Flow Field Analysis within Industrial Quenching Tanks Operated with Aqueous Polymer Solutions in the Steel Industry
-
M. R. Barbieri
,
Th. Lübben
Abstract
Quenching with polymer solutions for steel heat treatment offers adjustable performance and improved ecological impact compared to conventional water or oil quenching. The submersion cooling operation poses challenges due to the intense vapor/polymer film collapse on the component surface, potentially destabilizing batch components. Therefore, controlled recirculation is critical to preventing tank and specimen damage during cooling and ensuring effective steel hardening. However, flow structure analysis is often overlooked and disregarded in industrial tank design. Thus, this study evaluates the tank geometries of two partner industries to determine if they provide the necessary homogeneous flow for optimal quenching. The analysis combines experimental velocity measurements with a numerical model, with the identification of different flow intensity regions being the main outcome of this work. The results suggest that geometric modifications could improve flow recirculation, enhancing quenching performance.
Kurzfassung
Das Abschrecken mit wässrigen Polymerlösungen für die Wärmebehandlung von Stahl bietet im Vergleich zum herkömmlichen Abschrecken mit Wasser oder Öl eine einstellbare Leistung und eine verbesserte Umweltverträglichkeit. Die Tauchkühlung stellt aufgrund des starken Zusammenbruchs des Dampf-/Polymerfilms auf der Bauteiloberfläche eine Herausforderung dar, da sie zu einer Destabilisierung von Chargenkomponenten führen kann. Eine kontrollierte Strömungsführung in den Abschrecktanks ist von entscheidender Bedeutung, um Beschädigungen der Bauteile und des Tanks während des Kühlvorgangs zu verhindern und eine effektive Stahlhärtung zu gewährleisten. Allerdings wird die Strömungsstrukturanalyse nicht häufig angewendet und bei der Konstruktion von Industrietanks in der Regel nicht berücksichtigt. Daher werden in dieser Studie die Strömungsanalysen für Tankgeometrien bei zwei Industriepartnern untersucht, um festzustellen, ob sie die für eine optimale Abschreckung erforderliche homogene Strömung bieten. Die Analyse kombiniert experimentelle Geschwindigkeitsmessungen mit einem numerischen Strömungsmodell. Die Identifikation verschiedener Strömungsintensitätsbereiche in den Abschrecktanks ist das Hauptergebnis dieser Arbeit. Die Ergebnisse deuten darauf hin, dass geometrische Änderungen an den Abschreckvorrichtungen die Strömungsrezirkulation verbessern und die Abschreckleistung erhöhen könnten.
Acknowledgments
The authors acknowledge Dr. rer. nat. Friedhelm Frerichs from the Leibniz-IWT in Bremen for the support during the measurement campaigns. This work is funded by the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Protection (BMWK) as part of the project “Polymer Quenching II” under the funding number AiF 22025 N, based on a resolution of the German Bundestag via the German Federation of Industrial Research Associations (AiF). The authors thank the BMWK and the AiF for their financial support. Furthermore, the authors would like to thank the members of the project accompanying working group for their valuable support of this project.
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Articles in the same Issue
- Contents / Inhalt
- Good Formability Despite High Accompanying Element Content of a Modified 20MnB4 Quenched and Tempered Steel
- Corrosion Resistance and Fracture Toughness of Cryogenic-Treated X153CrMoV12 Tool Steel
- Flow Field Analysis within Industrial Quenching Tanks Operated with Aqueous Polymer Solutions in the Steel Industry
- Imprint / Impressum
- Imprint / Impressum
- From and for Practice / Praxis-Informationen
- AWT-Info / HTM 05-2024
- HTM Praxis
Articles in the same Issue
- Contents / Inhalt
- Good Formability Despite High Accompanying Element Content of a Modified 20MnB4 Quenched and Tempered Steel
- Corrosion Resistance and Fracture Toughness of Cryogenic-Treated X153CrMoV12 Tool Steel
- Flow Field Analysis within Industrial Quenching Tanks Operated with Aqueous Polymer Solutions in the Steel Industry
- Imprint / Impressum
- Imprint / Impressum
- From and for Practice / Praxis-Informationen
- AWT-Info / HTM 05-2024
- HTM Praxis
