Abstract: At the outlet of the finishing stand of a rolling mill, a cooling apparatus is arranged to surface quench only the outer layer of the flat face of a steel section by a cooling fluid. The cooling conditions are adjusted so that, at the outlet of the cooling zone, the unquenched parts of the section are at a temperature still sufficiently high to temper the quenched face, and so that the austenite is transformed into ferrite and carbides in the unquenched parts of the section.

Abstract: A system for recycling heat treating salts such as nitrates and nitrites from a rinse bath including means to prevent the excessive build-up of impurities such as carbonates which impair heat treat efficiency. For example, carbonates which form in a nitrate-nitrite quench bath are removed by concentrating the rinse water, rectifying the concentrate and returning molten rectified salt to the quench.

Abstract: A water cooling system for quenching rod, billet or bar typically as it leaves a hot mill. The system comprises one or more open ended troughs into which water is fed under pressure through vertical slots in the walls of the trough to provide an agitated bath of water through which the rod, billet or bar travels and is thereby cooled. Sets of angled slots in one end of each trough act to control the flow of water from the trough.

Abstract: A water spray quench process and apparatus for the hardening of steel agricultural discs and like articles with minimum warpage and maximum exposure to the quenching water. A steel article heated in a furnace to a temperature above its austenitizing temperature is moved horizontally into a quenching station, supported on several support pins below the article with a positioning member above the article, and sprayed with water from a series of nozzles both above and below the article to rapidly and effectively quench the article to a minimum temperature. Once the article has been cooled by the quenching water, it is expelled from the quench station.

Abstract: The disclosure pertains to an arrangement for cooling a heated workpiece, such as, strip or slab as it issues from a rolling mill or continuous slab caster. The longitudinally moving workpiece is caused to pass between a number of coolant discharge headers arranged above and below the workpiece in which, during its cooling, the coolig rates of the upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece differ. The effective discharge of the headers is varied to equalize the cooling rates of the upper and lower surfaces of the workpiece to symmetrically cool the workpiece.

Abstract: This disclosure relates to a method and apparatus for continuously homogenizing and quenching aluminum billets in an in-line tandem system. The billets are conveyed into a furnace and transported through a series of stages therein where they are heated to obtain a uniform crystalline structure, and then immediately conveyed into and through a quench chamber where they are rapidly cooled to obtain improved metallurgical properties. The quench chamber includes a series of ring-shaped spray headers having a plurality of spray nozzles disposed thereabout for emitting a cooling fluid evenly about the billets as they pass through the rings in order to prevent warpage. The spray rings are vertically adjustable by means of a common linkage so that they will be concentric with respect to the longitudinal axes of billets of different diameters adapted to pass therethrough.

Abstract: Water-cooling tubes are extensively used for cooling hot moving strands, for instance hot-rolled rod. In order to avoid the braking action of the water within the tubes, the invention provides for the water to be expelled from the tubes before the leading end of the strand passes through the tubes, by blowing air into the tubes.

Abstract: Zinc bearing solutions are subjected to cementation in at least one fluidized bed of zinc particles which are simultaneously subjected to transverse agitation to remove impurities precipitated on the particles.

Abstract: A cooling system for cooling steel slabs or the like comprises an elongated tank with parallel rollers for conveying the heated slab horizontally beneath the surface of a water bath. Water curtains from angularly directed upper and lower nozzles seal the entry opening in the end of the tank through which the slab is introduced into the tank and also supply cooling water to the tank. The rollers have axially spaced disk portions for supporting the slab in spaced relation above guide plates or aprons extending between the rollers. Inlet cooling water from the lower water curtain impinges against the lower surface of the slab and is diverted into and flows at high velocity through the restricted cooling channel defined between the guide plates or aprons and the underside of the slab. In a continuous form of the cooling system, a water curtain sealed outlet opening for the slabs is also provided in the opposite end of the tank. Intermediate cooling water nozzles may also be provided between the ends of the tank.

Abstract: A steel body at red heat or higher temperature is heat treated by sequentially carrying it through a descaling unit, where scale is removed by water jets at an impact force above 2.5 kg/cm.sup.2, and then into an accelerated cooling process such as a quench rig where it is cooled rapidly down through its transformation temperature. If the temperature is below transformation after descaling the steel body is reheated without new scale formation before passing to accelerated cooling. Cooling water and surface quality are thereby improved.

Abstract: Apparatus for regulated cooling of hot objects by liquid medium or media in which the cooling is varied by varying the pressure under which the cooling takes place. The apparatus comprises an open or closed container for the cooling agent or agents having means for regulating the temperature of the cooling agent, means for stirring the cooling agent, means for conveying the cooling agent to a shaft-constituting part of the container, means for inserting the object into the shaft and means for regulating the pressure of the cooling agent in said shaft.

Abstract: An improved bottom assembly is provided for a nuclear reactor fuel reprocessing dissolver vessel wherein fuel elements are dissolved as the initial step in recovering fissile material from spent fuel rods. A shock-absorbing crash plate with a convex upper surface is disposed at the bottom of the dissolver vessel so as to provide an annular space between the crash plate and the dissolver vessel wall. A sparging ring is disposed within the annular space to enable a fluid discharged from the sparging ring to agitate the solids which deposit on the bottom of the dissolver vessel and accumulate in the annular space. An inlet tangential to the annular space permits a fluid pumped into the annular space through the inlet to flush these solids from the dissolver vessel through tangential outlets oppositely facing the inlet.