Patent ID: 7618501

Claim:
A method for the heat treatment of extended steel products while the steel products are being transported, the method comprising: providing a rolling line having at least two rolling stations, each of the rolling stations having a plurality of rollers for transporting the steel products along the rolling line in a direction of travel between the at least two rolling stations; providing at least one set of direct flame impingement (DFI) burners along the rolling line between the rolling stations, the DFI burners being arranged so that flames of the DFI burners lie essentially in a plane that is perpendicular to the direction of travel, and so that the set of DFI burners essentially covers a circumference of the steel products as the steel products are transported between the rolling stations; using the rolling line to move the steel products along the direction of travel; and using the set of DFI burners to heat the steel products directly while the steel products are being moved by the rolling line between the rolling stations; wherein the set of burners is supplied with a fuel that is one of liquid and gaseous; and wherein the set of burners is supplied with an oxidant that comprises at least 80% by volume oxygen gas.