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.

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.

An apparatus and a method for rapidly heating cold-rolled strip steel (10). The apparatus for rapidly heating cold-rolled strip steel (10) comprises a heating zone, a soaking zone, and a cooling zone, and the heating zone is sequentially divided into a first heating section (1), a second heating section (2), a third heating section (3), and a fourth heating section (4) along a moving direction of the strip steel (10) to be heated, the first heating section (1) and the fourth heating section (4) being radiant heating sections, and the second heating section (2) and the third heating section (3) being inductive heating sections. The method for rapidly heating cold-rolled strip steel (10) uses the apparatus for rapidly heating cold-rolled strip steel (10) to heat the strip steel (10).

A method for controlling surface reactions on a steel strip running through a furnace includes, successively, a first section, a second section, and a third section separated by a sealing element, an atmosphere in the second and third sections being oxidizing and reducing respectively, the method including: heating, in the first section, the steel strip to between 600 and 750° C., while causing the atmosphere therein to be slightly oxidizing and to include: an H.sub.2 content inferior to 2%; an O.sub.2 content inferior to 0.1%; an H.sub.2O or CO.sub.2, or H.sub.2O+CO.sub.2 content superior to 0.03%; a controlled dew point ranging from −50 to −15° C.; and a controlled concentration of CO+CO.sub.2 maintained below 2%. All percentages are expressed in terms of volume.

A method for controlling surface reactions on a steel strip running through a furnace includes, successively, a first section, a second section, and a third section separated by a sealing element, an atmosphere in the second and third sections being oxidizing and reducing respectively, the method including: heating, in the first section, the steel strip to between 600 and 750° C., while causing the atmosphere therein to be slightly oxidizing and to include: an H.sub.2 content inferior to 2%; an O.sub.2 content inferior to 0.1%; an H.sub.2O or CO.sub.2, or H.sub.2O+CO.sub.2 content superior to 0.03%; a controlled dew point ranging from −50 to −15° C.; and a controlled concentration of CO+CO.sub.2 maintained below 2%. All percentages are expressed in terms of volume.

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.

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.

The method for the heat treatment of a steel reinforcing element (F) for a tire comprises a transformation of the steel microstructure and in which the temperature of the reinforcing element (F) is reduced during the transformation of the steel microstructure by simultaneously extracting heat from the reinforcing element (F) and supplying heat to the reinforcing element (F).

The method for the heat treatment of a steel reinforcing element (F) for a tire comprises a transformation of the steel microstructure and in which the temperature of the reinforcing element (F) is reduced during the transformation of the steel microstructure by simultaneously extracting heat from the reinforcing element (F) and supplying heat to the reinforcing element (F).

Resistance annealing furnace to anneal at least one metal or metal alloy wire, strand, string, wire rod or strip, the annealing furnace having at least two electric axles provided with respective electric contact rings for conveying the metal or metal alloy wire, strand, string, wire rod or strip, and a DC voltage generator, which can be supplied by an AC voltage (Uac) to generate an annealing voltage (Uann) applied between the two electric axles so as to produce an electric current in the portion of the metal or metal alloy wire, strand, string, wire rod or strip extending between the two electric axles, which provokes an annealing due to the Joule effect. At least one of the electric contact rings is made of a non-metal electric conductor material, for example graphite.