US 5,814,789 A · Forced convection furnance gas plenum

Abstract

A forced convection furnace gas plenum having a mixing chamber to provide a heated gas of a more uniform temperature is presented. The plenum includes a heating element for heating gas and an orifice plate for metering the flow of heated gas to product within the furnace. A heater plate having larger apertures than those of the orifice plate is disposed between the heating element and the orifice plate. The apertures in the heater plate are sized to allow heated gas to pass therethrough into the mixing chamber, located between the heater plate and the orifice plate, with minimal pressure loss. The heated gas mixes in the mixing chamber, causing the temperature to become more uniform before the gas exits through the orifice plate to impinge on the product.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A gas plenum for a forced convection furnace comprising:

a housing;
a gas supply communicating with and providing gas to said housing;
an orifice plate forming at least a portion of a surface of said housing, said orifice plate having a plurality of metering holes;
a heating plate disposed within said housing above said orifice plate, said heating plate having a plurality of apertures, said heating plate and a first portion of said housing defining a heating chamber;
a mixing chamber formed by said heating plate, said orifice plate and a second portion of said housing;
and
at least one heating element disposed within said heating chamber.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Forced convection furnance gas plenum

Life of this patent

Forced convection furnance gas plenum

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims19