Deep cavity aluminum alloy profile on-line quenching device and method

Abstract

This application discloses an online quenching device and method for deep-cavity aluminum alloy profiles. The online quenching device includes a quenching tank and a spray disturbance component. The spray disturbance component includes a water pipe and multiple nozzles. The water pipe is fixed to the bottom wall of the quenching tank, arranged along the moving direction of the deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile, and located at the water inlet end of the quenching tank. The nozzles are arranged on the outer wall of the water pipe along its extension direction to disturb the water flow in the quenching tank. This online quenching device, with a water pipe on the bottom wall of the quenching tank and multiple nozzles along its extension direction, sprays water towards the inner wall of the deep cavity of the aluminum alloy profile, strongly disturbing the water flow. This effectively eliminates the "cooking" effect and flow stagnation inside the deep cavity, achieving synchronous and uniform cooling both inside and outside. The above-mentioned online quenching device has a simple structure, and the fixed, non-moving water pipe provides higher reliability, making it easy to integrate and modify into existing horizontal through-type quenching production lines.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of aluminum alloy profile quenching technology, and in particular to an online quenching device and method for deep cavity aluminum alloy profiles. Background Technology

[0002] High-strength aluminum alloy profiles are key structural components in aerospace, new energy vehicles, and other fields, and their excellent strength performance largely depends on heat treatment processes. However, these components, especially deep-cavity aluminum alloy profiles, are highly susceptible to warping, twisting, and other deformations during quenching, leading to low yield rates, high subsequent straightening costs, and even product scrap. The root cause of deformation in aluminum alloy profiles lies in the enormous and uneven thermal stress during quenching; for deep-cavity profiles, this unevenness is amplified. Existing technologies cannot solve the deformation problem caused by severe lag and uneven cooling of the internal cavity during online quenching of deep-cavity aluminum alloy profiles. Summary of the Invention

[0003] This invention provides an online quenching device and method for deep-cavity aluminum alloy profiles to solve the technical problem that deep-cavity aluminum alloy profiles are easily deformed during the quenching process in the prior art.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the technical solution provided by the present invention is as follows:

[0005] In a first aspect, the present invention provides an online quenching device for deep-cavity aluminum alloy profiles, comprising a quenching tank and a spray disturbance component. The spray disturbance component includes a water pipe and a plurality of nozzles. The water pipe is fixed to the bottom wall of the quenching tank and is arranged along the moving direction of the deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile and located at the water inlet end of the quenching tank. The nozzles are disposed on the outer wall of the water pipe and arranged along the extending direction of the water pipe for disturbing the water flow in the quenching tank.

[0006] Furthermore, the nozzle includes a first nozzle and a second nozzle, with a plurality of first nozzles disposed on the top of the water pipe and a plurality of second nozzles disposed on two opposite sides of the water pipe.

[0007] Furthermore, the angle between the spraying direction of the first nozzle and the moving direction of the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile is 15° to 30°.

[0008] Furthermore, multiple second nozzles are symmetrically arranged on both sides of the water pipe.

[0009] Furthermore, the angle between the spraying direction of the second nozzle and the moving direction of the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile is 30° to 45°.

[0010] Furthermore, the length of the water pipe is 1m to 2m.

[0011] Furthermore, the online quenching device also includes multiple ultrasonic transducers, which are respectively installed on the outer wall of the quenching tank.

[0012] Furthermore, the multiple ultrasonic transducers are arranged uniformly and symmetrically on the two outer side walls of the quenching tank.

[0013] A second aspect of the present invention provides an online quenching method for the above-mentioned deep cavity aluminum alloy profile, comprising the following steps: the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile extruded by an extruder enters the quenching tank of an online quenching device; the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile passes over a spray disturbance component on the bottom wall of the quenching tank; water is introduced into the water pipe of the spray disturbance component; and multiple nozzles on the water pipe spray water towards the inner wall of the cavity of the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile to disturb the water flow in the quenching tank.

[0014] Furthermore, the angle between the spraying direction of the plurality of first nozzles at the top of the water pipe and the moving direction of the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile is 15° to 30°.

[0015] Furthermore, the angle between the spraying direction of the multiple second nozzles on the two opposite sides of the water pipe and the moving direction of the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile is 30° to 45°.

[0016] Furthermore, the steps also include: after the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile enters the quenching tank, the ultrasonic transducers on the two outer side walls of the quenching tank are opened to emit ultrasonic waves of 20kHz to 40kHz.

[0017] The online quenching device for deep-cavity aluminum alloy profiles provided by this invention features a water pipe installed on the bottom wall of the quenching tank, with multiple nozzles extending along the pipe's extension direction. These nozzles spray water towards the inner wall of the deep cavity of the aluminum alloy profile, strongly agitating the water flow within the quenching tank. This effectively eliminates the "cooking" effect and flow stagnation within the deep cavity, achieving simultaneous and uniform cooling both internally and externally. The online quenching device has a simple structure, and the fixed, non-moving water pipe ensures higher reliability. It is easy to integrate and modify existing horizontal through-feed quenching production lines, making it suitable for continuous batch production. Attached Figure Description

[0018] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application or the prior art, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments recorded in this application. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0019] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the online quenching device for deep cavity aluminum alloy profiles in an embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] Figure 2 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the structure of the spray disturbance component.

[0021] Figure label:

[0022] 1. Quenching tank; 2. Deep cavity aluminum alloy profile; 3. Spray disturbance component; 31. Water pipe; 32. First nozzle; 33. Second nozzle; 4. Ultrasonic transducer. Detailed Implementation

[0023] To enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solutions in this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments in this application, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0024] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly set on the other component; when a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to the other component.

[0025] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0026] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this application, "a plurality of" or "several" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0027] It should be noted that the structures, proportions, sizes, etc., shown in the accompanying drawings of this specification are only for the purpose of assisting those skilled in the art in understanding and reading the content disclosed in the specification, and are not intended to limit the conditions under which this application can be implemented. Therefore, they have no substantial technical significance. Any modifications to the structure, changes in the proportions, or adjustments to the size should still fall within the scope of the technical content disclosed in this application, provided that they do not affect the effects and purposes that this application can produce.

[0028] During the horizontal through-line quenching process of deep-cavity aluminum alloy profiles, the outer surface of the profile experiences a slow local cooling rate due to the heat insulation effect caused by the adhesion of vapor film and bubbles. At the same time, the amount and distribution of bubbles vary in different cross-sections, resulting in uneven stress and deformation of the profile due to the reaction force of the bubbles. When water is introduced into the deep cavity of the profile, a high-temperature vapor pocket is formed, the flow field stagnates, and heat accumulates, causing the cooling rate of the inner cavity to be much lower than that of the outer surface. This results in a huge cooling difference between the inside and outside and uneven cooling within the inner cavity itself, which is the main cause of complex deformation.

[0029] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 As shown, in a first aspect of this application, an online quenching device for a deep cavity aluminum alloy profile 2 is provided, including a quenching tank 1 and a spray disturbance component 3. The spray disturbance component 3 includes a water pipe 31 and a plurality of nozzles. The water pipe 31 is fixed on the bottom wall of the quenching tank 1 and is arranged along the moving direction of the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile 2 and located at the water inlet end of the quenching tank 1. The nozzles are arranged on the outer wall of the water pipe 31 and along the extending direction of the water pipe 31 to disturb the water flow in the quenching tank 1.

[0030] In this embodiment, a water pipe 31 is fixed to the bottom wall of the water inlet end of the quenching tank 1, with one end of the water pipe 31 directly opposite the cavity inlet of the deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile 2. The water pipe 31 is positioned along the moving direction of the profile, meaning the profile moves past the top of the water pipe 31. Specifically, the length of the water pipe 31 is 1m to 2m. This length of water pipe 31 can cover the most critical area where quenching is most intense.

[0031] In this embodiment, multiple nozzles are provided on the outer wall of the water pipe 31. The nozzles are arranged along the extension direction of the water pipe 31. The nozzles can be arranged in one row or multiple rows so that the nozzles can spray the profile when it passes through the water pipe 31.

[0032] The aforementioned nozzles spray high-pressure cooling water towards the deep cavity wall of the aluminum alloy profile, directly driving away hot steam and strongly disturbing stagnant water flow. This effectively eliminates the "cooking" effect and flow stagnation inside the deep cavity, achieving forced homogenization of the internal cavity medium and efficient heat exchange, thus ensuring synchronous and uniform cooling inside and outside the cavity.

[0033] The online quenching device of this application embodiment has a simple structure, and the fixed, non-moving water pipe 31 has higher reliability. It is easy to integrate and modify on existing horizontal through-type quenching production lines and is suitable for batch continuous production.

[0034] In some embodiments, the nozzle includes a first nozzle 32 and a second nozzle 33. A plurality of first nozzles 32 are provided on the top of the water pipe 31, and a plurality of second nozzles 33 are provided on two opposite sides of the water pipe 31.

[0035] Reference Figure 1 and Figure 2 In this embodiment, the first nozzle 32 disposed at the top of the water pipe 31 sprays the top wall of the cavity of the aluminum alloy profile, and the second nozzles 33 disposed on opposite sides of the water pipe 31 spray the two side walls of the cavity of the aluminum alloy profile. Multiple first nozzles 32 are arranged along the top of the water pipe 31, forming one or more rows. Multiple second nozzles 33 are arranged along the sides of the water pipe 31, forming one or more rows. Furthermore, the multiple second nozzles 33 are symmetrically disposed on the two sides of the water pipe 31.

[0036] In this embodiment, the arrangement of the first nozzle 32 and the second nozzle 33 makes the spraying of the inner wall of the profile more uniform. The forces generated by the second nozzles 33 on both sides of the water pipe 31 are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, thus canceling each other out and making the net horizontal force zero, thereby preventing the profile from being twisted by lateral forces on the horizontal plane.

[0037] Furthermore, the angle between the spray direction of the first nozzle 32 and the moving direction of the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile 2 is 15° to 30°. The aforementioned angle design between the spray direction of the first nozzle 32 and the moving direction of the profile in this embodiment ensures that the component of the spray body acts on the moving direction of the profile, breaking the steam bladder at the top of the cavity and guiding the cooling water flow forward. Meanwhile, the component perpendicular to the moving direction is controlled to a very small range, effectively preventing the profile from being lifted upwards and causing deformation.

[0038] Furthermore, the angle between the spray direction of the second nozzle 33 and the moving direction of the deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile 2 is 30° to 45°. The aforementioned angle design between the spray direction of the second nozzle 33 and the moving direction of the profile in this embodiment ensures that the main component generated by the second nozzles 33 on both sides of the water pipe 31 also acts on the moving direction of the profile, breaking the steam pockets on the side of the cavity and guiding the cooling water flow forward. The horizontal component force generated by the second nozzles 33 is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, canceling each other out and preventing the profile from being twisted by lateral forces on the horizontal plane.

[0039] In some embodiments, the online quenching device further includes multiple ultrasonic transducers 4, which are respectively installed on the outer wall of the quenching tank 1.

[0040] In this embodiment, ultrasonic transducers 4 are respectively installed on the two outer side walls of the quenching tank 1. They can emit ultrasonic waves. By utilizing the vibration effect generated by the ultrasonic waves in the water in the quenching tank 1, the vapor film and attached bubbles on the outer surface of the profile can be broken, eliminating micro-scale heat transfer unevenness and ensuring that the heat transfer efficiency of the outer surface of the profile is maximized and uniform. At the same time, it eliminates the inconsistency in the number and distribution of bubbles caused by the inconsistent cooling conditions on different surfaces of the profile, and avoids uneven deformation caused by inconsistent reaction forces on the profile.

[0041] Furthermore, multiple ultrasonic transducers 4 are evenly and symmetrically arranged on the two outer side walls of the quenching tank 1. In this embodiment, the even and symmetrical arrangement of the ultrasonic transducers 4 on the two side walls makes the vibration effect of the water in the quenching tank 1 more uniform, thereby making the heat transfer efficiency of the outer surface of the profile more uniform.

[0042] A second aspect of this application provides an online quenching method for a deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile 2, comprising the following steps: the deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile 2 extruded by an extruder enters the quenching tank 1 of an online quenching device; the deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile 2 passes over a spray disturbance component 3 on the bottom wall of the quenching tank 1; water is supplied into the water pipe 31 of the spray disturbance component 3; and multiple nozzles on the water pipe 31 spray water towards the inner wall of the cavity of the deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile 2 to disturb the water flow in the quenching tank 1.

[0043] In the online quenching method of this application embodiment, high-pressure cooling water is sprayed into the cavity of the aluminum alloy profile through a nozzle, directly driving away the hot steam and strongly disturbing the stagnant water flow, thereby achieving forced homogenization and efficient heat exchange of the medium inside the cavity, and ensuring that the cooling inside the cavity is basically synchronized with the external cooling.

[0044] Furthermore, the angle between the spraying direction of the plurality of first nozzles 32 at the top of the water pipe 31 and the moving direction of the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile 2 is 15° to 30°. The aforementioned angle design between the spraying direction of the first nozzles 32 and the moving direction of the profile in this embodiment ensures that the component of the spraying body acts on the moving direction of the profile, breaking the steam bladder at the top of the cavity and guiding the cooling water flow forward, while the component perpendicular to the moving direction is controlled within a very small range, effectively preventing the profile from being lifted upwards and causing deformation.

[0045] Furthermore, the angle between the spraying direction of the plurality of second nozzles 33 on the two opposite sides of the water pipe 31 and the moving direction of the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile 2 is 30° to 45°. The aforementioned angle design between the spraying direction of the second nozzles 33 and the moving direction of the profile in this embodiment ensures that the main component generated by the second nozzles 33 on both sides of the water pipe 31 also acts on the moving direction of the profile, breaking the steam pockets on the cavity side and guiding the cooling water flow forward. The horizontal component force generated by the second nozzles 33 is equal in magnitude and opposite in direction, canceling each other out and preventing the profile from being twisted by lateral forces on the horizontal plane.

[0046] In some embodiments, the above steps further include: after the deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile 2 enters the quenching tank 1, the ultrasonic transducers 4 on the two outer side walls of the quenching tank 1 are turned on to emit ultrasonic waves of 20kHz to 40kHz. In this embodiment, the vibration effect generated by ultrasonic waves in water can break up the vapor film and attached bubbles on the outer surface of the profile, eliminate microscale heat transfer unevenness, and ensure that the heat transfer efficiency of the outer surface of the profile is maximized and uniform; at the same time, it eliminates the inconsistency in the number and distribution of bubbles caused by the inconsistent cooling conditions on different surfaces of the profile, and avoids uneven deformation caused by inconsistent reaction forces on the profile.

[0047] The above technology will be further described in detail below through specific embodiments.

[0048] Example 1

[0049] A method for online quenching of 6082 deep cavity aluminum alloy, the specific steps of which are as follows:

[0050] Step 1: Heat the ingot to 515℃, hold it for 2 hours, and then send it to an extrusion press for extrusion at a speed of 2m / min. After extrusion, the 6082 deep cavity aluminum alloy profile is obtained.

[0051] Step 2: The above-mentioned profile is passed through the online quenching device at the front end of the extruder. The ultrasonic transducers on the two outer walls of the quenching tank are turned on, and the ultrasonic frequency is 30kHz. A water pipe with a length of 1.5m is set in the quenching tank. Four first nozzles are set at the top of the water pipe, and their spraying direction is at a 20° angle with the profile's travel direction. Eight second nozzles are set on both sides of the water pipe, symmetrically distributed, and their spraying direction is at a 35° angle with the profile's travel direction.

[0052] Step 3: After quenching, the profile roll straightener is used for straightening.

[0053] Step 4: Then, aging is carried out at 180℃ for 8 hours.

[0054] Comparative Example

[0055] A method for online quenching of 6082 deep cavity aluminum alloy, the specific steps of which are as follows:

[0056] Step 1: Heat the ingot to 515℃, hold it for 2 hours, and then send it to an extrusion press for extrusion at a speed of 2m / min. After extrusion, the 6082 deep cavity aluminum alloy profile is obtained.

[0057] Step 2: Using conventional water quenching process, the above-mentioned profiles are continuously passed through the quenching water tank.

[0058] Step 3: After quenching, the profile roll straightener is used for straightening.

[0059] Step 4: Then, aging is carried out at 180℃ for 8 hours.

[0060] Ten batches were processed for both Example 1 and the comparative example. The average performance and dimensional pass rate of the profiles were statistically analyzed, and the results are shown in Table 1. As can be seen from the results in Table 1, compared with the comparative example, the deep cavity aluminum alloy profiles in Example 1 showed a significant improvement in deformation while maintaining a slight improvement in performance.

[0061] Table 1 Performance results of the quenched profiles of Example 1 and the comparative example

[0062]

[0063] The deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile online quenching device of this application thoroughly eliminates the vapor film and bubbles on the outer surface of the profile through ultrasonic cavitation effect, significantly improving the uniformity of external heat exchange. Simultaneously, a fixed multi-directional spray disturbance component is used to directionally disturb the deep cavity at the critical water entry point of the profile, powerfully breaking the "cooking" effect and achieving active flow field balance and efficient heat exchange within the cavity. This synergistic effect improves the synchronization of internal and external cooling of the profile by more than 50%, effectively suppressing thermal stress caused by severe uneven cooling. It increases the dimensional accuracy pass rate of complex deep-cavity profiles from 45% to 88%. Furthermore, the device's internal components are fixed, ensuring high reliability, making it particularly suitable for online continuous production.

[0064] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. Therefore, the invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. A deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile online quenching device, characterized in that: The device includes a quenching tank and a spray agitation assembly. The spray agitation assembly includes a water pipe and multiple nozzles. The water pipe is fixed to the bottom wall of the quenching tank and is arranged along the moving direction of the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile so that it is located in the cavity enclosed by the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile and the bottom wall, and is located at the water inlet end of the quenching tank. The nozzles are arranged on the outer wall of the water pipe and along the extending direction of the water pipe to agitate the water flow in the quenching tank. The nozzle includes a first nozzle and a second nozzle. Multiple first nozzles are provided on the top of the water pipe, and multiple second nozzles are provided on two opposite sides of the water pipe. The multiple second nozzles are symmetrically arranged on the two sides of the water pipe. The angle between the spraying direction of the second nozzle and the moving direction of the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile is 30° to 45°; the angle between the spraying direction of the first nozzle and the moving direction of the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile is 15° to 30°. The online quenching device also includes multiple ultrasonic transducers, which are respectively installed on the outer wall of the quenching tank.

2. The online quenching device for deep-cavity aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The length of the water pipe is 1m to 2m.

3. The online quenching device for deep-cavity aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multiple ultrasonic transducers are arranged uniformly and symmetrically on the two outer side walls of the quenching tank.

4. An online quenching method for deep-cavity aluminum alloy profiles, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile extruded by the extruder enters the quenching tank of the online quenching device. The deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile passes over a spray disturbance component on the bottom wall of the quenching tank. The spray disturbance component is located within the cavity enclosed by the deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile and the bottom wall. Water is supplied to the water pipe of the spray disturbance component. Multiple nozzles on the water pipe spray water towards the inner wall of the cavity of the deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile to disturb the water flow in the quenching tank. The angle between the spraying direction of multiple second nozzles on opposite sides of the water pipe and the moving direction of the deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile is 30° to 45°. The angle between the spraying direction of multiple first nozzles at the top of the water pipe and the moving direction of the deep-cavity aluminum alloy profile is 15° to 30°.

5. The online quenching method for deep-cavity aluminum alloy profiles according to claim 4, characterized in that, The steps also include: after the deep cavity aluminum alloy profile enters the quenching tank, the ultrasonic transducers on the two outer side walls of the quenching tank are opened to emit ultrasonic waves of 20kHz to 40kHz.

Images