US3671028A

US3671028A - Quench system for pipes

Info

Publication number: US3671028A
Application number: US107082A
Authority: US
Inventors: Klaus H Hemsath
Original assignee: Midland Ross Corp
Current assignee: Grimes Aerospace Co
Priority date: 1971-01-18
Filing date: 1971-01-18
Publication date: 1972-06-20
Anticipated expiration: 1989-06-20
Also published as: AU3509571A; GB1324497A; AU452910B2; CA959647A; JPS4714738A; JPS5332097B2

Abstract

A quench system for pipes in which jet streams of quench liquid are directed against only the outside surface of an open ended pipe as it passes therethrough. The jet stream nozzles are designed to deliver solid jet streams and are arranged in parallelly spaced apart and coaxially disposed annular groups. The nozzles of each group are directed so that the axes of their jet streams lie in a single plane that is perpendicular to the pipe axis. The axes of the jet streams of each group are also uniformly and adjustably offset or angled with respect to radial lines extending from the pipe axis. The jet streams of a planar group become confluent on the surface of the pipe and the confluent portion has centrifugal components of force which induce the quench fluid to separate from the surface of the pipe. This arrangement enables the spent quench fluid to be expelled through the space between the planes of the incoming jet streams without accumulation of quench fluid from non-adjacent planes. A barrier may be provided ahead of the first group of liquid jet nozzles to limit the frontal flow of quench fluid.

Description

United States Patent Hemsath [72] Inventor:

[52] US. Cl.. ..266/6 S [51] Int. Cl. ..C21d 1/62 [58] Field of Search ..72/20l; 266/4 R, 4 S, 6 R,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,747,587 5/1956 Strachan ..266/6 S 3,189,490 6/1965 Scott ...266/6 S 3,360,976 1/1968 Ungerer ..266/6 S Primary ExaminerGerald A. Dost Anomey-Harold F. Mensing 1 June 20, 1972 ABSTRACT A quench system for pipes in which jet streams of quench liquid are directed against only the outside surface of an open ended pipe as it passes therethrough. The jet stream nozzles are designed to deliver solid jet streams and are arranged in parallelly spaced apart and coaxially disposed annular groups. The nozzles of each group are directed so that the axes of their jet streams lie in a single plane that is perpendicular to the pipe axis. The axes of the jet streams of each group are also uniformly and adjustably offset or angled with respect to radial lines extending from the pipe axis. The jet streams of a planar group become confluent on the surface of the pipe and the confluent portion has centrifugal components of force which induce the quench fluid to separate from the surface of the pipe. This arrangement enables the spent quench fluid to be expelled through the space between the planes of the incoming jet streams without accumulation of quench fluid from non-adjacent planes. A barrier may be provided ahead of the first group of liquid jet nozzles to limit the frontal flow of quench fluid.

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QUENCH SYSTEM FOR PIPES BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Numerous prior art devices and methods are in existence for quenching pipes as they consecutively travel endwise into and through a quenching manifold which floods the outside of the pipe with quenching fluid. One of the most serious problems encountered with such quenching systems is the non-uniformity of quenching caused by quenching fluids being propelled into either or both the leading and trailing ends of the pipe to be quenched. Non-uniformity may also be in the form of hard and soft areas or bands extending along the pipe where adequate fresh quench fluid is not supplied evenly around the entire circumference of the pipe. Warping and bending of the pipe occurred if diametrically opposed areas on the outside surface of the pipe were not uniformly quenched at the same time. Quenching rates were not maximized because normally the quench fluid was directed against the pipe surface at an angle to the pipe axis so that the spent quench fluid from preceding nozzles tended to build up on the surface of the pipe and thereby shield it from the fresh quench fluid of axially succeeding nozzles. An example of a related prior art device is shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,407,099 by R. C. Schell issued on Oct. 22, 1968.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Generally speaking, the quench system comprises a plurality of jet stream nozzles arranged in parallelly spaced apart and coaxially aligned annular groups. The nozzles of each annular group are directed so that the axes of their jet streams lie in a single plane and are pointed inwardly towards the pipe to be quenched. The axes of the jet streams of each annular group are also uniformly offset or angled with respect to any radial lines extending from the proposed axis of the pipe to be quenched. Preferably the nozzles are incorporated in a plurality of lineal manifolds disposed symmetrically around the pipe axis and parallel thereto. These manifolds are movably mounted so their angles of offset may be readily adjusted to optimize quenching rates and to accommodate various pipe sizes. The nozzles are designed to deliver solid jet streams of quench fluid and are located in close proximity to the pipe surface so as to avoid unnecessary break-up or atomizing of the streams before they impinge upon the pipe surface. Quenching liquid is supplied to the manifolds under relatively low pressure. With this system the jet streams of each annular group, upon striking the pipe surface, become confluent and also spread equally in opposite axial directions. Because the jet streams of adjacent annular groups are directed in planes that are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the pipe axis, the axial components of force of adjacent annular groups counterbalance each other. Thus there is no mass flow of quench fluid from one pair of groups to another. The components of force in lateral or circumferential directions with respect to the pipe are unbalanced due to the fact that the jet axes are uniformly offset from radial lines. As a result of this unbalance and the influence of contact with the pipe surface, the confluent portion of the quench streams has radial or centrifugal components which cause it to separate from the pipe surface and become expelled through the space between the adjoining annular groups of jet streams.

A barrier may be provided at the entrance end of the quench system to limit the axial flow of the quench fluid from the first group of jet nozzles towards the leading end of the pipe and to maintain the quench fluid front in a plane that is perpendicular to the axis of the pipe. This barrier maybe a flexible shield of heat resistant material or a barrier produced by injecting air under pressure through an annular group of jet nozzles. If the quench system is divided into separate units or modules spaced along the axis of pipe travel, such barriers may be provided in front of each module. Similar barriers may be used at the exit end of the quench system to prevent quench fluid from entering the trailing end of a pipe.

It is a general object of this invention to produce an annular quench system for uniformly quenching pipes.

It is a more specific object of this invention to produce a quench system for pipes in which the active quench fluid is prevented from entering either of the open ends of a pipe as it passes longitudinally therethrough.

It is another object of this invention to produce an annular quench system for pipes which prevents progressive build-up of spent quench liquid on the surface of the pipe as the pipe travels endwise through successive groups of quench noules.

It is still another object of this invention to produce an annular quench system for pipes which has means for readily and uniformly adjusting the impingement angles of the jet streams of quench fluid with respect to the circumferential surface of the pipe to optimizequench rates and to adapt the system to various pipe diameters.

It is yet another object of this invention to produce an annular quench system for pipes in which the quench liquid flowing from the front end of the quench is prevented by a barrier from flowing axially along the pipe towards the trailing end of the pipe to be quenched. The front of the quench fluid is maintained in a plane perpendicular to the pipe axis by this barrier.

The above mentioned objects and other objects and advantages and the manner of attaining them will be apparent from the following detailed description of embodiments of this invention made with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is an elevational view of an embodiment of this invention taken from a direction normal to the cylindrical axis of the quench and with parts broken away to show the interior details thereof.

FIG. 2 is an end view of the quench apparatus shown in FIG. 1 with parts broken away to show the axes of the jet streams with respect to the surface of a pipe to be quenched and also showing the means for adjusting the direction of the jet stream nozzles.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross section view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 2 showing the streamlines of the quench fluid as it is directed against the surface of the pipe and expelled therefrom.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged lateral cross sectional view of a lineal manifold taken through the axial centerline of a nozzle.

FIG. 5 is a partially schematic end view similar to FIG. 2, with parts broken away, of an embodiment having the lineal manifolds slidably mounted for lateral movement towards and away from the quench axis.

FIG. 6 is a side elevational view showing a modular quench system adapted for quenching elongated pipes of various diameters. A means is shown for vertically positioning the quench modules with respect to the vertically fixed pipe conveyor.

FIG. 7 is a front view of a quench fluid barrier made from heat resistant bristles arranged in a radial pattern and connected at their outer ends to an annular frame.

FIG. 8 shows a barrier similar to that in FIG. 7, but having a radially slit heat resistant fabric in place of bristles.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION FIGS. 1, 2, and 5 of the drawings show two embodiments 10 i and 20 of the pipe quenching apparatus of this invention that differ from each other primarily in the structure with which the quench fluid discharge manifolds are adjustably mounted. The quench assemblies 10 and 20 each have linear quench

fluid discharge manifolds

22 and 24, respectively, extending parallel to the axis 25 of the pipe to be quenched. The manifolds are arranged equidistant from each other in a circular pattern that is concentric with the designed axis of pipe travel. Preferably the quench manifolds have a generally V shaped lateral cross section with the narrow end of the V pointing towards the surface of the pipe to be quenched so that the impedance to the outflow of spent quench fluid, where it must bypass the manifolds, is reduced to a minimum. Quench fluid discharge nozzles 26 are provided along the narrow edge of the manifolds. The nozzles of one manifold are aligned with the nozzles of the other manifolds so as to form a series of parallelly spaced apart and coaxially disposed annular groups of nozzles with the nozzles of each group being directed so that the axes of their jet streams lie in a plane which is perpendicular to the pipe axis 25.

The main quench fluid distributor 27 which supplies the quench manifolds may be sectioned in half to deliver quench fluid through flexible hoses to every other quench fluid manifold from one side of the distributor and to the balance of the manifolds through hoses connected to the other side. This provides a means for operating the quench apparatus with only half of its total number of quench manifolds supplying quench fluid. Such a condition is desirable when the apparatus is being used to quench relatively small diameter pipes.

Conduits

28 and 29 having separate valve means (not shown) supply the distributor with quench fluid at relatively low pressure. For example, a pressure of between 5 and I psi at the nozzle outlets is all that is required.

In installations that are to be used only for one pipe size, the discharge manifolds may be fixedly mounted and they may be annular rather than linear manifolds. However, when different pipe sizes are to' be quenched, movably mounted linear manifolds are preferred to permit adjustment of the directed angle of the jet streams of quench fluid so that the most effective operating angle may be obtained for each pipe size proposed. The manifolds 22 are pivotally mounted at their ends by spindle and socket means 30 on annular member 31 of the stationary frame 32 of the quench assembly 10. Pivotally attached to the outside surface of each manifold 22 is a link means 34 which is, in turn, connected to a rotatable ring 36 supported by rollers 38 spaced around the periphery of ring 36. An arm 40 affixed to the ring extends radially outward therefrom and has its free end connected to a push-pull rod 42 for rotating the ring a fraction of a revolution to uniformly tilt the manifolds laterally in unison and thereby direct the jet streams of quench fluid either away from or towards the pipe axis 25.

The linear manifolds 24 shown in FIG. are slidably mounted at each end so that they may be moved laterally either towards or away from the pipe axis 25. Unlike the manifolds 22, a fixed angular relationship is maintained between the axes of the jet streams emanating from any one manifold 24 with respect to those emenating from any other manifold 24. This is accomplished by providing the ends of manifolds 24 with guide lugs 44 which are slidably held in corresponding guide slots 46 of stationary plates 48 located at the opposite ends of the manifolds. These guide slots are straight and extend symmetrically in generally radial directions towards the pipe axis 25, but are preferably offset at least slightly from radial directions. Rotatable cam plates 50 are located against the outside surfaces of the guide plates 48 and have camming slots 54 which cooperate with cam pins 56 extending axially outwardly from the center of guide lugs 44. The camming slots are disposed at an angle with respect to the guide slots so that the relative rotation of the cam plates with respect to the guide plates causes the ends of the manifolds to be moved in unison towards and away from the pipe axis 25. This arrangement not only permits the use of the quench apparatus on both large and small pipes, but also allows the jet nozzles to be positioned at their most effective distance from the pipe surface. Preferably the manifolds are placed in sufficiently close proximity to the pipe surface to substantially avoid break-up of the jet streams of quench fluid before they reach the pipe surface; for example, less than 6 inches from the pipe surface. Another feature of this embodiment is that the quench manifolds may be retracted outwardly to their phantom lined positions away from the path of a warped pipe entering the quench assembly.

In both embodiments the quench fluid nozzles 26 are designed to produce substantially solid jet streams of quench fluid as opposed to sprays of quench fluid. To accomplish this, the nozzle orifice has a conical entrance section 58 with about a taper which converges towards a cylindrical outlet section 60 having a diameter of between inches and V inches and a length equivalent to about two diameters (see FIG. 4). The nozzles 26 are arranged so the axes of the jet streams of quench fluid lie in planar groups which are perpendicular to the pipe axis 25. The axes of the streams of each group are uniformly offset from radial lines emanating from the pipe axis. Due to this offset, a whirling or vortex motion is imparted to the quench fluid where the jet streams become confluent. A circular cavity, that is concentric with the designed axis of pipe travel, is formed in this confluent portion. The diameter of this cavity may be varied by canting the pivotally mounted manifolds 22 or by sliding the manifolds 24 towards or away from the pipe axis. During quenching the axes of the jet streams are directed so as to form a cavity which, in the absence of a pipe, would have a diameter less than the outside diameter of the pipe being quenched. The kinetic energy in the combined jet streams of a planar group arranged in this manner has less force in an axial direction along the pipe than if the axes of the jet streams were directed either radially in a plane perpendicular to the pipe axis 25 or obliquely in a plane parallel with the pipe axis 25. Since the groups of nozzles 26 are uniform throughout and the axes of the jet streams of each group lie in a plane that is perpendicular to the pipe axis 25, the axial components of flow between the groups counterbalance each other (see FIG. 3). Due to this counterbalancing and also the centrifugal forces of the whirling quench fluid, the quench fluid is expelled from between each planar group and there is no substantial build-up of quench fluid along the pipe surface from non-adjacent planar groups. The only unchecked axial components of flow emanate from the outside or end groups in a series of quench noule groups. These unchecked axial flows may be checked by barriers located before the first and after the last group of a series of groups of liquid quench nozzles 26. Usually a barrier is required at only the entrance end of the series. The barrier may be a gaseous barrier produced by a group of nozzles 62 disposed similar to nozzles 26 (see FIGS. 1 and 2). Air or the like gas is supplied to nozzles 62 by means of a pneumatic conduit 64 at a pressure that is sufficient to counterbalance the axial momentum of the quench liquid. Thus the quench liquid may be prevented from entering either or both of the open ends of the pipe to be quenched. Although some air from nozzles 62 and quench liquid mist may be propelled into the open ends of the pipe to be quenched, they do not cause the pipe to be quenched as severely or non-uniformly as a coherent mass of liquid quench fluid would. Flexible mechanical type barriers Y may also be used. The example of such a barrier shown in FIG.

7 comprises a circular brush made of metal bristles 66 radially disposed in a plane and secured at their outer ends to a flat peripheral ring 68. A similar barrier made of asbestos fabric is shown in FIG. 8. The fabric 70 is mounted on an annular frame 72 and has a small diameter aperture 74 through its center with radially disposed slits 76 extending outwardly therefrom so that a pipe having a diameter much larger than the aperture 74 may be passed through the barrier.

FIG. 6 shows a quench system 80 having a plurality of quench modules 82, similar to quench units 10 or 20, arranged in series to increase the production rate of the quench system. Pipe supporting and conveying rollers are mounted in vertically fixed locations along the axis of pipe travel. Although all of the rollers may be driven rollers 84, the quench system 80 is shown with driven rollers only at the ends of the system and idler rollers 86 between each quench module. These rollers are V grooved rollers which are uniformly skewed with respect to the axis of pipe travel so as to cause the pipe to rotate as it is being conveyed through the quench. Preferably the width and diameter dimensions of the rollers are equivalent to 80 percent or more of the pipe diameter to be processed. Rollers having these relative dimensions were found to be capable of passing pipes without difiiculty, whereas with rollers of smaller dimension the pipe travel was seriously impeded if the leading end of the pipe had sagged. Quench system 80 is adapted for quenching pipes of difierent diameters. For this purpose an elevating means such as hydraulic or mechanical jacks 88 are provided under the quench modules so that they may be vertically adjusted in unison to bring the longitudinal axis of the quench system into alignment with the pipe axis. The jacks may be driven by a motor 90 which raises or lowers the jacks the required distance when changing from one pipe diameter to another. Similar elevating means and conveying means may be used on the single unit quench system shown in FIG. 1.

While the above description was made with reference to presently preferred specific embodiments of this invention, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not to be limited to the details shown in the drawings, but rather is to be limited only by the spirit of the attached claims.

I claim:

1. A pass through quench system unit for pipe comprising: means for supporting said pipe and conveying it lengthwise along a designed horizontal axis of travel through said unit in addition to rotating said pipe about its longitudinal axis, said quench unit having a plurality of elongated quench fluid supply manifolds extending parallel to said axis of travel and equally spaced in a circle therearound, a plurality of orifice members disposed along each of said manifolds and arranged with respect to each other to provide a series of spaced apart coaxially disposed annular groups of orifices lying in planes perpendicular to said axis of travel, said members being designed to project solid streams of quench liquid within said planes and in the general direction of said axis of travel, whereby the jet streams impinging upon the surface of the pipe from each adjacent pair of annular groups counterbalance each other to prevent flow in axial directions along the pipe, and means for moving said orifice members in unison to adjust the projected direction of said streams within said planes.

2. A quench system unit according to claim 1 wherein the orifice members have a cylindrical bore section at their outlet ends with a diameter of between about ,43 inch and A inch and a length equivalent to about two diameters.

3. A quench system unit according to claim 2 wherein the ratio of the diameter of the orifice members to the center distance between adjacent orifice members on a manifold is about 1:10.

4. A quench system unit according to claim 1 further including a barrier on the front of said quench unit to prevent quench fluid from splashing into the leading open end of a pipe to be quenched.

5. A quench system unit according to claim 4 wherein said barrier is a gaseous jet stream curtain.

6. A quench system unit according to claim 4 wherein said banier is a flexible shield made of heat resistant material.

7. A quench system unit according to claim 1 wherein the ratio between the radius of the pipe and the distance from the outlet of the orifice members to said axis of pipe travel is 1:3

or more.

8. A quench system unit according to claim 1 including means for moving said orifice members closer to and farther from said axis of pipe travel.

9. A quench system unit according to claim 1 further including a means for adjusting the vertical position of the designed axis of pipe travel of said quench unit with respect to its conveying means so that the designed axis and actual axis of pipe travel coincide.

10. A pass through quench system for pipe comprising: a plurality of modular quench units disposed along a designed horizontal axis of pipe travel, means for supporting said pipe and conveying it lengthwise along said axis of travel through said units in addition to rotating said pipe about its longitudinal axis, said modular quench units having a plurality of elongated quench fluid supply manifolds extending parallel to said axis of travel and equally spaced in a circle therearound, a

, plurality of orifice members disposed along each of said manifolds and arranged with respect to each other to provide a series of spaced apart coaxially disposed annular groups of orifices lying in planes perpendicular to said axis of travel, said members being designed to project solid streams of quench liquid within said planes and in the general direction of said axis of travel, whereby the jet streams impinging upon the surface of the pipe from each adjacent pair of annular groups counterbalance each other to prevent mass flow of quench fluid in axial directions with respect to the pipe, and means for moving said orifice members in unison to adjust the projected direction of said streams within said planes.

11. A quench system according to claim 10 further including means for adjusting the relative vertical position of said quench units with respect to said pipe supporting and conveying means.

12. A quench system according to claim 10 wherein said pipe supporting and conveying means comprises V notch rollers having width and diameter dimensions equivalent to at least percent of the diameter of the pipe to be quenched.

Claims

2. A quench system unit according to claim 1 wherein the orifice members have a cylindrical bore section at their outlet ends with a diameter of between about 1/8 inch and 1/4 inch and a length equivalent to about two diameters.

6. A quench system unit according to claim 4 wherein said barrier is a flexible shield made of heat resistant material.

7. A quench system unit according to claim 1 wherein the ratio between the radius of the pipe and the distance from the outlet of the orifice members to said axis of pipe travel is 1:3 or more.

10. A pass through quench system for pipe comprising: a plurality of modular quench units disposed along a designed horizontal axis of pipe travel, means for supporting said pipe and conveying it lengthwise along said axis of travel through said units in addition to rotating said pipe about its longitudinal axis, said modular quench units having a plurality of elongated quench fluid supply manifolds extending parallel to said axis of travel and equally spaced in a circle therearound, a plurality of orifice members disposed along each of said manifolds and arranged with respect to each other to provide a series of spaced apart coaxially disposed annular groups of orifices lying in planes perpendicular to said axis of travel, said members being designed to project solid streams of quench liquid within said planes and in the general direction of said axis of travel, whereby the jet streams impinging upon the surface of the pipe from each adjacent pair of annular groups counterbalance each other to prevent mass flow of quench fluid in axial directions with respect to the pipe, and means for moving said orifice members in unison to adjust the projected direction of said streams within said planes.

12. A quench system according to claim 10 wherein said pipe supporting and conveying means comprises V notch rollers having width and diameter dimensions equivalent to at least 80 percent of the diameter of the pipe to be quenched.