Abstract: A heater that may include an outer housing and an inner tube is provided. The inner tube is in a coaxial relation to and within the outer housing. An inward facing surface of the inner tube defines a volume sufficient to receive a reaction capsule, and the outward facing surface is radially spaced from an inward facing surface of the outer housing sufficient to define a gap. A filler material is disposed within the gap. The filler material responds to pressure such that the filler volume is reduced by less than 5 volume percent at greater than 500 MPa pressure and at greater than 500° C. temperature. One or more heating elements are disposed in the gap. The heating elements are in thermal communication with the inner tube.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for heat treatment of powdery products (1), in particular powders, characterized in that said products are heated right up to a temperature of at least 700° C. in a passage tube (5) for current, positioned tilted with respect to a horizontal plane (P) and preferably substantially vertically with respect to this plane, said products flowing in said tube essentially by gravity. A device for applying this method is also described.

Abstract: A novel heat treatment apparatus is provided which comprises a first tube, a second tube placed therein, and a heater. A semiconductor article is heat treated in the second tube in an atmospheric gas. At least an internal face of the second tube is constructed from non-silicon oxide, and the first tube is constructed from vitreous silica. In this way, hydrogen gas is fed to a wafer without passing over a face comprised of silicon oxide heated to a high temperature. This apparatus prevents metal contamination of the wafer by fused quartz tube as the contamination source and also prevents etching of silicon by reaction of silicon oxide and silicon.

Abstract: In a thermal analysis process for investigating thermal phase transformations, a sample and a reference substance are placed into a furnace with rising temperature of a predetermined rate operated by a programmed temperature controller. The temperatures of the sample and reference substance are sensed by temperature sensors. The temperature difference is determined by a device having an output signal which is proportional to the temperature difference and which is generated by the known quasi-static heating technique. The temperature difference is automatically controlled continuously so that the thermal phase transformation of the sample takes place at a constant rate. The output signal which is function of time t, is integrated with respect to time by an integrating unit and the output signal of the integrating unit is further transformed into a signal dependent on the temperature of the sample.

Abstract: The treatment chamber in the furnace is delimited by a liner of refractory material. In order to increase the life thereof and in particular to restrict the sensitivity to deposits deposited by the process gas fed through the furnace, it is proposed to make the liner of a silicon carbide material. To seal the furnace chamber, a second liner of quartz material is placed around a liner of this type and the gap between the two liners is flushed.

Abstract: A vertical rapid thermal processing (RTP) system (10) is provided, comprising a vertical process chamber (20) extending along a longitudinal axis (X), and a movable platform (32) disposed within the process chamber and having a support surface upon which one or more substrates such as semiconductor wafers (W) may be mounted for processing. A temperature control subsystem (56, 58, 60) establishes a continuous temperature gradient within the vertical process chamber along the longitudinal axis. The temperature control subsystem comprises a plurality of chamber sidewall heating elements (24) located at different vertical positions along the longitudinal axis. Each of the plurality of heating elements is controlled independently of the other of the plurality of heating elements.

Abstract: Ultra high purity materials, particularly metallic materials such magnesium and similarly high volatility materials, are produced by a vacuum distillation method and apparatus to increase purity by approximately five hundred times in a single step. For example, magnesium purity, exclusive of zinc content, is increased from 99.95% to greater than 99.9999%. A distillation column is formed of a high purity (less than 10 ppm ash) graphite, and includes a crucible, a vertical condenser in which horizontal high purity graphite baffles are selectively located at a plurality of levels, for example at nine levels. The column is contained in a three-zone resistance furnace that is controlled to heat the crucible to evaporate the material, maintain the condenser immediately above the crucible to above the boiling point of the material, and maintain the portion of the column thereabove at below the boiling point of the material, preferably with the temperature gradually decreasing with the height of the column.

Abstract: A vertical heat treatment apparatus is provided with a cylindrical insulating layer surrounding the periphery of a vertical processing chamber accommodating objects to be subjected to thermal processing and a resistance heating member provided along the inner periphery of the insulating layer. To control the temperature of the resistance heating member, a temperature measuring element having a thermocouple in a tip portion of an insulated protective tube is inserted at an angle from the outside of the insulating layer and a tip portion of the temperature measuring element is aligned with the resistance heating member. This reduces the temperature error between the resistance heating member and the temperature measuring element and also greatly improves the response rate and reproducibility of temperature measurement, thus facilitating temperature management in the vertical heat treatment apparatus.

Abstract: A temperature control method in a rapid heat treatment apparatus comprising simulatively heating dummy wafers in a process tube and previously detecting and grasping by temperature sensors a wafer temperature rising pattern, a heater temperature rising pattern and an internal atmosphere temperature rising pattern, arranging wafers to be processed in the process tube, detecting a temperature of each zone and that of each heater element by the temperature sensors, upon heating the wafers, and controlling each heater element on the basis of the detected temperatures and the wafer, heater and internal atmosphere temperature rising patterns by a controller to rapidly and uniformly raise the temperature of each wafer until the temperature of the wafers in each zone reaches the intended one and becomes stable.

Abstract: Two power supplies are combined to control a furnace. A main power supply heats the furnace in the traditional manner, while the power from the auxiliary supply is introduced as a current flow through charged particles existing due to ionized gas or thermionic emission. The main power supply provides the bulk heating power and the auxiliary supply provides a precise and fast power source such that the precision of the total power delivered to the furnace is improved.

Abstract: An apparatus and process for the activation or reactivation of carbon in a tubular reactor that consists of two or more sequential sections, each section containing a descending column of carbon, with inlets to introduce steam into any one or more of the sections, and wherein the electric current is fed into the column of carbon of each such section via a graphite block serving as an electrode and positioned at the center of the top of the column by attachment to a steel plate that includes a flat or a V-shaped shelf and that is provided with openings to allow the released gases and vapors to escape.

Abstract: An organic substance analyzing method is disclosed. A sample container 21 charged with a granulated rock sample is installed in a thermal cracking furnace 1. The thermal cracking furnace 1 is connected to a vacuum suction line 27 to be evacuated until a substantial vacuum is created therein, whereupon the furnace is closed. The closed thermal cracking furnace is rapidly heated to a first temperature at which hydrocarbons are more or less cracked but inorganic carbonates are not decomposed. The thermal cracking furnace is maintained at this temperature for a fixed time and then is cooled to a temperature at which the hydrocarbons in the thermal cracking furnace do not react with air. Then the furnace is connected to an air supply line 29 and an exhaust line 35 to pass the produced gases in the furnace to a hydrocarbon detector 34 and a CO.sub.2 detector 33. From the output signals therefrom, HC peak P1 and CO.sub.2 peak P3 are found and recorded.

Abstract: A high speed microwave high temperature oven system mounts an enclosed furnace in its cavity and extends a temperature probe therein. A controller regulates the furnace temperature by periodically interrupting over a range, the operation of the magnetron as the furnace or actual temperature approaches the setpoint. It interrupts the operation of the magnetron for longer periods of time as the actual temperature nears the setpoint. If the actual temperature exceeds the setpoint, the operation of the magnetron is interrupted for even longer periods of time. The controller at a selected furnace temperature also activates an exhaust function to remove hot air, smoke and fumes from and draw clean air into the furnace. As the actual temperature lowers towards the setpoint, the controller shortens the period of magnetron operation interruption. When the furnace temperature cools to a safe temperature, the controller shuts off the exhaust function.

Abstract: A thermal analysis device with a sample transporting machine which automatically carries out pretreatment of a sample to quickly heat or cool it. The configuration includes an electric furnace, a temperature controller, a temperature program setter, a sample placing/removing program setter, and a sample transporter, wherein the said sample placing/removing program setter commands the said sample transporter to place the said sample in or remove it from the said electric furnace in synchronization with a synchronization signal from the said temperature program setter and in accordance with a preset sample placing/removing program and, hence, the said sample placing and removing operations (i.e. to place a sample in the electric furnace or, conversely to remove a sample from the electric furnace) are carried out in the electric furnace which is performing a heating operation or a cooling operation in accordance with a temperature program output by the said temperature program setter.

Abstract: In the continuous carburization furnace in which the temperature of the heaters can be controlled individually at every carburization processing position; carburization reference data at each carburization processing position is read; a temperature and carbon potential at each position at least during carburization and diffusion processes is detected; a carburized quantity of the processed member at each position is calculated with reference to the detected temperature and carbon potential; a carburization history is calculated by integrating the carburized quantity at each position of the carburization processed member, and a carburizing condition at a next carburization processing position is determined depending on a difference between the carburization history at the time of terminating the carburization process at each position of the carburization processed member and the carburization reference data at each position.

Abstract: A reflow furnace control system is contemplated to give an optimum time-temperature profile of an object intended to be heated. The object is carried on a conveyor to move along a conveyor path in the reflow furnace during which it is heated by heaters disposed along the conveyor path. A data table is provided to store sets of control data relating to the conveyor speed and the operating temperatures of the individual heaters. Each set of the control data is closely associated with various conditional parameters indicative of configuration and material characteristics of the object and the required temperature to which the object is heated. Control data assigning section is interfaced with the data table so that it responds to the entry of the conditional parameters for retrieving from the data table a relevant control data. Based upon the retrieved control data, the furnace is controlled by the system to give an optimum time-temperature profile of the object.

Abstract: A kiln firing cycle controller is disclosed which automatically cycles a hobbyist kiln through its low, medium, and high power level phases. The exemplary embodiment includes a control panel having a firing cycle initiating control knob. Manipulation of the control knob appropriately supplies power to the kiln's heating elements and energizes a motor. The control knob is mounted on a shaft which is rotated by the energized motor. Also disposed on this shaft are a plurality of cams which rotates and act in concert to interconnect a set of contacts which appropriately connect the heating elements to a power supply to thereby control the kiln's power level settings. The rotation of the cams also controls the timely energization of control panel low, medium, and high power level indicators.

Abstract: A fiber glass bushing having a thermocouple embedded in the bottom thereof and a method of preparing the same is described. The thermocouple is carried in a plate member which is welded to the bushing bottom by a weld on the outside of the busing.

Abstract: An apparatus for more accurately measuring the temperature of a fiber glass forming bushing is described which includes the placing of sidewall and bottom thermocouples in locations on the bushing so that electrical signals representing noise are eliminated or reduced significantly.

Abstract: There is disclosed a multiple module furnace and system for aerospace application useful for conducting high temperature experiments and treatments of materials, particularly for alloying of metals. The furnace comprises a frame having a plurality of receptacles to receive a like plurality of furnace modules. Each furnace module has thermal insulation and thermal isolating means, an electrical resistance heater and a sample cavity which receives a plurality of sample containing crucibles. Each module is also provided with thermocouples at various locations to monitor and control the treatment.

Abstract: A monitoring technique is disclosed for determining when the end point has been achieved in the evaporation of the constituents from an alloy such as a tin lead alloy. An optical pyrometer or other temperature sensing device, is focused on a crucible in which both tin and lead is being heated. Since, under vacuum conditions, lead evaporates at a lower boiling point than does tin, the temperature of the crucible will achieve a first temperature plateau while the lead is being evaporated. After the lead has been depleted in the crucible, the temperature of the crucible will rise to a higher temperature plateau at which the tin will evaporate. The output of the optical pyrometer is digitized and is applied to a microcomputer which periodically samples the temperature of the crucible.

Abstract: In the fusion of vanadium pentoxide powder heat is generated in a melt of the powder by passing an electrical current along a current path in the melt and additional vanadium pentoxide powder is fed onto the surface of the melt. A furnace is used which has an overflow weir.

Abstract: An analyzer is provided for use in determining the volatile matter content of coal and coke. The analyzer automatically adjusts a position of a crucible containing a coal or coke sample relative to a furnace depending upon the temperature of the crucible. The crucible is supported and the temperature of the crucible and sample is sensed by means of a thermocouple arranged as a sling for contacting the crucible. The sensed temperature is compared with a predetermined and desired temperature. A comparison difference triggers a vertical movement of the crucible and sample, within the temperature profile of the furnace, using a servomotor until the crucible is positioned such that the sensed temperature and desired temperature correspond.

Abstract: An effusion cell assembly is disclosed and includes a temperature sensor designed to balance sensor temperature and cell crucible temperature by an increased heat radiation collection.

Abstract: A control system for applying operating power to an analytical furnace includes a first circuit providing output signals consisting of a series of binary bits in a predetermined pattern with each bit corresponding to a unit of power to be applied to an analytical furnace according to the pattern of bits and a control circuit coupled to the first circuit and including output terminals for coupling the control circuit to an analytical furnace. The control circuit responds to the binary bits to provide pulses of operating power to the output terminals in a sequence corresponding to and controlled by the binary bits. The pattern of bits provides stepwise increasing temperature levels for the analytical furnace in a very predictable and controlled fashion such that samples combusted by the furnace will emit specimen gases associated with different compounds containing the specimen gas at different temperature levels.

Abstract: An apparatus for reducing the leakage current error from a resistance furnace includes a grounded electrically conductive member, an electrically insulating, thermally conductive member adjacent thereto, which thermally conductive member is contacted by a thermocouple junction.