Process and system employing generation of controlled furnace atmospheres without the use of separate gas supplies or stand-alone atmosphere generators
AssigneeTempel Steel Company
InventorVahe Ohanian
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
In a system for processing metal, a furnace is provided which receives the metal being processed. At least one heating burner is provided in the furnace together with at least one atmosphere burner of substantially a same construction as the heating burner. An exhaust of the atmosphere burner at least partially provides an atmosphere within the furnace for the metal processing. An exhaust of the heating burner is separate from the exhaust of the atmosphere burner. A fuel feed for the atmosphere burner and a fuel feed for the heating burner are each separately controllable.
Claims24
A system for processing metal, comprising:
- a furnace which receives the metal being processed;
- at least one heating burner in the furnace;
- at least one atmosphere burner in the furnace which is of substantially a same construction as the heating burner;
- an exhaust of the atmosphere burner at least partially providing an atmosphere within the furnace chamber for the metal processing;
- an exhaust of the heating burner is separate from the exhaust of the atmosphere burner;
- and
- a fuel feed for the atmosphere burner and a fuel feed for the heating burner each being separately controllable.
A method for converting an existing metal processing furnace comprising heating burners, comprising the steps of:
- converting at least one of the heating burners in the furnace to an atmosphere burner by providing an exhaust of the atmosphere burner separate from exhausts of the remaining heating burners, and feeding the exhaust from the atmosphere burner in a controllable manner into the furnace for use in forming an atmosphere in the furnace for processing the metal.
A method for converting an existing metal processing furnace comprising heating burners, comprising the steps of:
- converting at least one of the heating burners in the furnace to an atmosphere burner by providing an exhaust of the atmosphere burner separate from exhausts of the remaining heating burners, and feeding the exhaust from the atmosphere burner in a controllable manner through a chiller and a control valve into the furnace for use in forming an atmosphere in the furnace for processing the metal, the control valve being controlled at least partially based on a gas combustion measurement.
A system for processing metal, comprising:
- a furnace which receives the metal being processed;
- at least one heating burner in the furnace;
- at least one atmosphere burner in the furnace;
- an exhaust of the atmosphere burner at least partially providing an atmosphere within the furnace chamber for the metal processing;
- an exhaust of the heating burner is separate from the exhaust of the atmosphere burner;
- and
- a fuel feed for the atmosphere burner and a fuel feed for the heating burner each being separately controllable.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.