Large-section ultra-heavy steel plates feature low cooling rate of central part during quenching process, as well as great differences in texture and performance along thickness direction. Wet jet impingement quenching test apparatus and multi-channel temperature recorder were developed to explore the temperature drop characteristics and its influential factors of ultra-heavy steel plate. The temperature drop curves of plates with different thickness (160, 220, and 300 mm) and weight (23–43 tons) were recorded during the quenching process, accompanied with the exploration on distribution rules of temperature gradient, heat flux density and cooling rate along thickness direction under different water volumes (9000–9400 m3/h) and pressures (0.4–0.8 MPa), upon which the three-dimensional inverse heat conduction model, surface heat transfer coefficient model and thermophysical parameter model were established using finite element and optimization methods. The overall results indicate the symmetric heat transfer between the upper and lower plate surfaces can be realized, when the water flow ratios of the upper and lower surfaces were 1:1.25 and 1:1.4 under pressures of 0.8 MPa and 0.4 MPa, respectively. The “temperature return” phenomenon was accompanied with changing heat flux density of wall surface of 220 mm- and 300 mm-thick plates. The lowest cooling rate along thickness direction appeared at 1/4 thickness position for the 160 mm- and 220 mm- thick plates during quenching, which was attributable to the synergy between heat flux density and temperature gradient. This work may pave a way for improving the cooling rate and quenching uniformity of ultra-heavy steel plates along thickness direction.

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The complexity of roller quenching equipment restricts research on the heat transfer mechanism of ultrathick plates, and the cooling law requires further clarification. In this study, the distributions of temperature gradient, average cooling speed, and heat loss during quenching are analyzed using a 220 mm thick steel plate, and inverse heat conduction is used to determine the surface heat transfer conditions. An ultrathick steel plate is subjected to high‐pressure and low‐pressure water in turn for strong and lasting cooling. Due to the different flow regions on the upper and lower surfaces, the flow from the lower nozzle is slightly higher than that from the upper nozzle, thereby resulting in a good cooling symmetry between the upper and lower surfaces. The results provide an important basis for the optimization of roller quenching technology for ultrathick steel plates.

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