Method for producing a spray nozzle device, in particular for spraying a casting strand during casting of metallic products, and a spray nozzle device

Abstract

In a method for producing a spray nozzle device, in particular for spraying a casting strand during casting of metallic products, the spray nozzle device includes a basic body with an air inlet, a water inlet and a nozzle body with a mixing chamber for producing an air/water mixture which emerges through at least one nozzle outlet. The air inlet is formed by at least one air inlet nozzle, with a nozzle tip projecting into the mixing chamber, and has at least one air outlet hole. The water inlet opens into the mixing chamber close to the nozzle tip of the air inlet through at least one water outlet hole oriented transversely to a longitudinal axis of the mixing chamber. At least one part region of the spray nozzle device is produced by a generative production process, preferably operating as a 3D printing process.

Claims

1. Method for producing a spray nozzle device including a basic body with an air inlet, a water inlet, and a nozzle body with a mixing chamber for producing an air/water mixture which operatively emerges through at least one nozzle outlet, wherein the air inlet is formed by at least one air inlet nozzle with a nozzle tip projecting into the mixing chamber, and is provided there with at least one air outlet hole, and the water inlet opens into the mixing chamber close to the nozzle tip of the air inlet through at least one water outlet hole oriented transversely to a longitudinal axis of the mixing chamber, the method comprising: producing at least one part region of the spray nozzle device, which comprises the air inlet nozzle projecting into the mixing chamber, with the at least one air outlet hole and/or the water inlet with the at least one water outlet hole, by a generative production process operating as a 3D printing process.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the basic body with the nozzle tip and the plate-shaped cover are produced as a part region and as one piece by the generative production process operating as a 3D printing process.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the basic body with the nozzle tip, the plate-shaped cover, and the nozzle body, are produced as one piece by the generative production process operating as a 3D printing process.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein, for the generative production process, use is made, as a three-dimensional printing process, of selective laser melting (SLM), selective laser sintering (SLS), Binder Jetting 3D printing processes, or the like.

5. Spray nozzle device, which at least in one part region is produced in particular in accordance with the method of claim 1, comprising a basic body containing the air inlet and the water inlet, with a plate-shaped cover and a nozzle body forming the mixing chamber, with the nozzle outlet for the air/water mixture.

6. The spray nozzle device of claim 5, wherein at least the basic body and the plate-shaped cover are produced by the generative production method.

7. The spray nozzle device of claim 5, wherein the at least one air outlet opening and the at least one water outlet hole open into the mixing chamber transversely to its longitudinal axis in a plane at approximately the same height.

8. The spray nozzle device of claim 5, wherein two or more diametrically opposed water inlet channels are provided, directed into the mixing chamber, which run transversely to the longitudinal axis of the mixing chamber and are also formed in the basic body and the cover with their contact surfaces facing towards one another.

9. The spray nozzle device of claim 5, wherein several star-shaped air outlet holes running transversely to the longitudinal axis of the mixing chamber are in the nozzle tip and connected in the center to the air inlet.

10. The spray nozzle device of claim 5, wherein two water outlet holes open radially into the mixing chamber, which in each case are arranged between two of the air outlet holes.

11. The spray nozzle device of claim 5, wherein the nozzle body with the nozzle outlet is arranged coaxially to the air inlet and the nozzle tip in the basic body, while the water inlet is aligned parallel to the air inlet, and is connected by the water inlet channels leading into a chamber inlet of the mixing chamber.

12. The spray nozzle device of claim 5, wherein the basic body, the plate-shaped cover, and/or the nozzle body are made of stainless steel or other materials, such as brass.

13. The spray nozzle device of claim 5, wherein the spray nozzle device is configured for spraying a casting strand during the casting of metallic products.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0014] The invention and its further advantages are explained in greater detail hereinafter on the basis of exemplary embodiments and making reference to the drawings. These show:

[0015] FIG. 1 is a longitudinal section of a spray nozzle device according to the invention;

[0016] FIG. 2 is a view from above of a cover of the spray nozzle device according to FIG. 1;

[0017] FIG. 3 is a view from below of the spray nozzle device according to FIG. 1; and

[0018] FIG. 4 is a perspective partial longitudinal section of the spray nozzle device without the nozzle body.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] A spray nozzle device 1 shown in FIGS. 1-4 serves in particular to spray a casting strand during drawing off from a die in a conventional continuous casting plant, which is used to produce metallic products. Other cooling applications for manufactured metal products are also possible, however, such as rail hardening, or the spray nozzle devices, arranged in rows, could further be used with cast metallic products or after the extraction of standing strands, for example with vertical casting plants or the like.

[0020] The spray nozzle device 1 comprises a disk-shaped basic body 15, connecting to this a plate-shaped cover 2 and a cylindrical nozzle body 3, with at least one spray nozzle outlet 4 for the air-water mixture. The basic body 15 comprises an air inlet 5 and a water inlet 6, with connection holes 7, 8 arranged next to one another, in each case for the delivery of air and water respectively, not shown.

[0021] Formed in the nozzle body 3 is a likewise cylindrical mixing chamber 9, and centrally the spray nozzle outlet 4. Opposite this, a nozzle tip 12 of the basic body 15 projects in a mixing chamber 9, by which a ring-shaped chamber inlet 9 of the mixing chamber 9 is formed, which is formed between contact surfaces 15, 2, facing one another, of the basic body 15 and the cover 2. The spray nozzle outlet 4 for the air-water mixture could also be provided with several outlets. For the cover 2, a projecting flange 19 is formed, in which the nozzle body 3 is secured and centered such that it extends coaxially to the nozzle tip 12 and the ring-shaped chamber inlet 9.

[0022] According to the invention, assigned to the water inlet 6 are two water inlet channels 10a, 10b, arranged diametrically opposed in the chamber inlet 9, leading into the mixing chamber 9, which open into the mixing chamber 9 on a plane transverse to its longitudinal axis A at approximately the same height, and, as can be seen in FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, also open between the basic body 15 and the cover 2, with their contact surfaces 15, 2 running towards one another. The air inlet 5 is in turn formed by an air inlet nozzle 11, of which the nozzle tip 12, projecting into the mixing chamber 9, is provided with four star-shaped air outlet holes 13a, 13b, 13c and 13d.

[0023] The water inlet channels 10a, 10b, connected to the at least one water supply line 6, open close to the nozzle tip 12 into water outlet holes 14a, 14b, oriented transversely to the longitudinal axis A of the mixing chamber 9, which are guided radially into the mixing chamber, in each case between two of the four air outlet holes 13a-13d. In this situation, the water inlet channels 10a, 10b are guided, starting from the water inlet 6, in each case in a curved manner in the cover 2 in such a way that they open from outside radially into the mixing chamber 9.

[0024] It is of course possible for both the number of the air outlet holes as well as of the water outlet holes to vary, wherein, in each case, only one or also several could be provided.

[0025] Preferably, the water inlet channels 10a, 10b, and the water outlet holes 14a, 14b, and the air outlet holes 13a-13d, are oriented approximately perpendicular to the longitudinal axis A of the mixing chamber 9. Within the framework of the invention, however, they can also be guided slightly inclined to the longitudinal axis. Likewise, these connection holes for the water and/or the air can also be provided laterally in the nozzle body 3.

[0026] These water inlet channels 10a, 10b, seen in cross-section, are formed half in the basic body 15 and half in the cover 2. They could, however, also be provided only or partially in one or the other.

[0027] The nozzle body 3 with the spray nozzle outlet 4 is arranged coaxially to the air inlet 5 and the nozzle tip 12 in the basic body 15, while the water inlet 6 is oriented parallel to the air inlet 5, and is connected by the water inlet channels 10a, 10b leading into the chamber inlet 9 of the mixing chamber 9. Preferably, both the nozzle body 3, and with it the air inlet 5 and the nozzle tip 12, as well as the water inlet 6, are arranged at a distance from the center of the basic body 15. Among other advantages, this allows for the compactness of the spray nozzle.

[0028] According to FIG. 3, holes 16, 17 are provided in the basic body 15, which serve to install the spray nozzle device 1. During assembly, the face side 15 of the basic body 15 is attached to a structure, the basic body 15 is secured to this, and the lines are connected.

[0029] During the production process of the spray nozzle device 1, according to the invention at least one part region of the basic body 15 and of the cover 2, which comprises the air inlet nozzle 11, projecting into the mixing chamber 9, with the air inlet holes 13a-13d, and the water inlet 6 with the water inlet channels 10a, 10b and the water outlet holes 14a, 14b, is preferably produced by a generative production process operating as a 3D printing process.

[0030] With this three-dimensional printing process, the part which is to be produced is created layer by layer with powder and then, by laser welding with selective laser melting (SLM) or selective laser sintering (SLS) and/or similar as the printing process. In the present exemplary embodiment, this is carried out in such a way that the basic body 15 and the plate-shaped cover 2 are produced as one piece by the generative production process. The cylindrical nozzle body 3 is produced in a conventional manner due to the otherwise low processing effort and expenditure. It is likewise possible for the nozzle body 3 to be produced separately or monolithically with the basic body 15 and the cover 2, or also all three parts to be produced as separate components or monolithically in accordance with the generative production process.

[0031] By means of this 3D printing process, the manufacturing costs are reduced which would otherwise be incurred by chip-removing machining. In addition, material losses are largely avoided, and the advantages of the compact structural design are exploited in respect of savings in material and weight.

[0032] FIG. 4 shows the spray nozzle device 1 without the nozzle body 3 and with the basic body 15, the cover 2 connecting to this in a partial sectional view, and the projecting flange 19 for receiving the nozzle body 3. In the basic body 15, there can be seen the air inlet 5 and the water inlet 6 with the connection holes 7, 8 arranged next to one another for the air and water supplies, not represented. Also shown is the ring-shaped chamber inlet 9 of the mixing chamber 9, configured with a lower ring surface 9, semicircular in cross-section. As indicated previously, the water inlet channels 10a, 10b are guided, starting from the water inlet 6, in case in a curved manner in the cover 2, and conducted radially into the mixing chamber 9.

[0033] The invention is adequately described by the exemplary embodiment presented. As a variant, the basic body 15 and the nozzle body 3 could be provided with other external shapes. It would also be possible for only one water inlet or, if required, for more than two of them to be integrated. The basic body 15 and the cover 2 could be produced as one part. Likewise, the nozzle tip 12 could be shaped other than represented, and provided with only one or two air outlet holes, arranged for example radially.

[0034] The generative manufacturing process for at least one part of the spray nozzle device 1 can be varied. Accordingly, the basic body 15 and/or the nozzle body 3 or parts thereof are produced by the Binder Jetting 3D printing process.

[0035] At least one of the inventions disclosed herein is not limited to the above embodiments and should be determined by the following claims. There are also numerous additional applications in addition to those described above. Many changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the subject invention will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the art after considering this specification and the accompanying drawings which disclose the preferred embodiments thereof. All such changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applications which do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention are deemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by the following claims.