Gas-cushion-type strip-supporting system having a nozzle system

Abstract

A nozzle system for a band floating system for floatingly guiding a band-shaped material having a nozzle body having a front edge area and a rear edge area opposite to the front edge area, a front gas nozzle arrangement arranged at the front edge area, a rear gas nozzle arrangement arranged at the rear edge area, and a nozzle arrangement arranged, in the conveying direction, in front of the front gas nozzle arrangement and/or behind the rear gas nozzle arrangement such that a liquid fluid is flowable in a fluid jet into a nozzle floating field in the direction towards a band running plane for temperature-controlling the band-shaped material.

Claims

1. Nozzle system for a band floating system for floatingly guiding a band-shaped material, the nozzle system having a nozzle body, which has, along a conveying direction of the band-shaped material, which is conveyable within a band running plane, a front edge area and a rear edge area opposite to the front edge area, a front gas nozzle arrangement, which is arranged at the front edge area such that a front gas jet is flowable in the direction towards the band running plane for forming a nozzle floating field for the band-shaped material, a rear gas nozzle arrangement, which is arranged at the rear edge area such that a rear gas jet is flowable in the direction towards the band running plane for forming the nozzle floating field for the band-shaped material, a nozzle arrangement, which is arranged, in the conveying direction, in front of the front gas nozzle arrangement and/or behind the rear gas nozzle arrangement, wherein the nozzle arrangement is configured such that a liquid fluid is flowable in a fluid jet into the nozzle floating field in the direction towards the band running plane for temperature-controlling the band-shaped material, and wherein between the nozzle arrangement there is no nozzle arrangement for flowing out the liquid fluid, and wherein the nozzle arrangement is arranged such that the fluid jet is flowable into the front gas jet or the rear gas jet, or wherein the nozzle body has, between the front edge area and the rear edge area, a perforated metal plate, through which a gaseous fluid is flowable in the direction towards the band running plane.

2. Nozzle system according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle arrangement is arranged such that the fluid jet forms an angle, α, between 20° and 85°, relative to the conveying direction.

3. Nozzle system according to claim 1, wherein the front gas nozzle arrangement is arranged such that the front gas jet forms an angle, β, between 30° and 85°, relative to the conveying direction.

4. Nozzle system according to claim 1, wherein an angle, β, between the front gas jet and the conveying direction is larger than an angle, α, between the fluid jet and the conveying direction.

5. Nozzle system according to claim 1, wherein the rear gas nozzle arrangement is arranged such that the rear gas jet forms an angle, γ, between 90° and 145°, relative to the conveying direction.

6. Nozzle system according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle arrangement is arranged adjustably at the nozzle body such that an angle, α, between the fluid jet and the conveying direction is adjustable.

7. Nozzle system according to claim 1, wherein the front gas nozzle arrangement and/or the rear gas nozzle arrangement is formed as a slot nozzle, which extends perpendicular to the conveying direction.

8. Nozzle system according to claim 1, wherein the nozzle arrangement has a plurality of nozzles, which are arranged one after another along a width of the nozzle body perpendicular to the conveying direction.

9. Nozzle system according to claim 1, further having a further nozzle arrangement, which is arranged, in the conveying direction, behind the rear gas nozzle arrangement, wherein the further nozzle arrangement is configured such that a liquid fluid is flowable in a further fluid jet in the direction towards the band running plane for temperature-controlling the band-shaped material.

10. Band floating system for floatingly guiding a band-shaped material, the band floating system having a first nozzle system according to claim 1, a second nozzle system according to claim 1, wherein the first nozzle system is arranged relative to the second nozzle system such that the band-shaped material is guidable between the first nozzle system and the second nozzle system.

11. Band floating system according to claim 10, wherein the first nozzle system is arranged, in the conveying direction, located at a distance from the second nozzle system.

12. Band floating system according to claim 11, wherein the first nozzle system and the second nozzle system are configurable such that by a nozzle floating field of the first nozzle system and a nozzle floating field of the second nozzle system a course of the band-shaped material along the conveying direction is generatable in the form of a wave.

13. Method for floatingly guiding a band-shaped material, the method having guiding the band-shaped material along a conveying direction within a band running plane, wherein a nozzle body has, along a conveying direction, a front edge area and a rear edge area opposite to the front edge area, flowing a front gas jet in the direction towards the band running plane for forming a nozzle floating field for the band-shaped material by a front gas nozzle arrangement, which is arranged at the front edge area, flowing a rear gas jet in the direction towards the band running plane for forming the nozzle floating field for the band-shaped material by a rear gas nozzle arrangement, which is arranged at the rear edge area, flowing a fluid jet in the direction towards the band running plane into the nozzle floating field for temperature-controlling the band-shaped material by a nozzle arrangement, which is arranged in the conveying direction in front of the front gas nozzle arrangement or behind the rear gas nozzle arrangement, wherein the nozzle arrangement is configured such that a liquid fluid is flowable in the fluid jet into the nozzle floating field, and wherein between the nozzle arrangement there is no nozzle arrangement for flowing out the liquid fluid, and wherein the nozzle arrangement is arranged such that the fluid jet is flowable into the front gas jet or the rear gas jet, or wherein the nozzle body has, between the front edge area and the rear edge area, perforated metal plate, through which a gaseous fluid is flowable in the direction towards the band running plane.

Description

SHORT DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) In the following, embodiment examples of the present invention are described in more detail for a further explanation and a better understanding with reference to the appended drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a nozzle system for a band floating system, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention;

(3) FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of a nozzle system from FIG. 1, in which flow lines can be seen, according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention; and

(4) FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a band floating system having nozzle systems according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(5) Same or similar components in different figures are provided with same reference numerals. The illustrations in the figures are schematic.

(6) FIG. 1 shows a nozzle system 100 for a band floating system 300 (see FIG. 3) according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention. The nozzle system 100 may have has a nozzle body 102, which may have, along a conveying direction 103 of the band-shaped material 101, which may be conveyable within a band running plane, a front edge region 104 and a rear edge region 105 opposite to the front end region. The nozzle system 100 may further have a front gas nozzle arrangement 110, which may be arranged at the front edge region 104, such that a front gas jet 111 may be flowable in the direction towards the band running plane for forming a nozzle floating field 106 for the band-shaped material 101. The nozzle system 100 may further have a rear gas nozzle arrangement 120, which may be arranged at the rear edge region 105, such that a rear gas jet 121 may be flowable in the direction towards the band running plane for forming the nozzle floating field 106 for the band-shaped material 101. The nozzle system 100 may further have a nozzle arrangement 130, which may be arranged, in the conveying direction 103, in front of the front gas jet arrangement 110, wherein the nozzle arrangement 130 may be configured such that a liquid fluid may be flowable in a fluid jet 131 into the nozzle floating field 106 in the direction towards the band running plane for temperature-controlling the band-shaped material. Additionally or alternatively, the nozzle arrangement 130 or a further nozzle arrangement may be arranged behind the rear gas nozzle arrangement 120.

(7) The band-shaped material 101 may be guided within a band running plane. Furthermore, the band-shaped material 101 may be guided in the conveying direction 103 by the band floating system 300. The width of the band-shaped material 101 may be defined perpendicular and/or transverse to the conveying direction 103.

(8) The nozzle body 102 may form for example a nozzle box. The nozzle body 102 may support the gas nozzle arrangements 110, 120. Furthermore, in the represented embodiment example, the nozzle arrangement 130 for flowing-out the liquid fluid may be fixed to the nozzle body 102.

(9) In the exemplary embodiment, the nozzle body 102 may form integrally the gas nozzle arrangements 110, 120. For example, corresponding gas nozzle arrangements 110, 120 may be formed by slot-type outlets. The nozzle body 102 may further extend across the width 109 of the band-shaped material 101 and/or perpendicular to the conveying direction 103.

(10) The nozzle body 102 may be defined in the conveying direction 103 by a front edge region 104 and a rear edge region 105. The front edge region 104 and the rear edge region 105 may extend across the width 109 of the band-shaped material 101. The front gas nozzle arrangement 110 may be arranged and/or formed along the front edge region 104.

(11) The front and rear gas nozzle arrangements 110, 120 may be formed to flow a gaseous medium, i.e. a gas and/or a gas mixture, by one or more front and rear gas jets in the direction towards the band running plane.

(12) Herein, the gas nozzle arrangements 110, 120 may be formed such that the volume flow and the gas pressure of the corresponding front and rear gas jets 111, 121 may generate a corresponding stable nozzle floating field 106. The nozzle floating field 106 may serve to deflect and/or align the band-shaped material 101. On the one hand, a lower nozzle floating field 106, which may be formed below the band-shaped material 101, may lift the band-shaped material 101.

(13) The nozzle arrangement 130 may be formed to spray a liquid fluid, such as for example a water mixture or an oil mixture, in the direction towards the band running plane in order to effect a desired temperature-control effect (heating up or cooling down) of the band-shaped material 101. Herein, the nozzle arrangement 130 may spray the liquid fluid with a predetermined volume flow as well as a predetermined fluid temperature in the direction towards the band running plane. The nozzle arrangement 130 may consist of a plurality of nozzle elements, which may be arranged in one or more rows relative to each other, and which rows may extend in the width direction 109 perpendicular to the conveying direction 103.

(14) The nozzle arrangement 130 may be formed such that the fluid jet 131 may be flowable into the front gas jet 111 and/or into the nozzle floating field 106, in particular before the front gas jet 111 may impinge on the band-shaped material 101. In other words, the front gas jet 111 and the fluid jet 131 may be formed relative to each other such that the liquid fluid may be mixed with the gas in the front gas jet 111 before the liquid fluid and the gas may impinge on the band-shaped material 101. In another exemplary embodiment, the nozzle arrangement may be arranged such that the fluid jet may be adjustable into the rear gas jet 121.

(15) The nozzle arrangement 130 may be arranged such that the fluid jet 131 may form an angle α between 30° and 45° relative to the conveying direction 101. Thus, the liquid fluid may be applied onto the band-shaped material 101 in particular against the conveying direction 103. The front gas nozzle arrangement 110 may be arranged such that the front gas jet 111 may form an angle β between 45° and 70° to the conveying direction 103. Thus, the gas may be applied onto the band-shaped material 101 against the conveying direction 103. It has turned out that, with the indicated values, a robust nozzle floating field 106 may be formed in an advantageous manner, and at the same time the liquid fluid may be dispatched (or dissipated) speedily and completely.

(16) As can be seen in FIG. 1, the nozzle arrangement 130 and the gas nozzle arrangement 110 may be formed relative to each other such that an angle β between the front gas jet 111 and the conveying direction 103 may be larger than an angle α between the fluid jet 131 and the conveying direction 103. In other words, the fluid jet 130 of the liquid fluid may impinge more flatly (or shallower) onto the surface of the material 101 than the gas jet 111. This may result in that a better and/or more laminar (or more areal) contact may be generated between the liquid fluid and the material, and at the same time a more robust nozzle floating field 106 may be generated due to the steeper spraying angle of the gas jet.

(17) The rear gas nozzle arrangement 120 may be arranged such that the rear gas jet 121 may form an angle γ between 110° and 135° relative to the conveying direction 103. Thus, the gas may be applied onto the band-shaped material 101 in particular in the conveying direction 103. It has turned out that, with the indicated values, a robust nozzle floating field 106 may be formed in an advantageous manner, and at the same time the liquid fluid may be dispatched speedily and completely.

(18) The nozzle arrangement 130 may be arranged adjustable at the nozzle body 102 such that the angle α between the fluid jet 131 and the conveying direction 103 may be adjustable. In the represented embodiment example, the nozzle arrangement 130 may be arranged rotatably (or pivotably) at the nozzle body 102 by a hinge (or articulation) as an adjustment device 108. Herein, the nozzle arrangement 130 may be rotatable in particular around a rotation axis, which may be formed perpendicular to the conveying direction 103 along the width direction 109 of the band-shaped material 101. As a function of the adjusted spraying angle α of the liquid fluid, the temperature-control effect thereof and the formation behaviour of droplets on the band-shaped material 101 may be adjusted.

(19) The nozzle body 102 may further have, between the front edge region 104 and the rear edge region 105, a perforated metal sheet 107, through which a gaseous fluid may be flowable in the direction towards the band running plane. Herein, the gaseous fluid may be flown through the perforated metal sheet 107 almost perpendicular onto the band-shaped material 101. This may result in a formation of a robust nozzle floating field 106.

(20) FIG. 2 shows a schematic illustration of the nozzle system 100 from FIG. 1, in which flow lines of the gas and of the liquid fluid can be seen. The fluid jet 131 may be flown-out by the nozzle arrangement 130 in the direction towards the band-shaped material 101, such that the fluid jet 131 may impinge onto the band-shaped material 101 with the angle α. Accordingly, the front gas jet 111 may be flown-out in the direction towards the band-shaped material 101 such that the front gas jet 111 may impinge onto the band-shaped material 101 with the angle β. In the illustrated embodiment example, the angle α may be formed larger than the angle β. The relation between the two angles α, β may be adjusted via the adjustable nozzle arrangement 130.

(21) As is illustrated in FIG. 2, the front gas jet 111 may be flown onto the band-shaped material 101 against the conveying direction 103. Due to the conveying direction 103 and due to the flowing-out direction of the rear gas jet 121 of the rear gas nozzle arrangement 120 with the angle γ in the direction of the conveying direction 103, the front gas jet 101 may be deflected in the conveying direction 103. This deflection may result in the formation of an eddy in the area of the front edge region 104 of the nozzle body 102. Thereby, the liquid fluid of the fluid jet 131 may also be whirled (or swirled), which in turn may result in an improved atomization (or spraying) of the liquid fluid as well as in a better dissipation.

(22) FIG. 3 shows a schematic illustration of a band floating system 300 having nozzle systems 301, 302, 303 according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention.

(23) In the band floating system 300, the band-shaped material 101 may be conveyed almost contactlessly, such that locations of contact may be reduced. In particular, this may be generated by the generation of the nozzle floating fields 106 by the corresponding gas nozzle arrangements of the nozzle systems 301, 302, 303. In the present example, the band floating system 300 may have three nozzle systems 301, 302, 303, which may be formed according to the embodiment in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2. The first nozzle system 301 and the third nozzle system 303 may be arranged relative to the second nozzle system 302 such that the band-shaped material 101 may be guidable between the first and third nozzle systems 301, 303 and the second nozzle system 302. Thus, a nozzle floating field 106 may impact (or affect) the band-shaped material 101 from both sides, i.e. from below and from above, such that a robust and precise guiding may be enabled. Furthermore, a precise temperature-controlling may be provided on both sides of the band-shaped material 101.

(24) The nozzle systems 301, 302, 303 may herein be arranged, in the conveying direction 103, located at a distance relative to each other. Furthermore, the nozzle systems 301, 302, 303 may be arranged, in the conveying direction 103, alternatingly above and below the band-shaped material 101. Thus, a wave-like (sinus-shaped) course (or progression) of the band-shaped material 101 along the conveying direction 103 may be generated. As is illustrated in FIG. 3, respectively alternatingly in the conveying direction 103, one nozzle floating field 106 may lift the band-shaped material 101, while a subsequent nozzle floating field 106 may press the band-shaped material 101 in the gravitation direction. Thus, the wave-like course of the band-shaped material 101 may be generated selectively (or targetedly) in the longitudinal direction and/or in the conveying direction 103. The formation of a wave-like course of the band-shaped material may result in an increased stability against a bending along the width direction 109 of the band-shaped material.

(25) Supplementarily, it is to be noted that “having” (or “comprising”) does not exclude other elements or steps, and that “a” or “an” does not exclude a plurality. Furthermore, it is noted that features or steps, which have been described with reference to one of the above embodiment examples, can also be used in combination with other features or steps of other embodiment examples described above. Reference numerals in the claims are not to be considered as limitations.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

(26) 100 nozzle system 101 band-shaped material 102 nozzle body 103 conveying direction 104 front edge region 105 rear edge region 106 nozzle floating field 107 perforated metal sheet 108 adjustment device 109 width of the band-shaped material 110 front gas jet arrangement 111 front gas jet 120 rear gas nozzle arrangement 121 rear gas jet 130 nozzle arrangement 131 fluid jet 300 band floating system 301 nozzle system 302 nozzle system 303 nozzle system 304 middle track