APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR SEPARATING CONDENSABLE MATERIALS FROM AN EXHAUST AIR STREAM

Abstract

The invention relates to an apparatus and to a method for separating condensable materials from an exhaust air stream. Known apparatuses of this type typically comprise a flow duct for the correspondingly contaminated exhaust air, wherein a first separator (114) and a second separator are connected in series in the flow duct (110). A fan is typically connected downstream of the two separators and operates as a suction fan in order to draw the exhaust air through said separators and to discharge the exhaust air to the environment after it has passed through both separators. In a rolling mill, order to observe predefined limit values for the proportion of condensable materials in exhaust air streams before such streams are discharged into the ambient air, the present invention provides for the exhaust air to be separated at the rolling mill itself, and, downstream, for the fan to be placed not at the outlet of the separators but upstream of the first separator. In addition, a scrubber is connected between the fan and the first separator, and a cooling device is provided between the first and second separator. Following the last of the separators, the exhaust gas streams A and B are reunited and are exhausted via a stack.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. An apparatus (100) for separating condensable materials from an exhaust air stream (B), comprised of the following: a flow duct (110) which can convey the exhaust air stream (B) bearing said condensable materials, in a flow direction; a first separator (114) located in the flow duct; a fan (112) provided in the flow duct (110) upstream of the first separator (114) in the flow direction of the exhaust air stream; a scrubber (113) is disposed between the fan (112) and the first separator (114); characterized by a second separator (116) located in the flow duct downstream of the first separator (114) in the flow direction of the exhaust air stream; a cooling device (115) located between the first separator (114) and the second separator (116). an additional flow duck (120) for conveying an additional exhaust air stream bearing filterable materials; a further fan (122) located in the additional flow duct (120); a further scrubber (123) located in the additional flow duct downstream of the further fan in the flow direction; and a third separator (124) located in the additional flow duct downstream of the further scrubber (123) in the flow direction.

16. The apparatus (100) according to claim 15; characterized by at least one exhaust hood (111) disposed at an entrance of the flow duct (110), upstream of the fan (112) in the flow direction of the exhaust air stream.

17. The apparatus (100) according to claim 15; characterized by at least one valve (117, 118) for closing off the flow duct.

18. The apparatus (100) according to claim 15; characterized by the following: a further cooling device (125) located downstream of the third separator (124) in the flow direction, in the additional flow duct (120); and a fourth separator (126) disposed downstream of the further cooling device in the flow direction.

19. The apparatus (100) according to claim 15, characterized by at least one exhaust hood (121, 121) at the entrance of the additional flow duct (120), which hood is disposed upstream of the further fan (122) in the flow direction of the second exhaust air stream.

20. The apparatus (100) according to claim 15, characterized by at least one valve (127, 128) for closing off the additional flow duct (120).

21. The apparatus (100) according to claim 15 wherein a connecting point (130) for combining the outflows from the flow duct (110) and the additional flow duct (120), into a collecting duct (140) is provided, which collecting duct preferably opens out into a stack (200).

22. A roll stand (300) for rolling of metallic rolled stock; characterized by an apparatus (100) for separating condensable materials from an exhaust air stream (B), comprised of the following: a flow duct (110) which can convey the exhaust air stream (B) bearing said condensable materials, in a flow direction; a first separator (114) located in the flow duct; a fan (112) provided in the flow duct (110) upstream of the first separator (114) in the flow direction of the exhaust air stream; a scrubber (113) is disposed between the fan (112) and the first separator (114); characterized by a second separator (116) located in the flow duct downstream of the first separator (114) in the flow direction of the exhaust air stream; a cooling device (115) located between the first separator (114) and the second separator (116). an additional flow duck (120) for conveying an additional exhaust air stream bearing filterable materials; a further fan (122) located in the additional flow duct (120); a further scrubber (123) located in the additional flow duct downstream of the further fan in the flow direction; and a third separator (124) located in the additional flow duct downstream of the further scrubber (123) in the flow direction, wherein an exhaust hood (111) of the flow duct (110) is disposed above the exit, and an exhaust hood (121) of the additional flow duct (120) is disposed over the entrance, of the roll stand (300).

23. A roll train (400) comprised of a plurality of roll stands (300) for rolling of (preferably) metallic rolled stock; characterized by an apparatus (100) for separating condensable materials from an exhaust air stream (B), comprised of the following: a flow duct (110) which can convey the exhaust air stream (B) bearing said condensable materials, in a flow direction; a first separator (114) located in the flow duct; a fan (112) provided in the flow duct (110) upstream of the first separator (114) in the flow direction of the exhaust air stream; a scrubber (113) is disposed between the fan (112) and the first separator (114); characterized by a second separator (116) located in the flow duct downstream of the first separator (114) in the flow direction of the exhaust air stream; a cooling device (115) located between the first separator (114) and the second separator (116). an additional flow duck (120) for conveying an additional exhaust air stream bearing filterable materials; a further fan (122) located in the additional flow duct (120); a further scrubber (123) located in the additional flow duct downstream of the further fan in the flow direction; and a third separator (124) located in the additional flow duct downstream of the further scrubber (123) in the flow direction, wherein: an exhaust hood (111) of the flow duct (110) is disposed between at least two of the roll stands (300), for drawing in the exhaust air which has an elevated concentration of condensable materials at that location, namely drawing it into the flow duct (110); and a second exhaust hood (121, 121) is disposed at the entrance of the first roll stand (300), and preferably also at the exit of the roll train, for drawing in the exhaust air which has an elevated concentration of filterable materials at that location, namely drawing it into the additional flow duct (120).

24. A method of separating condensable materials from an exhaust air stream, comprised of the following steps: drawing in the exhaust air stream with the condensable materials, at least near its point of origin, with the aid of a fan (112); scrubbing to remove filterable materials, especially oil droplets and fine aerosols, from the exhaust air stream; and separating out entrained droplets from the scrubbed exhaust air stream; characterized by the following steps: cooling the remaining exhaust air stream, to condense out the condensable materials present; separating out the condensed materials; drawing in an additional exhaust air stream having filterable materials, at least near its point of origin, with the aid of a further fan (122); scrubbing to remove filterable materials, especially oil droplets, from the additional exhaust air stream; and separating out entrained droplets from the scrubbed additional exhaust air stream.

25. The method according to claim 24; characterized by the following additional steps: cooling the remaining additional exhaust air stream; and exhausting the remaining additional exhaust air stream.

26. The method according to claim 24; characterized by the following: combining the exhaust air streams with the condensable materials and the filterable materials into a combined exhaust air stream, and preferably, exhausting the combined exhaust air stream through a stack (280).

Description

[0024] FIG. 1 illustrates the inventive apparatus for separating condensable materials from an exhaust air stream, having a first flow duct;

[0025] FIG. 2 illustrates the apparatus according to FIG. 1 with a flow duct, having also a second flow duct;

[0026] FIG. 3 illustrates a roll stand having exhaust hoods for the two flow ducts of the inventive apparatus; and

[0027] FIG. 4 illustrates a roll train (series of roll stands) having exhaust hoods for the two flow ducts of the inventive apparatus.

[0028] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to the above-described Figures. In all of the Figures, analogous technical elements are labeled with like reference numerals.

[0029] FIG. 1 illustrates a first exemplary embodiment of the inventive apparatus 100 for separating condensable materials from an exhaust air stream.

[0030] For this purpose, according to a first exemplary embodiment the apparatus is comprised of an exhaust hood 111 for capturing the exhaust air with the condensable materials as close as possible to its point of origin. From the exhaust hood 111 the exhaust air is passed into a flow duct 110 and there is first drawn into a fan 112. Accordingly, an underpressure is in effect upstream of the fan 112. The fan then passes the exhaust air, at overpressure, to a scrubber 113. From the scrubber, the exhaust air is passed to a first separator 114, then to a cooling device 115 where it is further cooled. The cooling device 115 cools the exhaust air to the extent that the condensable materials are condensed out of the exhaust air, to then be removed in a second separator 116. The thus decontaminated (purified) air is then exhausted to the environment via a stack 200. Valves 117 and/or 118 may be provided in the flow duct 110, e.g. between the exhaust hood 110 and the fan 112, as well as at the exit of the second separator (considered in the flow direction). The functioning of the individual components, i.e. the fan 112, the scrubber 113, the two separators 114 and 116, and the cooling device 115, have already been described extensively above in the general section of the Specification, and these descriptions will not be repeated here.

[0031] FIG. 2 illustrates a second exemplary embodiment of the invention. In addition to the abovementioned flow duct 110 for the air and condensable materials, the second exemplary embodiment of the inventive apparatus 100 also has a second flow duct A (also referred to as the additional flow duct) (labeled with reference numeral 120). At the entrance to this flow duct, one or more additional exhaust hoods 121, 121 are provided to draw in the exhaust air as close as possible to its point of origin. The structure of the second flow duct 120 is essentially analogous to that of the flow duct 110. Specifically, the second flow duct is also comprised of a ventilator (fan) 122, a scrubber 123 disposed downstream of the fan, a third separator 124 downstream of the scrubber, a cooling device 125 downstream of the third separator, and a fourth separator 126 downstream of the additional cooling device. It should be noted that the presence of the cooling device 125 and the fourth separator 126 in the second flow duct 120 is only optional, because these devices are not absolutely necessary for removal of filterable materials from the exhaust air. The advantages of providing these devices were described above in the general section of the Specification. The second flow duct 120 may also have valves 127, 128, e.g. also between the exhaust hoods and the fan, and at the exit of the separator 124 or 126.

[0032] The exit of the second flow duct 120 may advantageously be connected to the exit of the flow duct 110, via connecting means at a connecting point 130; downstream of the connecting point 130 the two flow ducts open out into a common collecting duct 140 whereby the two decontaminated (purified) exhaust air streams (exhaust air types) are passed to the stack 200. The valves 118, 128 at the exits of the flow ducts 110 and 120, respectively, serve in particular to control the exhaust air flows into the collecting duct 140. It is advantageous to provide all of the valves (117 and 118, and 127 and 128), particularly if individual components have precipitated out in the flow ducts.

[0033] FIG. 3 illustrates a roll stand 300 having an exhaust hood 111 at its exit, which hood serves to capture exhaust air having condensable materials and to convey this air into the flow duct 110. A second exhaust hood 121 is provided at the entrance side of the roll stand 300, for capture of exhaust air having filterable materials. This exhaust air is conveyed via the second exhaust hood into a second flow duct 120.

[0034] FIG. 4 illustrates a roll train 400 having a plurality of roll stands (a series of roll stands) 300. Between each successive pair of roll stands (three roll stands are illustrated here, for purposes of example) an exhaust hood 111 is provided, namely at the exits of the first and second roll stands, for drawing in exhaust air which bears condensable materials. In addition, additional exhaust hoods are provided, namely an exhaust hood 120 at the entrance of the first roll stand and an exhaust hood 121 at the exit of the roll train, for capturing exhaust air which is contaminated with filterable materials.

[0035] In FIGS. 3 and 4, the direction of advance of the metal strip or the like through roll stands is indicated with an arrow. Reference is made to the general section of the Specification for a description of the reasons for the arrangement of the described exhaust hoods at the respective entrances and exits of the roll stands.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0036] 100 Apparatus. [0037] 110 Flow duct, B. [0038] 111 Exhaust hood. [0039] 112 Fan. [0040] 113 Scrubber. [0041] 114 First separator. [0042] 115 Cooling device. [0043] 116 Second separator. [0044] 117 Valve. [0045] 118 Valve. [0046] 120 Second flow duct (additional flow duct), A. [0047] 121 Second exhaust hood. [0048] 121 Additional exhaust hood. [0049] 122 Second fan. [0050] 123 Second scrubber. [0051] 124 Third separator. [0052] 125 Second cooling device. [0053] 126 Fourth separator. [0054] 127 Valve. [0055] 128 Valve. [0056] 130 Connecting point. [0057] 200 Stack. [0058] 300 Roll stand. [0059] 400 Roll train (series of roll stands). [0060] A Exhaust air stream with filterable materials [0061] B Exhaust air stream with condensable materials