Btu International, Inc.

Timothy R Doherty

Derek James Butland

James DiMento

A high temperature conveyor belt is provided having a non-metallic conveying surface which will not scratch, abrade or otherwise mar the surface of a product being carried on the belt through a furnace and which will not contaminate the product. In one embodiment, the conveyor comprises a high temperature fabric belt attached to a metal belt which may be a conventional woven metal conveyor belt. In another embodiment, the conveyor is composed of a non-metallic high temperature strand which is woven or threaded through a metal belt to provide a non-metallic conveying surface. In a further embodiment, the non-metallic product support elements are coupled to roller chains at each side of the furnace chamber and which are cooperative with a drive mechanism to transport the conveyor through the furnace. The roller chains can be located outside of the furnace chamber to avoid exposure to the high temperature of the furnace chamber.

High temperature conveyor belt

An infrared furnace system provides for adjusting the amount of time a workpiece spends in a respective section of the furnace while at the same time minimizing the footprint, i.e., the amount of floor space that the furnace uses. Various embodiments allow for optimizing the required thermal duration of each section which then also optimizes the heating and/or cooling profile within each section. Transfer conveyors are provided to transfer a workpiece from one conveyor operating at a first speed to a second conveyor operating at a second speed, different from the first speed in order to prevent damage to the workpiece. Rollers are provided to support the workpiece and to maintain a proper orientation. A heating lamp support assembly provides power to the lamp and facilitates exchange and replacement of the lamp. An air delivery system provides process gas maintained at the correct temperature. An exhaust system provides air flow with improved turnover and reduced noise considerations. Infrared heating lamps are cooled by providing gas flow across the end terminals. The wavelength of light emitted by the heating lamps is adjusting by controlling parameters of the process gas being introduced into a section of the furnace.

Infrared furnace system

An infrared firing furnace includes a case-integrated cooling system to provide high performance cooling as the first step in the cooling process. The cooling system includes a cooling manifold integrated into, and made from, the same case material as the adjacent firing zone. As the cooling system is made from the same material as the rest of the case, it can handle being exposed to higher temperatures. The cooling system is positioned such that the plane of its outlet is at a specific clearance level relative to the product passing underneath. High pressure cooling jets of air are directed downward toward the products as they pass under the cooling manifold in order to quickly bring the temperature of the products down from the much higher firing temperature, and minimize the dwell time of the product at the higher temperature.

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Woburn, MA, United States of America

Timothy R Doherty