# US 12,760,426 B2 · Inline silicon deposition in a pickling plant > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,760,426 B2 - Document ID: US12760426B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 18/287,908 - Filed: 2022-03-29 - Published: 2024-06-20 - Granted: 2026-10-13 - Earliest claimed: 2021-04-23 - Assignees: Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH - Applicants: Primetals Technologies Austria GmbH - Inventors: Klaus Kofler; Alois Stadlbauer; Gerhard Frithum - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12760426B2 ## CPC - C23G 1/36: Regeneration of waste pickling liquors - B21B 45/0287: {removing solid particles, e.g. dust, rust} - C23G 1/00: Cleaning or pickling metallic material with solutions or molten salts (with organic solvents C23G5/02) - C23G: CLEANING OR DE-GREASING OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY CHEMICAL METHODS OTHER THAN ELECTROLYSIS - B21B: ROLLING OF METAL (auxiliary operations used in connection with metal-working operations covered in B21, see B21C; bending by rolling B21D; manufacture of particular objects, e.g. screws, wheels, rings, barrels, balls, by rolling B21H; pressure welding by means of a rolling mill B23K20/04) ## Abstract A device and a method for depositing undissolved materials, in particular undissolved silicon compounds, from a pickling fluid in a pickling plant. A pickling circuit of the pickling plant has a pickling tank for pickling metal strips, a return line between the pickling tank and a circuit tank, a circulation pump for circulating a main volume flow of pickling fluid from the pickling tank, and a heating device arranged in a pressure line between the circuit tank and the pickling tank. The device includes a flocculation device for introducing at least one flocculant into the main volume flow, and a deposition device in the circuit tank and preferably designed as an inclined clarifying device, for the sedimentation of undissolved materials directly from the main volume flow. When pickling silicon-containing steel strips (electrical steel strips), an at least two-stage flocculation can be carried out using two or more mixing zone containers. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A device for depositing undissolved silicon compounds from a pickling fluid in a pickling plant having at least one pickling circuit, the pickling circuit comprising: a pickling tank of the pickling plant for pickling metal strips; a return line between the pickling tank and a circuit tank; a pressure line between the circuit tank and the pickling tank; a circulation pump having a maximum pump capacity of from 500 to 600 cubic meters per hour for circulating a main volume flow of pickling fluid; and a heating device arranged in the pressure line for heating the main volume flow to a process temperature; wherein the device comprises: a flocculation device having one or more mixing zone containers configured to introduce at least one flocculation aid into the main volume flow; and a deposition device arranged in the circuit tank configured to deposit undissolved silicon compounds directly from the main volume flow; wherein the deposition device comprises at least a settling zone, a sedimentation zone, and a reception zone; wherein a first partition in the circuit tank is arranged between the settling zone and the sedimentation zone, the first partition configured to allow overflow between the settling zone and the sedimentation zone; and wherein a second partition in the circuit tank is arranged between the sedimentation zone and the reception zone, the second partition configured to allow overflow between the sedimentation zone and the reception zone. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the circuit tank has a volume from 2 to 3 times greater than the pickling tank in the pickling circuit. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flocculation device has at least two mixing zone containers configured to add at least two different flocculation aids into the main volume flow. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a sum of volumes of all of the mixing zone containers is from 8 to 25 cubic meters. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the deposition device is configured as a lamella separating device comprising a multiplicity of mutually parallel flow channels. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein the flow channels are inclined at an angle relative to a vertical and consist of an acid-resistant and heat-resistant material which permanently withstands temperatures of at least 90° C. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the angle is 15-60°. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The device as claimed in claim 6, wherein a normal distance between neighboring flow channels is at least 50 mm. ### Claim 9 A method for depositing undissolved silicon compounds from a pickling fluid in at least one pickling circuit of a pickling plant, the pickling circuit comprising: a pickling tank of the pickling plant for pickling metal strips; a return line between the pickling tank and a circuit tank; a pressure line between the circuit tank and the pickling tank; a circulation pump; and a heating device arranged in the pressure line; wherein the method comprises: circulating, by the circulation pump, a main volume flow of from 500 to 600 cubic meters per hour of pickling fluid from the pickling tank through the return line into the circuit tank and via the pressure line back into the pickling tank; introducing, by a flocculation device, at least one flocculation aid into the main volume flow having one or more mixing zone containers; depositing, by a deposition device arranged in the circuit tank, undissolved silicon compounds directly from the main volume flow; and heating, by the heating device, the main volume flow to a process temperature; wherein the deposition device comprises at least a settling zone, a sedimentation zone, and a reception zone; wherein a first partition in the circuit tank is arranged between the settling zone and the sedimentation zone, the first partition configured to allow overflow between the settling zone and the sedimentation zone; and wherein a second partition in the circuit tank is arranged between the sedimentation zone and the reception zone, the second partition configured to allow overflow between the sedimentation zone and the reception zone. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method as claimed in claim 9, wherein: when pickling a first type of metal strips by means of a first mixing zone container, a first flocculation aid is introduced into the main volume flow; and when pickling a second type of metal strips exclusively by means of a second and/or a third mixing zone container, at least a second flocculation aid is introduced into the main volume flow.