Heat treatment of metals - where adsorption of oxygen, nitrogen and/or hydrogen at high temp. is prevented by annealing in inert gas and quenching, esp. in water

摘要

The metals are esp. long semifinished prods., such as rod, wire, tubes or profiles; and are annealed in a protective or inert gas atmos., followed by quenching in water or other liq. coolant in a normal air atmos. The prods. are pref. fed continuously through a furnace and then quenched directly to below the temp. at which the adsorption of harmful gases could occur. The pref. heat treatment plant consists of an externally heated ceramic tube contg. inert gas at above atmos. pressure; and the workpiece is fed through the tube into a tubular quenching plant, which may contain ring nozzles spraying the coolant onto the workpiece. Used esp. for the heat treatment of Ti, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Zr, Be or their alloys.