Tratamiento Térmico de Aceros de Bajo Carbono en Horno de Atmósfera Controlada

Abstract

The process of development and experimental evaluation of an endothermic gas generator used for the thermal treatment of steels developed in the Materials Engineering School of the Universidad Del Valle is presented in this report. As a starting point, the operative parameters required to the endothermic gas generation; such as, temperature, air/gas ratio, working pressure using commercial propane and nickel based catalizer to promote the reaction were selected. The required equipment was developed taking into account some elements already available in the laboratory of heat treatment. Experimental testing was developed on low carbon normalized steels AISI 1018 and 1025 with a heat treatment of quenching. Gravimetric, and metallographic analysis, hardness tests and thickness measuring of affected layer were conducted on prepared specimens with very positive results, opening the route for future design developments and complementary research on controlled atmospheres to be directly applied in industry.