The relationship between surface heat transfer and stress generation in components.

The heat transfer coefficients in even relatively simple components varies significantly at different points on the surface. Although this has been known for some time the amount of work which has been done is limited to the relationship between these variable thermal conditions and the generation of stress and strain during the quench. The object of the work was to investigate the relationship between the variables using standard quenchants. The variation in the surface heat transfer coefficients has been determined at points along the horizontal and vertical axes of a stainless steel plate and upper and lower surface of a plate held vertically and horizontally in water. Photographic studies of the appearance of the quenchant in contact with the surface of the plate have been carried out in conjunction with the horizontal and vertical quenches which are mentioned above. The data obtained have been used in the determination of the variation in stress and strain generated in the plate during the quench by involving a 2-D finite element analysis using the PAFEC package.