Thermal gradient exchange materials processing method
OwnerPeter Paulininventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method of thermal processing a work piece using another work piece which includes providing a chamber having a plurality of temperature zones, disposing a first work piece within a first temperature zone of the chamber, allowing a temperature of the first work piece to thermally equilibrate with the first temperature zone, moving the first work piece to a second temperature zone and disposing a second work piece within the second temperature zone of the chamber, in fluid communication with the first work piece, wherein a thermal exchange occurs between the first and second work pieces.
Claims18
A method of thermally processing work pieces comprising:
- providing a vertical chamber having an upper end, a lower end, and an interior;
- creating a thermal gradient in the interior of the chamber, the lower end maintained at a first temperature and the upper end maintained at a second temperature;
- disposing at least two work pieces, a first work piece and a second work piece, within the interior of the chamber;
- providing a means for movement of the at least two work pieces wherein the second work piece is lowered from the upper end of the chamber to the lower end of the chamber while the first work piece is moved countercurrently in the opposing direction;
- and
- providing a path for each work piece wherein each work piece is first lowered from the upper end of the chamber to the lower end of the chamber and returned to the upper end of the chamber for removal,
- wherein the first and second workpieces are positioned in the vertical chamber at the same time after allowing the first workpiece to equilibrate with the first temperature in the lower end.
A thermal processing apparatus for treating work pieces countercurrently through a gradient comprising:
- a vertical chamber having a first end and a second end;
- a gas or liquid disposed within said vertical chamber;
- at least one of a convective heat source or a compressor containing coolant for addition or subtraction of heat from one end of said vertical chamber establishing a vertical temperature gradient by thermal relation of at least one end of said convective heat source or compressor to said chamber, the first end maintained at a first temperature and the second end maintained at a second temperature;
- and
- means for lowering and proportionally raising at least two work pieces, a first work piece and a second work piece, in a countercurrent relation by lowering the second work piece through said temperature gradient while raising the first work piece already lowered through said temperature gradient,
- wherein the first and second workpieces are positioned in the vertical chamber at the same time after allowing the first work piece to equilibrate with the first temperature in the first end.
A method of thermal processing a work piece using another work piece, the method comprising:
- providing a chamber having a plurality of temperature zones;
- disposing a first work piece within a first temperature zone of the chamber;
- allowing a temperature of the first work piece to thermally equilibrate with the first temperature zone;
- moving the first work piece to a second temperature zone;
- and
- disposing, at the same time, a second work piece within the second temperature zone of the chamber, in fluid communication with the first work piece, wherein a thermal exchange occurs between the first and second work pieces.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.