EP4214007A2

EP4214007A2 - Equipment for high temperature heat-treatment of manufactured items, in particular for controlled cooling of aluminum extruded section bars

Info

Publication number: EP4214007A2
Application number: EP21786569.0A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Alessandro Mario GALLI; Mattia MERLINI; Mauro FEDELE
Original assignee: Danieli and C Officine Meccaniche SpA
Current assignee: Danieli and C Officine Meccaniche SpA
Priority date: 2020-09-15
Filing date: 2021-09-14
Publication date: 2023-07-26
Anticipated expiration: 2041-09-14
Also published as: IT202000021730A1; WO2022058874A2; WO2022058874A3; EP4214007B1; ES3014905T3

Abstract

Equipment (100) for the heat treatment of manufactured items at high temperatures, in particular for the controlled cooling of extruded section bars made of aluminum, said equipment (100) being adapted to be arranged downstream of an extrusion press defining an extrusion direction (103) of the extruded section bars downstream of the extrusion press (200), said equipment (100) comprising a supporting device (105) adapted to restingly support at least one such extruded section bar in a substantially horizontal position; an upper cooling unit (500) arranged above said supporting device (105) and adapted to be switched by translation in a substantially vertical direction relative to said supporting device (105) between a first upper position and a second lower position; a lower cooling unit (600) arranged at said supporting device (105); wherein said equipment (100) comprises ventilation means (501) adapted to generate a ventilated air flow and means adapted to generate a refrigerant liquid flow; wherein said lower unit (600) comprises a first plurality of outlets (601) and nozzles (602) in fluid communication respectively with said refrigerant fluid flow generating means, said outlets (601) and nozzles (602) being each adapted to convey a refrigerant fluid jet towards said at least one extruded section bar (104).

Description

EQUIPMENT FOR HIGH TEMPERATURE HEAT-TREATMENT OF MANUFACTURED ITEMS, IN PARTICULAR FOR CONTROLLED COOLING OF ALUMINUM EXTRUDED SECTION BARS

Field of the invention

The present invention relates to the technical field of steelworks. In particular, the present invention relates to the technical field of the production of manufactured items at high temperatures, even more particularly to the technical field of the extrusion of aluminum section bars. In detail, the present invention relates to an equipment for the heat treatment of manufactured items at high temperatures, even more in detail to an equipment for the controlled cooling of extruded section bars made of aluminum.

Background art

Equipments are known and broadly used in the production technology of aluminum section bars which comprise extrusion presses capable of extruding the material at high temperature, said equipments comprising heat treatment solutions, in particular for cooling the extruded section bars downstream of the extrusion press and along the extrusion line.

However, said solutions according to prior art offer a limited ability to control the cooling curve of the section bars. Furthermore, since the newly extruded section bar still has a high temperature (generally higher than 500°C) and thus does not have high structural rigidity, the extruded section bar must be extracted from the press and accompanied along the roller conveyor by a gripper or puller extractor device, which engages (couples) with the end of the extruded item exiting from the press and drags it during extrusion applying slight traction up to the conveyor belts. The use of the puller for these purposes requires the use of cooling stations of the type depicted in figure 1 .

Said stations 300 according to the prior art comprise as depicted an upper unit 301 and a lower unit 302 both equipped with outlets 304 and nozzles 305, the outlets 304 being served by a ventilation system (not depicted in detail) and thus dedicated to the emission of air jets, the nozzles 305 being served by means (not depicted in detail) for generating a pressurized cooling fluid, generally water, and thus dedicated to the emission of pressurized water or liquid jets. The upper unit 301 can translate along a substantially vertical direction (as indicated by the double arrow) between a lower position (shown in figure 1 ) and an upper position (not shown), wherein in the lower position the unit 301 is positioned near the roller conveyor 303 so that the section bar 306, positioned on the roller conveyor 303, can be struck by air and waterjets from both above and from the sides, wherein the outlets 304 and the nozzles 305 of the lower unit 302 ensure that the section bar 306 is struck by air and water jets from both below and the sides.

The repositioning of the upper unit 301 in the upper position makes it possible to free up the space underneath and thus making same available for the puller (not shown).

The cooling stations according to the prior art of the type depicted in figure 1 have several disadvantages and/or drawbacks which the applicant intends to overcome or at least minimize by means of the present invention.

Firstly, it is worth noting that the presence of the water nozzles also in the upper unit 301 also implies the presence of means for distributing the coolant or at least pumping and/or sending the coolant to the nozzles on the upper unit 301 . However, the direct consequence of such a requirement is an increase in the weight of the upper unit 301 and thus the need to provide appropriate means for vertically moving the upper unit 301 , e.g., such as electric and/or hydraulic actuators, which are very costly both in terms of installation and maintenance.

Furthermore, the presence of the water nozzles in the upper unit 301 results in the need to make the upper unit 301 either entirely or at least largely of corrosionresistant material, such as stainless steel or similar materials, or at least to clad the upper unit 301 or parts thereof with said corrosion-resistant materials, again in these cases with a marked increase in costs.

Objects of the present invention

It is a primary object of the present invention to make available an equipment or a station for heat treatment which allow to overcome or at least reduce the disadvantages and/or drawbacks affecting equipments or stations for heat treatment according to the prior art.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to provide a station or equipment for the heat treatment of extruded aluminum section bars which comprises a movable upper unit characterized by low weight and made at least in part of noncorrosion resistant materials, such as non-stainless steel.

Description of the present invention

According to the invention, the low weight of the upper unit allows the use of less expensive actuating means than electric and/or hydraulic actuators, e.g., pneumatic actuators, for vertically moving the unit.

Furthermore, and again according to the invention, the possibility of using materials other than stainless steel to make at least part of the upper unit allows further cost savings.

The present invention arises from the general consideration according to which the purposes illustrated above can be achieved and the disadvantages of equipments according to the prior art can be effectively reduced by means of an equipment for the heat treatment of manufactured items at high temperatures in which the upper unit is equipped with only outlets for dispensing cooling air jets. Indeed, the absence of nozzles for dispensing cooling liquid jets makes it possible to avoid the presence, on the upper unit, of means for storing and/or pumping the cooling liquid, and thus to contain the overall weight of the upper unit.

Furthermore, the absence of coolant delivery nozzles on the upper unit prevents the upper unit structure from being struck, during the operation of the station, by the coolant, thus offering the possibility of making at least a large part of the upper unit from materials other than corrosion-resistant materials.

Therefore, based on both the predetermined purposes summarized above and the considerations made above, the present invention relates to an equipment or a station according to the main claim 1 and an equipment according to the main claim 15, further embodiments of the present invention being defined by the dependent claims.

According to a preferred embodiment, an equipment for the heat treatment of manufactured items at high temperatures, in particular for the controlled cooling of extruded section bars made of aluminum, is adapted to be arranged downstream of an extrusion press defining an extrusion direction of the extruded section bars downstream of the extrusion press, said equipment comprising a supporting device adapted to restingly support at least one such extruded section bar in a substantially horizontal position; an upper cooling unit arranged above said supporting device and adapted to be switched by translation in a substantially vertical direction relative to said supporting device between a first upper position and a second lower position; a lower cooling unit arranged at said supporting device; wherein said equipment comprises ventilation means adapted to generate a ventilated air flow and means adapted to generate a refrigerant liquid flow; wherein said lower unit comprises a first plurality of outlets and nozzles in fluid communication respectively with said ventilation means and said refrigerant fluid flow generating means, said outlets and nozzles being each respectively adapted to convey an air jet and refrigerant fluid towards said at least one section bar; said upper unit comprises a second plurality of only outlets in fluid communication with said ventilation means and each adapted to convey an air jet towards said at least one extruded section bar, and wherein said upper unit is possibly made at least partly of non-stainless steel.

According to an embodiment as disclosed, said upper unit comprises a cooling hood open towards said support device, wherein said outlets of said second plurality are positioned inside said hood, and wherein with said upper unit positioned in said second lower position, said at least one section bar is accommodated at least partially inside said hood.

According to an embodiment as disclosed, said outlets of said second plurality are positioned inside said hood so that, with said upper unit positioned in said second lower position, said at least one section bar is struck by the respective air jets both from above and laterally.

According to an embodiment as disclosed, said upper unit can be translated by means of at least one pneumatic actuator.

According to an embodiment as disclosed, said lower unit comprises at least one first movable bulkhead and a second movable bulkhead, each movable by translation in a substantially vertical direction relative to said supporting device between a first lower position of its own and a second upper position of its own, wherein said own second upper position, said first bulkhead and second bulkhead are positioned at said at least one section bar on the opposite sides of said at least one section bar. According to an embodiment as disclosed, in said own first lower position said first bulkhead and second bulkhead are respectively accommodated at least partially in a first guide and a second guide, wherein said first guide and second guide are arranged on opposite sides of said supporting device.

According to an embodiment as disclosed, said lower unit comprises a first cover and a second cover respectively constrained to said first bulkhead and to said second bulkhead, and respectively rotatable relative to said first bulkhead and second bulkhead about respective rotation axes substantially parallel to said extrusion direction each between a first position of its own and a second closed position of its own.

According to an embodiment as disclosed, said first cover and second cover, in said first open own positions, are arranged substantially parallel to said first bulkhead and second bulkhead, respectively, wherein said first and second cover, in said second closed own positions, are arranged above said support device to define each an internal angle with said first bulkhead and second bulkhead, respectively.

According to an embodiment as disclosed, the switching by translation of said first bulkhead and second bulkhead from their respective first lower positions into their respective second upper positions results in the switching by rotation of said first cover and respectively second cover from their respective first positions into their respective second positions, wherein the switching by translation of said first bulkhead and second bulkhead from their respective second upper positions to their respective first lower positions results in the switching by rotation of said first cover and respectively second cover from their respective second positions into their respective first open positions.

According to an embodiment as disclosed, said first cover and second cover are connected to said first bulkhead and second bulkhead, respectively, by means of linkages and cams, wherein the switching by translation of said first bulkhead and second bulkhead from their respective first lower positions to the respective second upper positions and the switching by translation of said first bulkhead and second bulkhead from the respective second upper positions to the respective first lower positions results in the switching by rotation of first cover and second cover from the respective first positions to the respective second positions, respectively, and in the switching by rotation of said first cover and respectively second cover from their respective second positions to their respective first positions, respectively.

According to an embodiment as disclosed, said first bulkhead and second bulkhead are arranged in support on a first pair of levers and respectively a second pair of levers switchable by rotation, wherein the switching by rotation of said first pair of levers and second pair of levers in a first direction of rotation results in the switching by translation of said first bulkhead and respectively second bulkhead from their respective first lower positions to their respective second own upper positions, wherein the switching by rotation of said first pair of levers and second pair of levers in a second direction of rotation opposite to said first direction of rotation results in the switching by translation of said first bulkhead and respectively second bulkhead from their respective second upper positions to their respective first lower positions. According to an embodiment as disclosed, a first lever of said first pair of levers and a second lever of said second pair of levers are put into rotation by means of a first electromechanical actuator and a second electromechanical actuator, respectively, and in that a third lever of said first pair of levers and a fourth lever of said second pair of levers are connected to said first lever and said second lever, respectively, by first connection means and second connection means, respectively, such as cables or equivalent connection means.

According to an embodiment as disclosed, said nozzles of said first plurality are supported by said first bulkhead and second bulkhead and said first cover and second cover, wherein said nozzles of said first plurality are positioned so that, with said first and second bulkhead in the respective second upper positions and with said first cover and second cover in the respective own second closed positions, said at least one section bar is struck by the respective refrigerant liquid jets from above, below and laterally.

According to an embodiment as disclosed, said nozzles of said first plurality are arranged in mutual fluid communication by means of connecting pipes accommodated inside said first and second bulkhead and first and second cover.

According to an embodiment as disclosed, said outlets of said first plurality are positioned below the roller conveyor, each between two successive rollers, to strike said section bar with respective air jets from below. However, embodiments (not disclosed) are possible according to which the outlets of the lower unit are supported by the movable bulkheads and/or by the respective tiles or covers, as an alternative and/or in addition to those provided below the roller conveyor.

According to an embodiment as disclosed, an extrusion equipment, in particular for the extrusion of aluminum section bars, comprises an extrusion press, wherein said extrusion equipment comprises an equipment according to one of the embodiments of the present invention for the heat treatment of said aluminum section bars exiting from said extrusion press, said equipment for the heat treatment of said aluminum section bars being arranged downstream of said extrusion press along the extrusion direction defined by said extrusion press.

Detailed description of the present invention

A description of the embodiments of the present invention as depicted in the drawings is provided below, wherein:

- Figure 1 shows a diagrammatic cross-section view of an equipment for the heat treatment of manufactured items at high temperatures according to the prior art;

- Figure 2 shows a perspective view of an extrusion equipment equipped with an equipment for the heat treatment of manufactured items at high temperatures according to an embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure 3 shows a perspective view of the lower unit of an equipment for the heat treatment of manufactured items at high temperatures according to an embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure 4 shows a front view of the lower unit of an equipment for the heat treatment of manufactured items at high temperatures according to an embodiment of the present invention;

- Figure 5 shows a perspective view of the lower unit of an equipment for the heat treatment of manufactured items at high temperatures according to an embodiment of the present invention;

- Figures 6 and 7 show a cross-section view of the lower unit of an equipment for the heat treatment of manufactured items at high temperatures according to an embodiment of the present invention. It must be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments disclosed in the following and depicted in the accompanying drawings; on the contrary, all the variants and/or changes to the embodiments as disclosed below and depicted in the accompanying drawings which will appear obvious and immediate to a person skilled in the art fall within the scope of the present invention.

The present invention is particularly advantageously applied to the cooling of extruded section bars made of aluminum, this being the reason why the present invention will be described hereafter with particular reference to its applications in the field of cooling of section bars made of aluminum.

However, it is worth specifying that the possible applications of the present invention are not limited to those described below. On the contrary, the present invention can be conveniently applied in all cases in which it is necessary to optimize the cooling cycle of a high-temperature manufactured item, e.g., made by casting molten metal. In figure 2, reference numeral 100 identifies a station or equipment for the heat treatment of section bars exiting from an extrusion press (not shown).

As depicted (see also figure 3), the station 100 comprises a roller conveyor 105 consisting of a plurality of rollers arranged in succession along the direction 103 (parallel to the extrusion direction) and free to rotate each about its own rotation axis perpendicular to the direction 103, the roller conveyor 105 being thus adapted to support the section bar (not shown) and to allow its advancement along the extrusion direction 103.

The station 100 further comprises an upper unit 500 adapted to be switched in translation along a substantially vertical direction (see the double arrow in figure 2), between an upper or rest position and a lower or working position (closest to the roller conveyor 105). The upper mobile unit 500 further comprises a hood 502 open toward the roller conveyor 105, wherein in the lowered or bottom position the hood 502 is positioned near the roller conveyor 105 so that the manufactured item is at least partially accommodated within the hood 502 (surrounded by the walls of the hood 502). According to one of the principles underlying the present invention, a plurality of outlets only for the delivery of respective air jets are accommodated inside the hood 502, said outlets being served by ventilation means 501 (one or more fans and/or compressors and/or similar devices), wherein said nozzles are positioned inside the hood 502 so that, with the unit 500 in the lower working position, the manufactured item or section bar resting on the roller conveyor 105 can be struck by air jets from above and/or from both opposite sides (transversely relative to the direction of extrusion or advancement 103). On the contrary, in the upper position (not shown) it is possible both to access the space underneath the hood 502 (for maintenance, inspections, or similar work or also to act on the manufactured item supported by the roller conveyor 105, if necessary) and to use a puller to extract the item from the press according to the methods described above and substantially known and thus not described in detail for the sake of brevity.

Finally, it should be noted that the station or equipment 100 comprises actuating means 503, in particular but not necessarily pneumatic, such as pneumatic actuators or the like, for actuating the upper unit 500.

Hereafter, the lower unit 600 of the equipment 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to figures 3 to 10.

As depicted, the lower unit 600 comprises a box-shaped main body 700 open upwardly in which the roller conveyor 105 is accommodated. Opposite side walls (transverse to the extrusion/advancement direction 103) are hollow and open both upwards and downwards to define a first guide 605 and a second guide 606, respectively (figures 6 and 7). A first bulkhead 603 and a second bulkhead 604 are accommodated in said first guide 605 and second guide 606, respectively, each translatable in a vertical direction (see double arrow in figure 7) between a position in which the first bulkhead 603 and the second bulkhead 604 are entirely accommodated inside the first guide 605 and the second guide 606, respectively (figure 6), and a position in which the first bulkhead 603 and the second bulkhead 604 are positioned at least partially outside the first guide 605 and the second guide 606, respectively (figure 7). For this purpose, as depicted in figure 5, the lower unit 600 comprises a first electric reducer 630 and a second electric reducer 631 , and a first pair of levers 620, a second pair of levers 620, a third pair of levers 621 and a fourth pair of levers 621 , the levers of the first and second pairs 620 and of the third and fourth pairs 621 being adapted to be put into rotation each around its own rotation axis substantially horizontal and perpendicular to the extrusion direction 103. For this purpose, a first lever 6201 of the first pair of levers 620 is engaged on the electric reducer 630, while a first lever 621 1 of the third pair 621 is engaged on the second electric reducer 631 . Furthermore, the second lever 6202 of the first pair of levers 620 is integral with the first lever 6201 , wherein the second lever 6204 of the second pair 620 is integral with the first lever 6203 of said second pair 620, the first lever 6201 of the first pair 620 being connected to the first lever 6203 of the second pair 620 by a tie-rod 623. Similarly, the second lever 6212 of the third pair of levers 621 is integral with the first lever 621 1 of said third pair 621 , wherein the second lever 6213 of the fourth pair 621 is integral with the first lever 6214 of said fourth pair 621 , said first levers 621 1 and 6214 of said third and fourth pairs 621 respectively being mutually connected by means of a tie-rod 624. Therefore, it can be appreciated that the rotation of the first lever 6201 of the first pair of levers 620 (by means of the electric reducer 630) results in the rotation of both the second levers 6202 and 6204 of said first and second pair 620, respectively, whereas the rotation (by means of the electric reducer 631 ) of the first lever 621 1 of said third pair 621 results in the rotation of both the second levers 6212 and 6213 of said third and fourth pair of levers 621 , respectively.

The first bulkhead 603 is restingly arranged on the first and second pairs of levers 620, wherein in the same manner the second bulkhead 604 is restingly arranged on the third and fourth pairs of levers 621 , and wherein the levers 620 and 621 , during their rotational motion, are at least partially accommodated in the first guide 605 and the second guide 606, respectively.

Thus, it can be appreciated that the rotation of the levers of the first and second pairs 620 in a first rotation direction (counterclockwise relative to figure 5) results in the raising of the first bulkhead 603, while the rotation of the levers of the third and fourth pairs 621 in a first rotation direction (clockwise relative to figure 5) results in the raising of the second bulkhead 604. Conversely, the rotation of the levers of the first and second pairs 620 in a rotation direction opposite to the first one (clockwise relative to figure 7) results in the lowering of the first bulkhead 603, wherein the rotation of the levers of the third and fourth pairs 621 in a rotation direction opposite to the first one (counterclockwise relative to the figures) results in the lowering of the second bulkhead 604. The drawings further show that the lower unit 600 comprises a first cover or tile 607 and a second cover or tile 608 constrained to the first bulkhead 603 and second bulkhead 604, respectively, and each free to rotate about its own rotation axis R1 and R2, respectively, parallel to the extrusion/advancement direction 103, wherein the cover or tile 607 and the cover or tile 608 are hinged to the upper edge of the first bulkhead 603 and second bulkhead 604, respectively.

In particular, the cover 607 and the cover 608 can each be switched by rotation between an open position (figure 6) in which they are arranged parallel to the first bulkhead 603 and the second bulkhead 604, respectively (and also accommodated in the first guide 605 and respectively in the second guide 606), and a closed position (figures 3-5 and 7) in which they are arranged in a position above the roller conveyor 105 as well as oriented relative to the first bulkhead 603 and the second bulkhead 604, respectively, to define internal angles a.

The switching by rotation of the covers 607 and 608 is achieved by means of levers 611 each constrained at a first end to the first bulkhead 603 and the second bulkhead 604, respectively, as well as at the opposite end to a cam 610, the cams 610 being rigidly fixed one to the first cover 607 and the other to the second cover 608.

Thus, it can be appreciated that the switching by translation of the first bulkhead 603 and the second bulkhead 604 (in the manner clarified above) from the lowered position (figure 6) to the raised position (figures 3-5 and 7) results in the switching by clockwise rotation (relative to the figures) of the first cover or tile 607 from its own open position to its own closed position, and respectively in the switching by counterclockwise rotation (relative to the figures) of the second cover or tile 608 from its own open position to its own closed position. Similarly, the switching by translation of the first bulkhead 603 and the second bulkhead 604 (in the manner clarified above) from the raised position (figures 3-5 and 7) into the lowered position (figure 6) results in the switching by counterclockwise rotation (relative to the figures) of the first cover or tile 607 from its own closed position to its own open position, and in the switching by clockwise rotation (relative to the figures) of the second cover or tile 608 from its own closed position to its own closed position, respectively. The lower unit 600 is further equipped with outlets each dispensing an air jet, and with nozzles 601 and 602 each dispensing a pressurized coolant liquid jet, said outlets (not shown) being arranged and positioned below the roller conveyor 105, wherein said outlets 601 and said nozzles 602 are supported in part by the bulkheads 603 and 604 and in part by the covers 607 and 608; said outlets are served by ventilation means, e.g., the same ventilation means 501 arranged on the upper unit 500 and/or ventilation means (not shown) dedicated to the lower unit 600, wherein the nozzles 601 and 602 for dispensing coolant liquid jets are served by a coolant liquid storage and pumping system. Finally, as depicted, the nozzles 601 and the nozzles 602 are mutually connected and put in communication with each other by means of connecting pipes or ducts 640 accommodated and/or obtained in the first bulkheads 603 and second bulkheads 604 and in the first and second covers 607 and 608, wherein the nozzles 601 and the nozzles 602 are arranged so that, with the bulkheads 603 and 604 and the covers or tiles 607 and 608 in the position in figures 3-5 and 7, the manufactured item can be struck by coolant jets from above and/or from the side and/or from below, the nozzles 601 and nozzles 602 being usable in predetermined groups according to the desired and/or required cooling cycle. Instead, the air outlets are designed to strike the section bar from below, each with its own air jet, also the outlets being useable in predetermined groups according to the desired and/or required cooling cycle.

The operation of the apparatus 100 according to the embodiment depicted in the drawings and disclosed above can be summarized as follows.

With the section bar arranged on the roller conveyor 105, if an air-only cooling cycle is needed or desired, the upper unit 500 is placed in the lower position, taking care to check that bulkheads 603 and 604 are positioned in their own lowered positions, with covers or tiles 607 and 608 in their own open positions.

If, on the other hand, a cooling cycle with coolant (e.g., water) is required or desired, operations are prosecuted by placing the upper unit 500 in its upper position, as well as by placing the bulkheads 603 and 604 in their own raised positions, and then the covers 607 and 608 in their own closed positions.

Obviously, the cooling cycle by means of the lower unit 600 may also be performed using one or more selections (one or more groups)-of the nozzles 601 and/or the nozzles 602 and/or the air outlets according to whether it is desired to strike the manufactured item 104 with water jets from above and/or from one or both sides thereof and/or with air jets from below.

Finally, it is worth noting that the cooling cycles using the upper unit 500 and the lower unit 600 may be performed in succession one after the other and/or alternatively one to the other.

It has thus been demonstrated by means of the detailed description given above of the embodiments of the present invention depicted in the drawings that the present invention makes it possible to obtain the desired objects and to overcome or at least limit the drawbacks affecting the prior art.

In particular, by means of the present invention, an equipment for the heat treatment of manufactured items at high temperature, in particular for cooling aluminum extruded section bars is made available, along with an extrusion equipment, wherein: the equipment or station for heat treatment comprises a mobile upper unit which, being equipped only with air jet dispensing outlets, is characterized by low weight and is made at least in part of non-corrosion resistant materials, e.g., such as nonstainless steel; the equipment or station for heat treatment allows the performance of cooling cycles in accordance with the requirements arising from modern extrusion techniques.

Although the present invention has been explained above by means of a detailed description of the embodiments thereof depicted in the drawings the present invention is obviously not limited to the embodiments described above and depicted in the drawings; on the contrary, all the variants and/or changes to the embodiments described and depicted in the accompanying drawings which will be apparent and immediate to a person skilled in the art fall within the scope of the present invention and.

The scope of protection of the present invention is thus defined by the claims.

Claims

1. Equipment (100) for the heat treatment of manufactured items at high temperatures, in particular for the controlled cooling of extruded section bars made of aluminum, said equipment (100) being adapted to be arranged downstream of an extrusion press defining an extrusion direction (103) of the extruded section bars downstream of the extrusion press, said equipment (100) comprising a support device (105) adapted to support restingly at least one said extruded section bar in a substantially horizontal position; an upper cooling unit (500) arranged above said support device (105) and adapted to be switched by translation in a substantially vertical direction with respect to said support device (105) between a first upper position and a second lower position; a lower cooling unit (600) arranged at said support device (105); wherein said equipment (100) comprises ventilation means (501 ) adapted to generate a ventilated air flow and means adapted to generate a refrigerant liquid flow; wherein said lower unit (600) comprises a first plurality of outlets and nozzles (601 , 602) in fluid communication with said ventilation means (501 ) and said means for generating said refrigerant fluid flow, respectively, said outlets and said nozzles (601 , 602) being each adapted to convey a jet of air and refrigerant fluid, respectively, towards said at least one extruded section bar; characterized in that said upper unit (500) comprises a second plurality of solely vents in fluid communication with said ventilation means (501 ) and each adapted to convey a jet of air towards said at least one extruded section bar, and in that said upper unit (500) is made at least partially of non-stainless steel or with surface protections capable of making it resistant to the corrosive action of the refrigerant liquid.

2. Equipment (100) according to claim 1 , characterized in that said upper unit (500) comprises a cooling hood (502) open towards said support device (105), in that said vents of said second plurality are positioned inside said hood (502), and in that with said upper unit (500) positioned in said second lower position, said at least one section bar is accommodated at least partially inside said hood (502).

3. Equipment (100) according to claim 1 and/or 2, characterized in that said vents of said second plurality are positioned inside said hood (502) so that, with said upper unit (500) positioned in said second lower position, said at least one section bar is struck by the respective air jets both from above and laterally.

4. Equipment (100) according to one of claims from 1 to 3, characterized in that said upper unit (500) is translatable by means of at least one pneumatic actuator (503).

5. Equipment (100) according to one of claims from 1 to 4, characterized in that said lower unit (600) comprises at least a first movable bulkhead (603) and a second movable bulkhead (604), each being switchable by translation in a substantially vertical direction with respect to said support device (105) between a first lower own position and a second upper own position, and in that in said second upper own position, said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604) are positioned at said at least one section bar on the opposite sides of said at least one section bar.

6. Equipment (100) according to claim 5, characterized in that, in said first lower own position, said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604) are accommodated at least partially in a first guide (605) and a second guide (606), respectively, and in that said first guide (605) and second guide (606) are arranged on opposite sides of said support device (105).

7. Equipment (100) according to one of claims 5 and 6, characterized in that said lower unit (600) comprises a first cover (607) and a second cover (608) constrained to said first bulkhead (603) and said second bulkhead (604), respectively, and which are rotatable with respect to said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604), respectively, about respective rotation axes (R1 ) and (R2) substantially parallel to said extrusion direction (103) each between a first open own position and a second closed own position.

8. Equipment (100) according to claim 7, characterized in that said first cover (607) and second cover (608), in said first open own positions, are arranged substantially parallel to said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604), respectively, and in that said first cover (607) and second cover (608), in said second closed own positions, are arranged above said support device (105) to define each an internal angle (a) with said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604), respectively.

9. Equipment (100) according to one of claims 7 and 8, characterized in that the switching by translation of said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604) from the first lower own positions to the second upper own positions results in the switching by rotation of said first cover (607) and second cover (608), respectively, from the respective first open own positions to the respective second closed own positions, and in that the switching by translation of said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604) from the respective second upper own positions to the respective first lower own positions results in the switching by rotation of said first cover (607) and second cover (608), respectively, from the respective second closed own positions to the respective first open own positions.

10. Equipment (100) according to claim 9, characterized in that said first cover (607) and second cover (608) are connected to said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604), respectively, by means of linkages (61 1 ) and cams (610), in that the switching by translation of said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604) from the respective first lower own positions to the respective second upper own positions and the switching by translation of said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604) from the respective second upper own positions to the respective first lower own positions results in the switching by rotation of said first cover (607) and second cover (608), respectively, from the respective first open own positions to the respective second closed own positions, and in the switching by rotation of said first cover (607) and second cover (608), respectively, from the respective second closed own positions to the respective first open own positions.

11 . Equipment (100) according to one of claims from 5 to 10, characterized in that said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604) are arranged resting on a first pair of levers (620) and a second pair of levers (621 ), respectively, which are switchable by rotation, in that the switching by rotation of said first pair of levers (620) and second pair of levers (621 ) in a first rotation direction results in the switching by translation of said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604), respectively, from the respective first lower own positions to the respective second upper own positions, and in that the switching by rotation of said first pair of levers (620) and second pair of levers (621 ) in a second rotation direction opposite to said first rotation direction results in the switching by translation of said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604), respectively, from the respective second upper own positions to the respective first lower own positions.

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12. Equipment (100) according to claim 1 1 , characterized in that a first lever of said first pair of levers (620) and a second lever of said second pair of levers (621 ) are rotated by means of a first electromechanical actuator (630) and a second electromechanical actuator (631 ), respectively, and in that a third lever of said first pair of levers (620) and a fourth lever of said second pair of levers (621 ) are connected to said first lever and said second lever, respectively, by first connection means (623) and second connection means (624), respectively, such as cables or equivalent connection means.

13. Equipment (100) according to one of claims from 5 to 1 1 , characterized in that said nozzles (601 , 602) of said first plurality are supported by said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604) and said first cover (607) and second cover (604), and in that said nozzles (601 , 602) of said first plurality are positioned so that, with said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604) in the respective second upper own positions and with said first cover (607) and second cover (608) in the respective second closed own positions, said at least one section bar (104) is struck by the respective jets of refrigerant liquid from above, below, and laterally.

14. Equipment (100) according to claim 13, characterized in that said nozzles (601 , 602) of said first plurality are arranged in mutual fluid communication by means of connecting pipes (640) accommodated inside said first bulkhead (603) and second bulkhead (604) and first cover (607) and second cover (608).

15. Extrusion equipment, in particular for the extrusion of aluminum section bars, said extrusion equipment comprising an extrusion press, characterized in that said extrusion equipment comprises an equipment (100) according to one of claims 1 to 14 for the heat treatment of said aluminum section bars exiting from said extrusion press, said equipment (100) for the heat treatment of said aluminum section bars being arranged downstream of said extrusion press along the extrusion direction (103) defined by said extrusion press.

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