Title

Plate Cooling: Technologies and Market Requirements

Plate Cooling: Technologies and Market Requirements

Authorship

F EVANS, J; T CLARK, M

F EVANS, J

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T CLARK, M

I am this author

DOI

10.5151/2594-5297-LAC01568

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Abstract

Since the early 1980's the use of in-line plate cooling units has been widely adopted, particularly by plate mills in Europe and the Far East. Interest has focussed on using accelerated cooling (AC) to improve the mechanical properties of pipeline and shipbuilding plate without compromising weldability. This has been achieved using a variety of cooling technologies, including water curtains, laminar water jets and airlwater sprays. The ability of these systerns to achieve the higher cooling rates required for direct quenching (DQ), has generally been a secondary consideration. The reasons for this can be summarized as: Smaller markets for DQ products Difficulty in obtaining the required cooling rates Off-line quenching and ternpering facilities Difficulty in controlling the flatness of DQ products As more plate mills start to compete in the market for AC plates, the existing producers have shown renewed interest in DQ technology. The recent consolidation amongst plate mill builders has resulted in VAI having access to all of the applicable technologies for plate cooling. This paper reviews and crtically assesses these technologies, based on the latest requirerments of plate producers for both AC and DQ technologies.

Since the early 1980's the use of in-line plate cooling units has been widely adopted, particularly by plate mills in Europe and the Far East. Interest has focussed on using accelerated cooling (AC) to improve the mechanical properties of pipeline and shipbuilding plate without compromising weldability. This has been achieved using a variety of cooling technologies, including water curtains, laminar water jets and airlwater sprays. The ability of these systerns to achieve the higher cooling rates required for direct quenching (DQ), has generally been a secondary consideration. The reasons for this can be summarized as: Smaller markets for DQ products Difficulty in obtaining the required cooling rates Off-line quenching and ternpering facilities Difficulty in controlling the flatness of DQ products As more plate mills start to compete in the market for AC plates, the existing producers have shown renewed interest in DQ technology. The recent consolidation amongst plate mill builders has resulted in VAI having access to all of the applicable technologies for plate cooling. This paper reviews and crtically assesses these technologies, based on the latest requirerments of plate producers for both AC and DQ technologies.

Keywords

plate, accelerated-cooling, direct-quench

plate, accelerated-cooling, direct-quench