Classifications

• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
  • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
  • C21D1/00—General methods or devices for heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering
  • C21D1/62—Quenching devices
  • C21D1/667—Quenching devices for spray quenching
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
  • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
  • C21D1/00—General methods or devices for heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering
  • C21D1/18—Hardening; Quenching with or without subsequent tempering
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
  • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
  • C21D1/00—General methods or devices for heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering
  • C21D1/62—Quenching devices
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
  • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
  • C21D9/00—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
  • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
  • C21D9/00—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor
  • C21D9/08—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor for tubular bodies or pipes
• • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
  • C21—METALLURGY OF IRON
  • C21D—MODIFYING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF FERROUS METALS; GENERAL DEVICES FOR HEAT TREATMENT OF FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS METALS OR ALLOYS; MAKING METAL MALLEABLE, e.g. BY DECARBURISATION OR TEMPERING
  • C21D9/00—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor
  • C21D9/08—Heat treatment, e.g. annealing, hardening, quenching or tempering, adapted for particular articles; Furnaces therefor for tubular bodies or pipes
  • C21D9/085—Cooling or quenching
• • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
  • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
  • Y02P—CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS
  • Y02P10/00—Technologies related to metal processing
  • Y02P10/25—Process efficiency

Definitions

• the present invention relates to spray quench systems used in heat treatment processes of metal products.
• Quench, or quench and temper metallurgical processes are widely used to harden, or harden and temper, a manufactured metal product such as steel pipe, to achieve desired metallurgical properties different from those for the starting material used to produce the metal product. Quenching is done after heating of the product, for example, by electric induction heating. Open spray quenching systems are one type of quench systems that can be used to accomplish the hardening and tempering of the metal product. When in-line quenching long, round products, such as pipes, bars or tubing, at production line speed, an important parameter that determines the material properties achieved by these processes is the metal cooling rate, which must generally be as fast as is possible to obtain the desired results.
• the cooling rate is determined by the volume of quenchant used during the rapid cooling of a heated metal part.
• the traditional apparatus used to provide a high volume flow of water to the surface of a heated part is sometimes known as a quench barrel.
• the typical quench barrel is a large diameter, monolithic cylinder equipped with a multitude of holes through which quench media flows under medium pressure.
• the quenchant Upon contact with the heated metal part, the quenchant provides the rapid cooling necessary to obtain a desired hardness.
• the fixed position quench ring or slot quench is a hollow ring through which the part to be quenched passes.
• the apparatus contains a multitude of equally spaced holes or slots that act as nozzles for the quenching fluid.
• the slot quench is typically used in single part, small volume applications, such as induction hardening scanners.
• Quenching systems must be capable of treating a range of product diameters.
• existing quench barrels and quench rings have a fixed inside diameter. When products having different diameters pass through these fixed diameter devices, the shape of the spray impinging on the product, the spray flow rate, and spray pressure change due to the difference in gap between the spray nozzles and the product.
• the reflected spray can interfere with the spray pattern of adjacent nozzles, and diminish or even destroy their effectiveness.
• the above limitations of existing quench systems can also cause expanding steam to form at the surface of the product to be quenched. This creates a thermal steam barrier that greatly reduces the rate of cooling of the product.
• the present invention is an apparatus for and method of spray quenching a metal product.
• At least one quench ring comprises a qucnchant plenum and outlet for ejecting quenchant onto the metal product.
• the quench ring may be formed from two interconnecting ring elements.
• the interconnected ring elements form the quenchant plenum and outlet for ejecting quenchant onto the metal product. Adjusting the relative positions of the two interconnecting ring elements changes the shape and volume of the outlet to change the pressure, flow rate and/or pattern of the spray from the outlet.
• the present invention comprises an apparatus for and method of spray quenching a metal product with a plurality of quench rings, wherein each of the quench rings comprises a quenchant plenum and outlet for ejecting quenchant onto the metal product.
• Each quench ring may be formed from two interconnecting ring elements. The interconnected ring elements form the quenchant plenum and outlet for ejecting quenchant onto the metal product. Adjusting the relative positions of the two interconnecting ring elements changes the shape and volume of the outlet to change the pressure, flow rate and/or pattern of the spray from the outlet.
• a spray guard may be associated with one or more of the quench rings to prevent interference of the quenchant spray from a quench ring by the reflected spray from an adjacent quench ring.
• FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one example of a quench ring used in the spray quench system of the present invention.
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of one example of a plurality of quench rings used in the spray quench system of the present invention.
• FTG. 3 is a sectional view of one example of two quench rings of the spray quench system of the present invention.
• FIG. 4 is a sectional view of one example of three quench rings of the spray quench system of the present invention.
• FIG. 5 is a sectional view of one example of two quench rings of the spray quench system of the present invention with one quench ring having an extended spray guard.
• FIG. 6 is a perspective view of one example of a plurality of quench rings in the spray quench system of the present invention wherein the plurality of quench rings are attached to a support structure.
• workpiccc 90 metal product being heat-treated moves linearly through one or more quench rings along the Z-axis and in the direction of the arrow shown in the figures.
• the workpiece may also rotate about the Z-axis as it moves through the one or more quench rings.
• Suitable mechanical means not shown in the figures, such as support rollers are used to advance the workpiece through the quench rings.
• workpiece 90 is illustrated as a cylindrical pipe or conduit, the invention may be used with workpieces of different shapes such as, but not limited to, a rectangular tube.
• the workpiece may comprise a series of discrete workpieces, such as gears, suitably mounted on a conveyance means for moving the discrete workpieces through the one or more quench rings.
• Heating apparatus for heating the workpiece prior to quenching is not shown in the figures, but may be, by way of example and not limitation, one or more solenoidal electric induction coils surrounding the workpiece for inductively heating the workpiece when an ac current flows through the one or more coils. Also in some configurations, heating apparatus may be interspaced between two or more of the quench rings.
• FIG. 1 there is shown one example of a quench ring 12 used in the spray quench system of the present invention.
• the quench ring comprises interconnecting first ring element 14 and second ring element ⁇ 6.
• second ring element 16 is adjustably inserted into first ring element 14 as best seen in FIG. 3, FIG. 4 or FIG. 5, to form quench ring plenum 18 and outlet passage 20.
• Moving the first and/or second ring elements along the defined central axis, Z r (FIG. 1) increases or decreases the size of outlet passage 20 of the quench ring to change the pressure, flow rate and/or pattern of the spray from the outlet passage.
• one or more fasteners 28 are used to control the spacing between the first and second ring elements so that the shape and volume of the outlet opening will correspondingly change as the spacing is changed.
• Quenchant is supplied to the quench ring plenum by one or more inlet passages 22 from a suitable source.
• outlet passage 20 is an annular opening, generally conical in shape, and ejects quenchant 360 degrees around workpiece 90 in a generally conical volume as illustrated by typical flow volume 92 (partially shown as a shaded section) in FIG. 3, FIG. 4 or FIG. 5.
• While the present example uses a 360 conical flow pattern, other examples of the invention may use different flow patterns as determined by the particular configurations of first and second ring elements.
• one alternative may be annularly segmented conical flow sections around the workpiece where segmented sections are separated by a barrier to produce quenchant flow in selected one or more regions around the workpiece.
• quenchant flow may be restricted to angular regions defined as 0 to 90 degrees and 180 to 270 degrees around the workpiece by the separation barriers.
• the shape and volume of the outlet of the quench ring may be fixed.
• FIG. 2 illustrates another example of the spray quench system of the present invention.
• a plurality of quench rings 12a, 12b, 12c and 12d surround workpiece 90 as it moves through the quench rings.
• Each quench ring is similar in construction to the quench ring shown in FIG. 1.
• the distance, d s , between adjacent quench rings can be independently adjusted by suitable mounting structure to satisfy the quench conditions of a particular application.
• the location of the central axis, Z 1 of each quench ring may be independently adjusted by suitable mounting structure to satisfy the quench conditions of a particular application.
• the workpiece rotates about the Z-axis while moving through the one or more quench rings.
• FIG. 6 diagrammatically illustrates one non-limiting example of a suitable mounting support structure 30.
• Support structure 30 comprises support arms 32a-32d and quench ring position control element 34.
• Support arms 32a-32d connect quench rings 12a-12d, respectively, to quench ring position control element 34.
• the position of each support arm can be adjusted along the Z-axis by control element 34 to change the distance between two or more adjacent quench rings.
• the location of the central axis of one or more of the quench rings can be changed in the X-Y plane by moving the support arm associated with the one or more quench rings in the X-Y plan by control clement 34.
• Control clement 34 and the support arms can be driven by suitable actuators that are responsive to the output of a computer process controller to rapidly perform the desired changes in positions of the one or more quench rings.
• FlG. 3 illustrates another example of the spray quench system of the present invention.
• Quench rings 12e and 12f are similar in construction to the quench ring shown in FIG. 1, and also include spray guard 24, which is attached to the upstream side of the quench rings to deflect and dissipate reflected spray volume 94 (partially shown as a shaded segment in the figures).
• spray guard 24 is attached to the upstream side of the quench rings to deflect and dissipate reflected spray volume 94 (partially shown as a shaded segment in the figures).
• a spray guard is in the shape of an annular disk.
• Spray volume 94 represents a typical envelope for spray reflected off of the workpiece from incident spray in volume 92. Deflecting and dissipating the reflected spray volume before quenchant release from an upstream quench ring prevents interference of the reflected spray with the released quenchant from the upstream quench ring.
• reflected quenchant released from quench ring 12e is deflected by spray guard 24 associated with upstream quench ring 12f
• reflected quenchant from quench ring 12f is deflected by spray guard 24 associated with upstream, quench ring 12g.
• Spray guard 24 may be permanently affixed to a side of its associated quench ring, or adjustably attached to its associated quench ring as shown in FIG. 5, wherein one or more offset fasteners 26 are used to offset spray guard 24 from associated quench ring 12j.
• This arrangement is of advantage in applications where the downstream quench ring is located further downstream than suitable for mounting a spray guard directly on the side of the quench ring.
• the shape and positioning of each spray guard can change depending upon a particular arrangement of quench rings and the workpiccc being heat-treated.
• individual quench ring flows can be adjusted to optimize the distribution of the cooling flows from each quench ring to match the quench rate to the mass cooling requirement of the workpiece.
• a computer processor with suitable input and output devices may be used to accomplish one or more of the following quench system adjustments: (1) change of distance between two or more quench rings; (2) change of centerline position of one or more quench rings; (3) change in position of one or more spray guards and (4) change in outlet shape and volume of one or more quench rings, including complete closure of the outlet for one or more quench rings.
• quench system adjustments may be dynamically accomplished by a computer program executed by the processor based upon the mass cooling requirements of the workpiece passing through the quench rings.
• heat imaging of the workpiece for example infrared imaging, may be used to provide feedback data to the control system to indicate real time cooling results.
• one or more quench rings of a particular inside diameter can be assembled in a module.
• the module can incorporate the support structure describe above.
• Different modules having quench rings of different inside diameters, and/or other different quench system features, may be interchanged on a heat treatment line to accommodate workpieces of different dimensions and/or workpieces having different mass cooling requirements.
• Quick connections for quenchant and any electrical and/or mechanical interfaces may be provided with each module.
• first and second quench ring elements may be changed without deviating from the scope of the invention as long as the elements form a quenchant plenum chamber and adjustable outlet opening or openings. Further more than two ring elements (first and second quench ring elements) may perform the same functions of the described invention without deviating from the scope of the invention.
• the one or more quench rings may be formed as a split ring assembly, with optional hinge elements, so that the one or more quench rings may be interchanged around a workpiece.
• quench rings While a certain number of quench rings are shown in the various examples of the invention, the number of quench rings may be changed without deviating from the scope of the invention. Further one or more quench rings may be interspaced with other components in a particular application, such as mechanical supports or transport components for the workpiece, and heating components, such as induction heating devices. In arrangements with two or more quench rings, the outlet volume of each quench ring may be independently adjusted to form a unique spray volume as required for a particular application.

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• Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
• Thermal Sciences (AREA)
• Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Materials Engineering (AREA)
• Metallurgy (AREA)
• Organic Chemistry (AREA)
• Heat Treatment Of Articles (AREA)
• Heat Treatments In General, Especially Conveying And Cooling (AREA)

Priority Applications (8)

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• 2007
  • 2007-02-08 NO NO20083843A patent/NO345938B1/no unknown
  • 2007-02-08 US US11/672,544 patent/US8501083B2/en active Active
  • 2007-02-08 CA CA2824294A patent/CA2824294C/en active Active
  • 2007-02-08 RU RU2008136043/02A patent/RU2424327C2/ru active
  • 2007-02-08 KR KR1020087021773A patent/KR101504978B1/ko active Active
  • 2007-02-08 JP JP2008554497A patent/JP5368112B2/ja active Active
  • 2007-02-08 CA CA2638023A patent/CA2638023C/en active Active
  • 2007-02-08 CN CN2007800050244A patent/CN101379200B/zh active Active
  • 2007-02-08 WO PCT/US2007/061828 patent/WO2007092917A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2007-02-08 EP EP07763664.5A patent/EP1994186B1/en active Active
  • 2007-02-08 BR BRPI0707672-0A patent/BRPI0707672A2/pt not_active Application Discontinuation
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• 2013
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