CRT use leads to significant downtime and maintenance savings. Heat Treating Industry Characteristics Heat treating is an important industrial process in the United States. Within the continental U.S., there are approximately 6300 heat treating locations. Heat treating facilities are located throughout the United States, but are concentrated in manufacturing regions. These furnaces and associated equipment account for about 250 Bcf of annual gas use with indirect heating consuming 80 Bcf and direct heating the balance of 170 Bcf.
Electricity provides the remainder with only minor amounts of oil consumed.
Radiant tubes provide heat energy into a work load while simultaneously protecting the load from the by-products of combustion. They are used in applications such as carburizing, clean hardening, and annealing of metals. The working temperature of the tube has a significant effect on the overall performance of the furnace, defining the rate at which it is capable of transferring heat energy to the work load. Tube temperature also greatly impacts the life and in-service reliability of the tube. Such failures often result in work-load loss, furnace damage, and unscheduled downtime for replacement.