Patent ID: 8728244

Claim:
A method for descaling a metal strip, in which the metal strip is guided in a direction of conveyance (R) through at least two plasma descaling units, in which it is subjected to a plasma descaling, where the plasma descaling is followed directly or indirectly by an operation in which the metal strip is coated with a coating metal by hot dip galvanizing of the metal strip, wherein the metal strip is coated with the coating metal by a vertical passage process, in which the coating metal is retained as a coating bath in a coating tank by an electromagnetic seal, wherein the metal strip preheated by the plasma descaling is guided, without exposure to air, from the plasma descaling into a protective gas atmosphere of a continuous furnace necessary for the coating, further including, following the plasma descaling of the metal strip in a first of the plasma descaling units, subjecting the metal strip to an automatically controlled cooling in a cooling unit in such a way that it has a well-defined temperature after passing through the cooling unit, wherein the metal strip is cooled in the cooling unit by bringing it into contact with a cooling roller over a predetermined angle of wrap, and varying the angle of wrap to control cooling of the metal strip.