This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
This Website Uses Cookies
By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to our cookie policy. Learn More
This website requires certain cookies to work and uses other cookies to help you have the best experience. By visiting this website, certain cookies have already been set, which you may delete and block. By closing this message or continuing to use our site, you agree to the use of cookies. Visit our updated privacy and cookie policy to learn more.
Industrial Heating logo
search
cart
facebook twitter linkedin youtube
  • Sign In
  • Create Account
  • Sign Out
  • My Account
Industrial Heating logo
  • Home
  • Magazine
    • Current Issue
    • Digital Edition
    • Archives
  • News
  • Featured
    • IH Daily
    • IH MagEzine
    • Web Exclusives
    • IH Economic Indicators
    • The History of Industrial Heating
    • Heat Treatment Processes
    • Top 10 Heat-Treated Holiday Gifts
  • Topics
    • Additive Manufacturing / 3D Printing
    • Ceramics & Refractories / Insulation
    • Combustion & Burners
    • Heat Treating
    • Heat & Corrosion Resistant Materials / Composites
    • Induction Heat Treating
    • Industrial Gases & Atmospheres
    • Materials Characterization & Testing
    • Melting / Forming / Joining
    • Process Control & Instrumentation
    • Sintering / Powder Metallurgy
    • Vacuum / Surface Treatments
  • Columns
    • Editorial
    • The Heat Treat Doctor
    • Federal Triangle
    • MTI Profile
    • Academic Pulse
    • Heat Treat 5.0
    • International – Brazil
    • Next-Gen Leaders
  • Directories
    • Equipment Buyers Guide
    • Commercial Heat Treat Capabilities Directory
    • Aftermarket Parts & Services Directory
    • Materials Characterization & Testing Equipment Directory
    • Take a Tour
  • More
    • Classifieds
    • White Papers
    • Industrial Heating Bookstore
    • Organizations
    • Market Research
    • Custom Content & Marketing Services
    • FORGE Magazine
  • Multimedia
    • Podcasts
    • Videos
    • Webinars
    • Image Gallery
    • Mobile App
    • eBooks
  • Events
    • Meetings & Trade Shows
    • FNA
    • Heat Treat Show
  • Blog
    • Dan Herring - Heat Treatment
    • David Pye - Metallurgy
    • Dan Kay - Brazing
    • Debbie Aliya - Failure Analysis
    • Thomas Joseph - Intellectual Property
  • Contact
  • Advertise
  • Subscribe
    • Print & Digital Edition Subscriptions
    • eNewsletter
    • Online Registration
    • Customer Service
Home » Blogs » Industrial Heating Experts Speak Blog » Oil Discharge from Quench Tanks
Dan-herring

Dan Herring is president of THE HERRING GROUP Inc., which specializes in consulting services (heat treatment and metallurgy) and technical services (industrial education/training and process/equipment assistance). He is also a research associate professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology/Thermal Processing Technology Center. tel: 630-834-3017; e-mail: dherring@heat-treat-doctor.com; web: www.heat-treat-doctor.com

 

Oil Discharge from Quench Tanks

March 9, 2011
Daniel H. Herring
No Comments
Reprints

Question:
We just rebuilt our atmosphere integral-quench furnace. As the supervisor was gassing it up today, it "belched" about 50 gallons of quench oil out of the furnace through the quench vent. This had previously happened quite a while back (several years ago). This same furnace was gassed up yesterday with no problems. The burnoff stack seems to be clear.

Do you or any of your contacts have any idea how/why this might be happening?

Answer:
When “burning in” or introducing furnace atmosphere into the quench areas of an integral-quench or pusher furnace, pockets of air may remain. These pockets can suddenly ignite, resulting in a pressure buildup on the surface of the oil. This presents the real danger of an oil “burp,” or discharge, out of the quench tank as you describe.

Even overflow pipes that discharge to containment drums may suddenly be over capacity and spill oil out into the pit area. In rare cases, the pressure buildup is so severe that oil is dumped out the front door, often igniting if a pilot has been lit or another source of ignition is present. One particularly damaging plant fire was due to a relatively small floor fire spreading into a pit area that already contained an estimated 3 to 4 inches of oil from repeated (and ignored) oil discharges from the quench tank. Extensive equipment and building damage resulted. Introducing nitrogen into the suspect areas of the quench tank can eliminate the problem from reoccurring.

Other dangerous conditions to be aware of include:
  • The presence of water in the quench oil
  • Oil drag-out
  • Load hang-ups (partially in/partially out of the oil)
  • Oil buildup in exhaust stacks
  • Inner doors open during quenching
  • Processing loads with high surface area
  • Running irregularly shaped parts
  • Oil buildup in washers and temper furnaces
  • Processing powder-metal parts
Finally, remember that (depending on the heat-treating requirements of your parts) quench oils are used over a wide range of operating variables, including temperature, agitation, viscosity, quench speed and contamination. All of these variables affect oil vaporization, oil drag-out and oil-quench characteristics. In addition, quench-oil design and basket loading are important factors. In extreme cases where the variables are not properly controlled or are allowed to change over time, what was a normal, safe quenching operation may turn into a potentially hazardous one.

Blog Topics

Dan Herring - Heat Treatment

David Pye - Metallurgy

Dan Kay - Brazing

Debbie Aliya - Failure Analysis

George Vander Voort - Metallography

Thomas Joseph - Intellectual Property

Recent Comments

business

Dew Point Meter

kindly share your expertise on deformation control....

relationship between retort size and volume of entire air and gas for produce endothermic gas

[No title]

Dan-herring

Dan Herring is president of THE HERRING GROUP Inc., which specializes in consulting services (heat treatment and metallurgy) and technical services (industrial education/training and process/equipment assistance). He is also a research associate professor at the Illinois Institute of Technology/Thermal Processing Technology Center. tel: 630-834-3017; e-mail: dherring@heat-treat-doctor.com; web: www.heat-treat-doctor.com

 

You must login or register in order to post a comment.

Report Abusive Comment

Subscribe For Free!
  • Print & Digital Edition Subscriptions
  • eNewsletters
  • Online Registration
  • Subscription Customer Service

More Videos

Popular Stories

ih1119-ht-fig1-900

The Overlooked Efficiency Opportunity: Intelligent Process Cooling

ih1119-htdr-fig1-900

Vacuum Maintenance (part 1)

Editorial 2019: Reed Miller

Noel Nuggets

Industrial Heating Web Exclusives

Steel Mill Powered by Wind

1219IH-Fabrisonic-slide5

Metal Additive Manufacturing without Melting

IH Ipsen 360x184customcontent

Events

January 1, 2030

Webinar Sponsorship Information

For webinar sponsorship information, visit www.bnpevents.com/webinars or email webinars@bnpmedia.com.
View All Submit An Event

Poll

Additive Manufacturing

Has additive manufacturing had any impact on your business?
View Results Poll Archive

Products

Vacuum Heat Treatment Volume I

Vacuum Heat Treatment Volume I

See More Products

The History of Industrial Heating 1000 BC - Present Day


Industrial Heating Employment Marketplace

Industrial Heating

1219IH-cover144x192

2019 December

Check out the December 2019 issue of Industrial Heating, featuring "Metal Additive Manufacturing without Melting", "Furnaces with Tungsten Heating Elements Make High Product Quality Possible", and much more.

View More Create Account
  • Resources
    • List Rental
    • eNewsletter
    • Manufacturing Group
    • News
    • Want More?
    • Featured
    • Product / Event
    • Industry Links
    • Connect
    • Privacy Policy
    • Survey And Sample

Copyright ©2019. All Rights Reserved BNP Media.

Design, CMS, Hosting & Web Development :: ePublishing