Method and spraying apparatus for the thermal surface treatment of a metal product

A spraying apparatus for thermal surface treatment of a metal product that is a cast strand or a slab formed therefrom, the spraying apparatus comprising:

• a treatment section having an inlet area and an outlet area, wherein the metal product can be conveyed along the treatment section from the inlet area towards the outlet area in a transport direction (T);
• and
• a plurality of cooling nozzles from which a cooling fluid can respectively be discharged onto surfaces of the metal product;
• wherein;
• the cooling nozzles are arranged at least in a first group and in a second group;
• the second group of cooling nozzles is arranged downstream-viewed in the transport direction (T) of the metal product-of the first group of cooling nozzles;
• the cooling nozzles of the first group and the cooling nozzles of the second group are connected to at least one frequency-controlled pump;
• and
• at least one control valve is provided in a line between the frequency-controlled pump and the cooling nozzles of the first and second group, said at least one control valve enabling flows and/or pressures of the cooling fluid to be set and/or regulated separately for the cooling nozzles of the first and second groups, respectively wherein a distance between the first group of cooling nozzles and the second group of cooling nozzles in the transport direction (T) of the metal product can be modified so as to set said groups relative to one another.