Abstract: A deposition apparatus according to one aspect of the present disclosure includes a vacuum vessel, a rotary table rotatably disposed in the vacuum vessel, a heating device provided below the rotary table, and a radiation adjusting member. The rotary table is configured such that multiple substrates can be placed on the rotary table along a circumferential direction of the rotary table. The heating device is configured to heat the multiple substrates by thermal radiation, and the radiation adjusting member is configured to adjust an amount of radiant heat from the heating device to the plurality of substrates.

Abstract: Heat shrink wrap product packaging oven or tunnel apparatus and processing methods are provided which incorporate or utilize a central divider mechanism. The central divider moves over a conveyor between a vertical, dual track position, and a retracted, single track position. The divider can additionally include a curved deflector that focuses and/or smooths air flow from the divider laterally across the dual track conveyance path.

Abstract: A transport system includes a transport path having at least two transporting modules, a carriage configured to move on the transport path, a controller provided on each of the two transporting modules and configured to drive the carriage in response to a drive command, and a sensor provided on each of the two transporting modules. The drive command is corrected with a distance between the sensors provided on the two transporting modules.

Abstract: An apparatus for conveying an article in a conveying direction is provided. A conveyor includes a plurality of modular links and one or more removable connectors for interconnecting adjacent links of the plurality of modular links to form an endless chain for conveying the article in the conveying direction, at least one of the links comprising an upper link surface sloping in both the conveying direction and a transverse direction, thereby forming an apical region for contacting and supporting the article for conveyance along at least a forward run in the conveying direction.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device and a method for transversely moving tubular material inside a furnace, in which the tubes are able to roll in order to have a path per cycle that is 2.5 times as great as that obtained in the case of moving bars, and in which the tubes are pushed by a series of toothed bars that have an upward and downward movement plus a horizontal movement in vacuum. The device and a method for moving tubular material inside an furnace allows a greater rotation of the tubes over short cycle times, solves the problems of twisting of smaller-diameter tubes (tubing) in quench furnaces and meets the need to rotate the tubes when there is no forward movement, which may be necessary when cycle times are long or when unloading from the furnace is interrupted.

Abstract: A semiconductor substrate processing apparatus (1), comprising a substrate support assembly (30), including a substrate support (32) defining an outer support surface (34) for supporting a substrate or substrate carrier (24) thereon, and a heater (50) comprising a heat dissipating portion (54) that is disposed within the substrate support (32) and that extends underneath and substantially parallel to the support surface (34), said substrate support (32) being rotatably mounted around a rotation axis (L) that extends through said support surface (34), such that the support surface (34) is rotatable relative to the heat dissipating portion (54) of the heater (50).

Abstract: Described is an apparatus for the heating of plastics material pre-forms with a conveying device which conveys the plastics material pre-forms along a pre-set conveying path, wherein the conveying device (2) has a circulating conveyor, and a plurality of holding elements for holding the plastics material pre-forms arranged on this conveyor. The holding elements are movable with respect to a longitudinal direction (L) of the plastics material pre-forms to be rotated, and have associated with them in each case drive devices which are controllable independently of one another and which produce at least also the rotational movement of the plastics material pre-forms with respect to the longitudinal direction thereof.

Abstract: An apparatus and a corresponding method for heating plastic bits, including a heating zone in which introduced plastic bits can be heated, and a heating device which is suited to conduct heat into the heating zone, the apparatus further including filling bodies which can be introduced into the heating zone and are suited to give off absorbed heat to the plastic bits in the heating zone.

Abstract: In the method according to the invention for producing cement clinker, raw cement meal is preheated in a preheater, the preheated raw cement meal is precalcined in a calciner and the precalcined raw cement meal is burnt in a kiln, fuel and combustion air having an oxygen content of at least 75 mol % being used in the calciner, and the raw cement meal being precalcined in a fluidised bed in the calciner. The exhaust gases occurring in the kiln are delivered to the preheater, bypassing the calciner, and the exhaust gases of the calciner are delivered to a CO2 preparation device.

Abstract: A multi-operation wafer baking system includes a chassis; a wafer loading device mounted on the chassis for laterally moving a wafer; a cruciform transportation device mounted on the chassis for receiving a wafer from the wafer loading device and including a base, an elevation platform, and a rotation platform mounted on the elevation platform and having four carrier arms for carrying wafers; an annular baking device mounted on the chassis to oppose the cruciform transportation device and including a central turn table, a plurality of wafer racks, and a plurality of baking tray assemblies functioning to receive wafers from corresponding wafer racks for performing a baking operation on the wafer; and an unloading device mounted on the chassis for receiving baked wafers. This system allows for baking wafers in a multi-operation manner to thereby improve throughput.

Abstract: A carbon baking furnace has at least one vertical baking shaft with a system and method for positioning green carbon bodies to be baked at the tops of the vertical baking paths and ringing the green carbon bodies with a sacrificial medium such as packing coke. The disclosure provides a carbon baking furnace having a system and method for unloading baked carbon bodies at the bottom of an array of baking paths while supporting the column of carbon bodies remaining in the baking path. The disclosure provides a volatile extraction system that extracts volatile fumes from the upper portion of the furnace and introduces the volatile fumes to the burners in the baking portion of the furnace. This system allows the volatile fumes to be selectively directed to an afterburner and automatically delivered to the afterburner during an emergency.

Abstract: A chamber apparatus including a chamber which accommodates a substrate having a coating film formed thereon; a first heating part which is accommodated in the chamber and disposed on a first face side of the substrate; a second heating part which is accommodated in the chamber and disposed on a second face side of the substrate opposite to the first face; and a pressure control part which is capable of pressurizing and depressurizing inside of the chamber in a heated state.

Abstract: A heat shrink tunnel with width adjustment includes a pair of opposing side wall assemblies, each assembly including an outer wall and an inner perforated wall defining a plenum therebetween. The opposing side walls define a product path therebetween having a longitudinal axis. The side wall assemblies are movable toward and away from the axis. A heater/blower assembly is disposed in each of the opposing side walls, each having an outlet directed into the product path and drawing air from the product path, through its respective plenum. A top wall extends between the pair of opposing side wall assemblies and has an adjustable width to accommodate movement of the side wall assemblies.

Abstract: An aspect of one embodiment, there is provided a heat treatment apparatus, the apparatus installing a substrate retainer, which retains a plurality of semiconductor substrates in shelf structure, in a thermal treatment furnace to perform heat treatment with respect to the semiconductor substrates, including, a housing, a base plate installed in the housing, a substrate carrier fork placing the semiconductor substrates on the substrate retainer, a vertical shift unit fixed to the base plate, the vertical shift unit vertically driving and moving the substrate carrier fork, a fixing member fixing the base plate to the housing which enable the base plate to vertically move.

Abstract: Methods are generally provided for forming a conductive oxide layer on a substrate by sputtering a target to deposit a transparent conductive oxide layer (e.g., comprising comprises cadmium, tin, and oxygen) on the substrate; positioning an anneal surface in close proximity to the transparent conductive oxide layer (e.g., about 3 cm or less); and, annealing the transparent conductive oxide layer while the anneal surface is in close proximity to the transparent conductive oxide layer (e.g., at an anneal temperature of about 500° C. to about 700° C.) to create a localized cadmium vapor between the transparent conductive oxide layer and the anneal surface. The anneal surface can include a material reactive with oxygen at the anneal temperature. Apparatus is also provided for annealing a thin film layer on a substrate.

Abstract: Disclosed in the present invention are a combustion furnace with coaxial staged hearth and heating method thereof, in which the combustion furnace comprises a metal furnace body (40) whose internal part is provided with a furnace chamber. The furnace chamber is divided into two sections at the middle by fire resistant material to form a left and a right independent combustion chambers (18, 19). Two independent combustion chambers (18, 19) are respectively connected with the ends of flue gas chambers (2, 60), while the other ends of the flue gas chambers (2, 60) are respectively connected with a burner (3). The peripherals of two independent combustion chambers (18, 19) are respectively provided with a flue gas heat radiation pipe (14). A middle flue gas chamber (100) is set in the middle position of the furnace chamber. Two ends of the flue gas heat radiation pipe (14) are respectively connected with the flue gas chamber (2, 60) and the middle flue gas chamber (100).

Abstract: The invention provides a multistage heating system including a compact multistage furnace of which the installation area in a factory is decreased and a work carrier machine. A multistage furnace is configured by piling up a plurality of furnace units in the vertical direction. Each of the furnace units includes an upper heater and a lower heater, support pipes disposed on the upper heater and extending in the horizontal direction, and a plurality of work support bars mounted over the support pipes. A work carrier machine includes work carrier bars extending in the horizontal direction, a horizontal motion mechanism connecting the ends of the work carrier bars and move the work carrier bars on horizontal rails, and a vertical motion mechanism moving the body of the work carrier machine including the horizontal rails on vertical rails.

Abstract: In a charging process of a shaft furnace, in particular of a blast furnace, batches of charge material are typically discharged in cyclical sequence into the furnace from a top hopper using a flow control valve. A method and system is proposed for adjusting the flow rate of charge material in such a process. According to the invention, a respective set of plural valve settings is stored for each batch, each valve setting of a set being associated to a different stage in the discharge of the batch. The method and system are configured to discharge a given batch so that, at each stage in the discharge of the given batch, the flow control valve operates at a constant valve opening according to the valve setting associated to that stage and so that an actual average flow rate at which charge material is discharged is determined for that stage.

Abstract: A furnace loading system for use with a heat treating furnace is disclosed. The furnace loading system includes a platform and a support structure mounted on the platform. First and second transport rails are mounted on the support structure. The furnace loading system also includes a transfer cart that is adapted for supporting a work load and for moving along the transport rails. A lift mechanism is operatively mounted on the transfer cart for vertically displacing a work load supported on the transfer cart. The furnace loading system also includes a drive mechanism mounted on the support structure and operatively connected to the transfer cart for displacing the cart along the rails. A traction device is operatively connected to the platform for moving the furnace loading system relative to a heat treating furnace.

Abstract: A carrier transport system transports a plurality of carriers by a transport conveyor into a heating furnace, advances a comb-shaped carrier stopper having a plurality of protrusions toward the carriers, moves the carriers by the transport conveyor in a transport direction to engage cutout grooves, provided respectively for the carriers, with the protrusions of the carrier stopper to thereby position the carriers at a time. The carrier transport system advances the carrier stopper toward the carriers to insert distal ends of the protrusions of the carrier stopper into insertion holes, and then determines, on the basis of a moved distance X of the carrier stopper, whether the carriers are properly positioned.

Abstract: A plant for hot forming blanks includes at least one preheating device, and at least one main heating device arranged downstream from the at least one preheating device. The preheating device includes at least one pre-mixing burner which is selected from a hydrogen-oxygen burner, a fuel gas-oxygen burner and an acetylene burner. A related preheating device and method are also provided.

Abstract: The invention relates to processes and apparatuses for pushing through/pushing in/turning through/turning in components/linings, as an individual component/section/subassembly for batch feeding/melting furnace/conveying path for the melt/conveying path for other emissions/transportation means for the melt, in that the pushing through/pushing in/turning through/turning in takes places in a manner controlled by means of pushing-through/pushing-in/turning-through and turning-in elements and the corresponding drives or under fully automatic control, preferably observing the maximum permissible compressive and tensile forces of the components/linings of individual components/sections/subassemblies which can be pushed through/pushed in/turned through/turned in in each case, in order to avoid joints in the respective region and to prevent inadmissibly high forces/pressures/traction/torques on the respective components/linings, during a heating operation/melting operation/cooling operation.

Abstract: A continuous furnace has a housing defining an interior chamber, and a plurality of endless rotatable devices within the interior chamber arranged in a series of rows with multiple ones of the endless rotatable devices in each of the rows. Multiple heaters are within the interior chamber adjacent to the plurality of endless rotatable devices. A drive system is configured to drive at least some of the endless rotatable devices at different speeds than others of the endless rotatable devices. Nozzles may be used to dispense fluid onto material sample containers passing through the furnace along the endless rotatable devices.

Abstract: A method for processing solar cells comprising: providing a vertical furnace to receive an array of mutually spaced circular semiconductor wafers for integrated circuit processing; composing a process chamber loading configuration for solar cell substrates, wherein a size of the solar cell substrates that extends along a first surface to be processed is smaller than a corresponding size of the circular semiconductor wafers, such that multiple arrays of mutually spaced solar cell substrates can be accommodated in the process chamber, loading the solar cell substrates into the process chamber; subjecting the solar cell substrates to a process in the process chamber.

Abstract: Provided are a substrate processing apparatus, a semiconductor device manufacturing method, and a temperature controlling method, which are adapted to improve equipment operational rate. A calculation parameter computing unit computes a calculation parameter using at least a first calculation parameter correction value determined by a first calculation parameter setting unit based on an accumulated film thickness on a reaction vessel, a second calculation parameter correction value determined by a second calculation parameter setting unit based on an accumulated film thickness on a filler wafer, and a third calculation parameter correction value determined by a third calculation parameter setting unit based on the number of filler wafers.

Abstract: A method for firing raw ceramic blanks in a furnace includes the steps of guiding trains of blanks running parallel to one another along a longitudinal furnace section having a firing zone, wherein the trains are moved in opposite directions during one movement operation, and the furnace is loaded using blanks to be moved in a first direction. A furnace for firing raw ceramic blanks having a plurality of trains which are arranged parallel to one another and can move along a longitudinal furnace section, so trains comprising a plurality of furnace bogies on which the blanks are to be arranged, wherein the furnace section has a firing zone, and wherein the trains are moved in opposite directions, and the furnace is at a first end of the furnace section for loading the blanks to be moved in a first direction into the furnace.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus including: a heating part for heating a wafer; a transport part through which a wafer is transported; a first transfer arm that receives a wafer from the heating part and places the wafer on the transport part; and a second transfer arm including a pair of plate-like tweezers that receives the wafer placed on the transport part from the transport part and transfers the wafer. The transport part includes a cooling plate having a cooling surface on which a wafer is placed. The cooling plate includes a temperature-adjusting channel through which a temperature-adjusting water is circulated for cooling the cooling plate to a temperature lower than a temperature of the heating process of the heating part. The cooling surface is provided with a recess that is similar in shape to and slightly larger than a planar shape of the pair of tweezers.

Abstract: A rotary furnace for conditioning performs includes a heating wheel, a plurality of heating modules disposed on the heating wheel and a control device. Each heating module includes a heating chamber including at least one heating radiator adapted for irradiating the preform with infrared radiation, a holding and lifting device configured to lift or lower at least one of the preform and heating chamber so as to introduce the preform into the heating chamber and/or withdraw the preform from the heating chamber, and a temperature measurement device configured to measure a temperature of at least one of the preform and the heating chamber. The control device is configured to actuate the heating modules based on the measured temperature.

Abstract: The present invention includes: an upper container and a lower container relatively movable and uniting together into one body to form a processing space; a substrate holding part provided inside the lower container and mounting and holding the substrate thereon; and a delivery arm including a support member extending vertically downward from a lower surface of the upper container, and a delivery member supported by the support member and holding an outer peripheral portion of the substrate and delivering the substrate to/from the substrate holding part, wherein the delivery arm is movable together with the upper container in the vertical direction relative to the lower container, and a cutout groove capable of housing the delivery member is formed at a position corresponding to the delivery member at the outer peripheral portion of the substrate holding part.

Abstract: Provided are an apparatus and method for treating a substrate, and more particularly, to a substrate treatment apparatus having a cluster structure and a substrate treatment method using the same. The apparatus for treating the substrate includes a load port on which a container for receiving the substrate is placed, a treatment module for treating the substrate, and a transfer module including a robot for transferring the substrate between the container and the treatment module. The treatment module includes a transfer chamber including a robot for transferring the substrate, a load lock chamber disposed between the transfer chamber and the transfer module, a first treatment chamber disposed spaced from the transfer module around the transfer chamber to perform a first treatment process, and a second treatment chamber disposed around the transfer chamber to perform a second treatment process.

Abstract: A tiered furnace includes a plurality of decks in superimposed disposition for receiving flat or at least partly shaped plates which are made of steel. Each of the decks has at least one heater to thereby provide each deck with at least two heating zones that are operating at different temperatures.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for enhancing the flexibility and increasing throughput capacity while reducing cost and improving the quality of food and drink products within a continuous sterilization system using novel product carriers, in conjunction with unique user controllable product rotation and agitation features, capable of handling novel as well as existing product containers, are described. A further aspect of the invention is a property of the uniquely designed product carrier to accommodate and optimally orientate said product containers. A final aspect of the invention is the further capability of individual product carriers to undertake any user-defined processing program including product pasteurization or product stabilization or product sterilization within an essentially continuous sterilization system.

Abstract: A pusher includes a pusher main body configured to push forward a target object; a pusher main body cylinder connected to the pusher main body and configured to move the pusher main body forward and backward; a pusher carriage connected to the pusher main body cylinder; and a pusher carriage cylinder connected to the pusher carriage and configured to move the pusher carriage forward and backward, the pusher carriage cylinder having a pushing-out direction opposite to a pushing-out direction of the pusher main body cylinder.

Abstract: In the case of a rotary hearth furnace of annular construction for the heat treatment of workpieces, which has a furnace chamber, an annular rotary hearth, a rotary drive which drives the rotary hearth and a plurality of racks for receiving or supporting workpieces, which are arranged on the annular rotary hearth and are provided with receiving elements, which divide a respective rack into at least two horizontal planes for receiving workpieces, the intention is to provide a solution which makes extremely uniform heating of the workpieces to be heattreated in the furnace chamber possible in a structurally simple and cost-effective manner. This is achieved in that provision is made, at least between two horizontal planes of a respective rack, of at least one additional heating apparatus which heats the workpieces held in the corresponding horizontal planes.

Abstract: A substrate support instrument includes a first support instrument portion and a second support instrument portion detachably combined with each other. Each of the first support instrument portion and second support instrument portion includes: a ceiling plate and a bottom plate facing each other upward and downward; a support pillar disposed in plurality along a peripheral edge portion of each of the ceiling plate and bottom plate, and configured to connect the ceiling plate and the bottom plate; and a support part disposed at a position corresponding to each of the support pillars, and configured to support a bottom of each substrate. In the support part, a height position is set such that a substrate supported in the first support instrument portion and a substrate supported in the second support instrument portion are alternately arranged, when the first support instrument portion is combined with the second support instrument portion.

Abstract: An apparatus for uniform reactive thermal treatment of thin-film materials includes a chamber enclosing a tube shaped space filled with a work gas and heaters disposed outside the chamber. The apparatus further includes a loading configuration for subjecting a plurality of planar substrates to the work gas in the tube shaped space. Baffles are disposed above and below the loading configuration.

Abstract: A delivery chute for delivering sinter material onto a sinter cooler and a method for delivering sinter material from a sinter belt onto a sinter cooler are provided. The sinter material introduced into the delivery chute may be divided by distributor plates into at least two sinter material subflows flowing in different directions, which may be guided into the edge regions of a sinter material total flow obtained by combining them.

Abstract: Contact lens curing systems and methods are described. A contact lens curing system includes an oven that has a plurality of curing zones, a mold advancement system for moving contact lens mold assemblies between the plurality of zones, and a controlled atmosphere the curing zones that provides a substantially chemically inert environment in which contact lens precursor materials can be polymerized in contact mold assemblies located in the curing zones. Methods of producing contact lenses include curing contact lens precursor materials in contact lens mold assemblies in the lens curing system.

Abstract: Pyrolysis methods and apparatuses that allow effective heat removal, for example when necessary to achieve a desired throughput or process a desired type of biomass, are disclosed. According to representative methods, the use of a quench medium (e.g., water), either as a primary or a secondary type of heat removal, allows greater control of process temperatures, particularly in the reheater where char, as a solid byproduct of pyrolysis, is combusted. Quench medium may be distributed to one or more locations within the reheater vessel, such as above and/or within a dense phase bed of fluidized particles of a solid heat carrier (e.g., sand) to better control heat removal.

Abstract: An oxidation oven with a heated chamber for treating fibers, the heated chamber having two opposing sides, each side with a plurality of gaps to allow the fibers to pass to and from the heated chamber. Embodiments of the invention provide capture ducts, which are configured to be under negative pressure, the capture ducts draw-in heated chamber air that would otherwise flow through the gaps. Embodiments of the invention provide supply ducts, which are configured to be under positive pressure and provide heated air near the gaps. Embodiments of the invention provide louvers positioned near the gaps, the louvers are configured to reduce the flow of heated chamber air that would otherwise pass through the gaps.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a mixing calciner that can separate and recover CO2 gas in a high concentration, which is generated when a to-be-calcined cement material is mixed with a superheated calcined portion and calcined, by employing a fluidized-bed type or a spouted-bed type. The invention provides a mixing calciner (12) which mixes the calcined cement material with the superheated calcined portion to cause a calcination reaction, wherein the mixing calciner is the fluidized-bed type or the spouted-bed type, and is provided with a plurality of feed lines (25) for feeding the to-be-calcined cement material. In addition, this invention provides a mixing calciner which easily fluidizes or spouts a cement material even when a heat medium has a particle diameter larger than that of the cement material, and can separate and recover CO2 gas generated in a cement-manufacturing facility in a high concentration.

Abstract: A bead furnace has a furnace with a furnace chamber 4 and opening 6. A closure assembly 20 is provided on closure assembly 22. The closure assembly has a blank closure element 26 and an active closure element 32 on different sides of the closure assembly, each matching the opening 6. A crucible holder 44 with a detent for holding a crucible and a mold holder 60 for holding a mold are provided on the active face. The closure assembly moves between two states, a load state with the blank closure element 26 in the furnace opening and an operation state with the active closure element 32 in the furnace opening with the crucible and mold in the furnace. The closure assembly can agitate the crucible contents and then tip the crucible to pour fused contents into the mold.

Abstract: A vertical heat treatment apparatus includes: at least one loading and unloading part 3 and 4 for loading and unloading a carrying container 2 containing a plurality of process objects W into and from said vertical heat treatment apparatus; a first storage part 5 that stores a plurality of carrying containers loaded into said vertical heat treatment apparatus via the loading and unloading part; a heat treatment furnace 7 that accommodates a holder 6 holding a plurality of process objects at multiple levels to perform a predetermined heat treatment to the process objects; and a transfer 8 part that supports thereon a carrying container for transferring process objects between the holder and the carrying container, wherein an upper loading and unloading part 3 and a lower loading and unloading part 4 are provided as said at least one loading and unloading part, and a second storage part 20 that stores a carrying container is disposed between the upper and lower loading and unloading parts.

Abstract: The present invention relates to in-line equipment used to process substrates. In some applications, the equipment is used in the in-line manufacture PV cells or modules. In some embodiments, a heating system is provided that comprises a plurality of heating technologies for the heat treatment of substrates wherein a first heating system is used to rapidly raise the substrate temperature to the desired set point and a second heating system is used to maintain the substrate at the temperature set point throughout the thermal treatment process.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method and an apparatus for forming a selective emitter of a solar cell. The apparatus for forming a selective emitter of a solar cell in accordance with the embodiment of the present invention includes: a transport means configured to transport a substrate having a first emitter layer formed on an upper surface thereof, the first emitter layer having n-type impurities diffused and formed therein, a table configured to be supplied with the substrate from the transport means and to support the supplied substrate, a mask, being placed on the upper side of the first emitter layer and having a patterned opening, and a ramp, being located above the table and applying a heat energy to the first emitter layer that is exposed though the mask.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is method for use in a vertical heat treatment system which has an opening which is formed in a partition wall separating a housing-box transfer area from a treating-object transfer area (a wafer transfer area), and and through which an object to be treated is carried in the vertical heat treatment system to carry out a predetermined treatment. When the object to be treated is carried in via the opening of the partition wall, which separates the housing-box transfer area from the treating-object transfer area (wafer transfer area), to carry out a predetermined treatment, the structure of various mechanisms in the vicinity of the opening is simplified, and the space is saved.

Abstract: An apparatus for the heating of plastics material pre-forms includes a conveying device, which conveys the plastics material pre-forms along a pre-determined conveying path, and at least one heating device, which heats the plastics material pre-forms during the transportation thereof. The conveying path of the plastics material pre-forms extends at least locally through a sterile room, wherein the sterile room is separated from the environment by a plurality of walls.

Abstract: A multi-operation wafer baking system includes a chassis; a wafer loading device mounted on the chassis for laterally moving a wafer; a cruciform transportation device mounted on the chassis for receiving a wafer from the wafer loading device and including a base, an elevation platform, and a rotation platform mounted on the elevation platform and having four carrier arms for carrying wafers; an annular baking device mounted on the chassis to oppose the cruciform transportation device and including a central turn table, a plurality of wafer racks, and a plurality of baking tray assemblies functioning to receive wafers from corresponding wafer racks for performing a baking operation on the wafer; and an unloading device mounted on the chassis for receiving baked wafers. This system allows for baking wafers in a multi-operation manner to thereby improve throughput.

Abstract: In a charging process of a shaft furnace, in particular of a blast furnace, batches of charge material are typically discharged in cyclical sequence into the furnace from a top hopper using a flow control valve. A method and system is proposed for adjusting the flow rate of charge material in such a process. Pre-determined valve characteristics for certain types of material are provided, each indicating the relation between flow rate and valve setting for one type of material. According to the invention, a specific valve characteristic is stored for each batch of charge material, each specific valve characteristic being bijectively associated to one batch and indicating the relation between flow rate and valve setting of the flow control valve specifically for the associated batch.

Abstract: A device for treating a product that can be transported in a housing from an entry point to an exit point, particularly a torr factor for carrying out a roasting process utilizing a hardly flowable product forming nests and having no wall adhesion, wherein chambers are to be formed by disk-shaped elements disposed on a shaft.