Abstract: A flow control device has a duct section with a plurality of damper blocking elements, each having a major plane. The damper blocking elements are pivotably connected to the duct section and movable in a range that is limited to ensure that, when the duct section is mounted in a preferred orientation, the damper blocking element major planes always form an angle of at least 45 degrees from the horizontal throughout the range. The range is such that the plurality of damper blocking elements can selectively close and open the duct. The blocking elements can completely close the duct, for example, to block natural convection.

Abstract: A method of thermally cycling an object includes alternately contacting the object with vapor from each of a first liquid-vapor two-phase system and of a second liquid-vapor two-phase system of a working fluid, each of the systems two-phase including a liquid phase and a separate vapor phase. The first system two-phase is at a higher temperature and pressure than the second system two-phase. The object can include one or more layers of an electrically or magnetically polarizable material. The object can be housed in a chamber thermal and alternately contacted with vapor from the first liquid-vapor two-phase system and the second liquid-vapor two-phase system contained in a first reservoir and in a second reservoir, respectively.

Abstract: A device for heating a substrate according to a predetermined temperature profile for crystallizing a material on the substrate includes: a housing, at least a process chamber situated inside the housing and provided with a first and second opening for passing through a substrate, an inlet for introducing a process gas which includes the material in vapour phase into the chamber, at least two transport rollers attached to the housing for transporting the substrate into the chamber. The device further includes passage spaces for preventing the escape of process gas from the chamber to a space between the chamber and housing, which are situated near respective ends of the transport rollers in the chamber, the respective passage spaces having a first passage opening on an inner wall of the chamber, a second passage opening on an outer wall of the chamber and a first flange fixed around the transport roller.

Abstract: Substrate heat treatment apparatus and method are provided. According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a substrate heat treatment apparatus including an inner shell configured to form a substrate housing space to house at least one substrate, an outer shell configured to cover the inner shell, and having at least one gas hole, and at least one heater configured to heat the substrate, wherein the at least one gas hole is configured to allow a first gas to be injected into a space between the inner shell and the outer shell.

Abstract: A method and system of temperature control of heavy hydrocarbons in a consist of rail cars is disclosed wherein waste heat from one or more of the locomotives propelling the train is utilized to heat the heavy hydrocarbons in a consist or ambient air is used to cool the heavy hydrocarbon cargo. The train is typically comprised of tanker cars that can be filled with raw heavy hydrocarbon, not dilbit thus allowing about 20% to about 30% additional heavy hydrocarbon to be transported in each tanker car. The system can keep the heavy hydrocarbon at a first, lower temperature en route and increase temperature to a second higher temperature as the train nears its terminus so that the tanker cars can be quickly emptied of their contents at the receiving terminal without the need to heat the tanker cars at the unloading terminal. The method disclosed herein for heating tanker cars in transit is to utilize waste heat from the locomotive diesel or gas turbine engines which is otherwise exhausted to the atmosphere.

Abstract: The invention relates to a hot air internal ignition burner/generator comprising an injection device used for producing a high-speed fuel gas mixture stream and for injecting said stream into the burner head (2) which is tabular-shaped and comprises in-series arranged therein a pressure recovery chamber (10), an igniting chamber (11) and simple or multiple diffusion means (24) which are fixed inside the head (2), where two chambers are jointed, wherein said diffusion means (24) comprise a central orifice provided with an igniting tube which penetrates therein and axially extends inside the pressure recovery chamber (10) in such a way that it defines the ignition chamber (43) provided with igniting electrodes (42) connected to the pressure recovery chamber (10) of the burner (2) via a calibrated orifice (46).

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to semiconductor wafer fabrication and more particularly but not exclusively to advanced process control methodologies for controlling oxide formation using pressure. The present invention, in one or more implementations, includes a pressure stabilization system to dynamically adjust scavenger pressure in a furnace during wafer fabrication in relation to a pressure formation range, value, or one or more pressure indicators in a wafer fabrication process.

Abstract: Contemplated devices and methods reduce heat loss and energy demand of a carbon baking ring furnace by employing a preferably internal bypass conduit that feeds a portion of a heated cooling air stream from the cooling zone directly to the flue ducts of the firing and/or pre-heat zones.

Abstract: Contemplated devices and methods reduce heat loss and energy demand in a ring furnace by heating an additional oxygen containing stream in a supplemental oxygen conduit that is thermally coupled to a flue duct of a cooling zone. The so heated additional oxygen containing stream is then fed to the firing and/or pre-heat zones to increases combustion of volatiles and to reduce fuel demand by recycling waste heat to the firing and/or pre-heat zones.

Abstract: A hot air generator comprising a handle (12), an elongated nozzle (14), flame generating means (6), a venturi (4), a gas conduit (162) intended to bring a combustible gas into the elongated nozzle (14) and at the flame generating means (6), an air conduit (164) intended for bringing compressed air into the elongated nozzle (14) and downstream from the venturi; characterized in that the generator further comprises a servocontrolled pressure regulator (2) controlling a gas pressure (Pd.g) in the gas conduit (162) depending on an air pressure (Pd.a) in the air conduit (164).

Abstract: A controller is provided for a gas valve including a movable valve element, a main diaphragm chamber having a main diaphragm therein coupled to the valve element to displace the valve element relative to a valve opening, and a servo-regulator diaphragm for regulating flow of gas that acts against the main diaphragm, to adjust the valve element and vary the flow rate. A stepper motor is configured to move in a stepwise manner to displace the servo-regulator diaphragm to adjust the valve element and gas flow rate. The controller for the stepper motor includes a microprocessor that receives an input signal indicating an operating capacity level, and determines the steps the stepper motor must move to displace the servo-regulator diaphragm to establish a flow rate corresponding to the operating capacity level. The microprocessor generates a signal to move the stepper motor the number of steps to adjust the gas valve.

Abstract: A vertical heat treatment apparatus including a furnace body having a heating section in the inner circumferential surface; a treatment container for housing a plurality of objects W to be treated. An air supply line is connected to the furnace body, and an air exhaust line is connected to the furnace body. An air supply blower and an air supply line valve mechanism, and an air exhaust blower and an air exhaust line valve mechanism are provided in the air supply line and the air exhaust line, respectively. A pressure detection system is provided for detecting the pressure in the space. A control section controls, based on a detection signal from the pressure detection system the blowers, the air supply line valve mechanism and the air exhaust line valve mechanism to keep the space at a slightly negative pressure.

Abstract: A substrate heating apparatus includes a container configured to be maintained in a depressurized state; and a substrate mounting table having a plurality of substrate support pins on its upper surface. The substrate mounting table is configured to mount a substrate while providing a gap between the upper surface of the substrate mounting table and the substrate. The substrate heating apparatus further includes a heater configured to heat the substrate through the substrate mounting table; a pressure regulator configured to regulate a pressure in the container; a temperature controller configured to control an output of the heater so as to control a temperature of the substrate mounting table; and a pressure controller configured to control the pressure regulator so as to control the pressure in the container.

Abstract: A hot air generator comprising a handle (12), an elongated nozzle (14), flame generating means (6), a venturi (4), a gas conduit (162) intended to bring a combustible gas into the elongated nozzle (14) and at the flame generating means (6), an air conduit (164) intended for bringing compressed air into the elongated nozzle (14) and downstream from the venturi; characterized in that the generator further comprises a servocontrolled pressure regulator (2) controlling a gas pressure (Pd.g) in the gas conduit (162) depending on an air pressure (Pd.a) in the air conduit (164).

Abstract: The invention provides a heat treatment apparatus, in which an intake valve (91a) is mounted on an ambient gas feed pipe (91) connected to a heating chamber (12), an exhaust valve (131a) is mounted on an exhaust pipe (131), and a pressure sensor (150) is provided on the heating chamber (12). Through the control of a control unit (80) connected to the pressure sensor (150), to the intake valve (91a) and to the exhaust valve (131a), the intake valve (91a) and the exhaust valve (131a) are opened or closed, thus supplying ambient gas into the heating chamber (12) or exhausting ambient gas from the cooling chamber (13) depending on an internal pressure of the heating chamber (12). Thus, the amount of ambient gas used in heat treating workpieces (1) is minimized and thus operational costs are reduced. It is possible to prevent accidents such as gas explosions as well as to reduce environmental contamination caused by the combustion of ambient gas.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to semiconductor wafer fabrication and more particularly but not exclusively to advanced process control methodologies for controlling oxide formation using pressure. The present invention, in one or more implementations, includes a pressure stabilization system to dynamically adjust scavenger pressure in a furnace during wafer fabrication in relation to a pressure formation range, value, or one or more pressure indicators in a wafer fabrication process.

Abstract: A method of controlling a furnace pressure for preventing air from intruding to a heating furnace, a method of stable operation during low combustion load of heat regenerating burners and a method of measuring concentration of an atmospheric gas in a heating furnace are proposed.

Abstract: A process controls oxy-boost firing and air-fuel burner firing in furnaces, including large glass furnaces such as float furnaces. The large side-fired regenerative float furnaces use oxy-boost firing for a variety of reasons, including production increase, improved glass quality, lowering of superstructure temperatures, and reduction of emissions. An adaptive controller receives input data from process parameter sensors throughout the furnace, and adjusts its control logic for controlling both the oxy-boost burners and the air-fuel port burners.

Abstract: A system for melting and delivering glass to a work area such as spinners for making fiberglass includes a melter with heaters so arranged that the “hot spot” in the molten glass is located away from the walls and corrosion sensitive parts so that the various elements of the melter wear out at substantially the same time. The system is further provided with a dual exhaust arrangement when the melter, conditioner and forehearth are located on the same floor of the plant, the first exhaust being at the juncture of the melter and conditioner, and the second being an alternating replacement for one of the heating/cooling orifices and mechanisms in the conditioner, so as to effectively limit the amount of corrosive volatiles reaching the forehearth.

Abstract: A process for regulating a furnace which includes a sequence of sections, cooling sections, baking sections, and preheating sections, in which the preheating sections at the tail are fitted with exhaust pipes for combustion gases, and in the transverse direction with a series of flue walls and pits in which blocks containing carbon to be baked are stacked, in which gas streams circulate through the flue walls. The mass flow in each of the streams of combustion exhaust gases is regulated by measuring this flow and the temperature in order to obtain a predetermined set value of energy flux.

Abstract: A method for controlling kiln pressure for a shuttle kiln having an exhaust gas fan and an exhaust gas damper in an exhaust gas passage includes the steps of performing a control operation for controlling the number of revolution of the exhaust gas fan to control flow rate of the exhaust gas to maintain the kiln pressure at a predetermined pressure, and performing a control operation for adjusting opening of the exhaust gas damper based on the number of revolution of the exhaust gas fan. The method can expand the control range of exhaust gas flow, and operation with energy saving efficiency can be performed.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for supplying gas to a chamber which is supplied via a supply network which includes at least one primary line connected in its upstream part to a supply of the said gas, and at least two respective secondary lines connected to the primary lines, being characterized in that the content of a given component of the atmosphere in the chamber is measured at least at one point in the chamber, the measured content is compared with at least one predetermined control value for the content of the said component of the atmosphere in the chamber at the said point and, where necessary, the pressure of the gas at one of the points in the network is varied, depending on the result of this comparison.

Abstract: A system for delivering a liquid phase precursor fluid into a process chamber as a vapor phase fluid at constant pressure, the system comprising: a vaporizer for vaporizing the liquid phase precursor fluid prior to injecting the vapor phase fluid precursor into the process chamber, and a controllable device for transporting a preselected volume of the liquid phase fluid precursor from a reservoir to the vaporizer responsive to the pressure at the outlet of the vaporizer prior to entering the process chamber where the transport device is operated as the pressure at the outlet of the vaporizer canister drops, whereby system pressure perturbances are minimized prior to entering the process chamber.

Abstract: A furnace, for instance a reflow soldering oven, in which oxygen concentration is either directly or inferentially sensed within central processing and either one or both of the inlet and outlet sections of the furnace. Signals generated by these sensors are processed in a PID controller to generate a control signal to control the flow rate of inerting gas into the central processing section, thereby to at least inhibit ingress of air into the central processing section. The PID controller is programmed such that its integral error term is set equal to a time average of the oxygen concentrations of the central processing section less an oxygen concentration set point desired for the central processing section. The proportional and differential error terms are set equal to a time average of the concentrations of the central processing section and one or both of the inlet and outlet sections of the furnace less the oxygen concentration set point.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a draft inducer for use with a furnace. The draft inducer includes a fan for inducing a draft in the furnace combustion chamber that causes a pressure drop across a heat exchanger assembly for moving exhaust combustion chamber gases. The heat exchanger assembly has a plurality of heat exchanger elements which determine furnace capacity wherein the pressure drop across the heat exchanger assembly is affected by the furnace capacity. A motor drives the fan in response to a motor control signal and a memory stores information defining a relationship between motor speed, motor torque and parameters defining motor operation. A processor determines the speed and torque of the motor and retrieves from the memory the parameters corresponding to the determined motor speed and motor torque. The processor is responsive to the retrieved parameters for defining at least one set of speed/torque curves corresponding to a desired pressure drop across the heat exchanger assembly.

Abstract: Systems and methods for controlling a draft inducer for use with a furnace. The draft inducer includes a motor for driving a fan for inducing a draft in the furnace that causes a pressure drop across the heat exchanger of the furnace. A memory stores information including a table of predefined speed/torque values for defining a set of speed/torque curves for operating the motor. A pressure switch provides a pressure signal representative of a reference pressure across the heat exchanger and a processor determines the speed and torque of the motor when the pressure drop corresponds to the reference pressure. In response to the determined motor speed and motor torque, the processor retrieves a parameter defining at least one delta value from the memory. The processor adapts the predefined speed/torque values as a function of the delta value thereby to define the speed/torque curves corresponding to a desired pressure drop.

Abstract: An apparatus for stretching the span of a hand includes a base member and a pair of spaced pegs; one peg for engaging the first metacarpal and one peg for engaging the fifth metacarpal of the hand. The pegs are mounted for relative adjustment in the base member. More particularly, the peg for engaging the first metacarpal is received in a straight guide way or slot extending through the base member. The second peg for engaging the fifth metacarpal is received in an arcuate guide track or slot extending through the base member in an arc about the first peg. Graduations are provided to identify relative positions along the guide way and guide track. A method for stretching the span of a hand includes engaging the hand between the first and second metacarpals with a first peg and between the fourth and fifth metacarpals at a spaced stretching distance with a second peg. Next is repeatedly pressing the hand against the pegs to provide stretching.

Abstract: The temperature of articles in an "environmental" chamber is stabilized by evacuation of the "environmental" chamber, after having stabilized the temperature of such an article to approximate that of a controlled-temperature member spaced from the article by a small gap, to a pressure just sufficient to provide viscous gas behavior, adjusting the temperature of the article to closely match that of the member by gas conduction heat transfer across the gap, and evacuating the chamber to high vacuum.

Abstract: A heat treating apparatus which comprises a core tube for containing a material to be treated, a heating furnace surrounding the core tube, core tube gas supply means for supplying gas into the core tube, furnace gas supply means for supplying gas into a furnace body of the furnace, differential pressure detecting means for detecting the differential pressure between the pressure in the core tube and the gas pressure in the body, and differential pressure regulating means for regulating the differential pressure between the gas pressure in the core tube and the gas pressure in the body on the basis of a differential pressure signal from the detecting means. The apparatus is operated by regulating the gas pressure in the core tube so that the differential pressure between the gas pressure in the core tube and the gas pressure in the body fall within a tolerable range, thereby preventing the core tube from deforming.

Abstract: A tunnel oven 20 has a baking chamber divided by partitions 21 into a plurality of longitudinally extending zones 22. The oven heating system comprises upper and lower heater ducts 6a, 6b through which hot gases are passed, using a blower 24 for each zone 22. The intake of each blower 24 is within the associated zone 22 and is disposed adjacent the outlet end of an inlet duct 11 which leads into the lower part of the zone. An outlet 8 leads out of the upper part of each zone 22. The entry end 27 of the inlet duct 11 is open to atmosphere whereby fresh air is introduced into the duct. The exit end of the outlet duct 8 is connected to an exhaust fan 7 whereby gases are extracted from the zone 22 by way of the outlet duct 8 to an exhaust flue 18. Dampers 12 and 10 comprise first and second regulating means for controlling flow through the inlet and outlet ducts 11 and 8.

Abstract: Gases are blown into the kiln through its shell by means of shell pipes or nozzle blocks. The rates at which gases actually enter the kiln are ascertained in that the pressure in each supply duct is pneumatically tapped at a constriction and is applied to a transducer, which is secured to the kiln. A differential pressure is ascertained by the transducer and converted to an electric signal, which is delivered to a control station via slip rings, which are secured to the kiln, and stationary taps.

Abstract: A process for the production of heated aggregate mix, such as bituminous mix, and a reactor for carrying out the process. In one aspect, the process entails the control of gas flow through a tumbler drum, preferably by controlling exhaust from the drum, in dependence upon the continuous monitoring of a parameter, such as gas pressure within the drum. In a second aspect the aggregate contents of the drum are heated by using a burner to preheat the gas flow, a technique which permits admission of the drum feed as a homogenous stabilized mix.

Abstract: The pressure of heated gases supplied by a furnace to an induced draft, rotating drum drier, through which the material being dried is moved primarily by the heated gases, is compared with the pressure of gases discharging from the drum, and the differential between these pressures is used in controlling the induced draft of the drum by decreasing the draft upon an increase in differential pressure and increasing the draft upon a decrease in differential pressure. The differential in pressure may be maintained at a value on the order of 1.2 to 1.6 inches H.sub.2 O, depending on the installation. The induced draft may be controlled at a damper between a discharge chamber for the furnace and an induced draft fan, through an electro-hydraulic actuator acting through a lever and a rod, the lever being manually settable when automatic operation is not used.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the heat treatment of volatile containing materials in a rotary hearth type furnace wherein the flue gases emanating from the calciner are employed to create either a positive or negative pressure within the calciner hearth as well as the soaking pit area of the said calciner.

Abstract: Uniform heat treatment of particulate material of nonuniform gradation in a vertical heat treating vessel such as a vertical kiln or retort is affected by regulating the heat input to a heat treating zone in the vessel in response to changes in specific gravity of the mass of particles passing into the heat treating zone as detected by measurements such as differential pressure changes of combustion supporting fluid and process gas flowing into and from the heat treating zone to result in a balance between particulate mass flow and heat input and substantially uniformly heat treated particulate material.