Cooling ways of carbon steel pipe

To ensure the required microstructure and physical-mechanical properties for certain special-purpose steel pipes, specific cooling methods and systems are necessary. For instance, the cooling time of carbon steel pipes is a critical factor in determining the length of the cooling bed. Steel pipes cool down through radiation and convection heat transfer. When the steel temperature is above 500 degrees Celsius, heat radiation is the dominant cooling method. Below 500 degrees Celsius, convection heat transfer becomes more significant.

To reduce the cooling time and shorten the cooling bed length, while improving workshop operating conditions, forced air cooling beds are used. This is especially urgent for temperatures around 500 degrees Celsius. Forced ventilation can reduce cooling time by 40-50%.

Cooling Methods for Carbon Steel Pipes

The cooling method for carbon steel pipes depends on their chemical composition, size, desired mechanical properties, mill production, and available cooling equipment. The primary cooling methods are:

- Natural Air Cooling:

Used for ordinary steel without specific requirements.

Pipes cool naturally in the atmosphere.

- Forced Cooling:

Applied when the cooling bed or mill's cooling capacity is limited.

Forced air cooling or controlled water cooling is used to meet specific internal structure and mechanical property requirements.

- Slow Cooling or Quenching:

Used for certain alloy steel pipes (e.g., bearing steel, stainless steel).

Improves the internal microstructure and corresponding performance of the steel through slow cooling or quenching.

By selecting the appropriate cooling method, the quality and performance of special-purpose steel pipes can be optimized.