Accelerated cooling after normalizing 1

[ulyssess]

Hello
Some ASME standards permit an accelerated cooling after normalizing when permitted by the purchaser.
e.g. SA387-5.1: accelerated cooling from austenitizing temperature by air blasting or liquid quenching, followed by tempering
e.g. SA516-5.4: cooling rates faster than those obtained by cooling in air are permissible for improvement of the toughness....
I assume that plates produced with accelerated cooling are to be tested according SA20 per mother-plate at one end, even if the cooling was carried out in water. Some people believe, that cooling in water would be in reality a quenching and therefore, the testing should be carried out per heat treated unit with tensile testing on both sides as reuqired in SA20.
I found in ASME VIII,1 Article UHT1 an indication, that accelerated cooled plates are not considered as Q+T plates and UHT is not applicable. Why should it be different in ASME II?
I know the interpretation II-A-04-01, but I guess this is not applicable as Q+T is not an optional delivery condition in SA387 or SA516.
Has anyone other interpretations or articles of ASME on this subject (supporting or contradicting my opinion)
Thanks in advance

 

[metengr]

Some people believe, that cooling in water would be in reality a quenching and therefore, the testing should be carried out per heat treated unit with tensile testing on both sides as reuqired in SA20.

Accelerated cooling via water spray or fans or controlled liquid quenching to achieve a uniform, fine grained homogenous structure is NOT the same as quenching in thermal heat treatment to achieve a 100% martensite structure that is required for Q&T thermal treatment.

The alternative accelerated cooling methods as described in ASME Specifications were provided to assure that thicker plate sections or other wrought, geometric product forms can be reasonably assured to achieve a fine grain, consistent structure (in this case either 100% fine pearlite or a uniform mixture of fine pearlite and bainite (depending on the alloy composition)prior to tempering (if specified).