Abstract: Cooling of a workpiece is conducted at selected workpiece locations in accordance with predetermined heat flux, at the locations, required to result in a desired workpiece cooling rate for workpiece integrity, microstructure and mechanical properties. A cooling fluid is controlled to follow the workpiece surface according to preselected cooling fluid convective cooling parameters including, but not limited to, cooling fluid direction, mass flow rate, and velocity at the selected locations.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for cooling a metal strip, the apparatus having a header that receives and directs a curtain of water across the strip, a water collector on one side of the curtain of water and a source of air on the opposite side of the curtain of water arranged to direct a flow of air across the curtain of water and divert water into the water collector. A deflector is arranged to interrupt at least a portion of the flow of air such that at least a portion of the wall of water contacts and cools the strip of metal. The flow of air is provided at a pressure of about 50 to 100 psi and, with the flow of air completely blocked by a deflector, the strip of metal is cooled completely across the width of the strip.

Abstract: An improved method of heat treating a continuous strip of metallic material of indeterminate length in a continuous annealing furnace. The furnace includes a heating section having a plurality of gas jet heaters and a cooling section having a plurality of gas jet coolers. The continuous strip is heated and cooled in the heating and cooling sections within predetermined selected temperature ranges for the strip, by convection and solely with mixtures of hydrogen and nitrogen gases impinged against both sides of the strip through the gas jet heaters and the gas jet coolers. The temperatures of the strips in the heating and cooling section are monitored. Temperatures are controlled by varying the ratios of the mixtures of the heating and cooling gases which achieves and maintains the predetermined selected temperature ranges for the strip in the heating and cooling chambers despite changes in operating conditions.