Patent ID: 9234700
Filing Date: 2016-01-12
CPC Classification: F26B,F27B,F27D

Claim Text:
1. An air leakage control system for a tunnel oven of the type for processing a product fueled, exothermic reaction having a reaction temperature profile with a relatively low temperature at a first distance into the tunnel oven and increasing to a relatively higher temperature at another location at a second distance from the tunnel entrance, and a desired temperature profile progressing along the length of the tunnel oven, wherein the desired temperature profile includes at least one relatively high temperature and at least one relatively low temperature, the air leakage controller comprising: an air injection conduit having an inlet positioned in the tunnel oven to inject air at a position corresponding to a position along the temperature profile in the tunnel oven at which the at least one relatively high temperature occurs, so that a positive pressure is produced by the injected air and maintained in the tunnel oven to thereby prevent additional air entry into the tunnel oven at other locations, and so that the component of oxygen in the air injected by the air injection conduit is depleted by the exothermic reaction of the product in the tunnel oven before the injected air flows from the relatively high temperature position to at least one position at which the relatively low temperature occurs along the temperature profile of the tunnel oven; and an air injection pressure control for adjusting the amount of air injected to maintain the positive pressure and to provide a volume of air for providing a component of oxygen adequate for maintaining the exothermic reaction at or below the relatively high temperature without exceeding the desired relatively low temperature.