Numerical and Experimental Study of Heat Treatment via Quenching Using CFD Analysis

Abstract

This study studies the quenching method within heat treatment processes numerically and experimentally. Agitation, which plays a critical role in ensuring the uniform distribution of heat to reduce the chances of deformation and cracking, is emphasized. Quenching experiments were conducted adhering to established standards, and a simulation of the quenching process was carried out using the commercial software Ansys Fluent. It was found that the numerical model outcomes were in good agreement with those from the experimental results across the three distinct quenching phases: vapor blanket phase, nucleate boiling phase, and convection phase. The validated model was then applied to simulate agitation at various fluid velocities. Fluid velocities of 1 m/s, 2 m/s, and 2.2 m/s were investigated to ascertain the impact of agitation. A significant drop in the probe's temperature was observed when comparing conditions with agitation to those without (0 m/s). However, no notable change in the cooling rate was seen across the range of fluid velocities tested. It was further observed that quenching quality does not depend heavily on the cooling rate; rather, it mainly depends on uniform cooling throughout the fluid domain facilitated by agitation. Further investigations utilizing the numerical model to understand the effects of different parameters and quenching oils on the quenching process, without the need for conducting physical experiments, are to be conducted.