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How to select the cooling medium for quenching equipment
Category：answer Publishing time：2025-11-20 22:37:13 Browse： Times
In the metal heat treatment process, quenching is an important step to improve the hardness and wear resistance of the material. During the quenching process, the selection of the cooling medium directly affects the performance of the workpiece, the degree of deformation, and the surface quality. Therefore, the reasonable selection of the cooling medium is crucial for the quenching effect. This article will discuss the types of cooling media, their performance characteristics, and selection principles.
One, Types of common quenching cooling media
Currently commonly used quenching cooling media mainly include water, saltwater, mineral oil, synthetic quenching oil, polymer aqueous solution (such as PAG, polyvinyl alcohol), etc.
1. Water: water is one of the most primitive quenching media, with strong cooling capacity and low cost, but the rapid cooling speed can easily lead to deformation or even cracking of the workpiece.
2. Saltwater solution: after adding salts (such as NaCl), the cooling capacity of water is further enhanced, suitable for quenching of materials such as carbon steel.
3. Mineral oil and synthetic quenching oil: with moderate cooling capacity, suitable for quenching of high-hardness materials such as alloy steel and tool steel, and can effectively reduce deformation.
4. Polymer aqueous solution: such as PAG (polyethylene glycol) solution, with cooling speed between water and oil, good cooling regulation and environmental protection, and increasingly widely used in recent years.
Two, Main performance indicators of cooling media
When selecting cooling media, the following key performance indicators should be considered:
1. Cooling capacity: that is, the ability of the medium to rapidly cool the workpiece from high temperature, affecting the quenching hardness and microstructure.
2. Uniformity of cooling: whether the cooling process is uniform determines the degree of deformation of the workpiece.
3. Stability and service life: whether the medium is prone to aging, decomposition, or contamination, affecting the economy and safety of long-term use.
4. Environmental protection and safety: whether it is harmful to the environment and operators, whether it is flammable, etc.
5. Cost and maintenance expenses: including initial purchase cost and subsequent maintenance cost.
Three, Principles of selecting cooling media
1. Selection based on material type
Different materials have different requirements for cooling speed. For example, high-carbon steel is suitable for using cooling media with strong cooling capacity, such as salt water; while alloy steel is suitable for using oil or polymer solutions with moderate cooling speed.
2. Selection based on part shape and size
For workpieces with complex shapes or large sizes, to prevent deformation and cracking, it is advisable to choose a milder cooling medium, such as oil-based or polymer solutions.
3. Selection based on process requirements
For workpieces that require high hardness and allow certain deformation, cooling media with strong cooling capacity can be selected; for small parts that require high precision, it is advisable to choose media with strong controllability.
4. Combination of production conditions and environmental protection requirements
In areas with strict environmental protection requirements, it is recommended to prioritize non-toxic, non-volatile, and biodegradable cooling media, such as PAG solutions.
Four, Conclusion
In summary, when selecting quenching cooling media, it is necessary to comprehensively consider material properties, workpiece structure, process requirements, as well as environmental protection and cost factors. Scientific and reasonable selection of cooling media can not only improve product quality but also extend the service life of equipment and reduce production costs. With the continuous development of new materials and new processes, the selection of cooling media also needs to be continuously updated and optimized to adapt to the increasingly refined and green manufacturing trend.
In the metal heat treatment process, quenching is an important step to improve the hardness and wear resistance of the material. During the quenching process, the selection of the cooling medium directly affects the performance of the workpiece, the degree of deformation, and the surface quality. Therefore, the reasonable selection of the cooling medium is crucial for the quenching effect. This article will discuss the types of cooling media, their performance characteristics, and selection principles.
One, Types of common quenching cooling media
Currently commonly used quenching cooling media mainly include water, saltwater, mineral oil, synthetic quenching oil, polymer aqueous solution (such as PAG, polyvinyl alcohol), etc.
1. Water: water is one of the most primitive quenching media, with strong cooling capacity and low cost, but the rapid cooling speed can easily lead to deformation or even cracking of the workpiece.
2. Saltwater solution: after adding salts (such as NaCl), the cooling capacity of water is further enhanced, suitable for quenching of materials such as carbon steel.
3. Mineral oil and synthetic quenching oil: with moderate cooling capacity, suitable for quenching of high-hardness materials such as alloy steel and tool steel, and can effectively reduce deformation.
4. Polymer aqueous solution: such as PAG (polyethylene glycol) solution, with cooling speed between water and oil, good cooling regulation and environmental protection, and increasingly widely used in recent years.
Two, Main performance indicators of cooling media
When selecting cooling media, the following key performance indicators should be considered:
1. Cooling capacity: that is, the ability of the medium to rapidly cool the workpiece from high temperature, affecting the quenching hardness and microstructure.
2. Uniformity of cooling: whether the cooling process is uniform determines the degree of deformation of the workpiece.
3. Stability and service life: whether the medium is prone to aging, decomposition, or contamination, affecting the economy and safety of long-term use.
4. Environmental protection and safety: whether it is harmful to the environment and operators, whether it is flammable, etc.
5. Cost and maintenance expenses: including initial purchase cost and subsequent maintenance cost.
Three, Principles of selecting cooling media
1. Selection based on material type
Different materials have different requirements for cooling speed. For example, high-carbon steel is suitable for using cooling media with strong cooling capacity, such as salt water; while alloy steel is suitable for using oil or polymer solutions with moderate cooling speed.
2. Selection based on part shape and size
For workpieces with complex shapes or large sizes, to prevent deformation and cracking, it is advisable to choose a milder cooling medium, such as oil-based or polymer solutions.
3. Selection based on process requirements
For workpieces that require high hardness and allow certain deformation, cooling media with strong cooling capacity can be selected; for small parts that require high precision, it is advisable to choose media with strong controllability.
4. Combination of production conditions and environmental protection requirements
In areas with strict environmental protection requirements, it is recommended to prioritize non-toxic, non-volatile, and biodegradable cooling media, such as PAG solutions.
Four, Conclusion
In summary, when selecting quenching cooling media, it is necessary to comprehensively consider material properties, workpiece structure, process requirements, as well as environmental protection and cost factors. Scientific and reasonable selection of cooling media can not only improve product quality but also extend the service life of equipment and reduce production costs. With the continuous development of new materials and new processes, the selection of cooling media also needs to be continuously updated and optimized to adapt to the increasingly refined and green manufacturing trend.
