Process chamber incorporating an arrangement for injecting gaseous fluid thereinto

A system for performing at least one of the following processes:

• drying, hardening or painting;
• the system comprising:
• a process chamber defining an interior space;
• a ceiling and a floor conjointly defining a tunnel-shaped receiving region in said interior space for accommodating workpieces therein;
• a portal through which said workpieces are passed into or out from said receiving region;
• said process chamber including an arrangement for blowing a gaseous fluid into said interior space;
• said arrangement including a slit-shaped nozzle or aperture extending transversely to said interior space and being configured for generating said fluid flow curtain between said portal and said receiving region;
• said arrangement further including a guide contour disposed in said interior space;
• said guide contour defining a side facing toward said portal;
• said slit-shaped nozzle or aperture being configured to feed said gaseous fluid from above said ceiling into said interior space along said guide contour with a flow direction inclined with respect to said floor;
• a lock in said interior space facing toward said portal;
• said lock including a wall arranged facing toward said side of said guide contour;
• said wall and said guide contour conjointly delimiting a mixing chamber disposed above said portal and set back upwardly with reference to said ceiling wherein air accumulates originating from the region of said portal;
• and,
• said mixing chamber being configured so as to permit said gaseous fluid flowing from said slit-shaped nozzle or aperture to draw said air into said interior space and entrain said air in said mixing chamber to form said fluid flow curtain extending from said ceiling down to said floor of said tunnel-shaped receiving region.

A method for operating a process chamber defining an interior space, the process chamber including:

• a ceiling and a floor conjointly defining a tunnel-shaped receiving region in said interior space for accommodating workpieces therein;
• a portal through which said workpieces are passed into or out from said receiving region;
• an arrangement for blowing a gaseous fluid into said interior space;
• said arrangement including a slit-shaped nozzle or aperture for generating a fluid flow curtain between said portal and said receiving region;
• said slit-shaped nozzle or aperture being configured to feed said gaseous fluid from above said ceiling into said interior space along a guide contour with a flow direction inclined with respect to said floor;
• and, a lock in said interior space facing toward said portal;
• the method comprising the steps of:
• feeding said gaseous fluid into said interior space with a direction inclined with respect to said floor;
• generating a flow vortex made up of air mixed at least in part with the blown-in gaseous fluid on the side of said fluid flow curtain facing toward said portal with said flow vortex extending from said floor to said ceiling in said lock;
• providing a guide contour having a side facing toward said portal;
• conducting said gaseous fluid via said slit-shaped nozzle or aperture along said guide contour into said interior space;
• providing a wall arranged facing toward said side of said guide contour;
• delimiting a mixing chamber with said wall and said guide contour;
• mixing fluid from said flow vortex with air from the region of said portal to form a mixture;
• and,
• causing the gaseous fluid flowing from said slit-shaped nozzle or said aperture to draw the mixture into said interior space to entrain said mixture in said mixing chamber to form said fluid flow curtain.