Provided is a hot-band annealing method comprising subjecting a Si-containing hot rolled steel sheet, having an oxidized scale formed on a surface of the steel sheet by hot rolling, to hot-band annealing with a hot-band annealing equipment provided with a heating zone, a soaking zone, a cooling zone, and a rapid heating device at an upstream side of the heating zone and/or in an inlet side of the heating zone, wherein the hot rolled steel sheet is heated by not lower than 50° C. at a heating rate of not less than 15° C./s by using the rapid heating device to improve a descaling property. Also, provided is a descaling method characterized by subjecting the Si-containing hot rolled steel sheet, after the hot-band annealing, to descaling only by pickling without requiring mechanical descaling or heating the steel sheet in the pickling process.

High strength galvannealed steel sheet having, a) a composition consisting of (in wt. %): C 0.10-0.2, Mn 2.0-3.0, Si 0.2-0.5, Cr 0.1-0.7, Ti 0.01-0.07, Al≤0.2, Nb<0.05, Mo<0.1, optionally B 0.001-0.005, balance Fe apart from impurities, b) a multiphase microstructure comprising (in vol. %) retained austenite 4-20, martensite 5-25, bainitic ferrite ≤10, polygonal ferrite ≤10, balance bainite+tempered martensite 50-90, c) a tensile strength (Rm) 1180-1300 MPa, a yield strength (R.sub.p0.2) 800-970 MPa, an elongation (A50) ≥8%, or an elongation (A80) ≥6%, and d) a bendability value Ri/t of ≤4 for a sample having the size of 35 mm×100 mm, wherein Ri is the bending radius in mm and t is the thickness in mm of the steel sheet.

High strength galvannealed steel sheet having, a) a composition consisting of (in wt. %): C 0.10-0.2, Mn 2.0-3.0, Si 0.2-0.5, Cr 0.1-0.7, Ti 0.01-0.07, Al≤0.2, Nb<0.05, Mo<0.1, optionally B 0.001-0.005, balance Fe apart from impurities, b) a multiphase microstructure comprising (in vol. %) retained austenite 4-20, martensite 5-25, bainitic ferrite ≤10, polygonal ferrite ≤10, balance bainite+tempered martensite 50-90, c) a tensile strength (Rm) 1180-1300 MPa, a yield strength (R.sub.p0.2) 800-970 MPa, an elongation (A50) ≥8%, or an elongation (A80) ≥6%, and d) a bendability value Ri/t of ≤4 for a sample having the size of 35 mm×100 mm, wherein Ri is the bending radius in mm and t is the thickness in mm of the steel sheet.

An induction heating device for a metal strip, including: an induction coil provided on one side or on both sides of a front face side or a reverse face side of a metal strip, and that induces an induction current in the strip when a primary current is passed through the coil, the induction current configuring a closed loop as viewed from a direction perpendicular to a metal strip face; plural magnetic cores disposed at a specific position, this being a position at a back face side of the coil and separated from the strip by a specific distance, to concentrate magnetic flux generated by the coil in the strip; and a moving mechanism coupled to the magnetic cores, and that moves the cores to increase or decrease a disposed number of the cores at the specific position disposed side-by-side along a metal strip width direction.

An induction heating device for a metal strip, including: an induction coil provided on one side or on both sides of a front face side or a reverse face side of a metal strip, and that induces an induction current in the strip when a primary current is passed through the coil, the induction current configuring a closed loop as viewed from a direction perpendicular to a metal strip face; plural magnetic cores disposed at a specific position, this being a position at a back face side of the coil and separated from the strip by a specific distance, to concentrate magnetic flux generated by the coil in the strip; and a moving mechanism coupled to the magnetic cores, and that moves the cores to increase or decrease a disposed number of the cores at the specific position disposed side-by-side along a metal strip width direction.

A method for heat-treating a metal strip, where the metal strip is pre-heated continuously in a pre-heating zone with the aid of hot gas and subsequently undergoes further heat treatment in a directly fired furnace in a reducing and/or oxidizing atmosphere. The metal strip is pre-heated in the pre-heating zone with hot inert gas and further heated with an electric heating system before entering the directly fired furnace. A furnace plant for implementing the process and a related heat recovery system are also disclosed.

A method for heat-treating a metal strip, where the metal strip is pre-heated continuously in a pre-heating zone with the aid of hot gas and subsequently undergoes further heat treatment in a directly fired furnace in a reducing and/or oxidizing atmosphere. The metal strip is pre-heated in the pre-heating zone with hot inert gas and further heated with an electric heating system before entering the directly fired furnace. A furnace plant for implementing the process and a related heat recovery system are also disclosed.

A heating device and/or method to heat a slab, and in particular its edges, by electromagnetic induction, including an electric coil and a magnetic concentrator associated with the electric coil.

A heating device and/or method to heat a slab, and in particular its edges, by electromagnetic induction, including an electric coil and a magnetic concentrator associated with the electric coil.

A heating device and a method for the inductive heating of a flat steel strip in a hot rolling mill. The heating device is between two rolling trains of the hot rolling mill and the flat steel strip runs at a speed through the heating device in a transporting direction. The heating device includes: transverse-field modules arranged one after the other along the transporting direction of the flat steel strip; longitudinal-field modules arranged one after the other along the transporting direction of the flat steel strip and arranged before or after the transverse-field modules along the transporting direction; a first power supply supplying at least one transverse-field module with a first alternating voltage; and a second power supply supplying at least one longitudinal-field module with a second alternating voltage. The power supplies have a converter and an electrically connected capacitor bank with multiple capacitors connected in parallel.