Characterisation of hardening performance of quenchants by integrated numerical method

An integrated numerical technique for evaluation of hardening performance of cooling media applied for steel quenching is outlined. The newly developed method is based on the specific processing of measured time-temperature samples performed as a result of cooling curve tests. The heat transfer coefficient as a function of surface temperature characterises the heat transfer during cooling and is calculated using an iterative inverse algorithm. The heat transfer coefficient is used for calculation of the microstructural constituents and the hardness profile of cylindrical samples of arbitrary diameter. The hardening performance of media is evaluated by the estimated hardness of specimens obtained by heat treatment.