Objective

Improvement in temperature stability of salt bath, Tr no- SPS00120 of Su 30 Heat Treatment

shop by upgrading Temperature Control Mechanism.

About Process
Salt bath furnace in heat treatment shop is used for heat treatment various aero engine
components. A salt bath is basically a ceramic or metal container filled with molten salt in to
which job is immersed for either heating or controlled cooling purpose.

A salt bath consist of ceramic pot with immersed electrodes. Initially salt in the ceramic pots
are heated to molten state by external heating. Salts are basically insulator at room temperature
but beyond there melting points they starts conducting electricity through them forming a
conducting path. The conducting path so formed offers some resistance to current flow which
is defined by ohms law (ie R=V/I) and in the process absorb power (I2R) in the form of heat
which keeps the salt in the molten state.

The operating range of salt bath varies from 350 degree to 1300 degree c based on melting
point of salt. Sometime mixture of salts are selected to give a specific temperature range as
desired. In Su 30 four numbers of salt baths are presently operating on which 60% NaCl and
40% BaCl are used for operating range of 800-1050 degree C. BaCl alone is used for operating
range of 1100-1300 degree C.

Advantage of Salt bath process:

 Excellent temperature uniformity

 Good transfer rate of heat to the job.
 Since job is immersed in salt, oxidation and discoloration of part is minimum.

Disadvantage of salt bath

 Salt used are highly corrosive.

 Hazardous fumes are generated during process.
 Starting of salt bath takes lot of effort.
 If salt solidify for any reason it is very difficult to restart the process

Issues in the Salt bath

The Power to the furnace is provided with an On/Off control mechanism. In such control
mechanism constant power is feed to the load (here salt bath electrodes) till temperature is
reached. Once temperature is reached power is cut off and furnace temperature starts
decreasing. Power is switched on again at certain lower limit value of temperature till the
temperature reaches set value. Hence, though temperature in the salt bath is uniform but it is
oscillating between bands of temperature. The band size depends up on hysteresis of
temperature controller.
 Though the variation of ±10 degree is acceptable as per technological limits of
operation sometime due to small offset in process temperature results operation of
furnace beyond operational limits.
 Continuous switch results higher failure rate of electrical components.
  Salt solidification frequency was high.
 Breakdown time was more.

Solution to the issue

In order to get a stable temperature in the furnace the power should be controlled proportionate
to the difference between set value and actual value.It is just like starting a car and moving it
at a speed of 60 KMPH speed. Initially the throttle is full but as the speed approaches to wards
60 KMPS the throttle is released and as the speed reach to 60 KMPH only required throttle is
applied to maintain the speed at that level.

With improvement in Power electronics, now a days such kind of control mechanism is
possible by providing a power controller controlled by a PID controller. In such architecture
the PID controller continuously takes feedback of process variable that is temperature,
comperes it with set value to generate an error signal. The error signal is further processed by
a PID loop and output signal which is in form of small current between 4-20 mili amps is feed
to power controller. The power controller depending up on the control signal provides power
to the furnace. By tuning of PID exact required temperature profile is achieved.

PID Control Loop

By tuning of PID gain to critically damped condition exact required temperature is achieved.
Also an alarm system is implemented which indicates temperature going below molten state
limit.

Also an alarm system is implemented which indicates temperature going below molten state
limit.
Cost of implementation

1. Power controller 150 KW: Rs 70,000.00

2. PID controller: Rs 9,000.00
3. Alarm system: Rs 2,000.00

Conclusion

The modified system is running since April 2018,

 Uniformity and stability of temperature is achieved without any deviation.
 3 times solidification of salt is saved during the process.

Recently OCP is made for running the salt bath as and when required instead of continuous
running of salt bath.

Case study submitted by

Shiv Kumar Birtia

Manager Maintenance
Sukhoi Engine Division
Koraput
PB: 7552