Introduction
High vacuum furnaces are used in laboratories and in industries that use metal for various heat treatment processes. Examples include: degassing, annealing and hardening.
The process involves quenching in a high speed producing a high-pressure gas flow. The advantages of high vacuum heat treatment are that the following adverse effects are avoided: oxidation,
carburizing or decarburizing ,gas embrittlement as well as other negative changes to the material. In order to avoid the negative effects, the reactivity of the residual gas content is pressurized at
10-2 Pascal (10-4 milibar) which is more than 1000 times lower than that of a protective gas atmosphere would be. High vacuum heat treatment does not only avoid oxidation, carburizing or decarburising,
but also gas embrittlement and other negative changes of the material. Technology Specifications
Geometry-
cylindrical or rectangular hot zones with dimensions up to 2 meters can be delivered
Insulation-
Depending on the task, the temperature and the needed vacuum one of the following insulation will be used: graphite, ceramic or metal foil. FPT has a patented
process for both terrestrial and space applications that use metal multifoils insulation that are proven to have extremely low power losses. FPT has developed this for industrial use and offers this at
a very attractive price. Temperature-
Furnaces with basic temperatures of 1200, 1400, 1600, 1800, 2000 0 \c and a typical gradient of +- 50C in the hot zone are available.
Vacuum System-
Generally oil-diffusion pump systems with water or liquid nitrogen cooled baffles will be designed. For a plant used for laboratory experimental uses, turbomolecular or
cryopumps will be designed. Gas Quenching System Options- FPT offers two gas quenching system options: High velocity inert gas quenching system and a process gas quenching system. Both are capable of
pressure from 100 Pa to a few atmospheric pounds and cooling rates up to 200 0C/min. |
