Abstract: The invention relates to a process and to an installation for the heat treatment of cylindrical bodies, in particular pipes, of ceramic material. During the treatment, the pipes are dried, heated and sintered, and subsequently cooled, in successively arranged chambers.During transportation through the drying zone, the heating zone and the cooling zone, as well as in heat treatment during sintering, the objects are turned about their own axis independently of the transportation rate, so that they are not only evenly heated, but a possible deformation is also prevented. This type of transportation and heating with possible heat exchange between the individual zones makes possible a rapid heating-up without detriment to the cylindrical bodies, and thus a short design length of the installation. Above all, the sintering zone, which must consist of high-value, ceramic material due to the high temperatures, can be kept very small.

Abstract: An oven in whose wall heat insulating material is used in the form of panels consisting of highly refractory, ceramic fibre material pressed against one another, said strips being fastened with the aid of a refractory adhesive material at right angles to a refractory base plate, said strips being provided with reinforcements whereby the reinforcement is formed by tubes of highly refractory, ceramic material arranged in channels formed by registering holes in consecutive strips.