SPRAY QUENCH SYSTEMS FOR HEAT TREATED METAL PRODUCTS

摘要

A method of quenching a workpiece is provided with one or more spray quench rings that eject a controlled variable volume of spray quench onto a workpiece passing through the quench rings by dynamically adjusting an axially adjustable distance between the inner and outer ring elements of each quench ring while the workpiece passes through the quench rings in response to the mass cooling requirements of the workpiece passing through the quench rings. The quench rings can also be axially adjusted relative to each other in response to the mass cooling requirements. Dynamically adjustable reflected spray guards can be provided to prevent quench spray pattern interference between adjacent quench rings.