Designing and constructing a controlled prototype for steel gaseous carburisation using alcohols

• Published in: Ingeniería e investigación Vol. 26; no. 1; pp. 92 - 100
• Main Authors: Obando B, Johnny F, Castro P, Álvaro, Trujillo, Carlos Alexander
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Universidad Nacional de Colombia 01.01.2006
• Subjects: carburised layer characterisation; gas carburisation using alcohols; heat treatment equipment with controlled atmosphere
• ISSN: 0120-5609; 2248-8723
• DOI: 10.15446/ing.investig.v26n1.14677

This article deals with designing, constructing and testing a laboratory scale apparatus for heat treatment with controlled atmosphere. The equipment was used for studying steel carburisation with alcohols. The equipment has an area for the controlled production of a gas atmosphere composed by up to 3 gases and 2 volatile liquids, an inert and hermetic isothermal reaction area and a gas analysis area which retains solids and condensable liquids. The equipment was provided with pressure and carbon dioxide concentration sensors. Eight experiments were carried out with methanol, ethanol, n-propanol, isopropanol and tertbutanol as carbon source. The results showed that methanol caused carburisation but layer depth was small and produced a low quantity of soot, ethanol caused decarburisation and formed large quantities of soot, n-propanol, isopropanol and the tertbutanol provided good carbon potential and layers having good depth with good soot and tar production. Soot and tar production followed this order: n-propanol < tertbutanol < isopropanol.