An air atmosphere heat treatment furnace coupled with ultrasonic vibration

Abstract

This invention relates to the field of heat treatment furnaces, specifically an air-atmosphere heat treatment furnace coupled with ultrasonic vibration. It includes a furnace body, a high-temperature resistant insulation layer, a heating assembly, a material feeding assembly, and an ultrasonic vibration mechanism. The furnace body has an internal furnace cavity, with an air atmosphere inside. The high-temperature resistant insulation layer is disposed on the inner wall of the furnace cavity. The heating assembly is embedded in the high-temperature resistant insulation layer, forming a heat treatment zone inside the heating assembly. The ultrasonic vibration mechanism includes an ultrasonic generator, an ultrasonic controller for controlling the ultrasonic generator, and an ultrasonic transmission device disposed at the output end of the ultrasonic generator. The ultrasonic transmission device is disposed throughout the furnace body, with its end furthest from the ultrasonic generator located in the heat treatment zone. The material feeding assembly is disposed at the end of the ultrasonic transmission device located in the heat treatment zone. This invention introduces ultrasonic vibration technology into the heat treatment process, which can actively adjust the microscopic defects inside the material, significantly improving the mechanical properties of the material. Ultrasonic vibration treatment in an air atmosphere results in lower costs.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of heat treatment furnaces, and in particular to an air atmosphere heat treatment furnace coupled with ultrasonic vibration. Background Technology

[0002] The properties of metallic materials (such as nickel-based superalloys, heat-resistant steels, and oxidation-resistant superalloys) are crucial in many industrial sectors, particularly in aerospace, energy, and chemical industries. To improve the mechanical properties of these metallic materials, the regulation of their microstructure and the precise control of defect density are key. From the fundamental principles of materials science, microscopic defects such as dislocations, stacking faults, and twins can significantly enhance material properties by hindering dislocation slip.

[0003] In the technological iteration of metal heat treatment equipment, existing improvements mostly focus on heating efficiency, temperature control accuracy, or auxiliary function optimization, but have not yet addressed the defect control in the core stage of the heat treatment process. For example, CN121025780A discloses an aluminum rod heating furnace for aluminum alloy processing, whose technological focus is only on the heating and feeding system. CN121112726A discloses a heating furnace and its accessories for metal processing, whose core functions are concentrated on the structural optimization of the furnace body and the motion control of the trolley. CN222294131U discloses a box-type atmosphere-protected heat treatment furnace, which achieves safe collection and cooling of high-temperature protective gas through the design of a nitrogen box and exhaust gas conveying system. CN118389784A discloses a heat treatment furnace for metal heat treatment, which achieves impurity cleaning and anti-oxidation coating of metal plates through a frame, roller, and sponge block structure, but its ultrasonic design is only used in the pretreatment stage.

[0004] However, the existing technologies mentioned above are mostly focused on temperature control accuracy, atmosphere conditioning, and heating efficiency, and none of them involve the active control of internal defects in materials, nor do they control the microscopic defects of materials in the core heat treatment stage. Summary of the Invention

[0005] The purpose of this invention is to address the problems existing in the background technology by proposing an air atmosphere heat treatment furnace coupled with ultrasonic vibration. By introducing ultrasonic vibration technology into the heat treatment process, it directly acts on the defect evolution during the material's heat preservation stage, which can actively regulate the microscopic defects inside the material, significantly improve the mechanical properties of the material, and reduce costs by performing ultrasonic vibration treatment in an air atmosphere.

[0006] The present invention provides an air-atmosphere heat treatment furnace coupled with ultrasonic vibration, comprising a furnace body, a high-temperature resistant insulation layer, a heating component, a material feeding component, and an ultrasonic vibration mechanism. The furnace body has an internal furnace cavity, the inner side of which is filled with air. The high-temperature resistant insulation layer is disposed on the inner wall of the furnace cavity. The heating component is embedded in the high-temperature resistant insulation layer, and a heat treatment zone is formed inside the heating component. The ultrasonic vibration mechanism includes an ultrasonic generator, an ultrasonic controller for controlling the ultrasonic generator, and an ultrasonic transmission device disposed at the output end of the ultrasonic generator. The ultrasonic transmission device is disposed throughout the furnace body, with one end furthest from the ultrasonic generator located in the heat treatment zone. The material feeding component is disposed at the end of the ultrasonic transmission device located in the heat treatment zone.

[0007] Preferably, the furnace body includes a furnace shell, a base disposed at the bottom of the furnace shell, and a furnace door hinged to the front of the furnace shell.

[0008] Preferably, a cooling fan is installed on the furnace door, and a control panel is installed at the front of the base.

[0009] Preferably, the front end of the high-temperature resistant insulation layer is open, and the heating components are evenly arranged along the circumference of the high-temperature resistant insulation layer.

[0010] Preferably, the heating assembly includes multiple resistance heating elements, some of which are horizontally distributed and the rest are vertically distributed.

[0011] Preferably, a thermocouple is installed through the high-temperature insulation layer, the control panel integrates a temperature control module, the thermocouple is connected to the temperature control module, and the temperature control module is connected to the resistance heating element and the cooling fan respectively.

[0012] Preferably, the ultrasonic transmission device is equipped with a flange, which is located at the rear of the furnace shell.

[0013] Preferably, the material placement assembly includes a clamp disposed at the end of the ultrasonic transmission device and a crucible clamped on the clamp.

[0014] Compared with existing technologies, this invention has the following beneficial technical effects: This invention can perform heat treatment on nickel-based superalloys, heat-resistant steels, or oxidation-resistant superalloys, actively adjusting microscopic defects within the material, such as dislocations, stacking faults, and twins, thereby increasing the internal defect density, resulting in a more uniform dislocation distribution, and significantly improving the material's mechanical properties. Furthermore, this invention performs ultrasonic vibration treatment in an air atmosphere, simplifying the structure and significantly reducing operating and maintenance costs. Attached Figure Description

[0015] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a partial structural cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3This is a schematic diagram showing the distribution of resistance heating elements around the crucible.

[0016] Reference numerals: 1. Furnace shell; 2. Base; 3. Furnace door; 4. Cooling fan; 5. Control panel; 6. Power port; 7. Ultrasonic controller; 8. Ultrasonic generator; 9. Ultrasonic transmission device; 10. Flange; 11. Clamp; 12. Crucible; 13. High-temperature resistant insulation layer; 14. Resistance heating element; 15. Thermocouple. Detailed Implementation

[0017] like Figures 1-3 As shown in the figure, the air atmosphere heat treatment furnace coupled with ultrasonic vibration proposed in this embodiment includes a furnace body, a high temperature resistant insulation layer 13, a heating component, a material feeding component, and an ultrasonic vibration mechanism.

[0018] The furnace body has an internal furnace cavity with an air atmosphere, eliminating the need for a vacuum system or inert gas supply device, resulting in a more streamlined overall structure. The furnace body includes a furnace shell 1, a base 2 located at the bottom of the furnace shell 1, and a furnace door 3 hinged to the front of the furnace shell 1. The furnace shell 1 is made of high-temperature resistant metal. A power port 6 is provided on the base 2, through which a power source is connected to power the heating components. A cooling fan 4 is installed on the furnace door 3, and a control panel 5 is located at the front of the base 2.

[0019] like Figure 2 As shown, a high-temperature resistant insulation layer 13 is disposed on the inner wall of the furnace cavity, with an open front end. A thermocouple 15 is disposed through the high-temperature resistant insulation layer 13, which can detect the temperature inside the high-temperature resistant insulation layer 13.

[0020] The heating element is embedded in the high-temperature resistant insulation layer 13, and the heating element is evenly arranged around the circumference of the high-temperature resistant insulation layer 13. A heat treatment zone is formed inside the heating element, which can effectively heat the metal workpiece within the inner heat treatment zone. Figure 3 As shown, the heating assembly includes multiple resistance heating elements 14, some of which are horizontally distributed and the rest are vertically distributed.

[0021] The control panel 5 integrates a temperature control module. Thermocouple 15 communicates with the temperature control module, sending detected furnace cavity temperature data to it. The temperature control module is connected to the resistance heating element 14 and the cooling fan 4 respectively, controlling the heating of the resistance heating element 14. Based on the feedback data from the thermocouple 15, the furnace cavity temperature can be controlled more precisely. Cooling is achieved at the furnace door 3 via the cooling fan 4.

[0022] like Figure 1 and Figure 2As shown, the ultrasonic vibration mechanism includes an ultrasonic generator 8, an ultrasonic controller 7 that controls the ultrasonic generator 8, and an ultrasonic transmission device 9 disposed at the output end of the ultrasonic generator 8. The ultrasonic transmission device 9 is installed through the furnace body, with one end away from the ultrasonic generator 8 located in the heat treatment zone. For the installation of the ultrasonic transmission device 9, a flange 10 is provided on the ultrasonic transmission device 9, and the flange 10 is located at the rear of the furnace shell 1.

[0023] A material placement assembly is located at one end of the ultrasonic transmission device 9 in the heat treatment zone. The assembly includes a clamp 11 at the end of the ultrasonic transmission device 9 and a crucible 12 clamped in the clamp 11. The clamp 11 is fastened to the end of the ultrasonic transmission device 9 by screws, and has a clamping area in its middle for holding the crucible 12. Ultrasonic vibrations generated by the ultrasonic generator 8 are transmitted through the ultrasonic transmission device 9 to the clamp 11 and the crucible 12, and further to the metal workpiece in the crucible 12.

[0024] The operating procedures for this heat treatment furnace are as follows: S1. Loading the furnace: Place the metal workpiece to be processed in the crucible 12, close the furnace door 3, and place the workpiece in the air atmosphere inside the furnace chamber.

[0025] S2. Heating: The resistance heating element 14 is controlled to heat the furnace, raising the temperature to the target heat treatment temperature at a preset heating rate. The target temperature is set within the range of 200-1700℃, depending on the material type. During the heating phase, the ultrasonic vibration mechanism is either off or operating at low power.

[0026] S3. Coupling of Insulation and Ultrasonic Vibration: Once the furnace temperature reaches the set value, the insulation stage begins. Simultaneously, the ultrasonic generator 8 is activated. Throughout the insulation process, ultrasonic vibration is continuously applied to the metal workpiece via the ultrasonic transmission device 9, the fixture 11, and the crucible 12. Under thermally activated conditions, ultrasonic vibration promotes the generation and evolution of defects such as dislocations, stacking faults, and twins within the material, thereby achieving active control over the microscopic defect structure of the material.

[0027] S4. Cooling: After the heat preservation is completed, the control resistance heating element 14 stops heating, and the workpiece cools with the furnace or is controlled to cool according to process requirements. In the initial stage of cooling, ultrasonic vibration can be applied as needed to further improve the uniformity of the distribution of internal defects in the material. Then, the ultrasonic generator 8 is turned off to complete the entire heat treatment process.

[0028] This invention enables heat treatment of nickel-based superalloys, heat-resistant steels, or oxidation-resistant superalloys. Compared to traditional air-atmosphere heat treatment processes without ultrasonic vibration, this invention's heat treatment process actively regulates microscopic defects within the material, such as dislocations, stacking faults, and twins. This increases the defect density, resulting in a more uniform dislocation distribution and significantly improved yield strength, hardness, and fatigue resistance, thus enhancing the material's mechanical properties. Furthermore, this invention performs ultrasonic vibration treatment in an air atmosphere, eliminating the need for a vacuum system or inert gas supply device. This significantly simplifies the equipment structure, avoids the high costs associated with vacuum or inert atmospheres, and substantially reduces operating and maintenance costs, making it suitable for large-scale industrial applications of metallic materials with strong oxidation resistance.

[0029] The embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present invention is not limited thereto. Various changes can be made within the scope of knowledge possessed by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

Claims

1. An air atmosphere heat treatment furnace coupled with ultrasonic vibration, characterized in that, include: The furnace body has an internal furnace cavity, and the inside of the furnace cavity is filled with air. A high-temperature resistant heat insulation layer (13) is installed on the inner wall of the furnace cavity; The heating component is embedded in the high-temperature resistant insulation layer (13), and a heat treatment zone is formed on the inside. The ultrasonic vibration mechanism includes an ultrasonic generator (8), an ultrasonic controller (7) for controlling the ultrasonic generator (8), and an ultrasonic transmission device (9) installed at the output end of the ultrasonic generator (8). The ultrasonic transmission device (9) is installed through the furnace body, and the end away from the ultrasonic generator (8) is located in the heat treatment zone. The material placement assembly is located at one end of the ultrasonic transmission device (9) in the heat treatment zone.

2. The air atmosphere heat treatment furnace coupled with ultrasonic vibration according to claim 1, characterized in that, The furnace body includes a furnace shell (1), a base (2) located at the bottom of the furnace shell (1), and a furnace door (3) hinged to the front of the furnace shell (1).

3. The air atmosphere heat treatment furnace coupled with ultrasonic vibration according to claim 2, characterized in that, A cooling fan (4) is installed on the furnace door (3), and a control panel (5) is installed on the front of the base (2).

4. The air atmosphere heat treatment furnace coupled with ultrasonic vibration according to claim 3, characterized in that, The front end of the high-temperature resistant insulation layer (13) is open, and the heating components are evenly arranged around the high-temperature resistant insulation layer (13).

5. The air atmosphere heat treatment furnace coupled with ultrasonic vibration according to claim 4, characterized in that, The heating assembly includes multiple resistance heating elements (14).

6. The air atmosphere heat treatment furnace coupled with ultrasonic vibration according to claim 5, characterized in that, A thermocouple (15) is installed through the high-temperature insulation layer (13). The control panel (5) integrates a temperature control module. The thermocouple (15) is connected to the temperature control module. The temperature control module is connected to the resistance heating element (14) and the cooling fan (4) respectively.

7. The air atmosphere heat treatment furnace coupled with ultrasonic vibration according to claim 1, characterized in that, A flange (10) is provided on the ultrasonic transmission device (9), and the flange (10) is located at the rear of the furnace shell (1).

8. The air atmosphere heat treatment furnace coupled with ultrasonic vibration according to claim 1, characterized in that, The material placement assembly includes a clamp (11) disposed at the end of the ultrasonic transmission device (9) and a crucible (12) clamped on the clamp (11).

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