WO2025136782A1

WO2025136782A1 - Water-based rolling mill with hybrid cooling capabilities

Info

Publication number: WO2025136782A1
Application number: PCT/US2024/059741
Authority: WO
Inventors: Luiz Augusto Leal PORTO; Braulio Alcir de OLIVEIRA JUNIOR; Simon LACHNITT; Carlos Alberto Jorio EBOLI; Roberto Armbrust de Freitas QUINTAL; David Anthony GAENSBAUER; Thiago Lima
Original assignee: Novelis Inc Canada
Current assignee: Novelis Inc Canada
Priority date: 2023-12-19
Filing date: 2024-12-12
Publication date: 2025-06-26
Anticipated expiration: 2026-06-19

Abstract

Water-based rolling mills and associated methods may include hybrid cooling capabilities. The rolling mill includes an upper work roll and a lower work roll, at least one water spray header, a containment apparatus, and at least one oil spray header. The water spray header is above a pass line and at an exit side of the work stand, and the containment apparatus removes water from the surface of the upper work roll. The oil spray header is above the pass line and at an entry side of the work stand. Water spray headers and/or oil spray headers may also be provided below the pass line in certain embodiments. The rolling mill is operable in a water mode, an oil mode, and a hybrid mode. In the water mode, the application of oil is stopped, and only the water is applied to the surface of the upper work roll. In the oil mode, the application of water is stopped, and only the oil is applied to the surface of the upper work roll.

Description

WATER-BASED ROLLING MILL WITH HYBRID COOLING CAPABILITIES

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0001] This application claims the benefit of and priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63/611,829, filed on December 19, 2023, and entitled WATER-BASED ROLLING MILL WITH HYBRID COOLING CAPABILITIES, the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This application relates to metal rolling generally, and more specifically to water-based rolling mills and associated methods with hybrid cooling capabilities.

BACKGROUND

[0003] Metal rolling can be used for forming metal substrates (e.g., plates, sheets, foils, slabs, etc.) (hereinafter “metal substrates”) from stock such as ingots or thicker metal substrates. Depending on the desired properties of the final metal product, the metal substrate may be hot rolled, cold rolled, and/or warm rolled. Hot rolling generally refers to a rolling process where the temperature of the metal is above the recrystallization temperature of the metal. Cold rolling generally refers to a rolling process where the temperature of the metal is below the recrystallization temperature of the metal. Warm rolling generally refers to a rolling process where the temperature of the metal is below the recrystallization temperature but above the temperature during cold rolling.

[0004] During the rolling process, the work rolls can become very hot. Commonly, rolling mills, particularly cold rolling mills, may provide cooling with oil, and such mills may be considered “oil-based” rolling mills. While most cold rolling operations are oil-based rolling mills, high heat in the work rolls may lead to undesirable strip flatness, low productivity, strip breaks, and risk of fire due to the oil lubricant. Alternatively, work rolls can alternatively be cooled with water, which may have a higher heat removal capability and is not flammable compared to oil, and such mills are considered “water-based” rolling mills. Water-based rolling mills, however, are expensive and difficult to design, install, maintain, and operate. Moreover, the use of water increases the risk of surface staining and other drip-related surface defects on metal substrates in the water-based mill, and such metal substrates may be unsuitable for further use or processing. Unlike oil-based rolling mills, water-based rolling mills thus require containment systems to remove water to reduce or eliminate water staining, and such containment systems may be costly to implement.

SUMMARY

[0005] Embodiments covered by this patent are defined by the claims below, not this summary. This summary is a high-level overview of various embodiments and introduces some of the concepts that are further described in the Detailed Description section below. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the claimed subject matter, nor is it intended to be used in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. The subject matter should be understood by reference to appropriate portions of the entire specification of this patent, any or all drawings, and each claim.

[0006] According to certain embodiments, a water-based rolling mill includes a work stand, and the work stand includes an upper work roll and a lower work roll with a pass line for receiving a metal substrate between the upper work roll and the lower work roll. The work stand additionally includes a water spray header above the pass line and at an exit side of the work stand to apply water to a surface of the upper work roll. In various embodiments, the work stand includes a containment apparatus for removing the water from the surface of the upper work roll. In certain embodiments, the work stand includes an oil spray header above the pass line and at an entry side of the work stand to apply oil to the surface of the upper work roll. A control system may control the application of the water and the application of the oil at least in a water mode and an oil mode. In the water mode, the application of oil is stopped, and only the water is applied to the surface of the upper work roll, and, in the oil mode, the application of water is stopped, and only the oil is applied to the surface of the upper work roll.

[0007] According to various embodiments, a method of rolling a metal substrate with a work stand of a water-based rolling mill includes rolling the metal substrate in two rolling operations. In a first rolling operation, the method includes operating the work stand in a water mode. In the water mode, only water is applied to a surface of an upper work roll and a surface of a lower work roll, and water on the surface of the upper work roll is removed by a coolant containment apparatus. In a second rolling operation, the method includes operating the work stand in an oil mode. In the oil mode, only oil is applied to the surface of the upper work roll and the surface of the lower work roll.

[0008] According to certain embodiments, a cooling system for a rolling mill includes an upper oil spray header proximate an upper work roll and above a pass line of a metal strip through the rolling mill and an upper water spray header proximate the upper work roll and above the pass line. The cooling system additionally includes a lower water spray header proximate a lower work roll and below the pass line. In certain embodiments, the cooling system includes at least one oil valve for controlling a flow of oil to the upper oil spray header and at least one water valve for controlling a flow of water to the upper water spray header and the lower water spray header. In some embodiments, the cooling system includes a containment apparatus to remove water from a surface of the upper work roll. The cooling system additionally includes a control system to control the at least one oil valve and the at least one water valve at least in a water mode and an oil mode. In the water mode, the at least one oil valve is actuated closed and the at least one water valve is actuated open, and, in the oil mode, the at least one water valve is actuated closed and the at least one oil valve is actuated open.

[0009] Various implementations described herein can include additional systems, methods, features, and advantages, which cannot necessarily be expressly disclosed herein but will be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art upon examination of the following detailed description and accompanying drawings. It is intended that all such systems, methods, features, and advantages be included within the present disclosure and protected by the accompanying claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] The specification makes reference to the following appended figures, in which use of like reference numerals in different figures is intended to illustrate like or analogous components.

[0011] FIG. 1 illustrates a water-based rolling system according to embodiments and with the rolling system in a hybrid mode.

[0012] FIG. 2 illustrates the rolling system of FIG. 1 in a water mode.

[0013] FIG. 3 illustrates the rolling system of FIG. 1 in an oil mode.

[0014] FIG. 4 illustrates a water-based rolling system according to embodiments. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0015] Described herein are water-based rolling systems and associated methods with hybrid cooling capabilities. The systems and methods described herein may be utilized for rolling various metal substrates as desired, and may be particularly useful in rolling aluminum and aluminum alloy metal substrates. The rolling systems may be various rolling systems as desired, and in some embodiments, the rolling systems may be cold mills.

[0016] The systems and methods described herein may be utilized to provide the option of using entry oil spray headers (e.g., with either hot or cold oil) to full water-based mills that include upper and lower water spray headers and coolant containment apparatuses. Compared to traditional approaches, the systems and methods described herein include both water spray headers and oil spray headers to a mill stand such that the rolling mill will have the full capability of operating in a water mode and an oil mode. In various embodiments, water spray headers and oil spray headers are provided with both an upper work roll and a lower work roll of a work stand, and the water spray headers may be provided at an exit side of the work stand, and the oil spray headers may be provided at least at an entry side of the work stand. In the water mode, the rolling mill may operate as a normal water-based rolling mill (e.g., water from the water spray headers is utilized to control cooling of work rolls and flatness). In the oil mode, cooling of the work rolls, lubrication, and flatness control may be controlled by oil from the oil spray header. In some embodiments, the systems and methods described herein may provide the rolling mill with the capability of operating in a hybrid mode in which both oil and water are applied to the work rolls by the oil spray headers and water spray headers.

[0017] In certain embodiments, control of the rolling system in the water mode, the oil mode, or the hybrid mode may be based on the metal substrate being rolled and/or whether a reduction schedule for a particular rolling pass requires cooling or heating of the work rolls. In certain embodiments, water cooling may be used when the roll force is high enough, and oil cooling may be used on lower reduction passes. In some embodiments, hybrid cooling and/or oil cooling may be used when the deformation energy is not enough to allow for good flatness control with water cooling. The different modes provided by the systems and methods described herein may provide a more flexible mill capable of producing a wide array of products on a single mill. As non-limiting examples, the systems and methods described herein may allow for finer control on lower reductions and provide the ability of producing skin passes or electro discharge texturing%-EDT) material with better quality control. Various other benefits and advantages may be realized with the systems and methods described herein, and the aforementioned benefits and advantages should not be considered limiting.

[0018] FIGS. 1-3 illustrate an example of a rolling system 100 for a metal substrate 102 according to embodiments. The rolling system 100 is a water-based rolling mill with at least one work stand 104, a cooling system 106, and optionally a control system 108. In various embodiments, the metal substrate 102 processed by the rolling system 100 may be various metals as desired, including but not limited to aluminum, aluminum alloys, steel, or other metals as desired. In some examples, the metal substrate 102 may be aluminum or an aluminum alloy in the Ixxx series, 2xxx series, 3xxx series, 4xxx series, 5xxx series, 6xxx series, 7xxx series, 8xxx series and/or any other aluminum or aluminum alloy.

[0019] The rolling system 100 may include any number of work stands 104 as desired. As such, while a single work stand 104 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, in other embodiments, the rolling system 100 may include two work stands 104, three work stands 104, four work stands 104, etc. Each work stand 104 includes an upper work roll 110A and a lower work roll 110B. A roll gap 112 for receiving the metal substrate 102 along a pass line 103 of the rolling system 100 is defined between the work rolls 110A-B. In a processing direction (represented by arrow 101), the work stand 104 generally includes an entry side 114 and an exit side 116. While not illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, in various embodiments, each work stand 104 also includes additional rolls such as intermediate rolls and/or backup rolls.

[0020] The cooling system 106 of the rolling system 100 includes features for water-based cooling and lubrication and oil-based cooling and lubrication, and may include supplies, headers, valves, and/or other features as described below.

[0021] In certain embodiments, the cooling system 106 includes water spray headers 118 and one or more containment apparatuses 120. An upper water spray header 118A is positioned proximate to the upper work roll 110A at the exit side 116 and above the pass line 103, and a lower water spray header 118B is positioned proximate to the lower work roll HOB at the exit side 116 and below the pass line 103. The upper water spray header 118A and the lower water spray header 118B each may include one or more nozzles that emit and/or otherwise apply water 122 to surfaces of the work rolls 110A-B to cool and lubricate the work rolls 110A-B using water 122.

[0022] The one or more containment apparatuses 120 may contain and/or remove the water applied by the water spray headers 118 to surfaces of the work rolls 110A-B. In certain embodiments, the one or more containment apparatuses 120 are provided at least with the upper work roll 110A. The containment apparatuses 120 may be various suitable devices or combinations of features as desired. As non-limiting examples, the containment apparatuses 120 may include coolant containment boxes, wipers, direct contact devices, vacuum nozzles, blowers, exhaust system, combinations thereof, and/or other suitable devices or combinations of devices as desired. In some non-limiting examples, the one or more containment apparatuses 120 may be similar to those described in U.S. Patent No. 10,814,365 to Gantzer et al., entitled “Systems and Methods for Cooling a Roll in Metal Processing,” the content of which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the one or more containment apparatuses 120 are containment boxes in which the water spray headers 118 are within a housing 126 of the corresponding containment apparatus 120.

[0023] The water 122 may be supplied to the water spray headers 118 from a water supply 124, and one or more water valves 128 may control the flow of water from the water supply 124 to the water spray headers 118. While a single water valve 128 is illustrated, in other embodiments, any number of water valves 128 may be utilized. As non-limiting examples, a single water valve 128 may be utilized to jointly control the flow of water to the upper water spray header 118A and the lower water spray header 118B, and/or each water spray header 118A-B may have an associated water valve 128 such that the flow ofwater to the upper water spray header 118A may be controlled independently from the flow of water to the lower water spray header 118B. Various other combinations of water valves 128 may be utilized as desired.

[0024] In addition to the water spray headers 118 and the containment apparatus 120, the cooling system 106 may include one or more oil spray headers 130. The oil-cooling aspects of the cooling system 106 with the oil spray headers 130 may be added to an existing water-based rolling mill or integrated with water cooling in a new rolling mill.

[0025] In certain embodiments, and as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, the cooling system 106 includes two oil spray headers 130 - an upper oil spray header 130 A is positioned proximate to the upper work roll 110A at the entry side 114 and above the pass line 103, and a lower oil spray header 13 OB may be positioned proximate to the lower work roll HOB at the entry side 114 and below the pass line 103. In other embodiments, a single oil spray header 130 may be provided (e.g., proximate the upper work roll 110A and/or proximate the lower work roll HOB).

[0026] Each oil spray header 130 includes one or more nozzles that emit and/or otherwise apply oil 132 to the surfaces of the work rolls 110A-B to cool and lubricate the work rolls 110A-B using oil 132. In certain embodiments, the oil spray headers 130 are provided at least at the entry side 114 of the work stand 104. In other embodiments, and as illustrated in FIG. 4, at least one oil spray header 130 additionally (or alternatively) may be provided at the exit side 116 of the work stand 104 and proximate to the upper work roll 110A and/or the lower work roll 110B.

[0027] The oil 132 may be supplied to the oil spray headers 130A-B from an oil supply 134, and one or more oil valves 136 may control the flow of the oil 132 from the oil supply 134 to the oil spray headers 130A-B. In some embodiments, and as illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, a single oil valve 136 may be utilized to control the flow of oil 132 from the oil supply 134. In such embodiments, the oil valve 136 may control the flow of the oil 132 to both the oil spray headers 130A-B. In other embodiments, any number of oil valves 136 may be utilized. As a non-limiting example, each oil spray header 130A-B may include an associated oil valve 136 such that the flow of oil 132 to the upper oil spray header BOA may be controlled independently from the flow of oil 132 to the lower oil spray header BOB.

[0028] While a single oil supply 134 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3, in other embodiments, a plurality of oil supplies 134 may be utilized, and the flow of oil to the oil spray headers 130A-B may be from one or more of the oil supplies 134. As a non-limiting example, the plurality of oil supplies may include a supply of hot (or first) oil and a supply of cold (or second) oil. In such an example, one or more oil valves 136 may be controlled such that the oil 132 provided to the oil spray headers 130A-B is only the hot oil, only the cold oil, or a mixture thereof (e.g., depending on whether the work rolls 110A-B are to be cooled or heated based on reductions in the metal substrate 102 scheduled for a specific rolling pass). In these embodiments, a single oil spray header 130 may receive hot and/or cold oil (e.g., via two supply lines). In other embodiments, the oil spray headers 130 may include one oil spray header for hot oil and another oil spray header for cold oil. In yet other embodiments, various combinations of oil spray headers dedicated to certain oil supplies 134 and/or for receiving oil from a plurality of oil supplies 134 may be utilized.

[0029] Optionally, the rolling system 100 includes a recirculation system 140 for collecting and recycling used oil 132 and water 122. The recirculation system 140 may include one or more drains 142 and optionally a filtration system 144. While a common (e.g., single) drain 142 is illustrated in FIGS. 1-3 for collecting both used oil and water, in other embodiments, a plurality of drains 142 may be utilized such that the used oil and the used water are drained and collected separately. In embodiments wherein a common drain 142 is utilized and/or multiple drains 142 collecting water and oil feed into a single location, the filtration system 144 may separate the oil from the water before the oil and the water are provided to the oil supply 134 and the water supply 124, respectively. Other systems and/or equipment may be utilized to separate oil and water and/or for re-supplying the oil supply 134 and the water supply 124 as desired.

[0030] The control system 108 may include one or more processing units and/or one or more memory devices. The processing unit may be various suitable processing devices or combinations of devices including but not limited to one or more application specific integrated circuits, digital signal processors, digital signal processing devices, programmable logic devices, field programmable gate arrays, processors, controllers, micro-controllers, microprocessors, other electronic units, and/or a combination thereof. The one or more memory devices may be any machine-readable medium that can be accessed by the processor, including but not limited to any type of long term, shortterm, volatile, nonvolatile, or other storage medium, and is not to be limited to any particular type of memory or number of memories, or type of media upon which memory is stored. Moreover, as disclosed herein, the term “storage medium,” “storage” or “memory” can represent one or more memories for storing data, including read only memory (ROM), random access memory (RAM), magnetic RAM, core memory, magnetic disk storage mediums, optical storage mediums, flash memory devices and/or other machine readable mediums for storing information. The term “machine-readable medium” includes, but is not limited to, portable or fixed storage devices, optical storage devices, wireless channels, and/or various other storage mediums capable of storing that contain or carry instruction(s) and/or data.

[0031] In certain embodiments, the control system 108 optionally includes an associated user interface, including but not limited to a graphical user interface or a human machine interface, such that the control system 108 may obtain information from a user and/or provide information to the user. In such embodiments, the user interface and/or human machine interface may be on the control system 108 itself or may be at a location remote from the control system 108.

[0032] The control system 108 may be connected to the water valve(s) 128, the oil valve(s) 136, and/or other flow controllers for the water 122 and/or the oil 132 to control cooling of the work rolls 110A-B. In certain embodiments, the control system 108 may control the cooling system 106 such that the rolling system 100 conducts a rolling operation in a water mode (FIG. 2) or an oil mode (FIG. 3). Optionally, the control system 108 may control the cooling system 106 such that the rolling system 100 conducts a rolling operation in a hybrid mode (FIG. 1). Optionally, the control system 108 may control the mode of the rolling system 100 (e.g., to be in the water mode, the oil mode, or the hybrid mode) based on input from a user (e.g., on a control device and/or interface). Additionally, or alternatively, one or more sensors 138 may be provided with the rolling system 100 to measure and/or detect one or more aspects of the rolling system 100, and the control system 108 may control the mode at least partially based on the information from the one or more sensors. Non-limiting examples of sensors 138 may include temperature sensors for detecting a temperature of one or both work rolls 110, a flatness measurement device for measuring a flatness of the metal substrate 102, combinations thereof, and/or other sensors as desired.

[0033] FIG. 4 illustrates a rolling system 400 that is substantially similar to the rolling system 100 except that the cooling system 106 additionally includes oil spray headers 130 at the exit side 116 of the work stand 104. In this example, the oil spray headers 130 on opposing sides of a particular work roll 110A-B may be controlled jointly or independently as desired.

[0034] Referring back to FIGS. 1-3, as mentioned, the cooling system 106 may be controlled to be in the water mode, the oil mode, or the hybrid mode.

[0035] Referring to FIG. 2, in the water mode, the cooling system 106 is controlled such that only water 122 is applied to the surfaces of the work rolls 110A-B. In certain embodiments, in the water mode, the oil valves 136 are actuated to a closed position such that oil 132 is not delivered to the oil spray headers 130 and/or such that the oil spray headers 130 do not apply oil 132 to the surfaces of the work rolls 110A-B. In various embodiments, in the water mode, the water valves 128 are actuated to an open position (e.g., partially open, fully open, etc.) such that water 122 is supplied to the water spray headers 118 and/or such that the water spray headers 118 apply the water 122 to the surfaces of the work rolls 110A-B. As mentioned, because the rolling system 100 is a waterbased rolling system, the water mode may be a normal operating mode of the rolling system 100.

[0036] Referring to FIG. 3, in the oil mode, the cooling system 106 is controlled such that only oil 132 is applied to the surfaces of the work rolls 110A-B. In certain embodiments, in the oil mode, the water valves 128 are actuated to a closed position such that water 122 is not delivered to the water spray headers 118 and/or such that the water spray headers 118 do not apply water 122 to the surfaces of the work rolls 110A-B. In various embodiments, in the oil mode, the oil valves 136 are actuated to an open position (e.g., partially open, fully open, etc.) such that oil 132 is supplied to the oil spray headers 130 and/or such that the oil spray headers 130 apply the oil 132 to the surfaces of the work rolls 110A-B. In certain embodiments where both hot oil and cold oil (and/or two or more different oils) are provided as oil supplies 134, controlling the cooling system 106 in the oil mode may further include controlling the type of oil supplied to the oil spray headers 130. In examples with hot and cold oil, controlling the cooling system 106 in the oil mode may include controlling the oil 132 supplied to the oil spray headers 130 to be only hot oil, only cold oil, or a mixture thereof.

[0037] The water mode of the rolling system 400 may be similar to the water mode of the rolling system 100. In particular, in the water mode of the rolling system 400, the cooling system 106 is controlled such that only water 122 is applied to the surfaces of the work rolls 110A-B. In this mode, the oil valves 136 are actuated to a closed position such that oil 132 is not delivered to the oil spray headers 130 and/or such that the oil spray headers 130 do not apply oil 132 to the surfaces of the work rolls 110A-B.

[0038] The oil mode of the rolling system 400 is similar to the oil mode of the rolling system 100 and the cooling system 106 is controlled such that only oil 132 is applied to the surfaces of the work rolls 110A-B. In this mode, the water valves 128 are actuated to a closed position such that water 122 is not delivered to the water spray headers 118 and/or such that the water spray headers 118 do not apply water 122 to the surfaces of the work rolls 110A-B. Compared to the rolling system 100, in the oil mode of the rolling system 400, oil 132 is applied to both the entry side 114 and the exit side 116 of the work stand 104.

[0039] Referring back to FIG. 1, optionally the cooling system 106 is controlled in the hybrid mode. As illustrated in FIG. 1, in the hybrid mode, water 122 and oil 132 are both applied to the surfaces of the work rolls 110A-B. Similar to the oil mode, in the hybrid mode, the application of oil 132 may further be controlled by controlling the oil 132 to be only hot oil, only cold oil, or a mixture thereof.

[0040] The hybrid mode of the rolling system 400 may be similar to the hybrid mode of the rolling system 100 except that oil 132 is applied to both the entry side 114 and the exit side 116 of the work stand.

[0041] Various other control modes for the rolling system 100 may utilize the cooling system 106 as desired.

[0042] A collection of exemplary embodiments is provided below, including at least some explicitly enumerated as an “Illustration” providing additional description of a variety of example embodiments in accordance with the concepts described herein. These illustrations are not meant to be mutually exclusive, exhaustive, or restrictive; and the disclosure not limited to these example illustrations but rather encompasses all possible modifications and variations within the scope of the issued claims and their equivalents.

[0043] Illustration 1. A work stand of a water-based rolling mill, the work stand comprising: an upper work roll and a lower work roll, wherein a pass line for receiving a metal substrate is between the upper work roll and the lower work roll; a water spray header above the pass line and at an exit side of the work stand, wherein the water spray header is configured to apply water to a surface of the upper work roll; a containment apparatus configured to remove the water from the surface of the upper work roll; an oil spray header above the pass line and at an entry side of the work stand, wherein the oil spray header is configured to apply oil to the surface of the upper work roll; and a control system configured to control the application of the water and the application of the oil at least in a water mode and an oil mode, wherein: in the water mode, the application of oil is stopped, and only the water is applied to the surface of the upper work roll; and in the oil mode, the application of water is stopped, and only the oil is applied to the surface of the upper work roll.

[0044] Illustration 2. The work stand of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, wherein the water spray header is an upper water spray header and the oil spray header is an upper oil spray header, wherein the work stand further comprises: a lower water spray header below the pass line and at the exit side of the work stand, wherein the lower water spray header is configured to apply water to a surface of the lower work roll; and a lower oil spray header below the pass line and at the entry side of the work stand, wherein the lower oil spray header is configured to apply oil to the surface of the upper work roll, wherein, in the water mode, the application of oil on the surface of the lower work roll is stopped, and only the water is applied to the surface of the lower work roll, and wherein, in the oil mode, the application of the water on the surface of the lower work roll is stopped, and only the oil is applied to the surface of the lower work roll.

[0045] Illustration 3. The work stand of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, wherein the control system is further configured to control the application of the water and the application of the oil in a hybrid mode, wherein, in the hybrid mode, both the oil and the water are applied to the surface of the upper work roll.

[0046] Illustration 4. The work stand of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, wherein the control system is configured to control the application of the water and the application of the oil by controlling one or more valves from a water supply and one or more valves from an oil supply.

[0047] Illustration 5. The work stand of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, wherein the control system is further configured to control the application of the oil by controlling the oil to be a first oil or a second oil, wherein the first oil is a hot oil and wherein the second oil is a cold oil.

[0048] Illustration 6. The work stand of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, wherein the oil spray header is a first oil spray header configured to apply a hot oil as the oil, and wherein the work stand further comprises a second oil spray header above the pass line and at the entry side of the work stand, wherein the second oil spray header is configured to apply a cold oil as the oil to the surface of the upper work roll, and wherein the control system is configured to control the application of the oil to be from at least one of the first oil spray header or the second oil spray header.

[0049] Illustration 7. The work stand of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, wherein the oil spray header is a first oil spray header, and wherein the work stand further comprises a second oil spray header above the pass line and at the exit side of the work stand, wherein the control system is configured to control the application of the oil to be from at least one of the first oil spray header or the second oil spray header, and wherein the oil from each of the first oil spray header and the second oil spray header is hot oil, cold oil, or a combination thereof.

[0050] Illustration 8. A method of rolling a metal substrate with a work stand of a water-based rolling mill, the method comprising: in a first rolling operation, operating the work stand in a water mode, wherein, in the water mode, only water is applied to a surface of an upper work roll and a surface of a lower work roll, and wherein water on the surface of the upper work roll is removed by a coolant containment apparatus; and in a second rolling operation, operating the work stand in an oil mode, wherein, in the oil mode, only oil is applied to the surface of the upper work roll and the surface of the lower work roll.

[0051] Illustration 9. The method of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, wherein applying water to the surface of the upper work roll and the surface of the lower work roll comprises applying water using water spray headers at an exit side of the work stand.

[0052] Illustration 10. The method of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, wherein applying oil to the surface of the upper work roll and the surface of the lower work roll comprises applying oil using oil spray headers at an entry side of the work stand.

[0053] Illustration 11. The method of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, further comprising, in a third rolling operation, operating the work stand in a hybrid mode, wherein, in the hybrid mode, both oil and water are applied to the surface of the upper work roll and the surface of the lower work roll.

[0054] Illustration 12. The method of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, wherein operating the work stand in the water mode comprises actuating at least one oil valve closed and actuating at least one water valve open, and wherein operating the work stand in the oil mode comprises actuating the at least one oil valve open and actuating the at least one water valve closed.

[0055] Illustration 13. The method of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, further comprising collecting used oil and water, filtering the collected oil and water to separate the oil from the water, and re-supplying the separated water to a water spray header and the separated oil to an oil spray header. [0056] Illustration 14. The method of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, wherein operating the work stand in the oil mode further comprises controlling the oil to be a hot oil or a cold oil.

[0057] Illustration 15. A cooling system for a rolling mill, the cooling system comprising: an upper oil spray header proximate an upper work roll and above a pass line of a metal strip through the rolling mill; an upper water spray header proximate the upper work roll and above the pass line; a lower water spray header proximate a lower work roll and below the pass line; at least one oil valve for controlling a flow of oil to the upper oil spray header and at least one water valve for controlling a flow of water to the upper water spray header and the lower water spray header; a containment apparatus configured to remove water from a surface of the upper work roll; and a control system configured to control the at least one oil valve and the at least one water valve at least in a water mode and an oil mode, wherein: in the water mode, the at least one oil valve is actuated closed and the at least one water valve is actuated open; and in the oil mode, the at least one water valve is actuated closed and the at least one oil valve is actuated open.

[0058] Illustration 16. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, wherein the lower water spray header is proximate an exit side of the lower work roll and the upper water spray header is proximate an exit side of the upper work roll.

[0059] Illustration 17. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, wherein the upper oil spray header is proximate an entry side of the upper work roll.

[0060] Illustration 18. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, wherein the upper oil spray header is a first upper oil spray header, and wherein the cooling system further comprises a second upper oil spray header proximate an exit side of the upper work roll.

[0061] Illustration 19. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, further comprising a lower oil spray header proximate the lower work roll and below the pass line.

[0062] Illustration 20. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, wherein the control system is further configured to control the at least one oil valve and the at least one water in a hybrid mode, wherein, in the hybrid mode, both the at least one oil valve and the at least one water valve are actuated open.

[0063] Illustration 21. The cooling system of any preceding or subsequent illustration or combination of illustrations, wherein the oil spray header is configured to discharge hot oil, cold oil, or both hot oil and cold oil.

[0064] The subject matter of embodiments of the present disclosure is described here with specificity to meet statutory requirements, but this description is not necessarily intended to limit the scope of the claims. The claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, may include different elements or steps, and may be used in conjunction with other existing or future technologies. This description should not be interpreted as implying any particular order or arrangement among or between various steps or elements except when the order of individual steps or arrangement of elements is explicitly described. Directional references such as “up,” “down,” “top,” “bottom,” “left,” “right,” “vertical,” “horizontal,” “lateral,” “longitudinal,” “front,” and “back,” among others, are intended to refer to the orientation as illustrated and described in the figure (or figures) to which the components and directions are referencing.

[0065] The terms “comprising,” “having,” “including,” and “containing” are to be construed as open-ended terms (i.e., meaning “including, but not limited to,”) unless otherwise noted. Recitation of ranges of values herein are merely intended to serve as a shorthand method of referring individually to each separate value falling within the range, or gradients thereof, unless otherwise indicated herein, and each separate value is incorporated into the specification as if it were individually recited herein. All methods described herein can be performed in any suitable order unless otherwise indicated herein or otherwise clearly contradicted by context. The use of any and all examples, or exemplary language (e.g., “such as”) provided herein, is intended merely to better illuminate embodiments of the invention, and does not pose a limitation on the scope of the invention unless otherwise claimed. No language in the specification should be construed as indicating any non-claimed element as essential to the practice of the invention.

[0066] The above-described aspects are merely possible examples of implementations, merely set forth for a clear understanding of the principles of the present disclosure. Many variations and modifications can be made to the above-described embodiment s) without departing substantially from the spirit and principles of the present disclosure. All such modifications and variations are intended to be included herein within the scope of the present disclosure, and all possible claims to individual aspects or combinations of elements or steps are intended to be supported by the present disclosure. Moreover, although specific terms are employed herein, as well as in the claims that follow, they are used only in a generic and descriptive sense, and not for the purposes of limiting the described embodiments, nor the claims that follow.

Claims

CLAIMS That which is claimed:

1. A work stand of a water-based rolling mill, the work stand comprising: an upper work roll and a lower work roll, wherein a pass line for receiving a metal substrate is between the upper work roll and the lower work roll; a water spray header above the pass line and at an exit side of the work stand, wherein the water spray header is configured to apply water to a surface of the upper work roll; a containment apparatus configured to remove the water from the surface of the upper work roll; an oil spray header above the pass line and at an entry side of the work stand, wherein the oil spray header is configured to apply oil to the surface of the upper work roll; and a control system configured to control the application of the water and the application of the oil at least in a water mode and an oil mode, wherein: in the water mode, the application of oil is stopped, and only the water is applied to the surface of the upper work roll; and in the oil mode, the application of water is stopped, and only the oil is applied to the surface of the upper work roll.

2. The work stand of claim 1, wherein the water spray header is an upper water spray header and the oil spray header is an upper oil spray header, wherein the work stand further comprises: a lower water spray header below the pass line and at the exit side of the work stand, wherein the lower water spray header is configured to apply water to a surface of the lower work roll; and a lower oil spray header below the pass line and at the entry side of the work stand, wherein the lower oil spray header is configured to apply oil to the surface of the upper work roll, wherein, in the water mode, the application of oil on the surface of the lower work roll is stopped, and only the water is applied to the surface of the lower work roll, and wherein, in the oil mode, the application of the water on the surface of the lower work roll is stopped, and only the oil is applied to the surface of the lower work roll.

3. The work stand of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to control the application of the water and the application of the oil in a hybrid mode, wherein, in the hybrid mode, both the oil and the water are applied to the surface of the upper work roll.

4. The work stand of claim 1, wherein the control system is configured to control the application of the water and the application of the oil by controlling one or more valves from a water supply and one or more valves from an oil supply.

5. The work stand of claim 1, wherein the control system is further configured to control the application of the oil by controlling the oil to be a first oil or a second oil, wherein the first oil is a hot oil and wherein the second oil is a cold oil.

6. The work stand of claim 1, wherein the oil spray header is a first oil spray header configured to apply a hot oil as the oil, and wherein the work stand further comprises a second oil spray header above the pass line and at the entry side of the work stand, wherein the second oil spray header is configured to apply a cold oil as the oil to the surface of the upper work roll, and wherein the control system is configured to control the application of the oil to be from at least one of the first oil spray header or the second oil spray header.

7. The work stand of claim 1, wherein the oil spray header is a first oil spray header, and wherein the work stand further comprises a second oil spray header above the pass line and at the exit side of the work stand, wherein the control system is configured to control the application of the oil to be from at least one of the first oil spray header or the second oil spray header, and wherein the oil from each of the first oil spray header and the second oil spray header is hot oil, cold oil, or a combination thereof.

8. A method of rolling a metal substrate with a work stand of a water-based rolling mill, the method comprising: in a first rolling operation, operating the work stand in a water mode, wherein, in the water mode, only water is applied to a surface of an upper work roll and a surface of a lower work roll, and wherein water on the surface of the upper work roll is removed by a coolant containment apparatus; and in a second rolling operation, operating the work stand in an oil mode, wherein, in the oil mode, only oil is applied to the surface of the upper work roll and the surface of the lower work roll.

9. The method of claim 8, wherein applying water to the surface of the upper work roll and the surface of the lower work roll comprises applying water using water spray headers at an exit side of the work stand.

10. The method of claim 8, wherein applying oil to the surface of the upper work roll and the surface of the lower work roll comprises applying oil using oil spray headers at an entry side of the work stand.

11. The method of claim 8, further comprising, in a third rolling operation, operating the work stand in a hybrid mode, wherein, in the hybrid mode, both oil and water are applied to the surface of the upper work roll and the surface of the lower work roll.

12. The method of claim 8, wherein operating the work stand in the water mode comprises actuating at least one oil valve closed and actuating at least one water valve open, and wherein operating the work stand in the oil mode comprises actuating the at least one oil valve open and actuating the at least one water valve closed.

13. The method of claim 8, further comprising collecting used oil and water, filtering the collected oil and water to separate the oil from the water, and re-supplying the separated water to a water spray header and the separated oil to an oil spray header.

14. The method of claim 8, wherein operating the work stand in the oil mode further comprises controlling the oil to be a hot oil or a cold oil.

15. A cooling system for a rolling mill, the cooling system comprising: an upper oil spray header proximate an upper work roll and above a pass line of a metal strip through the rolling mill; an upper water spray header proximate the upper work roll and above the pass line; a lower water spray header proximate a lower work roll and below the pass line; at least one oil valve for controlling a flow of oil to the upper oil spray header and at least one water valve for controlling a flow of water to the upper water spray header and the lower water spray header; a containment apparatus configured to remove water from a surface of the upper work roll; and a control system configured to control the at least one oil valve and the at least one water valve at least in a water mode and an oil mode, wherein: in the water mode, the at least one oil valve is actuated closed and the at least one water valve is actuated open; and in the oil mode, the at least one water valve is actuated closed and the at least one oil valve is actuated open.

16. The cooling system of claim 15, wherein the lower water spray header is proximate an exit side of the lower work roll and the upper water spray header is proximate an exit side of the upper work roll.

17. The cooling system of claim 15, wherein the upper oil spray header is proximate an entry side of the upper work roll.

18. The cooling system of claim 17, wherein the upper oil spray header is configured to discharge hot oil, cold oil, or both hot oil and cold oil.

19. The cooling system of claim 15, further comprising a lower oil spray header proximate the lower work roll and below the pass line.

20. The cooling system of claim 15, wherein the control system is further configured to control the at least one oil valve and the at least one water valve in a hybrid mode, wherein, in the hybrid mode, both the at least one oil valve and the at least one water valve are actuated open.