Uijtdebroeks, Hugo
[Contributor];
Noville, J. F.
[Contributor];
Vanderschueren, D.
[Contributor]
;
European Commission Directorate-General for Research
Description:
The objective of this pilot and demonstration project was the implementation of high turbulence work roll cooling (HTRC) in the early stands of a hot strip finishing mill. The project consisted of three main tasks: the analysis of small reference high turbulence cooling headers; the characterisation of an industrial prototype on the full-scale work roll cooling simulator; and the industrial implementation in the HSM. A detailed characterisation was performed in order to determine the homogeneity and the cooling performance of high turbulence cooling. Additionally a scraper mechanism was included in the design in order to have a cooling procedure as soon as possible, to simplify the design in the stand and to reduce maintenance costs. During the last semester, industrial trials were successfully performed in stand F2 at the Sidmar HSM. The main benefit of high turbulence cooling is the reduced operating pressure, less than 4 bar compared with 8 bar with flat jet nozzles. At the Sidmar HSM a gain of EUR 400 000 a year can be expected. The cooling performance, with the same flow rate, is similar to the classical flat jet header. However, a positive impact was noticed in relation to the degradation of the work roll surface by a homogeneous cooling. Based on the results of this pilot and demonstration programme, Arcelor management approved the necessary investment to install this new technology in stands F1 and F2 and therefore to suppress the high pressure coolant circuit in the finishing mill.