Roll gap lubrication in the hot rolling finishing mill is a key factor in force reduction performance, work roll life time and surface quality. For production cost reduction and surface quality improvement, it is essential to maintain a high performance, robust and high efficient industrial lubrication installation, the latter combined with an efficient and low-cost lubricant. For cost and risk reduction related to industrial testing with new oils or new application techniques, development of structured lab scale testing protocol as well as pilot line tests are essential. In a first phase, the lubricant characterisation is done using different chemical lubricant analysis, wettability trials and plate-out trials combined with oil droplet analysis. A plate-out simulator is used being able to spray an emulsion under different spraying parameters, on a moving substrate and so simulating the work roll. In a second phase, the lubricants and application methods are tested during continuous rolling pilot line trials at elevated temperature. Based on those laboratory trials, guidelines are defined to increase the lubrication performance and to reduce lubricant consumption towards industrial rolling plants. Besides new lubricants, environmental-friendly and emulsion extraction from waste water processes can also be considered.
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