Method and Device for Rapid Cooling of Work Pieces

Abstract

A method for cooling a work piece in a cold chamber using a cooling medium that enters the cold chamber through a feed and is taken through one or more nozzles into a space to receive the work piece, is disclosed. A liquid gas or a liquid gas mixture is used as the cooling medium, whose heat of vaporization is used to cool the cold chamber and/or to cool the surface of the work piece. A device to carry out the method and use of the device for metallic work pieces, are also disclosed.

1 . A method for cooling a work piece, wherein the work piece is brought into a cooling zone which adjoins a cold chamber, and wherein a cooling medium is supplied to the cold chamber and taken through a nozzle from the cold chamber into the cooling zone, wherein the cooling medium comprises a liquid gas or a liquid gas mixture whose heat of vaporization is used to cool the cold chamber and/or to cool a surface of the work piece.  
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid gas or the liquid gas mixture is vaporized completely or partially in the cold chamber where the heat of vaporization is used completely or partially to cool the cold chamber.  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid gas or the liquid gas mixture is vaporized completely or partially in the cooling zone, where the heat of vaporization is used completely or partially to cool the surface of the work piece.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the work piece is moved through the cooling zone during the cooling.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the cooling zone is matched to a shape of the work piece such that the cooling medium covers only a very short distance between the nozzle through which the cooling medium is introduced and the surface of the work piece.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the liquid gas or liquid gas mixture is brought into the cooling zone at a high flow velocity.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein liquid nitrogen, liquid hydrogen, liquid helium, or liquid argon is used as the liquid gas.  
   
   
       8 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein a mixture of two or more of liquid nitrogen, liquid hydrogen, liquid helium, or liquid argon is used as the liquid gas mixture.  
   
   
       9 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein one or more additional components are added to the liquid gas or the liquid gas mixture.  
   
   
       10 . The method according to  claim 9 , wherein carbon dioxide and/or methane is mixed into the liquid gas or liquid gas mixture.  
   
   
       11 . A device for cooling a work piece having a cold chamber with a supply for a cooling medium and a nozzle, and having a cooling zone to receive the work piece, wherein the supply and the nozzle are suitably configured for an introduction of liquid gas or a liquid gas mixture.  
   
   
       12 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the cold chamber vaporizes the liquid gas or the liquid gas mixture.  
   
   
       13 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the cold chamber is configured to match a shape of the work piece such that only a very small gap is provided between the nozzle for the cooling medium and a surface of the work piece.  
   
   
       14 . The device according to  claim 11 , wherein the cold chamber is subdivided into two or more cold chamber sections which are spaced apart from each other by an interstice in a nozzle area.  
   
   
       15 . A use of the device according to  claim 11  for cooling a metallic work piece, in particular for cooling pipes or other semi-finished products such as rods, profiles or wire.  
   
   
       16 . A method for cooling a work piece, comprising the steps of: 
 supplying a cooling medium to a cold chamber;    cooling the cold chamber by the cooling medium;    supplying at least a portion of the cooling medium from the cold chamber through a nozzle to a cooling zone, wherein the cooling zone is disposed within the cold chamber and wherein the work piece is received within the cooling zone;    cooling the work piece by the cold chamber by absorbing radiant heat from the work piece; and    cooling the work piece by the cooling zone by flowing the at least the portion of the cooling medium supplied to the cooling zone from the nozzle over a surface of the work piece.    
   
   
       17 . The method according to  claim 16 , wherein the cooling medium is a liquid gas or a liquid gas mixture.  
   
   
       18 . An apparatus for cooling a work piece, comprising: 
 a cold chamber; and    a cooling zone disposed within the cold chamber, wherein the work piece is receivable within the cooling zone;    wherein a cooling medium is supplied to the cold chamber and wherein at least a portion of the cooling medium supplied to the cold chamber is supplied from the cold chamber to the cooling zone through a nozzle.    
   
   
       19 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the cold chamber includes a first chamber section and a second chamber section, and wherein the cooling medium in the cooling zone exits the cooling zone through a gap defined by the first chamber section and the second chamber section.  
   
   
       20 . The apparatus according to  claim 18 , wherein the cooling medium is a liquid gas or a liquid gas mixture.