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Steel cooling time?

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Steel cooling time?

August 13, 2015
2:57 pm

connor17

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August 13, 2015

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Hi, hope this is ok for me to ask. I'm a writer, and don't know anything about blacksmithing.

Trying to find out how long it would take to cool molten steel to room temperature? The size would be a pool of it, roughly 1/2 an inch deep, 4 feet in diameter. Nothing being used to help speed the process, simply letting it sit.

Hope you guys don't mind helping me out!

Thank you in advanced!

August 13, 2015
7:32 pm

DaveTheGreat

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You may get better luck asking one of the foundries or steel mills that has to deal with spills of that size. Blacksmiths tend to get the steel in solid form, and if we do cast it, we usually cast it into sand molds which insulate the steel and slow the cooling time considerably.

Also, what the pool is in matters - concrete explodes when molten steel is on it (because of the bound water in it), gravel sort of spreads small pools out, cooling it faster (I have never tried one nearly as large as you are asking, but have accidentally dumped a few small casts in gravel). Clay, sand or brick floors tend to insulate well and require more time. It varies a lot.

Sorry, wish I could be of more help.

August 13, 2015
8:21 pm

Morgan A. Kirk

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My guess would be probably (to able to walk on it) about six hours. This is just a guess because it takes half inch square about ten/fifteen minutes to cool to the point where you can touch it comfortably, but that is with air on all sides. Steel cools down at a negative exponential rate: more quickly at higher temperatures, 2000-1200, and much slower at lower temperatures like 800-400 F. And since the molten steel is spread out over a considerable area, it would cool to a solid state in a few minutes. However, it's still relatively thick, which is why I think it would take about six hours for safely going on it.

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August 17, 2015
11:12 pm

connor17

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Thank you both for the responses. Very helpful and informative.