Process gas preparation apparatus for an industrial furnace system and an industrial furnace system for gas carburizing and hardening of metal workpieces utilizing same

A process gas preparation device for an industrial heat treating furnace system, said gas preparation device comprising:

• a preparation reactor that contains a catalyst;
• a gas feed line connected for conducting spent process gas from a treatment chamber of the industrial furnace system to the preparation reactor;
• a gas return line for conducting process gas from the preparation reactor back to the treatment chamber;
• a compressor connected in the gas feed line upstream from the preparation reactor;
• a hydrocarbon gas supply line and an air supply line connected to the preparation reactor;
• a shut-off valve connected in the gas feed line;
• a first mass flow controller connected to the hydrocarbon gas supply line;
• a second mass flow controller connected to the air supply line;
• a pressure difference measurement device;
• and
• a control device connected to the preparation reactor, to the compressor, to the shut-off valve, to the first mass flow controller, to the the second mass flow controller, and to the pressure difference measurement device for controlling the operation of the gas preparation reactor;
• wherein the control device is programmed to monitor the pressure differential across the catalyst via the pressure difference measurement device and to initiate a burn-out process in the catalyst to remove clogging matter from the catalyst when the pressure differential reaches a preselected set point that indicates a clogged operational condition of the catalyst.