Abstract
A heatable treatment container for receiving a treatment bath for treating a surface of at least one large-format component having a diameter or dimensions in the range of 0.5 m to 12 m includes a container base with a container bottom, a container wall adjoining the container base, a removable lid, and a central heating column. The central heating column extends from the container bottom towards the removable lid or from the removable lid towards the container bottom. In an example embodiment, the central heating column extends from the container bottom over at least 50% of a height of the container wall towards the removable lid. In another example embodiment, the central heating column extends from the removable lid over at least 50% of a height of the container wall towards the container bottom.
Claims
1.-10. (canceled)
11. A heatable treatment container for receiving a treatment bath for treating a surface of at least one large-format component having a diameter or dimensions in the range of 0.5 m to 12 m, comprising: a container base with a container bottom; a container wall adjoining the container base; a removable lid; and a central heating column: extending from the container bottom towards the removable lid; or extending from the removable lid towards the container bottom.
12. The heatable treatment container of claim 11 wherein the central heating column extends from the container bottom over at least 50% of a height of the container wall towards the removable lid.
13. The heatable treatment container of claim 11 wherein the central heating column extends from the removable lid over at least 50% of a height of the container wall towards the container bottom.
14. The heatable treatment container of claim 11 wherein the central heating column: has a cylindrical outer surface; and is arranged to emit heat radially to the treatment bath.
15. The heatable treatment container of claim 11, further comprising a heating element disposed near the container wall and arranged to emit heat to the treatment bath towards the central heating column.
16. The heatable treatment container of claim 15, wherein the heating element is an annular heating element.
17. The heatable treatment container of claim 15, wherein the heating element comprises at least four rod or plate shaped heating elements arranged at equal distances from each other on the container wall surrounding the central heating column.
18. The heatable treatment container of claim 11, further comprising a periphery selected from the group consisting of a circle, a square, or a hexagon, when viewed in a top view.
19. The heatable treatment container of claim 11 wherein the removable lid comprises at least two lid segments which are movable independently of one another.
20. A method for treating a surface a large-format component having a diameter or dimensions in the range of 0.5 m to 12 m, comprising the following steps carried out in succession: providing the heatable treatment container of claim 15 filled with a treatment bath; heating the treatment bath using the central heating column and the heating element to a treatment temperature; introducing large-format component into the treatment bath; heating the treatment bath and the large-format component to the treatment temperature and maintaining the treatment temperature for a treatment period; and removing the large-format component from the heatable treatment container.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0041] FIGS. 1 to 7 are intended to illustrate systems according to the disclosure and methods by way of example. The figures illustrate the following:
[0042] FIG. 1 schematically shows a first system with a square treatment container in the top view in section I-I (cf. FIG. 2);
[0043] FIG. 2 shows the first system according to FIG. 1 in section II-II in a side view;
[0044] FIG. 3 shows a schematic diagram of the first system in the top view, equipped with three components;
[0045] FIG. 4 shows a schematic diagram of the first system in the top view, equipped with five components;
[0046] FIG. 5 schematically shows the first system in side view and sectional view, equipped with three components;
[0047] FIG. 6 schematically shows a second system with a circular treatment container in the top view in section VI-VI (cf. FIG. 7); and
[0048] FIG. 7 shows the second system according to FIG. 6 in section VII-VII in a side view.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0049] FIG. 1 shows schematically a first system 100 for the treatment of a surface of the at least one large-format component 10, in this case a bearing ring, with a diameter in the range of 0.5 m to 12 m. The first system 100 consists of a heatable treatment container 1, which is shown here in the top view in section I-I (cf. FIG. 2). The treatment container 1 has a square container circumference of 1c. The treatment container 1 is designed to hold a treatment bath 2, whereas such a treatment bath 2 is provided here for the treatment of component 10. The position of component 10 in treatment bath 2 is indicated by dashed lines. The treatment container 1 has a container bottom 1a (cf. FIG. 2) and a container wall 1b. In the area of the container wall 1b, plate-shaped heating elements 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d are arranged through which hot thermal oil flows and is heated.
[0050] An electrically heated heating column 4 is arranged in the middle of the treatment container 1, which here extends from container bottom 1a to a lid 3 (cf. FIG. 2). The heating column 4 is designed as a hollow cylinder, the interior of which is accessible via an opening 6 in the container bottom 1a. Alternatively, the heating column 4 can also be designed as a full cylinder. Alternatively, heating of heating column 4 via additional thermal oil is also possible.
[0051] FIG. 2 shows the first system 100 as shown in FIG. 1 in section II-II in a side view. The same reference characters as in FIG. 1 indicate identical elements. Here you can see that treatment container 1 has a container bottom 1a and a container wall 1b adjacent to container bottom 1a. In addition it can be seen that the treatment container 1 has a removable lid 3, which consists of two independently removable lid segments 3a, 3b. This can be done by a sliding movement, a lifting movement or a rotary movement. The heating elements 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d extend over 95% of the height H of the container wall 1b.
[0052] FIG. 3 shows schematically the first system 100 in the top view. For a better overview, treatment bath 2 is not shown here. The same reference characters as in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate identical elements. Three components 10a, 10b, 10c are arranged in the treatment container 1 in the form of metallic bearing rings stacked on top of each other. For this purpose, components 10a, 10b, 10c are placed on a storage rack (not shown) in the illustration without direct contact with each other so that their surfaces can be rinsed evenly from treatment bath 2.
[0053] FIG. 4 shows schematically the first system 100 in the top view. For a better overview, treatment bath 2 is not shown here. The same reference characters as in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate identical elements. Five components 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d in the form of metallic bearing rings are arranged on top of each other and stacked next to each other in treatment container 1. For this purpose, components 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d are placed on a storage rack not shown in the illustration, without direct contact with each other, so that their surfaces can be rinsed evenly by a treatment bath.
[0054] FIG. 5 shows schematically the first system 100 in side view and sectional view, equipped with the three components 10, 10a, 10b. The same reference characters as in FIGS. 1 and 2 indicate identical elements. The components 10, 10a, 10b are placed on a storage rack (not shown) without direct contact to each other, so that their surfaces can be rinsed evenly through the treatment bath 2.
[0055] FIG. 6 shows schematically a second system 100 for treating a surface of the large-format component 10, here a bearing ring, with a diameter in the range of 10 m. The second system 100 includes a heatable treatment container 1, which is shown here in the top view in section VI-VI (cf. FIG. 7). The treatment container 1 has a circular container circumference of 1c. The treatment container 1 is designed to hold a treatment bath 2, whereas such a treatment bath 2 is provided here for the treatment of component 10. The position of component 10 in treatment bath 2 is indicated by dashed lines. The large-format component 10 in the form of a bearing ring is placed between the heating column 4 and a circular heating element 5 in an arrangement concentric to the heating column 4 in treatment bath 2. As a result, the exterior diameter of the bearing ring has a uniform distance from the circular heating element 5 and the interior diameter of the bearing ring has a uniform distance from the heating column 4. This symmetrical arrangement enables a particularly rapid and uniform formation of a uniform heat distribution in treatment bath 2 and the formation of a conversion layer of particularly uniform thickness on the surface of component 10.
[0056] The treatment container 1 has a container bottom 1a (cf. FIG. 7) and a container wall 1b. In the area of the container wall 1b the circular heating element 5 is arranged, through which hot thermal oil flows and is heated. An electrically heated heating column 4 is arranged in the middle of the treatment container 1, which here extends from lid 3 (cf. FIG. 7) towards the container bottom 1a. Here the heating column 4 is designed as a full cylinder and attached to the lid 3. Alternatively, a version according to FIG. 1 is possible, in which the heating column is arranged starting from container bottom 1a, or a combination of a heating column on the lid and another heating column on the container bottom.
[0057] FIG. 7 shows the second system 100, as shown in FIG. 6 in section VII-VII in a side view. The same reference characters as in FIG. 6 indicate identical elements. Here you can see that the treatment container 1 has a container bottom 1a and a container wall 1b adjacent to the container bottom 1a. You can also see that the treatment container 1 has the removable lid 3. This removal of the lid 3 is done here by a lifting movement. The annular heating element 5 extends from the container bottom 1a over more than 95% of the height H of the container wall 1b.
[0058] FIGS. 1 to 7 show only examples of the design of systems according to the disclosure. A system can thus continue to include a first heating column from container bottom 1a and a second heating column from lid 3, such that the first and second heating columns are dimensioned in their length so that they do not touch each other. In addition, a lid 3 or the lid segments 3a, 3b can be heated. Electrical heating or heating by passing a hot thermal oil through can also be used here.
[0059] On the basis of FIGS. 6 and 7, the following is an example of a method according to the invention for treating a surface of the large-format metallic component 10 (bearing ring) with a diameter of 10 m. Five treatment containers 1 as shown in FIG. 6 are provided side by side, a first treatment container being filled with a degreasing medium, a second treatment container with a rinsing medium, a third treatment container with a blackening bath, a fourth treatment container with a further rinsing medium and the fifth treatment container with an oil. The respective treatment medium or treatment bath 2 is heated to a treatment temperature with the help of the heating column 4 and the heating element 5.
[0060] The component 10, possibly preheated, is introduced successively into the heated treatment baths 2, where it is degreased in the first treatment container, then rinsed in the second treatment container, blackened in the third treatment container, rinsed again in the fourth treatment container and oiled in the fifth treatment container. While component 10 is in the respective treatment container 1, treatment bath 2 and component 10 are heated to the respective required treatment temperature. This treatment temperature is kept constant over a treatment period. The removal of the treated component 10 from the respective treatment container 1 and a transfer to the next treatment container 1 is carried out with the help of a crane. Depending on the desired treatment process, there may be more or fewer treatment containers available.
REFERENCE NUMERALS
[0061] 1, 1 Treatment container [0062] 1a Container bottom [0063] 1b Container wall [0064] 1c Circumference of the container [0065] 2 Treatment bath [0066] 3 Lid [0067] 3a, 3b Lid segment [0068] 4, 4 Heating column [0069] 5, 5a, 5b, 5c, 5d Heating element [0070] 6 Opening [0071] 10, 10a, 10b, 10c, 10d Component [0072] 100, 100 System [0073] H Height of the container wall 1b
