Autoclave and method for heat curing molded material

An autoclave for heat curing with high temperature gas a heat application target molded material, the autoclave comprising:

• a pressure vessel in which high temperature gas is sealed;
• an inner vessel in which molded material is arranged in an interior of the inner vessel, the inner vessel being arranged on an inner side of the pressure vessel and spaced apart from an inner wall surface of the pressure vessel;
• a retaining jig which retains the shape of the molded material, the retaining jig comprising:
• a lower member arranged on a lower side of the molded material;
• and
• an upper member arranged on an upper side of the molded material, an interior of the upper member being formed with a cavity;
• a high temperature gas supplying device which supplies high temperature gas to the molded material within the inner vessel, the high temperature gas supplying device including:
• a gas flow inlet which is formed at a lower part of the inner vessel and which communications between the inside and the outside of the inner vessel;
• and
• a gas flow outlet which is formed at an upper part of the inner vessel and which communicates between the inside and the outside of the inner vessel;
• and
• an auxiliary high temperature gas supplying device which supplies the high temperature gas into the cavity of the retaining jig,
• wherein the auxiliary high temperature gas supplying device includes a guide pipe which takes in part of the high temperature gas supplied into the inner vessel by the high temperature gas supplying device and guides the high temperature gas into the cavity of the upper member, and
• wherein a first end of the guide pipe has a first opening and is configured to be inserted into the cavity and a second end of the guide pipe has a second opening and is configured to be faced downward within the inner vessel.