Abstract: A furnace for heat treating components, especially relatively long components such as main shafts of gas turbine engines, comprises means for mounting a number of components vertically and conveying them repeatedly around a circular path surrounding one or more heating elements, while simultaneously rotating the components about their vertical axes. This allows uniform heat treatment of the components, even when long treatment times are needed. Loading and unloading chambers adjacent to the main chamber permit automated loading and unloading of components without disturbing the environment within the main chamber.

Abstract: A heating apparatus for semiconductor devices comprises an oven including a front wall having a plurality of front openings and a back wall having a plurality of back openings each with isolating self-closing doors, a carrier module configured to load semiconductor devices into the oven through the front opening in a removable manner, a temperature-controlling module configured to control the temperature of the oven, and a test module positioned at a backside of the oven and configured to generate, receive or switch electrical test signals for the semiconductor devices in the oven.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus includes a heating furnace including a tunnel-shaped heating space for heating an object to be heated, the heating space having an inlet port and an outlet port formed at both ends thereof; a transporting unit transporting the object to the outlet port when the object is brought into the heating space through the inlet port; a heating unit heating the object that is being transported; and a gas-flow generation unit forming a gas flow that flows in a transporting direction of the object in the heating space, wherein the heating space has a cross-section orthogonal to the transporting direction of the object, the cross-section is changed in area along the transporting direction of the object.

Abstract: A furnace (22) for heating a preform (10), includes an upper longitudinal heating tunnel (24) bounded transversely by the longitudinal vertical internal faces (36, 38) of two walls (40, 42), one wall (40), being equipped with a heating system (46), and the other wall (42), having aeration orifices (50) intended to let the air blown by a blower (52) pass transversely through them, and in which one portion (16) of the preform (10) is held outside the heating tunnel (24), a blower (52) blowing air transversely towards the portion (16) of the preform (10) so as to keep the constituent material of this portion (16) of the preform (10) at a temperature below its softening point, characterized in that the blower (52) includes two independent fans (54a, 54b) that deliver air to the aerated wall (42) and to the portion (16) of the preform (10), respectively.

Abstract: In a method for the preheating of cement raw meal for the production of cement-clinker, in which the cement raw meal is conveyed towards the feed side of a cement clinker kiln (1) in at least one heat exchanger-line in counter flow to hot gases, the hot gases are drawn off via at least a first heat exchanger (2) connected with the feed end of the cement clinker kiln (1) and via heat exchanger-lines (3,4) following this first heat exchanger (2) and being parallel to each other. The device for carrying out said method is characterized in that heat exchanger-lines (3,4) arranged in parallel to each other are connected to at least a first heat exchanger (2) joined to the feed end of the cement clinker kiln.

Abstract: A furnace of controlled heating and treatment of material using infrared radiation. The furnace is capable of continuous infrared treating of material with consistent radiation being applied to the material, ease of access to the furnace for maintenance cleaning and repair, excellent control of radiant cooling of the material to be treated, and ease of maintenance of a volatile component condenser.

Abstract: A method of a semiconductor process is provided. The semiconductor process at least includes a first high temperature furnace process and a second high temperature furnace process. In the method, the first high temperature furnace process is performed on a first wafer boat carrying at least a wafer. Then, the second high temperature furnace process is performed on a second wafer boat carrying at least the same wafer. In addition, before the second high temperature furnace process is implemented, a moving step is performed, such that a relative position of the wafer in the first wafer boat is different from that of the wafer in the second wafer boat.

Abstract: A pusher furnace includes a pusher assembly having first and second coordinated pushers for pushing load supports with loads to be heated thereon to provide continuous downstream movement of the load supports through a furnace section. A removal assembly includes a first removal mechanism which removes the load supports from the furnace section and a second removal mechanism which removes the loads from the first removal mechanism to facilitate the continuous downstream movement. The first removal mechanism preferably includes a parallelogram-type four-bar linkage for lifting the load supports and lowering them onto the second removal mechanism. Entry and exit plenums are connected to respective ends of the furnace section to provide a controlled atmosphere within the furnace section. The pusher and removal assemblies are timed with opening and closing of various gates of the plenums to maintain the controlled atmosphere.

Abstract: A roller hearth calcining furnace that uses a movable fluid bed that is transported through plural heating modules, each heating module independently heated using an indirect heating system. The indirect heating system includes an oxidizer, an all-ceramic, indirect, air-to-air heat exchanger, and one or more metal heat exchangers. The oxidizer can be fired with oil, coal, natural gas or other means, is impervious to attack from dirty fuels, and produces clean hot air for productive use. The movable fluid bed includes a permeable silicon carbide ceramic plate that resides within, and is supported by, a sagger or tray. The sagger is transported on rollers through the plural heating modules, and thus different temperature zones within a furnace as required by the temperature profile of the material being calcined.

Abstract: A furnace of controlled heating and treatment of material using infrared radiation. The furnace is capable of continuous infrared treating of material with consistent radiation being applied to the material, ease of access to the furnace for maintenance cleaning and repair, excellent control of radiant cooling of the material to be treated, and ease of maintenance of a volatile component condenser.

Abstract: An oven for bonding adhesives to the back surface of a textile article includes a housing with a transport frame for passing the textile article through a curing chamber within the housing. The oven also has an air source and a duct system that delivers an airflow into a cool zone on the opposite, pile surface side of the textile article. The airflow has a lower temperature than the elevated temperature of the curing chamber and is supplied to the cool zone in sufficient amounts such that the pressure in the cool zone exceeds the ambient pressure in the curing chamber.

Abstract: A convection compatible closed cassette and method are described herein where the closed cassette is used to heat treat (compact) one or more glass sheets in a uniform manner and in a clean environment. In the preferred embodiment, the closed cassette includes multiple enclosed sections that are supported by a mounting structure in a manner where there is an open passageway between the major surfaces of each pair of the supported enclosed sections. And, each enclosed section is designed to hold and support multiple glass sheets in a manner where there is a space between the major surfaces of each pair of the supported glass sheets. In operation, the closed cassette is placed into an oven (e.g., lehr, batch kiln) so that hot/cold unfiltered air can flow across the major surfaces of each enclosed section and uniformly heat/cool the enclosed glass sheets.

Abstract: An oven for baking a batch of parts has a housing having side walls and a top wall defining a closed container with a closed top end and an open downwardly facing bottom end. Loading/unloading occurs at the bottom end onto a carriage raised to the top end where baking occurs. On each side is provided an array of heating elements below the top. A shield is located in front of the heating array so as to block direct radiation onto the parts to prevent over-heating as the carrying arrangement passes the heating array to be unloaded. The shield generates an upwardly flowing air stream to carry the heat to the top. The heating elements are mounted with their lower end in a connection box with a collar and insulated heat shield above the box to keep the electrical connections cooled.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for heat treating objects in an enclosure, where the enclosure has an inlet passage, an outlet passage, and a treatment zone. Gaseous first fluid is injected into the treatment zone and the objects to be treated are passed through the treatment zone. A second fluid, with a density greater than that of the first fluid, is injected near the inlet and outlet passages.

Abstract: A reflow furnace comprises: a carrier device to carry a printed circuit board with electronic components mounted thereon; a heating chamber to heat through an ambient gas the printed circuit board carried therein to solder the electronic components on a surface of the printed circuit board; and an ambient gas purification equipment including a retrieving device to retrieve a part of the ambient gas containing vaporized flux component when soldering, a heating device to heat the retrieved ambient gas to a desired temperature, an oxidation catalyst to burn the flux component contained in the heated ambient gas, and a returning device to return a high temperature gas after being burned to the heating chamber.

Abstract: A heat treatment apparatus includes a heating furnace including a tunnel-shaped heating space for heating an object to be heated, the heating space having an inlet port and an outlet port formed at both ends thereof; a transporting unit transporting the object to the outlet port when the object is brought into the heating space through the inlet port; a heating unit heating the object that is being transported; and a gas-flow generation unit forming a gas flow that flows in a transporting direction of the object in the heating space, wherein the heating space has a cross-section orthogonal to the transporting direction of the object, the cross-section is changed in area along the transporting direction of the object.

Abstract: Embodiments of stiffening members in accordance with the present invention provide a mechanical support that is wave soldered to the frontside of the system substrate simultaneously with other wave soldered components. The stiffening member comprises a flat plate with a plurality of mounting pins. The number of mounting pins are predetermined to provide the plate with sufficient support to resist expected loading conditions when wave soldered in plated through holes on a system substrate. The mounting pins are adapted for insertion into plated through holes on the system substrate. The length of the mounting pins are predetermined to account for the height of the SMT component upon which it is attached, the thickness of the system substrate, and the desired amount of mounting pin protrusion from the backside of the system substrate. The stiffening members consume very little system substrate space while retaining a platform for heat dissipation.

Abstract: The present invention comprises a fully automated, fabrication compliant furnace with the advantages of the horizontal and most of the advantages of the vertical furnace. One embodiment of the present invention is that it implements a multi-degree motion robot arm to move wafers from a loading area to a WIP station where the wafers are then loaded into wafer boats on a rotating cantilever system or directly onto a specialized and reconfigurable paddle designed to hold wafers. The wafers may be loaded in the horizontal processing position as well as the vertical processing position. Multiple levels of the semi-toroidal horizontal processors allow for multiple batches of wafers to be loaded, processed, cooled and unloaded by the robot arm. The present invention reduces the footprint of the traditional horizontal or vertical furnaces, increases capacity and throughput, and allows for direct tube transfer.

Abstract: A device for heating plates of glass (3) which are hardened or deformed, includes two ceramic heating plates (1) between which a plate of glass (3) is arranged. Compensation plates (20) are associated with the heating plates (1) at a distance therefrom, in addition to heaters (6) which are arranged close thereto. The heaters (6) are accommodated in housings (11) which are defined on one side of the heating plates (1). Holes (8) are provided in the heating plates (1). Gas is fed through the holes into the housing between the heating plates (1) and the compensating plates (2). The gas is heated by flowing past the compensating plates (20) and forms gas cushions (7) on both sides of the plate of glass (3) which hold the plate. The plate of glass (3) is heated in a homogenous manner by radiation and convection.

Abstract: A reflow process is provided for multiple units which improves productivity. A reflow furnace is moved along a transport direction of a tape substrate and is fixed at a position matching the product pitch of a circuit substrate. Any of a plurality of heating blocks and cooling blocks are matched to the product pitches of the circuit substrate. By doing so, it is possible to continuously carry out the reflow process for a tape substrate on which circuit substrates having different product pitches are arranged.

Abstract: A system and method for processing large area substrates is provided. In one embodiment, a processing system includes a transfer chamber having at least one processing chamber and a substrate staging system coupled thereto. The staging system includes a load lock chamber having a first port coupled to the transfer chamber and a heat treating station coupled to a second port of the load lock chamber. A load lock robot is disposed in the load lock chamber to facilitate transfer between the heat treating station and the load lock chamber.

Abstract: A tunnel for shrink wrapping at least one product includes a housing having an interior space with a top, a bottom, an entrance and an exit. A conveyor belt passes through the interior space from the entrance to the exit. The conveyor belt is substantially unobstructed on upper and lower sides and includes an opened configuration allowing substantial air flow therethrough at relatively low velocity. Heaters and air movers are located above and below the conveyor belt to uniformly heat products contained in shrink film and moving along the conveyor belt. The shrink tunnel further includes an adjustable riser member to allow a transverse section of the conveyor belt to be selectively adjusted in height from outside the housing.

Abstract: The aim of the invention is to develop a hot rolling unit, comprising at least one continuous casting unit (1) with a post-arranged furnace (4), followed by a roughing stand (5) and, over a strip edge guide, a soaking furnace (15) and finishing train, such that downtime is reduced to a minimum level and even during said downtime, as well as in planned cases of withdrawal of pre-strip material, the pre-strip (14), behind the roughing stand in the soaking furnace, can be separated off from the normal rolling cycle.

Abstract: An oven assembly for drying paint on a product transported by a conveyor includes a plurality of modules positioned in a generally abutting relationship. Each of the modules includes a roof, side walls, and a floor having a length and a width. The floor is formed from abutting floor panels reinforced by a plurality of support members spaced along the length of the floor and having a length greater than the width of the floor. The side walls include an inner side wall panel disposed in an overlapping relationship with the floor and a side wall cladding panel supported by the support members along the width of the floor thereby concealing thermal insulating material disposed between the inner side wall panel and the side wall cladding panel.

Abstract: A baking oven for producing baked molded bodies has a baking line that extends along a plane from an input station to an output station. The baking molds are each formed of a bottom baking plate and a top baking plate that is set down onto the top surface of the lower baking plate. The baking molds are transported through the baking line by a lower conveyor that carries the lower mold halves. An upper conveyor above the baking line transports the upper mold halves through their path of revolution above the plane of the baking line with the plates suspended and substantially horizontally aligned and with the baking surfaces always facing down. At the beginning of the baking line, the upper conveyor sets the top baking plates, which are substantially horizontally aligned, down onto the bottom baking plates for forming the baking molds, and at the end of the baking line, it lifts them from the bottom baking plates for opening the baking molds.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for delubrification of parts. The method comprising the steps of moving the parts on the belt into a chamber of the furnace, heating the parts, igniting the unused combustible atmosphere above the parts, and allowing the atmosphere above the parts to escape through a vent in the chamber. The parts are heated uniformly by a heat source beneath the belt. The hot atmosphere is forced up through at least one plenum by blowers. The unused combustible atmosphere in the chamber above the parts on the belt is ignited using a burner and vented through the vent in the chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for supporting a conveyor belt used in the continuously operated thermal treatment, i.e. sintering, of a material bed. According to the invention, in the top part of the frame structure of the belt conveyor, there is installed at least one support element, whereby an essentially smooth slide surface can be obtained for the conveyor belt, and in the interior of the support element there is made a channel system in order to enable the flow-through of the intermediate agent fed into the support element.

Abstract: A substrate feed chamber that is equipped in a substrate processing apparatus is provided. The substrate feed chamber has a storage tray capable of storing simultaneously three or more substrate holding trays that hold substrates in a vertical or substantially vertical condition and a horizontal movement mechanism that moves horizontally the storage tray with respect to the substrate feed position in order to effect feeding-in or feeding-out movement of the substrate holding tray between any of the chambers of a group consisting of processing chambers and load lock chambers and, in addition, if required, has a rotary movement device that rotates the storage tray. Improvement in throughput in a substrate processing apparatus can thereby be achieved and increase in the ground-contacting area of the device as a whole can be prevented.

Abstract: A system is disclosed for speeding workpiece thoughput in low pressure, high temperature semiconductor processing reactor. The system includes apparatus for loading a workpiece into a chamber at atmospheric pressure, bringing the chamber down to an intermediate pressure, and heating the wafer while under the intermediate pressure. The chamber is then pumped down to the operating pressure. The preferred embodiments involve single wafer plasma ashers, where a wafer is loaded onto lift pins at a position above a wafer chuck, the pressure is rapidly pumped down to about 40 Torr by rapidly opening and closing an isolation valve, and the wafer is simultaneously lowered to the heated chuck. Alternatively, the wafer can be pre-processed to remove an implanted photoresist crust at a first temperature and the chamber then backfilled to about 40 Torr for further heating to close to the chuck temperature.

Abstract: A baking oven for producing baked molded bodies has a baking line that extends along a plane from an input station to an output station. The baking molds are each formed of a bottom baking plate and a top baking plate that is set down onto the top surface of the lower baking plate. The baking molds are transported through the baking line by a lower conveyor that carries the lower mold halves. An upper conveyor above the baking line transports the upper mold halves through their path of revolution above the plane of the baking line with the plates suspended and substantially horizontally aligned and with the baking surfaces always facing down. At the beginning of the baking line, the upper conveyor sets the top baking plates, which are substantially horizontally aligned, down onto the bottom baking plates for forming the baking molds, and at the end of the baking line, it lifts them from the bottom baking plates for opening the baking molds.

Abstract: The invention provides a device for coating a conductor wire, the device comprising an enameling oven, the oven comprising a chamber through which the wire coated in an enameling varnish passes, and being provided for this purpose with a wire inlet and a wire outlet, and with means for heating the wire along its path within the chamber in order to evaporate solvent from the varnish and bake the varnish on the wire, the atmosphere inside the chamber having low oxygen content, the chamber further comprising a fan and an air feed inlet communicating with the chamber and servo-controlled to means for measuring the oxygen content. In the device, the fan and the air feed inlet are situated in distinct positions that are spaced apart from each other, the fan being situated between the solvent evaporation zone and the air feed inlet in such a manner as to entrain the solvent towards the air feed inlet so that the solvent is treated by combustion outside the zone in which the varnish is baked.

Abstract: A system and method for processing large area substrates is provided. In one embodiment, a processing system includes a transfer chamber having at least one processing chamber and a substrate staging system coupled thereto. The staging system includes a load lock chamber having a first port coupled to the transfer chamber and a heat treating station coupled to a second port of the load lock chamber. A load lock robot is disposed in the load lock chamber to facilitate transfer between the heat treating station and the load lock chamber.

Abstract: A oven conveyor system is disclosed herein. In use, items to be heated are placed in contact with a hearth, and then moved across the hearth by the conveyor. The conveyor system allows the items to maintain contact with the hearth while being conveyed. A large volume of items may be heated while still obtaining the beneficial heating characteristics of a hearth-type oven.

Abstract: An automatic oven cooks or bakes a food product over a timed period of time during which a burner delivers heat to the oven cavity. Thermocouple sensors in the cavity control a modulator which regulates the amount of gas flowing to the burner to maintain a uniform temperature in the oven. A conveyor carries the food product in order to time the baking period.

Abstract: A substrate processing apparatus includes a substrate holder for holding a substrate with a holding angle of 45 degrees to 90 degrees with respect to a horizontal plane, a conveying system to convey the substrate with the substrate holder, a process chamber in which the substrate is processed, a load-lock chamber in which the substrate temporarily stays, and an intermediate chamber provided between the process chamber and the load-lock chamber. The conveying system conveys the substrate along the first direction from the load-lock chamber to the intermediate chamber, and from the intermediate chamber to the process chamber, and also conveys the substrate along the second direction perpendicular to the first direction.

Abstract: A Conveyor furnace for firing pipe-shaped objects with the following characteristics: 1.1.1 a furnace floor, 1.1.2 a furnace ceiling, 1.1.3 a two lateral furnace walls, which connect the furnace floor with the furnace ceiling, forming a furnace channel, 1.2 the furnace floor has at least one opening running in the axial direction of the furnace channel, 1.3.1 at least one transport unit that extends from a motor section below the furnace floor through the opening to a transport section in the furnace channel, and 1.3.2 which can be driven along the opening, 1.4 the transport section is designed to hold, in a horizontal position, at least one pipe-shaped object, 1.5 in the furnace channel below at least one part of the object to be fired, which is freely achievable, a device is arranged, onto which the object first rolls up, with its freely achievable part, and then rolls down.

Abstract: A brazing furnace includes a housing defining an interior environment having an inlet and an outlet, a plurality of heating elements mounted within the housing and adapted to heat the interior environment to an elevated temperature, and a conveyor belt extending through the housing and supported on a plurality of driven rollers whereby an object placed upon the conveyor belt at the inlet is transported through the inlet into the interior environment and out through the outlet. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of interconnected metal links and a thermal barrier coating applied to the metal links, thereby insulating the metal links and restricting the amount of thermal energy that is absorbed by the conveyor belt as the conveyor belt moves through the interior environment.

Abstract: A thermoshrinking tunnel oven for making thermoshrinking plastic material film packages comprises a bottom plate and a top plate having openings for allowing thermoshrinking hot air to pass therethrough, the cross-sections of the openings being controlled by perforated sliders which are independently slidably mounted on the plates. With respect to conventional tunnel ovens, the inventive tunnel oven and method have the advantage that they provide thermoshrinking material packages of even aspect and devoid of unevennesses.

Abstract: A brazing furnace includes a housing defining an interior environment having an inlet and an outlet, a plurality of heating elements mounted within the housing and adapted to heat the interior environment to an elevated temperature, and a conveyor belt extending through the housing and supported on a plurality of driven rollers whereby an object placed upon the conveyor belt at the inlet is transported through the inlet into the interior environment and out through the outlet. The conveyor belt includes a plurality of interconnected metal links and a thermal barrier coating applied to the metal links, thereby insulating the metal links and restricting the amount of thermal energy that is absorbed by the conveyor belt as the conveyor belt moves through the interior environment.

Abstract: The invention concerns a transport apparatus for transporting substrates in an oven. The oven has a channel formed from a floor and two side walls in which the substrates are transported in a transport direction. The floor of the channel has a recess running along one of the side walls for accepting and guiding a rail in transport direction. The rail is set up for accepting at least one substrate. A drive mechanism moves the rail in transport direction.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus for distributing air to different regions of a conveyor oven. The apparatus has comprising one or more blowers to distribute the air. A lower plenum is connected to a blower. The lower plenum directs air to the lower side of a conveyor within the oven. An upper plenum is connected to a blower. The upper plenum directs air to the upper side of the conveyor.

Abstract: The invention relates to a conveyor belt to be used in a continuously operated conveyor-type thermal treatment, i.e. sintering, of a material bed. The conveyor belt is provided with perforations in order to allow the gases that are used for heating and possibly cooling the material bed to flow through the material bed and the conveyor belt. According to the invention, the conveyor belt is made of a perforated, at least one-part element made of a metal piece and allowing the gases to flow through said element being mechanically connected to the preceding and successive element in the proceeding direction of the conveyor belt by means of a junction made in the lateral direction of said conveyor belt, and the perforations are arranged in zones alternating with perforation-free element pats.

Abstract: A continuous sintering furnace has an entrance-side deaerating chamber through which trays each with an material to be sintered being mounted thereon may pass, preheating, heating and cooling zones into which the trays are sequentially fed from the deaerating chamber, an exit-side deaerating chamber through which the trays having passed through the cooling zone may pass, a pusher for pushing the tray from the deaerating chamber to the preheating zone, a puller for pulling the tray from the cooling zone to the deaerating chamber, an intermediate puller for pulling the tray from the heating zone to the cooling zone, a vertically movable door between the deaerating chamber and the preheating zone, a vertically movable intermediate door adjacent to the door and arranged at an upstream end of the preheating zone in the direction of transportation of the trays, a vertically movable intermediate door between the heating and cooling zones and a vertically movable door between the cooling zone and the deaerating chamb

Abstract: A thermoshrinking tunnel oven for making thermoshrinking plastic material film packages comprises a bottom plate and a top plate having openings for allowing thermoshrinking hot air to pass therethrough, the cross-sections of the openings being controlled by perforated sliders which are independently slidably mounted on the plates.

Abstract: In a substrate processing apparatus, processing units are stacked in a multistage manner around a transport robot arranged at the center of a processing area for forming a processing part. In a second hierarchy, rotary coating units are arranged through an indexer and a transport robot. In a fourth hierarchy located above the second hierarchy, rotary developing units are stacked above the rotary coating units respectively. Multistage thermal processing units and an edge exposure unit are horizontally arranged above an interface mechanism part. Thus, a substrate processing apparatus capable of reducing the area for setting the same is provided.

Abstract: A pulp heating apparatus has a heater main body 1 which has a pulp introduction port for introducing pulp, a vapor introduction port for introducing vapor, a disperser for dispersing the pulp introduced via the pulp introduction port under a high temperature and a pulp exhaust port for exhausting the pulp dispersed by the disperser and is arranged in a horizontal direction. The disperser has a spiral vane section which continues spirally around a rotational shaft and discontinuous vane sections around the rotational shaft. The pulp introduction port is provided at a bottom section of the heater main body and is connected to an introduction passage. A screw conveyor is provided on the introduction passage. A forward end of the introduction passage faces towards the spiral vane section.

Abstract: A conveyor oven has a modulating gas valve which raises and lowers the thermal output of a burner that heats the oven. A bypass line passes a minimum amount of gas to prevent the burner from completely shutting down during periods while the oven remains above a threshold demand for more heat. Electrical isolation is provided between temperature controlling devices to prevent an electrical feed back which might otherwise prevent a complete shut down of the oven during hazardous conditions.

Abstract: An arrangement for transporting metallic work pieces (20) comprises a heat-insulated transport chamber (10), means (40) for loading and unloading the work pieces (20), and transporting gear (30). To enable the flexible and efficient transport of the work pieces among a number of treatment chambers in an arrangement of this type during a heat treatment process, the transport chamber (10) is designed to be vacuum-tight, such that it can be evacuated of air to create a vacuum that will protect the work pieces (20) from environmental influences.

Abstract: An oven compartment in an oven for subjecting items to a selected heating sequence having a compartment container with a transport opening therein to permit selectively entering such items adjacent to first plenum structure at a perforated surface to allow providing heating fluid thereon. The first plenum structure has a material mass and a specific heat such that a rate of change of temperature of that structure exceeds one degree Centigrade per second for a selected maximum temperature differential between heating fluid and any entered items positioned adjacent to the perforated surface at selected heating fluid pressures at that perforated surface. A method for heating such items with a heating fluid previously heated by a heater, to an extent determined by operating a heater control, directed onto such items is based on obtaining a control representation of a selected set of values for the heater control versus time based on a heating specification for a selected kind of item to be heated.

Abstract: A continuous pusher furnace includes a product carrier assembly incorporating a traveling gas barrier. The product carrier assembly comprises a plate disposed to receive product thereon and a gas barrier extending upwardly from the plate. The perimeter of the gas barrier is sized and configured to fit within a vestibule between heating chambers in the furnace with a clearance gap with the vestibule selected to increase a gas flow velocity through the vestibule sufficient to overcome a gas diffusion velocity through the vestibule in a direction opposite to the gas flow. In this manner, gas is unable to diffuse into an upstream heating chamber. In an alternative embodiment, an exhaust outlet may also be provided in the vestibule or chamber to exhaust gas from upstream and downstream heating chambers from the furnace.