Effect of composition on oil quenchant performance

Abstract

Quenching is the most common method of hardening metals and involves continuous cooling from a given austenitising temperature to achieve full transformation into a martensitic structure. The cooling rate depends mainly on the thermal characteristics of the metal, the section thickness of the workpieces and the heat removal properties of the quenching medium. Oils, when used as quenching media contain a base oil and different types of additives according to the application requirements. As the base oil, it is possible to use mineral, synthetic and natural oils, either separately or in combination. Mineral base oils are widely used because of their advantages in stability in comparison with natural oils, or lower price in comparison with synthetic oils. There are numerous additives available for use but, besides functional properties, the environmental and safety requirements have to be considered in their selection, e.g. barium additives must be replaced with less harmful compounds. Additionally, petroleum derivatives should be replaced by renewable base stocks that are biodegradable, which is a general trend in lubricant development. By changing the composition of the base oils and additives, heat transfer characteristics are also changed. This study presents the results of the analysis of physical and chemical properties, as well as of cooling characteristics of new quenching oils with different compositions. Cooling curves have been evaluated according to ISO 9950 standard.     

由“冷却模型”到“冷却工程”的演进

冷却方式决定热处理工艺的类型。淬火是金属热处理中具有标志性的核心技术,其中最关键的操作环节是冷却。通过冷却曲线分析提出了钢探头在有物态变化介质中冷却时的主、辅界面模型。分析了钢在奥氏体化后冷却转变的物理冶金学现象与工程实际所能提供的冷却环境之间的联系。概述了淬火介质与冷却技术的研究现状与发展动态,特别指出了新的冷却技术及其装备开发的重要性。总之,从单纯的冷却模型研究到冷却工程的实现将是一大跨越。     

植物油的氧化及其对淬火特性的影响

传统上,矿物油是常用淬火剂中最重要的一类淬火剂。然而,它们在本质上缺乏环保性,又有毒性,再从长期低价供应角度考虑,有必要寻找新的替代介质。石油制品油的淬火特性与其成分很有关系,因而受其氧化降解性能的限制。由于不断暴露在钢与油接触面问相对较高的温度中,石油制品油遭受热降解和氧化降解,使得其淬火特性发生明显变化。因此,淬火特性是任何一种可选择的淬火介质都必须要检验的一个非常重要的性能参数。可供选择的一类液态物质为植物油,它们具有典型的生物降解特性并且无毒。然而,植物油具有相对较差的抗氧化稳定性能,因此测定氧化对其淬火特性的潜在影响具有重要意义。本文报导的结果仅是这项巨大研究中的第一步,在这项工作中,对不受禁止的植物油的试验是在实验室设备上进行的,以前报告的促使石油制品油早期氧化的过程接近实际使用条件。依照ASTM D 6200标准,使用粘度计、红外线分光镜、^13CMR分光镜以及冷却曲线特性测定方法对所研究的液态植物油进行了性能检测并和典型的石油制品油作了成分比较。所得的结果表明,作为淬火介质,植物油是有前景的石油制品油的替代品,但在商业上要可行,同时必须使用适当的抗氧化剂。     

淬火剂冷却性能的测试

论述了按照JB/T7951-2004《测定工业淬火油冷却性能的镍合金实验方法》和SH/T0220-92《热处理油冷却性能测试方法》测定淬火油和水溶性淬火剂的冷却性能的方法,其中包括测试中的一些关键点,例如探头的标定、打磨、清洗和电磁干扰的影响,热电偶的线性补偿,淬火油冷却性能的评定,以及注意事项等。     

决定淬火工件表面冷却速度的两个新因素

用标准探棒检测出的油或者水的冷却速度曲线既不能反映探棒表面的冷却情况,也不能用来推测工件表面的冷却过程。因此,应直接观测工件的冷却过程。淬火冷却过程的直接观测和研究发现,除了淬火介质的冷却能力和工件某部位的有效厚度之外,不同工件表面蒸气膜内气体的流动状况和工件表面从蒸气膜向沸腾冷却方式转型的次序,对工件表面的冷却速度和整个工件的冷却均匀性都有很大影响。业已揭示了后两种新因素影响工件冷却速度和冷却均匀性的基本规律,从而可以在淬火冷却过程中对同一工件表面的不同部位的冷却速度分别加以控制,这种控制技术被称为精细淬火冷却技术。     

Development of New Sliver Probe for Cooling Power Test of Polymer Quenchants

Working group on cooling power test of quenchants of Japanese Heat Treatment Society hits studied on the new method for testing cooling power of aqueous quenchants. This method employed the cooling curve test of a new sliver rod probe, which has a metal-sheathed thermocouple at its geometrical center. The experimental study has clarified that the new silver probe has more excellent durability than the JIS silver probe employed for cooling power test of heat treating oils (JIS K 2242) and an aluminum alloy probe. Good repeatability, and reproducibility of the cooling curves during polymer quenching have been confirmed. This new method is useful especially for cooling power test of aqueous quenchants used for solution heat treatment of aluminum alloys. This new silver rod probe is expected to be adopted for the revised version of JIS K 2242 as the cooling power test method for aqueous quenchants.     

浆状冷却介质的特性和用途

研究了以水和微细粘土粉末等混合而成的浆状介质的稳定性、冷却特性其影响因素。比较发现，浆状介质具有高于风冷而低于普通机油的冷却速度，可用于一些高合金钢的淬火冷却、铝合金固溶处理，也可用于结构钢工件做等温正火冷却。提出了两种新的淬火冷却方法：（1）先水或水溶液而后浆状介质的双介质淬火方法；（2）工件在浆状介质中先做摆动以加快冷却，而后再停止摆动以防止淬火方法。浆状介质完全不污染环境，使用浆状介质成本极低，值得推广应用。     

Standardization of New Sliver Probe for Cooling Power Test of Polymer Quenchant

Technical committee for Japanese industrial standard of heat treating oils has studied on the new method for testing cooling power of aqueous quenchants. This method employed the cooling curve test of a new sliver rod probe,which has a metal-sheathed thermocouple at its geometrical center. The experimental study has clarified that this probe has the higher sensitivity and excellent durability. In order to standardize this probe for cooling power test of aqueous quenchants, the repeatability and reproducibility of test results etc. have been studied. D.O.P. (Di-2-ethylthexyl Phthalate)was used as reference quenching fluid for initial calibration and for periodic calibration verification of the probe and system.In addition, 10% brine was used to check the response capability of the probe and system to the sudden change of temperature. These procedures are established according to the experimental investigation. This new test method is going to be built in the revised version of JIS K 2242 “Heat treating oils” as the cooling power test method for aqueous quenchants.     

The effect of TiO2 nanoparticles on fluid quenching characteristics

Abstract

Nanofluids are colloidal suspensions of nanoparticles in base fluids. Some of the particles used in recent research are metal oxide and carbide particles, such as SiC, CuO, Al₂O₃ and TiO₂, graphite and carbon nanotubes and particles. Quenching in such colloids results in better cooling abilities, higher impact toughness and smaller dimension changes of steels, compared with pure quenching media. In this investigation, nanofluids with TiO₂ powders of 50 nm average particle size were investigated. Base fluids of primary interest were deionised (DI) water, some commercial quenching oils and polyalkylene glycol water solution of various polymer concentrations, 5–30 vol.-%. The investigated fluids were prepared with the addition of the same TiO₂ powder with different concentrations, from extremely low, 10 mg nanopowder per litre to 1 g L^?1. The cooling characteristics of these colloids were compared with the results of base fluids, but also with the results of previous measurements carried out on the fluids with addition of Al₂O₃ micrometre and submicrometre size particles. All of the cooling curves were measured and recorded by the IVF Smart Quench system using a stainless steel probe of 12·5 mm diameter in accordance with ISO 9950 standard. The cooling rate (CR) versus temperature and time was compared for all of the investigated media. The preparation of fluids was conducted with great care, with respect to mechanical stirring and sonification times. The average particle size was measured for each case. In order to better understand the phenomena that occur during the quenching process, a high speed camera was used for recording the experiments. Titanium oxide nanoparticles show the most significant effects on the cooling properties of the water based polymer solution. The maximum cooling rate increases with higher particle concentration. When comparing the results of experiments with alumina particles, smaller and thermally less conductive TiO₂ particles show greater effects on nanofluid properties.     

强烈淬火--一种新的强化钢的热处理方法

阐述了一种由乌克兰学者研究开发的全新的淬火技术——强烈淬火技术。传统的淬火方法是淬火冷却越强烈,所得到的淬火组织越理想,但工件的畸变和开裂倾向越大。而强烈淬火技术则是通过在淬火冷却过程中控制工件表层和心部的冷却强度和冷却温度,以控制其组织转变的时间和数量,使工件获得所需要的组织和应力分布状态,既可避免工件淬裂和发生过大的畸变,又提高了工件的力学性能和使用寿命;在许多情况下,强烈淬火技术还有节能、高效、环保等效果,是一种前景广阔的热处理新技术,正受到国际上的广泛重视。     

Computation of synthetic surface heat transfer coefficient of 7B50 ultra-high-strength aluminum alloy during spray quenching

According to inverse heat transfer theory, the evolutions of synthetic surface heat transfer coefficient (SSHTC) of the quenching surface of 7B50 alloy during water-spray quenching were simulated by the ProCAST software based on accurate cooling curves measured by the modified Jominy specimen and temperature-dependent thermo-physical properties of 7B50 alloy calculated using the JMatPro software. Results show that the average cooling rate at 6 mm from the quenching surface and 420–230 °C (quench sensitive temperature range) is 45.78 °C/s. The peak-value of the SSHTC is 69 kW/(m²·K) obtained at spray quenching for 0.4 s and the corresponding temperature of the quenching surface is 160 °C. In the initial stage of spray quenching, the phenomenon called “temperature plateau” appears on the cooling curve of the quenching surface. The temperature range of this plateau is 160–170 °C with the duration about 3 s. During the temperature plateau, heat transfer mechanism of the quenching surface transforms from nucleate boiling regime to single-phase convective regime.     

热管空冷器在淬火介质控温过程中的应用

针对连续淬火介质在工作中存在的冷却问题，提出由空气冷却代替水冷系统，研制出的热管空冷器可以精确控制连续淬火介质温度，保证热处理工件的金相组织和力学性能，在实际应用中取得较大成效。     

Challenges to Introduce Advanced Cooling Technology by the Utilization of Plural Cooling Velocity

The control of cooling power is very important to introduce desired properties. Usually, higher the cooling rate higher the quench hardness and distortion and the optimization of cooling power is the base for good heat treatment. The change of cooling speed during quenching is one of the effective methods to balance hardness and distortion. Different form the general knowledge of the demerit of vapor blanket stage, oil with long vapor blanket stage is also one of effective methods to reduce distortion. The reduction of distortion with enough quench hardness seems to be possible by optimization of cooling condition by the help of computer simulation. The exhibition of higher core hardness than surface in through hardening steels experienced in the “Inverse quench hardening” was introduced by Prof. Tamura and Shimizu. This mechanism is well explained by Arimoto et al, by analysis of computer simulation. In this paper, plural steps cooling methods are compared, in relation with cooling curve and heat transfer coefficient that is necessary to simulate quench results and the possibility of advanced cooling technology is discussed.     

7075铝合金的淬火敏感性(英文)

7075铝合金广泛用于要求高力学性能的零部件。有关技术文献指出,该合金的耐蚀性和力学性能主要决定于淬火冷却速度。这种现象通常称为"淬火敏感性"。本文的主要目的是,通过改变热处理工艺参数和轧制方向(L,LT,ST)来研究板材试样的淬火冷却速度对其性能的影响。试样均在实验室设备中热处理,以获得T6、T76和T73处理状态。试样为长方体(13 mm 13 mm 100 mm),水淬,通过改变水温或改变温度为20℃、用水搅动的浴槽中聚合物浓度来调节淬火冷却速度。在每种实验条件下,均采用置于试样中的热电偶测量冷却速度。此外,还进行了有限元(FEM)模拟试验,以测定所有试验条件下冷却过程的热传递系数;进行了拉伸试验和晶间腐蚀试验,以弄清所研究的冷却速度对7075合金板材性能的影响。     

Identification of Heat Transfer Coefficients by Use Conditions of Quenching Oil

Heat transfer coefficients of the quench medium are necessary for heat-treatment simulation. Cooling characteristics of quenching oil vary with kinds and usage greatly. Users are selecting oil solutions that come up to their desired hardness and quenching distortion requirements. In particular cooling performance rises by agitation and decompression. Therefore we identified a heat transfer coefficient by usage and kinds of quenching oil. Cooling characteristics are different greatly by a kind of quenching oil. A difference of a cooling characteristic by a kind of oil depends on a temperature range of a boiling stage and the maximum heat transfer coefficient mainly. On the other hand, in a convection stage, there are few changes in a boiling stage. Even if quenching oil temperature is changed, heat transfer coefficients do not change greatly. When quenching oil stirred, heat transfer coefficients of vapor blanket stage and a convection stage rise, but there are a few changes in a boiling stage. When quenching oil is decompressed a temperature range of a high heat transfer coefficient moves to the low temperature side. In addition, a heat transfer coefficient in a vapor blanket stage comes down. For precision improvement of heat-treatment simulation, it is important that the heat transfer coefficient is calculated in conformity to the on-site use reality.     

淬火油的老化问题

淬火油在使用中会发生老化。淬火油老化实质上是油在使用中发生氧化,其机制是自由基链的产生、扩展、支化和终结。相关的试验研究表明,淬火油老化的判据是总酸值达到1.0~1.5 mgKOH/g。老化后淬火油的冷却性能将发生如下变化:蒸气膜阶段缩短,最大冷速增大,冷却曲线向右上方移动,冷却性能恶化。使用加氢基础油和复合抗氧化剂能有效提高淬火油的抗氧化性能。为提高淬火油的抗老化性能,在使用淬火油时,应注意如下事项:使油处于循环状态,及时过滤,防止进水,不要部分换油,尽量降低使用温度,减少污染等。     

对自来水作为淬火介质的两大缺点的研究

从自来水淬火时工件容易淬裂、硬度不均且畸变大等现象，列出了自来水作为淬火介质的两大缺点：一是低温冷却速度太快，二是冷却特性对水温变化太敏感。分析了自来水第二大缺点引起淬火硬度不均和畸变的原因。通过与气态介质的对比，指出了液态淬火介质共同的两类缺点：一是任何确定的液态介质，其冷却速度的可调节范围都很有限，以致同一个车间必须配备普通淬火油、中速淬火油和高速淬火油，才能满足不同工件的需要；二是工件从蒸汽膜阶段到沸腾阶段期间，冷却速度突然增大，可能引起较大的淬火畸变。提供了克服液态淬火介质第二类缺点的七类技术方法。     

Systems for controlling the time of submersion of parts in a quenching liquid in periodic and continuous processes

The susceptibility to crack resistance and warping and the uniformity of hardness distribution over the cross section of a part can be improved by controlling the direction and the degree of stirring of the cooling liquid in quenching. In the initial stage of quenching the cooling rate of the part should be high in order to obtain the requisite hardenability. When the core of the steel part is cooled to the temperature of the start of martensitic transformation (M ₁), the cooling rate should be decreased. Stirring seems to be a principal method of affecting the cooling rate in quenching and can be an ideal means if it is possible to change the stirring rate in correspondence with the requisite conditions. At present, this can be achieved comparatively easily with the help of a computer-aided system for control of the time of submersion of parts in the quenching liquid (SCST). SCST are currently used by some plants in Korea. The article concerns the principles and use of SCST with the purpose of replacing oils by water-soluble polymer cooling liquids for quenching.Translated from Metallovedenie i Termicheskaya Obrabotka Metallov, No. 2, pp. 12–16, February, 1996.     

网带炉油槽机构对深沟球轴承淬火锥度畸变的影响

深沟球轴承常使用网带炉进行热处理,网带炉油槽机构和淬火油的粘度及冷速对轴承的淬火畸变影响较大。基于6206/01轴承套圈,探讨了其锥度畸变的产生机理。结果表明:轴承套圈热处理锥度畸变与淬火冷却均匀性相关较大,将小网带运行翻转速度调整为15 s时,可改善该轴承套圈的淬火冷却均匀性,较好控制6206/01轴承套圈的锥度畸变。对其他规格的轴承套圈也具有借鉴意义。