Cooling hot-rolled steel strip

摘要

An apparatus used in combination with a hot-rolling line having a succession of roll stands through which passes a strip workpiece in a horizontal transport direction has at least one vessel downstream of the roll stands in the direction and aligned in the direction therewith. This vessel is formed with an upstream inlet and a downstream outlet. A bath of a liquid coolant fills the vessel to a level above the inlet and outlet openings. Guides draw the workpiece from the roll stands into the inlet, through the vessel, and out of the outlet thereof. Thus the workpiece is wholly immersed in and cooled by the liquid coolant within the vessel. A pump feeds fresh coolant into the vessel and withdraws hot coolant therefrom. A plurality of such vessels, each with a respective bath and pump means, is provided with all of the inlets and outlets aligned. The inlet and outlet are formed as horizontally extending slots closely conforming the cross-sectional shape of the workpiece.