JPH0311289A - Apparatus for hot processing under hydrostatic pressure - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To raise a processing limit by associating a pressure piston movable in the axial direction of a vessel with a cover member, and providing a pressure member projecting from a processing chamber via the cover member at the end of the piston. CONSTITUTION:A workpiece A is placed on a lower cover 4B through a hearth 20 and a lower mold 21, and charged into a processing chamber 13 from below a high pressure vessel 1. Then, when a vacuum pump 35 is driven in a state that a switching valve 2B is closed and a switching valve 36 is opened, a high pressure chamber 5 and the chamber 13 are evacuated in vacuum, pressure medium supplying and discharging unit 22 is operated to supply pressure medium gas. Then, power is supplied to a heating element 11 to reach the temperature of the chamber 13 to a predetermined temperature. When it reaches an equilibrium state, a pressure piston 12 is switched to a pressurizing direction by the switching valve 43 of a pressure piston driver 40, the piston 12 is moved down by means of hydraulic pressure from a pump 41, and the workpiece A is superplasticized under hot hydraulic pressure by upper and lower molds 19, 21. After a predetermined process is completed, power supply is interrupted, the piston 12 is retreated, and its temperature is lowered to a predetermined value. Then, a lower cover 4B is moved down, and the workpiece A is removed from below. Thus, generation of voids is suppressed to raise its processing limit.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a hot isostatic pressure processing apparatus, and is suitable for processing difficult-to-process materials such as heat-resistant metal materials and ceramics under high-temperature isostatic pressure. used.

(Prior art) Regarding heat-resistant metal materials such as Ni-based alloys, - for high-strength materials that have poor workability for boat fishing and cannot be forged, conventionally, ultra-fine crystal grains obtained by powder metallurgy Processing is performed using plasticity.

Furthermore, ceramics have poorer ductility than Ni-based alloys and are difficult to process, but in recent years, this has also been processed by utilizing the superplastic phenomenon.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in superplastic working, the working limit due to the generation of voids is a big problem.

Another problem is that it requires processing at a low strain rate, resulting in poor productivity.

Furthermore, since conventional superplastic processing equipment was constructed using a mechanical press, it was difficult to control the atmosphere of the workpiece, that is, to ensure an inert atmosphere, and it was difficult to ensure uniform heating. It was a hassle.

An object of the present invention is to provide a hot isostatic pressure processing apparatus that can suppress the generation of voids and raise the processing limit by processing a workpiece under high temperature isostatic pressure.

Furthermore, the present invention provides a hot isostatic pressure processing apparatus that can increase productivity by increasing the processing speed, is easy to control the atmosphere, is capable of applying homogeneous force and heat, and can withstand upsizing. The second purpose is to

Furthermore, a third object of the present invention is to provide a new processing technology that utilizes a high-temperature hydrostatic pressure environment.

(Means for Solving the Problem) The present invention provides an opening 1 at at least one end in the axial direction of the container.
A, high pressure vessel 1 with 1.8 and said opening 1A)
(A high-pressure chamber 5 is defined inside by the lid member 2 that can open and close 1B and IB, and the high-pressure chamber 5 includes an inverted cup-shaped heat insulating layer 10 and a heat insulating layer 10 disposed inside the heat insulating layer 10. In the hot isostatic processing apparatus, the processing chamber 13 is equipped with a built-in heating device 9 consisting of a heating element 11 and a processing chamber 13 for processing a workpiece under hot isostatic pressure inside the heating device 9. In order to achieve this objective, we have taken the following technical measures.

That is, in the present invention, a pressurizing piston 12 movable in the axial direction of the container is incorporated in the lid member 2, and the tip of the pressurizing piston 12 penetrates the lid portion +12 in the axial direction of the container. The apparatus is characterized in that it includes a pressurizing member 15 that protrudes into the processing chamber 13.

(Embodiments and Operations) Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention and their operations will be described with reference to the drawings.

<First Example> In Fig. 1, ■ is a high-pressure container, which is formed in a cylindrical shape and has both ends in the axial direction of the container.
It is said that 2 is a lid member, and the upper opening 1A)
(Upper M3 and the lower opening IB that close 1B so that they can be opened and closed freely)
The high pressure container 1 and the lid member 2 define a high pressure chamber 5 therein.

Note that the high-pressure container 1 may have a cylindrical shape with a bottom and an opening at at least one end.

In this first embodiment, the upper M3 fitted into the upper opening 1A) (1B has a sealing material 6, and the lower lid 4 has the lower opening IB).
It consists of a ring-shaped upper ball 14A that can be fitted into the upper ball lid 4A and sealed with a sealing material 7, and an upper and lower part 14B that can be fitted with the upper ball lid 4A and sealed with a sealing material 8.

Note that a press frame (not shown) is removably attached to the upper and lower lids 3.4 fitted to the high-pressure container 1, and is capable of supporting a press axial force acting in the axial direction of the container.

9 is a heating device (heating furnace), which consists of an inverted cup-shaped heat insulating layer 10 and a heating element 11 placed inside the heat insulating layer 10; It is equipped with a processing chamber 13 for processing objects using hot isostatic pressure.

The heat insulating layer 10 is a gas-impermeable inner and outer metal cylinder 1. OA, 108
A fibrous heat insulating material 10C is filled in between.

12 is a pressurizing piston, and in this first embodiment, 11
A cylinder chamber 12A is formed in 13, and this cylinder chamber 12
A pressurizing piston 12 is fitted into A so that it can be moved in the axial direction of the container and is sealed with a sealing material 14.
2 penetrates the upper lid 3 in the axial direction of the container, and the processing chamber 1
It has a pressure member 15 that protrudes from 3.

Note that 16 is the closing lid of the cylinder chamber 124 and the sealing member 1
6A, and 17A and 17B indicate sealing members of the piston penetrating portion.

The pressurizing member 15 is composed of a connecting tool 18 and an upper mold 19, which are attached with bolts or the like, and the connecting tool 18 made of a heat insulating material is gas-tightly fixed to the top of the heat insulating material 1i10, and the upper mold 19 is fixed to the top of the heat insulating material. The mold 19 is placed in the processing chamber 13 on the axis of the container.
is prominent.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a hearth, which is installed on the upper and lower lids 4B of the lower lid 4 and placed on the axis of the container. It has a mold 21.

22 is a pressure medium supply/discharge device, and in this embodiment, a gas collecting device 25 is connected to the passage 23 formed in the upper part 13 via a pipe line 24.
The pipe line 24 is equipped with a compressor 26, an on-off valve 27, 28, a pressure gauge 29, and a safety valve 30. A recovery pipe 31 is provided between the on-off valves 27, 28, and the recovery pipe The passage 31 has an on-off valve 32 and a pressure reducing valve 33.

Furthermore, a vacuum line 3 is provided between the on-off valve 28 and the safety valve 30.
4 is connected and equipped with a vacuum pump 35, and 3
6.37 shows the on-off valve.

Note that 39 indicates an on-off valve for opening to the atmosphere.

Furthermore, 40 is a pressurizing piston drive device, which is equipped with a hydraulic (hydraulic) pump 41, a relief valve 42, a switching valve 43, and pilot change valves 44 and 45 for pressurizing and retracting. Boat 3 with upper lid 3 communicating with chamber 12A
Connected to A and 3B.

46 is a stroke sensor, which in this embodiment is a heat insulating layer lO
The stroke of the pressurizing piston 12 is detected at the lower end of the pressure piston 12, a signal is sent to the control 2S47, and the control signal from the controller 47 is fed back to the relief valve 42, thereby adjusting the set value of the relief valve 42. The pressurizing speed of the pressurizing piston 12 is controlled.

Note that the stroke of the pressurizing piston 12 may be detected by directly detecting the movement of the piston 12, but it is advantageous to install the stroke sensor 46 at the bottom of the high pressure chamber 5 as in the embodiment. Become. That is, this is because the lower part of the high pressure chamber 5 has the lowest temperature.

Additionally, reference numeral 48 indicates a leak detection conduit, which detects leaks between the hydraulic system for driving the pressurizing piston and the pressure medium gas, and prevents mixing of the two.

Reference numeral 49 denotes a current-carrying member for the heating element 11, and in this example, it is provided in the upper tray 4A.

For example, in the case of a Ni-based superalloy workpiece A whose processing temperature is about 1000°C to 1100″C, the heat insulating layer 10 is made of Inconel, stainless steel, etc., and the heating element 11 is made of Inconel, stainless steel, etc. A special alloy such as TZM is used for the upper and lower molds 19 and 21, and a ceramic heat insulating material such as N20 is used for the connector 18 and the hearth 20. ．．
, ZrO2 or a composite material thereof is preferably used.

Next, the operation of the first embodiment described above will be briefly explained.

The workpiece A is passed through the hearth 20 and the lower mold 21 to the upper and lower lids 4B.
The high-pressure vessel 1 is loaded into the processing chamber 13 from below.

In this case, the pressure piston 12 is held in the retracted (raised) position by its drive device 40.

Next, when the vacuum pump 35 is driven with the on-off valve 28 closed and the on-off valve 36 opened, the passage 23 and the pipe 24
, 34, the high pressure chamber 5 and the processing chamber 13 are evacuated, and after evacuation, the pressure medium supply and discharge device 22 is operated to
and supplies pressure medium gas to the processing chamber 13.

Note that a press frame is secured to the lid member 2 so that it can bear press axial force.

To supply the pressure medium gas, the on-off valves 27 and 28 are opened to send the pressure medium gas from the compressor 26 to the high pressure chamber 5 and the processing chamber 13, and when a predetermined pressure is reached, the on-off valve 28 is closed.

Next, power is supplied to the heating element 11 to bring the temperature of the processing chamber 13 to a predetermined temperature. At this time, the pressure in the high pressure chamber 5 also increases as the temperature rises.

When the predetermined temperature and pressure are reached and an equilibrium state is reached, the pressurizing piston 12 is switched to the pressurizing direction by the switching valve 43 of the pressurizing piston drive device 40, and the hydraulic pressure (hydraulic) from the pump 41 A pressurizing piston 12 is placed next to it, and the workpiece A is subjected to superplastic working under hot isostatic pressure by upper and lower molds 19 and 21.

That is, the pressure of the pressure piston 12 is transmitted to the workpiece A by the pressure member 15 provided at the tip thereof, and superplastic working under hot isostatic pressure, that is, forging work is performed.

At this time, the pressurizing speed of the pressurizing piston 12 is detected by the stroke sensor 46, and the signal from the controller 47 is
It is controlled by giving feedback to the drive device 40.

After the predetermined processing operation is completed, the power supply to the heating element 11 is cut off, the pressurizing piston 12 is retracted by the switching valve 43, and the temperature inside the high-pressure vessel 1 is lowered to a predetermined temperature, and then the on-off valve 32 and the pressure reducing valve are closed. Gas collecting device 2 via 33 etc.
5, the press frame is retracted, etc., and then the upper and lower M4B are lowered to take out the processed workpiece A from below.

Second Embodiment> In FIG. 2, this second embodiment has a pressurizing piston 12.
The pressurization speed is controlled by sending a signal from a stroke sensor 46 to a controller 47 and feeding the control signal to an on-off valve 32 and a pressure reducing valve 33 provided in a recovery circuit 31. be.

That is, the pressurization (hydraulic pressure) to the cylinder chamber 13 is kept constant, the on-off valves 28 and 32 in the pressure medium supply/discharge device 22 to the high pressure chamber 5 and the processing chamber 13 are opened, and the pressure reducing valve is opened. By adjusting the opening degree of the gas collecting device 33, pressure reduction control is performed by recovering the gas to the gas collecting device 25.

Other basic configurations are common to the first embodiment, and common parts are indicated by common symbols.

In addition, in the above-mentioned first example and second example,
As the pressure medium used to move (pressurize) the pressurizing piston 12, it is possible to use a gas pressure medium, as in the processing chamber I3, instead of liquid pressure. It is advantageous to use a common gas pressure medium as the pressure piston drive device 40 from the standpoint of preventing contamination of the processing chamber 13 and the like.

In this case, the following third embodiment can be followed.

<Third Embodiment> In FIG. 3, 50 is a pressure medium gas system for pressurizing the pressurizing piston, and a pressure gauge 52, a safety valve 53, a pressure gauge 52, a safety valve 53, 56 is connected to the gas cylinder via on-off valves 54 and 55, and a pressure reducing valve 58 is provided in the bypass line 57 of the line 51.
and an on-off valve 59, and the pressurizing pipe i51 is connected to the pressurizing treatment conduit 24 via an on-off valve 60.

61 is a pressure medium gas system for retracting the pressurized piston, and a pipe line 6 is connected to the retracting side port 3B of the cylinder chamber 12A.
2 is equipped with a gas cylinder 67 via a pressure gauge 63, a safety valve 64, and an on-off valve 65, 66, and a pipe line 6
The second bypass line 68 is equipped with a pressure reducing valve 69 and an on-off valve 70, and the retreating line 62 is connected to the pressure processing line 24 via an on-off valve 71.

In this third embodiment, the control signal from the controller 47 is fed back to the pressure reducing valve 58, so that the pressurizing speed of the pressurizing piston 12 can be controlled, and the compressor 26 is also used for pressurizing processing. It can be used commonly as a pressure source for controlling the speed of the pressurizing piston.

Since the rest is the same as the first embodiment, common parts are indicated by common symbols.

Fourth Embodiment> In FIG. 4, a cylinder chamber 13 is formed in the lower M4 of the lid member 2, a pressurizing piston 12 is fitted into this cylinder chamber 13, and the tip of the piston 12 is positioned downward. A pressure member 15 consisting of a hearth 20 and a lower mold 21 extends through the lid 4 and projects into the processing chamber 13 .

On the other hand, an upper mold 19 is attached to the upper lid 3 via a connector 18, and a heat insulating layer 10 is attached to the upper M3 in a suspended manner.

In other words, this fourth embodiment has the first embodiment arranged upside down, so to speak, and in this fourth embodiment, the temperature gradient in the high pressure chamber 5 including the processing chamber 13 is normally the same as that of the high pressure. Since the upper part of the chamber 5 is high and the lower part (bottom) is low, the temperature rise in the cylinder chamber 13 in the pressurizing piston 12 can be suppressed as much as possible, and the machining speed can be controlled more accurately.
This is more effective than the example.

Note that the fourth embodiment also includes the pressure medium supply/discharge device and pressurizing piston drive device shown in the first to third embodiments.

In addition, in this fourth embodiment, charging of the workpiece A,
The removal is performed from the upper lid 3 side using an upward removal method.

Further, in each of the above embodiments, by using a die as one of the molds facing the pressure member 15, the extrusion can also be used for extrusion under hot isostatic pressure.

Furthermore, in the apparatus of the present invention, the workpiece is sintered and/or densified under hot isostatic pressure, and then processed using the pressurizing piston 12 under hot isostatic pressure. I can do it. Furthermore, after the processing using the pressure piston 12 under hot isostatic pressure, a densification treatment step under hot isostatic pressure can be performed.

(Effects of the Invention) The present invention is as described above, and the present invention has the following advantages.

■ Making it possible to process under hot isostatic pressure, not only expanding the plastic working range of difficult-to-work materials based on increased ductility due to the action of hydrostatic pressure, but also materials that exhibit superplastic phenomena such as Ni-based alloys and ceramic fuchs. On the other hand, it is possible to suppress the generation of voids and significantly improve the machining limit, or increase the machining speed and improve productivity.

Furthermore, the hot isostatic pressure processing apparatus of the present invention can of course be applied to defect removal, densification, and bonding of processed products at the same time, as well as a combination of these processes and forging processing using a pressurizing member. This makes it possible to further improve the processing limits already mentioned or to manufacture composite materials of unprecedented shapes.

Therefore, the present invention can provide an extremely useful technique for processing in the field of advanced materials that are difficult to process, and which will continue to increase in the future.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

The drawings show each embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 shows the first embodiment, FIG. 2 shows the second embodiment, FIG. 3 shows the third embodiment, and FIG. 4 shows the fourth embodiment. FIG. 3 is an example elevational cross-sectional view; 1... High pressure container, 1. A, 1B... opening, 2...
- Lid member, 5... High pressure chamber, 9... Heating device, 10.
... Heat insulation layer, 11 ... Heating element, 12 ... Pressure piston, 13 ... Processing chamber, 15 ... Pressure member.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) An opening (1A) (
1B) and the opening (1A) (
A high pressure chamber (5) is defined inside by the lid member (2) that can be opened and closed freely, and the high pressure chamber (5) includes an inverted cup-shaped heat insulating layer (10) and the heat insulating layer (10). ) A heating device (9) consisting of a heating element (11) arranged inside the
is built in, and the workpiece (A) is heated inside the heating device (9).
) in a hot isostatic pressure processing apparatus equipped with a processing chamber (13) for processing under hot isostatic pressure, a pressurizing piston (12) movable in the axial direction of the container is incorporated in the lid member (2). The pressure piston (12
) is provided with a pressure member (15) that passes through the lid member (2) in the axial direction of the container and projects into the processing chamber (13). Device.