The TEMPCORE Process
An Archive of Operational Data in NatSteel since 1985
(For internal use only, not to be circulated outside of NSH Group)
Joseph Yong / Cai Sang
15 August 2016
Content
1. What is the TEMPCORE Process? – Some historical aspects
2. Metallurgical Aspects – The Fe-C Phase Diagram
3. Austenitic Transformation Kinetics – TTT & CCT diagrams
4. TEMPCORE Cooling Theoretical Basis
What is The TEMPCORE Process?
The TEMPCORE process research began by Centre de Recherches Metallurgiques (CRM) in
1970’s. First production installation during 1975 in ARBED-Esch-Schifflange, quickly followed
by Miniere et Metallurgique de Rodange, Cockerill-Sambre and Hoogovens.
Aimed to improve steel quality and production cost by the followings.
1) Subject hot rolled steel to rapid quenching at exit of rolling process;
2) Stop the quenching when determined thickness of martensite has been formed under
the surface of the hot rolled product;
3) Temper the martensite with the heat remained in the core after the interruption of the
quench. At the same time, the austenitic core of the bar is cooled and transformed into
ferrite and pearlite.
Since the initial successes in implementations for the thermomechanical treatment of rebars,
more steel mills rapidly made use of this technology; eg BSW, BHP, Tata (TISCO), etc.
Two major parameters are critical in specifying the TEMPCORE process: the length of the
quenching line “Lt”, and the cooling power of the quenching device expressed by the average
value “φ” of the specific heat flux in the bars.
φ = α (Ts – Tw) MW/m2, α = heat transfer coefficient of steel;
Ts = surface temperature of the bar (around 850 – 900°C);
Tw = temperature of cooling water (around 35°C in the tropics).
What is The TEMPCORE Process?
In order to achieve balance between strength and ductility, the tempering temperature which is
defined as the maximum temperature at the surface of the bar has to be maintained at 550°C
– 680°C.
Given any practical length of cooling Lt, governing specific heat flux, φ must be higher than 5-6
MW/m2. In order to produce such high heat flux, cooling water must be lower than 35°C and
high turbulence in cooling nozzles.
Note the average specific heat flux, φ’ for such cooling pattern can be expressed in terms of
water flow rate, Q (litres/s.m2) as follows,
φ’ ≈ a x Q0.22 where a = filling factor which is a function of the ratio of bar
diameter, d / nozzle diameter, D.
Aside from good nozzle design and adequate water volume, rolling speed (hence quenching
speed) must be kept as consistent as possible for the tempering temperature to be in as
narrow range as possible. Tail pinch roll and its accurate speed control is a necessity.
Physical quality of the tempcored reinforcement bar should therefore be characterised by high
strength, ductile (bend and rebend), and weldable (lower C and Mn).
Metallurgical Aspects
Metallurgical Aspects
Metallurgical Aspects
In all practical purpose, rolling process will tend to end at
900-1000°C which can be too wide a range for good
metallurgical control, particularly in final tempering
temperature.
Necessary to control temperature of the bar emerging from
rolling, and adjust water quantity to achieve sufficient
quantity of martensite at the outer layer. CRM specified
martensitic volume to be 30-35% for good ductility as well
as high strength.
Martensite area: 30% 35%
Soft Core
Soft Core Hard Layer Hard Layer
Bar Diameter, mm diameter,
diameter, mm thickness, mm thickness, mm
mm
40 33.47 3.27 32.25 3.88
32 26.77 2.61 25.80 3.10
25 20.92 2.04 20.16 2.42
20 16.73 1.63 16.12 1.94
16 13.39 1.31 12.90 1.55
13 10.88 1.06 10.48 1.26
10 8.37 0.82 8.06 0.97
Time Temperature Transformation Diagrams (TTT & CCT)
• Quenching along QP line is a time-wise longest process for
transformation. After passing through the AC when austenite
becomes unstable and precipitates carbon out of the solution,
retained austenite has time to transform, together with ferrite,
into pearlitic structure. The iron is fully annealed.
• Note steel subject to hard quench along QR line. Straight
martensite formation when reaches Ms, and completed at
around Mf. No tempering effect. Grain structure only
martensite and ferrite as final product.
• When quenched along QS, just misses the ‘nose’ of the ”S-
curve” for austenite and cementite formation. Hence, no
pearlite or bainite formation expected. QS called the “critical
rate” for maximum hardness.
• Quenching along QU line passes line ABC between VW.
Pearlite begins to form between VW and then the rest forming
martensite. Control cooling rate between this zone gives rise
to blend of pearlite and martensite for hardness and
toughness.
Time Temperature Transformation Diagram (TTT & CCT)
• Note the likely required
temperature drop from
850°C to 400°C for
martensite to form.
• Time for the actual
quenching can be as low
as 2 seconds.
• Note different cooling
rate across the diameter
of the bar. Hence, it is
important for metallurgist Likely Quench and Tempered zone
to determine the
appropriate grain
structure before cooling
rate is determined.
• Note also austenitic grain
size is a major influence
on how the material is
hardened.
Time Temperature Transformation Diagram (TTT & CCT)
Continuous Cooling Transformation Diagram (CCT)
Points to note:-
• Typical quench for our range of plain carbon steels
happens within a second after in contact with
quenchant. Too less a quench may not produce
sufficient martensite for hardening. Too much
renders excess martensite hence brittleness.
Hence, primary objective is to control amount of
martensite to achieve outcome. Ms
• Initial temperature is around 900°C. What likely
to happen when temperature is in excess of Mf
900°C? What will result if initial temperature is
lower than 900°C?
• Temperature homogeneity along the entire length
should ideally be within +/-50°C. Temperature
homogeneity across the section also has effect on
but to much lesser extent after hot working.
TEMPCORE Cooling Theoretical Basis
Understand and solve changes in heat flux
of the rebar with time, from quench to
finishing at cooling bed.
Define volume percentage of martensite
(pm) and the theoretical tempering
temperature (T*). It is empirically found
that martensite formation temperature
depends upon [C%] and [Mn%] according
to below.
Ms (°C) = -361[C%] -39[Mn%] + 500.
Note from Slide 7 Table that
pm = 100 x {1-(2rm / d)2} %, where rm is
radius of martensite formation.
TEMPCORE Cooling Theoretical Basis
The theoretical tempering temperature T* is linearly proportional
to bar diameter, d, and its variation with time makes it critical to
control the quenching process, fixed rolling speed and up to
cooling process at the cooling bed.
More importantly, the yield and
tensile strength are also linear to
tempering temperature. From
experimental data, yield
strength, Ym (MPa) of the
martensitic layer is expressed as
below.
Ym = -1.75 Tr +1781.5, where
Tr is the measured tempering
temperature of rebar for
martensite formation.
TEMPCORE Cooling Theoretical Basis
A major assumption for the eventual yield strength is the
algebraic sum of the tempered martensite and the core yield
strength.
Core temperature Tc follows a much slower isothermal
cooling route achieving microstructure and properties as
shown in graph.
The empirically obtained core yield strength, Yc is expressed
as below.
Yc = -0.406Tc +357 [C%] + 38.7 [Mn%] + 495 (MPa).
From the above, it is therefore easy to establish the
eventual combined yield strength of the rebar by the
expression below.
Yield strength, Y = pm.Ym + {1-pm}.Yc (MPa).
For typical TEMPCORE graphs for [C]=0.18% and [Mn]= 0.8%,
the above relationship can now be simplified as below.
Y = pm (1191 – 1.344 Tr) – 0.406Tr + 590 (MPa).
TEMPCORE Cooling Theoretical Basis
The MSP colleagues have supplied MBM steel billets with chemistry [C] = 0.21%,
[Si] = 0.24% and [Mn] = 0.88%. The steel is suppled without microalloying. There
is a need to make use of the thermomechanical treatment of the MBM to produce
a 25mm rebar with yield strength of around 600 MPa. Make use of all the above
graphs and formulae and determine the process parameters required. What is the
eventual martensite volume, and tempering temperature, Tr required for the
process?
Please supply answer in 2 weeks from today.
<<<Winner will receive a token prize and posting in Chatter for the answer.>>>
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