JP6581233B2 - Heat treatment equipment - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a heat treatment apparatus for performing heat treatment such as tempering on an object to be heat treated.

  As an apparatus for performing a tempering process on an object to be heat-treated such as steel, particularly tool steel, an oil bath apparatus as disclosed in Patent Document 1 is known. This thing has the bathtub for storing the oil which is a processing agent inside, and throwing in the heat processing target object. In addition, while the heat treatment object is immersed in oil in the bath, the bath is maintained at a predetermined temperature for a certain period of time (100 ° C. or higher if low-temperature tempering). Remove from bathtub.

  In this type of heat treatment apparatus, conventionally, the bathtub is opened or brought into contact with a large amount of air. For this reason, the oil is exposed to oxygen in the air while being heated by the heater, which causes deterioration due to oxidation of the oil. Deteriorated oil had to be replaced each time, and the cost burden increased due to the short life of the oil.

  In addition, since the possibility of igniting oil in contact with air cannot be denied, it was necessary to use oil having a sufficiently high flash point as a treating agent. On the other hand, oil with a high flash point has a high viscosity at room temperature, and it takes time to remove the oil adhering to the heat-treated object after processing.

  The problems caused by the treatment agent coming into contact with air during the heat treatment as described above are not unique to the tempering treatment, and are generally applied to the heat treatment apparatus that performs the heat treatment by immersing the heat treatment object in the treatment agent. It exists in common.

JP 2017-82252 A

  An object of the present invention is to realize a heat treatment apparatus that suppresses as much as possible contact of air or oxygen with a treatment agent used for heat treatment.

The heat treatment apparatus according to the present invention has a configuration as described below. That is, the heat treatment apparatus according to the invention of claim 1 includes a storage tank capable of storing a liquid treatment agent for immersing the heat treatment object in a state of being almost or completely cut off from the air, and a carry-in / out port. Through which the heat treatment object can be carried in and out, and the treatment agent can be injected and discharged, and the heat treatment object carried into the inside is immersed in the treatment agent so that the inside is almost or completely out of the air. A tub capable of closing the carry-in / out port to shut off, a communication passage through which the tub and the storage tank are communicated, a valve for opening and closing the communication passage, a valve for opening and closing the communication passage, A recirculation device for returning the discharged processing agent into the storage tank, and a heater for heating the processing agent stored therein is attached to the storage tank. .
Further, the heat treatment apparatus according to the invention of claim 2 includes a storage tank capable of storing a liquid treatment agent for immersing the heat treatment object in a state of being almost or completely shielded from air, and a carry-in / out port Through which the heat treatment object can be carried in and out and the treatment agent can be injected and discharged. A bathtub capable of closing the carry-in / out port to completely shut off, a communication path through which the bathtub and the storage tank are communicated, the valve for opening and closing the communication path, A reflux device for returning the treatment agent discharged from the storage tank into the storage tank, and the reflux device makes the inside of the storage tank a lower pressure than the inside of the bathtub. Including pumps.
Furthermore, the heat treatment apparatus according to the invention of claim 3 is a storage tank capable of storing oil, which is a liquid treatment agent for immersing the object to be heat treated, in a state of being almost or completely shielded from air. The heat treatment object can be carried in / out through the carry-in / out port, the treatment agent can be injected and discharged, and the heat treatment object carried into the inside is heated and subjected to tempering. A bathtub capable of closing the carry-in / out port so as to substantially or completely shield the interior from the air in a state immersed in the treatment agent, a communication path through which the treatment agent can flow through the bathtub and the storage tank, and A valve for opening and closing the communication path; and a reflux device for returning the treatment agent discharged from the bathtub to the storage tank.

  If it is such, it can heat-process by interrupting | blocking the inside of a bathtub from air substantially or completely in the state which immersed the heat processing target object in the processing agent inside a bathtub. And it can fully suppress that a processing agent touches air or oxygen by storing and preserve | saving in a storage tank in the state interrupted | blocked from the air substantially or completely.

In the invention of claim 1, since the heater for heating the treatment agent stored inside is attached to the storage tank , the storage tank is preliminarily in a state of being almost or completely cut off from the air. By heating the treatment agent and transferring the treatment agent to the bathtub and closing the carry-in / out port immediately before performing the treatment on the heat treatment object, the time for the treatment agent to contact the air in the bathtub can be reduced as much as possible. For this reason, the amount of oxygen in contact with the treatment agent can be more suitably suppressed .

On the other hand, in the invention of claim 2, since the reflux device includes a pump for setting the inside of the storage tank to a pressure lower than the inside of the bathtub, a heat treatment device including such a reflux device is suitably realized. I can .

As another example of a configuration that can more suitably suppress the amount of oxygen that touches the treatment agent, an apparatus that includes an exhaust device for exhausting the atmosphere in the bathtub with the interior of the bathtub substantially or completely blocked from the air. Is mentioned.

  ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the heat processing apparatus which suppressed as much as possible air or oxygen touching the processing agent used for heat processing is realizable.

Schematic of the heat processing apparatus which concerns on 1st embodiment of this invention. Explanatory drawing of the usage condition of the heat processing apparatus which concerns on the same embodiment. Schematic of the heat processing apparatus which concerns on 2nd embodiment of this invention. Schematic of the heat processing apparatus which concerns on 3rd embodiment of this invention. Schematic of the heat processing apparatus which concerns on 4th embodiment of this invention.

  A heat treatment apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

  This heat treatment apparatus 1 is for performing a tempering treatment by immersing a heat treatment object 2 such as steel, particularly tool steel, in a liquid treatment agent. In the present embodiment, oil (tempered oil) 3 is used as the treatment agent.

  The heat treatment apparatus 1 carries the heat treatment object 2 into the storage tank 4 in which the oil 3 can be stored in a state of being almost or completely cut off from the outside air and the carry-in / out port 5a. 1 is capable of closing the carry-in / out port 5a so that the inside of the heat-treated object 2 carried inside can be substantially or completely blocked from the air while being immersed in the oil 3. Alternatively, in the present embodiment, in the present embodiment, the two bathtubs 5, the communication path 6 that allows the oil 3 to flow through the bathtub 5 and the storage tank 4, and the first and the first for opening and closing the communication path 6. 2 main valves 71, 72, an inert gas supply device 8 for feeding nitrogen gas, which is a high-pressure inert gas that hardly reacts or does not react at all with the processing agent oil 3, and the bathtub 5, 5 In the state where the inside is almost or completely shielded from air Comprising an exhaust pump 9 which functions as an exhaust system for exhausting the atmosphere in the tank 5.

  The storage tank 4 is a tank that can store the oil 3 therein, and an oil outlet 4 a that leads to and from the bathtub 5 through the communication path 6 is opened at the lower end portion. ing. The inside of the storage tank 4 communicates with the outside only through the oil outlet 4a. Further, the storage tank 4 is accompanied by a storage tank side heater H1 for heating or keeping the oil 3 stored therein.

  The bathtub 5 is provided in the vicinity of the upper end so as to supply the oil 3 from the storage tank 4 via the carry-in / out entrance 5a opened so that the heat treatment object 2 can be carried in / out and the communication path 6. The inside of the bathtub 5 is covered with the bathtub main body 51 having the oil outlet 5b and the lower oil outlet 5c provided at the lower end so as to recirculate the oil 3 to the storage tank 4, and the carry-out inlet 5a. And a lid 52 for substantially or completely shielding from the outside air. Moreover, this bathtub 5 is accompanied by a bathtub-side heater H2 for heating or keeping the heat treatment object 2 and the oil 3 in a state where the heat treatment object 2 carried into the bath 5 is immersed in the oil 3. .

  The communication path 6 connects the oil outlet 4 a of the storage tank 4 and the oil outlets 5 b and 5 c of the bathtub 5. The first main valve 71 is provided between the oil outlet 4 a of the storage tank 4 and the oil outlet 5 b above the bathtub 5. On the other hand, a second main valve 72 is provided between the oil outlet 4 a of the storage tank 4 and the oil outlet 5 c below the bathtub 5.

  The first and second main valves 71 and 72 are both in a valve-open state allowing the oil 3 in the communication passage 6 to flow, and on the storage tank 4 side and the bathtub 5 side in the communication passage 6. And a valve-closed state in which the flow of the oil 3 between them can be selectively taken.

  The inert gas supply device 8 includes a tank 81 storing therein a high-pressure inert gas, specifically nitrogen gas, and a first pipe 82 communicating the tank 81 with the inside of the bathtub 5. A first inlet valve 83 provided in the first pipe, a second pipe 84 communicating the tank 81 and the inside of the storage tank 4, and a second pipe provided in the second pipe. 2, and by supplying a high-pressure inert gas to the inside of the storage tank 4, the oil in the storage tank 4 is supplied to the bathtub 5, and the high-pressure inert gas is supplied to the inside of the bathtub 5. The oil in the bathtub 5 is recirculated to the storage tank 4 by supplying to the storage tank 4.

  The exhaust pump 9 is connected to the vicinity of the upper end inside the storage tank 4 and the vicinity of the upper end inside the bathtub 5, and in the pipe between the storage tank 4 and the pipe between the bathtub 5, First and second exhaust valves 91 and 92 are provided, respectively. The exhaust pump 9 has a function of exhausting air from the internal space of the storage tank 4 in a state where only the first exhaust valve 91 is opened. In the state where only the second exhaust valve 92 is opened, the exhaust pump 9 is operated in a state where the lid 52 is attached to the bathtub body 51 to exhaust the atmosphere containing oxygen in the bathtub 5. It has a function.

  In addition, when not performing a tempering process, or when carrying in and out of the heat processing target object with respect to the said bathtub 5, most or all of the oil 3 is stored in the said storage tank 4. FIG. At this time, the first and second main valves 71 and 72 are closed.

  Hereinafter, the procedure of the tempering process using this heat treatment apparatus 1 will be described.

  First, the storage tank side heater H1 is operated in advance to heat the oil 3 in the storage tank 4. The temperature of the oil 3 is desirably a temperature for performing low temperature tempering, specifically, a temperature of 100 ° C. or higher. Then, as shown in FIG. 2, the lid body 52 is displaced with respect to the bathtub main body 51 or detached from the bathtub main body 51 so that the carry-in / out entrance 5 a of the bathtub main body 51 is opened, The heat treatment object 2 is carried into the bathtub 5 through 5a, and as soon as the carry-in is completed, the lid body 52 is attached to the bathtub body 51 and the carry-in / out port 5a is closed. By closing the carry-in / out port 5 a with the lid 52, the inside of the bathtub 5 is isolated from the air outside the bathtub 5, and the outside air can be brought into a state in which little or no air enters the inside of the bathtub 5.

  Next, the exhaust pump 9 is operated to open the second exhaust valve 92, and the air containing oxygen remaining in the bathtub 5 is discharged. Then, the second exhaust valve 92 is closed. Thereafter, the first main valve 71 is opened and the second introduction valve 85 is opened from the inert gas supply device 8 to supply nitrogen gas into the storage tank 4, and the oil 3 is supplied to the bathtub 5. The inside of the heat treatment object 2 is immersed in the oil 3 and completed. Then, the first main valve 71 is closed, the second introduction valve 85 is closed, the bathtub heater H2 is operated, and the temperature inside the bathtub 5 is low-temperature tempered, More specifically, a predetermined temperature of 100 ° C. or higher is set, and this state is maintained for a predetermined time.

  Thereafter, the first exhaust valve 91 is opened to lower the atmospheric pressure in the storage tank 4 while the first introduction valve 83 of the inert gas supply device 8 is opened to increase the pressure inside the bathtub 5. Nitrogen gas is supplied, the second main valve 72 is opened, and the oil 3 is recirculated from the inside of the bathtub 5 to the inside of the storage tank 4. When the return of the oil 3 to the inside of the storage tank 4 is completed, the second main valve 72 and the first introduction valve 83 of the inert gas supply device 8 are closed. At the same time, the lid 52 is displaced or removed from the bathtub body 51 to open the carry-in / out entrance 5a, and the heat treatment object 2 is carried out of the bathtub 5 through the carry-in / out entrance 5a. When the heat treatment object 2 is carried out, the lid body 52 may be attached to the bathtub body 51 again to close the carry-in / out entrance 5a.

  Here, in this embodiment, the inert gas supply device 8 and the exhaust pump 9 cooperate to function as a reflux device for returning the treatment agent discharged from the bathtub to the storage tank.

  That is, according to the present embodiment, the heat treatment can be performed by almost or completely blocking the inside of the bathtub 5 from the air while the heat treatment object 2 is immersed in the oil 3 inside the bathtub 5. And it can fully suppress that air or oxygen touches oil 3 by storing and storing in storage tank 4 in the state where oil 3 was blocked from air almost or completely. Furthermore, when the heat treatment object 2 is carried in and out of the bathtub 5, the oil 3 can be kept from touching the air to the minimum. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the oil 3 from being oxidized by touching the air, the progress of deterioration of the oil 3 is delayed, and the cost can be reduced by reducing the number of times the oil 3 is replaced.

  In addition, the following effects can be obtained by blocking the oil 3 stored in the storage tank 4 and the oil 3 during the heat treatment from the air. That is, since the oil 3 is shielded from the air, the oil 3 is prevented from being ignited while being heated by the heaters H1 and H2. As a result, oil 3 having a relatively low flash point and low viscosity at room temperature can be used for the heat treatment. Thereby, the effort of the operation | work which removes the oil 3 adhering to the heat processing target object 2 which finished the process can be reduced.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, since the storage tank side heater H1 for heating the oil 3 stored inside is attached to the storage tank 4, the oil 3 is supplied prior to the heat treatment in a state where it is cut off from the air. It can be heated, and from this point as well, the high temperature oil 3 can be prevented from touching oxygen in the air.

  In addition, in the present embodiment, the exhaust pump 9 for exhausting the atmosphere in the bathtub 5 in a state where the inside of the bathtub 5 is substantially or completely blocked from the air is provided, so that the atmosphere in contact with the oil 3 during the tempering process The amount of oxygen in it can be reduced as much as possible.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above, and various modifications can be made. Other embodiments will be described below. Here, in each embodiment described below, it is assumed that there is only one bathtub. The parts corresponding to those in the first embodiment described above are denoted by the same names and reference numerals, and detailed description thereof is omitted in the parts having the same configuration.

  For example, as a second embodiment of the present invention, there is a heat treatment apparatus A1 as described below. As shown in FIG. 3, the heat treatment apparatus A <b> 1 has only one bathtub 5, and the heat treatment according to the first embodiment described above in that the exhaust pump 9 is connected only to the inside of the bathtub 5. Different from device 1.

  Even in such a configuration, high-pressure nitrogen gas can be supplied into the bathtub 5 by the inert gas supply device 8 in the same manner as the heat treatment device 1 according to the first embodiment. Even if the pressure inside the tank 4 is not lowered, the oil 3 can be recirculated from the inside of the bathtub 5 to the inside of the storage tank 4 by sufficiently increasing the pressure of the nitrogen gas supplied to the inside of the bathtub 5.

  Since it has the structure similar to the heat processing apparatus 1 which concerns on 1st embodiment mentioned above in another point, all the effects concerning the structure of 1st embodiment mentioned above can be acquired.

  As a third embodiment of the present invention, there is a heat treatment apparatus B1 as described below. As shown in FIG. 4, this heat treatment apparatus B <b> 1 has only one bathtub 5, and is arranged in the communication path 6 to circulate the oil 3 between the inside of the storage tank 4 and the inside of the bathtub 5. It differs from the heat processing apparatus 1 which concerns on 1st embodiment mentioned above by the point provided with this oil feed pump B8.

  If it is such composition, in addition to the pressure difference between the inside of storage tank 4 and the inside of bathtub 5 and the power of oil feed pump B8 other than the own weight of oil 3, between storage tank 4 and the inside of bathtub 5 Thus, the oil 3 can be circulated smoothly.

  In other respects, since it has the same configuration as the heat treatment apparatuses 1 and A1 according to the first and second embodiments described above, all the effects of the configuration of the first embodiment described above can be obtained.

  Of course, the above-described heat treatment apparatus according to the third embodiment may further include the inert gas supply apparatus according to the first and second embodiments.

  As a fourth embodiment of the present invention, there is a heat treatment apparatus C1 as described below. As shown in FIG. 5, the heat treatment apparatus C <b> 1 has only one bathtub 5, the bathtub 5 is arranged at a position higher than the storage tank 4, and the inert gas supply apparatus 8 stores. It is closer to the exhaust pump 9 than the point connected only inside the tank 4 and the junction of the pipe between the exhaust pump 9 and the storage tank 4 and the pipe between the exhaust pump 9 and the bathtub 5. 3 is different from the heat treatment apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment described above in that three exhaust valves 93 are provided.

  With such a configuration, the first exhaust valve 91 is closed, the second and third exhaust valves are opened, and the exhaust pump 9 discharges air containing oxygen remaining in the bathtub 5. By supplying a high-pressure inert gas to the storage tank 4 by the inert gas supply device C8, the oil 3 is supplied from the storage tank 4 to the inside of the bathtub 5 by utilizing the pressure difference, while the third exhaust valve. 93 is closed, the first and second exhaust valves 91 and 92 are both opened, and the internal pressure of the storage tank 4 and the internal pressure of the bathtub 5 are made equal to each other by utilizing the weight of the oil 3. The oil 3 can be recirculated from the inside of the bathtub 5 to the inside of the storage tank 4.

  The supply of oil from the storage tank to the bathtub may be various, such as an aspect in which oil is pushed out to the bathtub side using a piston provided on the storage tank side in addition to the above-described aspect.

  In addition to the aspect described above, the oil recirculation from the bathtub to the storage tank can be performed by using the piston provided on the storage tank side or by using the piston provided on the bathtub side. Various reflux devices may be employed, such as a mode of pushing out to the storage tank side, a mode of moving the bathtub to a height position above the storage tank using a jack or the like, and flowing oil to the storage tank side by its own weight. .

  The first embodiment described above with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, even if the above-described aspect of supplying oil from the various storage tanks to the bathtub and the aspect of oil return from the bathtub to the storage tank are utilized. The exhaust device using the exhaust pump according to the embodiment, the inert gas supply device according to the first embodiment described above with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, and the flow of gas from the inside of the bathtub to the outside are permitted. An exhaust device using a pipe having a check valve that interrupts the flow of gas in the reverse direction may be provided, or the exhaust device may be omitted.

  Furthermore, the number of bathtubs connected to the storage tank is two in the first embodiment and one in the second to fourth embodiments, but may be arbitrarily set. Moreover, you may employ | adopt the thing of a various aspect also as the communicating path which connects a bathtub and a storage tank.

  The present invention can be applied to an apparatus for performing a heat treatment other than the tempering process, and also applied to a device that uses a liquid other than oil as a liquid treatment agent for immersing the heat treatment object. Can do.

  In addition, various changes may be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1, A1-E1 ... Heat processing apparatus 2 ... Heat processing object 3 ... Treatment agent (oil)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 4 ... Reservoir 5 ... Bathtub 5a ... Carrying in / out port 6 ... Communication path 71, 72 ... Valve (1st, 2nd main valve)
8 ... Reflux device (inert gas supply device)
9 ... Reflux device (exhaust pump)

Claims (4)

A storage tank capable of storing a liquid treatment agent for immersing the heat treatment object in a state of being almost or completely shielded from air; and
The heat treatment object can be carried in / out through the carry-in / out port, the treatment agent can be injected and discharged, and the heat treatment object carried into the interior is immersed in the treatment agent from the air. A bathtub that can close the loading / unloading port to almost or completely shut off;
A communication path through which the treatment agent can flow through the bathtub and the storage tank;
A valve for opening and closing the communication path;
A reflux device for returning the treatment agent discharged from the bath to the storage tank;
The heat processing apparatus with which the heater for heating the said processing agent stored inside is attached to the said storage tank . A storage tank capable of storing a liquid treatment agent for immersing the heat treatment object in a state of being almost or completely shielded from air; and
The heat treatment object can be carried in / out through the carry-in / out port, the treatment agent can be injected and discharged, and the heat treatment object carried into the interior is immersed in the treatment agent from the air. A bathtub that can close the loading / unloading port to almost or completely shut off;
A communication path through which the treatment agent can flow through the bathtub and the storage tank;
A valve for opening and closing the communication path;
A reflux device for returning the treatment agent discharged from the bath to the storage tank;
Comprising:
The heat processing apparatus containing the pump for the said recirculation | reflux apparatus to make the inside of the said storage tank the pressure lower than the inside of the said bathtub . A storage tank capable of storing oil, which is a liquid processing agent for immersing the heat treatment object, in a state of being almost or completely cut off from the air; and
The heat treatment object can be carried in and out through the carry-in / out port, the treatment agent can be injected and discharged, and the heat treatment object carried into the inside is heated and subjected to a tempering treatment. A bath tub capable of closing the loading / unloading port so as to substantially or completely shield the interior from the air while immersed in the agent;
A communication path through which the treatment agent can flow through the bathtub and the storage tank;
A valve for opening and closing the communication path;
A reflux device for returning the treatment agent discharged from the bath to the storage tank;
A heat treatment apparatus comprising: The heat processing apparatus of Claim 1, 2 or 3 which comprises the exhaust apparatus for exhausting the atmosphere in the said bathtub in the state which interrupted | blocked the inside of the said bathtub from the air substantially or completely .

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