Patent ID: 8550372

Claim:
A method for cooling a work piece having a surface, comprising: (a) providing a cooling fluid; and (b) directing a plurality of sprays of cooling fluid from a plurality of slot nozzles directly onto the surface of the work piece at an angle of between approximately 30 degrees and 60 degrees with respect thereto such that the spray of cooling fluid creates a flow of cooling fluid in a substantially single direction along the work piece surface, and wherein the plurality of sprays do not interact with each other either at the surface of the work piece or before contacting the surface of the work piece, wherein the plurality of sprays of cooling fluid are substantially fan-shaped sprays and wherein directing the plurality of fan-shaped sprays of cooling fluid directly onto the surface of the work piece includes providing the plurality of slot nozzles adjacent to the work piece surface and directing the plurality of fan-shaped sprays directly onto the surface of the work piece via the plurality of slot nozzles, wherein the plurality of slot nozzles are distributed along a length of at least one tube and the plurality of slot nozzles are oriented parallel to one another, the at least one tube including at least two of the plurality of nozzles.