CATEGORY: BARREL BREAKAGE

TYPE: THERMAL BREAKAGE

POSITION: WORK ROLL

CHARACTERISTICS

Thermal breakage is characterized by a fracture through the full barrel cross section.
The fracture will be situated within the slab contact width. The fracture will be
perpendicular to the barrel surface and may show a convex/concave profile toward the
centerline. The fracture surface typically displays radially oriented fracture flow lines
outward from the centerline toward the barrel surface. The fracture will typically
occur within a short period of time following a work roll change or an extended pause
in the rolling program.

EXAMPLE

Figure 1
Thermal breakage of a work roll. Radial fracture flow lines can be seen.

1
 Figure 2
Thermal breakage showing a convex fracture profile.

Figure 3
Thermal breakage of a work roll Convex/concave profile can be seen.

2
 Figure 4
Thermal breakage of a plate mill work roll.
Roll was stored in a low temperature environment prior to use with no pre-heating
being applied.

3
 Figure 5

Thermal breakage of a work roll due to a higher than required shell thickness.
Residual stress and thermal stresses present during the start of a rolling campaign
resulted in the total stress present within the core exceeding its ultimate tensile
strength.

Figure 6

4
 Figure 7
Thermal breakage of a high chromium iron work roll. Alternating bands of light and
dark (blue) oxide are present within the strip contact width (arrows). This indicates an
abnormal roll coolant condition likely existed resulting in a detrimental thermal
gradient / stress profile ultimately resulting in fracture.

MECHANISM

During rolling heating of the barrel surface occurs where it contacts the slab. Some of
this heat not removed by the water cooling is conducted inward through the barrel
cross section at a given rate determined by the physical properties of the roll material.
A temperature gradient or differential will form between the barrel surface and the
barrel centerline of the roll. This creates an increase in centerline tensile stress which
is proportional to the temperature differential attained. If the temperature differential
and resultant tensile stress produced exceed the strength of the roll core material at the
centerline then a fracture will occur that rapidly propagates outward toward the barrel
surface.

Compound work rolls with a shell and core material will typically develop a greater
temperature differential than monoblock materials. The differing thermal properties of
the shell and core material used resulting in a greater temperature differential
especially in the early part of a rolling campaign.

5
 PREVENTION

Thermal breakage during rolling can be prevented by:

 Ensuring adequate water cooling is provided during rolling.

 Work rolls when placed into the mill must be not colder than room
temperature. If rolls are significantly colder then pre-heating should be
considered.

 Work rolls when placed into the mill must be gradually heated until a stable
temperature gradient through the barrel cross section is achieved. An initial
slow throughput rate of slab and or rolling of narrow strip widths is typically
adopted.

The roll maker should ensure:

 The roll core material type specified is suitable for the application.

 The ratio of the shell thickness to core thickness does not result in excessively
high residual and or thermal tensile stress at the start of rolling within the core.

 The mechanical and thermal properties of the core material are as specified for
the grade.