Snout control system, and hot-dip galvanizing equipment comprising same

Abstract

Provided is a snout control system comprising: a snout apparatus in which one end of a steel sheet is immersed in a plating bath, containing a hot-dip galvanizing solution for plating the steel sheet, to introduce the steel sheet into the plating bath during the production process of a hot-dip galvanized steel sheet; a first sensor which is formed on a portion of the plating bath and can measure the first water level of the molten steel of the hot-dip galvanizing solution; and a processor which controls the snout apparatus and the first sensor.

1 . A snout control system comprising:
 a snout apparatus configured to have one end immersed in a plating bath in which a hot dip galvanizing solution to plate a hot dip galvanizing steel plate has been accommodated during a process of producing the steel plate and to introduce the steel plate into the plating bath;   a first sensor disposed on any part of the plating bath and capable of measuring a first water level of a bath surface of the hot dip galvanizing solution; and   a processor configured to control the snout apparatus and the first sensor,   wherein the snout apparatus comprises:   a snorkel part configured to surround the steel plate that is introduced into the plating bath and to guide the steel plate so that the steel plate is introduced into the hot dip galvanizing solution accommodated in the plating bath through an opening that is formed at a bottom thereof, which has been immersed in the bath surface of the plating bath;   a dam unit physically coupled to an outer wall part of the snorkel part as a detachable structure, capable of being driven along an outer wall of the snorkel part based on information on the first water level of the bath surface of the hot dip galvanizing solution while operating in conjunction with the first sensor, comprising a first dam wall part that is spaced apart from an inner wall part of the snorkel part at a predetermined distance and that is formed along an inner circumference of the snorkel part so that the first dam wall part protrudes at a predetermined height in a height direction of the snorkel part in the opening of the snorkel part and a second dam wall part that is spaced apart from the first dam wall part at a predetermined distance and that is exposed to the bath surface of the hot dip galvanizing solution, and configured to form an accommodation space capable of accommodating the hot dip galvanizing solution that is introduced through the opening between the inner wall part of the snorkel part and the first dam wall part and that then runs over the first dam wall part; and   a pump unit installed outside the snorkel part and configured to pump the hot dip galvanizing solution accommodated in the accommodation space of the dam unit to the plating bath,   wherein the processor automatically controls a location of the dam unit based on a difference of a gap G between the first water level measured by the first sensor and the first dam wall part so that the gap is constantly maintained.   
     
     
         2 . A snout control system comprising:
 a snout apparatus configured to have one end immersed in a plating bath in which a hot dip galvanizing solution to plate a hot dip galvanizing steel plate has been accommodated during a process of producing the steel plate and to introduce the steel plate into the plating bath;   a first sensor disposed on any part of the plating bath and capable of measuring a first water level of a bath surface of the hot dip galvanizing solution; and   a processor configured to control the snout apparatus and the first sensor,   wherein the snout apparatus comprises:   a snorkel part configured to surround the steel plate that is introduced into the plating bath and to guide the steel plate so that the steel plate is introduced into the hot dip galvanizing solution accommodated in the plating bath through an opening that is formed at a bottom thereof, which has been immersed in the bath surface of the plating bath;   a dam unit physically coupled to an outer wall part of the snorkel part as a detachable structure, capable of being driven along an outer wall of the snorkel part based on information on the first water level of the bath surface of the hot dip galvanizing solution while operating in conjunction with the first sensor, comprising a first dam wall part that is spaced apart from an inner wall part of the snorkel part at a predetermined distance and that is formed along an inner circumference of the snorkel part so that the first dam wall part protrudes at a predetermined height in a height direction of the snorkel part in the opening of the snorkel part and a second dam wall part that is spaced apart from the first dam wall part at a predetermined distance and that is exposed to the bath surface of the hot dip galvanizing solution, and configured to form an accommodation space capable of accommodating the hot dip galvanizing solution that is introduced through the opening between the inner wall part of the snorkel part and the first dam wall part and that then runs over the first dam wall part;   a camera module installed within the snorkel part, disposed on any part of the dam unit, and capable of recognizing alien substances that float on the bath surface of the hot dip galvanizing solution; and   a pump unit installed outside the snorkel part and configured to pump the hot dip galvanizing solution accommodated in the accommodation space of the dam unit to the plating bath,   wherein the processor controls a location of the dam unit or adjust a load of the pump unit based on information that is obtained through a learning of an image of the alien substances by using the camera module so that a mixing of the alien substances that move into the steel plate is suppressed.   
     
     
         3 . The snout control system of  claim 1 , wherein the processor
 receives a sensing signal from the first sensor, and   constantly controls the gap by constantly controlling the gap by raising or lowering the dam unit so that a depth of the dam unit that has been immersed in the plating bath is capable of being adjusted or adjusting the load of the pump unit so that a rate of flow of the hot dip galvanizing solution that is pumped by the pump unit is capable of being controlled, based on the sensing signal.   
     
     
         4 . The snout control system of  claim 3 , wherein the processor
 derives information on the gap G between a protrusion part that protrudes to the first dam wall part and the bath surface of the hot dip galvanizing solution by combining the information on the first water level of the bath surface of the hot dip galvanizing solution through the first sensor and information on the location of the dam unit, and   constantly maintains the gap by controlling the location of the dam unit based on the derived information on the gap and information on the load of the pump unit.   
     
     
         5 . The snout control system of  claim 4 , wherein:
 the dam unit is constructed in a sliding rail form and is physically coupled to the outer wall part of the snorkel part, and   a driving apparatus for driving the dam unit is connected to any part of the snout apparatus in order to minimize an influence of heat energy that is transferred to the plating bath.   
     
     
         6 . The snout control system of  claim 4 , wherein the processor
 increases a depth of the first dam wall part of the dam unit, which has been immersed in the plating bath, by lowering the dam unit when the information on the gap is smaller than a preset reference, and   reduces the depth of the first dam wall part of the dam unit, which has been immersed in the plating bath, by raising the dam unit when the information on the gap is greater than a preset reference water level.   
     
     
         7 . The snout control system of  claim 1 , wherein the snout apparatus further comprises a second sensor installed on any one side of an internal space of the snorkel part and configured to detect information on the location of the dam unit or measure a second water level of the bath surface of the hot dip galvanizing solution runs over the dam wall part and that is accommodated in the accommodation space of the dam unit. 
     
     
         8 . The snout control system of claim  8 , wherein the processor controls a gap between the second water level and the first water level to always have a set value or more through the second sensor so that the hot dip galvanizing solution does not flow backward from the accommodation space of the dam unit to the opening of the snorkel part. 
     
     
         9 . The snout control system of  claim 1 , wherein the pump unit comprises:
 a housing part installed at a location corresponding to the dam unit outside the snorkel part, configured to have a pumping space therein connected to the accommodation space of the dam unit so that the pumping space communicates with the accommodation space, and configured to have an outlet formed on one side thereof so that the hot dip galvanizing solution that is introduced from the accommodation space to the pumping space is discharged to the plating bath;   an impeller part rotatably installed in the pumping space of the housing part and configured to run, toward the outlet, the hot dip galvanizing solution introduced into the pumping space by its rotation driving; and   a driving motor installed on one side of the housing part, connected to a rotation shaft of the impeller part, and configured to rotate and drive the impeller part.   
     
     
         10 . The snout control system of  claim 2 , wherein:
 the snout apparatus further comprises a gas supply part formed on one side of the camera module and a gas suction part formed on the other side of the camera module in order to prevent zinc vapor that is generated from the hot dip galvanizing solution from being fixed to a lens of the camera module, and   the zinc vapor is removed by inert gas that is moved to a surface of the lens through the gas supply part and adsorbed by the gas suction part.   
     
     
         11 . The snout control system of  claim 2 , wherein zinc vapor that is generated from the hot dip galvanizing solution is removed by adding a swirling flow to inert gas that is moved to a surface of a lens of the camera module in order to prevent the zinc vapor from being fixed to the lens of the camera module. 
     
     
         12 . A snout control system comprising:
 a snout apparatus that is immersed in a plating bath in which a hot dip galvanizing solution has been accommodated and that introduces a steel plate into the plating bath; and   a processor connected to the snout apparatus,   wherein the processor recognizes a difference between heights of a water level that is measured through a sensor for measuring a water level of a bath surface of a hot dip galvanizing solution and a dam unit of the snout apparatus, recognizes at least one of a structure within a snorkel part and alien substances on the bath surface based on an image that is photographed through a photographing apparatus installed in the snout apparatus, and controls the snout apparatus based on at least one of the recognized difference between the heights, the recognized structure within the snorkel part, and the recognized alien substances on the bath surface.   
     
     
         13 . The snout control system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor recognizes a flow of the alien substances on the bath surface, which float on the bath surface within the snorkel part and approach the steel plate, by applying an optical flow to the image. 
     
     
         14 . The snout control system of  claim 13 , wherein the processor indicates a first color when the alien substances are mixed into the bath surface within the snorkel part and indicates a second color when the alien substances are discharged from the bath surface within the snorkel part to an outside of the dam unit so that a present work condition within the snorkel part is able to be monitored in real time. 
     
     
         15 . The snout control system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor maintains the height of the snout apparatus, when the difference between the heights is equal to or greater than a preset reference value, the preset structure is present in the image at a preset and predetermined ratio or more, and a direction of a flow of the alien substances on the bath surface is a forward direction. 
     
     
         16 . The snout control system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor raises the height of the snout apparatus so that the alien substances on the bath surface are discharged to an outside of the dam unit, when the difference between the heights is equal to or greater than a preset reference value, the preset structure is present in the image at a predetermined ratio or more, and a direction of a flow of the alien substances on the bath surface is a backward direction. 
     
     
         17 . The snout control system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor raises the snout apparatus so that the structure is present in the image at a predetermined ratio or more, when the difference between the heights is equal to or greater than a preset reference value and the structure is not present in the image at the predetermined ratio or more. 
     
     
         18 . The snout control system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor maintains the height of the snout apparatus, when the difference between the heights is less than a preset reference value, the structure is present in the image at a predetermined ratio or more, and a direction of a flow of the alien substances on the bath surface is a forward direction. 
     
     
         19 . The snout control system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor lowers the height of the snout apparatus so that the alien substances on the bath surface are discharged to an outside of the dam unit, when the difference between the heights is less than a reference value, the structure is present in the image at a predetermined ratio or more, and a direction of a flow of the alien substances on the bath surface is a backward direction. 
     
     
         20 . The snout control system of  claim 12 , wherein the processor lowers the snout apparatus so that the structure is present at a predetermined ratio or more, when the difference between the heights is less than a reference value and the structure is not present in the image at the predetermined ratio or more.