Numerical simulation of continuous cooling of a low alloy steel to predict microstructure and hardness

Abstract

In this work, a numerical model was developed to simulate the continuous cooling of a low alloy steel. In order to simulate the kinetics of diffusional phase transformations, the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami–Kolmogorov (JMAK) equation and additivity rule were employed, while a new model was applied for martensitic transformation. In addition, a novel approach was applied for computing the actual phase fractions in the multiphase steel. Effects of latent heat release during phase transformations, temperature and phase fractions on the variation of thermo-physical properties were considered. The developed numerical model was applied to simulate the cooling process during the Jominy end quench test as well as the quenching of a steel gear in water and oil. In this respect, precise models were used to simulate the complex boundary conditions in the Jominy test and a stainless steel probe was used for determining the heat transfer coefficients of quenching media by an inverse method. The present model was validated against cooling curve measurements, metallographic analysis and hardness tests. Good agreement was found between the experimental and simulation results. This model is able to simulate the continuous cooling and kinetics of phase transformation and to predict the final distribution of microstructures and hardness in low alloy steels.