Improved Quench Tank Performance and
Part Quality Through CFD Analysis

Abstract:  Improving the flow quality in liquid quench tanks can lead to improved heat transfer that translates into greater hardness, less distortion, and less variability within the load or within a part.  Modifications to an existing tank requires production downtime and some assurance that the modification will result in process improvements is desired.  Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) offers the ability to quantify the existing flow patterns and visualize the causes of heat transfer variations.  A CFD-based design study can evaluate a range of options and then optimize the chosen design for peak performance.  The design process is presented for a typical quench tank and a representative load, starting with the baseline analysis and following through the design iterations to the final design.  Significant improvements in heat transfer uniformity are obtained.

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