Argon can be used for cooling, particularly in industrial processes such as metal treatment and in vacuum furnaces. It is used as an inert gas to cool treated metals back to non-metallurgical levels and in vacuum furnaces for thermal processing.
Cooling in Metal Treatment: Argon is used to quickly cool treated metals after they have undergone specific processes in furnaces. The process involves pressurizing argon gas to twice or more the atmospheric pressure, circulating it through the hot zone to absorb heat, and then passing it through a heat exchanger to remove the heat. This cycle continues until the metal reaches the desired temperature, typically below 400 °F (200 °C).
Cooling in Vacuum Furnaces: In vacuum furnaces, argon is used for cooling components after heating. The cooling process can be done in various media, with argon being used in sub-atmospheric cooling and pressurization cooling. In sub-atmospheric cooling, argon or nitrogen is used in a static or agitated state. In pressurization cooling, argon is used along with other gases like nitrogen, helium, and hydrogen in highly agitated, recirculated states. Argon is preferred over nitrogen in some cases because nitrogen can be slightly decarburizing for steels and form nitrates on the surface of NiCo alloys at high temperatures.
Advantages of Argon: Argon is particularly attractive for these cooling processes due to its cost-effectiveness and abundance. It makes up almost 1% of the atmosphere and can be obtained easily through the production of liquid oxygen and liquid nitrogen. While other inert gases can perform similar functions, argon's availability and affordability make it a preferred choice in many industrial applications.
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