Importance

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Abstract

A method and apparatus rapidly cools hot material of any shape without inducing distortion-causing temperature gradients between thick and thin sections. Water spray guns mounted on an enclosure surrounding the hot material launch drops of water towards the surface with sufficient speed to penetrate the vapor leaving the surface, but with insufficient flow rate to form a blanket of water thereon, to establish a turbulent mixture of water drops and vapor in equilibrium at the water boiling point temperature of 212.degree. F. Turbulent heat transfer to the vapor and evaporation of drops maintain the surfaces of the enclosure and the hot material at 212.degree. F. to cool the inner core of the hot material to 212.degree. F. by conducting heat to its surface. Irregularly shaped objects are cooled by setting each gun water spray rate to be proportional to the thickness of material where its jet strikes or by directing air at thinner locations to minimize temperature gradients within the material. Electrogasdynamic (EGD) spray guns may be used to charge the drops and create a space-charge induced electrical field to propel drops toward the surface.

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First Claim