Proceedings of the Seminar on Rolling, Metal Forming and Products


ISSN 2594-5297

Title

IMPROVEMENT OF FAST COOLING AND ENERGY SAVINGS IN A CONTINUOUS ANNEALING AND PROCESSING LINE – CAPL

IMPROVEMENT OF FAST COOLING AND ENERGY SAVINGS IN A CONTINUOUS ANNEALING AND PROCESSING LINE – CAPL

DOI

10.5151/2594-5297-34908

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Abstract

THE WORLDWIDE DEMAND FOR ADVANCED HIGH-STRENGTH STEEL (AHSS) HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY INCREASING DUE TO THE NECESSITY OF REDUCING VEHICLE WEIGHT, WITHOUT REDUCING ITS SAFETY. AHSS PROCESSED IN CONTINUOUS ANNEALING AND PROCESSING LINE (CAPL) REQUIRES ADVANCED COOLING STRATEGIES TO ACQUIRE ITS DESIRED MECHANICAL PROPERTIES. A HIGH-EFFICIENCY COOLING SECTION MUST PROVIDE HIGH COOLING RATES WITH LOW ENERGY CONSUMPTION, BESIDES PROMOTING A HOMOGENEOUS COOLING OVER THE STRIP WIDTH AS WELL AS ENSURING ITS FLATNESS. A THERMAL OFF-LINE MODEL WAS DEVELOPED TO ANALYZE THE MAIN VARIABLES THAT AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CAPL'S FAST COOLING SECTION AND PROPOSE CHANGES IN THE PROCESS AND EQUIPMENT PROMOTING AN INCREASE IN COOLING RATE, PRODUCTIVITY AND ENERGY SAVINGS. INDUSTRIAL TESTS CARRIED OUT AT USIMINAS’ CAPL VALIDATED THE SOLUTIONS PROPOSED BY THE MODEL. POSSIBILITY OF ENERGY SAVINGS OVER 50% AND AN INCREASE IN COOLING RATE OVER 20% WAS IDENTIFIED, WITH THESE GAINS APPLICABLE TO 50% OF THE CURRENT PRODUCTION MIX. BESIDES THE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN ENERGY CONSUMPTION, THE INCREASE IN COOLING RATE COULD ENABLE THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW STEEL GRADES, EXPANDING THE USIMINAS PORTFOLIO FOR AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS.

 

THE WORLDWIDE DEMAND FOR ADVANCED HIGH-STRENGTH STEEL (AHSS) HAS BEEN CONTINUOUSLY INCREASING DUE TO THE NECESSITY OF REDUCING VEHICLE WEIGHT, WITHOUT REDUCING ITS SAFETY. AHSS PROCESSED IN CONTINUOUS ANNEALING AND PROCESSING LINE (CAPL) REQUIRES ADVANCED COOLING STRATEGIES TO ACQUIRE ITS DESIRED MECHANICAL PROPERTIES. A HIGH-EFFICIENCY COOLING SECTION MUST PROVIDE HIGH COOLING RATES WITH LOW ENERGY CONSUMPTION, BESIDES PROMOTING A HOMOGENEOUS COOLING OVER THE STRIP WIDTH AS WELL AS ENSURING ITS FLATNESS. A THERMAL OFF-LINE MODEL WAS DEVELOPED TO ANALYZE THE MAIN VARIABLES THAT AFFECT THE PERFORMANCE OF THE CAPL'S FAST COOLING SECTION AND PROPOSE CHANGES IN THE PROCESS AND EQUIPMENT PROMOTING AN INCREASE IN COOLING RATE, PRODUCTIVITY AND ENERGY SAVINGS. INDUSTRIAL TESTS CARRIED OUT AT USIMINAS’ CAPL VALIDATED THE SOLUTIONS PROPOSED BY THE MODEL. POSSIBILITY OF ENERGY SAVINGS OVER 50% AND AN INCREASE IN COOLING RATE OVER 20% WAS IDENTIFIED, WITH THESE GAINS APPLICABLE TO 50% OF THE CURRENT PRODUCTION MIX. BESIDES THE SIGNIFICANT REDUCTION IN ENERGY CONSUMPTION, THE INCREASE IN COOLING RATE COULD ENABLE THE DEVELOPMENT OF NEW STEEL GRADES, EXPANDING THE USIMINAS PORTFOLIO FOR AUTOMOTIVE APPLICATIONS.

Keywords

Continuous annealing line; Fast cooling improvement; Thermal model; Energy saving

Continuous annealing line; Fast cooling improvement; Thermal model; Energy saving

How to refer

Leocadio, Hormando; Oliveira, Jorge Luiz Goes; Sousa, Leandro Felipe de; Maia, Geraldo Arruda. IMPROVEMENT OF FAST COOLING AND ENERGY SAVINGS IN A CONTINUOUS ANNEALING AND PROCESSING LINE – CAPL , p. 417-427. In: 57° Seminário de Laminação e Conformação de Metais, São Paulo, 2022.
ISSN: 2594-5297 , DOI 10.5151/2594-5297-34908