Device and method for determining the microstructure of a metal product, and metallurgical installation

Abstract

A device for determining the microstructure of a metal product during metallurgical production of the metal product, the device having at least one X-ray source, at least one X-ray detector and at least one accommodating chamber, inside which the X-ray source and/or the X-ray detector is/are arranged and which has at least one window which is transparent to X-ray radiation. To allow reliable determination of the microstructure of a metal product during the metallurgical production thereof, the device includes at least one cooling installation for actively cooling the accommodating chamber.

Claims

1. A device for determining a microstructure of a metal product during a metallurgical production of the metal product, said device comprising: at least one x-ray source; at least one x-ray detector; at least one receptacle chamber, the x-ray source and/or the x-ray detector being disposed within said receptacle chamber, and said receptacle chamber having at least one window that is permeable to x-ray radiation; at least one cooling installation for actively cooling the receptacle chamber, wherein the cooling installation includes at least one supply installation for supplying at least one cooling medium to the receptacle chamber, wherein the receptacle chamber is connected so as to communicate with the supply installation, wherein the cooling installation further includes at least one regulating installation which has at least one sensor and at least one regulating electronics unit that is connected to the at least one sensor, wherein the regulating electronics unit is configured to actuate the at least one supply installation in response to signals of the at least one sensor, wherein the cooling installation has a housing and the regulating electronics unit is configured to actuate the at least one supply installation so that a temperature of an external face and/or an internal face of the housing lies above a dew point temperature of an atmosphere within and/or outside the housing, wherein the window is configured to reflect or absorb incident infrared radiation on the window from outside of the receptacle chamber so that less than 50% of the incident infrared radiation on the window passes through to the receptacle chamber, wherein the housing is configured as at least a double wall structure having mutually spaced apart walls.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling installation includes at least one heat exchanger disposed in the receptacle chamber, wherein the at least one supply installation supplies at least one cooling medium to the heat exchanger, wherein the heat exchanger is connected so as to communicate with the supply installation.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the housing partially encloses the receptacle chamber and has at least one opening which is closed by the window, wherein the at least one supply installation supplies at least one cooling medium to the housing, wherein at least one intermediate space between walls that are disposed so as to be directly neighboring is connected so as to communicate with the supply installation.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the cooling medium is at least partially liquid and/or gaseous.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one sensor is a temperature sensor disposed in the receptacle chamber, and/or a temperature sensor that measures a temperature of the supplied cooling medium, and/or a temperature sensor that measures a temperature of the discharged cooling medium, and/or a flow sensor that measures a volumetric flow of the supplied cooling medium, and/or a pressure sensor that measures a pressure of the supplied cooling medium, and/or a flow sensor that measures a volumetric flow of the discharged cooling medium, and/or a pressure sensor that measures a pressure of the discharged cooling medium.

6. The device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one installation for drying and/or purifying the supplied cooling medium.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the window is formed from a polyamide film, at least one metal foil, glass, or ceramics, or a combination of said materials.

8. The device according to claim 1, wherein the window is formed largely from lightweight elements.

9. The device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one motion installation connected to the x-ray source and/or the x-ray detector, by way of which motion installation the x-ray source and/or the x-ray detector are/is movable relative to the metal product.

10. The device according to claim 1, further comprising at least one rinsing installation connected so as to communicate with the receptacle chamber and by way of which the receptacle chamber is rinsed with at least one rinsing medium.

11. The device according to claim 10, wherein the rinsing medium is at least partially liquid and/or gaseous.

12. A metallurgical plant for producing a metal product, comprising: at least one plant electronics unit for controlling and/or regulating an operation of at least one plant component, the electronics unit being configured to carry out at least one metallurgical process step; and at least one device according to claim 1 connected to the plant electronics unit, wherein the plant electronics unit is configured to determine a microstructure of the metal product from signals of the device, and to control and/or regulate the plant component while taking into account the determined microstructure.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

(1) The invention will be explained in an exemplary manner hereunder with reference to the appended figures and by means of preferred embodiments, wherein the features explained hereunder can individually as well as in various combinations represent an advantageous or refining aspect of the invention. In the figures:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment for a device according to the invention; and

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment for a metallurgical plant according to the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(4) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment for a device 1 according to the invention for determining a microstructure of a metal product 2 during a metallurgical production of the metal product 2.

(5) The device 1 comprises an x-ray source 3 that is disposed on one side of the metal product 2, and an x-ray detector 4 that is disposed on the opposite side of the metal product 2. The device 1 furthermore comprises a, preferably closed, receptacle chamber 5 within which the x-ray source 3 is disposed and which has a heat-resistant window 6 that is permeable to x-ray radiation. The device 1 moreover comprises a further, preferably closed, receptacle chamber 7 within which the x-ray detector 4 is disposed and which has a heat-resistant window 8 that is permeable to x-ray radiation. Each window 6 or 8, respectively, can be configured in such a manner that said window partially or completely reflects incident infrared radiation on said window 6 or 8, respectively, from outside of the respective receptacle chamber 5 or 7, respectively. Moreover, each window 6 or 8, respectively, can be formed from a polyamide film, or from at least one metal foil, or from glass, or from ceramics, or the like, or from a combination of said materials. The materials are preferably amorphous.

(6) The device 1 comprises a cooling installation 9 for actively cooling the receptacle chambers 5 and 7. The cooling installation 9 comprises a housing 10 which partially encloses the receptacle chamber 5 and which has at least one opening 11 which is closed by the window 6. The cooling installation 9 moreover comprises a housing 12 which partially encloses the receptacle chamber 7 and which has at least one opening 13 which is closed by the window 8. The cooling installation 9 furthermore comprises a supply installation 14 for supplying a cooling medium to the housings 10 and 12. Each housing 10 or 12, respectively, is configured as a double wall having walls 15 and 16, or 17 and 18, respectively, that are disposed so as to be mutually spaced apart. An intermediate space 19 or 20, respectively, between walls 15 and 16, or 17 and 18, respectively, that are disposed so as to be directly neighboring is connected so as to communicate with the supply installation 14. The cooling medium is at least partially liquid or gaseous.

(7) The cooling installation 9 can have a regulating installation 21 which is schematically indicated by dashed lines and which has a sensor 22 that is disposed in the receptacle chamber 5, a sensor 23 that is disposed in the receptacle chamber 7, and a regulating electronics unit 24 that is connected to the sensors 22 and 23, wherein the regulating electronics unit 24 is specified for actuating the supply installation 14 while taking into account signals of the sensors 22 and 23. The sensors comprise at least one temperature sensor that is disposed in the receptacle chamber, or a temperature sensor for the incoming cooling medium, or a temperature sensor for the outgoing cooling medium, or a flow sensor for the incoming cooling medium, or a flow sensor for the outgoing cooling medium, or a combination of said sensors. The regulating electronics unit 24 can be specified for actuating the supply installation 14 in such a manner that a temperature of an external face and/or an internal face of the respective housing 10 or 12, respectively, lies above a dew point temperature of an atmosphere within and/or outside the housings 10 and 12.

(8) The device 1 can have a motion installation 25 which is indicated in a schematic manner by dashed lines, which by way of the respective housing 10 or 12, respectively, is connected indirectly to the x-ray source 3 and the x-ray detector 4, and by which the x-ray source 3 and the x-ray detector 4 are movable relative to the metal product 2.

(9) The device 1 can furthermore have a rinsing installation 26 which is schematically indicated by dashed lines and which is connected so as to communicate with the receptacle chambers 5 and 7, and by which the receptacle chambers 5 and 7 are capable of being rinsed with a rinsing medium in that the rinsing medium is blown through the receptacle chambers 5 and 7. The rinsing installation 26 is preferably directed toward the respective window 6, respectively, so as to blow away impurities such as dust and the like.

(10) The x-ray source 3 for determining the microstructure of the metal product 2 emits x-ray radiation 27 which impacts the metal product 2 through the window 6 and is diffracted by said metal product 2. The diffracted x-ray radiation enters the receptacle chamber 7 through the window 8 and is detected by the x-ray detector 4 in said receptacle chamber 7.

(11) Alternatively or additionally, the cooling installation 9 can have two heat exchangers 32 and 33 which are in each case disposed in a receptacle chamber 5 or 7, respectively. The supply installation 14 in such a case can be specified for supplying at least one cooling medium to the heat exchangers 32 and 33, to which end the heat exchangers 32 and 33 can be connected so as to communicate with the supply installation 14.

(12) FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of an exemplary embodiment for a metallurgical plant 28 according to the invention for producing a metal product 2 in the form of a metal strip. A heat treatment furnace 29 of the metallurgical plant 28 is shown, the metal product 2 that is guided by way of deflection rollers 30 being guided through said heat treatment furnace 29. High temperatures prevail within the heat treatment furnace 29.

(13) The metallurgical plant 28 comprises a plant electronics unit 31 for controlling and/or regulating an operation of at least one plant component, in particular the heat treatment furnace 29, a metallurgical process step being capable of being carried out by way of said plant component or said heat treatment furnace 29, respectively.

(14) The metallurgical plant 28 furthermore comprises a device 1 for determining a microstructure of the metal product 2 during a metallurgical production of the metal product 2, said device 1 being connected to the plant electronics unit 31, wherein the device 1 is configured according to FIG. 1. In order for repetitions to be avoided, reference in terms of device 1 is made to the above description pertaining to FIG. 1. The plant electronics unit 31 is specified for determining the microstructure of the metal product 2 from signals of the device 1, and for controlling and/or regulating the plant component, thus the heat treatment furnace 29, while taking into account the determined microstructure.

LIST OF REFERENCE SIGNS

(15) 1 Device

(16) 2 Metal product

(17) 3 X-ray source

(18) 4 X-ray detector

(19) 5 Receptacle chamber

(20) 6 Window

(21) 7 Receptacle chamber

(22) 8 Window

(23) 9 Cooling installation

(24) 10 Housing

(25) 11 Opening of 10

(26) 12 Housing

(27) 13 Opening of 12

(28) 14 Supply installation

(29) 15 Wall of 10

(30) 16 Wall of 10

(31) 17 Wall of 12

(32) 18 Wall of 12

(33) 19 Intermediate space of 10

(34) 20 Intermediate space of 12

(35) 21 Regulating installation

(36) 22 Temperature sensor

(37) 23 Temperature sensor

(38) 24 Regulating electronics unit

(39) 25 Motion installation

(40) 26 Rinsing installation

(41) 27 X-ray radiation

(42) 28 Metallurgical plant

(43) 29 Heat treatment furnace

(44) 30 Deflection roller

(45) 31 Plant electronics unit

(46) 32 Heat exchanger

(47) 33 Heat exchanger