EP4370719A1

EP4370719A1 - Liquid cooling of a strip running in a continuous line

Info

Publication number: EP4370719A1
Application number: EP22750726.6A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Cyril Claveroulas; Patrice Sedmak
Original assignee: Fives Stein SA
Current assignee: Fives Stein SA
Priority date: 2021-07-12
Filing date: 2022-07-04
Publication date: 2024-05-22
Also published as: FR3125066B1; WO2023285747A1; CN117836435A; FR3125066A1; KR20240035498A

Abstract

The invention relates to a cooling chamber (2) for cooling a metal strip (1) running vertically in a continuous treatment line, said chamber comprising an upper cooling zone (3) in which a cooling liquid is sprayed onto the strip, and an intermediate zone (36) for drying the strip, comprising at least one nozzle (8) intended to form a blade (32) of gas impacting the strip at an acute angle A less than 80°, and preferably less than 60°, characterized in that the nozzle (8) is situated in an enclosure (33) defined by the strip and profiled sheet metalwork (20) arranged facing the strip, said profiled sheet metalwork forming a barrier to the ingress of liquid into the enclosure. The invention also relates to a continuous treatment line comprising the chamber and to a quenching method implemented in the line.

Description

TITLE: LIQUID COOLING OF A MOVING STRIP IN A CONTINUOUS LINE

Designation of the technical field concerned

The invention relates to continuous lines for annealing or galvanizing metal strips equipped with a rapid liquid cooling section, whether cooling with water, a mixture of water and a other liquid, or any other liquid.

It relates in particular to lines equipped with a “NOWFC”, NOWFC being the abbreviation of English “Non Oxydizing Wet Flash Cooling”, or non-oxidizing ultra-fast wet cooling in French. A NOWFC is thus a process and a device for ultra-fast cooling of a metal strip with a liquid, composed mainly of water, but without oxidizing its surface.

The invention relates more particularly to liquid cooling chambers arranged on a vertical strip strand, the strip being able to circulate vertically or horizontally upstream or downstream of said chamber.

By galvanization, this description covers all dip coatings, whether they are zinc, aluminum, zinc and aluminum alloy coatings, or any other type of coating.

Technical problems to which the invention responds

In a continuous annealing or galvanizing line for metal strips, a strip passes through various sections inside which it undergoes a heat treatment comprising in particular heating, temperature maintenance and cooling phases. The production of new steels with a very high elastic limit, typically greater than 500 Mpa, requires heat treatments with high cooling rates, typically greater than 200°C/s, to establish complex structures with a variable distribution of different phases. metallurgical, including the austenitic, ferritic, pearlitic, bainitic and martensitic phases.

In particular, steels with very high elastic limits AHSS and UHSS can be produced by controlling the cooling rates, from a totally austenitic or mixed ferritic and austenitic metallurgical structure.

The heat treatment to be applied to the strip depends on the chemical composition of the steel, its condition at the start of the line, and the mechanical properties expected at the end of the treatment. It includes, for example, a step of heating up to a temperature between 750° C. and 950° C., a holding time at this temperature followed by slow cooling, for example of 50° C., then ultra-rapid quenching up to at ambient temperature or an intermediate temperature, for example 300° C., with a specific cooling rate for each metallurgical grade. For galvanizing lines, a temperature rise, for example with induction heating, can be carried out after the rapid cooling to bring the strip to a temperature close to that of the galvanizing bath before its immersion.

For example, obtaining a given steel may require an annealing temperature higher than its austenitization temperature, then a holding time at this temperature, followed by slow cooling for a partial transformation of the austenite into ferrite. and finally rapid cooling for transformation of austenite into martensite.

The cooling can be followed by a tempering step, for example at a temperature of 200° C., aging, or “overaging” in English, for example at a temperature of 500°C, or even a second annealing for so-called 3 ^rd generation grades, for example at a temperature of 750°C.

To prevent oxidation of the strip, the chambers arranged upstream and downstream of the rapid cooling chamber contain a reducing atmosphere free of oxygen and composed of hydrogenated nitrogen, typically at 5% hydrogen.

The presence of oxygen would have the effect of creating iron oxides on the surface of the strip which would affect the quality of the strip and its good coating. A similar effect is obtained in the presence of water. Indeed, the water in vapor form, combined with the temperature, oxidizes the iron and the addition elements present in the strip. For this reason, humidity levels must be kept extremely low, typically corresponding to a dew point between -30°C and -40°C, or a few tenths of a gram of water per kilogram of gas.

Due to the high production capacity of annealing or galvanizing lines, wet cooling in a cooling chamber consists of spraying onto the moving strip very high spray flow rates of water, for example greater than 1000 m ³ / h.

It is therefore imperative to guarantee that the water present in very abundant quantities in the wet cooling chamber can be contained in this chamber and that it does not pollute the chambers arranged upstream and downstream.

Part of the liquid projected onto the strip evaporates on contact with it, but the vast majority falls down, remaining flat against the strip, by the Coanda effect.

To evacuate this water plated on the strip, the latter is wrung out at the outlet of the rapid cooling.

However, insufficient wiping of the strip has the effect of degrading the return roller located under the chamber rapid cooling as the web travels from bottom to top. Since the strip is hot when it is in contact with the return roller, for example at 750° C., the roller is also brought to a high temperature. Runoff water falling on the roller generates thermomechanical stresses thereon liable to damage it.

Insufficient spin-drying of the belt can also have the consequence of causing water retention between the belt and the idler roller and of generating aquaplaning of the belt on this idler roller, which may cause belt guiding problems.

Insufficient wringing of the strip can also have the consequence of polluting the downstream sections, under a reducing atmosphere with a controlled humidity level, if the means for drying the strip do not have the capacity required to eliminate all the water present. on the strip before it enters a downstream chamber, with a risk of formation of iron oxides and addition elements (MnO, SiO, etc.) on the surface of the strip.

In a NOWFC, where the liquid water used for cooling the strip is enriched with a pickling compound, typically formic acid, in the event of insufficient spin-drying, the film of liquid or the droplets left on the strip at the outlet of NOWFC will, on evaporation, leave dark traces which are residues of the stripping compound, typically unevaporated formate. These residues have the effect of degrading the quality of the subsequent tape coating. Another constraint to be taken into account is the non-flatness of the strip at the wet cooling outlet. This may have waves making it inappropriate to use “squeegees” to evacuate the water present on the strip. Moreover, and in general, steelmakers want to avoid as much as possible mechanical parts coming into contact with their product in the line. As the temperature of the product leaving the cooling section can be higher than 100°C, the use of rubber coated wiper rollers is also inappropriate.

Finally, phenomena of vibration or band flutter appear spontaneously and must be taken into account when choosing the wiping system to adopt.

The invention provides a solution to these problems by making it possible to ensure complete drying of the strip after the rapid cooling, before the strip enters the heating chamber under a reducing atmosphere arranged downstream.

Technical background

To separate the water plated on the strip from the latter, the current technique successively implements ramps of liquid knives and gas knives.

In practice, one or two high-impulse liquid spray booms facing the waterfall have the effect of lifting it off the strip and deflecting it behind the knife in order to be channeled and evacuated from the cooling chamber. The booms are supplied at a pressure of a few bars, typically 7 bar.

The momentum of the liquid knives is sufficient to counter the weight and energy of the falling liquid and the amount of liquid discharged out the back by this means is significant. The liquid knife ramps alone separate more than 95% of the liquid drop, but this is not enough.

High-pulse gas knives are implemented to complete strip dewatering. On the other hand, these evolve in an extremely humid zone where many drops in suspension are present. The impulse of the gas jet has the effect of recirculating this atmosphere towards the strip which can lead to re-wetting the strip downstream of the gas knives when these are supposed to dry it.

Thus, the gas knives do not have the desired efficiency because they can degrade the efficiency of the extraction by recirculating the droplets present in suspension in the rapid cooling chamber.

For information, for a strip with a width of 1200 mm running at a speed of 300 m/min, a liquid film of 100 μm left on the strip is still equivalent to more than 5000 kg/h of liquid to be dried before entering the heating chamber under a reducing atmosphere arranged downstream. What is more, this layer is extremely heterogeneous, leaving disparate runs and droplets, which further complicates the drying of the strip.

It is therefore necessary to find a means of minimizing the quantity of liquid present on the strip after it has been wrung.

Summary of the Invention According to a first aspect of the invention, there is proposed a cooling chamber for a vertically moving metal strip in a continuous processing line, said chamber comprising an upper cooling zone in which a cooling is projected onto the strip, an intermediate zone for wiping the strip comprising at least one nozzle intended to form a knife of gas impacting the strip at an acute angle A of less than 80°, and preferably less than 60°, characterized in that the nozzle is located in an enclosure defined by the strip and a profiled sheet metal arranged facing the strip, said profiled sheet metal forming a barrier to the entry of liquid into said enclosure. The strip on one side and the profiled sheet metal on the other form an enclosure making it possible to physically isolate the gas knife in a volume in which there is no liquid. The high-pulse gas jet inclined at an acute angle relative to the strip prevents liquid from entering the enclosure through the opening formed by the strip and the upper end of the profile. This opening necessary for the movement of the strip without contact with the profiled sheet metal is limited as much as possible.

The gas jet inclined in relation to the strip pushes the film of liquid present on the strip and the liquid flowing in the vicinity of the strip, outside the enclosure.

The flow rate, pressure, distance to the nozzle strip and orientation of the gas jet play an important role in the efficiency of the dewatering. The flow rate is between 200 and 3000 Nm 3 /h on one side of the strip, for example 1500 Nm ³ /h for a strip 1200 m wide. The pressure is between 0.5 and 10 bar. It is for example 2 bar for a distance from the strip of 100 mm and a jet inclined at 45°. The distance to the nozzle strip is between 50 and 150 mm. It is for example 100 mm. The inclination of the jet is less than 60° and preferably 45°.

The geometry of the enclosure also plays an important role. Thus, to promote the flow of the liquid outside the enclosure, according to the invention, the profiled sheet metal forms a first inclined surface originating at the upper end of the profiled sheet metal arranged in the vicinity of the strip, the extension towards the strip of the first inclined surface forming therewith an acute angle B less than 90°, and preferably less than 60°.

The sloped surface of the profiled sheet metal on its upper part helps drain the liquid by gravity flow and away from the belt.

According to the invention, the profiled sheet metal forms a second inclined surface originating at the lower end of the profiled sheet metal arranged in the vicinity of the strip, the extension towards the strip of the second inclined surface forming with the latter an acute angle C less than 90°, and preferably less than 60°.

The inclined surface of the profile on its lower part channels by gravity flow the liquid that may be present in the enclosure towards an opening located in the lower part of the enclosure through which the liquid is evacuated from the enclosure.

The inclined surface of the profile on its lower part originates in the vicinity of the strip, as close as possible to it, leaving only the opening necessary for the movement of the strip without contact between it and the profile.

This configuration contributes to keeping the volume in the enclosure formed by the strip and the profiled sheet metal free of liquid.

In addition, according to the invention, the liquid cooling chamber comprises a lower zone in which is arranged a tank configured to receive the cooling liquid projected onto the strip, said tank comprising a vertical surface arranged opposite the strip and in the vicinity thereof, the upper end of which is located in the enclosure formed by the strip and the profiled sheet metal, the said vertical surface being configured to favor a rise of dry gas in the space defined by the strip and the vertical plane towards the inside of the enclosure and coming from a return and drying zone arranged under the tray.

The supply of dry gas inside the enclosure leads to obtaining in it an atmosphere less humid than that present in the liquid cooling chamber. This has the effect of reducing the residual quantity of liquid present on the strip at the outlet of the wiping zone.

According to a second aspect of the invention, there is proposed a line for the continuous processing of a metal strip comprising a first heating chamber under a controlled reducing atmosphere configured to bring the strip to a first annealing temperature, a second heating chamber under a controlled reducing atmosphere configured to bring the strip to a second annealing temperature, or to an aging temperature or to a tempering temperature, characterized in that it comprises a cooling chamber according to the invention arranged between the first and second heating chambers.

The liquid cooling chamber according to the invention makes it possible to avoid the presence of dark traces on the strip after the rapid liquid cooling. It also makes it possible to avoid pollution of the atmosphere of the heating chamber arranged downstream which would result from the evaporation of the liquid present on the strip at its inlet. This avoids overconsumption of fresh atmosphere gas which would be necessary to obtain the desired dew point for the atmosphere present in the heating chamber. In addition, pollution of the atmosphere of the heating chamber arranged downstream can have the effect of oxidizing the surface of the strip, with an increased risk when the strip is brought to high temperature therein, for example to a second anneal. Thus, the invention makes it possible to obtain a good surface quality of the strip at the outlet of the heating chamber arranged downstream regardless of the tempering, aging or annealing temperature.

According to a third aspect of the invention, there is proposed a process for quenching a metal strip implemented in a continuous processing line according to the invention, comprising: . a step of heating the strip to a first annealing temperature under a controlled non-oxidizing atmosphere;

. optionally, a step of cooling the strip by spraying a non-oxidizing gas thereon, from the first annealing temperature to a quenching start temperature; . a step of quenching the strip by spraying it with a cooling liquid, from the first annealing temperature, or the quenching start temperature, up to a quenching end temperature;

. a step of wringing and drying the strip;

. a step of heating the strip to a second annealing temperature, or to an aging temperature, or to a tempering temperature, carried out under a non-oxidizing controlled atmosphere.

The confinement of the nozzles forming gas knives in enclosures forming a barrier to the entry of liquid into said enclosure makes it possible to limit the quantity of residual water present on the strip after it has been wrung. The strip is then dried before it enters the heating chamber under a controlled reducing atmosphere arranged downstream. This configuration makes it possible to implement the quenching process according to the invention, which produces strips with an excellent surface quality due to the absence of dark traces on the strip after the liquid cooling and the absence of oxidation of the strip during the liquid cooling and in the heating chamber under a controlled reducing atmosphere arranged downstream due to the non-pollution of this atmosphere which results from the absence of liquid on the strip when it enters the heating chamber.

The acute angles previously described are measured with respect to a plane perpendicular to the direction of the strip.

Brief description of figures

Other characteristics and advantages of the invention will appear during the reading of the detailed description which will follow for the understanding of which reference will be made to the appended drawings in which:

[FIG .1] is a schematic and partially represented view of a galvanizing line according to the invention;

[Fig.2] is a diagrammatic and partially represented view of a wet cooling section according to the state of the art; [Fig.3] is a diagrammatic and partially represented view of a wet cooling section according to the invention;

[Fig.4] is a partial enlargement of part of Figure 3, and [Fig.5] is a simplified representation of Figure 4. Referring to the diagram of Figure 1 of the accompanying drawings, one can see schematically and partially shown, in longitudinal view, a vertical furnace galvanizing line 100 according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention. It comprises, successively and in the running direction of the strip 1, a preheating chamber 101, a heating chamber 102, a holding chamber 103, a cooling section 104 comprising a gas cooling chamber 6, a liquid cooling, a return and drying chamber 9, then a heating chamber 105, a furnace outlet section 106, and a hot-dip galvanizing section 107.

Depending on the grade of steel and the thermal cycle necessary to obtain the intended mechanical properties, the gas cooling chamber 6 allows for example slow cooling of the strip from an annealing temperature, for example of 900° C., to a quenching start temperature, for example 700°C. Faster cooling of the strip in chamber 6 can also be achieved but it will nevertheless remain slower than that obtained in chamber 2 of liquid cooling. Indeed, gaseous cooling, typically by spraying a mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen, makes it possible to reach cooling rates of the order of 100°C/s for steel strips with a thickness of 1 mm. Liquid cooling allows it to reach cooling speeds of up to 1000°C/s for a 1 mm thick steel strip. Referring to the diagram of Figure 2 attached, one can see partially shown a cooling section 104 according to the prior art. The strip 1 enters the gas cooling chamber 6 by circulating from top to bottom in the direction of travel materialized by the arrow S. At the exit of this chamber is an airlock 5 providing a separation between the controlled reducing atmosphere present in the gaseous cooling chamber, consisting of a mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen, from that, wet, of the liquid cooling chamber 2 which is located downstream. The airlock shown comprises two pairs of rollers with an atmosphere withdrawal between the two pairs of rollers. Other airlock configurations are possible, in particular an airlock with three pairs of rollers comprising a withdrawal between the two pairs of rollers located on the side of the gaseous cooling chamber and an injection of gas between the two pairs of rollers located on the side of the the liquid cooling chamber.

The strip first passes through an upper liquid cooling zone 3 in which nozzles 4 project a cooling liquid onto the strip, for example an acid solution containing water and 3% formic acid.

On leaving the liquid cooling zone 3, according to the running direction of the strip, the strip then passes through an intermediate zone 36 for wiping the strip.

In this area there are liquid knives formed by flat jet nozzles 7 intended to remove most of the runoff liquid present on the strip. The jets are inclined with respect to the strip at an acute angle in order to promote the detachment of the film of water present on the surface of the strip. The nozzles 7 are supplied with the same liquid as the cooling one, by means of a supply pipe 12.

The set of liquid knives is followed by gas knives intended to remove the liquid still present on the strip. These gas knives are formed by flat jet nozzles 8 supplied with nitrogen, or a mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen, by means of a supply conduit 17. The nitrogen may be at the temperature ambient or at a higher temperature. These gas knives have substantially the same inclination as the liquid knives.

The liquid and gas knives cover the entire width of the strip. On one side of the strip, they can be obtained with a single nozzle whose length is at least equal to the maximum width of the strip or with a plurality of nozzles arranged over the width of the strip.

Strip 1 then passes through a lower return zone 9 in which two deflecting rollers 18, 19 are arranged. It forms a tank in which the liquid sprayed onto the strip is collected by the cooling nozzles 4 and the nozzles 7 forming a liquid before being evacuated through an evacuation duct 10. This lower zone may include nozzles 8 forming complementary gas knives. Strip 1 then passes through a dryer 13 equipped with heating tubes 14 intended to dry the strip by radiation. Drying can also be carried out by convection or by a combination of radiation and convection.

On leaving this part 13, the strip passes through an atmosphere separation lock 15 between part 13 and chamber 16 located downstream in the direction of travel of the strip. The airlock represented comprises two pairs of rollers with an atmosphere withdrawal between the two pairs of rollers, but other airlock configurations are possible. Referring to the diagram of the appended FIG. 3, a cooling section 104 can be seen partially represented according to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, and by referring to the appended FIG. 4, one can see an enlargement of the zone surrounded by a circle C in FIG. 3. To simplify FIG. 4, only the equipment present on the right side of the band is shown. Figure 5 is a simplified view of Figure 4 showing the angles B and C of the inclined surfaces of the profiled sheet metal. The strip 1 on one side and a profiled sheet metal 20 on the other form an enclosure 33 which surrounds the nozzle 8 forming a knife 32 of gas. All of the liquid to be evacuated flows outside this enclosure towards the tank 23 before being evacuated towards an external exchanger not shown by the exhaust duct 26.

The profiled sheeting extends across the entire width of the strip and surrounds the nozzle 8 across its entire width, or the plurality of nozzles 8 depending on whether a single nozzle or multiple nozzles are used to cover the width of the strip. The profiled sheet metal closes towards the band, on its upper part and on its lower part. The spacing with the band is chosen to limit the passage section to a minimum to avoid any contact of the band with the profiled sheet metal while allowing the evacuation of the gas jet without constraint. A clearance of 50 to 100 mm between the strip and the sheet metal 20 is recommended.

The gas jet causes the liquid to rise along the strip outside the enclosure 33. The liquid then falls back onto the upper profiled part of the sheet metal. This comprises a slope 21 which favors the flow of the liquid towards the outside of the sheet metal, before it falls into a tank 23 where it is collected and then evacuated by a conduit 26.

The internal atmosphere in the enclosure 33 is physically separated by the profiled sheet metal from the humid atmosphere of the rest of the liquid cooling chamber 2, but not in a sealed manner. In addition to the opening on the upper part, orifices 30 exist on the lower part of the profiled sheet metal to evacuate the liquid which could involuntarily be in the enclosure. These orifices 30 have a reduced opening surface to limit the entry of moist gas into the enclosure 33. A slope 22 on the lower part of the profiled sheet metal promotes this flow.

Tray 23 includes a rise 24 along the strip, on either side thereof. The distance between the band and the lift 24 is reduced to that necessary to avoid any risk of the strip coming into contact with it, even in the event of the strip floating. It is for example from 50 to 100 mm.

Beneath the tank 23 is a return and drying zone 38. The impulse of the gas knife formed by the nozzle 8 creates a rise in the gas contained in the return and drying zone 38 by suction. Gas thus flows from bottom to top between the riser 24 of the tank 23 and the strip, as represented by the arrow 28 in FIG. 4. The return and drying zone 38 comprises a gas injection point 29 allowing to inject therein nitrogen or a mixture of nitrogen and hydrogen. This injection makes it possible to have in this zone a drier atmosphere than that present in the liquid cooling chamber. This injection is carried out by means of a power supply, not shown. The atmosphere present in this return and drying zone 38 is drawn off at the level of the airlock 15 for separating the atmosphere so as to ensure a renewal of the atmosphere present in the return and drying zone 38. The return and drying zone 38 is equipped with heating tubes 14 intended to completely dry the strip by radiation before it enters the heating chamber situated downstream.

Claims

1. Chamber (2) for cooling a vertically moving metal strip (1) in a continuous processing line, said chamber comprising an upper cooling zone (3) in which a cooling liquid is sprayed onto the strip, an intermediate zone (36) for wiping the strip comprising at least one nozzle (8) intended to form a knife (32) of gas impacting the strip at an acute angle A less than 80°, and preferably less than 60 °, the nozzle (8) being located in an enclosure (33) defined by the strip and a profiled sheet metal (20) arranged facing the strip, the said profiled sheet metal forming a barrier to the entry of liquid into the said enclosure, characterized in that the profiled sheet metal (20) forms a first inclined surface (21) originating at the upper end (34) of the profiled sheet metal disposed in the vicinity of the strip, the extension towards the strip of the first inclined surface forming with this an angle B a igu less than 90°, and preferably less than 60°, and the profiled sheet metal (20) forms a second inclined surface (22) originating at the lower end (35) of the profiled sheet metal disposed in the vicinity of the strip, the extension towards the strip of the second inclined surface forming therewith an acute angle C less than 90°, and preferably less than 60°.

2. Liquid cooling chamber according to claim 1, further comprising a lower zone (37) in which is arranged a tank (23) configured to receive the cooling liquid projected onto the strip, said tank comprising a surface (24) vertical arranged opposite the strip and in the vicinity thereof, the upper end (35) of which is located in the enclosure (33) formed by the strip and the profiled sheet metal, said vertical surface being configured to favor a rise of dry gas in the space defined by the strip and the vertical plane towards the inside of the enclosure (33) and coming from a return and drying zone (38) arranged under the tank (23).

3. Continuous processing line for a metal strip (1) comprising a first chamber (102,103) for heating under a controlled reducing atmosphere configured to bring the strip to a first annealing temperature, a second chamber (105) for heating under a controlled atmosphere controlled reducer configured to bring the strip to a second annealing temperature, or to an aging temperature or to a tempering temperature, characterized in that it comprises a cooling chamber according to one of the preceding claims, disposed between the first and second heating chambers.

4. A method of quenching a metal strip (1) implemented in a continuous processing line according to the preceding claim, comprising:

. a step of heating the strip to a first annealing temperature under a controlled non-oxidizing atmosphere;

. optionally, a step of cooling the strip by spraying it with a non-oxidizing gas, from the first annealing temperature to a quenching start temperature;

. a step of quenching the strip by spraying it with a cooling liquid, from the first annealing temperature, or the quenching start temperature, to a quenching end temperature;

. a step of wringing and drying the strip;