HIGH PERFORMANCE

HYDROGEN® BELL-TYPE
ANNEALING PLANTS
Recrystallizing and Bright Annealing of Steel Strip
in a Hydrogen Atmosphere

TENOVA. INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR METALS AND MINING

TENOVA
LOI THERMPROCESS
Tenova LOI Thermprocess is your global partner in the world of industrial furnace
technology. Our clients appreciate our know-how and experience backed by hundreds
of references and a history of about 100 years in the furnace sector.

We offer highly advanced process technologies, high reliability, high-quality products

and services, and a wide range of custom-tailored solutions for reheating and
heat treatment plants for the metal industry.

Especially for the soft annealing, recrystallizing and spheroidizing of coils, our portfolio
incorporates HPH® Bell-type Annealing Furnace Plants for batch operation, as well
as continuous and semi-continuous In-line Furnace Plants.

Tenova LOI Thermprocess is a member of the Tenova Group, leveraging a total

staff of more than 2,500 forward-thinking employees located in 19 countries across
5 continents. Tenova works alongside clients to design and develop innovative
technologies and services that help mining and metal companies to reduce costs,
save energy, limit environmental impact and improve working conditions for their
employees.
 3

The Leading Bell-type Annealing Equipment Producer

with many Years of Plant and Process Experience

Tenova LOI Thermprocess, including controlled atmosphere. More than Annealing Plants in more than
the activities of its predecessors 3,500 bases use HPH® annealing 30 countries and these plants
Matthias Ludwig and Nassheuer, has technology with pure hydrogen. produce about 45 million tonnes
been a technological market leader Tenova LOI Thermprocess is of wide, medium-width and narrow
in Bell-type Annealing Furnaces for therefore also a market leader in the strip each year. In addition, more
more than 70 years. Throughout field of high performance hydrogen than 350 HNx bases have now been
the world, more than 8,500 LOI annealing plants for steel strip. modernized for use with advanced
annealing bases have been installed. Tenova LOI Thermprocess has HPH® technology.
About 5,000 operate with an HNx installed more than 300 Bell-type

Economics and product quality

are the factors that count

This is why Tenova LOI already

ensures during the planning stage
that the plant configuration is ideally
adapted to the needs and wishes
of the customer. The know-how
developed by the company over
the decades is also made available
to sales engineers in the form of
computer-aided plant layout and
presentation programs.

Training, research and

development included

Tenova LOI Thermprocess has

comprehensive expertise in HPH®
Bell-type Annealing technology
and is continuously developing
this expertise by practical tests.
The process expertise needed
by customers for the successful
operation of Tenova LOI plants is
provided in the form of training
and plant familiarization programs.
4

The Full Range of Heat Treatment Plants

for Steel Strip

Tenova LOI Thermprocess is a plants for almost all applications in The Tenova Group consists of a
company of the Tenova Group and the metals industry. network of individual companies
the world market leader in industrial active in all the key markets
furnaces for metals. Tenova LOI As part of the Tenova Group, with throughout the world. Thanks to
Thermprocess builds plants for units such as Tenova Strip Processing, strong synergy effects, the entire
the heating and heat treatment of Tenova LOI Thermprocess benefits group is an effective problem solver
advanced materials and can offer from additional synergy effects for the in all areas of thermal processing
a full range of industrial furnace iron, steel and aluminium industries. technology.

ANNEALING AND PICKLING LINES

Stainless steel
Max. capacity 225 t/h
Strip width 600 - 2,100 mm
Strip thickness 0.3 - 7 mm
Application range Hot and cold-rolled steel;
AISI 300 and 400
Process temperature Up to 1,200 °C
Heating system Gas-fired
Process atmosphere Flue gas

ANNEALING AND PICKLING LINES

Electrical steel (GO/NGO)
Max. capacity 90 t/h
Strip width 750 - 1,350 mm
Strip thickness 1.0 - 3.5 mm
Application range Hot and cold rolled silicon steel
(GO/NGO)
Process temperature Up to 1,170 °C
Heating system Gas-fired, electric
Process atmosphere Flue gas / N2

HPH® BELL-TYPE ANNEALING PLANTS

Carbon steel, stainless steel
Max. capacity 3.1 t/h per base
Strip width 10 - 2,200 mm
Strip thickness 0.1 - 10 mm
Application range Cold-rolled steel; CQ to EDDQ,
HSLA, tinplate T1 to T5, AISI 400
Process temperature 350 to 900 °C
Heating system Gas, oil-fired or electric
Process atmosphere Up to 100 % H2
 5

CONTINUOUS GALVANIZING LINES (HORIZONTAL)

Carbon steel
Max. capacity 150 t/h at 180 m/min
Strip width 600 - 2,060 mm
Strip thickness 0.15 - 4.5 mm
Application range Hot and cold-rolled steel;
CQ to EDDQ
Process temperature 730 to 830 °C
Heating system Gas-fired
Process atmosphere Protective Atmosphere (H2 + N2)

DECARBURIZING AND COATING LINES

Grain-oriented electrical strip
Max. capacity 20 t/h at 120 m/min
Strip width 720 - 1,250 mm
Strip thickness 0.15 - 0.35 mm
Application range Grain-oriented electrical strip
Process temperature 750 to 1,050 °C
Heating system Gas-fired, electric, induction
Process atmosphere Protective atmosphere (H2 + N2)

FLATTENING AND COATING LINES

Grain-oriented electrical strip
Max. capacity 23 t/h at 140 m/min
Strip width 730 - 1,250 mm
Strip thickness 0.15 - 0.35 mm
Application range Grain-oriented electrical strip
Process temperature 800 to 850 °C
Heating system Gas-fired, electric
Process atmosphere Protective atmosphere (H2 + N2)

ANNEALING AND COATING LINES

Non-grain-oriented electrical strip
Max. capacity 50 t/h at 180 m/min
Strip width 700 - 1,650 mm
Strip thickness 0.10 - 1.0 mm
Application range Non-grain-oriented electrical strip
Process temperature Up to 1,150 °C
Heating system Gas-fired, electric, induction
Process atmosphere Protective atmosphere (H2 + N2)

6

THE MAIN APPLICATIONS OF

HPH® TECHNOLOGY
The decision in favour of a continuous or Bell-type Annealing
Plant can only be taken on the basis of the specific details of a
project. In many cases, an HPH® Bell-type Annealing Plant has
the following advantages over continuous annealing technology:

• Higher quality in the case • Lower capital cost

of non-alloyed extra deep • Lower operating expenses
drawing grades • Lower maintenance expenses
• Higher flexibility with regard • Possibility of modular
to product range and expansion in several stages
capacity utilization
 7

� HPH® Bell-type Annealing Plant with Jet

cooling for annealing medium-width strip

FROM HOT BAND TO MATERIAL GRADES APPLICATIONS

EXTRA LIGHT GAUGE • Vacuum-decarburized, low-carbon Steel strip annealed in HPH® plants
• Non-alloyed to high-carbon steels is used for a variety of products,
• Micro-alloyed and • Light-gauge sheet, CQ to EDDQ including:
• High-alloy steel coils (surface quality for external • Vehicle bodies
components) • Automobile components
FROM WIDE TO NARROW STRIP • Tinplate T1 to T5 • Packaging and cans
• Narrow, medium-width and • Cr steels (ferritic and martensitic) • Radiators and other heating
wide strip coils • IF and ULC steels appliances
• Max. coil outside diameter • Micro-alloyed (HSLA) steels • Household goods
2,700 mm • Bake hardenable (BH) steels • White products
• Max. coil stack height 6,600 mm • Strip for galvanizing • Electrical appliances
• Max. stack mass 220 t • Housings
• Fittings
• Strip for cold plating
• Silicon Steel GO (MBAF)
• Silicon Steel NGO

 A special application of HPH®

technology: extra deep drawing grades
of the type needed for aerodynamically
shaped car bodies
THE SPECIAL FEATURES OF
LOI HPH® BELL-TYPE ANNEALING
PLANTS AT A GLANCE
Tenova LOI’s comprehensive HPH® Annealing Plant expertise
is the result of decades of technical optimization. More than
70 years of experience with Bell-type Annealing Plants are
reflected not only in a wide variety of innovative details but
also in comprehensive process engineering expertise that LOI
customers can build on.
 9

� Unsurpassed control concept

� HPH® Bell-type Annealing Plant for cold-

rolled steel strip, equipped with 99 bases

TRIED AND TESTED • Precisely controlled cooling • The automation concept fulfills
BASE DESIGN process the special requirements of the
• Virtually unlimited service life • Final cooling to skin pass automotive industry
• Very low dew point for the temperature, also with air • Optimization programs for Bell-
highest possible process drying to prevent corrosion type Annealing Plant operation:
quality and strip cleanliness • Stack optimization (StackSet)
UNSURPASSED CONTROL • Annealing and cooling calculation
VARIOUS COOLING CONCEPT (HeatMod)
ALTERNATIVES FOR • Scalable control concept focusing • Equipment scheduling (ShopRun)
SPECIFIC APPLICATIONS on safe, reliable plant operation • Sticker prevention (StickerMod)
• Water spray cooling, Jet cooling, • Implementation of existing Bell- • Material and equipment tracking
Bypass + Jet cooling type Annealing Plants into the (FlowTrac)
automation system is possible

• THE TENOVA LOI RECIRCULATION FAN

• High-performance impeller designed and optimized by FEM

calculations, for hydrogen flow rates up to 130,000 m3/h

• Frequency converters for infinitely variable speed control,

allowing continuous adaptation of fan speed to gas density
and temperature

• Direct-coupled gas-tight encapsulated special motor with

water cooling system

• This motor developed by Tenova LOI has become an industry

standard because of its high performance and reliability

High-performance recirculation

• The recirculation fan motor developed by Tenova LOI in

combination with the Tenova LOI high-performance fan
impeller and the diffusor system ensures:
• 􀀀 Maximum recirculation of atmosphere gas
• 􀀀 Optimized plant capacity
• 􀀀 Outstanding temperature uniformity

The high-performance fan developed by Tenova LOI for atmosphere 

gas recirculation is equipped with a water-cooled, gas-tight motor,
variable frequency controlled, up to 55 kW. It is suitable for use
with both nitrogen and hydrogen atmospheres.
10

The High Product Quality achievable with

HPH® Technology

Mechanical properties Grade designations for cold-rolled flat steel products

The HPH® plant generation ensures Ductile steels intended for cold forming
outstanding mechanical properties,
including: International 2007 1991 1983
Designation EN 10130 EN 10130 DIN 1623

• Complete recrystallization CQ DC01 Fe P01 St 12

• An extremely homogeneous DQ DC02 Fe P03 RR St 13
microstructure with very low DDQ DC03 Fe P04 St 14
scatter of mechanical properties EDDQ DC04 Fe P05 St 15
• High elongation at rupture and IF DC05 Fe P06 IF 18
low, homogeneous Re and Rm
values

Mechanical properties guaranteed by Tenova LOI Thermprocess in accordance with EN 10130 (2007)
Minimum requirements for cold-rolled flat annealed steel products intended for cold forming

Re Rm A80 r90 n90

N/mm2 N/mm2 %
max min min min
DC01 280 270 to 410 28 – –
DC03 240 270 to 370 34 1.3 –
DC04 210 270 to 350 38 1.6 0.180
DC05 180 270 to 330 40 1.9 0.200
DC06 170 270 to 330 41 2.1 0.220
DC07 150 250 to 310 44 2.5 0.230

HIGH PRODUCT QUALITY

LOI HPH® technology ensures 1,000 60

atmosphere dew points 900 45

below -60 °C. When annealing
800 30
special grades, additional
action can be taken to ensure 700 15
dew points below -75 °C.
The extremely pure hydrogen 600 0

annealing atmosphere and 500 -15

precise temperature control Gas Temperature
400 -30
bring considerable quality Coil Core Temperature
benefits with a wide variety of 300 -45
Dew Point
steel grades.
Temperature [°C]

Dew point [°C]

200 -60

100 -75

0 -90
0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 45 50 55 60 65 70

Time [h]
 11

Strip quality Our references Comparison data

Steel strip annealed in HPH® plants • All the leading car-makers use • Comparison data confirming the
meets customers’ most stringent steel strip annealed in HPH® special quality properties of steel
requirements with respect to: plants for exposed components – strip annealed in HPH® plants
with considerable success is available from Tenova LOI
• The avoidance of carbon deposits • Steel grades containing alloying Thermprocess on request
• The avoidance of surface elements with a high affinity for
decarburization, even with oxygen (Cr, Ni, Ti, Si), which
high-carbon steels are sensitive to high dew points
• The avoidance of surface oxidation, can be successfully annealed in
even with Cr and Si steels HPH® plants
• Corrosion resistance for phosphated • Considerable experience is
and painted steel sheet available with the annealing � Steel strip annealed using HPH® tech-
nology meets the highest requirements
• Phosphating properties of cold-rolled Cr steels in
for surface quality. All the leading
• High surface quality, even for HPH® plants car-makers use steel strip annealed in
specially plated strip HPH® plants for exposed components –
with considerable success.
12

Outstanding Safety

� Example of a modernized base

 Hydrogen and nitrogen valve stand

High safety standards are • Safety-relevant status signals • The inner cover/base assembly
essential when hydrogen is used are interlocked independently and all supply lines and valves are
as an ananealing atmosphere. of the PLC tightness-tested before and during
In developing HPH® technology, • Continuous plausibility checking each annealing cycle
Tenova LOI focused on the zero- of status signals • Three monitoring systems are
error philosophy at the same time • Continuous monitoring of active during the replacement of
as building on existing furnace pressures, flows and temperatures air by nitrogen
designs. As a result, even older • Monitoring of supply and • Hot tightness testing of annealing
Bell-type Annealing Plants can also disposal systems and activation chamber prior to removal of
be converted to HPH® operation. of emergency control programs heating hood
if necessary • Monitoring for leakage during
Plant safety features annealing and cooling phases
• The annealing chamber is sealed Process safety features • Redundant pressure monitoring for
solely at the bottom of the base • The purge program is automatically hydraulic clamping of inner cover
• The process gas supply system adapted to the annealing process • Hydrogen tight motors for the
is equipped with a redundant selected watercooled base recirculation fan
configuration of safety-relevant • Sophisticated process control and the air-cooled Bypass fan
valves and control components with plausibility checks, logging • Monitoring of O2 concentration
on the metering and pressure of malfunction signals and during purging with a highly
regulating station programmed safety reactions reliable oxygen sensor
• The control system has self- • Actuators and sensors are
monitoring functions (watchdog function-tested before the start
shut-down, reference channel of each annealing cycle
measurements, memory test)
 13

Modernization of Existing Plants

Easy conversion from HNx flue gas disposal systems and the Tenova LOI modernization programs
to HPH® installation of an HPH® safety system may include:
• Are your energy costs too high? may already be sufficient to obtain • Replacement of cooling system
• Is your plant capacity too low? similar performance to a new plant. • Changeover to another fuel gas
• Do you need greater flexibility • Modernization of existing
in production? Modernization of existing recirculation systems
• Are insufficient funds available for plant components • Retrofitting of components to
the construction of a new plant? The first step must always be to enhance performance and quality
analyse the existing plant precisely. • Application of newly developed
New purge gas and hydrogen piping, If necessary, this analysis should process know-how
upgrading of the gas supply and also cover existing processes. • Adaptation of existing plant
Tenova LOI can then develop a components to latest standards
tailormade modernization program • Modernization of control systems
for equipment components or the • Increasing the degree of
control system, in order to obtain automation
the benefits required.
Modernization of plants
supplied by other manufacturers
• Modernization of control systems
for other manufacturers‘ plants
• Integration of existing control
systems from other manufacturers
into an Tenova LOI overall control
system
• Rehabilitation of annealing bases
from other manufacturers and
� Example of a modernized plant conversion to the tried and tested
Tenova LOI base design
14

Excellent Economics

The special features of LOI HPH® High efficiency heating hood and base as well
plants and processes allow higher The following features ensure that as extremely homogeneous heat
base performance than with other, HPH® plants are highly efficient: distribution over the entire height
conventional hydrogen annealing • Individual recuperators with very of the stack
processes. high efficiency for each individual • Selection of alternative cooling
burner of the heating hood systems to ensure maximum
A further key objective of LOI HPH® • Highly effective convective heat efficiency evaluating existing
technology is low consumption in transfer under the inner cover surrounding conditions
hydrogen annealing. • High-grade insulation ensuring • Precise process control for
minimal wall losses through the minimum process gas expenses
• Careful calculation of plant sizes
and use of StackSet optimization
software to ensure maximum
possible use of space available

Low consumption
• Efficient burners for very low fuel
gas consumption
• Low density of hydrogen ensures
low power consumption for 22 kW
recirculation fan
• Purge gas optimization taking into
account specific stack data for low
nitrogen consumption
• Optimized purge programs as a
function of rolling emulsion type,
thickness of oil film and stack
data, ensuring low hydrogen
consumption
• Temperature-specific flow
optimization for low cooling
water consumption

Standard dimensions of gas-fired HPH® Bell-type Annealing Plants

Type
A B1) C D E F2) G3) H I K L M4) O5) P6)
HPH®
160 - 370 1600 3700 3150 3600 1800 6150 12100 5450 11300 5000 4500 2800 1500 500
185 - 460 1850 4600 3400 3850 2050 7000 13800 6350 13100 5500 4500 2800 1500 500
185 - 520 1850 5200 3400 3850 2050 7600 15000 6950 14300 5500 4500 2800 1500 500
200 - 520 2000 5200 3550 4000 2200 7650 15100 6950 14400 5500 4500 2800 1500 500
200 - 550 2000 5500 3550 4000 2200 7950 15700 7250 15000 5500 4500 2800 1500 500
220 - 520 2200 5200 3750 4200 2400 7700 15200 7000 14500 5700 4500 3000 1700 500
220 - 650 2200 6500 3750 4200 2400 9000 17800 8300 17100 5700 4500 3000 1700 500
270 - 520 2700 5200 4250 4700 2900 7850 15450 7150 14750 6500 5000 3000 1700 500

Details of intermediate sizes are available on request. 3)

For each reduction of 100 mm in the stack height, the crane
1)
Max. stack height. Details of other stack heights are available hook height is reduced by 200 mm
on request 4)
Recommended basement depth with Bypass cooling
2)
For each reduction of 100 mm in the stack height, the height 5)
Recommended basement depth with water spray cooling
is reduced by 100 mm 6)
Additional basement depth with flue gas extraction
 15

Typical performance and consumption data*

Type Annealing Coils per Stack Cooling Base Fuel gas* N2 purge Electric
quality stack mass (t) technology capacity (kWh/t) gas power
T (°C) (t/h) (m3/t) (kWh/t)
HPH® 160-370 700/690 7 37 JET 1.3 210 1.1 20.6
HPH® 200-460 710/680 7 68 BYPASS + 2.7 187 1.9 9
JET
HPH® 200-520 710/620 4 90 SPRAY 2.89 164 1.1 6.3
HPH 200-520
®
710/680 4 90 SPRAY 2.14 179 1.1 8
HPH 220-520
®
660/640 4 100 SPRAY 2.47 167 1.1 7
HPH® 220-650 710/680 5 121 SPRAY 2.49 176 1.1 7

* Fuel gas consumption for standard equipment. Hydrogen consumption approx. 1.5 to 3.0 m³/t, depending on rolling
Energy saving options: emulsion type, amount of incoming oil and iron fines on the strip, strip
enlarged recuperators 10 % savings potential, thickness, annealing quality required. Savings potential by hydrogen
charge preheating 20 % savings potential, recycling 80 %.
hot water supply 15 % savings potential.

� Bell-type annealing plant (type HUGF

210-520 HPH) for annealing wide strip
coils for the automobile industry, capacity
400,000 tonnes per year, equipped with
water spray cooling system.
16

Training, Resesarch and Development

At Tenova LOI, new developments are laboratory installations but typical

always verified by model calculations production facilities operating under
and tried out in a comprehensive real production conditions when no
series of test annealing cycles to tests are in progress. These plants
ensure that they are fit for use in are equipped with all the instruments
practice. Customers can therefore required to test and demonstrate
be sure that Tenova LOI products annealing cycles.
are both extremely innovative and
highly reliable. Training and familiarization programs
ensure that customers have all the
Tenova LOI has access to several know-how they need for the success-
HPH® plants for trials under ful operation of Tenova LOI plants.
cooperation agreements with Tenova LOI training covers both hard-
customers. These are not shielded ware operation and process know-how.
� Thermographic measurements for the
determination and optimization of heat
transfer coefficients

ANNEALING PROCESS

StackSet
Heating hood
removal

HeatMod

Loading
Heating up/
ShopRun
H2 injection

Transfer to base
Setting inner cover Atmosphere
replacement

Setting the
Tightness test
heating hood

Initial purge
 17

Development projects • Optimization of recirculation

• Patented high-speed final purge system including fan impeller
process for enhanced safety and motor
(EP 0 714 452 B1) • Hydrogen recycling
• Energy efficiency improvement • Optimization of recirculation fan/
• Detailed improvement of diffusor system for steel sheet
atmosphere replacement stages and wire annealing plants
(air-nitrogen-hydrogen-nitrogen-air) • Optimization of heating system
of annealing cycle • Mathematical model for sticker
• Adaptation of annealing and purge reduction
parameters to the requirements
posed by new rolling emulsions
with a view to improving strip The patented (EP 0 714 452 B1/ 
cleanliness US 5 7340 930) LOI high-performance
purge system for faster atmosphere
• Development, optimization and replacement (to 2 % hydrogen in
introduction of a Jet cooling 12 minutes with the recirculation
hood (EP 0 894 150 B1) fan stopped)

Setting of cooling hood

Cooling with fans Cooling with BYPASS

system and fans

Final purge

Cooling hood removal

Inner cover removal Unloading

18

The Heating Hood

THE HEATING HOOD

Individual recuperators
with very high efficiency
for each burner

High-grade insulation ensuring

extremely homogeneous heat
Highly effective convective heat
distribution
transfer under the inner cover

Individual balanced pressure

regulators to assure optimal
air/gas ratio for each burner

HPH® Bell-type Annealing Plant with 

Bypass cooling. The drawing shows
the heating hood in position during
the heating phase. The special
high-performance recirculation system
ensures extremely effective atmosphere
gas circulation, optimum plant
capacity and outstanding temperature
uniformity.
 19

HPH® plants feature optimized minimum. With advanced burners,

atmosphere gas flow during highly effective on-off control and
heating and cooling. Two or three process firing systems, HPH® plants
thermocouples with associated reliably comply with applicable
instrumentation and control systems emission limits throughout the
provide precise control of the annealing cycle. Depending on
temperature under the inner cover the size of the plant, the heating
and reliably protect the charge hood may be equipped with 6, 9
material against overheating during or 12 burners.
the annealing process.
Hydrogen afterburning
Heating hood Considerable amounts of oil vapour
The heating hood may be heated are produced during the annealing
either by burners or by an electric of steel strip which was rolled using
heating system. Burners for natural oil. The same applies if emulsion
gas, coke oven gas, low caloric gas has been used. Tenova LOI HPH®
and light diesel oil are available. technology allows this vapour to
High-grade insulation minimizes heat be combusted in an environmentally
losses at the same time as ensuring compatible way.
very homogeneous temperatures
over the entire height of the stack. One of the burners of the heating
hood is specially designed for post-
A hydrogen atmosphere combined combustion of hydrogen loaded with
with high performance recirculation oil vapour. This approach ensures
� Heating hood of an HPH® plant – special
systems makes for rapid heat transfer that emission values are considerably fibre insulation for very low heat losses and
to the charge, allowing high heat below the maximum levels allowed. low NOx burner technology
input values and burner ratings. A process developed by Tenova LOI
The short annealing times which prevents the fouling or blockage of
are possible mean that energy the hydrogen burner by condensing
consumption is reduced to a oil vapours.

HEATING HOOD ALTERNATIVES

Low NOx heating hood Ultra low NOx heating hood

• Up to 12 specially designed low • 6 ultra low NOx burners with

NOx burners per hood    patented LOI flameless combustion
• Dedicated internal recuperators technology
for each burner for combustion • 2 central, external recuperators
air preheating up to 400 °C for combustion air preheating up
• Dedicated balanced pressure to 600 °C
regulators for each burner • Up to 12 % fuel gas savings
ensuring optimal air/gas ratio compared to standard heating hood
• NOx emission below 250 mg/m3 • NOx emission below 100 mg/m3
average over heating cycle             average over heating cycle      

� Ultra low NOx HPH® Flameless heating hood

20

The Annealing Base

 The diffuser, which is manufactured from

high-temperature-resistant cast steel, is
divided into four sections, allowing free
thermal expansion and preventing horizontal
forces in the structure.

recirculation fan, the design

ensures maximum circulation
of the atmosphere gas.

The design of the annealing base

warrants extremely clean annealing
atmospheres over a practically
unlimited service life.
The base plate of the annealing flow paths have been continuously
base, with individual supports and optimized in comprehensive practical The annealing base is optimized
loose encapsulation, has been tests conducted in cooperation with for obtaining the lowest dew point
tried and tested in thousands of a fluid mechanics institute. possible and is even suitable for
practical applications. annealing cold-rolled Cr steels.
The gas guide system optimized
A key element in ensuring product for ideal flow conditions is made This design effectively seals the
quality in an HPH® facility is the from special high-temperature- annealing atmosphere from the
flow of the atmosphere gas during resistant CrNi castings. Together surrounding air and offers a practically
heating and cooling. Atmosphere gas with the special high-performance unlimited service life without need for
continuous maintenance, in contrast
to other annealing base designs.
� The HPH® base design effectively seals the annealing atmosphere from the surrounding
air and offers a practically unlimited service life without need for continuous maintenance,
in contrast to other annealing base designs.
 21

The Cooling Systems

On the basis of its extensive plant

and process expertise, Tenova LOI
Thermprocess can offer a variety of
cooling systems and supply the ideal
cooling system for any application.

Tenova LOI has already supplied

a large number of plants with
each type of cooling system.
All the systems available allow
the optimized utilization of all
equipment components for annealing,
cooling, charging and discharging
without idle times. The combination
of Bypass + Jet cooling systems
is the version which ensures the
highest performance, allowing a
reduction of up to three hours in
cooling time compared with water
spray cooling. Despite the higher
initial cost, the combination of
Bypass + Jet cooling systems is
� HPH® Bell-type Annealing Furnace Plant
the most cost-effective variant in for cold rolled steel strip
overall terms. Jet cooling and water
spray cooling may be attractive
alternatives for smaller plants and
larger plants respectively.

THE COOLING SYSTEMS

Jet cooling
Water spray cooling
700
Bypass + Jet cooling

600
The criteria for the selection of the
JET
500
ideal cooling system are as follows:
SPRAY
• Annealing time or ratio of annealing
400
BYPASS + JET and cooling times
• Heat treatment process required
300 • Quality of cooling water available
Charge Temperature [°C]

• Ratio of stack mass to inner cover

200 surface area
• Existing infrastructure (i.e. Cellar)
100
• Total cost
0
20 25 30 35 40 45
 Cooling curves with
Time [h] different cooling systems
22

Water Spray Cooling

The atmosphere gas under the cover is cooled to between 120 °C Advantages of Water
inner cover is cooled by spraying and 160 °C using the integrated Spray Cooling
water onto the outside of the inner air cooling system before the water • Simple, cost-effective process
cover. Over the past 30 years, this spray system is switched on. • Lower free volume and thus, lower
technology has been successfully consumption of protective gas
used by Tenova LOI on more than Water spray cooling calls for a • Lower specific power requirement
1,500 annealing bases. corrugated inner cover to improve for cooling air fans
stability of the water film. Depending • High cooling power with open
Water Spray Cooling on the cooling water quality, the cooling water cycle
In order to prevent excessive steaming service life of the inner cover with this • No basement is required (this may,
in the annealing shop and severe type of cooling system is between however, be a disadvantage from
corrosion of the inner cover, the inner 500 and 1,400 annealing cycles. the maintenance point of view)

Prerequisites
Very high-quality water meeting the
following requirements is needed:
• Chloride and sulphate
concentration lower than 70 mg/l
• Conductivity lower than 500 μS/cm

Water spray
cooling calls for a
corrugated inner cover

Very high-quality
water is needed

� HPH® plant with water spray cooling system

 Water spray cooling process

 23

Bypass Cooling

Tenova LOI has already installed Advantages of Bypass • Cooling performance 10 to 20 %

this low-maintenance cooling system Cooling higher than with spray cooling
on more than 4,500 annealing bases • Infinitely variable cooling • Less stress on plant (significantly
and it has proved itself in practice performance longer inner cover service life
at customers’ plants for more than • No exposed water or steaming than with water spray cooling)
50 years. For improved cooling (increasing humidity) in the • Possibility of using a closed
performance, a Bypass cooling annealing shop cooling water cycle with
system is usually combined with • May be combined with an air reduced corrosion on cooling
Jet cooling. cooling hood (preferably a Jet water pipework
cooling hood) for additional • Lowest overall cost over a period
Bypass Cooling cooling of inner cover surface of 10 years, taking into account
While the main flow of atmosphere • No need for emergency power capital cost and operation and
gas is recirculated under the inner supply for cooling hood fans in maintenance expenses
cover, part of the gas flow is passed the event of power failure
through a gas/water heat exchanger • Sophisticated energy recovery
under the annealing base, where it measures possible
is cooled. The cooling power of the
Bypass cooling system is infinitely
variable. In addition, the inner cover
is cooled from the outside by cooling
fans.

Bypass cooling uses the cooling

surface of the external heat exchanger
(more than 200 m2) for heat transfer.
Smooth inner covers may
be used, ensuring easy,
With this type of cooling system, low-cost maintenance
inner covers have a long service life
of more than 1,400 annealing cycles.
Smooth inner covers may be used,
ensuring easy, low-cost maintenance.

Part of the gas flow is

passed through a gas/water
heat exchanger under the
� LOI developed Bypass cooling system annealing base
featuring dual cooler installed in the
basement

Bypass cooling process 

24

Jet Cooling

Jet cooling is an attractive alternative The Jet cooling hood developed In addition, the top of the hood also
for facilities where the high-quality by LOI is patented (EP 0894150, has a large number of air nozzles for
water supply needed for water spray US 6177044). Cooling is provided intensive cooling in this area.
cooling or the basement needed by air jets targeted directly at the
for Bypass cooling are not available. outside of the inner cover. These jets Two to three radial-flow fans extract
This type of cooling system is are generated by a large number of air from the cooling hood. Compared
especially well suited for plants air nozzles installed at the outside with a parallel-flow air cooling hood,
with long heating times (e.g. for surface of the steel casing of the Jet heat transfer with a Jet cooling hood
spheroidizing or high-temperature cooling hood. For highly effective is three times more intensive, while
processes). To date, Tenova LOI has cooling, nozzles of different diameters noise emission is significantly reduced.
installed more than 500 annealing with different spacings are distributed
bases with Jet cooling systems. over the height of the cooling hood. Jet cooling hoods are an attractive
alternative for improving the
performance of existing Bell-type
Annealing Plants.

Advantages
• Relatively low capital cost
• No cooling water required
• Optimized nozzle configuration,
ensuring homogeneous cooling
of all coils
• Low noise output
• 10 % capacity increase for
existing plants
For improved cooling performance,
the inner and outer surfaces of the
cooling hood may be coated using
Cooling is provided by a special paint with the following
air jets targeted directly properties:
at the outside of the • High heat emissivity
inner cover • High thermal conductivity
• High adhesion

For highly effective

cooling, nozzles of
different diameters
with different spacings
are distributed over
the cooling hood

� Jet cooling hood following removal

 Jet cooling process

 25

Final Cooling

In order to prevent surface oxidation, kept low by the continuous addition

the coils are cooled to the required of dried makeup air. The air required
skin pass temperature of about 40 °C, may be dried either cryogenically
on final cooling stands. Tenova LOI or by absorption. Absorption using
has developed coil cooling and a lithium chloride solution has
storage units (CCSU) which offer proved to be an effective approach.
final cooling with dried air. Where steam is not available,
cryogenic drying may be used.
Final cooling in dried air
Following unloading from the Advantages
annealing base, the stacks are • Avoidance of corrosion during final
positioned on special cooling cooling and storage
stations and covered by lightweight • Lower overall cost compared with
hoods. Dry cooling air flows final cooling on annealing base
through ducts (preferably located • Combination of final cooling
underground) to the cooling and storage prior to skin pass
stations, thus cooling the stack. temperature
The heated air then passes through • Greater flexibility for annealing
a recirculation fan and a cooler. shop and skin pass/temper mill
The humidity of the main air flow is

� Coil Cooling and Storage Units (CCSU)

offering final cooling with dried air

FINAL COOLING

Dehumidifier Dried air Coil stacks and hoods

Fan

Ambient
air

Coil Cooling and 

Storage Unit (CCSU):
a closed system
Cooler
 Ener
Losses (100 %)

(100
26 Exhaust Losses
behind Recuperator
Exhaust Losses
(ca. 28 %)
behind Recuperator
(ca. 28 %) Wall Losses Cooling Water
Heating Hood Losses (ca. 2 %)
Wall(ca.
Losses
2 %) Cooling Water
Heating Hood Losses (ca. 2 %)
(ca. 2 %)

Energy Saving Possibilities

Losses (42 %)

Fuel Gas Costs

Fuel Gas Costs
Electricity Heating of Product (ca. 56 %)
(100 %)
Energy

Generation (3 %)
Heating of Product (ca. 56 %)
ORC

HEATING PHASE Heating for

External Use (55 %)
COOLING PHASE
Heating of Supporting
Structure (ca 12 %)
Heating of Supporting
Conventional BAF Structure (ca 12 %)

Exhaust Losses
behind Recuperator

(100 %)
Energy
(28 %)

%)
Wall Losses Cooling Water

Energy
Heating Hood Losses (2 %)
Losses (100 %)
(2 %) Losses (100 %)

(100
Fuel Gas

Energy Efficient BAF Losses (42 %)

Losses (42 %)
Heating of Product (56 %) Energy (68 %) = 100 %

Heating of Supporting Structure (12 %)

Electricity

(100 %)
Energy
Generation (3 %)
Electricity
%) ORC
Energy
Generation (3 %)

ORC
(100

Heating for
External Use (55 %)
Heating for
External Use (55 %)

Exhaust Losses
behind Recuperator
Exhaust Losses
(28 %)
behind Recuperator
(28 %) Wall Losses Cooling Water
Heating Hood Losses (2 %)
Wall(2
Losses
%) Cooling Water
Heating Hood Losses (2 %)
(2 %)

The heat balance during the heating The Bypass cooling system used temperature lower than 300-350 °C
phase clearly shows that significant for the Energy Efficient BAF is a has been reached in the Bypass
Fuel Gas

improvements to the energy efficiency two-phase cooling system. A few system, the cooling system is switched
Fuel Gas

of modern Bell-type Annealing Plants minutes after the start of the cooling to a (56
Heating of Product second
%) gas/water
Energycooler.
(68 %) Hot= 100 %
Heating of Product (56 %) Energy (68 %) = 100 %
can be achieved only by ensuring phase, the ”gas/thermal oil“ cooler water with a
Heating of Supporting Structure (12 %)
temperature of approx.
more efficient use of energy for is switched on at approx. 700 °C. 80
Heating of Supporting °C (12
Structure is%)extracted and fed to a hot
heating the charge and by reducing A circulation system feeds the water circuit.
flue gas losses. Reductions in the thermo-oil which was heated to
energy required for heating the more than 250 °C to a subsequent Energy for heating is no longer
charge are subject to certain limits ORC process (OCR = Organic completely dissipated during the
connected with stable operation of Rankine Cycle); electrical power cooling process and discharged via
the plant. In addition to fuel costs, is generated by a piston expander. cooling water. With this solution, up
the cost of electric power, nitrogen In order to increase the relatively low to 58 % of the energy stored in the
and hydrogen must also be taken efficiency of the ORC process, hot stack and support structure after the
into consideration. water – in addition to the electrical heating cycle can be recycled, provided
power – is generated and fed to a that hot water at a temperature of
hot water circuit. As soon as a gas 70-80 °C can be used at the plant.
 27

Use of heat from cooling Hydrogen recycling with In hydrogen recycling, the first
for hot water generation gas treatment process stage is to remove
Plants with a traditional Bypass Even with optimized gas injection rolling oil residue and particulate
cooling system equipped with one cycles, hydrogen is a significant matter from the used hydrogen.
heat exchanger per base only, can cost factor in Bell-type Annealing Other gases are then filtered out
also be designed to allow the use Plant operation. It is currently normal by pressure-swing absorption and
of heat from the charge rejected practice for the hydrogen, which has the recycled hydrogen is dried.
via the cooling water. In the case of been contaminated with oil vapour, With this process, it has been
a plant with eight annealing bases, to be fed to a special hydrogen shown that some 70 to 80 % of
for example, 500 kW of hot water burner installed in the heating the hydrogen used at a plant can
at a temperature of 80 °C can be hood, where it is combusted without be recycled and returned to the
produced almost continuously. residue. plant as fresh gas via a buffer tank.
However, acceptable payback
periods can only be achieved at
large annealing plants with at least
30 bases or an average total
hydrogen consumption of about
150 m³/h.

 Energy efficient BAF with dual Bypass heat

exchangers per base, allowing heat recovery
by thermal oil and hot water
28

Bell-type Annealing Furnace Plant with

Fully Automated Crane Operation

� The multi-media coupling automatically

establishes all connections for the gas
supply (NG, H2) and the electrical
signals.

 This batch annealing plant at a German

cold rolling mill is the world’s first
featuring fully automatic crane operation.
Its innovative energy management and
heat recovery concept also make it the
most energy efficient plant of its kind in
the world.

The world’s first Bell-type Annealing The plant control system at the one person is needed to monitor
Plant with fully automated crane German cold rolling mill is linked with the crane operations from the
operation was installed by Tenova their production data acquisition control room. As the system works
LOI Thermprocess at a German systems. It coordinates the transport without any intervention by man,
cold rolling mill. The coils, convector and storage of the coils, hoods the tongs feature sophisticated
plates and all hoods and covers are and convectors. The integrated sensing equipment, such as
handled in a fully automated process. warehouse management assigns distance and tilt sensing devices
For this purpose, a specially designed storage places to the coils. as well as laser light sensors for
plant system and error-proof It generates and sends the controlling the gripping operation.
communication with the crane were corresponding travel orders to An RFID antenna receives signals
essential. In addition, special attention the crane control system. In doing containing the hood numbers sent
was paid to energy efficiency. so, the warehouse management out by RFID chips installed in the
system takes into account storage hoods. Redundant, two-channel
Optimized material flow rules, such as the maximum absolute position encoders
The production of cold strip products stacking height, and performs determine the positions of the
of top quality requires diligently plausibility checks. crane, the trolley and the lifting
coordinated process steps. A fully gear. The high precision of the
automated operation goes along High level of automation transducers allows them to determine
with precise control of all defined The annealing plant is the first in the the position of the gripper with a
process parameters, uninterrupted world to operate with automated tolerance below +/- 15 mm. The
monitoring and documentation as crane movements. The two-beam swing damper is a camera-guided
well as optimized material flow. overhead travelling crane transports system. The camera focuses on
the coils, convectors as well as the a hairline cross on the gripper.
heating and cooling hoods. Only
 29

The plant complies with all • Automatic crane operation Phase Year Number
requirements stipulated in the (unmanned) of bases
applicable regulations, for example • Automatic charging/discharging I 2012 12
in DIN EN 13135. The entire of coils connectors or coil +
II 2015 4
annealing shop area is surrounded convector units
by a protective fence containing • Automatic charging/discharging III 2018 8
nine protective doors. of inner covers, heating hoods Total 24
and cooling hoods
Most energy efficiency • Automatic connection/disconnection
The fuel consumption at this most of all media (natural gas, hydrogen,
modern annealing shop is about electricity)
11 % lower than in the case of • Automatic coil storage management
a conventional plant design. As for complete material tracking
part of a comprehensive energy • Large central recuperators for
management system the excess combustion air preheating up
energy is decoupled and made to 600 °C
available to other energy using units • Control system with failsafe
within the works either as electricity technology
or heat. The heat is extracted from
the coils and transferred to a thermal � This natural-gas-heated HPH® batch annealing
facility comprises 24 bases with 14 heating and
oil by means of hydrogen. The oil, 6 Jet cooling hoods. It is currently the most
which attains temperatures of up advanced Bell-type Annealing Furnace Plant in
to 270 °C, is an ideal medium the world. It anneals fully automatic hot and cold-
rolled medium-wide strip coils weighing up to
for evaporating ethanol in an
15.4 t. The outside coil diameters range between
Organic Rankine Cycle plant 1,000 and 2,000 mm. The coils are 150 to
which converts heat into electric 650 mm wide.
power.


THE UNSURPASSED
CONTROL CONCEPT
Fully automated control systems are indispensable.
Modern control systems ensure:

• High safety • Optimum conditions for

• Optimized processes operation and maintenance
• Constant, high product • Minimal energy and utility
quality consumption
• High plant availability • Lower pollutant emissions
• High productivity
 31

Tenova LOI offers control systems harmonized system for the optimized • Interim storage of annealing data
including all the hardware and soft- control of a HPH® Bell-type Annealing in memory
ware required from the switchgear Plant. The base control units and the • Detailed monitoring of annealing
assembly to the supervisory control higher level supervisory control system process with approx. 500 different
system. are linked via an Ethernet network. status indications
Bell-type Annealing Plants have been • Alarm system with detailed structure
SWITCHGEAR ASSEMBLIES implemented with a number of different (about 400 different alarms)
Tenova LOI designs and supplies control systems, including the
switchgear assemblies to international following: In addition to the control systems
standards as key components of • Siemens S7 Family mentioned above, Tenova LOI also
turn-key instrumentation and control • Allan Bradley series 5/SLC supplies the ATS 700 individual base
systems. The assemblies are planned • General Electric series 90 control unit.
and designed using advanced CAD • Yokogawa Centrum XL
workstations with EPLAN, AutoCAD, • ATS 500/700 COMPACT CONTROL UNIT
etc. The equipment available includes ATS 19“ MODULE
• Conventional, freely wired FEATURES OF ALL HPH® Apart from standard control
switchgear assemblies BASE CONTROL UNITS units, Tenova LOI also offers
• MCC systems based on modules • Autonomous control unit with customer-specific control units as
or withdrawable units connected emergency operation 19“ modules for the modernization
• Special designs in accordance panel of existing plants.
with customers’ requirements • Menu-based operation screens for
all commands and setpoints These customer-specific variants
CONTROL SYSTEMS • Comprehensive library for storage are based on Step 7-compatible
Control systems for HPH® Bell-type of all annealing programs required control units and are configured
Annealing Plants usually consist of on the control unit and programmed to replace the
two levels: • Control of entire process, including existing control units (MCS,
• One control unit per base all safety functions ATS 300, ATS 500, ATS 700, …)
(individual base control) • Multi-stage program generator for without any rewiring of input or
• One overall supervisory control temperature and gas flow rate control output signals.
system for all the bases • Output of all process data and
indication of required and actual More than 2,200 control modules
The individual base control units data (temperatures, flow rates and of this type are now in service
and the ProView®.NET supervisory times) on the display throughout the world.
control system together form a
32

ProView®.NET – THE USER-FRIENDLY SUPERVISORY CONTROL SYSTEM

The high-performance ProView®.NET

supervisory control system controls the
entire process in Bell-type Annealing 1 ProP
Level ce

s
rint

ol
Plants with several bases, including plants enan

To
Maint

y
al

r
completed in several stages. Various

lia
tic
tis ta

xi

H
Au
a

M
additional modules are available to optimize St Da

I
the throughput of each individual base or

Sche ance
the whole plant. The new ProView®.NET
duler

Provid
Data
ten
control system for Bell-type Annealing
Main

Plants is a further development of the ProView

er
tried and tested ProView system using Database Flow Track
the latest programming languages and
Lev

Stic
ker
el 3

operating systems. The latest version of Mo

d
ProView®.NET is based on Microsoft‘s
R
.NET-Framework, making programming Co Ac emo
m ce te
largely independent of the software used. m ss T
un OP
ic
GS Pro
at Mes M-
sage
Current operating system: io

n
s

Ru
n

op
Sh
MICROSOFT Windows
with .NET-Framework 4 od
atM n
He tio
iza
MICROSOFT Windows Server StackS
et ptim
O

FUNCTIONS AND OPERATION • Process visualization for individual • Flexible, adjustable presentation
• Graphic overview of plant status bases, showing mechanical details, of diagrams for individual
with colour coding to indicate media present and flowing, status process stages
the current status of each of motors and valves • Curve overlay function for the
individual base • Rapid curve recording for analysis comparison of annealing cycles
• Presentation in variable windows purposes, covering an adjustable • Possibility of direct input of
to allow viewing of annealing number of annealing cycles per annealing program setpoints
curves for different bases at the base; this function is dependent or transfer from an internal
same time on the control system used ProView®.NET program library
• Zoomable presentation of graphics • Graphic module for curve or from a higher-level production
windows (e.g. curves, base presentation and visualization computer
overviews, P+I diagrams) of all relevant process values • Setpoint record library with
• Presentation and storage of with zoom function for curves editing function
process-relevant data (coil data, (temperatures, flows, fan speed, • Long-term archiving of annealing
detailed presentation of selected pressures, oxygen concentrations data using internal ProArchive
annealing and gas purging and vibration values) software
programs) • Flexible backup configurations for
annealing data
 33

• Annealing log printouts (on paper • Extended user administration • Service support for system
and as pdf files) and hard copy with flexible assignment of maintenance by customers’
function for all screenshots access rights personnel with remote
• Alarm processing with error classes maintenance access from the
• Communication with base control EFFECTIVENESS Tenova LOI service centre
units via Ethernet (TCP/IP) • Management of vacant or • Connection to control computer
• Integration of customer software occupied heating and cooling for automated data interchange
possible hoods and bases • As software is developed in-house,
• Production monitoring customer-specific modifications
SAFETY to the system can be carried out
• Siemens failsafe technology OPTIONS at any time
• Safety-First safety package • Statistical process control for
with comprehensive check coil data, temperatures, gas
lists and plausibility checks consumptions, performance
• Presentation of current data, etc.
malfunctions and archiving in • Statistical evaluations in
logbook accordance with customers’
• Rational database for process requirements
data archiving (e.g. Oracle)

� Control system configuration for a

Bell-type Annealing Plant

CONTROL PHILOSOPHY PROVIEW®.NET

Base Control with S7-1500 incl. Remote I/O and ProView®.NET
34

Software Modules for Production and

Capacity Optimization

ProOpt® – optimized ProOpt® consists of the following • If applicable, heating time

operations management modules: estimates, coil positions and
ProOpt® automatically plans the cooling under heating hood
deployment of equipment and • StackSet: optimized stack • Compliance with delivery
material to be annealed in such assembly specifications
a way as to maximize the output • HeatMod: heating and cooling • Compliance with production
of the annealing shop. The model priorities
equipment covered by the • ShopRun: equipment and
program includes bases, inner material scheduling Using StackSet, a number of
covers, convector plates, heating customers have been able to achieve
and cooling hoods, final cooling The software modules may be significant performance improvements
stations, cranes, hoists and trucks. used either independently or as at their Bell-type Annealing Plants.
The material includes the individual combinations of several modules.
coils in stock or arriving at the HeatMod
annealing shop during the planning StackSet HeatMod is a thermodynamic model
period considered. The StackSet module assembles for calculating heating and cooling
optimized stacks for the annealing processes for coil stacks in a Bell-
On the basis of the data available, process on the basis of coil data type Annealing Furnace. The program
ProOpt® prepares an operating such as material grades, weights, allows highly precise predictions
program with full information on the dimensions, load limits and surfaces. with an accuracy of ± 3 K. Compared
sequence of operations. to conventional annealing time
The main criteria for optimized determination using tables or
The maximum possible production stacks are: empirical formulae, HeatMod allows
output is determined on the basis of • Maximum stack heights and significant time and energy savings
this program, the current plant status charge weights or performance improvements at the
and the material in stock.

THE OPTIMIZATION MODULES DEVELOPED BY TENOVA LOI

ProOpt®
StackSet, HeatMod, ShopRun
Heating hood
FlowTrac
StickerMod Inner cover
ensure easier, more effective planning
and operation and higher plant efficiency.
These modules are unparalleled in their Flue gas
functions and their range of parameters.
E.g. the HeatMod optimization tool is based
on a mathematical model and allows the H2
calculation by differential method of as many
temperature graphs as may be required.
Burner

HeatMod – mathematical model 

for calculating coil temperatures
by differential method
 35

same time as maintaining or even ShopRun maximum stress which can be

improving product quality. The soaking ShopRun plans the deployment allowed if stickers are to be avoided.
time may be calculated either on of equipment and material to be If the calculated stress exceeds the
the basis of the core temperature annealed. This model represents critical values, the annealing conditions
or equivalent time or the core the link between StackSet, HeatMod concerned are automatically adapted.
temperature plot during cooling and the other control components.
under the heating hood. An additional Mobile solutions
coil position option offers further Using a special algorithm, ShopRun A wide range of mobile solutions
optimization possibilities. Another calculates the combination of plant are available for process supervision,
advantage is the possibility of components and materials which will process control and maintenance
developing new annealing processes ensure the most efficient operation purposes.
without complex tests requiring of the plant. This combination is The visualization can be adapted to
thermocouples. shown in the form of a table and a various commercially or industrial
graphic display. available mobile devices.
The HeatMod program has two Depending on the configuration,
modes of operation: FlowTrac – automatic process information such as current
material tracking temperatures, volumeflows and
• Off-line: for calculating the FlowTrac automatically tracks all setpoints as well as annealing status
probable annealing time and movements of equipment and and fault-messages can be observed,
annealing temperature for materials. acknowledged and/or changed via
coil stacks wireless network. Furthermore, by
• On-line: for monitoring temperature StickerMod – the mathematical utilizing the sophisticated maintenance
set points and initiating alarms if model for reducing stickers package the personnel at site is
the temperature is outside a set StickerMod is a mathematical model empowered to retrieve additional
tolerance band based on HeatMod which calculates information and troubleshooting
mechanical stress inside a coil on guidelines for specific instruments by
the basis of a wide range of factors scanning QR-codes directly attached
and compares them with the to the equipment or menu-driven by
touchscreen.
36

Multi-Stack Bell-type Annealing Furnaces for the

High-temperature Annealing of Grain-oriented
Electrical Sheet (MBAF)
In the production of grain-oriented established solution for the annealing • As a result of the high annealing
electrical strip, the material is of grain-oriented electrical steel sheet. temperatures (1,170 to 1,220 °C),
annealed at about 1,200 °C Most of the new plants constructed heat transfer is mainly by radiation
following decarburizing and coating for these applications over the past and annealing bases are not
to obtain defined grain growth and 20 years have therefore been Multi- equipped with recirculation fans.
a specified surface layer on the stack Bell-type Annealing Furnaces • Sand trough seals between the
electrical strip. (MBAF). Tenova LOI has been the inner cover and the annealing base
world’s leading supplier of this type are preferred.
In contrast to their widespread use of plant for more than 50 years. • During the annealing cycle, the
for carbon steel and stainless steel, Several hundred bases are in atmosphere gas composition is
single-stack bell-type annealing operation throughout the world. changed several times for process
furnaces have not become an engineering reasons.
As with HPH® plants, a 100 % • During the annealing process,
hydrogen atmosphere is used. the heating chamber under the
The process and safety technology multi-stack heating hood is filled
of HPH® plants is therefore also with the same protective atmosphere
applied to MBAF plants. as the inner cover.
• Throughout the world, it has become
The charge is cooled by a cooling normal practice to install electrically
system integrated in the heating heated MBAF plants. Multi-stack
hood; depending on the individual plants for two-layer operation have
process, a separate cooling hood already been constructed with gas
may also be used in the lower firing systems: in this case, special
temperature range. safety systems are required.

 Normally, three or four individual charge stations are installed in a row under the heating hood.
� Smaller coils (≤ 12 t) are often charged in two layers. In other words, two coils may be stacked
on each other on self-supporting plates. Two-layer charging is usually not used for larger coils
(> 12 t), which are therefore charged in one layer on a charge plate manufactured from a high-
temperature resistant alloy or positioned directly on sand on the base.
 37

Other Types of HPH® Plants for Wire

and Non-ferrous Metals

Tenova LOI Thermprocess Bell-type Bell-type Annealing Plants Bell-type Annealing Plants for
Annealing Plants for wire and non- for wire non-ferrous metals
ferrous metals are equipped with • Tenova LOI market share over the • First reference from 1949
HPH® (High Performance Hydrogen) past 10 years: 50 % • Both single-stack and multi-stack
technology. They can be operated • Both multi-stack and single-stack plants available for wire and sheet
either with a controlled atmosphere plants available • High-performance atmosphere gas
of nitrogen, HNx or pure hydrogen. • Multi-stack plants with recirculation system
recirculation up to material • Hydrogen, nitrogen or other
The high heat transfer rate possible temperature of 900 °C atmosphere gases possible
with hydrogen also contributes • High-performance atmosphere • Advanced vacuum technology
to excellent annealing results with gas recirculation system for evacuation
minimal annealing times. • Hydrogen or nitrogen atmosphere • Very high process quality;
• Sturdy cast diffusor system dew points below -60 °C
Annealed wire of the highest • Dew points below -60 °C • Sophisticated plant design and
quality can only be produced with • Annealing without decarburization process technology for high plant
an extremely clean, controlled • Useful diameter up to 4,600 mm productivity and material quality
atmosphere. At Tenova LOI • Stack height up to 5,400 mm • Useful diameter 800 to 2,400 mm
Thermprocess the base plate of
the annealing base is designed
to provide a fully gas-tight seal
between the annealing space and
the surrounding air. Controlled
atmosphere dew points of -60 °C
and better can be reached.

� HPH® Multi-stack Bell-type Annealing Plant for wire � HPH® Bell-type Annealing Plant plant for bright annealing CuZn coils
SERVICE AND SPARE PARTS

Our dedicated service system makes the full know-how of

Tenova LOI Thermprocess, which has been gathered over
the decades and is still being developed, available to our
customers at all times. The worldwide representation of
Tenova means that our customers have direct access
to our specialists for spare parts and services, as well as
modernization, retrofit and relocation projects, all tailored
to their specific needs.

COMPLETE SYSTEM efficiency. Such peripheral • Water cooling systems

SOLUTIONS INCLUDING components may include: • Hydrogen production systems
AUXILLIARY EQUIPMENT • Hydrogen treatment systems
On request, Tenova LOI Thermprocess • Special tongs for handling coils, • Fuel gas treatment systems
is able to supply precisely tailored covers, hoods and convector (e.g. for coke oven gas)
auxiliary components for optimal plates • Coil tilting systems
operation of the plant and highest • Final cooling stations (equipped • Internal spot welding machines
with air drying systems, if required)
 39

INTERNATIONAL
MANUFACTURING
The international networking of design,
purchasing and manufacturing is
often an effective way of reducing
fabrication and transport costs, shor-
tening delivery times and increasing
the benefit to the customer. Tenova
LOI Thermprocess has decades of
experience in the implementation
of networked projects of this type.
The targeted selection, supervision
and control of production facilities
in other countries are among the
core competences of Tenova LOI
Thermprocess. Our cooperation
arrangements with a number of
fabrication plants in Germany,
Europe, America and Asia allow
� Assembly of an HPH® Bell-Type Annealing plant
flexible, low-cost project manage-
ment combined with high quality
levels for the benefit of our
customers. Our highly qualified identification of spare parts and RETROFIT AND MODERNIZATION
international manufacturing super- simplifies procurement considerably. Our specialized service solutions
vision team ensures compliance allow customers to operate at the
with our high quality standards. MAINTENANCE AND REPAIR highest possible productivity and
Our experts are available for efficiency levels at the same time as
SERVICES maintenance work on process focusing on safety and sustainable
We provide our customers with control systems including development.
tailor-made maintenance programs, mathematical models and on
regular technological updates, systems including mechanical and CONSULTANCY
operation assessment and personnel electrical elements, refractory linings, Our process engineers and our
training. burners, heating/cooling systems, commissioning and control systems
controllers and automation devices. specialists are available to provide
SPARE PARTS advice to customers either on-site
The right spare parts can be supplied MODEM AND TELEPHONE or via remote diagnosis.
within the shortest time (e.g. 24 h). SERVICE
On request, a web-based catalog Control systems and connected
for new and old equipment can plants can also be inspected online
be created, which facilitates the by remote diagnosis.
LOI Thermprocess GmbH Tenova LOI Thermprocess –
Schifferstrasse 80 Moscow
Duisburg Tenova East Europe, LLC
47059 - Germany Ul. Gruzinskij val,
T +49 203 80398-900 dom 10, stroenie 4
F +49 203 80398-901 123557 Moscow
[email protected] Russian Federation
T +7 495 995 95 08
F +7 495 995 95 08-619
[email protected]

Tenova LOI Thermprocess – Tenova LOI Thermprocess –

Poland India
LOI Poland Sp. z o.o. Tenova India Pvt. Ltd.
ul. Zagórska 79 A Wing, 5th Floor
Tarnowskie Góry iThink Techno Campus
42-680 - Poland Pokhran Road No. 2
T +48 32 284 1639 Thane (West)
F +48 32 284 2223 Thane, Maharashtra 400601
[email protected] India
T +91 22 6248 9700
[email protected]

Tenova LOI Thermprocess – Tenova LOI Thermprocess –

Tianjin US
Tenova Technologies Tenova Inc.
(Tianjin) Co., Ltd. Cherrington Corporate Center -
2nd Floor - Tower B, Corporate Center Drive 100
Keyuan Keji Coraopolis
Development Centre No. 8, PA 15108-3185 - United States
Keyuan East Road Tianjin T +1 412 262 2240
Hi-Tech Industry Park F +1 412 262 2055
Tianjin, 300192 - China [email protected]
T +86 22 87 890 588
F +86 22 87 892 018
[email protected]

www.tenova.com www.loi.tenova.com