Patent ID: 8333852
Filing Date: 2012-12-18
Classification: B01J,C21D,F27D,Y02P,Y10T

Abstract:
1. A method for preparing a process gas ( 3 ) for use in the heat treatment of metallic workpieces in a treatment chamber ( 1 . 1 ) of an industrial heat treating furnace ( 1 ), comprising the steps of: providing a process gas preparation chamber that is separate from the treatment chamber and located externally to the industrial heat treating furnace; providing a catalyst in said process gas preparation chamber; feeding a first gaseous treatment medium into said process gas preparation chamber, wherein said first treatment medium includes carbon dioxide, oxygen, and water vapour and said first treatment medium further includes carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and nitrogen; feeding a second gaseous treatment medium comprising a hydrocarbon compound into said process gas preparation chamber; heating said process gas preparation chamber to a temperature that is effective to cause the first gaseous treatment medium to react with the second gaseous treatment medium in the presence of said catalyst; whereby the process gas (