The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 20, 1997
Filed:
Jun. 06, 1995
Ald Vacuum Technologies GmbH, Erlensee, DE;
Abstract
Workpieces are quenched by gases in a heat-treatment system (1) and the circulated gases are recooled on cooling surfaces (12, 15) in at least one heat exchanger (11, 14), the cooling surfaces (15) of the heat exchanger (14) are cooled by a primary refrigeration unit (20) and a refrigerant to temperatures below 0.degree. C., preferably to temperatures below -20.degree. C. or even below -40.degree. C., to increase the intensity of the quenching. To reduce the size and power of the refrigeration unit (20), the quenching gas is sent in succession through at least one heat exchanger (11) cooled with water and at least one heat exchanger (14) cooled by a refrigerant. To reduce the size and power of the refrigeration unit (20) even further, this unit and a secondary refrigerant are used initially to cool down a storage volume of the primary refrigerant, such as a cooling brine, being stored under little or no pressure, to a temperature below 0.degree. C., whereupon this primary refrigerant is sent through the heat exchanger (14), at least one of which is present.