Patent ID: 6576030
Filing Date: 2003-06-10
Classification: B01D,B23K

Abstract:
A filtering apparatus for a reflow oven, said apparatus comprising:a plurality of contaminated-gas inlets for receiving contaminated gas from a corresponding plurality of regions of a reflow oven, said regions producing flux vapour at various rates; a filtering device configured to filter said received contaminated gas; a returned gas outlet for returning filtered gas to said reflow oven; a gas removal arrangement configured to allow gas to escape from said apparatus; and a control arrangement operative to control the rate of gas flow through said gas removal arrangement in dependence on a flow rate of gas within said reflow oven, whereby the flow rate of contaminated gas flowing from a hotter region of said reflow oven to a cooler region of said reflow oven is controlled, and further comprising a gas flow control device operative to control the rate of flow of gas through each of the plurality of the inlets such that contaminated gas is extractable from selected ones of the plurality of regions of the reflow oven.