Roller hearth furnace and method for heating workpieces

A roller hearth furnace (10) for heating workpieces (102), comprising at least one furnace chamber (103) for accommodating the workpieces (102), said chamber having at least two furnace side walls (108, 108′) whereby at least one transport roller (106) for transporting the workpieces (102) through the furnace chamber (103) is arranged inside the furnace chamber (103), and whereby the furnace walls (108, 108′) each have at least one opening (301) through which the transport roller (106) can be guided, and whereby there is at least one roller bearing unit (111) that is arranged on the outside of the furnace walls (108, 108′) and that is designed to accommodate and support the transport roller (106) outside of the furnace chamber (103),

• characterized in that
• the roller hearth furnace (101) has a purging system (110) for the roller bearing unit (111) that is designed to feed a purge gas through the roller bearing unit (111), whereby the purge gas can be fed from one side of the roller bearing unit (111) facing away from the furnace wall (108, 108′) through the roller bearing unit (111) and through the opening (301) in the furnace wall (108, 108′) all the way into the furnace chamber (103) of the roller hearth furnace (101), and whereby the purge gas can be provided at a pressure that is greater than the internal pressure in the furnace chamber (103) of the roller hearth furnace (101).