US4223385A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Control of workpiece heating
Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Corp
•
Filing: 1978-09-21
•
Granted: 1980-09-16
•
Expires: 1998-09-21
Abstract
Abstract The present control system and method for a slab heating furnace is operative in relation to a predicted travel time of a theoretical control slab in the charge zone of the furnace and a predicted travel time of a theoretical control slab in the heat zone of the furnace as based upon the cycle time of an associated rolling mill. This operation is in relation to a desired distribution of heat content supplied by the charge zone and heat content supplied by the heat zone, and in consideration of a related temperature profile within each slab, for the determination of a temperature control setpoint for the charge zone and a temperature control setpoint for the heat zone such that a desired total heat content is provided within each slab before it enters the soak zone of the slab heating furnace. There are periodically calculated the updated heat content values for each slab in every operating furnace for this determination of temperature control setpoints, and a correction in temperature setpoint is made when the calculated heat content is different than the desired heat content for the slabs in a controlled heating zone. A slab is not permitted to be discharged from a given furnace until that slab has been properly heated in relation to desired heat content, desired surface temperature and desired time interval in the soak zone.
Inventors
- 👤 William R. Miller
- 👤 Clarence E. Peck
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-27 16:26
CPC Classifications
F; F27; F27B; F27B9/00; F27B9/30; F27B9/40; G; G05; G05D; G05D23/00; G05D23/19; G05D23/1917; G05D23/1927; G05D23/193; G05D23/1932; G05D23/1934; G05D23/20; G05D23/22; F27M; F27M2001/00; F27M2001/15; F27M2001/1539; F27M2001/1547; F27M2001/1552; F27M2003/00; F27M2003/02
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 50
Claim 1
Independent Claim
192 words
The method of controlling the heat content of workpieces traveling through a heating furnace operative with an associated workpiece processing device, with said furnace having at least one heating zone in which at least one workpiece is positioned within a predetermined control area located in said heating zone, said method being operative after predicting the remaining travel time of said one workpiece through said one heating zone, the steps of said method comprising, generating a signal indicative of the effective temperature of said one heating zone, determining the actual heat content supplied to said workpiece by said heating zone in relation to said generated signal indicative of said effective temperature, establishing the remaining heat content to be supplied to said one workpiece by said one heating zone in accordance with a predetermined relationship with said determined actual heat content, modifying the predicted remaining travel time of said one workpiece through the heating zone in accordance with the operation of the associated workpiece processing device, and controlling said furnace to provide an effective temperature in accordance with a predetermined relationship with said modified predicted remaining travel time and said established remaining heat content.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
192 words
The method of controlling the heat content of workpieces traveling through a heating furnace operative with an associated workpiece processing device, with said furnace having at least one heating zone in which at least one workpiece is positioned within a predetermined control area located in said heating zone, said method being operative after predicting the remaining travel time of said one workpiece through said one heating zone, the steps of said method comprising, generating a signal indicative of the effective temperature of said one heating zone, determining the actual heat content supplied to said workpiece by said heating zone in relation to said generated signal indicative of said effective temperature, establishing the remaining heat content to be supplied to said one workpiece by said one heating zone in accordance with a predetermined relationship with said determined actual heat content, modifying the predicted remaining travel time of said one workpiece through the heating zone in accordance with the operation of the associated workpiece processing device, and controlling said furnace to provide an effective temperature in accordance with a predetermined relationship with said modified predicted remaining travel time and said established remaining heat content.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
24 words
The method of claim 1, with said one workpiece being a representative workpiece in accordance with all of the workpieces in said control area.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 1, with said one workpiece being an average workpiece in relation to a predetermined characteristic of each workpiece actually positioned within said control area.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
45 words
The method of claim 1, with said step of controlling said furnace to provide an effective temperature of said one heating zone being operative to provide a predetermined heat content to at least said one workpiece before that one workpiece leaves said one heating zone.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 1, with said one workpiece being a representative workpiece in accordance with the thickness and the width of each workpiece positioned in said control area.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
31 words
The method of claim 1, with the step of controlling said furnace to provide an effective temperature being in relation to the location of said control area in said heating zone.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
32 words
The method of claim 1, with the step of controlling said furnace to provide an effective temperature being in relation to a temperature setpoint signal established in accordance with said predetermined relationship.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
72 words
The method of claim 1, with said furnace including a second heating zone in addition to said one heating zone, said method including the steps of establishing the additional heat content to be supplied to said one workpiece by said second heating zone, and establishing said remaining heat content to be supplied by said one heating zone in relation to said additional heat content to be supplied by said second heating zone.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
63 words
The method of claim 1, with said furnace including a second heating zone subsequent to said one heating zone, said method including the step of establishing a desired relationship between a first heat content to be supplied by said one heating zone to said one workpiece and a second heat content to be supplied by said second heating zone to said one workpiece.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 9, with said desired relationship being in accordance with a relationship including the total content to be supplied by said furnace to said one workpiece, a first heat content supplied by said one heating zone and a second heat content supplied by the second heating zone.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
215 words
In apparatus for controlling the operation of a furnace for heating workpieces traveling through said furnace and including a heating zone having an effective temperature and having a predetermined control area in which at least one workpiece is positioned, with said furnace being operative in relation to an associated rolling mill, the combination of first means for providing a signal indicative of the effective temperature of said heating zone, second means for determining the remaining time period said one workpiece will be positioned in said heating zone and during which said one workpiece will travel from said control area to the end of said heating zone, for determining the remaining heat content to be supplied to said one workpiece during said time period in response to the provided signal indicative of said effective temperature of said heating zone, and for determining a temperature control setpoint for said heating zone in accordance with a predetermined relationship between said determined remaining time period and said determined remaining heat content, third means for modifying said determined temperature control setpoint in accordance with the operation of the associated rolling mill, and fourth means for controlling the operation of said heating zone to provide an effective temperature of said heating zone in accordance with said modified determined temperature control setpoint.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
215 words
In apparatus for controlling the operation of a furnace for heating workpieces traveling through said furnace and including a heating zone having an effective temperature and having a predetermined control area in which at least one workpiece is positioned, with said furnace being operative in relation to an associated rolling mill, the combination of first means for providing a signal indicative of the effective temperature of said heating zone, second means for determining the remaining time period said one workpiece will be positioned in said heating zone and during which said one workpiece will travel from said control area to the end of said heating zone, for determining the remaining heat content to be supplied to said one workpiece during said time period in response to the provided signal indicative of said effective temperature of said heating zone, and for determining a temperature control setpoint for said heating zone in accordance with a predetermined relationship between said determined remaining time period and said determined remaining heat content, third means for modifying said determined temperature control setpoint in accordance with the operation of the associated rolling mill, and fourth means for controlling the operation of said heating zone to provide an effective temperature of said heating zone in accordance with said modified determined temperature control setpoint.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
20 words
The apparatus of claim 11, with said one workpiece being representative of all the workpieces positioned in said control area.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
27 words
The apparatus of claim 11, with said one workpiece having an average thickness in relation to the actual thickness of each workpiece positioned in said control area.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
38 words
The apparatus of claim 11, with said third means for modifying the determined temperature control setpoint providing a gap time increment to modify said determined remaining time period in accordance with the operation of said associated rolling mill.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
25 words
The apparatus of claim 11, with said remaining time period being in relation to the known location of said control area in said heating zone.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
32 words
The apparatus of claim 11, with said second means for determining said temperature control setpoint being operative in relation to said provided signal indicative of the effective temperature of said heating zone.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
53 words
The apparatus of claim 11, with said furnace having another heating zone, and with said second means being operative for determining a second travel time period for said one workpiece to travel through said another heating zone, and for determining the remaining heat content in relation to said determined second travel time period.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
181 words
A control system for a workpiece furnace having at least one heating zone through which individual workpieces travel in succession for providing a predetermined heat content into each of said workpieces when the latter workpiece leaves said heating zone, with said heating zone including a predetermined control area, said control system comprising, first means for providing a control signal representative of the actual effective temperature of said control area, second means for determining the time period remaining for a representative workpiece in said control area to travel to the end of said heating zone, for determining in response to said control signal the remaining heat content to be provided into said representative workpiece during said time period, and for determining an output signal to provide a desired temperature setpoint for said control area in accordance with said time period and said remaining heat content, third means for modifying said output signal by a predetermined gap time increment, and fourth means responsive to said modified output signal for controlling said effective temperature of said control area in relation to said temperature setpoint.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
181 words
A control system for a workpiece furnace having at least one heating zone through which individual workpieces travel in succession for providing a predetermined heat content into each of said workpieces when the latter workpiece leaves said heating zone, with said heating zone including a predetermined control area, said control system comprising, first means for providing a control signal representative of the actual effective temperature of said control area, second means for determining the time period remaining for a representative workpiece in said control area to travel to the end of said heating zone, for determining in response to said control signal the remaining heat content to be provided into said representative workpiece during said time period, and for determining an output signal to provide a desired temperature setpoint for said control area in accordance with said time period and said remaining heat content, third means for modifying said output signal by a predetermined gap time increment, and fourth means responsive to said modified output signal for controlling said effective temperature of said control area in relation to said temperature setpoint.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
40 words
The control system of claim 18, with said second means determining the actual heat content already provided into said representative workpiece by said heating zone such that said remaining heat content is determined in relation to said actual heat content.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
45 words
The control system of claim 18, with said remaining heat content being determined in accordance with a relationship including said predetermined heat content, the actual heat content already provided into said representative workpiece by said heating zone and said remaining heat content to be provided.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
29 words
The control system of claim 18, with said control area having a width dimension large enough to include a plurality of the individual workpieces traveling through said heating zone.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
26 words
A control system as set forth in claim 18, with said remaining heat content being determined in relation to said effective temperature of said control area.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
50 words
The control system of claim 18 with said furnace including a second heating zone, said control system including said second means being operative for determining the travel time of said representative workpiece through said second heating zone, with said remaining heat content being determined in relation to said travel time.
Claim 27
Dependent Claim
55 words
The control system of claim 18, with said furnace including a second heating zone, said control system including said second means establishing a desired relationship between a first heat content supplied to said representative workpiece by said one heating zone and a second heat content supplied to said representative workpiece by said second heating zone.
Claim 28
Dependent Claim
35 words
The control system of claim 18, with said control system including means for providing communication between and operator for said furnace and said second means such that said operator can modify said time period remaining.
Claim 29
Dependent Claim
250 words
An automated method of controlling the total heat content supplied to at least one workpiece passing through a heating furnace operative with an associated workpiece processing device and having a first heating zone and a second heating zone, with said first heat zone having a predetermined control area, said method being operative after predicting the travel time of said one workpiece through said second heating zone, said method including the steps of measuring a first effective temperature of said first heating zone and a second effective temperature of said second heating zone, determining a first heat content to be supplied to said one workpiece by said first heating zone in relation to said measured first effective temperature and a second heat content to be supplied to said one workpiece by said second heating zone in relation to said measured second effective temperature and said predicted travel time, determining the needed heat content to be supplied by said first heating zone to said one workpiece in relation to said first heat content and said second heat content when said one workpiece is positioned in said predetermined control area, determining a modified remaining time period for said one workpiece to be positioned in said first heating zone in accordance with the operation of the associated workpiece processing device, and controlling the operation of said first heating zone to provide an effective temperature of said first heating zone in relation to said determined needed heat content and said determined modified remaining time period.
Claim 30
Dependent Claim
250 words
An automated method of controlling the total heat content supplied to at least one workpiece passing through a heating furnace operative with an associated workpiece processing device and having a first heating zone and a second heating zone, with said first heat zone having a predetermined control area, said method being operative after predicting the travel time of said one workpiece through said second heating zone, said method including the steps of measuring a first effective temperature of said first heating zone and a second effective temperature of said second heating zone, determining a first heat content to be supplied to said one workpiece by said first heating zone in relation to said measured first effective temperature and a second heat content to be supplied to said one workpiece by said second heating zone in relation to said measured second effective temperature and said predicted travel time, determining the needed heat content to be supplied by said first heating zone to said one workpiece in relation to said first heat content and said second heat content when said one workpiece is positioned in said predetermined control area, determining a modified remaining time period for said one workpiece to be positioned in said first heating zone in accordance with the operation of the associated workpiece processing device, and controlling the operation of said first heating zone to provide an effective temperature of said first heating zone in relation to said determined needed heat content and said determined modified remaining time period.
Claim 31
Dependent Claim
26 words
The method of claim 26 with said predicted travel time being in relation to the known demand for heated workpieces to be discharged from said furnace.
Claim 32
Dependent Claim
39 words
The method of claim 26, with said step of determining a first heat content and a second heat content being in accordance with a relationship including said total heat content, said first heat content and said second heat content.
Claim 33
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 26, with said determination of the needed heat content being in accordance with said one workpiece representing the actual workpieces positioned in said first heating zone.
Claim 34
Dependent Claim
28 words
The method of claim 26, with said determination of the remaining time being in relation to the known location of said control area in said first heating zone.
Claim 35
Dependent Claim
58 words
The method of claim 26, including the steps of determining the surface temperature of said one workpiece in relation to said measured first effective temperature and the known time interval that said one workpiece has been positioned in said first heating zone and determining said needed heat content in relation to said surface temperature of said one workpiece.
Claim 36
Dependent Claim
69 words
The method of claim 26, with said second heating zone having a second predetermined control area, said method including the step of determining a second needed heat content to be supplied by said second heating zone to a second workpiece in relation to the heat content to be supplied to said second workpiece when said second workpiece is positioned in said second control area of the second heating zone.
Claim 37
Dependent Claim
83 words
The method of claim 32, including the steps of determining a modified remaining time period in accordance with the operation of the associated workpiece processing device for said second workpiece to be positioned in said second heating zone, and controlling the operation of said second heating zone to provide an effective temperature of said second heating zone in relation to the second needed heat content and the modified remaining time period for the second workpiece to be positioned in said second heating zone.
Claim 38
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 26, with said one workpiece being a representative workpiece in relation to an average predetermined heating characteristic of all the workpieces in said control area.
Claim 39
Dependent Claim
29 words
The method of claim 26, with said one workpiece being an average workpiece in relation to the thickness and the surface width of each workpiece in said control area.
Claim 40
Dependent Claim
50 words
The method of claim 26, with said step of controlling the operation of said first heating zone to provide an effective temperature of said first heating zone being operative to provide said first heat content to at least said one workpiece before that one workpiece leaves said first heating zone.
Claim 41
Dependent Claim
30 words
The method of claim 26, with said step of determining a modified remaining time period being in relation to the location of said control area in said first heating zone.
Claim 42
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 26, with said step of controlling the operation of said first heating zone to provide an effective temperature of said first heating zone being in accordance with a temperature setpoint established in accordance with said needed heat content and said modified remaining time period in relation to said one workpiece.
Claim 43
Dependent Claim
251 words
A control system for determining the heat content of at least one slab passing through a slab heating furnace operative with an associated rolling mill and having a first heating zone and a second heating zone, with each of said heating zones including a control location in which said slab is successively positioned, said control system comprising first means for providing a first control signal representative of the effective temperature of said first heating zone, second means for providing a second control signal representative of the effective temperature of said second heating zone, third means for establishing a modified first time period remaining for said slab to leave said first heating zone when said slab is positioned in said control location of said first heating zone and for establishing a modified second time period remaining for said slab to leave said second heating zone when said slab is positioned in said control location of said second heating zone, with said third means being responsive to a gap time increment in accordance with the operation of the associated workpiece processing device to modify said first and second time periods, means responsive to said first control signal for controlling the first heat content supplied to said slab by said first heating zone in relation to said modified first time period remaining, and means responsive to said second control signal for controlling the second heat content supplied to said slab by said second heating zone in relation to said modified second time period remaining.
Claim 44
Dependent Claim
251 words
A control system for determining the heat content of at least one slab passing through a slab heating furnace operative with an associated rolling mill and having a first heating zone and a second heating zone, with each of said heating zones including a control location in which said slab is successively positioned, said control system comprising first means for providing a first control signal representative of the effective temperature of said first heating zone, second means for providing a second control signal representative of the effective temperature of said second heating zone, third means for establishing a modified first time period remaining for said slab to leave said first heating zone when said slab is positioned in said control location of said first heating zone and for establishing a modified second time period remaining for said slab to leave said second heating zone when said slab is positioned in said control location of said second heating zone, with said third means being responsive to a gap time increment in accordance with the operation of the associated workpiece processing device to modify said first and second time periods, means responsive to said first control signal for controlling the first heat content supplied to said slab by said first heating zone in relation to said modified first time period remaining, and means responsive to said second control signal for controlling the second heat content supplied to said slab by said second heating zone in relation to said modified second time period remaining.
Claim 45
Dependent Claim
37 words
The control system of claim 39, with said third means periodically establishing the heat content of every slab positioned in said first heating zone and the heat content of every slab positioned in said second heating zone.
Claim 46
Dependent Claim
45 words
The control system of claim 39, with said third means providing a first temperature setpoint output signal operative with said means for controlling the first heat content and providing a second temperature setpoint output signal operative with said means for controlling the second heat content.
Claim 47
Dependent Claim
196 words
An automated method of determining the heat content of workpieces traveling through a heating furnace operative with a workpiece processing device and being operative after predicting the remaining travel time of said representative workpiece through said one heating zone in relation to the location of said control area in said heating zone, with said furnace having at least one heating zone in which a representative workpiece is positioned within a predetermined control area located in said heating zone, said method including the steps: generating a signal representative of the effective temperature of at least said one heating zone, establishing the remaining heat content to be supplied to said representative workpiece by at least said one heating zone in accordance with a predetermined relationship with said generated signal representative of said effective temperature, modifying the predicted remaining travel time of said representative workpiece through the one heating zone in accordance with the actual operation of the workpiece processing device, and controlling the operation of said furnace to provide an effective temperature in accordance with a predetermined relationship between said modified predicted remaining travel time and said established remaining heat content to be supplied to said representative workpiece.
Claim 48
Dependent Claim
196 words
An automated method of determining the heat content of workpieces traveling through a heating furnace operative with a workpiece processing device and being operative after predicting the remaining travel time of said representative workpiece through said one heating zone in relation to the location of said control area in said heating zone, with said furnace having at least one heating zone in which a representative workpiece is positioned within a predetermined control area located in said heating zone, said method including the steps: generating a signal representative of the effective temperature of at least said one heating zone, establishing the remaining heat content to be supplied to said representative workpiece by at least said one heating zone in accordance with a predetermined relationship with said generated signal representative of said effective temperature, modifying the predicted remaining travel time of said representative workpiece through the one heating zone in accordance with the actual operation of the workpiece processing device, and controlling the operation of said furnace to provide an effective temperature in accordance with a predetermined relationship between said modified predicted remaining travel time and said established remaining heat content to be supplied to said representative workpiece.
Claim 49
Dependent Claim
218 words
In apparatus for controlling the operation of a furnace for heating a representative workpiece traveling through said furnace and including at least one workpiece heating zone having a predetermined control area in which said representative workpiece is positioned and after a determination has been made of the remaining time period said representative workpiece will be positioned in said heating zone in relation to the travel of said representative workpiece from said control area to the end of said heating zone, with said furnace being operative in relation to an associated rolling mill, the combination of means for providing a signal indicative of the actual effective temperature of said heating zone in relation to said representative workpiece positioned in said control area, means for modifying the determined remaining time period in relation to the actual operation of the rolling mill, means for determining the heat content to be supplied to said representative workpiece during said modified determined remaining time period, and for determining an output signal representative of a desired temperature control setpoint for said heating zone in accordance with a predetermined relationship between said modified remaining time period and said determined heat content, and means operative with said furnace in response to said output signal for controlling said effective temperature in accordance with said desired temperature control setpoint.
Claim 50
Dependent Claim
218 words
In apparatus for controlling the operation of a furnace for heating a representative workpiece traveling through said furnace and including at least one workpiece heating zone having a predetermined control area in which said representative workpiece is positioned and after a determination has been made of the remaining time period said representative workpiece will be positioned in said heating zone in relation to the travel of said representative workpiece from said control area to the end of said heating zone, with said furnace being operative in relation to an associated rolling mill, the combination of means for providing a signal indicative of the actual effective temperature of said heating zone in relation to said representative workpiece positioned in said control area, means for modifying the determined remaining time period in relation to the actual operation of the rolling mill, means for determining the heat content to be supplied to said representative workpiece during said modified determined remaining time period, and for determining an output signal representative of a desired temperature control setpoint for said heating zone in accordance with a predetermined relationship between said modified remaining time period and said determined heat content, and means operative with said furnace in response to said output signal for controlling said effective temperature in accordance with said desired temperature control setpoint.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US3548171A
Cited
US3604695A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1983-09-16 | 1984-03-17 | 1984-09-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1987-09-16 | 1988-03-17 | 1988-09-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1991-09-16 | 1992-03-17 | 1992-09-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |