Process and plant for thermal treatment of metals in protecting atmosphere
AssigneeSol Inc.
InventorDaniele Valtolina
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Abstract
A protective atmosphere for the heat-treatment of metals is obtained by heating a reactor containing a Nickel-based catalyst to a temperature of between 1000.degree. C. and 1200.degree. C., feeding to the reactor a flow of nitrogen having an oxygen content of between 0.1% and 9% and a flow of hydrocarbons that is substantially stoichiometric to the content of oxygen in the flow of nitrogen to obtain CO and H.sub.2, and sending the gas from the catalytic reactor (2) to a heat-treatment furnace (1). The flow of hydrocarbons is interrupted periodically or by command while maintaining the flow of nitrogen, and is resumed after a preset or calculated time.
Claims6
A process for the heat-treatment of metals in a protective atmosphere, comprising the following steps:
- heating a reactor containing a Nickel-based catalyst to a temperature within the range of about 1000.degree. C. to about 1200.degree. C.;
- feeding said reactor with a flow of nitrogen containing from 0.1 to 9% oxygen;
- feeding said reactor with a flow of hydrocarbons in an amount substantially stoichiometric with said content of oxygen to give CO and hydrogen;
- feeding the gas leaving said catalytic reactor to a heat-treatment furnace to provide a protective atmosphere inside said furnace;
- interrupting periodically or by command said flow of hydrocarbons, while maintaining said flow of nitrogen containing oxygen, and
- resuming said hydrocarbons flow to the catalytic reactor after a pre-set or calculated time.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.