Method for cooling work pieces especially shape-rolled products from rail steel

摘要

The invention relates to a method for producing especially shape-rolled products from rail steels that have a finely perlitic and/or ferritic/perlitic structure after cooling. The inventive method is characterized by guiding the workpiece through a cooling stretch that is composed of individual independent cooling modules (2a-e) having independently adjustable cooling parameters. Between said cooling modules (2a-e) intermediate zones (5a-e) are provided for relieving the stress of the structure comprising means for determining the actual temperature (TACTUAL) of the respective work piece in said intermediate zones (5a-e) Depending on the respective actual temperature values (TACTUAL) of the work piece in an intermediate zone (5a-e) the specific cooling parameters, especially the cooling intensity, of the respective subsequent cooling module (2b-e) are controlled in order to safeguard a defined temperature of the work piece during the entire passage through the cooling stretch (1), the defined temperature (TDESIRED) of the work piece being above a critical temperature at which the bainitic portions of the structure are formed.