Patent ID: 9617611
Date: 2017-04-11
CPC Classifications: C21D

Claim:
1. Apparatus for rapidly cooling a work load of heat treated metal parts comprising: a pressure vessel having an internal chamber for holding a work load of heat treated metal parts; a liquid quenchant supply vessel adapted to contain a liquid quenchant at a first pressure; a storage tank for holding the liquid quenchant, said storage tank being connected to said liquid quenchant supply vessel for receiving the liquid quenchant therefrom and connected to said pressure vessel for supplying the liquid quenchant to the internal chamber of said pressure vessel; pressurizing means connected to said storage tank for increasing pressure inside said storage tank; and a pressure controller connected to said pressure vessel and said pressurizing means for maintaining the pressure in said storage tank at a first elevated pressure relative to a chamber pressure in said pressure vessel wherein the first elevated pressure in said storage tank is selected to provide a flow of the liquid quenchant to the internal chamber sufficient to achieve a selected peak vapor pressure in the internal chamber of the pressure vessel when the liquid quenchant evaporates in said pressure vessel during a quenching cycle performed in said pressure vessel.