Quenching device and quenching method

Abstract

A quenching device is described that includes at least one chamber that can be filled with quenching gas and that has a blower wheel for circulating quenching gas, in particular a quenching chamber and/or a flow channel, a drive motor, situated outside the chamber, for driving the blower being allocated to the blower wheel. The drive motor is coupled to the blower wheel so as to transmit torque via a coupling that operates in contactless fashion. Also described is a related quenching method.

1 - 10 . (canceled) 
     
     
         11 . A quenching device, comprising:
 at least one chamber, which is fillable with a quenching gas and which has a blower wheel for circulating the quenching gas, wherein the at least one chamber includes at least one of a quenching chamber and a flow channel; and   a drive motor, which is situated outside the chamber, for driving the blower being allocated to the blower wheel;   wherein the drive motor is coupled to the blower wheel so as to transmit torque via a coupling that operates in contactless fashion.   
     
     
         12 . The quenching device of  claim 11 , wherein the coupling includes a magnetic coupling. 
     
     
         13 . The quenching device of  claim 12 , wherein the magnetic coupling includes a first rotor connected mechanically to the drive motor and a second rotor, which is drivable in contactless fashion by the first rotor and which is mechanically connected to the blower wheel. 
     
     
         14 . The quenching device of  claim 13 , wherein the first rotor includes an outer rotor, radially outwardly surrounding the second rotor, which is fashioned as an inner rotor. 
     
     
         15 . The quenching device of  claim 13 , wherein the second rotor includes an outer rotor, radially outwardly surrounding the first rotor, which includes an inner rotor. 
     
     
         16 . The quenching device of  claim 11 , wherein material to be quenched is situatable in the chamber having the blower wheel. 
     
     
         17 . The quenching device of  claim 11 , further comprising:
 a flodding arrangement to flood the chamber with quenching gas.   
     
     
         18 . The quenching device of  claim 11 , wherein a heat exchanger is situated in the chamber. 
     
     
         19 . A method for quenching material to be quenched with quenching gas, the method comprising:
 circulating quenching gas, using a quenching device, with a blower wheel driven by a drive motor, wherein the blower wheel is driven by the drive motor in contactless fashion;   wherein the quenching device, includes at least one chamber, which is fillable with the quenching gas and which includes the blower wheel for circulating the quenching gas, wherein the at least one chamber includes at least one of a quenching chamber and a flow channel, and the drive motor, which is situated outside the chamber, for driving the blower being allocated to the blower wheel.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the drive motor is at least one of started up and operated while the chamber is not yet flooded with quenching gas. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein the quenching material includes a metallic workpiece.