Reserves for reducing energy consumption when rolling section bars on modern rolling mills

Abstract

Metallurgical production is a highly energy-intensive process, and the search for solutions to reduce energy costs remains an urgent task for all stages. In this regard, the production of finished rolled products is considered as the most promising direction for the implementation of energy-saving technologies. There are two ways to reduce energy costs in hot rolling of section bars: saving energy for heating and improving the use of the main equipment to reduce intermediate energy costs. Due to the difference in silt conditions at the moment of capture and at the steady stage of the rolling process, a reserve of retracting friction forces arises, which can be used for additional shaping in non-drive devices and thereby increase the efficiency of the main equipment and reduce overall energy costs. For the practical implementation of the proposed concept, dependence was obtained that makes it possible to estimate the power potential that is not used at the steady stage of the rolling process. Using the obtained dependence, it was found that when rolling in smooth rolls, the potential of friction forces is used only by 50 – 60 %, and when rolling in calibers, by 35 – 40 %. It was experimentally established that during the rolling of shaped sections in passes with an elongation ratio of less than 1.10 – 1.15, more than 50 % of the energy is spent on idling. However, by replacing drive stands in these passes with non-drive cassettes (in continuous groups), it is possible to increase the efficiency of adjacent stands by 4 – 5 % and reduce energy costs.