Quenching in fluidised beds for the heat treatment industry

Abstract

The controlled cooling and quenching of metals remains one of the key factors in optimising the properties, performance and manufacture of metal components. The use of fluidised beds for quenching has been investigated for a wide range of applications over the last 50 years. This paper reviews the fundamentals of the fluidised bed for quenching, a comprehensive test program designed to establish the cooling rates that can be practically achieved and where the fluidised bed can offer an alternative quenching option to the more established media.