Abstract: A reverse catenary muffle, and method of forming same, includes a planar lower surface, and first and second sidewalls extending upwardly in parallel relation from opposite, first and second edges, respectively, of the lower surface. A concave arch-shaped upper surface extending from upper ends of the first and second sidewalls wherein upper portions of the arch-shaped upper surface are defined at an interconnection of the upper surface with the sidewalls, and a central portion of the upper surface spaced from the lower surface.

Abstract: A furnace for heat treating material, and a system including the furnace, includes an outer support frame and an inner shell. The inner shell is connected to and at least partially received within the outer support frame. Further, the outer support frame and the inner shell are movable to open and close to receive and remove material from the inner shell.

Abstract: An axially-split radial turbine includes a forward rotor section and an aft rotor section being mechanically and abuttingly coupled to one another along an annular interface that resides within a plane generally orthogonal to a rotational axis of the axially-split radial turbine. The axially-split radial turbine can be provided as part of a gas turbine engine.

Abstract: Thermal protective layer on metallic and/or ceramic substrate surfaces within/on an outer cover, an inner cover, a base/door, and/or a support member within a bell annealing furnace has from about 5% to about 30% of an inorganic adhesive, from about 45% to about 92% of a filler and from about 1% to about 20% of one or more emissivity agents, or from about 5% to about 35% of colloidal silica, colloidal alumina, or combinations thereof, from about 23% to about 79% of a filler, and from about 1% to about 20% of one or more emissivity agents.

Abstract: An insulated, self-annealing enclosure is taught, having an enclosure body for encasing one or more heated sheet metal coils, having an open bottom for receiving the heated coils and a floor that sealingly engages the open bottom of the enclosure body. A method is also taught for batch production of annealed sheet metal coils by loading a first batch of coils into an annealing furnace and heating the coils to a predetermined temperature. Next, the heated coils are transferred to a self-annealing enclosure. A second batch of coils is then loaded into the annealing furnace. Finally, a method is described for annealing sheet metal coils, involving heating the coils in an annealing furnace to a predetermined temperature, then loading the heated coils into a self-annealing enclosure and holding the heated coils inside the enclosure for a predetermined length of time.

Abstract: The invention describes a hood-type annealing furnace, especially for steel strip or wire bunches, with an annealing base (1) for receiving the material (7) to be annealed, a protective hood (8) which is placed on the furnace in a gas-tight manner, a radial blower (2) which is held in the annealing base (1) and comprises a blade wheel (3) and a guide apparatus (5) enclosing the blade wheel (3) for circulating a protective gas in the protective hood (8), a heat exchanger (11) for cooling the protective gas, which heat exchanger (11) is connected on the input side via a flow conduit (13) with the pressure side of the radial blower (2) and opens on the output side in an annular gap (12) between the guide apparatus (5) and the protective hood (8), and a deflection device which is axially displaceable into the pressure-side flow path of the radial blower (2) for the optional connection to the radial blower (2) of the flow conduit (13) which leads to the heat exchanger (11).

Abstract: An apparatus for thermally processing a microelectronic workpiece is set forth. The apparatus comprises a first assembly and a second assembly, disposed opposite one another, with an actuator disposed to provide relative movement between the first assembly and second assembly. More particularly, the actuator provides relative movement between at least a loading position in which the first assembly is in a state for loading or unloading of the microelectronic workpiece, and a thermal processing position in which the first assembly and second assembly are proximate one another and form a thermal processing chamber. A thermal transfer unit is disposed in the second assembly and has a workpiece support surface that is heated and cooled in a controlled manner.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for processing a microelectronic workpiece at an elevated temperature. In one embodiment, the apparatus includes a workpiece support positioned to engage and support the microelectronic workpiece during operation. The apparatus can further include a heat source having a solid engaging surface positioned to engage a surface of the microelectronic workpiece with at least one of the heat source and the workpiece support being movable relative to the other between a first position with the microelectronic workpiece contacting the engaging surface of the heat source and a second position with the microelectronic workpiece spaced apart from the engaging surface. The heat source is sized to transfer heat to the microelectronic workpiece at a rate sufficient to thermally process a selected material of the microelectronic workpiece when the microelectronic workpiece is engaged with the heat source.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermally processing a microelectronic workpiece is set forth. The apparatus comprises a first assembly and a second assembly, disposed opposite one another, with an actuator disposed to provide relative movement between the first assembly and second assembly. More particularly, the actuator provides relative movement between at least a loading position in which the first assembly is in a state for loading or unloading of the microelectronic workpiece, and a thermal processing position in which the first assembly and second assembly are proximate one another and form a thermal processing chamber. A thermal transfer unit is disposed in the second assembly and has a workpiece support surface that is heated and cooled in a controlled manner.

Abstract: A top hat annealing furnace with pivoting features. The annealing furnace has an annealing understructure, an annealing hood, a heating hood and a cooling hood. The annealing understructure and the annealing hood are supported so that they can be tilted between an operating position and a loading position. The heating hood and the cooling hood are provided with doors, which can be closed when the furnace is in use, and opened when it cycle is completed. When the doors of either hood are open and the hood is oriented vertically, the hood can be moved horizontally relative to the annealing hood.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a semiconductor manufacturing furnace having a heat blocker mounted to an elevating plate of the furnace. The heat blocker prevents the internal temperature of the furnace from decreasing radically when a wafer boat is lowered from the processing chamber of the furnace by the elevating plate. The heat blocker includes a sealed case, a plurality of horizontally extending heat-reflecting plates disposed in the case, and a plurality of support pins for supporting and fixing the reflecting plates in place. The heat-reflecting plates reflect heat back up into the processing chamber, as the elevating plate lowers the wafer boat, to keep the internal temperature of the heater stable. This not only enhances the productivity of the manufacturing process but also enhances the uniformity of the processed wafers.

Abstract: A box annealing furnace for annealing a metal sheet includes an oxygen removal unit for removing oxygen from the atmosphere in a box annealing furnace, with a gas circulation system for withdrawing atmosphere from the box annealing furnace during annealing, treating the gas, and for refeeding the deoxidized gas to the box annealing furnace. The box annealing furnace may also include a moisture removal unit for removing moisture from the gas. The oxygen removal unit and the moisture removal unit can reliably remove oxygen and moisture from the gas and suppress the formation, during annealing, of oxide film on a ferrous metal sheet.

Abstract: A top hat furnace especially adapted for annealing steel sheet metal using a protective gas includes a protective top surrounding the batches of sheet steel metal. A cooling top is arranged above the protective top forming an intermediate space. The cooling top has a cover and a lid. The cover of the cooling top has a plurality of air nozzles so that cooling air impacts the protective top in the form of jets. At least one fan produces a flow of cooling air in the intermediate space. The distance between the air nozzles increases from the bottom of the cover towards it upper end. The distance between the nozzles is from four to twelve times greater than is the diameter of each nozzle. The cooling lid is also provided with a plurality of air nozzles. The distance between the nozzles in the cooling lid is from four to seven times greater than is the diameter of each of these nozzles.

Abstract: An annealing furnace is disclosed including at least one inner cover for retaining a stack of metal coils to be annealed in an inert atmosphere. A furnace shell is provided for receiving said at least one inner cover and providing an internal furnace environment. A furnace floor is provided for retaining the furnace shell and inner cover. A plurality of burners are received in said furnace floor, and configured around the inner cover so as to fire into the internal furnace environment along side the inner cover without impingement of the flame on the inner cover. A control system sequentially fires each of said plurality of burners in order to establish and maintain a desired thermal distribution among the stacks within the inner cover.

Abstract: Fresh gas is blown into the ring-shaped space between the annealing charge and the hood as an upwardly directed high-speed jet (9) at a velocity of approximately 80 m/s. The gas mixture which forms is evacuated through a gas outlet (10) arranged in the pedestal and diametrically opposite to the gas inlet. At a volume flow rate of about 130 m.sup.3 /s, rinsing takes about 6 minutes.

Abstract: Method and apparatus is disclosed for heat treating coiled, metal strip in bell shaped annealing furnaces employing an annealing stand upon which coils of strip are vertically stacked. An inner cover removably sealed to the stand surrounds the coil and an outer cover surrounds the inner cover. A vacuum is drawn within the inner cover while the work is being preheated to volatize oil on the coil into hydrocarbon vapors and permit the hydrocarbons to be drawn off prior to annealing so that carbon soot formation does not occur. A unique concentric, two seal arrangement is disclosed which provides for drawing a vacuum between the seals to positively seal the inner cover to the base while providing a fail safe mechanism for monitoring the process thus permitting a potentially explosive reducing atmosphere, such as pure hydrogen, to be used in the annealing furnace in a safe manner.

Abstract: Method and apparatus is disclosed for heat treating coiled, metal strip in bell shaped annealing furnaces employing an annealing stand upon which coils of strip are vertically stacked. An inner cover removably sealed to the stand surrounds the coil and an outer cover surrounds the inner cover. A vacuum is drawn within the inner cover while the work is being preheated to volatize oil on the coil into hydrocarbon vapors and permit the hydrocarbons to be drawn off prior to annealing so that carbon soot formation does not occur. A unique concentric, two seal arrangement is disclosed which provides for drawing a vacuum between the seals to positively seal the inner cover to the base while providing a fail safe mechanism for monitoring the process thus permitting a potentially explosive reducing atmosphere, such as pure hydrogen, to be used in the annealing furnace in a safe manner.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus having a heat treatment boat with a plurality of wafers held thereon, which is to be loaded in a reaction vessel which has one end opened. Once loaded, the boat effects a seal of the reaction vessel, in preparation for subjecting the wafers to heat treatment. The boat also has a heat-insulator disposed on its lower end for heat-insulating the interior of the reaction vessel during the heat-treatment. The heat-insulator includes composite plates having a metal film layer on an upper surface for reflecting heat rays generated during the heat treatment of the reaction vessel, and a cylinder enclosing the composite plates. Thus, sufficient heat-insulating effect for the heat treatment can be obtained, and stable heat-treatment can be conducted with the sufficient heat-insulating effect secured. Furthermore, the generation of particles can be suppressed, and yields of the heat treatment can be improved.

Abstract: An improved batch coil furnace is disclosed in that the annealing stand or base of the furnace is provided with a source for auxiliary heating or cooling of the work. A cylindrical containment wall is heated by hot burner products of combustion convectively impinging the outside surface of the containment wall. A unique jet tube impingement bundle is positioned within the base to form the recirculating cover atmosphere into jet streams which convectively impinge the inside surface of the containment wall. The furnace atmosphere is thus heated prior to being recirculated into the inner cover with the result that the temperatures of all the coils within the inner cover are more uniform. Provisions are made for cooling the outside surface of the containment wall after the coils have been heated to their transformation temperature.

Abstract: An improved cooling cover is disclosed for use in bell shaped annealing furnaces. The cooling cover includes a jet nozzle orifice arrangement which develops jet streams from a low pressurized supply of air at ambient temperature in the plenum chamber of the cooling cover. A multitude of free standing jet streams thus impinge the inner cover of the bell shaped annealing stand to produce improved cooling times. Importantly, the plenum chamber includes strategically placed axial jet pump outlets which are effective to draw the jet streams from the cooling cover after they have been in heat transfer contact with the inner cover in a distribution pattern which is not altered so that the work or coils within the inner cover can be more uniformly cooled than heretofore possible.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method of nitriding steel material in a second heat treatment furnace after fluorinating the steel material in a first heat treat furnace to form a deep and uniform nitrided layer. Then, steel material is treated smoothly by defining the ratio of establishing said both furnaces for fluorinating and nitriding on the basis of treating time required for said both treatments since time required for each treatment is different.

Abstract: A vertical heat treatment apparatus includes a reaction furnace constituted by a reaction chamber having an inner tube and an outer tube and a heater arranged outside the reaction chamber, a manifold communicating with a lower portion of the reaction chamber to support the reaction chamber and a gas being supplied and exhausted through the mainfold, a hollow vessel, arranged together with the boat in the reaction furnace, for supporting a lower end of a boat having objects, and a plurality of first heat-insulating members detachably arranged in the hollow vessel, wherein the number of the first insulating members is adjusted to adjust a heat-insulating effect. The first heat-insulating member includes a fin unit constituted by fins horizontally arranged at predetermined intervals and spacers for keeping the intervals between the fins.

Abstract: A sintering furnace includes an upper housing having a gas permeable insulating enclosure therein, with heating elements within the enclosure, and a lower housing having a hearth against which the insulating enclosure rests. Sweep gas is introduced to the interior of the upper housing, outside of the insulating enclosure. The sweep gas flows through the porous enclosure, past the pieces being sintered to sweep organics away, and out of the enclosure through an organics sink post extending upwardly from the hearth. The sink post is hollow and has openings therein, and is in communication with an external trap and vacuum pump, so that the organic-laden sweep gas is drawn out of the furnace. The insulating enclosure includes a gas barrier having openings therethrough and insulation layers on either side, the openings being sized such that the flow of sweep gas prevents diffusion of organic vapor out of the enclosure into the upper housing.

Abstract: An apparatus for treating a work item includes a cover member and a base member on which the cover member is supported. A work space is defined between the base member and the cover member for receiving at least one associated work item which is positioned therein. A first sealing member is positioned between the base member and the cover member for sealing the work space against the environment. A hood member is provided for enclosing the cover member and defining a heating and cooling space therebetween. A cooling apparatus is also provided for cooling the first seal member. The cooling apparatus comprises a first cooling fluid channel which is secured to the base member, a second cooling fluid channel which is secured to the cover member and a cooling fluid trough which is secured adjacent to the second cooling fluid channel.

Abstract: A controlled environment capsule for fluxless brazing comprising an open-bottom box, an end-plate and a foil gasket sealing means. Diffusion plates are disposed within the interior of the box and connected to an external source of inert gas. The inert gas is uniformly distributed over the work piece, excluding air from the capsule and the work piece by being maintained at a positive pressure relative to the external environment.

Abstract: In a process for producing a grain-oriented electromagnetic steel strip or sheet by annealing, for primary recrystallization, a cold rolled electromagnetic steel strip or sheet having a final thickness, and subjecting said strip or sheet to secondary recrystallization annealing by heating it so that any portion of said strip or sheet along its width or length may pass through the boundary between the temperature ranges for primary recrystallization and secondary recrystallization with a predetermined temperature gradient, the improvement wherein said secondary recrystallization annealing is achieved by applying a principal supply of heat to at least one end of a coil of said strip or a stack or a plurality of said sheets.

Abstract: An apparatus for heat treating a work item includes a cover member and a base member on which the cover member is supported. A work space is defined between the base member and the cover member for receiving at least one work item which is positioned therein. A seal member is located between the base member and the cover member for sealing the work space against the entry and exit of gas. A valving system is provided for regulating the entrance and exit of a gas to and from the work space. The valving system is in fluid communication with the work space and includes a relief valve member for allowing the exhaust of the gas from the work space when gas pressure therein exceeds a predetermined limit.

Abstract: A rotary hearth finish annealing furnace includes coil tables carrying thereon steel plate coils to be annealed with their axes being vertical, a hearth traveling along a circle having a predetermined radius and supporting thereabove the coil tables, inner covers covering the coils on the coil tables, and a protective cover covering the above members over a predetermined distance.According to the invention, heating means for heating the coils are arranged at a level above upper ends of the steel plate coils. In a preferred embodiment, the coil tables are arranged so as to permit the coils to be arranged thereon in at least two circular rows on a single plane concentric to said traveling circle of the hearth. Moreover, portions of the hearth subjected to loads of the coils and coil tables are made of comparatively high strength bricks and the other portions are made of a light weight refractory material.

Abstract: Apparatus and process is disclosed for heat treating of material in a furnace comprising a fan driven by an electric motor, a load sensor which senses the motor load and a speed controller responsive to the load sensor signal for controlling the speed of the electric motor.

Abstract: A batch annealing apparatus comprises a bell-shaped furnace, a base plate, an inner cover, plus a bottom chamber that opens upward, has an inside diameter slightly larger than the outside diameter of a metal coil to be treated therein, is capable of accommodating the metal coil, and disposed below the furnace. A cylindrical stationary base coaxially extends upward from the bottom of the bottom chamber. The stationary base has a partition with an outside diameter slightly smaller than the inside diameter of the metal coil that is formed at a point corresponding to the opening of the bottom chamber. The base plate is annular in shape, equipped with cooling means, and supported by elevatable supporting means that passes through the bottom of the bottom chamber. The lower end of the supporting means is connected to an elevating device.

Abstract: A furnace system is described having a rotatable table with five stations, a loading station, a preheating station, a heating station, a cooling station and an unloading station. A furnace having three compartments, a preheating compartment, a heating compartment and a cooling compartment is vertically movable so that a steel charge to be annealed located on the rotatable table may be moved from one station to another when the furnace is lifted out of contact with the table. Air ducts are provided to transfer heated air from the cooling station to the preheating station. The system is very efficient for, when one charge is cooling a succeeding charge is being heated while the next succeeding charge is being preheated. At the same time a charge can be loaded and another charge can be unloaded. Thus, five steps of an annealing cycle can be accomplished simultaneously allowing an annealed charge to be completely cycled during each step.

Abstract: A load support diffuser adapted to support a vertical stack of coils in an annealing furnace and means for cooling a protective atmospheric gas within said furnace, the diffuser comprising a flat circular base plate, a plurality of outer load support members secured to spaced portions of the outer periphery of the base plate, a flow deflecting ramp disposed between each pair of adjacent spaced outer load support members, spaced vertical radial inner load support members spaced inwardly on the base plate from the outer load support members, a cooling member disposed in an annular space provided in the diffuser between said outer and inner support members.

Abstract: The invention provides a loading system for the charge of an annealing furnace of the kind intended for the treatment of a stack of coils mounted one on top of the other with their central cores in register with one another, a protective heat exchange gas atmosphere being circulated around the stack within a cylindrical bell-shaped muffle cover to heat and subsequently cool the charge. The system comprises a diffuser member having a gas impeller at its center that receives gas passing downwards through the coil cores and discharges it radially into the annular space between the stack and the muffle cover in a preferred helical path. The stack rests on a load member placed on the diffuser member, a convector plate is interposed between each pair of superimposed coils and the stack is completed by a top member and a plug member.

Abstract: A diffuser adapted for transmitting thermal energy by conduction across metallic members and by convection of a heat-treating gas in an annealing furnace is comprised of a base, a diffuser member having a plurality of radial gas passages, and an in-line cooling member disposed longitudinally within each of the radial passages; which cooling member includes a cooling fluid inlet, at least one radial cooling fluid leg having a longitudinal axis extending substantially in the direction of the gas flow through the radial passage, and a cooling fluid outlet.

Abstract: A device limits the oxidation of the surface of hot metallic dross by preventing access of oxygen to the dross. The device includes a metal bell which is open at the bottom and can be moved vertically, a concrete base standing in a tank containing water and a shallow container for holding the dross. The bell includes a number of metallic supports projecting from its lower edge to support the bell as it rests in the water filled tank.