Determination of multiple heat flux transients during quenching of inconel 600 probe

Abstract

The time temperature data at axial and radial locations were measured during immersion quenching oflnconel 600 probes in a mineral oil quench medium. The temperature data and thermo-physical properties were used as input to an inverse heat conduction model for estimating spatially dependent heat flux transients. The estimated temperature data agreed very well with measured temperature data for increasing number of unknown surface heat flux components. The peak heat flux value decreased to a minimum and then increased to a high value in the axial direction. The inverse analysis indicated non uniform nature of wetting front and boiling of mineral oil on the quench probe surface resulting in large temperature gradients within the quench probe. The present work clearly indicates spatial dependence of boundary heat flux transients even for a simple cylindrical probe and the need for their estimation during quenching.