag Ag Method for producing a strip of steel
DE102008003222A1 (en) * 2007-09-13 2009-03-19 Sms Demag Ag Compact flexible CSP system for continuous, semi-continuous and batch operation

Non-Patent Citations (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Title
See references of WO2012010956A1 *

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
WO2012010956A1 (en) 2012-01-26
ITUD20100147A1 (en) 2012-01-22
EP2595766B1 (en) 2016-03-09
IT1402237B1 (en) 2013-08-28

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
KR101343464B1 (en) Process and plant for producing metal strip
KR101507456B1 (en) A process and a plant for the production of metal strip
US8286691B2 (en) Casting and continuous rolling method and plant for making long metal rolled products
US9186711B2 (en) Rolling line and relative method
CN106552831A (en) A kind of manufacture method of Thin Specs hot-strip
CN109433826B (en) Medium-thin slab continuous casting and rolling unit and production method thereof
EP3055082B2 (en) Steel plant for the production of long metal products and corresponding production method
EP2670539B1 (en) Rolling method for strip and corresponding rolling line
EP2667982B1 (en) Rolling method for strip and corresponding rolling line
US8322400B2 (en) Casting and continuous rolling method and plant to make long metal rolled products
EP2595766B1 (en) Continuous casting and rolling method and line to make long rolled metal products
US8322401B2 (en) Casting and continuous rolling method and plant to make long metal rolled products
US11433442B2 (en) Continuous casting and rolling plant for the production of metallurgical products

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
PUAI Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phase

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009012

17P Request for examination filed

Effective date: 20130221

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: A1

Designated state(s): AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

DAX Request for extension of the european patent (deleted)
GRAP Despatch of communication of intention to grant a patent

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR1

INTG Intention to grant announced

Effective date: 20150911

GRAS Grant fee paid

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: EPIDOSNIGR3

GRAA (expected) grant

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009210

AK Designated contracting states

Kind code of ref document: B1

Designated state(s): AL AT BE BG CH CY CZ DE DK EE ES FI FR GB GR HR HU IE IS IT LI LT LU LV MC MK MT NL NO PL PT RO RS SE SI SK SM TR

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: GB

Ref legal event code: FG4D

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: AT

Ref legal event code: REF

Ref document number: 779105

Country of ref document: AT

Kind code of ref document: T

Effective date: 20160315

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: EP

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: IE

Ref legal event code: FG4D

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: R096

Ref document number: 602011023859

Country of ref document: DE

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: LT

Ref legal event code: MG4D

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: NL

Ref legal event code: MP

Effective date: 20160309

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: ES

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

Ref country code: NO

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160609

Ref country code: GR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160610

Ref country code: FI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

Ref country code: HR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: AT

Ref legal event code: MK05

Ref document number: 779105

Country of ref document: AT

Kind code of ref document: T

Effective date: 20160309

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: PL

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

Ref country code: LT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

Ref country code: LV

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

Ref country code: RS

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

Ref country code: NL

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

Ref country code: SE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IS

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160709

Ref country code: EE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: CZ

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

Ref country code: PT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160711

Ref country code: AT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

Ref country code: RO

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

Ref country code: SM

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

Ref country code: SK

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: R097

Ref document number: 602011023859

Country of ref document: DE

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: BE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

PLBE No opposition filed within time limit

Free format text: ORIGINAL CODE: 0009261

STAA Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patent

Free format text: STATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMIT

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DK

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

26N No opposition filed

Effective date: 20161212

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: BG

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160609

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: CH

Ref legal event code: PL

GBPC Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal fee

Effective date: 20160720

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: MC

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20160731

Ref country code: FR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20160801

Ref country code: CH

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20160731

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: FR

Ref legal event code: ST

Effective date: 20170331

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: IE

Ref legal event code: MM4A

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: SI

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

Ref country code: GB

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20160720

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20160720

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: LU

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20160720

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: HU

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT; INVALID AB INITIO

Effective date: 20110720

Ref country code: CY

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: TR

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

Ref country code: MK

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

Ref country code: MT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20160731

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: AL

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF FAILURE TO SUBMIT A TRANSLATION OF THE DESCRIPTION OR TO PAY THE FEE WITHIN THE PRESCRIBED TIME-LIMIT

Effective date: 20160309

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IT

Payment date: 20220621

Year of fee payment: 12

PGFP Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Payment date: 20220621

Year of fee payment: 12

P01 Opt-out of the competence of the unified patent court (upc) registered

Effective date: 20230516

REG Reference to a national code

Ref country code: DE

Ref legal event code: R119

Ref document number: 602011023859

Country of ref document: DE

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: DE

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20240201

PG25 Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]

Ref country code: IT

Free format text: LAPSE BECAUSE OF NON-PAYMENT OF DUE FEES

Effective date: 20230720