Single-chamber HPGQ vacuum furnace with hardening power of oil quench systems

This article discusses how an advanced single-chamber vacuum furnace equipped with a high pressure gas quenching system (HPGQ) can exceed all current parameters achieved by separated gas quenching chambers (cold chambers) and is comparable to oil systems. In this article, the results of the measurements obtained from the furnace cooling system are reported in relation to gas physical properties obtained during the test in both ambient and at process temperature conditions. A comparison follows regarding quenching parameters and actual hardening results from both gas and typical oil conditions.