US 6,485,297 B2 · Thermal treatment furnace having gas leakage preventing function

Abstract

A thermal treatment furnace is described in which gas leakage does not occur during thermal treatment at a high temperature. A thermal treatment furnace having a reaction tube is provided with an opening at one end and a flange surrounding the opening and covered by a cap abutting on the reaction tube at the flange to cover the opening. The flange is provided with a feature which introduces an inert gas to provide back pressure into the joint portion between the flange and the cap, thus preventing reaction gas from leaking to the outside of the furnace through the gap between the flange and the cap. The flange may be further modified to discharge gas under back pressure from between the joint surfaces of the flange and the cap to prevent the inert gas from affecting the reaction in the tube.

Claims6

Dependent claims

A thermal treatment furnace comprising:

a reaction tube provided with an opening at one end thereof and a flange extending outwardly from said opening, said flange having a flange surface proximate to and surrounding said opening;
a cap abutting on said reaction tube at said flange, said cap having a cap surface in substantial contact with said flange surface at joint surfaces so that said cap covers said opening;
and
a gas flow feature coupled to said joint surfaces, wherein said gas flow feature comprises:
a first groove formed in said flange surface, said first groove surrounding said opening;
and
a first hole provided in said flange, said first hole preheating said flange at least at one location of said first groove,
said first hole for providing back pressure into said first groove and said joint surfaces.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Thermal treatment furnace having gas leakage preventing function

Life of this patent

Thermal treatment furnace having gas leakage preventing function

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims6