Patent ID: 6612154
Filing Date: 2003-09-02
Classification: F27B,F27D

Abstract:
A heat treating system for a solid metal part comprising:a heat treating furnace sized and configured to receive the solid metal part, an atmosphere source comprising an exothermic generator coupled in communication with the furnace and producing an exothermic gas atmosphere containing CO, CO2, H2, and H2O for reaction with the solid metal part, a heat source to maintain the exothermic gas atmosphere inside the furnace at a preselected temperature, an oxygen sensor located in situ in the furnace in contact with the exothermic gas atmosphere, the oxygen sensor providing a first electrical input that varies according to an oxygen content of the exothermic gas atmosphere, a temperature sensor located in situ in the furnace in contact with the exothermic gas atmosphere, the temperature sensor providing a second electrical input that varies according to the temperature of the exothermic gas atmosphere, a processor including a processing function to generate a computed ratio of gaseous hydrogen H2(g) to water vapor H2O(g) for the exothermic gas atmosphere as a function of the first and second electrical inputs, the processor including an atmosphere control function comprising a comparator to compare the computed ratio to a set point selected to maintain a desired condition during the reaction and to generate a deviation, and an output coupled to the processor to output at least one of the computed ratio and the deviation.