QUENCHING OILS
In heat treatment processes undertaken by metal working industry, the term quenching refers to the controlled cooling of steel components in a fluid to give specified properties. Hardness and other properties obtained depend upon the composition of steel, the dimension of the component, time and temperature of heat treatment and the speed and duration of the quenching process. Various quenching media have been used by heat treatment industry during its evolution. However petroleum based quenching oils find the widest applications. Petroleum based quenching oils offer easy process control and impart uniform hardness. They are suitable for large scale automation, are non corrosive and non toxic.
HP quenching oils are marketed under the brand names METAQUENCH. These grades are specially formulated from highly refined petroleum base stocks. Additionally specific grades are fortified with chemical additives or fatty oils. These grades offer the following:
- Good Thermal Stability
- Good chemical and oxidation stability
- High boiling points and low volatility
- High flash and fire points
HP METAQUENCH 39, 40
These are blends of refined base oils and contain no additives. METAQUENCH 39 is recommended for general purpose quenching of components and is particularly suitable for quenching of cyanided parts. METAQUENCH 40 is suitable in situations when lower quenching speed is desired.
Meeting specifications:
IS:2664-1980 (RE-AFFRMEND IN 1987) STRAIGHT MINERAL TYPE GRADE MEDIUM AND HEAVY RESPECTIVELY.
Physio-chemical properties:
| PROPERTIES |
HP METAQUENCH 39 |
HP METAQUENCH 40 |
| COLOUR ASTM, MAX |
2 |
6 |
| KINEMATIC VISCOSITY @ 40 deg C, cSt |
23-33 |
58-73 |
| FLASH POINT deg C, COC, MIN |
190 |
220 |
| COPPER CORROSION 3HRS, @100 deg C, MAX |
1 |
1 |
| VISCOSITY INDEX, MIN |
90 |
90 |
| POUR POINT, deg C, MAX |
0 |
0 |
Application areas:
METAQUENCH 39 is a general purpose quenching oil of all components including cyanided parts.
METAQUENCH 40 is a general purpose quenching oil of all components.
HP METAQUENCH 43
Quenching oil with excellent dispersant properties. The oil is fortified with carefully selected dispersant to provide minimum quench distortion.
Meeting specifications:
IS:2664-1980) ADDITIVE TYPE.
Physio-chemical properties:
| PROPERTIES |
HP METAQUENCH 43 |
| COLOUR ASTM, MAX |
2 |
| KINEMATIC VISCOSITY @ 40 deg C, cSt |
20-33 |
| FLASH POINT deg C, COC, MIN |
190 |
| COPPER CORROSION 3HRS, @100 deg C, MAX |
1 |
| VISCOSITY INDEX, MIN |
90 |
| POUR POINT, deg C, MAX |
0 |
Application areas:
General purpose quenching oil of all components. Suitable for applications where dirt accumulation on the metal is a bane.
Performance benefits:
- Good thermal conductivity
- Good oxidation stability
- Low volatility
- Minimum quench distortion
- Extremely low soiling of metals by dirt
METAQUENCH 39,40
These are blends of highly refined base oils selected for their superior physical & chemical properties. These oils have inbuilt resistance to oxidative, thermal or physical degradation due to the special refining process used in their manufacture. Metaquench 40 is recommended for quenching operation involving large components and higher temperatures. Being a higher viscosity oil with correspondingly higher thermal stability, it gives satisfactory performance with low oil consumption. These grades meet IS 2664 : 1980 Straight Mineral type Grade Medium and Heavy respectively.
METAQUENCH 42
This is a blend of highly refined petroleum base stocks with high quality fatty oils. The heat transfer characteristics of the petroleum base stocks are enhanced by the presence of the high quality fatty oil with its inherent wetting ability. Its quenching speed is higher as compared to Metaquench 39, and Metaquench 40. Metaquench 42 is recommended for general purpose quenching operations. It is however not recommended for quenching of cyanided parts.
METAQUENCH 42 meet the requirement of IS 2664 - 1980 Compounded Type Quenching Oil
METAQUENCH 43
This is an additive type of quenching oil with good dispersant properties and excellent heat transfer characteristics. The special additive incorporated in this oil controls soiling of the metal parts during quenching by preventing dirt from accumulating on the metal, thus ensuring uniform hardness with minimum quench distortions. It meets the requirement of IS 2664 Additive Type quenching oil.
METAQUENCH 85
This is a marquenching oil suitable for maintaining the quenching bath at temperatures between 150-220°C. It is recommended for the mass production of high precision, high quality products such as bearing races, automotive gears and transmissions components. It gives low and predictable quench distortions cutting down rejects.
MAINTENANCE OF QUENCHING OILS
With proper care and maintenance, HP Quenching oils can give trouble free and satisfactory service for very long periods. Special emphasis must be laid on condition monitoring of quenching oil in the laboratory. With proper condition monitoring and interpretation of lab results, suitable action can be initiated to derive the maximum possible benefits and life from quenching oils.
In addition to the condition monitoring, quenching system design and maintenance play a major role in extending the life and enhancing the performance of quenching oils. A few essential details are to be kept in mind during system and maintenance are given below:
- Circulation of the oil and/or movement of components being quenched is essential for uniform results
- Sufficient quantity of the oil should be present in the bath for the amount of steel being quenched to minimize oil losses
- It is important to maintain the oil at a nearly constant temperature to limit loss of oil over long periods of use. Water jacketed tanks and heat exchangers may be employed to maintain the oil temperature
