Abstract:
A steel-strip production apparatus adapted to produce a hot-dip-plated steel strip and a cold-rolled steel strip includes a continuous annealing furnace, a snout connected to the continuous annealing furnace, a contact-type seal plate device and a noncontact-type seal roll device, a hot-dip-plating tank that is movable, and a roll configured to turn the path direction of the steel strip after passing through the snout, wherein a hot-dip-plated steel strip production unit configured to produce a hot-dip-plated steel strip by bringing the steel strip continuously annealed in the continuous annealing furnace into the hot-dip-plating tank; and a cold-rolled steel strip production unit configured to produce a cold-rolled steel strip by transferring the steel strip continuously annealed in the continuous annealing furnace without causing the steel strip to pass through the hot-dip-plating tank, are configured to be switchable with one another.

Description:
FIELD 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to a steel-strip production apparatus. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    In recent years, there has been proposed a production apparatus that produces a hot-dip-plated steel strip and a cold-rolled steel strip using the same equipment. To be more specific, Patent Literature 1 describes a production apparatus provided with a continuous annealing furnace, hot dip plating equipment, and a bypass furnace that transfers a steel strip from the continuous annealing furnace to water quenching equipment without causing the steel strip to pass through the hot dip plating equipment. In the production apparatus, when producing the hot-dip-plated steel strip, the steel strip is transferred from the continuous annealing furnace to the hot dip plating equipment, and when producing the cold-rolled steel strip, the steel strip is transferred from the continuous annealing furnace to the water quenching equipment by way of the bypass furnace. 
       CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
       [0003]    Patent Literature 1: Japanese Laid-open Patent Publication No. 2002-88414 
       SUMMARY 
     Technical Problem 
       [0004]    However, the production apparatus described in Patent Literature 1 is provided with bypass furnace in order to switch a steel strip to be produced between the hot-dip-plated steel strip and the cold-rolled steel strip and hence, it is necessary to use a large-scale production apparatus, and it is difficult to design the production apparatus. Furthermore, since a path of the steel strip is changed when switching the steel strip to be produced, cutting and welding operations of the steel strip, and opening and closing operations of the continuous annealing furnace require considerable amount of efforts and times. 
         [0005]    In general, in order to prevent oxidation of a steel sheet in the continuous annealing furnace, it is necessary to prevent an atmospheric air from being mixed into an atmospheric gas in the inside of the continuous annealing furnace when switching the steel strip to be produced. Furthermore, when the atmospheric air enters into the continuous annealing furnace, the oxygen or the like contained in the atmospheric air is required to be removed and hence, it is necessary to exchange the atmospheric gas in the continuous annealing furnace. However, in Patent Literature 1, a measure to prevent the atmospheric air from entering into the continuous annealing furnace when switching the steel strip to be produced is not disclosed or suggested. In addition, in the production apparatus described in Patent Literature 1, the transfer path of the steel strip in producing the hot-dip-plated steel strip and the transfer path of the steel strip in producing the cold-rolled steel strip are different from each other and hence, it is necessary to change a program that controls transfer processes of the steel strip each time when switching the steel strip to be produced. 
         [0006]    As described above, according to the production apparatus described in Patent Literature 1, it is difficult to produce the hot-dip-plated steel strip and the cold-rolled steel strip using the same equipment without taking considerable amount of efforts and times, while preventing the atmospheric gas in the continuous annealing furnace from flowing to the outside of the furnace and preventing the atmospheric air from entering into the furnace. 
         [0007]    The present invention has been made to overcome such problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a steel-strip production apparatus adapted to produce the hot-dip-plated steel strip and the cold-rolled steel strip with substantially the same transfer path and transfer length without taking considerable amount of efforts and times, while preventing the atmospheric gas in the continuous annealing furnace from flowing to the outside of the furnace and preventing the atmospheric air from entering into the furnace. 
       Solution to Problem 
       [0008]    To solve the problem and achieve the object, a steel-strip production apparatus adapted to produce a hot-dip-plated steel strip and a cold-rolled steel strip according to the present invention includes: a continuous annealing furnace; a snout connected to the continuous annealing furnace; a contact-type seal plate device and a noncontact-type seal roll device that are arranged on the entry side of the snout along the transfer direction of the steel strip in this order; a hot-dip-plating tank that is movable; and a roll configured to turn the path direction of the steel strip after passing through the snout, wherein 
         [0009]    a hot-dip-plated steel strip production unit configured to produce the hot-dip-plated steel strip by bringing the steel strip continuously annealed in the continuous annealing furnace into the hot-dip-plating tank, and a cold-rolled steel strip production unit configured to produce the cold-rolled steel strip by transferring the steel strip continuously annealed in the continuous annealing furnace without causing the steel strip to pass through the hot-dip-plating tank are configured to be switchable with one another. 
         [0010]    Moreover, in the steel-strip production apparatus according to the present invention, the roll configured to turn the path direction of the steel strip is a sink roll when producing the hot-dip-plated steel strip, and a deflector roll when producing the cold-rolled steel strip, and the steel-strip production apparatus selects the sink roll or the deflector roll in accordance with the type of the steel strip to be produced and installs the selected roll at a predetermined position. 
         [0011]    Moreover, in the steel-strip production apparatus according to the present invention, the seal roll devices are arranged in two stages along the transfer direction of the steel strip. 
         [0012]    Moreover, in the steel-strip production apparatus according to the present invention, further includes: a working space in at least one of a space between the seal plate device and the seal roll device, or a space between the seal roll device and the snout. 
       Advantageous Effects of Invention 
       [0013]    The production apparatus of the steel strip according to the present invention is capable of producing the hot-dip-plated steel strip and the cold-rolled steel strip with substantially the same transfer path and transfer length without taking considerable amount of efforts and times, while preventing the atmospheric gas in the continuous annealing furnace from flowing to the outside of the furnace and preventing the atmospheric air from entering into the furnace. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         [0014]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view illustrating a constitution of a steel-strip production apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0015]      FIG. 2  is a schematic view illustrating the constitution of the production apparatus of the steel strip on the exit side of a continuous annealing furnace illustrated in  FIG. 1 . 
           [0016]      FIG. 3  is a view illustrating one example of an outflow of a reducing gas in the continuous annealing furnace from a sealed part of the furnace when a seal roll device(s) and a seal plate device are installed. 
           [0017]      FIG. 4A  is a schematic view illustrating the operation of the production apparatus when switching from the producing of the hot-dip galvanized steel strip to the producing of the cold-rolled steel strip. 
           [0018]      FIG. 4B  is a schematic view illustrating the operation of the production apparatus when switching from the producing of the hot-dip galvanized steel strip to the producing of the cold-rolled steel strip. 
           [0019]      FIG. 4C  is a schematic view illustrating the operation of the production apparatus when switching from the producing of the hot-dip galvanized steel strip to the producing of the cold-rolled steel strip. 
           [0020]      FIG. 4D  is a schematic view illustrating the operation of the production apparatus when switching from the producing of the hot-dip galvanized steel strip to the producing of the cold-rolled steel strip. 
           [0021]      FIG. 5A  is a schematic view illustrating the operation of the production apparatus when switching from the producing of the cold-rolled steel strip to the producing of the hot-dip galvanized steel strip. 
           [0022]      FIG. 5B  is a schematic view illustrating the operation of the production apparatus when switching from the producing of the cold-rolled steel strip to the producing of the hot-dip galvanized steel strip. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5C  is a schematic view illustrating the operation of the production apparatus when switching from the producing of the cold-rolled steel strip to the producing of the hot-dip galvanized steel strip. 
           [0024]      FIG. 5D  is a schematic view illustrating the operation of the production apparatus when switching from the producing of the cold-rolled steel strip to the producing of the hot-dip galvanized steel strip. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0025]    Hereinafter, with reference to drawings, a steel-strip production apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention is specifically explained by taking a case where a hot-dip galvanized steel strip and a cold-rolled steel strip are produced, as an example. 
         [0026]    [Constitution of Production Apparatus] 
         [0027]    First of all, with reference to  FIG. 1  to  FIG. 3 , the explanation is made with respect to the constitution of a steel-strip production apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         [0028]      FIG. 1  is a schematic view illustrating a constitution of the steel-strip production apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a schematic view illustrating the constitution of the production apparatus of the steel strip on the exit side of a continuous annealing furnace illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a view illustrating one example of an outflow of a reducing gas in the continuous annealing furnace from a sealed part of the furnace when a seal roll device(s) and a seal plate device are installed. 
         [0029]    As illustrated in  FIG. 1 , a production apparatus  1  of a steel strip according to one embodiment of the present invention is provided with a continuous annealing furnace  2 , a snout  6 , sealing devices  10  and  20  arranged on the entry side of the snout, a hot-dip-galvanizing tank  5 , and bath equipment (an in-tank immersion sink roll  31 , an in-tank support roll  32 , a plated coating weight control device  33 , and the like), as main constitutional features. Here, the entry side of the snout is a portion in which the snout  6  and the continuous annealing furnace  2  are connected with each other. 
         [0030]    As the reducing gas in the continuous annealing furnace  2 , in order to prevent oxidation of the surfaces of the steel strip in annealing, a mixed gas of hydrogen and nitrogen having general hydrogen concentration of several percent by volume to several tens of percent by volume can be exemplified. Conditions, such as a hydrogen concentration and the amount of supply of the reducing gas, are properly set. 
         [0031]    The hot-dip-galvanizing tank  5  having a hot-dip-galvanizing bath in the inside thereof is configured to be movable between an online position at which hot dip galvanizing is applied to a steel strip S and an off-line position to which the hot-dip-galvanizing tank  5  is retracted when the hot dip galvanizing is not applied to the steel strip S. As a movement mechanism of the hot-dip-galvanizing tank  5 , a movement mechanism using a screw jack and a carriage can be exemplified. After the steel strip S, which has passed through the snout  6  and brought into the hot-dip-galvanizing tank  5 , is pulled up from the hot-dip-galvanizing bath, galvanized coating weight is adjusted by the plated coating weight control devices, such as a gas wiping device. 
         [0032]    After a galvanized coating is formed, the steel strip S is cooled, or alloying treatment may be applied to the steel strip S. The alloying treatment is processing that reheats the steel strip S to a predetermined temperature by using an alloying furnace, such as an induction heating furnace and the like (not illustrated in the drawings), thus alloying the galvanized film adhered to the steel strip S. 
         [0033]    As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , a seal plate device  10  and seal roll devices  20  arranged in two stages are arranged along the transfer direction of the steel strip S in this order between the exit side of the continuous annealing furnace  2  and the snout  6 . 
         [0034]    The seal plate device  10  is a contact-type device in which a pair of seal plates  11   a  and  11   b  that face each other are brought into contact with the steel strip S during usual short-time line stop or when operation troubles force line stop thus preventing the atmospheric gas (reducing gas) in the continuous annealing furnace  2  from flowing to the outside of the furnace, and preventing the atmospheric air from entering into the furnace. A distance between the seal plate  11   a  and the seal plate  11   b  is controlled by opening/closing devices  12   a  and  12   b.    
         [0035]    The seal roll device  20  is a noncontact-type device in which a pair of seal rolls  21   a  and  21   b  are brought closer to the steel strip S as necessary without being brought into contact with the steel strip S thus preventing the reducing gas in the continuous annealing furnace  2  from flowing to the outside of the furnace and preventing the atmospheric air from entering into the furnace. Each of the seal roll device  20  is capable of being independently controlled for each stage. A distance between the seal roll device  21   a  and the seal roll device  21   b  is controlled by opening/closing devices  22   a  and  22   b.    
         [0036]    The seal plate device  10  and the seal roll devices  20  are arranged between the exit side of the continuous annealing furnace  2  and the entry side of the snout  6  thus preventing the reducing gas from flowing to the outside of the continuous annealing furnace  2  more effectively and preventing the atmospheric air from entering into the continuous annealing furnace  2  more effectively when switching between a hot-dip-plated steel strip producing route and a cold-rolled steel sheet producing route and when producing a cold-rolled steel sheet. 
         [0037]    The seal plate device  10  is a contact-type device that prevents the reducing gas from flowing to the outside of the furnace during line stop thus reducing the outflow of the reducing gas to the outside of the furnace as compared with the seal roll devices  20 . Here, it may be possible to further prevent the reducing gas from flowing to the outside of the furnace by also closing the seal roll devices  20  during line stop. 
         [0038]    The seal roll devices  20  are arranged in two stages because as illustrated in  FIG. 3 , the seal roll devices  20  arranged in two stage further reduce the outflow of the reducing gas to the outside of the furnace compared with the case that the seal roll device  20  is arranged in one stage; and even when problems, such as foreign matter adhesion, occur in either one of the seal roll devices  20 , it is possible to continue the operation by closing remaining seal roll device  20 , while opening the seal roll device  20  in which the problems occur. It is undesirable to install the seal roll devices  20  arranged in three stages or more because of less advantageous effects considering the increase in cost of the production apparatus and the increase in space for installing the production apparatus. 
         [0039]    The seal plate device  10  and the seal roll devices  20  arranged in two stages are installed along the transfer direction of the steel strip S in this order because the checking and cleaning of the seal roll devices  20  can be easily performed in a state that the reducing gas is prevented from flowing to the outside of the furnace by using the seal plate device  10  during line stop. The checking and cleaning of the seal roll devices  20  are performed to reduce the occurrence of product defects attributed to the seal roll devices  20 . Furthermore, since the seal plate device  10  prevents the reducing gas from flowing to the outside of the furnace during line stop, the seal roll devices  20  can be opened in checking the seal roll devices  20 . As a result, the checking and cleaning of the seal roll devices  20  become very easy. 
         [0040]    In a furnace wall in the vicinity of the position where the seal roll devices  20  are arranged, an inspection window  23  is arranged so that the seal roll devices  20  can be visually checked. Due to such constitution, the seal roll devices  20  can be easily checked by way of the inspection window  23 . Furthermore, in at least one space out of a space between the seal plate device  10  and the seal roll devices  20  arranged in two stages, and a space between the seal roll devices  20  arranged in two stages and the snout  6 , it is desirable to form a working space having a height of 1.5 m or more in the furnace. Because such working space is formed, a worker can safely enter into the working space through the furnace wall in a safe state that the reducing gas hardly flows to the outside of the furnace through the seal plate device  10  during line stop, and can easily perform the checking and cleaning of the seal roll devices  20  in the working space. 
         [0041]    By using the production apparatus of the steel strip having the above-described constitution, a hot-dip galvanized steel strip or a cold-rolled steel strip can be produced by the following procedures. Hereinafter, with reference to  FIGS. 4A to 4D  and  FIGS. 5A to 5D , the operation of the production apparatus of the steel strip is explained for the case of switching from the producing of the hot-dip galvanized steel strip to the producing of the cold-rolled steel strip and the case of switching from the producing of the cold-rolled steel strip to the producing of the hot-dip galvanized steel strip. 
         [0042]    [Method for Switching to Producing of Cold-Rolled Steel Strip] 
         [0043]    First of all, the explanation is made with respect to the operation of the production apparatus of the steel strip in the case of switching from the producing of the hot-dip galvanized steel strip to the producing of the cold-rolled steel strip. 
         [0044]      FIG. 4A  to  FIG. 4D  are schematic views each illustrating the operation of the production apparatus.  FIG. 4A  is a view illustrating a state where the hot-dip galvanized steel strip is produced. When switching from the state above to a state of producing of a cold-rolled steel strip, at first, after the transfer of the steel strip S is stopped, as illustrated in  FIG. 4B , the seal plate device  10  is closed thus stopping the reducing gas in the continuous annealing furnace  2  from flowing to the outside of the furnace. Furthermore, bath equipment including the in-tank immersion sink roll  31 , the in-tank support roll  32 , the plated coating weight control device  33 , and the like that are illustrated in  FIG. 4A  is removed. 
         [0045]    Next, as illustrated in  FIG. 4C , hot-dip-galvanizing tank  5  is moved from the online position to the off-line position. Thereafter, a deflector roll  40  is installed at the position of the in-tank immersion sink roll  31  to form the transfer path of the steel strip S for producing the cold-rolled steel strip. The transfer direction of the steel strip S after passing through the snout  6  is turned by the deflector roll  40 . 
         [0046]    Lastly, as illustrated in  FIG. 4D , the seal roll devices  20  are closed, and the seal plate device  10  is thereafter opened thus preventing the reducing gas from flowing to the outside of the furnace and preventing the atmospheric air from entering into the furnace, using the seal roll devices  20 . Thereafter, the steel strip S is transferred, and thus the cold-rolled steel strip can be produced. 
         [0047]    The transfer direction of the steel strip S is turned by the deflector roll  40  arranged at the position of the in-tank immersion sink roll  31  thus producing the cold-rolled steel strip with substantially the same transfer path and transfer length as in the case of the hot-dip galvanized steel strip. Furthermore, substantially the same location tracking calculation processing of the steel strip S can be used irrespective of the steel strip S to be produced and hence, only one location tracking program is required in a computer and program change processing becomes unnecessary, and therefore a system is simplified. 
         [0048]    Furthermore, a function and operation of tilting the snout  6  for changing the transfer path of the steel strip S also become unnecessary thus reducing the cost of equipment. In addition, the opening and closing operations or the like of the continuous annealing furnace  2  become unnecessary and hence, the efforts and times required for switching between the opening and the closing of the continuous annealing furnace  2  can be reduced thus improving production efficiency. 
         [0049]    [Method for Switching to Producing of Hot-Dip Galvanized Steel Strip] 
         [0050]    Next, the explanation is made with respect to the operation of the production apparatus of the steel strip in the case of switching from the producing of the cold-rolled steel strip to the producing of the hot-dip galvanized steel strip. 
         [0051]      FIG. 5A  to  FIG. 5D  are schematic views each illustrating the operation of the production apparatus when switching from the producing of the cold-rolled steel strip to the producing of the hot-dip galvanized steel strip.  FIG. 5A  is a view illustrating a state where the cold-rolled steel strip is produced. When switching from the state above to a state of producing the hot-dip galvanized steel strip, at first, the transfer of the steel strip S is stopped and, as illustrated in  FIG. 5B , the seal plate device  10  is thereafter closed thus preventing the reducing gas from flowing to the outside of the furnace and preventing the atmospheric air from entering into the furnace. Furthermore, the deflector roll  40  is removed, and the hot-dip-galvanizing tank  5  is moved from the off-line position to the online position. While the seal plate device  10  is closed, the seal roll devices  20  may be opened. 
         [0052]    Next, as illustrated in  FIG. 5C , the bath equipment including the in-tank immersion sink roll  31 , the in-tank support roll  32 , the plated coating weight control device  33 , and the like is installed. 
         [0053]    Lastly, as illustrated in  FIG. 5D , after the immersion of the distal end of the snout  6  in the hot-dip-galvanizing bath of the hot-dip-galvanizing tank  5 , the seal plate device  10  is opened. In this case, the snout  6  is hermetically closed thus preventing the reducing gas from flowing to the outside of the continuous annealing furnace and preventing the atmospheric air from entering into the furnace. Thereafter, the steel strip S is transferred, and thus the hot-dip galvanized steel strip can be produced. 
         [0054]    The transfer direction of the steel strip S after passing through the snout  6  is turned by the in-tank immersion sink roll  31  arranged at the position of the deflector roll  40 . As a result, the hot-dip galvanized steel strip can be produced with substantially the same transfer path and transfer length as in the case of the cold-rolled steel strip. Thus, as mentioned above, the system is simplified and the production efficiency is improved with reduced cost of equipment. 
         [0055]    As can be clearly understood from the explanation above, with the use of the production apparatus of the steel strip according to one embodiment of the present invention, the seal plate device  10  and the seal roll devices  20  can be used to prevent the reducing gas in the continuous annealing furnace  2  from flowing to the outside of the furnace and to prevent the atmospheric air from entering into the furnace. Furthermore, the in-tank immersion sink roll  31  and the deflector roll  40  are located at the same position and hence, the transfer direction of the steel strip S is turned at the same direction turning point irrespective of the type of the steel strip S thus producing the hot-dip galvanized steel strip and the cold-rolled steel strip with substantially the same transfer path and transfer length. As a result, the producing of the hot-dip galvanized steel strip and the producing of the cold-rolled steel strip can be switched therebetween without taking considerable amount of efforts and times thus further simplifying the production apparatus and improving production efficiency. 
         [0056]    Heretofore, although the embodiment to which the invention made by inventors is applied has been explained in conjunction with drawings, the present invention is not limited to the description and the drawings by way of the above-mentioned embodiment that merely constitutes one embodiment of the present invention. For example, with respect to plating, not only the hot dip galvanizing but also the aluminum plating, the composite plating of zinc and aluminum, or the like may be used. Furthermore, the steel grade of the cold-rolled steel strip is not limited in particular. In this manner, various modifications, embodiment examples, and techniques conceivable of by those skilled in the art or the like based on the present embodiment are arbitrarily conceivable without departing from the gist of the present invention. 
       INDUSTRIAL APPLICABILITY 
       [0057]    According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a steel-strip production apparatus adapted to produce the hot-dip-plated steel strip and the cold-rolled steel strip with substantially the same transfer path and transfer length without taking considerable amount of efforts and times, while preventing the atmospheric gas in the continuous annealing furnace from flowing to the outside of the furnace and preventing the atmospheric air from entering into the furnace. 
       REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
       [0000]    
       
         
           
               1  production apparatus of steel strip 
               2  continuous annealing furnace 
               5  hot-dip-galvanizing tank 
               6  snout 
               10  seal plate device 
               20  seal roll device 
               31  in-tank immersion sink roll 
               32  in-tank support roll 
               33  plated coating weight control device 
               40  deflector roll 
             S steel strip