Finite Element Analysis of Inductive Reheating Facilities for the Steel Strips Production

Abstract

The production of steel strips and plates is usually performed with processes during several hours in plants more than 1400 meters long. In order to reduce investment and production costs, a continuous process during only 15 minutes has recently been set in Italy in an innovative plant (8 times shorter than usual) where in addition power requirements and ecologic impact are lighter. Such a compact arrangement has been possible by means of inductive reheating facilities, that maintain the strip hot, i.e. with both a liquid core and in fully solidified state. The new line-up (thin slab cast rolling machine, coilerfurnace, four-high stands finishing mill) is easily adaptable to different steels and enables a cost favourable hot strip production even with reduced quantities of product. thanks to the inductive reheating facilities. This paper will present the FEA of these facilities. Figure 1 describes flux concentrator core and two windings coil of the facility fore-and-aft section.