Method and device for cooling hot-rolled profiled sections

Abstract

In a method for cooling hot-rolled profiled sections from the rolling heat, wherein the profiled sections are formed of section parts of different mass, wherein, by using measuring-technological means in cooperation with a computer with the aid of a computing program, the quantity of heat to be proportionally removed from the different section parts in accordance with their mass and temperature and the amount of cooling medium required therefor are calculated and controlled, the course of temperature for the rolling stock in the rolling mill is simulated already before the actual rolling and cooling process by performing several simulation calculations by varying the cooling parameters in the simulation calculation to obtain calculated parameters. The actual values are measured upstream and downstream of the cooling stretch. The adjustments of the desired cooling process are controlled based on the calculated parameters obtained from the simulations and the actual values measured upstream and downstream of the cooling stretch. A device for performing the method has a closed active loop of five linked functional units.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for cooling hot-rolled profiled sections from the rolling heat, wherein the profiled sections are formed of section parts of different mass, wherein, by using measuring-technological means in cooperation with a computer with the aid of a computing program, the quantity of heat to be proportionally removed from the different section parts in accordance with their mass and temperature and the amount of cooling medium required therefor are calculated and controlled, the method comprising the steps of: 
 simulating the course of temperature for the rolling stock in the rolling mill already before the actual rolling and cooling process by performing several simulation calculations by varying the cooling parameters in the simulation calculation to obtain calculated parameters;    measuring actual values upstream and downstream of the cooling stretch    controlling the adjustments of the desired cooling process based on the calculated parameters obtained from the simulations and the actual values measured upstream and downstream of the cooling stretch.    
     
     
         2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling parameters are based on cooling by quenching or cooling with minimal temperature differences.  
     
     
         3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the step of simulating, control parameters for changing the cooling parameters are calculated and employed in the step of controlling.  
     
     
         4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the control parameters are amplification factors.  
     
     
         5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the step of simulating, the entire surface of the rolling stock is divided into different zones having corresponding boundary conditions and wherein the different zones are loaded with calculated cooling parameters.  
     
     
         6 . A device for performing the method according to  claim 1 , comprising a closed active loop of functional units linked with one another, wherein: 
 a first one of the functional units is a simulation unit configured to simulate a course of temperature of the rolling and cooling process and to generate cooling programs for the cooling stretches with cooling parameters and control parameters for the controlling step;    a second one of the functional units is a technology data unit containing data for cooling strategies, data for automatic generation of cooling programs, data of desired mechanical properties, and feedback data of properties obtained in the rolling process for optimizing the product quality;    a third one of the functional units is a process data unit for processing actual values;    a fourth one of the functional units is a control unit configured to recalculate the cooling programs with the measured actual values and to compare the simulated and the measured temperature values; and    a fifth one of the functional units is a control unit configured to manage the cooling programs and pre-set values of the adjustments of the cooling stretches, to control and govern the cooling zones, and to measure the actual values.    
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 6 , wherein the cooling parameters are pressure, volume flow, and the number of cooling zones.  
     
     
         8 . The device according to claim actual values are temperatures, cooling medium pressures, and cooling medium volume flows, cooling times, and mechanical properties.