Cooling device and method for operating the same

A cooling device for cooling a metallic product, comprising:

• a tubular cooling bar with a plurality of spraying regions arranged adjacent in pairs, each of the plurality of spraying regions having at least one spray nozzle for spraying a coolant on the metallic product;
• a plurality of valves arranged for individually adjusting at least one of a pressure or a volume flow of the coolant in each of the plurality of spraying regions;
• a control device arranged for individually controlling the plurality of valves;
• a temperature measuring device arranged for determining distribution of temperature along a width of the metallic product before the metallic product enters the cooling device;
• one or more partition walls arranged within and configured to divide an interior portion of the tubular cooling bar into at least two chambers of a predetermined arrangement, each of the plurality of spraying regions corresponding to a different one of the at least two chambers;
• each of the one or more partition walls being shaped at least approximately in accordance with a corresponding predetermined width section defined by the distribution of temperature along the width of the metallic product before the metallic product enters the cooling device;
• and
• wherein the one or more partition walls are arranged in the interior portion of the tubular cooling bar over the corresponding predetermined width section of the metallic product, wherein at least one adjusting element, which is controllable by the control device, is provided for variable positioning of the one or more partition walls within the interior portion of the tubular cooling bar, in which the one or more partition walls are selectively moved in a longitudinal direction of the tubular cooling bar to change from the predetermined arrangement of the at least two chambers defining the plurality of spraying regions of the tubular cooling bar to a new arrangement of the at least two chambers defining the plurality of spraying regions of the tubular cooling bar.