JP2017008372A - Hardening equipment and method for producing steel pipe - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a condition for hardening a steel pipe, the condition enabling a hardened steel pipe to combine prevention of quenching crack with ensuring of hardened structure.SOLUTION: Hardening equipment comprises a heating furnace, a transport device, cooling units 21(1), 21(2), ... 21(N) and a control device 22. The control device 22 sets: an amount of cooling medium sprayed by each of the cooling units 21(1) to 21(k) per unit time to be a first cooling medium amount W1; an amount of cooling medium sprayed by the cooling unit 21(k+1) per unit time to be a second cooling medium amount W2 which is less than the first cooling medium amount W1, which causes a surface temperature of a steel pipe P at a position of a final cooling ring 211 of the cooling unit 21(k+1) to be an Ms point or higher, and which causes a surface temperature of the steel pipe at a position of the first cooling ring 211 of the cooling unit 21(k+2) to be an Ms point or lower ; and an amount of cooling medium sprayed by the cooling units 21(k+2) to 21(N) sprays per unit time to be a third cooling medium amount W3 which is the second cooling medium amount W2 or less.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

  The present invention relates to a quenching apparatus and a method for manufacturing a steel pipe.

  Quenching of steel pipes is carried out by quenching at the maximum cooling rate specified in the equipment specifications in order to secure a quenched structure and to improve productivity. However, since a steel pipe with a high C content has a high susceptibility to fire cracking, if a cooling rate is too high with a simple cooling means, fire cracking occurs. On the other hand, if the cooling rate is too low, a quenched structure cannot be obtained and desired characteristics cannot be obtained.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 60-190524 describes a method of quenching a steel pipe by moving through continuously arranged cooling medium injection nozzle arrays.

  Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-281823 describes a method of cooling a steel pipe by sequentially passing through cooling headers that are provided with a plurality of misting jet nozzles in a centripetal manner and arranged in tandem in the direction of steel pipe transfer. Yes. In this document, the cooling water supply amount and the air supply amount are set for each cooling header so as to match the steel pipe temperature history during cooling determined by the metal structure and mechanical properties required for the steel pipe after cooling, In addition, it is described that cooling is performed by setting a transfer rate of the steel pipe.

  Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-192535 discloses a variable cooling capacity configured by using a misting jet nozzle capable of adjusting the water amount and the air / water ratio, and a plurality of speed change roller conveyors in the moving direction of the steel pipe. When a steel pipe heated to a predetermined temperature is inserted and moved into the annular cooling header provided continuously, the moving speed of the steel pipe and the cooling capacity of each cooling header are obtained by a predetermined cooling rate pattern and temperature difference. The steel pipe cooling method is characterized in that each is set and cooled as described above.

  Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 9-104925 discloses a quenching method for preventing quench cracking of a steel pipe containing 0.2 to 1.2% C by weight, and cooling is performed only from the inner surface of the steel pipe. A method of quenching medium and high carbon steel characterized by the above is disclosed.

JP-A-60-190524 JP-A-61-281823 Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-192535 JP-A-9-104925

  In JP-A-60-190524 described above, cooling is performed by a water jet nozzle having a large cooling capacity in the initial stage of cooling, and switching to air / water cooling having a small cooling capacity immediately before the outer surface portion enters the martensitic transformation region. Is described. As specific means for realizing this, it has been proposed to adjust the conveying speed of the steel pipe and to make the lengths of the cooling zone by water injection and the cooling zone by air water variable. As a more specific configuration for realizing the latter, there are a plurality of cooling headers in which both the water injection nozzle and the air-water nozzle are incorporated between the upstream zone that performs water-injection cooling and the midstream zone that performs air-water cooling. It is disclosed to provide a boundary zone arranged in a row, and to turn on / off the supply of cooling water and steam to the water jet nozzle and the steam nozzle for each row.

  However, the method of adjusting the conveying speed of the steel pipe has a problem that the cooling speed of the steel pipe changes over the entire axial direction of the steel pipe and the cooling curve changes greatly. In addition, the method of providing a boundary zone and making the lengths of the cooling zone by water injection and the cooling zone by air water variable has a problem that the length of each zone can be changed only in units of header columns.

  In the cooling methods described in the above-mentioned JP-A-60-190524 and JP-A-62-192535, a steel pipe temperature history (cooling curve) is first set so as to match the target steel pipe characteristics, The amount of water in each cooling header and the transfer speed of the steel pipe are set so as to match the set steel pipe temperature history. However, there are a plurality of steel pipe temperature histories for obtaining target steel pipe characteristics, and the most efficient cooling conditions are not always obtained.

  The method disclosed in the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-104925 does not describe temperature control when passing the martensitic transformation start temperature. Therefore, it is unclear whether stable results can be obtained for steel pipes of various compositions or steel pipes of various sizes.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a quenching apparatus and a steel pipe manufacturing method capable of efficiently heat-treating a steel pipe while achieving both prevention of quench cracking and securing of a quenching structure.

A quenching apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a heating furnace that heats a steel pipe, a transport apparatus that transports the steel pipe at a constant transport speed in an axial direction thereof, and is arranged and heated along the axial direction of the steel pipe. And N cooling units each including one or more cooling rings for injecting refrigerant into the steel pipe, and a control device for controlling the amount of refrigerant to be injected by each of the cooling units. The control device sets the amount of refrigerant that each of the first to kth cooling units from the heating furnace side injects per unit time as a first refrigerant amount, and the (k + 1) th cooling unit from the heating furnace side. The amount of refrigerant injected per unit time is less than the first refrigerant amount, and the surface temperature of the steel pipe at the position of the final cooling ring of the (k + 1) th cooling unit is equal to or higher than the martensitic transformation start temperature. And the amount of the second refrigerant that is the amount at which the surface temperature of the steel pipe at the position of the first cooling ring of the (k + 2) -th cooling unit from the heating furnace is equal to or lower than the martensitic transformation start temperature, The amount of refrigerant that each of the (k + 2) to Nth cooling units from the side injects per unit time is set to a third refrigerant amount that is equal to or less than the second refrigerant amount.
However, N is an integer greater than or equal to 3, and k is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N-2.

A method of manufacturing a steel pipe according to an embodiment of the present invention is a method of manufacturing a steel pipe by quenching the raw pipe, the step of heating the raw pipe in a heating furnace, and the constant pipe in the axial direction thereof. The raw tube by the step of carrying at a carrying speed, and N cooling units each including one or more cooling rings arranged along the axial direction of the raw tube and injecting a refrigerant into the heated raw tube And in the cooling step, the first to kth cooling units each of the first to kth cooling units from the heating furnace side are set to a first refrigerant amount, and the heating furnace is set. The surface of the element tube at the position of the final cooling ring of the (k + 1) th cooling unit, wherein the amount of refrigerant that the (k + 1) th cooling unit from the side injects per unit time is less than the first refrigerant amount. Temperature is martensitic transformation start temperature The second refrigerant amount is set to be the amount at which the surface temperature of the raw tube at the position of the first cooling ring of the (k + 2) th cooling unit from the heating furnace is equal to or lower than the martensitic transformation start temperature. The amount of the refrigerant that each of the (k + 2) to Nth cooling units from the heating furnace side injects per unit time is set to the third refrigerant amount that is equal to or less than the second refrigerant amount.
However, N is an integer greater than or equal to 3, and k is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N-2.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the quenching apparatus which can heat-process a steel pipe efficiently, and the manufacturing method of a steel pipe can be obtained which is compatible with prevention of a quenching crack and ensuring of a quenching structure | tissue.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a heat treatment line according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the cooling device. FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the cooling device. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the relationship between the distribution of the surface temperature of the steel pipe along the axial direction and the position of the cooling unit. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a simulation model of a steel pipe used in this calculation example. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the rectangular area VI of FIG. FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing a CCT curve of steel with martensitic transformation.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the drawings, the same or corresponding parts are denoted by the same reference numerals and description thereof will not be repeated.

[Configuration of heat treatment line]
FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a functional configuration of a heat treatment line 100 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The heat treatment line 100 includes a quenching apparatus 1 and a tempering furnace 40. The quenching apparatus 1 includes a heating furnace 10, a cooling apparatus 20, and an immersion tank 30. A transport roller 60 (transport device) is disposed between the devices.

  The conveyance roller 60 sequentially conveys the steel pipe from the heating furnace 10 to the cooling device 20, from the cooling device 20 to the immersion tank 30, and from the immersion tank 30 to the tempering furnace 40. The steel pipe is heated in the heating furnace 10 and cooled by the cooling device 20 and / or the immersion bath 30. The steel pipe is then heated by a tempering furnace 40.

According to the configuration of the heat treatment line 100, the steel pipe can be quenched by cooling the steel pipe with the cooling device 20 and / or the immersion bath 30 after heating the steel pipe to Ac ₃ or more by the heating furnace 10. Furthermore, the steel pipe can be tempered by heating the steel pipe to a predetermined temperature by the tempering furnace 40. For example, the tempered steel pipe is cooled by a cooling device (not shown) and then transferred to a flaw detection device or the like.

  According to the configuration of the heat treatment line 100, the steel pipe can be continuously subjected to quenching and tempering heat treatment. However, quenching and tempering may not be performed continuously, and the tempering furnace 40 may not be disposed in the heat treatment line 100.

  The cooling device 20 cools the steel pipe by injecting a refrigerant, as will be described later. The amount of the refrigerant injected by the cooling device 20 is controlled so as to achieve both prevention of quench cracking and securing of a quenched structure.

  The immersion tank 30 is filled with a refrigerant, and can be rapidly cooled from the inner and outer surfaces by immersing the steel pipe. When the steel pipe to be heat-treated is a low-medium carbon steel pipe (C content less than 0.30%) with low susceptibility to fire cracking, the steel pipe can be cooled using only the immersion tank 30 without using the cooling device 20. . In this case, the processing speed can be increased. On the other hand, even when the steel pipe to be heat-treated is a steel pipe having high susceptibility to fire cracking, if the steel pipe is sufficiently cooled by the cooling device 20, the fire crack will not occur even if it is immersed in the immersion bath 30.

  That is, according to the structure of the quenching apparatus 1, quenching by the cooling device 20 and quenching by the immersion tank 30 can be selectively performed according to the properties of the target steel pipe. On the other hand, when only a steel pipe with high susceptibility to burning cracks is targeted, the immersion tank 30 may not be installed.

[Configuration of Cooling Device 20]
Next, the configuration of the cooling device 20 will be described. FIG. 2 is a schematic plan view of the cooling device 20. FIG. 3 is a schematic front view of the cooling device 20.

  The cooling device 20 includes N cooling units 21 (1), 21 (2),..., 21 (N) arranged along the axial direction of the steel pipe P. Here, N is an integer of 3 or more. The cooling units 21 (1), 21 (2),..., 21 (N) are arranged in this order from the heating furnace 10 (FIG. 1) side.

  Each of the cooling units 21 (1), 21 (2),..., 21 (N) (hereinafter referred to as each cooling unit 21) includes three cooling rings 211. Each of the cooling rings 211 includes twelve nozzles 2111 (FIG. 3) arranged around the steel pipe P. The cooling ring 211 injects the refrigerant from the nozzle 2111 to the steel pipe P.

  The steel pipe P is transported at a constant transport speed v in the tube axis direction by the transport roller 60 (FIG. 1). The steel pipe P passes through the cooling device 20 at the conveyance speed v. At this time, each cooling unit 21 cools the steel pipe P by injecting a refrigerant from the nozzle 2111 to the outer surface of the steel pipe P.

  Each cooling unit 21 further includes a control valve 212. Each of the control valves 212 is controlled by the control device 22. According to this configuration, the control device 22 can independently control the amount of refrigerant injected from each cooling unit 21.

  The refrigerant is, for example, water, oil, or mist, preferably mist. In FIG. 2, for the sake of simplification of the drawing, each cooling unit 21 is illustrated as having one control valve 212. However, each cooling unit 21 may be provided with two or more control valves. In this case, the refrigerant mixing ratio (for example, mist air-water ratio) of the cooling units 21 (1), 21 (2),..., 21 (N) can be controlled independently.

  In the above description, the configuration in which each cooling unit 21 includes three cooling rings 211 is shown, but the number of cooling rings is arbitrary, and may be one. The number of cooling rings 211 provided in each cooling unit 21 is preferably 2 to 4.

  In the above description, the configuration in which each cooling ring 211 includes 12 nozzles 2111 is shown, but the number of nozzles 2111 is arbitrary. The number of nozzles 2111 provided in each cooling ring 211 is preferably 8 to 18.

  In the above description, the configuration in which the refrigerant is injected only on the outer surface of the steel pipe P is shown. However, the configuration may be such that the refrigerant is also injected on the inner surface of the steel pipe P.

[Operation of Control Device 22]
Next, the operation of the control device 22 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 4 shows the relationship between the distribution of the surface temperature (outer surface temperature) of the steel pipe P along the axial direction and the positions of the cooling units 21 (1), 21 (2)..., 21 (N). FIG.

  The control device 22 (FIG. 2) controls the control valve 212 to set the amount of refrigerant supplied to the cooling units 21 (1) to 22 (k) to W1 (first refrigerant amount). Here, k is an integer of 1 or more and (N−2) or less. FIG. 2 shows a case where k = 2. The control device 22 further sets the amount of refrigerant supplied to the cooling unit 21 (k + 1) to W2 (second refrigerant amount), and sets the amount of refrigerant supplied to the cooling units 21 (k + 2) to 22 (N). Set to W3 (third refrigerant amount).

  The refrigerant amount W2 is less than the refrigerant amount W1. The refrigerant amount W3 is equal to or less than the refrigerant amount W2. The refrigerant amount W3 is preferably less than the refrigerant amount W2. In FIG. 4, the distribution of the surface temperature of the steel pipe when W2 = W1 is schematically shown by a two-dot chain line.

  The refrigerant amount W2 further indicates that the surface temperature of the steel pipe P at the position of the final cooling ring 211 (the cooling ring 211 farthest from the heating furnace 10 (FIG. 1)) of the cooling unit 21 (k + 1) is the martensitic transformation start temperature (hereinafter, The surface temperature of the steel pipe P at the position of the first cooling ring 211 (the cooling ring 211 closest to the heating furnace 10 (FIG. 1)) of the cooling unit 21 (k + 2) is equal to or lower than the Ms point. Is set to be In other words, the refrigerant amount W2 is set so that the position at which the surface temperature of the steel pipe passes the Ms point is between the cooling unit 21 (k + 1) and the cooling unit 22 (k + 2).

  The refrigerant amount W2 is preferably such that the surface temperature of the steel pipe P at the position of the final cooling ring 211 of the cooling unit 21 (k + 1) is higher than the Ms point, and the first cooling ring 211 of the cooling unit 21 (k + 2). The surface temperature of the steel pipe P at the position of is set so as to be lower than the Ms point.

  The refrigerant amount W3 is preferably set so that the inner surface temperature of the steel pipe P at the position of the final cooling ring 211 of the cooling unit 21 (N) is equal to or lower than the martensite transformation end temperature (hereinafter referred to as Mf point). . This is because the retained austenite phase may increase depending on the composition of the steel pipe P if the temperature at the end of cooling is not lower than the Mf point. Moreover, it is also for completing transformation quickly from the surface of operational efficiency.

  More preferably, the refrigerant amount W3 is set such that the maximum temperature in the thickness of the steel pipe P at the position of the final cooling ring 211 of the cooling unit 21 (N) is equal to or lower than the Mf point. In the present embodiment, the refrigerant is injected only on the outer surface of the steel pipe P. Therefore, the maximum temperature in the wall thickness is a position slightly inside from the inner surface of the steel pipe P or the inner surface.

[Method of determining the amount of refrigerant]
The refrigerant amounts W1, W2, and W3 can be determined by predicting the position at which the surface temperature of the steel pipe reaches the Ms point by simulation. Below, an example (henceforth this calculation example) of calculating the temperature distribution of a steel pipe is demonstrated.

This calculation example is a numerical analysis by the finite element method. In this calculation example, for the convenience of calculation, the heat transfer coefficients h1, h2, and h3 at the interface between the steel pipe surface and the refrigerant are used instead of the refrigerant amounts W1, W2, and W3 in each zone. The relationship between the refrigerant amount and the heat transfer coefficient can be obtained from actual measurement. The heat transfer coefficient is proportional to the amount of refrigerant 0.5 to 0.8. Therefore, if the heat transfer coefficient when the refrigerant quantity is measured at the maximum value W _MAX is h _MAX , the relationship between the refrigerant quantity W and the heat transfer coefficient h can also be obtained by the following equation. The exponent part 0.65 is an intermediate value of 0.5 to 0.8.
(W / W _MAX ) ^0.65 = h / h _MAX

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a simulation model of the steel pipe P used in this calculation example. FIG. 6 is an enlarged view of the rectangular area VI of FIG. In this calculation example, the steel pipe P is regarded as axially symmetric, and a model having nodes aligned along the thickness direction is used. It is assumed that the upper surface of the model holds a plane (uniform displacement occurs) and there is no circumferential heat transfer.

The initial conditions are the same temperature (temperature of the heating furnace 10 (FIG. 1)) and the same structure (austenite structure) at all nodes. The cooling conditions are air cooling on the inner and outer surfaces between the heating furnace 10 and the cooling device 20, air cooling on the inner surface in the cooling device 20, forced cooling on the outer surface, and air cooling on the inner and outer surfaces after passing through the cooling device 20. As the heat transfer coefficient at the interface between the steel pipe surface and the refrigerant during forced cooling, the above-described heat transfer coefficients h1, h2, and h3 are used. The heat transfer coefficient between the steel pipe surface and air during air cooling is, for example, 5 (W / (m ² · K ² )).

  In this calculation example, a temperature-displacement coupled analysis is performed in consideration of the tissue transformation. As a prediction model for tissue transformation, diffusion transformation is modeled using a diffusion type transformation prediction model for Li (MVLi et al. Metall. Mater. Trans. B, 29 (3) 661-672, 1998). Is modeled using the KM equation (DP Koistinen and RE Marburger, Acta Metall., 7, 59-60, 1959). The thermal expansion coefficient and transformation expansion coefficient are predicted from the density difference of each phase using the Miettinen density formula (J. Miettinen, Metall. Mater. Trans. B, vol. 28B, 281-297, 1997).

  The material properties of the mixed phase are obtained from the following equation (1) assuming that the linear mixing rule is established.

_{Here, P mixture, P A, P} F / P, P B, and each _{P M} may be a mixed phase, austenite phase, ferrite / pearlite phase, a material property of the bainite phase, and martensite phase. ξ _A , ξ _{F / P} , ξ _B , and ξ _M are the volume fractions of the austenite phase, ferrite / pearlite phase, bainite phase, and martensite phase, respectively.

  According to the Li diffusion transformation prediction model, the time τ in the case of isothermal transformation from austenite to each diffusion transformation structure is expressed as the following equation (2) as a function of the transformation rate X and the temperature T.

Here, F is a function of alloy element content (C, Mn, Si, Ni, Cr, Mo, unit is mass%) and ASTM austenite grain size number G. _ΔT is the degree of supercooling (= transformation point−T), n is an experimentally determined constant, Q is the activation energy for diffusion transformation (27500 (cal / mol)), and R is the gas constant (1.987 ( cal / mol / K)). S (X) is a function representing the transformation speed and is given by the following equation (3).

The specific forms τ _F , τ _P , and τ _B in the case of transformation into ferrite, pearlite, and bainite transformation structures are respectively given by the following formulas (4) to (6).

Here, Ae ₃ is the equilibrium temperature that defines the upper limit of the presence of ferrite, Ae ₁ is the equilibrium temperature that defines the lower limit of the presence of austenite, and Bs is the bainite transformation start temperature.

  The phase transformation prediction during continuous cooling is considered from the above diffusion type transformation prediction model. Assuming that the temperature is constant for a certain minute time dτ, the transformation rate equation at the time τ is expressed as the following equation (7) by differentiating the equation (2) by the transformation rate X and taking the reciprocal. Is done.

If the transformation ratio _{X i} is known at time tau _i, the transformation rate _{X i + 1} at time _{τ i + 1 = τ i +} dτ can be obtained from equation (7). This is repeated from time 0 to τ _i (i = 1, 2, 3,...). This corresponds to predicting the continuous cooling transformation using the addition rule.

  The non-diffusion transformation is treated as a function of temperature only by the KM equation represented by the following equation (8).

  Using the above model, the temperature distribution of the steel pipe is calculated with the conveying speed v and the heat transfer coefficients h1, h2, and h3 as given conditions, and the position where the surface temperature of the steel pipe becomes the Ms point is obtained. The heat transfer coefficient h2 is adjusted so that the position where the surface temperature of the steel pipe becomes the Ms point is between the cooling unit 21 (k + 1) and the cooling unit 21 (k + 2). And the obtained heat transfer coefficient h2 is converted into the refrigerant | coolant amount W2.

  Similarly, when the surface temperature of the steel pipe P at the position of the final cooling ring 211 of the cooling unit 21 (N) is set to the Mf point or less, the temperature is calculated by the above model, and the temperature becomes the Mf point or less. Thus, the heat transfer coefficient h3 is adjusted. Then, the obtained heat transfer coefficient h3 may be converted into the refrigerant amount W3.

  Similarly, when the maximum temperature in the thickness of the steel pipe P at the position of the final cooling ring 211 of the cooling unit 21 (N) is set to the Mf point or less, the temperature is calculated by the above model, and the temperature is calculated as the Mf point. The heat transfer coefficient h3 is adjusted to be as follows. Then, the obtained heat transfer coefficient h3 may be converted into the refrigerant amount W3.

[Effect of cooling device 1]
Hereinafter, the effect of the cooling device 1 will be described. FIG. 7 is a diagram schematically showing a CCT curve of steel with martensitic transformation.

  If the cooling is consistently quenched from the start to the end as shown by the curve C1, cracks may occur due to transformation stress. Steel with a higher carbon content has a higher transformation expansion and is more susceptible to cracking. Further, the steel having a higher carbon content has a lower Ms point and a narrower interval between the Ms point and the Mf point, so that rapid transformation expansion occurs and cracking is likely to occur.

  On the other hand, when slowly cooling from the start to the end of cooling as shown by curve C2, an intermediate phase such as bainite is mixed, and a structure with a high martensite volume ratio may not be obtained.

  Therefore, it is preferable to rapidly cool to just above the Ms point and slowly cool below the Ms point as shown by the curve C3. Thereby, both prevention of quench cracking and securing of a quenched structure can be achieved.

  In order to achieve this, the amount of refrigerant injected from the cooling unit on the upstream side (heating furnace 10 (FIG. 1)) from the position where the surface temperature of the steel pipe reaches the Ms point is increased. The amount of refrigerant injected by the cooling unit on the downstream side (immersion tank 30 (FIG. 1) side) from this position may be reduced.

  However, the position where the surface temperature of the steel pipe becomes the Ms point is not always between the cooling unit and the cooling unit. If the position at which the surface temperature of the steel pipe becomes the Ms point shifts to the upstream side, a part of the martensitic transformation region is strongly cooled, and there is a possibility that a burning crack occurs. On the other hand, if the position where the surface temperature of the steel pipe becomes the Ms point shifts to the downstream side, a part of the region higher than the Ms point is slowly cooled, and the intermediate phase may be mixed. Moreover, it is not preferable also in terms of production efficiency.

  It is conceivable to adjust the position where the surface temperature of the steel pipe becomes the Ms point by changing the conveying speed v of the steel pipe P. However, if the conveyance speed v is changed, there is a problem that the cooling rate changes over the entire axial direction of the steel pipe P, and the cooling curve changes greatly.

  It can be considered that the position at which the surface temperature of the steel pipe becomes the Ms point is adjusted between the cooling unit and the cooling unit by dividing the cooling unit finely. However, even the finest division can be performed only in units of the width of the cooling ring 211. Further, when the number of cooling units is increased, the configuration of the apparatus becomes complicated.

  In the present embodiment, the amount of refrigerant in the cooling unit 21 (k + 1) is set to the refrigerant amount W2. In the present embodiment, by adjusting the refrigerant amount W2, the position at which the surface temperature of the steel pipe becomes the Ms point is adjusted to be between the cooling unit 21 (k + 1) and the cooling unit 21 (k + 2).

  According to this configuration, it is possible to rapidly cool to a position immediately above the Ms point and to slowly cool the temperature below Ms. As a result, both the prevention of quench cracking and the securing of the quenched structure can be achieved, and the steel pipe can be heat treated efficiently.

  While the embodiments of the present invention have been described above, the above-described embodiments are merely examples for carrying out the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be implemented by appropriately modifying the above-described embodiment without departing from the spirit thereof.

  Hereinafter, based on an Example, this invention is demonstrated more concretely. In addition, this Example does not limit this invention.

The simulation by the finite element method was performed, and the temperature distribution of the steel pipe and the characteristics after cooling were calculated. More specifically, a temperature-displacement coupled analysis taking into account the structural transformation is performed, and the circumferential residual stress σ _θ (maximum value in the thickness direction) of the steel pipe after cooling and the volume fraction ξ _M of the martensite phase are calculated. did. σ _θ was set to 200 MPa or less and ξ _M was set to 90% or more.

  A simulation model was set assuming that quenching was performed with the quenching apparatus 1 (FIG. 1). The temperature of the heating furnace 10 was 900 ° C., the number of cooling units to be rapidly cooled was 2 (k = 2), the conveyance speed v was 17 m / min, and the maximum total amount of water that could be supplied was 5760 L / min.

  The size of the steel pipe was set to an outer diameter of 244.48 × wall thickness of 8 mm. The chemical composition of the steel pipe (unit:% by mass) is C: 0.53%, Si: 0.27%, Mn: 0.43%, P: 0.001%, S: 0.001%, Cu: 0 0.02%, Cr: 0.52%, Ni: 0.02%, Mo: 0.68%, V: 0.088%, the balance being Fe and impurities. The steel pipe had an Ms point of 298 ° C. and an Mf point of 100 ° C.

  The results are shown in Table 1. In Table 1, T3 is the surface temperature of the steel pipe at the position of the last cooling ring of the third (k + 1) cooling unit 21, and T4 is at the position of the first cooling ring of the fourth (k + 2) cooling unit. It is the surface temperature of the steel pipe.

Case 1 was T3 ≧ Ms and Ms ≧ T4. That is, the position where the surface temperature of the steel pipe becomes the Ms point was between the third cooling unit and the fourth cooling unit. In Case 1, the circumferential residual stress σ _θ of the steel pipe after cooling was 200 MPa or less, and the volume ratio ξ _M of the martensite phase was 90% or more.

Case2 was T3 <Ms. That is, the position where the surface temperature of the steel pipe becomes the Ms point was inside the third cooling unit. In Case 2, the circumferential residual stress σ _θ of the steel pipe after cooling exceeded 200 MPa.

Case 3 was Ms <T4. That is, the position where the surface temperature of the steel pipe becomes the Ms point was inside the fourth cooling unit. In Case 3, the martensite phase volume ratio ξ _M of the steel pipe after cooling was less than 90%.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Heat processing line 1 Quenching apparatus 10 Heating furnace 20 Cooling apparatus 21 (1), 21 (2), ..., 21 (N) Cooling unit 211 Cooling ring 2111 Nozzle 212 Control valve 22 Control apparatus 30 Cooling tank 40 Tempering furnace 60 Conveying roller (conveying device)

Claims (4)

A furnace for heating the steel pipe;
A transport device for transporting the steel pipe in its axial direction at a constant transport speed;
N cooling units that are arranged along the axial direction of the steel pipe and each include one or more cooling rings that inject refrigerant into the heated steel pipe;
A control device for controlling the amount of refrigerant injected by each of the cooling units;
The controller is
The amount of refrigerant that each of the first to kth cooling units from the heating furnace side injects per unit time is set as the first refrigerant amount,
The steel pipe at the position of the final cooling ring of the (k + 1) th cooling unit, wherein the amount of refrigerant injected by the (k + 1) th cooling unit from the heating furnace side per unit time is less than the first refrigerant amount. The surface temperature of the steel pipe is equal to or higher than the martensite transformation start temperature point, and the surface temperature of the steel pipe at the position of the first cooling ring of the (k + 2) th cooling unit from the heating furnace is equal to or lower than the martensite transformation start temperature. Is set to the second refrigerant amount,
A quenching apparatus that sets the amount of refrigerant that each of the (k + 2) to Nth cooling units from the heating furnace side injects per unit time to a third refrigerant amount that is equal to or less than the second refrigerant amount.
However, N is an integer greater than or equal to 3, and k is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N-2. The quenching device according to claim 1,
The control device sets the third refrigerant amount to an amount such that the maximum temperature in the thickness of the steel pipe at the position of the final cooling ring of the Nth cooling unit from the heating furnace side is equal to or lower than the martensite transformation end temperature. A quenching device. A method of manufacturing a steel pipe by quenching a base pipe,
Heating the raw tube in a heating furnace;
Transporting the raw tube at a constant transport speed in its axial direction;
Cooling the element tube by N cooling units, each of which includes one or more cooling rings arranged along the axial direction of the element tube and injecting a refrigerant into the heated element tube,
In the cooling step,
The amount of refrigerant that each of the first to kth cooling units from the heating furnace side injects per unit time is set as the first refrigerant amount,
The amount of refrigerant injected by the (k + 1) th cooling unit from the heating furnace side per unit time is less than the first refrigerant amount, and the element at the position of the final cooling ring of the (k + 1) th cooling unit. The tube surface temperature is equal to or higher than the martensitic transformation start temperature, and the surface temperature of the raw tube at the position of the first cooling ring of the (k + 2) th cooling unit from the heating furnace is equal to or lower than the martensitic transformation start temperature. Set the amount of the second refrigerant,
A method of manufacturing a steel pipe, wherein the amount of refrigerant injected from each of the (k + 2) to Nth cooling units from the heating furnace side per unit time is set to a third refrigerant amount that is equal to or less than the second refrigerant amount.
However, N is an integer greater than or equal to 3, and k is an integer greater than or equal to 1 and less than or equal to N-2. It is a manufacturing method of the steel pipe according to claim 3,
In the cooling step, the amount of the third refrigerant is determined so that the maximum temperature in the thickness of the raw tube at the position of the final cooling ring of the Nth cooling unit from the heating furnace side is equal to or lower than the martensite transformation end temperature. A method for manufacturing steel pipes.

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