Heat treatment furnace

A system for heat treating a workpiece, the system comprising:

• a first treatment station for treating the workpiece and a second treatment station for treating the workpiece subsequent to its treatment at the first treatment station, the first treatment station and the second treatment station being in-line with one another and each comprising:
• a treatment chamber into which the workpiece is introduced for treatment;
• an electrically powered source of infrared radiation located within the chamber, the source having an electrical connection;
• an enclosure within which the electrical connection is located and substantially isolated from the treatment chamber;
• a source of a first flowing gas in flow communication with the enclosure to flow gas past the electrical connection to cool the electrical connection, the first flowing gas being heated as it flows past the electrical connection;
• and a passage from the enclosure to the treatment chamber to exit the thus heated first flowing gas from the enclosure to the treatment chamber.