The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Mar. 22, 2016
Filed:
Feb. 17, 2011
Zbigniew Zurecki, Macungie, PA (US);
Ranajit Ghosh, Macungie, PA (US);
Lisa Ann Mercando, Pennsburg, PA (US);
Xiaoyi He, Orefield, PA (US);
John Lewis Green, Palmerton, PA (US);
David Scott Nelson, Easton, PA (US);
Zbigniew Zurecki, Macungie, PA (US);
Ranajit Ghosh, Macungie, PA (US);
Lisa Ann Mercando, Pennsburg, PA (US);
Xiaoyi He, Orefield, PA (US);
John Lewis Green, Palmerton, PA (US);
David Scott Nelson, Easton, PA (US);
Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Allentown, PA (US);
Abstract
Described herein are a method, an apparatus, and a system for metal processing that improves one or more properties of a sintered metal part by controlling the process conditions of the cooling zone of a continuous furnace using one or more cryogenic fluids. In one aspect, there is provided a method comprising: providing a furnace wherein the metal part is passed therethough on a conveyor belt and comprises a hot zone and a cooling zone wherein the cooling zone has a first temperature; and introducing a cryogenic fluid into the cooling zone where the cryogenic fluid reduces the temperature of the cooling zone to a second temperature, wherein at least a portion of the cryogenic fluid provides a vapor within the cooling zone and cools the metal parts passing therethrough at an accelerated cooling rate.