Method for hot-dip coating a steel strip and facility for implementing same
11072846 · 2021-07-27
Assignee
Inventors
Cpc classification
International classification
Abstract
A method for hot-dip coating of a steel strip running in a bath of liquid metal such as zinc, or metal alloy contained in a pan is provided. Dross which are formed during the coating and float at the surface of the bath are moved away from the surface of the strip by at least one inductor. Each inductor produces a sliding electromagnetic field oriented along a given direction and generates a magnetomotive force, and the magnetomotive forces displaced the dross towards a container intended to collect them and/or towards an area of the surface of the bath from which they are discharged. For at least one of the inductors, the direction of the respective sliding electromagnetic field is reversed intermittently so as to modify the flows of the dross inside the pan. A hot dip coating facility is also provided.
Claims
1. A hot dip coating facility for a steel strip comprising: a pan containing in a liquid state, a bath of liquid metal or metal alloy, the strip running through the bath; and at least one inductor, each inductor generating an electromagnetic field and magnetomotive forces to bring dross formed during galvanization to a vicinity of a container intended to receive the dross or into an action area of a robot or an operator who brings the dross into the container, at least one of the inductors including a device for reversing the direction of the electromagnetic field generated by the respective inductor, wherein each inductor is mounted above the pan at a distance above the surface of the bath.
2. The facility according to claim 1, wherein at least two inductors are located on either side of an exit area of the strip from the bath and include a device for reversing the direction of their respective electromagnetic field.
3. The facility according to claim 1, wherein each inductor is mounted on brackets allowing adjustment of a location above the pan and the distance to the surface of the bath.
4. The facility according to claim 1, further comprising automated devices for servo-controlling the distance between each inductor and a level of the surface of the bath.
5. The facility according to claim 1, wherein the at least one inductor includes four inductors, the first and second inductors frame the strip in an area where the strip exits the bath to move the dross away from surfaces of the strip by moving the dross in a direction parallel therewith and the third and fourth inductors are each positioned along walls of the pan, substantially in an extension of the first and second inductors.
6. The facility according to claim 5, wherein the pan containing the bath has a generally rectangular shape, the container in which the dross are collected or the action area of the robot or of the operator is located in a first corner of the pan opposite the third or fourth inductor and in a second corner of the pan opposite to fourth or third inductor, respectively, a fifth inductor is placed to orient the dross towards the container.
7. The facility according to claim 1, further comprising a device controlling the reversal of the direction of the electromagnetic field generated by the at least one inductor which is subordinate to a device for evaluating the amount of accumulated dross in at least one area of the pan.
8. The facility according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the inductors is a three-phase linear motor.
9. The facility according to claim 8, wherein at least one of the three-phase linear motors has coils that surround a core.
10. The facility according to claim 1, wherein the device is a remotely controlled switch.
11. The facility according to claim 1, wherein the device is a remotely controlled phase inverter.
12. The facility according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises means for remotely reversing the direction of the electromagnetic field generated by the respective inductor to modify the flows of the dross inside the pan during a hot dip coating operation.
13. The facility according to claim 12, wherein the means includes a switch.
14. The facility according to claim 13, wherein the switch is remotely controlled by an operator.
15. The facility according to claim 14, wherein the phase inverter is remotely controlled by an operator.
16. The facility according to claim 12, wherein the means includes a phase inverter.
17. The facility according to claim 12, wherein the means includes a switch or phase inverter, the means further including an automated device controlling the switch or phase inverter to reverse the direction of the electromagnetic field.
18. The facility according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises means for remotely reversing the direction of the electromagnetic field generated by the respective inductor, said means being able to perform instantaneously said reversal.
19. The facility according to claim 17, wherein the means includes a switch.
20. The facility according to claim 18, wherein the switch is remotely controlled by an operator.
21. The facility according to claim 17, wherein the means includes a phase inverter.
22. The facility according to claim 20, wherein the phase inverter is remotely controlled by an operator.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
(1) The invention will be better understood upon reading the description which follows, given with reference to the following appended figures:
(2)
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION
(8) The general design of three-phase linear motors which, according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention, ensure the generation of sliding fields, is standard, but their dimensioning and their characteristics should be appropriate for the needs of the facility. One constraint is in particular obtaining a satisfactory efficiency of the sliding field when the motor is placed at a distance from the galvanization bath, optimally comprised between 20 and 100 mm, distance at which it is generally avoided that the surface of the bath come into contact with the motor, or that projections of liquid zinc come and deteriorate it.
(9) Theoretically, a motor-bath distance from 1 to 350 mm is possible (it should also be adjusted depending on the pole pitch and on the power of the motor), being aware that the smaller this distance, the higher is the efficiency of the motor, everything being equal furthermore. But the geometry and the specific operating conditions of the galvanization facility have to be considered for selecting the optimum distance. The motors are moreover optimally mounted each on a bracket which allows adjustment of their exact location above the bath, including in height, according to the instantaneous needs of the application of the invention, which may vary according to various parameters such as: the running speed of the strip and its variations, which generate more or less substantial perturbations at the surface of the bath; the formation rate of the dross, which moreover depends inter alia on the running speed of the strip, and which, when it is significant because the strip is running fast, may require maximum efficiency of the motors for moving the mass away from the strip; it will then be beneficial to place the motors as close as possible to the surface of the bath.
(10) The dimension in length and in volume of each motor should be such that the motor may find its place in the production line, taking into account the usual dimensions of the pan, of the strip and of the available space for implanting the motors above the pan, especially when the intention is to implant them on a pre-existing facility. Practically, the length of the motor is from 200 to 2,000 mm, its width from 100 to 1,000 mm and its height from 50 to 600 mm.
(11) The length and the width of the motor define its active surface: the larger the active surface, the larger is the area swept by the motor, but also the more significant is the congestion of the motor, which may make its setting up into place difficult. Of course, all the motors of a same facility are not necessarily identical. The selection of the dimensions of the motor is adapted to the size of the area which it should sweep. Optimally, the motors framing the strip have a length of the order of the width of the strip in order to guarantee that the dross will be moved away from the whole of the area where the strip penetrates into the galvanization bath. But this condition is not always fulfilled on facilities intended for treating strips with diverse widths (from 600 to 2,000 mm for example). In order to find a remedy for this, the following may be considered: either having several sets of motors, with different widths, and which may be rapidly changed between two galvanization operations for strips of different widths; or, using several motors placed side by side and which may be started up or shut down depending on the width of the strip to be coated.
(12) The pole pitch of the motor, i.e. the distance between two coils powered with the same phase, may vary from 50 to 700 mm. It corresponds to the action area of the magnetic field. The more the pole pitch is reduced, the more it is necessary to place the motor close to the surface of the bath in order to obtain a given efficiency for driving the dross. Placing the motor at 100 mm of the surface of the bath is generally accompanied by selecting a pole pitch of the order of 300 mm considering the other preferred characteristics of the motors.
(13) The operating frequency of the motors may range from 1 to 500 Hz. It has an influence on the direction of the magnetomotive force in liquid Zn, as this was seen earlier. The force is optimally as tangential as possible relative to the surface of the bath, so as not to generate any perturbation out of the close vicinity of the surface (in particular, a perturbation which would tend to put back in place the dross having decanted at the bottom of the pan or those floating at the surface, into the core of the bath) and ensure a displacement as efficient as possible of the dross floating at the surface. Moreover everything being equal, notably the pole pitch, the electromagnetic force is all the more tangential since the frequency is low.
(14) The intensity of the current flowing through each notch of the motors should be sufficient for generating a magnetomotive force from 1,000 to 20,000 ampere-turns, being aware that for a given winding, the higher the intensity of the current, the greater is the generated magnetomotive force.
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(17) For easily applying the invention, a phase inverter 30 is provided, which allows in a single actuation operation, modification of the connections of the coils connected to the phases 1 and 2 (in the illustrated example the coils 3, 5, 6, 8) respectively so as to be able to instantaneously reverse the direction of the sliding field, being aware that the connections of the coils 4, 7 connected to the phase 3 remain unchanged. Thus, in the configuration illustrated in solid lines in
(18) The pole pitch of the motor, i.e. the distance“p” between two coils powered with the same phase, for example the coils 3 and 6 in the illustrated example, is, as stated, from 50 to 700 mm. A pole pitch of 300 mm for a motor with a length of 600 to 700 mm proves to be a good compromise between the different requirements to be reconciled: a sufficiently long pole pitch so that it is not necessary to place the motor at a too reduced distance from the galvanization bath, which may damage it; a sufficiently reduced pole pitch so as not to lead to a motor for which the length would be excessively large.
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(20) The most standard linear motors include a flat winding, with flat coils crossing the core (see for example document EP-A-0 949 749). But for greater compactness of the motor, in particular in width, it is preferable to give it the configuration schematically illustrated in the figures, wherein the coils 3-8 are positioned around the core 1. Document “Fluid flow in a continuous casting mold driven by linear induction motors” (ISIJ International, 2001, Vol. 41 No. 8, pp 851-858) describes such linear motors in more detail.
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(22) The linear motors 11-14 are positioned on brackets 21-24 which allow modification of their respective positions above the bath 9 in order to optimize: the location of the action area of each motor 11-14; and the vertical distance between the surface 10 of the bath 9 and each of the motors 11-14.
(23) Indeed, because of the gradual consumption of zinc during galvanization, the level of the bath 9 tends to be lowered during the operation, and if the distance between the motor 11-14 and the surface 10 increases, the magnetomotive force decreases. A gradual downward lowering of the motor 11-14 by its bracket 21-24 gives the possibility of maintaining this distance constant, therefore keeping the magnetomotive force constant in direction and in intensity, everything being equal furthermore. Another means for acting on the magnetomotive force is to increase the intensity of the current flowing through the motor 11-14. Of course, it is possible to combine an adjustment of the distance between the motor 11-14 and the surface 10 of the bath 9 and an adjustment of the intensity of the current for controlling the magnetomotive force. Means may be provided for automatically subordinating the distance between each motor 11-14 and the surface 10 of the bath 9 to the variation of the level of said surface 10.
(24) The positioning of the different main elements of the facility as illustrated in
(25) The parallelism of the side walls of the pan 15 and of the motors 13, 14 as illustrated in
(26) The inventors noticed that the efficiency of such a system, operating continuously with substantially constant magnetomotive forces at least in direction, did not allow maximum efficiency to be attained for removing the dross.
(27) Indeed, because of the stability of the flows at the surface of the bath 9, in the long run, dead areas are created where the dross will accumulate and remain immobile without being able to captured by one of the motors 11-14, and also areas in which the dross circulate in loops, having few possibilities of escaping in order to join up with the normal circulation flow which will lead them into the action area 25 of the robot 20 (or directly into the container 19 if the latter is placed in the actual pan 15). An accumulation of the dross in certain areas is therefore observed, which may end up by forming a source of pollution for the whole of the bath 9 and deteriorate the quality of the galvanization.
(28) An object of the present invention is to provide at least one of the motors 11-14 with a means allowing reversal of the direction of the electromagnetic field which it generates, therefore the direction of the magnetomotive force which causes displacement of the dross. This reversal may take place systematically at predetermined time intervals and be controlled manually or automatically, preliminary experiments having allowed determination of the optimum frequency with which this reversal should be carried out depending on the galvanization conditions (notably on the running speed of the strip 16, the nature of the bath 9 . . . ). It may also take place in an irregular way, at moments determined by the operator of the facility, or by any automated device operating, for example, while being subordinate to means for evaluating the amount of accumulated dross in determined area(s) of the pan 15.
(29) This evaluation of the amount of accumulated dross may be provided, for example, by analyzing images captured by cameras (infrared cameras or others) aiming at the potential accumulation areas of the dross. It allows an operator or an automatic device for managing the galvanization facility, to estimate that the accumulation of the dross in one or several places of the surface 10 of the bath 9 is on the point of becoming excessive or is already excessive, and that it is therefore desirable to proceed with said reversal of the direction of the field of at least one of the motors 11-14.
(30) The reversal of the direction of the magnetomotive force associated with the relevant motor(s) 11-14 causes a transient perturbation of the circulation of the dross, which thus gives the possibility of stirring areas which were stable previously (dead areas or recirculation loops). This stirring brings back the dross which are found in these areas within the new preferential path for circulation of the dross which is thereby generated, and said dross may be removed. This new recirculation path in turn will generate new dead areas and recirculation routes, but they may be “broken” in the same way by subsequent reversal of the direction of the field generated by at least one of the inductors 11-14.
(31) These means for reversal of the field of the inductor 11-14 may very simply be formed by a switch which changes the powering of the various coils 3-8. For this, as seen and illustrated in
(32) In the case illustrated in
(33) In the case of
(34)
(35) When the accumulation of the dross in the new dead areas and generated recirculation loops will be at the point of becoming excessive, as described earlier, there will be a transition into the configuration of
(36) In the illustrated example, the two motors 11, 12 framing the strip 16 both drive the dross in the same direction. But this configuration is not mandatory, it is possible to provide, if the localization of the dross to be moved requires this, that the directions of the fields of said motors 11, 12 be opposite and this permanently or temporarily.
(37) Also, in the illustrated example, both motors 11, 12 framing the strip 16 have the same length and exactly face each other. But this configuration is not mandatory and provision may be made for having these motors 11, 12 have different lengths and/or be shifted relatively to each other, if it is found that this is beneficial to proper removal of the dross in the particular configuration of the pan 15 used.
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(39) It is also possible to contemplate that the different motors 11-14 or 11-14, 29 or at least some of them, be moveable during operation in a direction which allows them to accompany the displacement of the dross, and thereby assist with the displacement of a given group of dross for a longer period than if the motor 11-14 or 11-14, 29 only gave them a single pulse, when these dross are located below the initial action area of the motor 11-14 or 11-14, 29.
(40) Of course, the examples of
(41) Of course, the examples which have been described are non-limiting and other positions of the inductors may be contemplated, in particular when the area where the strip 16 penetrates into the bath 9 should also itself be free of dross if the strip 16 is in the open air, or if the container 19 collecting the dross and/or the action area 25 of the robot 20 are placed elsewhere than where they were in the illustrated examples. One skilled in the art will be able to adapt the number and the positioning of the inductors to the particular geometry of his/her coating facility, the essential point being the existence of the possibility of intermittently reversing the direction of action of at least one of the inductors in order to avoid perpetuation of the dead areas and of the recirculation loops at the surface 10 of the bath 9, which promotes accumulation of dross.
(42) For pans 15 of small dimensions, it may be contemplated to only use a single motor for which the direction of the sliding field which it generates is varied intermittently. In this case, it may be appropriate to provide two containers 19 each located in the extension of said motor but opposite to each other, in order to collect the displaced dross during periods for which the field of the motor slides in one or the other direction.
(43) As a non-limiting example, for applying the invention on a facility for galvanization of steel strips with a width from 650 to 1,350 mm normally running at 60-120 m/min but being capable of running at a speed above 200 m/min by using the invention, it is possible to use a rectangular pan 15 of 4×3.20 m and four motors 11-14 positioned like in