Method for the heat treatment of a metal based on a predicted austenite content to achieve austenite content within a quality window

US12291757B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• SMS group GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Ulrich Sommers · Düsseldorf, DE
• Thomas Daube · Duisburg, DE
• Alexandre Lhoest · Eupen, BE
• Holger Behrens · Reutlingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Apr 23, 2020
• Grant date: May 6, 2025
• Expiry date: Aug 7, 2041

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G05B13/04
• WIPO field: Materials, metallurgy
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

A heat-treatment method for controlling austenite content in steel during conveying, heating and cooling the steel though a furnace. The method includes heating the steel until reaching a first location, then cooling the steel until reaching a downstream second or third location in the furnace. First, a quality window of the austenite content having minimum/maximum values at the second or third locations is determined. Upstream from the second/third locations, temperature of the steel for the second/third locations is predicted by a heat-transfer equation and/or conveyance speed of the steel through the furnace. The austenite content is then predicted at the second/third locations by metallurgical/data-based modelling using the predicted temperature. The furnace temperature and/or conveyance speed is adjusted when the predicted steel austenite content for the second/third locations is outside the quality window, whereby after the furnace adjustment, the predicted austenite content for the second/third locations falls within the quality window.