Fast response heaters and associated control systems used in combination with metal treatment furnaces

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016377345-A1
Application number	US-201615190683-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 23, 2016
Priority date	Jun 24, 2015
Publication date	Dec 29, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

System and method for using fast response heaters to pre-heat metal before entering a metal treatment furnace, which may improve control over metal processing, especially in response to changes in material, mass flow rate, line speed, and/or desired treatment process. Fast response heaters may be used with control systems to adjust the output of the fast response heater based on operator inputs, direct or indirect sensing of process parameters, and/or the use of thermal models to quickly adjust fast response heater output while a metal treatment furnace remains at a constant temperature or slowly transitions into a new operating state. The resulting gains in process control result in higher quality products, reduced scrap, and increases in line speed and output.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A metal treatment system comprising:
a metal treatment furnace having a furnace entrance for accepting a moving metal sheet, the metal treatment furnace comprising a sensor for measuring an atmospheric temperature within the metal treatment furnace; a fast response heater positionable proximate the furnace entrance to pre-heat the metal sheet; and a controller coupled to the sensor and the fast response heater to automatically control heat output of the fast response heater using the atmospheric temperature within the metal treatment furnace.

2 . The metal treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the metal treatment furnace further comprising a second sensor for measuring a temperature of the moving metal sheet within the metal treatment furnace, and wherein the controller is further coupled to the second sensor to automatically control the heat output of the fast response heater further using the temperature of the moving metal sheet within the metal treatment furnace.

3 . The metal treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the fast response heater is operated continuously.

4 . The metal treatment system of claim 3 , wherein the atmospheric temperature of the metal treatment furnace remains within approximately ten percent of a preselected temperature.

5 . The metal treatment system of claim 3 , wherein the atmospheric temperature of the metal treatment furnace remains within approximately five percent of a preselected temperature.

6 . The metal treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the fast response heater is operated during transitions of the metal treatment furnace.

7 . The metal treatment system of claim 6 , wherein the transitions of the metal treatment furnace comprise at least one transition selected from the group consisting of changes in metal sheet or plate thickness, metal sheet or plate processing speed, metal sheet or plate alloy, and metal treatment furnace target temperature.

8 . The metal treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the fast response heater comprises an induction heater.

9 . The metal treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the fast response heater comprises a direct flame impingement heater.

10 . The metal treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the fast response heater comprises an induction heater and a direct flame impingement heater.

11 . The metal treatment system of claim 1 , further comprising a thickness sensor for measuring a thickness of the metal sheet, wherein the controller is further coupled to the thickness sensor to automatically control the heat output of the fast response heater further using the thickness of the metal sheet.

12 . The metal treatment system of claim 1 , further comprising a throughput sensor for measuring a throughput of the metal sheet, wherein the controller is further coupled to the throughput sensor to automatically control the heat output of the fast response heater further using the throughput of the metal sheet.

13 . The metal treatment system of claim 1 , further comprising a data store containing a thermal model, wherein the controller is further coupled to the data store to automatically control the heat output of the fast response heater further using the thermal model.

14 . The metal treatment system of claim 13 , wherein the thermal model comprises at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of fast response heater parameters, metal treatment furnace parameters, and metal characteristics.

15 . The metal treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the fast response heater includes a plurality of individual heating elements spaced across the fast response heater to selectively apply heat to individual portions across a width of the metal sheet, and wherein the controller is configured to individually control a heat output of each of the plurality of individual heating elements such that the plurality of individual heating elements selectively pre-heat the metal sheet across the width of the metal sheet.

16 . The metal treatment system of claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to automatically control the heat output of the fast response heater using a heat head of the metal treatment furnace that is calculated using the atmospheric temperature of the metal treatment furnace.

17 . A method of treating metal, the method comprising:
pre-heating a metal sheet in a fast response heater; applying heat to the metal sheet in a metal treatment furnace; monitoring an atmospheric temperature within the metal treatment furnace; and automatically adjusting a heat output of the fast response heater using the monitored atmospheric temperature.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising monitoring a temperature of the moving metal sheet within the metal treatment furnace, wherein automatically adjusting the heat output of the fast response heater includes calculating a heat head using the monitored atmospheric temperature and the monitored temperature of the moving metal sheet, and adjusting the heat output of the fast response heater based on the calculated heat head.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein pre-heating the metal sheet in the fast response heater occurs continuously.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein applying heat to the meal sheet in the metal treatment furnace includes maintaining the metal treatment furnace at a constant temperature.

21 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising transitioning the atmospheric temperature of the metal treatment furnace between a first temperature setting and a second temperature setting, wherein automatically adjusting the heat output of the fast response heater includes selecting the heat output to compensate for changes to the atmospheric temperature of the metal treatment furnace during transitioning.

22 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the fast response heater comprises an induction heater.

23 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the fast response heater comprises a direct flame impingement heater.

24 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the fast response heater comprises an induction heater and a direct flame impingement heater.

25 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising monitoring a thickness of the metal sheet, wherein automatically adjusting the heat output of the fast response heater includes using the monitored thickness.

26 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising monitoring a throughput speed of the metal sheet, wherein automatically adjusting the heat output of the fast response heater includes using the monitored throughput speed.

27 . The method of claim 17 , wherein automatically adjusting the heat output of the fast response heater includes using a thermal model.

28 . The method of claim 27 , wherein the thermal model comprises at least one parameter selected from the group consisting of fast response heater parameters, metal treatment furnace parameters, and metal characteristics.

29 . The method of claim 17 , wherein pre-heating the metal sheet in the fast response heater includes selectively applying heat across a width of the metal strip using a plurality of individual heating elements spaced across the fast response heater, and wherein automatically adjusting the heat output of the fast response heater includes individually controlling each of the plurality of individual heating elements to control the select

Assignees

• Novelis Inc

Inventors

• Custers David Michael
• Bull Michael
• Hobbis Andrew

Classifications

• F27D2019/0018

  Monitoring the temperature of the atmosphere of the kiln · CPC title

• F27D13/00 Primary

  Apparatus for preheating charges; Arrangements for preheating charges · CPC title

• C21D11/00 Primary

  Process control or regulation for heat treatments · CPC title

• C21D1/52

  with flames · CPC title

• C21D1/42 Primary

  Induction heating · CPC title