Plate Galvanization Simulation Facility Essor

ESSOR is a water-based facility that was designed and built for the study of liquid film thickness control using an air knife in a galvanization process.  The most important features of a full-scale industrial installation are replicated in this facility.  Liquid zinc is simulated by water and a rubber belt is used to represent the steel strip. To better simulate the actual process, the water film is aspirated at the top of the belt.  The location of the submerged cylinders directly duplicates the arrangement in the real process. The nozzle may be located at any position and its impact angle can be adjusted over a wide range.

The ESSOR facility can be operated with a belt velocity reaching 240 m/min and a nozzle pressure up to 8000 Pa. Film thickness in the range of 5 to 200 mm can be simulated. Different visualization and measurement techniques, including Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) and Laser Doppler Velocimetry (LDV), can also be applied in this facility.