For the analysis of workpiece distortion activated during heat treatment processes, the hardening by quenching in flexible flow fields is modelwise described. Here, process conditions and the resulting heat transfer from workpiece surfaces to the quenching medium are crucial conditions for the description of the quenching process and a possibly appearing distortion. During the quenching process suitable distortion compensation can be realised by impressing controlled asymmetric heat transfer conditions on workpiece surfaces by the use of liquid jet or spray arrangements. Here, the controlled quenching in and with liquid media and especially the use of two phase atomisers for spray cooling processes enables the generation of specific local heat transfer conditions with required high intensities.