EP0264510B1 - Process and apparatus for electrolytically treating metal strips - Google Patents

Process and apparatus for electrolytically treating metal strips Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0264510B1
EP0264510B1 EP86402354A EP86402354A EP0264510B1 EP 0264510 B1 EP0264510 B1 EP 0264510B1 EP 86402354 A EP86402354 A EP 86402354A EP 86402354 A EP86402354 A EP 86402354A EP 0264510 B1 EP0264510 B1 EP 0264510B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
strip
roller
electrode
rollers
treatment
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP86402354A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP0264510A1 (en
Inventor
Pierre-Marie Damiron
Jean-Luc Legoupil
Pascal Menage
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Clecim SAS
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Clecim SAS
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Publication date
Application filed by Clecim SAS filed Critical Clecim SAS
Priority to DE8686402354T priority Critical patent/DE3665080D1/en
Priority to AT86402354T priority patent/ATE45598T1/en
Priority to EP86402354A priority patent/EP0264510B1/en
Priority to US06/948,196 priority patent/US4762599A/en
Publication of EP0264510A1 publication Critical patent/EP0264510A1/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0264510B1 publication Critical patent/EP0264510B1/en
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C25—ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PROCESSES; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D—PROCESSES FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC OR ELECTROPHORETIC PRODUCTION OF COATINGS; ELECTROFORMING; APPARATUS THEREFOR
    • C25D7/00—Electroplating characterised by the article coated
    • C25D7/06—Wires; Strips; Foils
    • C25D7/0614—Strips or foils

Definitions

  • the subject of the invention is a process for the electrolytic surface treatment of a metal strip moving at high speed, having the effect of peeling off or dissolving a film from the surface of the strip, for example for degreasing, pickling or decrypting. and also covers the treatment installations for implementing the method.
  • the air gap between the strip and the electrode, crossed by the electric current must be as small as possible, but in the event of a traction or flatness defect of the strip, the latter may come into rubbing contact with the surface of the electrode opposite, which may cause deterioration of the strip and / or of the electrodes.
  • the latter consists of a roller placed in contact with the strip.
  • the roller is formed on its periphery by a conductive wall. this covered with a discontinuous insulating coating having a constant thickness and in which recesses are provided so that the wall of the roller is formed over its entire surface of projecting support parts of constant height, separated from each other by spaces revealing the conductive wall of the roller; the electrolytic liquid is injected into the spaces thus formed to produce electrolysis between the strip and the conductive wall of the roller which are brought to different potentials.
  • the roller electrode is always placed outside the electrolytic bath.
  • the liquid is brought directly from the bath to the roller-electrode by the previously immersed strip or else by a transport roller bathing in the bath and placed in contact with the roller-electrode.
  • the strip passes over rollers offset in height and defining a zig-zag path, the liquid being injected into the dihedral-shaped spaces formed between the upstream strand of the strip and each roller.
  • the running speed is relatively limited because, from a certain speed, there can be a lateral floating of the strip due to the so-called aquaplanning effect which makes it difficult to guide the strip and disturbs the transverse homogeneity of the treatment.
  • the object of the invention is to remedy such drawbacks.
  • the installation for processing metal strips according to the invention is therefore of the type comprising an electrolytic liquid bath and means for controlling the running of the strip on at least one roller-electrode mounted rotatably about an axis perpendicular to the running direction and limited by a conductive side wall partially covered with an insulating coating consisting of projecting support parts of constant height separated by recesses the bottom of which is constituted by the conductive wall and capable of being filled with electrolytic liquid coming from the bath and introduced between the strip and the roller and means for controlling the passage of an electric current between the strip and the conductive wall of the roller.
  • the installation comprises, for the treatment of the same face of the strip, at least two electrode rollers entirely submerged inside the bath of electrolytic liquid and the insulating coating of which consists of a series spaced support rings, centered in planes perpendicular to the axis of the roller and between which are annular treatment spaces, the bottom of which is formed by the conductive wall, said rings being axially offset from one roller to the other. 'other so that, in the direction of travel of the strip, the areas treated between the support rings of a roller correspond to the support areas on the rings of a next roller and vice versa.
  • the treatment is therefore carried out inside the bath itself and it follows that it is easy, if desired, to treat the two faces of the strip in the same operation and that 'In addition, a large flow of liquid circulates in the annular treatment spaces, which is particularly advantageous in the case of a pickling treatment, to quickly remove the loose particles.
  • At least part of the gas produced by the electrolysis is entrained and maintained in the current of liquid circulating between the strip and the roller and there are different means of adjustment. , as a function of the running speed of the proportion of entrained gas, so as to make the liquid compressible enough to prevent the strip from coming off at this speed. In this way, the effect of aquaplanning normally occurring at fast
  • At least one of the rollers defining the running circuit can therefore be a simple submerged or not submerged deflection roller if the number and the locations of the submerged electrode rollers are determined so as to prevent the strip from floating.
  • the treatment of each face of the strip is carried out by spaced parallel ribbons passing alternately over the annular spaces of a roll and then of the other.
  • the offset of the rings can indeed be adjusted so that the ribbons formed on two successive rollers are contiguous, which allows the treatment of a complete face by passing over two rollers.
  • the treatment is carried out homogeneously in the transverse direction. It is also not necessary to enslave the rollers in angular position relative to each other nor to multiply their number to obtain a homogeneous treatment in the longitudinal direction and the longitudinal sliding which can occur in particular during acceleration and braking phases also do not risk affecting the homogeneity of the treatment.
  • the installation comprises an even number of rollers, at least one side of the strip passing over two neighboring rollers.
  • rollers can define, for example, an inverted T scrolling circuit delimited by two pairs of spaced apart electrode rollers placed at two different levels, each face of the strip being treated by a pair of electrode rollers.
  • the installation comprises an odd number of submerged electrode rollers defining a zig-zag scrolling circuit, the strip being applied alternately on one side and then on the other.
  • two neighboring electrode rollers are connected respectively to two terminals of an electrical supply circuit placed at different potentials, so that the electric current is transmitted by the strip itself between said neighboring rollers.
  • the electrical supply circuit may also be useful for the electrical supply circuit to include an inverter capable of periodically changing the polarity of the rollers.
  • each submerged electrode roll is covered, on the part of its periphery not covered by the strip, by a cover in the form of a circular sector parallel to the external wall of the roll and kept spaced therefrom. 'a short distance.
  • each roller is associated with an auxiliary electrode placed upstream of the roller in the direction of travel of the strip spaced therefrom and / or the roller by a sufficient distance to avoid the risks of friction but for producing however the release of a certain quantity of gas entrained with the liquid between the strip and the roller so as to regulate the compressibility of the liquid in this space.
  • This auxiliary electrode can be constituted by a planar electrode arranged parallel to the strip at a short distance from the latter, in the approximation zone, and placed at the same polarity as the roller.
  • This electrode can be associated with the cover described above so as to combine their effects.
  • the cover can itself constitute an auxiliary electrode, it is then made of a conductive metal, at least on its face facing the roller, and connected to the electrical circuit so as to be to a polarity opposite to that of the roller with which it is associated.
  • the cover is mounted to slide radially and associated with means for adjusting its distance from the roller.
  • the installation according to the invention makes it possible to carry out degreasing, pickling or electroplating and, in general, any treatment for removing a film on a or two sides of the strip, at very high running speeds of up to 1500 m / min.
  • a first embodiment of the installation which comprises a bath of electrolytic liquid 1 contained in a tank 10 and in which a metal strip 2 runs at high speed.
  • the external circuit comprising, for example, a coil from which the strip is unwound and rewinding means placed downstream of the tank, is not shown in the drawings.
  • the strip running circuit 2 in the bath 1 is limited, outside, by deflection rollers 3 and inside the bath, according to one of the essential characteristics of the invention, by rollers - electrodes 4.
  • the electrode rollers 4 and, where appropriate, other parts of the installation are connected to an electrical supply circuit 6 so that, on each roller, there is a determined potential difference between the face of the strip 2 wound on the roll and the external face 47 of the roll placed opposite.
  • the strip passes at the entry and the exit of the installation on conductive rollers connected to the ground, not shown, in the drawing.
  • the method of electrical connection depends on the arrangement of the electrode rollers and the path of the strip as well as on the treatment process which it is desired to carry out. This is why, in FIG. 1, the electrical circuit 6 has only been shown diagrammatically, FIGS. 6 to 9 indicating, by way of example, particularly advantageous connection methods.
  • the running circuit has an inverted T shape delimited by two pairs of roller-electrodes (41, 44) and (42, 43) immersed in the bath at two different levels.
  • the rollers 41 and 44 placed at the upper level are brought closer to each other while the rollers 42 and 43 placed at the lower level are moved apart.
  • the inverted T arrangement is moreover not the only one that could be adopted and an inverted U circuit could, for example, also be produced by passing the strip over rollers placed at different levels.
  • the submerged rollers are mounted on shafts which cross the side walls of the tank, maintaining the seal, bearings and power supply brushes that can be placed outside the tank. If necessary, the rollers can be driven at a speed synchronized with the running speed of the strip.
  • Figs. 2 and 3 show a roll electrode respectively in axial section and in cross section.
  • Each roller electrode is constituted by a cylindrical wall 45 carried at its ends by two axes 46 housed in bearings not shown and defining an axis of rotation 40.
  • the cylindrical wall 45 is made entirely or else covered by a conductive metal and can be conventionally connected, by brushes, to an electrical circuit 6 so that its external cylindrical face 47 can be brought to a certain electrical potential.
  • the roller is covered on its periphery with a series of rings 5 centered in planes perpendicular to the axis 40 and spaced from one another so as to form between them circular spaces 51, the bottom of which is formed by the outer face 47 of the roller.
  • the strip 2 is wound on an angular sector of the periphery of the roller by applying to the top of the rings 5, the latter having the same height so as to maintain between the strip 2 and the conductive face 47 of the roller an air gap constant of width e comprised, for example, between 3 and 30 mm.
  • each roller electrode 4 the treatment is carried out only on spaced apart ribbons corresponding to the spaces between the rings, the parts bearing on the rings not being treated.
  • each side will therefore be passed over at least two rollers, the rings 5 of which will be offset axially from one to the other so that the ribbons treated on the first roll are pressing on the rings of the second roller and vice versa.
  • the particles thus detached are immediately discharged into the bath thanks to the circulation of the electrolytic liquid which, according to an essential characteristic of the invention, is established in the spaces 51 between the rings 5.
  • the electrolytic liquid is easily entrained, according to arrow 11, by the running of the strip 2 and the rotation of the roller, in the zone 12 for bringing the strip together form a dihedral limited on one side by the strand upstream of the strip and on the other by the circular wall of the roller, then it circulates in the spaces 51 between the rings to be ejected tangentially, according to the arrows 13, in the zone 14 away from the strip.
  • the electrolytic liquid which, according to an essential characteristic of the invention, is established in the spaces 51 between the rings 5.
  • the electrolytic liquid 1 is entrained in a space whose width gradually decreases to the height e of the rings 5. Contrary to what one might have expected , according to another essential characteristic of the invention, this tightening of the passage space of the electrolytic liquid does not cause the strip to become detached under the effect of the resulting increase in pressure.
  • This proportion of bubbles 15 makes the liquid 1 compressible which, in this way, can be discharged laterally, according to the arrows A in FIG. 4, towards the spaces 51, when the face 20 of the strip approaches the external face 50 of the rings; if the proportion of bubbles contained in the fluid makes it possible to make the latter fairly compressible, it can be achieved that there is no longer, between the strip 2 and the rings 5, any residual film capable of causing the phenomenon of " 'aquaplanning', which makes it possible to carry out the treatment at very high speed without fear of the drawbacks mentioned above.
  • the quantity of gas entrained in the liquid can be adjusted by various means making it possible to regulate the proportion of bubbles in the liquid by keeping the running speed and / or the intensity of the electrolysis current constant.
  • a first regularization means is constituted by a cover 7 in the form of a circular sector centered on the axis 40 of the roller, surrounding the latter on the sector not covered by the metal strip 2 and spaced from the external face 50 of the insulating rings of a distance (e ') that can be adjusted.
  • the cover 7 is slidably mounted in a radial direction on a support 71 comprising a means 72 such as a mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, making it possible to adjust the distance of the cover 7 relative to the axis 40 and by consequently the width (e ') between the internal face of the cover and the external face 50 of the rings 5.
  • a means 72 such as a mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder
  • the relatively heavy particles detached from the strip are tangentially evacuated according to the arrows 13 but the gas bubbles, light and uniformly distributed in the electrolyte, are derived partly by the cover 7 according to the arrows 15 and are recycled in the zone 12 for bringing the strip 2 closer together. It is thus possible, by adjusting the position of the cover 7, to control the recycling of the bubbles in the upstream zone 12 and, depending of the quantity of gas produced by electrolysis, achieve a balance in the proportion of gas so as to give the fluid contained in the spaces 51 the desired degree of compressibility.
  • Another arrangement according to the invention also makes it possible to increase the proportion of bubbles produced.
  • flat electrodes 8 in the form of a rule extending over at least part of the width of the strip are placed in the zone 12 of approximation, preferably along the edge 73 of the cover 7 facing the upstream strand. in the direction of travel and are connected to the electrical circuit 6 so as to be at a potential different from that of the strip.
  • the electrodes 8, shown on the left side of FIG. 1, are spaced from the strip by a distance large enough to avoid the risk of friction contact, for example in the event of a traction or flatness defect.
  • This distance may not be reduced enough to achieve a pickling effect but nevertheless allows the formation on the strip and on the electrodes 8 of a certain quantity of bubbles which are entrained by the liquid towards the roller-electrode and therefore come add to the bubbles formed on the side opposite the pickling roller.
  • At least the face of the cover 7 facing the roller must be made of conductive metal and be connected to the electrical circuit 6 so as to be at a potential different from that of the roll electrode with which the cover is associated.
  • An electrolysis effect then occurs between the cover 7 and the roller-electrode, with the formation of bubbles which are entrained by the roller and, as before, are added to the bubbles formed by the electrolysis between the strip and the roller. .
  • the electrolytic currents can be emitted or picked up only from the electrode rollers, apart from the earth rollers placed upstream and downstream of the electrolytic treatment section. .
  • the nature and the quantity of gas formed by electrolysis depend, on each electro-roller, on the relative polarities of the strip, of the roller and of the auxiliary electrodes and, according to another characteristic of the invention, it is advantageous to provide on the supply circuit 6 one or more inverters making it possible to periodically reverse the direction of the electrolysis current between each roller and the opposite face of the strip.
  • the electrode rollers are associated by pairs of neighboring rollers, 41 and 42 on one side, 43 and 44 on the other, the two rollers of each pair being connected to the two opposite terminals 61, 62, 61 ', 62' d 'a generator, respectively 60, 60', via an inverter 64, 64 '.
  • one roller operates as an anode and the other as a cathode, the face of the strip in contact with the roller being of opposite polarity.
  • the electric current passes from the conductive face 47 of the electrode roller 41 to the part of the strip 2 wound on the roller, passing through the electrolytic liquid, then flows in the short strand 21 of the strip between the rollers 41 and 42 and again crosses the space filled with electrolyte comprised between the part wound on the roll 42 of the strip 2 which then operates as an anode, and the conductive face of the roll 42 connected to the terminal 61 which works as a cathode.
  • the intensity of the electrolysis current can be adjusted by acting on a variable resistor 63 or else directly on the voltage delivered by the generator 60.
  • rollers 43 and 44 are connected in the same way to the generator 60 '.
  • one side of the strip is treated by the rollers 41 and 44 and the other side by the rollers 42 and 43 and the rollers treating the same side operate either as an anode or as a cathode so that the assembly of each face is subjected to the same gas evolution. If it is desired that the two faces of the strip be subjected to the same treatment, it is possible to connect the rollers treating the same face on opposite polarities and / or to periodically reverse the direction of the current using inverters 64, 64 ′, of the as shown below.
  • Each roller electrode is associated with a conductive cover and, according to another advantageous characteristic, the covers 7 can be supplied with a voltage which can be adjusted independently of those which are applied to the rollers.
  • the covers 71 and 72 associated with the rollers 41, 42 are connected to the two terminals of a generator 65, the current passing from one to the other by the strand 21. It is the same on the other side of the installation.
  • the intensity of the current can be adjusted by a variable resistor 66 or by acting on the voltage delivered by the generator 65.
  • the intensities of the electrolysis currents can be adjusted independently, making it possible, respectively, to carry out the pickling process and to control the strip release effect by adjusting the quantity of bubbles contained in the circulating liquid, which can also be adjusted by adjusting the position of the cover. It can therefore be seen that there are a large number of means of action, the effects of which can be combined so that, without changing the efficiency of the pickling process, it is possible to adjust, on each roller, the quantity of gas in circulation to control the effect of "aquaplanning".
  • the supply circuits of the conductive hoods are also provided with reversers, the operation of which can be synchronized with that of the main supply circuit of the electrode rollers.
  • each roller is associated with a planar electrode 8 for producing an additional quantity of gas placed itself on the edge of a cover for adjusting the flow rate of reinjected gas.
  • Fig. 7 further shows another type of connection using several generators whose terminals are connected to rollers forming part of different pairs. Also advantageously, the auxiliary electrodes can be simply connected together to integrate them into the circulation of the electric current, a variable resistance making it possible to adjust the current passing through the covers for controlling the effect of "aqua-planning". .
  • the supply circuit comprises two generators each connected to a set of three rollers and the auxiliary electrodes constituted, for example, for each roller, by a conductive cover are simply connected to each other by a common circuit comprising for each auxiliary electrode, a variable intensity adjustment resistance.
  • Fig. 9 there is shown an installation having a greater number of rollers with another connection mode, each auxiliary electrode 8 being connected to the supply circuit of the associated roller by means of a variable resistor making it possible to adjust the quantity of gas added, without modifying the value of the electrolysis current operating the treatment.
  • the last roller 49 in the series is not an electrode roller but a simple deflection roller.
  • the electrode rollers are connected by pairs of neighboring rollers, respectively 41 and 42, 43 and 44, etc ... to separate generators 60, 60 ', etc ... whose polarities are reversed from one pair to the next so that two neighboring rollers connected to different generators, such as 42 and 43, 44 and 45, etc. are at the same polarity.
  • each that generator such as 60, 60 ', etc. is connected to the corresponding roller electrodes via an inverter.
  • each roll-electrode with circular rings treating one half-face at a time, by spaced ribbons it is possible, by periodically reversing the direction of the current, to release on each half-face oxygen or l hydrogen in a proportion corresponding to the time during which the face of the strip is, respectively, anode or cathode.
  • This arrangement will also generate pulsed currents in the band so as to better carry out the cleaning operation.
  • the frequency of reversal of the direction of the current will therefore depend on the proportions of gas which it is desired to produce and will be controlled by the speed of travel of the strip. This frequency will be much higher than that conventionally used to avoid fouling of the electrodes.
  • a duration (t A) of anode roller operating time is followed by a duration (t c ) cathode operation of this same roller, the sum of these two times being exactly equal to the time (t) of stay of the strip on the electrode roll which, by definition, is equal to the quotient of the length (L) of strip wound around the electrode roll, by the speed (V) of travel of the strip.
  • This sequence composed of an anode operating time (t A) and a cathode operating time (t c) of the electrode roller is repeated so as to constitute a continuous and alternating sequence.
  • the operating times (t A) and (t c ) are equal, R being equal to 1. This gives the same value of the ratio of the volumes of hydrogen to each roller electrode. and oxygen released on the strip, which allows for example in the case of FIG. 6, to carry out a homogeneous and identical treatment for the two faces of the strip.
  • the time t A of operation in anode is equal to the residence time of the strip on each roller-electrode, that is to say LN and the time t c of operation in cathode is equal to transfer time of the strip between two given electrode rolls, that is to say at the quotient L'N of the length L ′ of strip separating these two electrode rolls, by the speed V of travel of the strip.
  • This arrangement will also make it possible to carry out a homogeneous and identical treatment of the two faces of the strip.
  • the direction and intensity of the currents at each roller electrode will be determined according to the conditions imposed by the treatment process chosen and will obviously have to be compatible from one roller to another, so that the flow of current is electrically possible, the density of the electrolytic current can be between 1000 and 20000 A / m 2.
  • all the rollers placed in the bath constitute roller-electrodes making it possible, as we have seen, to prevent the strip from coming off.
  • a simple deflection roller on the scrolling circuit, as in the case of FIG. 10, the strip being sufficiently maintained by the other electrode rollers to avoid any floating.
  • a simple deflection roller such as for example the central roller 43 in the case of FIG. 8, makes it possible to pass the strip over an even number of roller-electrodes and to carry out the treatment under conditions identical to those of a circuit and T, as in the case of FIG. 6.
  • rollers 42, 45 and 47 could be simple deflection rollers, one side of the strip being treated on the rollers 41 and 43, and the other side on the rollers 44 and 46.
  • the invention lends itself to multiple combinations and that by varying the number of rollers and their arrangement, the spacing of the covers, the electrical supply of the auxiliary electrodes or else the time during which each roller operates in anode or cathode, it is possible to control the nature and the flow rate of the gaseous evolution produced on each face of the strip and to adapt the effectiveness of the treatment as a function of the state of each face, according to the needs specific to each installation.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Electroplating Methods And Accessories (AREA)
  • Cleaning And De-Greasing Of Metallic Materials By Chemical Methods (AREA)
  • Electrolytic Production Of Metals (AREA)

Abstract

A plant for electrolytic surface treatment and especially for descaling of a metal strip (2), comprising for the treatment of the same single face of the strip, at least two electrode-rolls (4) which are entirely immersed in a bath of electrolytic liquid and over which the strip passes. The rolls are covered with an insulating coating consisting of a series of spaced bearing rings centered in planes perpendicular to the axis of the roll and between which are provided annular treatment spaces, the bottom of which consists of a conductive wall, and the bearing rings are offset axially from one roll to another so that, in the direction of travel of the strip, the regions treated between the bearing rings of one roll correspond to the bearing regions on the rings of the succeeding roll, and vice versa. The plant can be applied, for example, to the cleaning, pickling or dechroming of a strip travelling at a high speed.

Description

L'invention a pour objet un procédé de traitement de surface électrolytique d'une bande métallique défilant à grande vitesse ayant pour effet de décoller ou de dissoudre une pellicule de la surface de la bande, par exemple pour le dégraissage, le décapage ou le déchromage et couvre également les installations de traitement pour la mise en oeuvre du procédé.The subject of the invention is a process for the electrolytic surface treatment of a metal strip moving at high speed, having the effect of peeling off or dissolving a film from the surface of the strip, for example for degreasing, pickling or decrypting. and also covers the treatment installations for implementing the method.

On connaît bien des installations de traitement électrolytiques de bandes métalliques dans lesquelles on fait défiler la bande à grande vitesse devant une électrode placée à une certaine distance de la bande, un liquide électrolytique remplissant l'espace entre la bande et l'électrode. En plaçant la bande et l'électrode à des potentiels différents, on peut faire passer un courant électrique dans l'espace rempli de liquide électrolytique pour produire un effet d'électrolyse. Dans certaines installations utilisées pour le décapage ou le dégraissage de bandes métalliques, cet effet d'électrolyse produit un dégagement de bulles qui favorise le décollement d'une pellicule superficielle sur la bande.Installations for the electrolytic treatment of metal strips are well known in which the strip is made to pass at high speed in front of an electrode placed at a certain distance from the strip, an electrolytic liquid filling the space between the strip and the electrode. By placing the strip and the electrode at different potentials, an electric current can be passed through the space filled with electrolytic liquid to produce an electrolysis effect. In certain installations used for pickling or degreasing metal strips, this electrolysis effect produces a release of bubbles which promotes the detachment of a surface film on the strip.

Pour que l'électrolyse soit réalisée dans de bonnes conditions, il faut que l'entrefer entre la bande et l'électrode, traversé par le courant électrique, ait une largeur aussi faible que possible mais, en cas de défaut de traction ou de planéité de la bande, celle-ci peut venir en contact frottant avec la surface de l'électrode en vis-à-vis, ce qui peut entraîner une détérioration de la bande et/ou des électrodes.For the electrolysis to be carried out in good conditions, the air gap between the strip and the electrode, crossed by the electric current, must be as small as possible, but in the event of a traction or flatness defect of the strip, the latter may come into rubbing contact with the surface of the electrode opposite, which may cause deterioration of the strip and / or of the electrodes.

Dans certaines installations connues, pour que la bande soit maintenue à une distance constante de l'électrode, cette dernière est constituée par un rouleau placé au contact de la bande. Le rouleau est constitué sur sa périphérie par une paroi conductri- . ce recouverte d'un revêtement isolant discontinu ayant une épaisseur constante et dans lequel sont ménagés des évidements de façon que la paroi du rouleau soit constituée sur toute sa surface de parties d'appui en saillie de hauteur constante, séparées les unes des autres par des espaces laissant apparaître la paroi conductrice du rouleau; on injecte le liquide électrolytique dans les espaces ainsi ménagés pour produire l'électrolyse entre la bande et la paroi conductrice du rouleau qui sont portés à des potentiels différents. Dans ces installations connues, le rouleau-électrode est toujours placé à l'extérieur du bain électrolytique. Dans certains cas, le liquide est amené directement du bain au rouleau-électrode par la bande préalablement immergée ou bien par un rouleau de transport baignant dans le bain et placé au contact du rouleau-électrode. Dans d'autres cas, la bande passe sur des rouleaux décalés en hauteur et définissant un trajet en zig-zag, le liquide étant injecté dans les espaces en forme de 'dièdre ménagés entre le brin amont de la bande et chaque rouleau.In certain known installations, so that the strip is kept at a constant distance from the electrode, the latter consists of a roller placed in contact with the strip. The roller is formed on its periphery by a conductive wall. this covered with a discontinuous insulating coating having a constant thickness and in which recesses are provided so that the wall of the roller is formed over its entire surface of projecting support parts of constant height, separated from each other by spaces revealing the conductive wall of the roller; the electrolytic liquid is injected into the spaces thus formed to produce electrolysis between the strip and the conductive wall of the roller which are brought to different potentials. In these known installations, the roller electrode is always placed outside the electrolytic bath. In certain cases, the liquid is brought directly from the bath to the roller-electrode by the previously immersed strip or else by a transport roller bathing in the bath and placed in contact with the roller-electrode. In other cases, the strip passes over rollers offset in height and defining a zig-zag path, the liquid being injected into the dihedral-shaped spaces formed between the upstream strand of the strip and each roller.

De telles dispositions ne permettent pas d'amener sur le rouleau-électrode ni d'évacuer de celui-ci une quantité de liquide importante, ce qui est particulièrement utile dans le cas d'un traitement de décapage ou de dégraissage.Such arrangements do not make it possible to bring on the electrode roller or to evacuate from it a large quantity of liquid, which is particularly useful in the case of a pickling or degreasing treatment.

En outre, il n'est pas facile, sans complication de l'installation, d'obtenir un effet homogène du traitement dans le sens du défilement, ni d'effectuer le traitement sur les deux faces.In addition, it is not easy, without complication of installation, to obtain a homogeneous effect of the treatment in the direction of travel, or to carry out the treatment on both sides.

Enfin, la vitesse de défilement est relativement limitée car, à partir d'une certaine vitesse, il peut se produire un flottement latéral de la bande dû à l'effet dit d'aquaplanning qui rend difficile le guidage de la bande et perturbe l'homogénéité transversale du traitement.Finally, the running speed is relatively limited because, from a certain speed, there can be a lateral floating of the strip due to the so-called aquaplanning effect which makes it difficult to guide the strip and disturbs the transverse homogeneity of the treatment.

L'invention a pour objet de remédier à de tels inconvénients.The object of the invention is to remedy such drawbacks.

L'installation de traitement de bandes métalliques selon l'invention est donc du type comprenant un bain de liquide électrolytique et des moyens de commande du défilement de la bande sur au moins un rou leau-électrode monté rotatif autour d'un axe perpendiculaire à la direction de défilement et limité par une paroi latérale conductrice recouverte partiellement d'un revêtement isolant constitué de parties d'appui en saillie de hauteur constante séparées par des évidements dont le fond est constitué par la paroi conductrice et susceptible d'être rempli de liquide électrolytique venant du bain et introduit entre la bande et le rouleau et des moyens de commande du passage d'un courant électrique entre la bande et la paroi conductrice du rouleau.The installation for processing metal strips according to the invention is therefore of the type comprising an electrolytic liquid bath and means for controlling the running of the strip on at least one roller-electrode mounted rotatably about an axis perpendicular to the running direction and limited by a conductive side wall partially covered with an insulating coating consisting of projecting support parts of constant height separated by recesses the bottom of which is constituted by the conductive wall and capable of being filled with electrolytic liquid coming from the bath and introduced between the strip and the roller and means for controlling the passage of an electric current between the strip and the conductive wall of the roller.

Conformément à l'invention, l'installation comprend, pour le traitement d'une même face de la bande, au moins deux rouleaux électrodes entièrement immergés à l'intérieur du bain de liquide électrolytique et dont le revêtement isolant est constitué d'une série d'anneaux d'appui espacés, centrés dans des plans perpendiculaires à l'axe du rouleau et entre lesquels sont ménagés des espaces annulaires de traitement dont le fond est constitué par la paroi conductrice, lesdits anneaux étant décalés axialement d'un rouleau à l'autre de telle sorte que, dans le sens de défilement de la bande, les zones traitées entre les anneaux d'appui d'un rouleau correspondent aux zones d'appui sur les anneaux d'un rouleau suivant et inversement.In accordance with the invention, the installation comprises, for the treatment of the same face of the strip, at least two electrode rollers entirely submerged inside the bath of electrolytic liquid and the insulating coating of which consists of a series spaced support rings, centered in planes perpendicular to the axis of the roller and between which are annular treatment spaces, the bottom of which is formed by the conductive wall, said rings being axially offset from one roller to the other. 'other so that, in the direction of travel of the strip, the areas treated between the support rings of a roller correspond to the support areas on the rings of a next roller and vice versa.

Dans l'installation selon l'invention, le traitement est donc réalisé à l'intérieur même du bain et il en résulte qu'il est facile, si on le désire, de traiter les deux faces de la bande dans une même opération et qu'en outre, un débit important de liquide circule dans les espaces annulaires de traitement, ce qui est particulièrement avantageux dans le cas d'un traitement de décapage, pour évacuer rapidement les particules détachées.In the installation according to the invention, the treatment is therefore carried out inside the bath itself and it follows that it is easy, if desired, to treat the two faces of the strip in the same operation and that 'In addition, a large flow of liquid circulates in the annular treatment spaces, which is particularly advantageous in the case of a pickling treatment, to quickly remove the loose particles.

En outre, dans le cas d'une installation de dégraissage, on limite considérablement la formation de mousse grâce à l'immersion des rouleaux de traitement.In addition, in the case of a degreasing installation, the formation of foam is considerably limited by the immersion of the treatment rollers.

De plus, selon une autre caractéristique essentielle de l'invention, au moins une partie du gaz produit par l'électrolyse est entraînée et maintenue dans le courant de liquide circulant entre la bande et le rouleau et l'on dispose de différents moyens de réglage, en fonction de la vitesse de défilement de la proportion de gaz entraîné, de façon à rendre le liquide assez compressible pour éviter le décollement de la bande à cette vitesse. De la sorte, l'effet d'aquaplanning survenant normalement aux vites-In addition, according to another essential characteristic of the invention, at least part of the gas produced by the electrolysis is entrained and maintained in the current of liquid circulating between the strip and the roller and there are different means of adjustment. , as a function of the running speed of the proportion of entrained gas, so as to make the liquid compressible enough to prevent the strip from coming off at this speed. In this way, the effect of aquaplanning normally occurring at fast

ses élevées peut être parfaitement contrôlé et l'on n'a plus à craindre de flottement de la bande, celle-ci restant appliquée sur le rouleau à une distance constante égale à l'épaisseur des anneaux d'appui, même à très grande vitesse, grâce au réglage de la compressibilité du liquide.its elevations can be perfectly controlled and there is no longer any fear of the band floating, the latter remaining applied to the roller at a constant distance equal to the thickness of the support rings, even at very high speed , thanks to the adjustment of the compressibility of the liquid.

L'un au moins des rouleaux définissant le circuit de défilement peut donc être un simple rouleau de déflexion immergé ou non si le nombre et les emplacements des rouleaux-électrodes immergés sont déterminés de façon à éviter le flottement de la bande.At least one of the rollers defining the running circuit can therefore be a simple submerged or not submerged deflection roller if the number and the locations of the submerged electrode rollers are determined so as to prevent the strip from floating.

En outre, selon une autre caractéristique importante de l'invention, le traitement de chaque face de la bande est effectué par rubans parallèles espacés passant alternativement sur les espaces annulaires d'un rouleau puis de l'autre. Le décalage des anneaux peut en effet être réglé de façon que les rubans formés sur deux rouleaux successifs soient jointifs, ce qui permet de réaliser le traitment d'une face complète par passage sur deux rouleaux. En outre, du fait qu'il n'y a pas de flottement de la bande, le traitement est réalisé de façon homogène dans le sens transversal. Il n'est pas non plus nécessaire d'asservir les rouleaux en position angulaire l'un par rapport à l'autre ni de multiplier leur nombre pour obtenir un traitement homogène dans le sens longitudinal et les glissements longitudinaux qui peuvent se produire en particulier lors des phases d'accélération et de freinage ne risquent pas non plus d'affecter l'homogénéité du traitement.In addition, according to another important characteristic of the invention, the treatment of each face of the strip is carried out by spaced parallel ribbons passing alternately over the annular spaces of a roll and then of the other. The offset of the rings can indeed be adjusted so that the ribbons formed on two successive rollers are contiguous, which allows the treatment of a complete face by passing over two rollers. In addition, because there is no floating of the strip, the treatment is carried out homogeneously in the transverse direction. It is also not necessary to enslave the rollers in angular position relative to each other nor to multiply their number to obtain a homogeneous treatment in the longitudinal direction and the longitudinal sliding which can occur in particular during acceleration and braking phases also do not risk affecting the homogeneity of the treatment.

Dans un premier mode de réalisation pour le traitement simultané des deux faces d'une ba nde, l'installation comprend un nombre pair de rouleaux, au moins une face de la bande passant sur deux rouleaux voisins. Ces rouleaux peuvent définir par exemple un circuit de défilement en T renversé délimité par deux paires de rouleaux-électrodes écartés placées à deux niveaux différents, chaque face de la bande étant traitée par une paire de rouleaux-électrodes.In a first embodiment for the simultaneous treatment of the two sides of a strip, the installation comprises an even number of rollers, at least one side of the strip passing over two neighboring rollers. These rollers can define, for example, an inverted T scrolling circuit delimited by two pairs of spaced apart electrode rollers placed at two different levels, each face of the strip being treated by a pair of electrode rollers.

Dans un second mode de réalisation pour le traitement simultané des deux faces d'une bande, l'installation comprend un nombre impair de rouleaux-électrodes immergés définissant un circuit de défilement en zig-zag, la bande étant appliquée alternativement sur une face puis sur l'autre.In a second embodiment for the simultaneous treatment of the two sides of a strip, the installation comprises an odd number of submerged electrode rollers defining a zig-zag scrolling circuit, the strip being applied alternately on one side and then on the other.

De façon avantageuse, deux rouleaux-électrodes voisins sont reliés respectivement à deux bornes d'un circuit d'alimentation électrique placées à des potentiels différents, de telle sorte que le courant électrique soit transmis par la bande elle-même entre lesdits rouleaux voisins.Advantageously, two neighboring electrode rollers are connected respectively to two terminals of an electrical supply circuit placed at different potentials, so that the electric current is transmitted by the strip itself between said neighboring rollers.

Il peut également être utile que le circuit d'alimentation électrique comporte un inverseur susceptible de changer périodiquement la polarité des rouleaux.It may also be useful for the electrical supply circuit to include an inverter capable of periodically changing the polarity of the rollers.

Dans un mode de réalisation particulièrement avantageux, chaque rouleau-électrode immergé est recouvert, sur la partie de sa périphérie non recouverte par la bande, par un capot en forme de secteur circulaire parallèle à paroi externe du rouleau et maintenu écarté de celle-ci d'une faible distance.In a particularly advantageous embodiment, each submerged electrode roll is covered, on the part of its periphery not covered by the strip, by a cover in the form of a circular sector parallel to the external wall of the roll and kept spaced therefrom. 'a short distance.

Selon une autre caractéristique avantageuse, chaque rouleau est associé à une électrode auxiliaire placée en amont du rouleau dans le sens de défilement de la bande écartée de celle-ci et/ou du rouleau d'une distance suffisante pour éviter les risques de frottement mais pour produire cepandant le dégagement d'une certaine quantité de gaz entraînée avec le liquide entre la bande et le rouleau de façon à régler la compressibilité du liquide dans cet espace.According to another advantageous characteristic, each roller is associated with an auxiliary electrode placed upstream of the roller in the direction of travel of the strip spaced therefrom and / or the roller by a sufficient distance to avoid the risks of friction but for producing however the release of a certain quantity of gas entrained with the liquid between the strip and the roller so as to regulate the compressibility of the liquid in this space.

Cette électrode auxiliaire peut être constituée par une électrode plane disposée parallèlement à la bande à faible distance de celle-ci, dans la zone de rapprochement, et placée à la même polarité que le rouleau. Cette électrode peut être associée au capot décrit précédemment de façon à combiner leurs effets.This auxiliary electrode can be constituted by a planar electrode arranged parallel to the strip at a short distance from the latter, in the approximation zone, and placed at the same polarity as the roller. This electrode can be associated with the cover described above so as to combine their effects.

Enfin, dans un autre mode de réalisation avantageux, le capot peut lui-même constituer une électrode auxiliaire, il est alors réalisé en un métal conducteur, au moins sur sa face tournée vers le rouleau, et relié au circuit électrique de façon à se trouver à une polarité opposée à celle du rouleau auquel il est associé.Finally, in another advantageous embodiment, the cover can itself constitute an auxiliary electrode, it is then made of a conductive metal, at least on its face facing the roller, and connected to the electrical circuit so as to be to a polarity opposite to that of the roller with which it is associated.

Selon une caractéristique supplémentaire, le capot est monté coulissant radialement et associé à des moyens de réglage de sa distance par rapport au rouleau.According to an additional characteristic, the cover is mounted to slide radially and associated with means for adjusting its distance from the roller.

Grâce à cet ensemble de caractéristiques utilisables isolément ou en combinaison, l'installation selon l'invention permet de réaliser le dégraissage, le décapage ou le déchromage électrolytique et, d'une façon générale, tout traitement d'enlèvement d'une pellicule sur une ou deux faces de la bande, à des vitesses de défilement très élevées pouvant attein- dre 1500 m/mn.Thanks to this set of characteristics which can be used individually or in combination, the installation according to the invention makes it possible to carry out degreasing, pickling or electroplating and, in general, any treatment for removing a film on a or two sides of the strip, at very high running speeds of up to 1500 m / min.

Mais, l'invention sera mieux comprise par la description suivante de certains modes de réalisation particuliers donnés à titre d'exemple et représentés sur les dessins annexés.

  • - Fig. 1 représente schématiquement une installation dans un premier mode de disposition des rouleaux;
  • - Fig. 2 est une coupe partielle d'un rouleau dans un plan axial;
  • - Fig. 3 est une coupe d'un rouleau par un plan transversal à l'axe;
  • - Fig. 4 et Fig. 5 sont des vues en détail à échelle agrandie en coupe par des plans radiaux selon les lignes IV et V de la Fig. 3;
  • - Fig. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 représentent respectivement différents exemples de dispositions et d'ali menta- tion électrique des rouleaux.
However, the invention will be better understood from the following description of certain particular embodiments given by way of example and shown in the accompanying drawings.
  • - Fig. 1 schematically represents an installation in a first mode of arrangement of the rollers;
  • - Fig. 2 is a partial section of a roller in an axial plane;
  • - Fig. 3 is a section of a roller by a plane transverse to the axis;
  • - Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 are detailed views on an enlarged scale in section through radial planes along lines IV and V of FIG. 3;
  • - Fig. 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 respectively represent different examples of arrangements and electrical supply of the rollers.

Sur la Fig. 1, on a représenté un premier mode de réalisation de l'installation qui comprend un bain de liquide électrolytique 1 contenu da ns une cuve 10 et dans lequel une bande métallique 2 défile à grande vitesse. Le circuit extérieur comprenant, par exemple, une bobine à partir de laquelle la bande se déroule et des moyens de réenroulement placés en aval de la cuve, n'est pas représenté sur les dessins.In Fig. 1, there is shown a first embodiment of the installation which comprises a bath of electrolytic liquid 1 contained in a tank 10 and in which a metal strip 2 runs at high speed. The external circuit comprising, for example, a coil from which the strip is unwound and rewinding means placed downstream of the tank, is not shown in the drawings.

Le circuit de défilement de la bande 2 dans le bain 1 est limité, à l'extérieur, par des rouleaux de déflexion 3 et à l'intérieur du bain, selon l'une des caractéristiques essentielles de l'invention, par des rouleaux-électrodes 4.The strip running circuit 2 in the bath 1 is limited, outside, by deflection rollers 3 and inside the bath, according to one of the essential characteristics of the invention, by rollers - electrodes 4.

Les rouleaux-électrodes 4 et, le cas échéant, d'autres parties de l'installation sont reliés à un circuit d'alimentation électrique 6 de telle sorte que, sur chaque rouleau, il existe une différence de potentiel déterminée entre la face de la bande 2 enroulée sur le rouleau et la face externe 47 du rouleau placé en vis-à-vis.The electrode rollers 4 and, where appropriate, other parts of the installation are connected to an electrical supply circuit 6 so that, on each roller, there is a determined potential difference between the face of the strip 2 wound on the roll and the external face 47 of the roll placed opposite.

Pour des raisons de sécurité évidentes, la bande passe à l'entrée et à la sortie de l'installation sur des rouleaux conducteurs reliés à la terre, non représentés, sur le dessin.For obvious safety reasons, the strip passes at the entry and the exit of the installation on conductive rollers connected to the ground, not shown, in the drawing.

D'une façon générale, le mode de branchement électrique dépend de la disposition des rouleaux-électrodes et du parcours de la bande ainsi que du processus de traitement que l'on désire effectuer. C'est pourquoi, sur la Fig. 1, le circuit électrique 6 n'a été représenté que schématiquement, les Fig. 6 à 9 indiquant, à titre d'exemple, des modes de branchement particulièrement avantageux.In general, the method of electrical connection depends on the arrangement of the electrode rollers and the path of the strip as well as on the treatment process which it is desired to carry out. This is why, in FIG. 1, the electrical circuit 6 has only been shown diagrammatically, FIGS. 6 to 9 indicating, by way of example, particularly advantageous connection methods.

Dans le mode de réalisation de la Fig. 1, le circuit de défilement a une forme en T renversé délimitée par deux paires de rouleaux-électrodes (41, 44) et (42, 43) immergés dans le bain à deux niveaux différents. Les rouleaux 41 et 44 placés au niveau supérieur sont rapprochés l'un de l'autre alors que les rouleaux 42 et 43 placés au niveau inférieur sont écartés.In the embodiment of FIG. 1, the running circuit has an inverted T shape delimited by two pairs of roller-electrodes (41, 44) and (42, 43) immersed in the bath at two different levels. The rollers 41 and 44 placed at the upper level are brought closer to each other while the rollers 42 and 43 placed at the lower level are moved apart.

La disposition en T renversé n'est d'ailleurs pas la seule que l'on pourrait adopter et un circuit en U renversé pourrait, par exemple être aussi réalisé en faisant passer la bande sur des rouleaux placés à des niveaux différents.The inverted T arrangement is moreover not the only one that could be adopted and an inverted U circuit could, for example, also be produced by passing the strip over rollers placed at different levels.

Les rouleaux immergés sont montés sur des arbres qui traversent les parois latérales du bac avec maintien de l'étanchéité, des paliers et des balais d'alimentation électrique pouvant être placés à l'extérieur du bac. En cas de besoin, les rouleaux peuvent être entraînés à une vitesse synchronisée à la vitesse de défilement de la bande.The submerged rollers are mounted on shafts which cross the side walls of the tank, maintaining the seal, bearings and power supply brushes that can be placed outside the tank. If necessary, the rollers can be driven at a speed synchronized with the running speed of the strip.

Les Fig. 2 et 3 montrent un rouleau-électrode respectivement en coupe axiale et en coupe transversale.Figs. 2 and 3 show a roll electrode respectively in axial section and in cross section.

Chaque rouleau-électrode est constitué par une paroi cylindrique 45 portée à ses extrémités par deux axes 46 logés dans des paliers non représentés et définissant un axe de rotation 40. La paroi cylindrique 45 est réalisée en totalité ou bien recouverte par un métal conducteur et peut être reliée de façon classique, par des balais, à un circuit électrique 6 de façon que sa face cylindrique externe 47 puisse être portée à un certain potentiel électrique.Each roller electrode is constituted by a cylindrical wall 45 carried at its ends by two axes 46 housed in bearings not shown and defining an axis of rotation 40. The cylindrical wall 45 is made entirely or else covered by a conductive metal and can be conventionally connected, by brushes, to an electrical circuit 6 so that its external cylindrical face 47 can be brought to a certain electrical potential.

En outre, le rouleau est recouvert sur sa périphérie d'une série d'anneaux 5 centrés dans des plans perpendiculaires à l'axe 40 et écartés les uns des autres de façon à ménager entre eux des espaces circulaires 51 dont le fond est constitué par la face externe 47 du rouleau.In addition, the roller is covered on its periphery with a series of rings 5 centered in planes perpendicular to the axis 40 and spaced from one another so as to form between them circular spaces 51, the bottom of which is formed by the outer face 47 of the roller.

La bande 2 s'enroule sur un secteur angulaire de la périphérie du rouleau en s'appliquant sur le sommet des anneaux 5, ceux-ci ayant une même hauteur de façon à maintenir entre la bande 2 et la face conductrice 47 du rouleau un entrefer constant de largeur e comprise, par exemple, entre 3 et 30 mm.The strip 2 is wound on an angular sector of the periphery of the roller by applying to the top of the rings 5, the latter having the same height so as to maintain between the strip 2 and the conductive face 47 of the roller an air gap constant of width e comprised, for example, between 3 and 30 mm.

Au niveau de chaque rouleau-électrode 4, le passage du courant entre la face conductrice 47 du rouleau et la face en regard de la bande 2 produit sur cette dernière un dégagement gazeux qui en détache les particules d'huile, de graisse, de calamine, de chrome et d'une façon générale toute autre particule ou pellicule pouvant la recouvrir, en réalisant ainsi le dégraissage, le décapage ou le déchromage de cette face.At each roller electrode 4, the passage of current between the conductive face 47 of the roller and the opposite face of the strip 2 produces on the latter a gaseous release which detaches the particles of oil, grease, scale , chromium and in general any other particle or film which may cover it, thereby performing the degreasing, pickling or decryption of this face.

Bien entendu, sur chaque rouleau-électrode 4, le traitement n'est réalisé que sur des rubans écartés correspondant aux espaces entre les anneaux, les parties en appui sur les anneaux n'étant pas traitées. Pour obtenir un traitement complet des deux faces de la bande, on fera donc passer chaque face sur au moins deux rouleaux dont les anneaux 5 seront décalés axialement de l'un à l'autre de telle sorte que les rubans traités sur le premier rouleau soient en appui sur les anneaux du second rouleau et inversement.Of course, on each roller electrode 4, the treatment is carried out only on spaced apart ribbons corresponding to the spaces between the rings, the parts bearing on the rings not being treated. To obtain a complete treatment of the two sides of the strip, each side will therefore be passed over at least two rollers, the rings 5 of which will be offset axially from one to the other so that the ribbons treated on the first roll are pressing on the rings of the second roller and vice versa.

On remarquera qu'en réalisant le traitement par rubans continus écartés et décalés d'un rouleau à l'autre, il suffit de faire passer la bande sur deux rouleaux pour obtenir un traitement complet d'une même face, le décalage des anneaux étant constant et facile à régler pour que les rubans soient au moins jointifs de sorte que le traitement réalisé soit homogène dans le sens transversal au défilement. En outre, il n'est pas nécessaire d'asservir les rouleaux en position angulaire les uns par rapport aux autres ou de multiplier le nombre des rouleaux pour obtenir un traitement homogène dans le sens de défilement et cette homogénéité n'est pas non plus affectée par les glissements longitudinaux pouvant se produire lors des phases d'accélération et de freinage.It will be noted that by carrying out the treatment by continuous ribbons spaced apart and offset from one roller to another, it suffices to pass the strip over two rollers to obtain a complete treatment of the same face, the offset of the rings being constant. and easy to adjust so that the ribbons are at least contiguous so that the treatment carried out is homogeneous in the direction transverse to the travel. In addition, it is not necessary to enslave the rollers in angular position relative to each other or to multiply the number of rollers to obtain a homogeneous treatment in the direction of travel and this homogeneity is not affected either. by the longitudinal slips which can occur during the acceleration and braking phases.

Les particules ainsi décollées sont immédiatement évacuées dans le bain grâce à la circulation du liquide électrolytique qui, selon une caractéristique essentielle de l'invention, s'établit dans les espaces 51 entre les anneaux 5. En effet, le rouleau étant entièrement immergé à l'intérieur du bain, le liquide électrolytique est facilement entraîné, selon la flèche 11, par le défilement de la bande 2 et la rotation du rouleau, dans la zone 12 de rapprochement de la bande forment un dièdre limité d'un côté par le brin amont de la bande et de l'autre par la paroi circulaire du rouleau, puis il circule dans les espaces 51 entre les anneaux pour être éjecté tangentiellement, selon les flèches 13, dans la zone 14 d'éloignement de la bande. Comme on l'a représenté schématiquement sur les Fig. 4 et 5 qui représentent la position de la bande avant et après le contact, le liquide électrolytique 1 est entraîné dans un espace dont la largeur diminue progressivement jusqu'à la hauteur e des anneaux 5. Contrairement à ce que l'on aurait pu attendre, selon une autre caractéristique essentielle de l'invention, ce resserrement de l'espace de passage du liquide électrolytique ne provoque pas le décollement de la bande sous l'effet de l'augmentation de pression qui en résulte.The particles thus detached are immediately discharged into the bath thanks to the circulation of the electrolytic liquid which, according to an essential characteristic of the invention, is established in the spaces 51 between the rings 5. In fact, the roller being fully submerged in the inside the bath, the electrolytic liquid is easily entrained, according to arrow 11, by the running of the strip 2 and the rotation of the roller, in the zone 12 for bringing the strip together form a dihedral limited on one side by the strand upstream of the strip and on the other by the circular wall of the roller, then it circulates in the spaces 51 between the rings to be ejected tangentially, according to the arrows 13, in the zone 14 away from the strip. As shown schematically in Figs. 4 and 5 which represent the position of the strip before and after the contact, the electrolytic liquid 1 is entrained in a space whose width gradually decreases to the height e of the rings 5. Contrary to what one might have expected , according to another essential characteristic of the invention, this tightening of the passage space of the electrolytic liquid does not cause the strip to become detached under the effect of the resulting increase in pressure.

En effet, au moins une partie du dégagement gazeux produit par l'électrolyse sur la face de la bande tournée vers le rouleau, est entraînée entre la bande et le rouleau par le courant de circulation du liquide. Une certaine quantité de bulles 15 se répand donc dans le liquide, dans une proportion qui dépend de l'intensité de l'effet électrolytique, de la polarité de la bande par rapport au rouleau et de la vitesse de défilement de la bande.In fact, at least part of the gaseous evolution produced by the electrolysis on the face of the strip turned towards the roller, is entrained between the strip and the roller by the current of circulation of the liquid. A certain amount of bubbles 15 spreads therefore in the liquid, in a proportion which depends on the intensity of the electrolytic effect, on the polarity of the strip with respect to the roller and on the speed of movement of the strip.

Cette proportion de bulles 15 rend compressible le liquide 1 qui, de la sorte, peut être évacué latéralement, selon les flèches A de la Fig. 4, vers les espaces 51, lorsque la face 20 de la bande se rapproche de la face externe 50 des anneaux; si la proportion de bulles contenues dans le fluide permet de rendre ce dernier assez compressible, on peut parvenir à ce qu'il n'existe plus, entre la bande 2 et les anneaux 5, de film résiduel susceptible de faire apparaître le phénomène d"'aquaplanning", ce qui permet de réaliser le traitement à très grande vitesse sans craindre les inconvénients mentionnés plus haut.This proportion of bubbles 15 makes the liquid 1 compressible which, in this way, can be discharged laterally, according to the arrows A in FIG. 4, towards the spaces 51, when the face 20 of the strip approaches the external face 50 of the rings; if the proportion of bubbles contained in the fluid makes it possible to make the latter fairly compressible, it can be achieved that there is no longer, between the strip 2 and the rings 5, any residual film capable of causing the phenomenon of " 'aquaplanning', which makes it possible to carry out the treatment at very high speed without fear of the drawbacks mentioned above.

La quantité de gaz entraînée dans le liquide peut être réglée par divers moyens permettant de régulariser la proportion de bulles dans le liquide en maintenant constantes la vitesse de défilement et/ou l'intensité du courant d'électrolyse.The quantity of gas entrained in the liquid can be adjusted by various means making it possible to regulate the proportion of bubbles in the liquid by keeping the running speed and / or the intensity of the electrolysis current constant.

Un premier moyen de régularisation est constitué par un capot 7 en forme de secteur circulaire centré sur l'axe 40 du rouleau, entourant ce dernier sur le secteur non recouvert par la bande métallique 2 et écarté de la face externe 50 des anneaux isolants d'une distance (e') que l'on peut régler.A first regularization means is constituted by a cover 7 in the form of a circular sector centered on the axis 40 of the roller, surrounding the latter on the sector not covered by the metal strip 2 and spaced from the external face 50 of the insulating rings of a distance (e ') that can be adjusted.

A cet effet, le capot 7 est monté coulissant dans une direction radiale sur un support 71 comprenant un moyen 72 tel qu'un vérin mécanique, pneumatique ou hydraulique, permettant de régler la distance du capot 7 par rapport à l'axe 40 et par conséquent la largeur (e') entre la face interne du capot et la face externe 50 des anneaux 5.To this end, the cover 7 is slidably mounted in a radial direction on a support 71 comprising a means 72 such as a mechanical, pneumatic or hydraulic cylinder, making it possible to adjust the distance of the cover 7 relative to the axis 40 and by consequently the width (e ') between the internal face of the cover and the external face 50 of the rings 5.

A la sortie des espaces 51, dans la zone 14 d'éloignement de la bande 2, les particules relativement lourdes décollées de la bande sont évacuées tangentiellement suivant les flèches 13 mais les bulles de gaz, légères et uniformément réparties dans l'électrolyte sont dérivées en partie par le capot 7 suivant les flèches 15 et sont recyclées dans la zone 12 de rapprochement de la bande 2. On peut ainsi, en réglant la position du capot 7, contrôler le recyclage des bulles dans la zone amont 12 et, en fonction de la quantité de gaz produite par l'électrolyse, réaliser un équilibre de la proportion de gaz de façon à donner au fluide contenu dans les espaces 51 le degré de compressibilité désiré.At the exit from the spaces 51, in the zone 14 away from the strip 2, the relatively heavy particles detached from the strip are tangentially evacuated according to the arrows 13 but the gas bubbles, light and uniformly distributed in the electrolyte, are derived partly by the cover 7 according to the arrows 15 and are recycled in the zone 12 for bringing the strip 2 closer together. It is thus possible, by adjusting the position of the cover 7, to control the recycling of the bubbles in the upstream zone 12 and, depending of the quantity of gas produced by electrolysis, achieve a balance in the proportion of gas so as to give the fluid contained in the spaces 51 the desired degree of compressibility.

Une autre disposition selon l'invention permet d'autre part d'augmenter la proportion de bulles produites. A cet effet, des électrodes planes 8 en forme de règle s'étendant sur au moins une partie de la largeur de la bande sont placées dans la zone 12 de rapprochement, de préférence le long du bord 73 du capot 7 tourné vers le brin amont dans le sens de défilement et sont reliées au circuit électrique 6 de façon à se trouver à un potentiel différent de celui de la bande. Les électrodes 8, représentées sur la partie gauche de la Fig. 1, sont écartées de la bande d'une distance assez grande pour ne pas risquer de contact par frottement, par exemple en cas de défaut de traction ou de planéité. Cette distance peut ne pas être assez réduite pour réaliser un effet de décapage mais permet cependant la formation sur la bande et sur les électrodes 8 d'une certaine quantité de bulles qui sont entraînées par le liquide vers le rouleau-électrode et viennent donc s'ajouter aux bulles formées sur la face en regard du rouleau de décapage.Another arrangement according to the invention also makes it possible to increase the proportion of bubbles produced. For this purpose, flat electrodes 8 in the form of a rule extending over at least part of the width of the strip are placed in the zone 12 of approximation, preferably along the edge 73 of the cover 7 facing the upstream strand. in the direction of travel and are connected to the electrical circuit 6 so as to be at a potential different from that of the strip. The electrodes 8, shown on the left side of FIG. 1, are spaced from the strip by a distance large enough to avoid the risk of friction contact, for example in the event of a traction or flatness defect. This distance may not be reduced enough to achieve a pickling effect but nevertheless allows the formation on the strip and on the electrodes 8 of a certain quantity of bubbles which are entrained by the liquid towards the roller-electrode and therefore come add to the bubbles formed on the side opposite the pickling roller.

Cependant pour produire un dégagement gazeux supplémentaire, on peut utiliser également le capot 7 lui-même, comme on l'a représenté sur la partie droite de la Fig. 1.However, to produce an additional gas release, it is also possible to use the cover 7 itself, as shown on the right side of FIG. 1.

Dans ce cas, au moins la face du capot 7 tournée vers le rouleau doit être réalisée en métal conducteur et être reliée au circuit électrique 6 de façon à se trouver à un potentiel différent de celui du rouleau-électrode auquel est associé le capot. Un effet d'électrolyse se produit alors entre le capot 7 et le rouleau-électrode, avec formation de bulles qui sont entraînées par le rouleau et, comme précédemment, viennent s'ajouter aux bulles formées par l'électrolyse entre la bande et le rouleau.In this case, at least the face of the cover 7 facing the roller must be made of conductive metal and be connected to the electrical circuit 6 so as to be at a potential different from that of the roll electrode with which the cover is associated. An electrolysis effect then occurs between the cover 7 and the roller-electrode, with the formation of bubbles which are entrained by the roller and, as before, are added to the bubbles formed by the electrolysis between the strip and the roller. .

On dispose ainsi de plusieurs moyens permettant de régler avec précision la proportion de bulles contenues dans les espaces 51 et par conséquent, la compressibilité du fluide et, par des moyens faciles à concevoir, on peut réaliser une régulation et une optimisation de la quantité de gaz contenu dans la zone de traitement en fonction des différentes caractéristiques de l'installation.There are thus several means making it possible to precisely regulate the proportion of bubbles contained in the spaces 51 and consequently, the compressibility of the fluid and, by means that are easy to design, it is possible to regulate and optimize the quantity of gas. contained in the treatment area according to the different characteristics of the installation.

On notera que, selon l'une des caractéristiques de l'invention, les courants électrolytiques peuvent être émis ou captés uniquement à partir des rouleaux-électrodes, mis à part les rouleaux de terre placés en amont et en aval de la section de traitement électrolytique.It will be noted that, according to one of the characteristics of the invention, the electrolytic currents can be emitted or picked up only from the electrode rollers, apart from the earth rollers placed upstream and downstream of the electrolytic treatment section. .

De la sorte, il n'y a jamais de contact direct entre la bande et le conducteur. En particulier, contrairement à certaines dispositions connues utilisant des rouleaux-électrodes par exemple pour le revêtement de bandes, on évite d'utiliser, pour faire circuler le courant, des rouleaux conducteurs au niveau desquels peuvent se produire des arcs électriques préjudiciables à la durée de vie desdits rouleaux et à la qualité de la bande.In this way, there is never direct contact between the strip and the conductor. In particular, contrary to certain known arrangements using roller-electrodes for example for coating strips, it is avoided to use, for circulating the current, conductive rollers at the level of which electric arcs can occur which are detrimental to the duration of life of said rollers and the quality of the strip.

En outre, la nature et la quantité de gaz formé par électrolyse dépendent, sur chaque rouleau-éectro- de, des polarités relatives de la bande, du rouleau et des électrodes auxiliaires et, selon une autre caractéristique de l'invention, il est avantageux de prévoir sur le circuit d'alimentation 6 un ou des inverseurs permettant d'inverser périodiquement le sens du courant d'électrolyse entre chaque rouleau et la face en regard de la bande.In addition, the nature and the quantity of gas formed by electrolysis depend, on each electro-roller, on the relative polarities of the strip, of the roller and of the auxiliary electrodes and, according to another characteristic of the invention, it is advantageous to provide on the supply circuit 6 one or more inverters making it possible to periodically reverse the direction of the electrolysis current between each roller and the opposite face of the strip.

On évite ainsi, de façon connue, un encrassement des électrodes qui se traduirait par une augmentation du voltage à courant constant, mais cette inversion périodique de sens du courant présente, dans le cadre de l'invention, des avantages spécifiques qui seront décrits plus loin.This avoids, in known manner, fouling of the electrodes which would result in an increase in the voltage at constant current, but this periodic reversal of current direction has, within the framework of the invention, specific advantages which will be described later .

Différents modes de branchement peuvent être adoptés en fonction du nombre de rouleaux, du circuit de défilement et des effets recherchés. Les Fig. 6 à 9 donnent différents exemples de circuits possibles.Different connection methods can be adopted depending on the number of rollers, the running circuit and the desired effects. Figs. 6 to 9 give different examples of possible circuits.

Sur la Fig. 6, on a adopté la disposition en T renversé de la Fig. 1, chaque rouleau-électrode étant associé à un capot conducteur.In Fig. 6, we have adopted the inverted T arrangement of FIG. 1, each roller electrode being associated with a conductive cover.

Les rouleaux-électrodes sont associés par paires de rouleaux voisins, 41 et 42 d'un côté, 43 et 44 de l'autre, les deux rouleaux de chaque paire étant branchés aux deux bornes opposées 61, 62, 61', 62' d'un générateur, respectivement 60, 60', par l'intermédiaire d'un inverseur 64, 64'. De la sorte, dans chaque paire, un rouleau fonctionne en anode et l'autre en cathode, la face de la bande au contact du rouleau étant de polarité opposée. A partir de la borne 62 du générateur 60, le courant électrique passe de la face conductrice 47 du rouleau-électrode 41 à la partie de la bande 2 enroulée sur le rouleau, en traversant le liquide électrolytique, puis circule dans le brin court 21 de la bande entre les rouleaux 41 et 42 et traverse de nouveau l'espace rempli d'électrolyte compris entre la partie enroulée sur le rouleau 42 de la bande 2 qui fonctionne alors en anode, et la face conductrice du rouleau 42 reliée à la borne 61 qui fonctionne en cathode.The electrode rollers are associated by pairs of neighboring rollers, 41 and 42 on one side, 43 and 44 on the other, the two rollers of each pair being connected to the two opposite terminals 61, 62, 61 ', 62' d 'a generator, respectively 60, 60', via an inverter 64, 64 '. In this way, in each pair, one roller operates as an anode and the other as a cathode, the face of the strip in contact with the roller being of opposite polarity. From the terminal 62 of the generator 60, the electric current passes from the conductive face 47 of the electrode roller 41 to the part of the strip 2 wound on the roller, passing through the electrolytic liquid, then flows in the short strand 21 of the strip between the rollers 41 and 42 and again crosses the space filled with electrolyte comprised between the part wound on the roll 42 of the strip 2 which then operates as an anode, and the conductive face of the roll 42 connected to the terminal 61 which works as a cathode.

L'intensité du courant d'électrolyse peut être réglée en agissant sur une résistance variable 63 ou bien, directement sur la tension délivrée par le générateur 60.The intensity of the electrolysis current can be adjusted by acting on a variable resistor 63 or else directly on the voltage delivered by the generator 60.

Les rouleaux 43 et 44 sont reliés de la même façon au générateur 60'.The rollers 43 and 44 are connected in the same way to the generator 60 '.

Dans ce circuit, une face de la bande est traitée par les rouleaux 41 et 44 et l'autre face par les rouleaux 42 et 43 et les rouleaux traitant la même face fonctionnent soit en anode, soit en cathode de telle sorte que l'ensemble de chaque face soit soumis au même dégagement gazeux. Si l'on désire que les deux faces de la bande soient soumises au même traitement, on peut brancher les rouleaux traitant la même face sur des polarités opposées et/ou inverser périodiquement le sens du courant grâce aux inverseurs 64, 64', de la façon indiquée plus loin.In this circuit, one side of the strip is treated by the rollers 41 and 44 and the other side by the rollers 42 and 43 and the rollers treating the same side operate either as an anode or as a cathode so that the assembly of each face is subjected to the same gas evolution. If it is desired that the two faces of the strip be subjected to the same treatment, it is possible to connect the rollers treating the same face on opposite polarities and / or to periodically reverse the direction of the current using inverters 64, 64 ′, of the as shown below.

Chaque rouleau-électrode est associé à un capot conducteur et, selon une autre caractéristique avantageuse, les capots 7 peuvent être alimentés sous une tension que l'on peut régler indépendamment de celles qui sont appliquées sur les rouleaux. Ainsi, dans le mode de réalisation de la Fig. 6, les capots 71 et 72 associés aux rouleaux 41, 42 sont branchés aux deux bornes d'un générateur 65, le courant passant de l'un à l'autre par le brin 21. Il en est de même sur l'autre côté de l'installation. L'intensité du courant peut être réglée par une résistance variable 66 ou bien en agissant sur la tension délivrée par le générateur 65.Each roller electrode is associated with a conductive cover and, according to another advantageous characteristic, the covers 7 can be supplied with a voltage which can be adjusted independently of those which are applied to the rollers. Thus, in the embodiment of FIG. 6, the covers 71 and 72 associated with the rollers 41, 42 are connected to the two terminals of a generator 65, the current passing from one to the other by the strand 21. It is the same on the other side of the installation. The intensity of the current can be adjusted by a variable resistor 66 or by acting on the voltage delivered by the generator 65.

De la sorte, sur chaque rouleau-électrode on pourra régler indépendamment les intensités des courants d'électrolyse permettant, respectivement, de réaliser le processus de décapage et de contrôler l'effet de décollement de la bande par réglage de la quantité de bulles contenues dans le liquide en circulation, celle-ci pouvant être également réglée en jouant sur la position du capot. On voit donc que l'on dispose d'un grand nombre de moyens d'action dont on peut combiner les effets de telle sorte que, sans changer l'efficacité du processus de décapage, il soit possible de régler, sur chaque rouleau, la quantité de gaz en circulation pour contrôler l'effet d"'aquaplanning".In this way, on each electrode roller, the intensities of the electrolysis currents can be adjusted independently, making it possible, respectively, to carry out the pickling process and to control the strip release effect by adjusting the quantity of bubbles contained in the circulating liquid, which can also be adjusted by adjusting the position of the cover. It can therefore be seen that there are a large number of means of action, the effects of which can be combined so that, without changing the efficiency of the pickling process, it is possible to adjust, on each roller, the quantity of gas in circulation to control the effect of "aquaplanning".

Les circuits d'alimentation des capots conducteurs sont également munis d'inverseurs dont le fonctionnement peut être synchronisé avec celui du circuit principal d'alimentation des rouleaux-électrodes.The supply circuits of the conductive hoods are also provided with reversers, the operation of which can be synchronized with that of the main supply circuit of the electrode rollers.

L'installation peut aussi être réalisée de la façon représentée sur la Fig. 7, en associant plusieurs groupes de rouleaux successifs. Dans ce cas, à titre d'exemple, chaque rouleau est associé à une électrode plane 8 de production d'une quantité additionnelle de gaz placée elle-même sur le bord d'un capot de réglage du débit de gaz réinjecté.The installation can also be carried out as shown in FIG. 7, by combining several groups of successive rollers. In this case, by way of example, each roller is associated with a planar electrode 8 for producing an additional quantity of gas placed itself on the edge of a cover for adjusting the flow rate of reinjected gas.

La Fig. 7 montre en outre un autre type de branchement utilisant plusieurs générateurs dont les bornes sont reliées à des rouleaux faisant partie de paires différentes. De façon également avantageuse, les électrodes auxiliaires peuvent être simplement reliées entre elles pour les intégrer dans la circulation du courant électrique, une résistance variable permettant de régler le courant passant dans les capots pour le contrôle de l'effet d"'aqua- planning".Fig. 7 further shows another type of connection using several generators whose terminals are connected to rollers forming part of different pairs. Also advantageously, the auxiliary electrodes can be simply connected together to integrate them into the circulation of the electric current, a variable resistance making it possible to adjust the current passing through the covers for controlling the effect of "aqua-planning". .

Sur la Fig. 8, on a représenté un autre mode de disposition des rouleaux à l'intérieur du bain 1. Dans ce cas, on utilise un nombre impair de rouleaux placés éventuellement au même niveau à l'intérieur du bain et sur lesquels s'enroulent alternativement une face puis l'autre de la bande, en suivant un trajet en zig-zag. Cette disposition des rouleaux se prête également à de multiples modes de branchement. Par exemple, dans le mode de réalisation de la Fig. 8, le circuit d'alimentation comprend deux générateurs reliés chacun à un ensemble de trois rouleaux et les électrodes auxiliaires constituées, par exemple, pour chaque rouleau, par un capot conducteur sont simplement reliées entre elles par un circuit commun comprenant pour chaque électrode auxiliaire, une résistance variable de réglage de l'intensité. De la sorte, sur le rouleau 42 par exemple, une partie du courant venant du générateur 6 passe sur le capot associé 72 et revient par les capots 71 correspondants sur les rouleaux 41 et 43 alors que la plus grande partie du courant passe du rouleau 42 sur la face correspondante de la bande et de l'autre face sur les rouleaux 41 et 43 en provoquant le trai- tem i =:t de décapage.In Fig. 8, another mode of arrangement of the rollers inside the bath 1 has been shown. In this case, an odd number of rollers are used, possibly placed at the same level inside the bath and on which are wound alternately a then the other side of the strip, following a zig-zag path. This arrangement of the rollers also lends itself to multiple connection methods. For example, in the embodiment of FIG. 8, the supply circuit comprises two generators each connected to a set of three rollers and the auxiliary electrodes constituted, for example, for each roller, by a conductive cover are simply connected to each other by a common circuit comprising for each auxiliary electrode, a variable intensity adjustment resistance. In this way, on the roller 42 for example, part of the current coming from the generator 6 passes on the associated cover 72 and returns through the corresponding covers 71 on the rollers 41 and 43 while most of the current passes from the roller 42 on the corresponding face of the strip and on the other face on the rollers 41 and 43, causing the treatment i =: t of pickling.

Sur la Fig. 9, on a représenté une installation possédant un plus grand nombre de rouleaux avec un autre mode de branchement, chaque électrode auxiliaire 8 étant reliée au circuit d'alimentation du rouleau associé par l'intermédiaire d'une résistance variable permettant de régler la quantité de gaz ajoutée, sans modifier la valeur du courant d'électrolyse opérant le traitement.In Fig. 9, there is shown an installation having a greater number of rollers with another connection mode, each auxiliary electrode 8 being connected to the supply circuit of the associated roller by means of a variable resistor making it possible to adjust the quantity of gas added, without modifying the value of the electrolysis current operating the treatment.

Dans l'installation à neuf rouleaux représentée sur la Fig. 10, le dernier rouleau 49 de la série n'est pas un rouleau-électrode mais un simple rouleau de déflection. Les rouleaux-électrodes sont reliés par paires de rouleaux voisins, respectivement 41 et 42, 43 et 44, etc... à des générateurs séparés 60, 60', etc... dont les polarités sont inversées d'une paire à la suivante de telle sorte que deux rouleaux voisins reliés à des générateurs différents, tels que 42 et 43, 44 et 45, etc... soient à la même polarité.In the installation with nine rollers shown in FIG. 10, the last roller 49 in the series is not an electrode roller but a simple deflection roller. The electrode rollers are connected by pairs of neighboring rollers, respectively 41 and 42, 43 and 44, etc ... to separate generators 60, 60 ', etc ... whose polarities are reversed from one pair to the next so that two neighboring rollers connected to different generators, such as 42 and 43, 44 and 45, etc. are at the same polarity.

Comme on l'a indiqué, il est avantageux que, dans les différents circuits que l'on vient de décrire, chaque générateur tels que 60, 60', etc. soit relié aux rou leaux-électrodes correspondants par l'intermédiaire d'un inverseur. En effet, chaque rouleau-électrode à anneaux circulaires traitant une demi-face à la fois, par rubans espacés, il est possible, en inversant périodiquement le sens du courant, de faire dégager sur chaque demi-face de l'oxygène ou de l'hydrogène dans une proportion correspondant au temps pendant lequel la face de la bande est, respectivement, anode ou cathode.As indicated, it is advantageous that, in the various circuits that have just been described, each that generator such as 60, 60 ', etc. is connected to the corresponding roller electrodes via an inverter. Indeed, each roll-electrode with circular rings treating one half-face at a time, by spaced ribbons, it is possible, by periodically reversing the direction of the current, to release on each half-face oxygen or l hydrogen in a proportion corresponding to the time during which the face of the strip is, respectively, anode or cathode.

On pourra ainsi traiter chaque demi-face avec les deux gaz dans un rapport prédéterminé et utiliser le fait que le débit du courant produit par électrolyse dépend de la nature de ce dernier.We can thus treat each half-face with the two gases in a predetermined ratio and use the fact that the flow rate of the current produced by electrolysis depends on the nature of the latter.

Cette disposition génèrera en outre dans la bande des courants pulsés de nature à mieux réaliser l'opération de nettoyage.This arrangement will also generate pulsed currents in the band so as to better carry out the cleaning operation.

En pratique, la fréquence d'inversion du sens du courant dépendra donc des proportions de gaz que l'on veut produire et sera asservie à la vitesse de défilement de la bande. Cette fréquence sera bien supérieure à celle utilisée de façon classique pour éviter l'encrassement des électrodes.In practice, the frequency of reversal of the direction of the current will therefore depend on the proportions of gas which it is desired to produce and will be controlled by the speed of travel of the strip. This frequency will be much higher than that conventionally used to avoid fouling of the electrodes.

Dans un premier mode de réalisation particulièrement avantageux, à une durée (t A) de fonctionnement en anode d'un rouleau-électrode succède une durée (t c) de fonctionnement en cathode de ce même rouleau, la somme de ces deux durées étant exactement égale au temps (t) de séjour de la bande sur le rouleau électrode qui, par définition, est égal au quotient de la longueur (L) de bande enroulée autour du rouleau électrode, par la vitesse (V) de défilement de la bande.In a first particularly advantageous embodiment, a duration (t A) of anode roller operating time is followed by a duration (t c ) cathode operation of this same roller, the sum of these two times being exactly equal to the time (t) of stay of the strip on the electrode roll which, by definition, is equal to the quotient of the length (L) of strip wound around the electrode roll, by the speed (V) of travel of the strip.

Cette séquence composée d'un temps (t A) de fonctionnement en anode et d'un temps (t c) de fonctionnement en cathode du rouleau électrode est répétée de façon à constituer une suite continue et alternée.This sequence composed of an anode operating time (t A) and a cathode operating time (t c) of the electrode roller is repeated so as to constitute a continuous and alternating sequence.

De la sorte, on réalise un traitement homogène dans le sens longitudinal des rubans traités sur le rouleau-électrode, et on peut obtenir une valeur prédéterminée du rapport des volumes d'hydrogène et d'oxygène dégagés sur la bande en imposant une valeur prédéterminée du rapport (R) des temps (t A) et (t c). En effet, en posant:

  • R=tA/tc
  • ona:tA=R.L/(1 + R) V
  • ettc=L/(1+R)V
In this way, a homogeneous treatment is carried out in the longitudinal direction of the ribbons treated on the electrode roller, and a predetermined value of the ratio of the volumes of hydrogen and oxygen released on the strip can be obtained by imposing a predetermined value of the ratio (R) of times (t A) and (t c ). Indeed, by asking:
  • R = t A / tc
  • ona: t A = RL / (1 + R) V
  • ettc = L / (1 + R) V

On constate donc que ces temps (t A) et (t c) dépendent de la vitesse V de défilement de la bande et que les fréquences correspondantes doivent être asservies à cette vitesse V selon les formules ci- dessus afin de conserver ce rapport R constant.It can therefore be seen that these times (t A) and (t c) depend on the speed V of the tape running and that the corresponding frequencies must be controlled at this speed V according to the above formulas in order to keep this ratio R constant.

De la sorte, et par exemple dans le cas de la Fig. 6, on obtiendra une valeur prédéterminée du rapport des volumes d'hydrogène et d'oxygène dégagés au niveau de la face de la bande en contact avec les rouleaux 41 et 44, et on obtiendra, pour ce même rapport et pour la face de la bande en contact avec les rouleaux 42 et 43, une valeur inverse, le traitement étant homogène pour chacune des faces de la bande.In this way, and for example in the case of FIG. 6, we will obtain a predetermined value of the ratio of the volumes of hydrogen and oxygen released at the face of the strip in contact with the rollers 41 and 44, and we will obtain, for this same ratio and for the face of the strip in contact with the rollers 42 and 43, an inverse value, the treatment being homogeneous for each of the faces of the strip.

Dans un mode de réalisation particulier, les temps de fonctionnement (t A) et (t c) sont égaux, R étant égal à 1. On obtient ainsi, au niveau de chaque rouleau électrode, la même valeur du rapport des volumes d'hydrogène et d'oxygène dégagés sur la bande, ce qui permet par exemple dans le cas de la Fig. 6, de réaliser un traitement homogène et identique pour les deux faces de la bande.In a particular embodiment, the operating times (t A) and (t c ) are equal, R being equal to 1. This gives the same value of the ratio of the volumes of hydrogen to each roller electrode. and oxygen released on the strip, which allows for example in the case of FIG. 6, to carry out a homogeneous and identical treatment for the two faces of the strip.

Dans un autre mode de réalisation avantageux, le temps t A de fonctionnement en anode est égal au temps de séjour de la bande sur chaque rouleau-électrode c'est-à-dire LN et le temps t c de fonctionnement en cathode est égal au temps de transfert de la bande entre deux rouleaux électrodes donnés, c'est-à-dire au quotient L'N de la longueur L' de bande séparant ces deux rouleaux électrodes, par la vitesse V de défilement de la bande. De la sorte, on réalise encore un traitement homogène dans le sens longitudinal des rubans traités sur le rouleau électrode.In another advantageous embodiment, the time t A of operation in anode is equal to the residence time of the strip on each roller-electrode, that is to say LN and the time t c of operation in cathode is equal to transfer time of the strip between two given electrode rolls, that is to say at the quotient L'N of the length L ′ of strip separating these two electrode rolls, by the speed V of travel of the strip. In this way, a homogeneous treatment is again carried out in the longitudinal direction of the ribbons treated on the electrode roller.

Par exemple, dans la disposition représentée sur la Fig. 10, la longueur L' de transfert prise en compte sera égale à la longueur de bande séparant deux rouleaux successifs de traitement de la même demi-face, tels que:

  • - 41 à 43 pour une moitié de la face supérieure et 45 à 47 pour l'autre moitié;
  • - 42 à 44 pour une moitié de la face inférieure et 46 à 48 pour l'autre moitié;
For example, in the arrangement shown in FIG. 10, the length L 'of transfer taken into account will be equal to the length of strip separating two successive rolls of treatment of the same half-face, such as:
  • - 41 to 43 for one half of the upper face and 45 to 47 for the other half;
  • - 42 to 44 for one half of the underside and 46 to 48 for the other half;

Cette disposition permettra également de réaliser un traitement homogène et identique des deux faces de la bande.This arrangement will also make it possible to carry out a homogeneous and identical treatment of the two faces of the strip.

D'une façon générale, le sens et l'intensité des courants au niveau de chaque rouleau-électrode seront déterminés en fonction des conditions imposées par le processus de traitement choisi et devront évidemment être compatibles d'un rouleau à l'autre, de façon que la circulation du courant soit électriquement possible, la densité du courant électrolytique pouvant être comprise entre 1000 et 20000 A/m2.In general, the direction and intensity of the currents at each roller electrode will be determined according to the conditions imposed by the treatment process chosen and will obviously have to be compatible from one roller to another, so that the flow of current is electrically possible, the density of the electrolytic current can be between 1000 and 20000 A / m 2.

Bien entendu, l'invention ne se limite pas aux détails des modes de réalisation qui n'ont été décrits qu'à titre d'exemple, d'autres variantes pouvant être imaginées en appliquant les mêmes principes, sans sortir du cadre de protection défini par les revendications.Of course, the invention is not limited to the details of the embodiments which have only been described by way of example, other variants which can be imagined by applying the same principles, without departing from the defined protection framework. by the claims.

C'est ainsi, par exemple que dans les modes de réalisation des Fig. 6 à 9, tous les rouleaux placés dans le bain constituent des rouleaux-électrodes permettant, comme on l'a vu, d'éviter le décollement de la bande.Thus, for example, in the embodiments of FIGS. 6 to 9, all the rollers placed in the bath constitute roller-electrodes making it possible, as we have seen, to prevent the strip from coming off.

Cependant, il n'est pas interdit de placer sur le circuit de défilement un simple rouleau de déflection, comme dans le cas de la Fig. 10, la bande étant suffisamment maintenue par les autres rouleaux-électrodes pour éviter tout flottement. En outre, dans les modes de réalisation à nombre impair de rouleaux définissant un trajet en zig-zag, l'utilisation d'un simple rouleau de déflection, comme par exemple le rouleau central 43 dans le cas de la Fig. 8, permet de faire passer la bande sur un nombre pair de rouleaux-électrodes et d'effectuer le traitement dans des conditions identiques à celles d'un circuit et T, comme dans le cas de la Fig. 6.However, it is not prohibited to place a simple deflection roller on the scrolling circuit, as in the case of FIG. 10, the strip being sufficiently maintained by the other electrode rollers to avoid any floating. Furthermore, in the embodiments with an odd number of rollers defining a zigzag path, the use of a simple deflection roller, such as for example the central roller 43 in the case of FIG. 8, makes it possible to pass the strip over an even number of roller-electrodes and to carry out the treatment under conditions identical to those of a circuit and T, as in the case of FIG. 6.

Dans le cas de la Fig. 9, les rouleaux 42, 45 et 47 pourraient être de simples rouleaux de déflection, une face de la bande étant traitée sur les rouleaux 41 et 43, et l'autre face sur les rouleaux 44 et 46.In the case of FIG. 9, the rollers 42, 45 and 47 could be simple deflection rollers, one side of the strip being treated on the rollers 41 and 43, and the other side on the rollers 44 and 46.

On voit donc que l'invention se prête à de multiples combinaisons et qu'en jouant sur le nombre des rouleaux et leur disposition, l'écartement des capots, l'alimentation électrique des électrodes auxiliaires ou bien le temps pendant lequel chaque rouleau fonctionne en anode ou en cathode, on peut contrôler la nature et le débit du dégagement gazeux produit sur chaque face de la bande et adapter l'efficacité du traitement en fonction de l'état de chaque face, selon les besoins propres à chaque installation.It can therefore be seen that the invention lends itself to multiple combinations and that by varying the number of rollers and their arrangement, the spacing of the covers, the electrical supply of the auxiliary electrodes or else the time during which each roller operates in anode or cathode, it is possible to control the nature and the flow rate of the gaseous evolution produced on each face of the strip and to adapt the effectiveness of the treatment as a function of the state of each face, according to the needs specific to each installation.

Claims (20)

1. Installation for the electrolytic surface treatment of a metal strip (2) comprising an electrolytic liquid bath (1), means for causing the movement of the strip over at least one electrode roller (4) mounted rotatably about an axis perpendicular to the direction of movement and limited by a conducting side wall covered partially with an insulating coating consisting of projecting support parts (5) of constant height separated by recesses (51) the bottom of which consists of the conducting wall and capable of being filled with electrolytic liquid coming from the bath and introduced between the strip and the roller and means (6) for causing an electric current to pass between the strip (2) and the conducting wall of the roller (4), characterized in that it comprises, for the treatment of a same side of the strip, at least two electrode rollers (4) entirely immersed inside the electrolytic liquid bath and the insulating coating of which consists of a series of spaced support rings (5) centred in the planes perpendicular to the axis of the roller and between which are formed annular treatment spaces (51) the bottom of which consists of the conducting wall and in that the said support rings are axially offset from one roller to the other in such a way that in the direction of movement of the strip, the treated zones between the support rings of one roller correspond to the support zones on the rings of a next roller and vice versa.
2. Installation according to claim 1, characterized in that at least one of the rollers (4) defining the travel path is a simple deflection roller, which may or may not be immersed, the number and the locations of the immersed electrode rollers being determined so as to avoid any floating effect of the strip.
3. Installation according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises an uneven number of rollers (4) defining a zig-zag travel path, the strip being applied onto the rollers alternately on one side and then on the other side.
4. Installation according to one of claims 1 and 2, characterized in that it comprises an even number of rollers (4), at least one side of the strip (2) passing over two adjacent rollers.
5. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least two adjacent electrode rollers (4) are set at different potentials, the electric current being transmitted by the strip (2) itself from one roller to the other.
6. Installation according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that each immersed electrode roller (4) is covered, over the part of its periphery not covered by the strip, by a cover (7) in the form of a circle segment parallel to the external wall of the roller (4) and kept separated from the said wall at a small distance (e').
7. Installation according to claim 6, characterized in that the cover (7) is made of a conductive metal and is connected to the electrical circuit (6) so as to form an electrode with a polarity opposite to that of the roller with which it is associated.
8. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that each electrode roller (4) is associated with a flat electrode (8) arranged parallel to the strip (2) and at a small distance from the latter between the strip and the roller (4) in the strip approach zone (12), the said electrode (8) having the same polarity as the roller (4).
9. Installation according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the flat electrode (8) is located along the edge (73) of the cover (7), parallel to the strip (2) on the upstream side relative to the roller (4).
10. Installation according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the cover (7) is mounted so as to slide radially and is associated with means (72) for adjusting its distance relative to the roller (4).
11. Method for electrolytically treating a metal strip by passing it over at least one electrode roller (4) with an axis perpendicular to the direction of movement having on its periphery a conducting wall covered with a plurality of spaced support parts made of insulating material between which recesses filled with electrolytic liquid are formed, the said electrode rollers (4) being connected to an electrical supply circuit (6) such that, at each roller, the strip and the conducting wall of the roller located in the bottom of the recesses are set to different potentials, characterized in that the treatment is performed in spaced parallel sections by passing each side of the strip to be treated over at least two electrode rollers (4) immersed inside a bath of electrolytic liquid (1) and the conducting side wall of which is covered by a series of spaced support rings made of insulating material and centred in planes perpendicular to the axis of the roller and between which there are formed annular spaces each treating a part of the side of the strip forming a continuous longitudinal section perpendicular to the axis of the roller and in that the support rings are axially offset from one electrode roller to the other such that, in the direction of movement, the longitudinal sections treated between the rings of a roller corresponding to the support zones on the rings of a following roller and vice versa, at least one part of the gas produced by electrolysis on the strip mixing with the electrolytic liquid circulating in the treatment spaces between the rings.
12. Treatment method according to claim 11, characterized in that the proportion of gas produced by electrolysis and entrained with the liquid circulating between the strip and the roller is adjusted according to the speed of movement so as to make the liquid sufficiently compressible to prevent separation of the strip at this speed.
13. Treatment method according to claim 12, characterized in that a part of the gas entrained with the liquid is produced by means of at least one auxiliary electrode associated with the electrode roller and in that the intensities of the electrolysis currents at the auxiliary electrode and the electrode roller are separately adjusted so as to maintain the desired proportion of gas in the liquid.
14. Treatment method according to claim 13, characterized in that there is arranged in the zone (12) where the strip approaches the roller an auxiliary electrode (8) in the form of flat ruler extending over at least a part of the width of the strip and set at the same polarity as the roller.
15. Treatment method according to claim 12, characterized in that the part of the roller (4) not covered by the strip is surrounded by a cover (7), the distance (e') of which may be adjusted relative to the roller (4) so as to maintain the desired proportion of gas in the liquid circulating between the strip (2) and the roller (4).
16. Treatment method according to claims 13 and 15, characterized in that at least the side of the cover (7) facing the roller (4) is made of conductive metal and connected to the electrical circuit (6) so as to form an auxiliary electrode set at a polarity opposite to that of the roller.
17. Treatment method according to one of claims 11 to 16, characterized in that the electrical circuit (6) is provided with at least one inverter (64) enabling the polarities of the rollers (4) and/or of the auxiliary electrodes (7, 8) to be periodically reversed at a frequency subordinated to the speed of movement of the strip (2).
18. Treatment method according to one of claims 11 to 17, characterized in that the operation of the electrode rollers of a certain polarity consists of a continuous succession of sequences mutually identical and each consisting of an anode operating time tA = R.L / (1 + R) V followed by a cathode operating time tc = L / (1 + R) V, where R is a positive number not zero, L the length of strip wound around each electrode roller, and V the speed of movement of the strip, the operation of all the electrode rollers with a polarity opposite to the preceding ones being reversed and synchronized with the first one, that is to say consisting of sequences commencing with a cathode operating time tc = R x L / (1 + R) x V followed by an anode operating time tA = L / (1 + R) V.
19. Treatment method according to claim 18, characterized in that the number R is equal to 1.
20. Treatment method according to one of claims 11 to 17, characterized in that the operation of the electrode rollers of a given polarity consists of a continuous succession of sequences mutually identical and each consisting of an anode operating time equal to UV and a cathode operating time equal to L'N, where L is the length of strip wound around each electrode roller, L' a length of strip separating two given electrode rollers, and V the speed of movement of the strip, the operation of all the electrode rollers with a polarity opposite to the preceding ones being reversed and synchronized with the first one, that is to say consisting of sequences commencing with a cathode operating time equal to L'N and ending with an anode operating time equal to L/V.
EP86402354A 1986-10-20 1986-10-20 Process and apparatus for electrolytically treating metal strips Expired EP0264510B1 (en)

Priority Applications (4)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE8686402354T DE3665080D1 (en) 1986-10-20 1986-10-20 Process and apparatus for electrolytically treating metal strips
AT86402354T ATE45598T1 (en) 1986-10-20 1986-10-20 METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE ELECTROLYTIC TREATMENT OF METALLIC STRIPS.
EP86402354A EP0264510B1 (en) 1986-10-20 1986-10-20 Process and apparatus for electrolytically treating metal strips
US06/948,196 US4762599A (en) 1986-10-20 1986-12-31 Process and plant for an electrolytic treatment of a metal strip

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP86402354A EP0264510B1 (en) 1986-10-20 1986-10-20 Process and apparatus for electrolytically treating metal strips

Publications (2)

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EP0264510A1 EP0264510A1 (en) 1988-04-27
EP0264510B1 true EP0264510B1 (en) 1989-08-16

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EP86402354A Expired EP0264510B1 (en) 1986-10-20 1986-10-20 Process and apparatus for electrolytically treating metal strips

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EP (1) EP0264510B1 (en)
AT (1) ATE45598T1 (en)
DE (1) DE3665080D1 (en)

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DE4418278C1 (en) * 1994-05-26 1995-04-20 Atotech Deutschland Gmbh Electrolytic process for treatment of printed circuit boards in horizontal continuous plants
DE4417551A1 (en) * 1994-05-19 1995-11-23 Atotech Deutschland Gmbh Method and appts. for precision electrolytic processing of circuit boards

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DE102007055338B4 (en) * 2007-11-19 2009-08-13 Rena Sondermaschinen Gmbh Apparatus and method for the electrical contacting of goods in electrolytic continuous installations
DE102008004592A1 (en) * 2008-01-16 2009-07-23 Danziger, Manfred, Dr. Belt electroplating plant for the electrochemical reinforcement of an electrically conductive outer layer of a strip
US9765444B2 (en) * 2014-12-03 2017-09-19 Metal Industries Research & Development Centre Continuous electrochemical machining apparatus
CN106884201B (en) * 2017-03-20 2018-06-12 建滔（连州）铜箔有限公司 A kind of roughening treatment Processes and apparatus for Pb-free coating electrolytic copper foil
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US3374159A (en) * 1965-02-09 1968-03-19 Bethlehem Steel Corp Marking of steel strip electrolytically using electrolyte adhering to the strip
US3420760A (en) * 1965-04-30 1969-01-07 Gen Dynamics Corp Process for descaling steel strip in an aqueous organic chelating bath using alternating current
LU64536A1 (en) * 1971-01-04 1972-06-20
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US4430166A (en) * 1982-09-27 1984-02-07 Inland Steel Company Method and apparatus for electro-treating a metal strip
US4441975A (en) * 1983-02-17 1984-04-10 Inland Steel Company Electrotreating apparatus with electrode roll

Cited By (2)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE4417551A1 (en) * 1994-05-19 1995-11-23 Atotech Deutschland Gmbh Method and appts. for precision electrolytic processing of circuit boards
DE4418278C1 (en) * 1994-05-26 1995-04-20 Atotech Deutschland Gmbh Electrolytic process for treatment of printed circuit boards in horizontal continuous plants

Also Published As

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ATE45598T1 (en) 1989-09-15
EP0264510A1 (en) 1988-04-27
DE3665080D1 (en) 1989-09-21
US4762599A (en) 1988-08-09

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