Tubular heating furnace and heat treatment device

Abstract

The invention discloses a tubular heating furnace and a heat treatment device, and solves the technical problem that a high-temperature annealing furnace in the prior art can only provide a simple heating function and cannot meet the research requirement of an oriented silicon steel heat treatment process. The tubular heating furnace comprises a furnace body provided with a furnace chamber; the furnace tube is mounted on the furnace body; the first heating assembly and the second heating assembly are both located in the furnace cavity, the first heating assembly is arranged on one side in the width direction, and the second heating assembly is located on one side, in the height direction, of the furnace tube; the clamping assembly is located in the furnace tube, the clamping assembly comprises a base and a clamping unit used for clamping a sample, the base is connected to a tube cavity of the furnace tube, and the clamping unit is rotationally connected to the base through a rotating shaft; the rotating shaft is perpendicular to the axial direction of the furnace tube and the width direction of the furnace body. According to the tubular heating furnace provided by the invention, each position of the sample is at any different temperature, so that a microstructure of the sample at different positions at different temperatures is obtained, and the research requirement of a heat treatment process of oriented silicon steel is met.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application belongs to the field of heat treatment technology, specifically relating to a tubular heating furnace and heat treatment apparatus. Background Technology

[0002] Grain-oriented silicon steel is a Si-Fe soft magnetic material with a silicon content of approximately 3% by mass. It exhibits a significant {110} texture (i.e., Goss texture) and is widely used in ultra-high voltage power transmission, advanced large generators, transformers, and other fields, making it an indispensable functional material in high-end power equipment. With increasing global demands for energy efficiency and power equipment performance, the research and application of grain-oriented silicon steel are receiving increasing attention. Key processes in the production of grain-oriented silicon steel include continuous casting, plastic processing (such as hot rolling and cold rolling), and heat treatment. Particularly in the heat treatment stage, normalizing, decarburizing annealing, and high-temperature annealing are crucial operations that determine the final material's microstructure and properties. High-temperature annealing, as a key process, is mainly used to improve the secondary recrystallization behavior of grain-oriented silicon steel, thereby optimizing its microstructure and significantly impacting its magnetic properties and permeability.

[0003] However, traditional high-temperature annealing furnaces can only provide simple heating functions and cannot meet the research needs of heat treatment processes for grain-oriented silicon steel. Summary of the Invention

[0004] To address the technical problem that current high-temperature annealing furnaces only have simple heating functions and cannot meet the research needs of heat treatment processes for grain-oriented silicon steel, this application provides a tubular heating furnace and a heat treatment apparatus.

[0005] In a first aspect of this application, a tubular heating furnace is provided, comprising:

[0006] The furnace body is equipped with a furnace cavity;

[0007] Furnace tubes are installed in the furnace body and located inside the furnace cavity;

[0008] The first heating component and the second heating component are both located inside the furnace cavity. The first heating component is disposed on one side of the furnace tube along the width direction of the furnace and includes a plurality of first heating elements arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the furnace tube. The second heating component is located on one side of the furnace tube along the height direction and includes a plurality of second heating elements arranged sequentially along the width direction of the furnace.

[0009] A clamping assembly is located inside the furnace tube. The clamping assembly includes a base and a clamping unit for clamping the sample. The base is connected to the cavity of the furnace tube, and the clamping unit is rotatably connected to the base via a rotating shaft.

[0010] The rotating shaft is perpendicular to the axial direction of the furnace tube and the width direction of the furnace body, so that the clamping unit can rotate in the plane formed by the axial direction of the furnace tube and the width direction of the furnace body.

[0011] In some embodiments, the clamping assembly further includes a rotating unit, which is rotatably connected to the base via the rotating shaft, and the clamping unit is slidably connected to the rotating unit along a first direction;

[0012] The first direction has a component along the height direction and a component along the width direction of the furnace body.

[0013] In some embodiments, the rotating unit includes a rotating frame and a first locking member for locking the rotating frame, wherein one of the base and the rotating frame is connected to the rotating shaft and the other is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft; the clamping unit is slidably connected to the rotating frame.

[0014] In some embodiments, the rotating frame is provided with a first sliding portion, and the clamping unit is provided with a second sliding portion, wherein the first sliding portion and the second sliding portion slide in cooperation along the first direction; the rotating unit further includes a second locking member for locking the rotating frame and the clamping unit.

[0015] In some embodiments, the first sliding portion and the second sliding portion extend along the first direction and are both arc-shaped.

[0016] In some embodiments, the base is slidably connected to the furnace tube along an axial direction parallel to the furnace tube.

[0017] In some embodiments, the clamping unit includes a clamping frame, clamping members, and a driving member. Two clamping members are provided, and the two clamping members are slidably connected to the clamping frame. The driving member acts on the two clamping members to drive the two clamping members to move closer to or further away from each other.

[0018] The clamping frame is rotatably connected to the base via a rotating shaft.

[0019] In some embodiments, there are two first heating components, located on both sides of the furnace tube along the width direction of the furnace; and there are two second heating components, located on both sides of the furnace tube along the height direction.

[0020] In some embodiments, the furnace body is provided with a plurality of partitions arranged sequentially at intervals along the axial direction of the furnace tube, and the plurality of partitions divide the space between the furnace body and the furnace tube into a plurality of compartments, wherein the first heating element is located in a compartment.

[0021] In a second aspect of this application, a heat treatment apparatus is provided, including the tubular furnace of the first aspect.

[0022] The tubular heating furnace provided according to the embodiments of this application includes a furnace body, a furnace tube, a first heating component, a second heating component, and a clamping component. The furnace body has a furnace cavity; the furnace tube is installed in the furnace body and located within the furnace cavity; both the first heating component and the second heating component are located within the furnace cavity. The first heating component is disposed on one side of the furnace tube along the width direction of the heating furnace and includes multiple first heating elements sequentially distributed along the axial direction of the furnace tube. The second heating component is located on one side of the furnace tube along the height direction and includes multiple second heating elements sequentially distributed along the width direction of the heating furnace. The clamping component is located within the furnace tube and includes a base and a clamping unit for clamping samples. The base is connected to the cavity of the furnace tube, and the clamping unit is rotatably connected to the base via a rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is perpendicular to the axial direction of the furnace tube and the width direction of the furnace body, so that the clamping unit rotates in the plane formed by the axial direction of the furnace tube and the width direction of the furnace body.

[0023] Since the first heating assembly includes multiple heating elements sequentially distributed along the furnace tube axis, a temperature gradient along the furnace tube axis can be formed. Similarly, the second heating assembly includes multiple heating elements sequentially distributed along the furnace width direction, thus forming a temperature gradient along the furnace width direction. This creates a gradual temperature field on the plane formed by the furnace tube axis and the furnace width direction, i.e., a gradual horizontal temperature field. The sample held by the clamping assembly can rotate within the plane formed by the furnace tube axis and the furnace width direction. Therefore, the heating temperature of the grain-oriented silicon steel sample can be adjusted as needed, allowing different positions of the sample to be at arbitrarily different temperatures. This allows for the acquisition of the microstructure at different positions of the sample at different temperatures. Based on this data, the microstructure evolution and performance of materials under complex heat fluxes can be studied, meeting the research needs of grain-oriented silicon steel heat treatment processes. Attached Figure Description

[0024] Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the tubular heating furnace of this application is shown.

[0025] Figure 2 It shows Figure 1 Side view of a tubular furnace.

[0026] Figure 3 It shows Figure 2 A top view of a tubular furnace.

[0027] Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure of the support assembly and furnace tube of the tubular heating furnace is shown.

[0028] Figure 5 It shows Figure 4A schematic diagram of the structure in which the clamping component fits with the sample.

[0029] Figure 6 It shows Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the structure in which the clamping unit slides along the first direction.

[0030] Figure 7 It shows Figure 4 A schematic diagram of the rotating unit rotating relative to the base.

[0031] Figure 8 It shows Figure 3 A full sectional view of a tubular furnace when cut along a plane parallel to the furnace tube axis.

[0032] Figure 9 It shows Figure 3 A full sectional view of a tubular furnace cut along a plane perpendicular to the furnace tube axis.

[0033] Explanation of reference numerals in the attached figures:

[0034] 10-Furnace body, 11-Furnace cavity, 12-Baffle plate, 20-Furnace tube, 21-Railway, 22-End cap, 22a-Inlet end cap, 22b-Outlet end cap, 30-First heating assembly, 31-First heating element, 40-Second heating assembly, 41-Second heating element, 50-Clamping assembly, 51-Clamping unit, 511-Clamping frame, 5111-Slide rail, 5112-Second sliding part, 512-Clamping element, 5121-Clamping rod, 513-Driver, 52-Rotating unit, 521-First locking element, 522-Rotating frame, 5221-First sliding part, 523-Second locking element, 53-Base, 531-Groove; 60-Sample. Detailed Implementation

[0035] To enable those skilled in the art to more clearly understand this application, the technical solutions in the embodiments of this application will be clearly and completely described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of this application, and not all of the embodiments. Based on the embodiments of this application, all other embodiments obtained by those of ordinary skill in the art without creative effort are within the scope of protection of this application.

[0036] According to a first aspect of this application, a tubular heating furnace is provided, which can provide any different heating temperature field for oriented silicon steel samples to meet the needs of heat treatment process research.

[0037] This application is described below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments:

[0038] Please see Figures 1 to 4The tubular heating furnace provided in this application embodiment includes a furnace body 10, a furnace tube 20, a first heating component 30, a second heating component 40, and a clamping component 50. The furnace body 10 is provided with a furnace cavity 11; the furnace tube 20 is installed in the furnace body 10 and located in the furnace cavity 11; the first heating component 30 and the second heating component 40 are both located in the furnace cavity 11. The first heating component 30 is disposed on one side of the furnace tube 20 along the width direction of the furnace and includes a plurality of first heating elements 31 arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the furnace tube 20. The second heating component 40 is located on one side of the furnace tube 20 along the height direction and includes a plurality of second heating elements 41 arranged sequentially along the width direction of the furnace. The clamping component 50 is located in the furnace tube 20. The clamping component 50 includes a base 53 and a clamping unit 51 for clamping the sample 60. The base 53 is connected to the cavity of the furnace tube 20, and the clamping unit 51 is rotatably connected to the base 53 through a rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is perpendicular to the axial direction of the furnace tube 20 and the width direction of the furnace body 10, so that the clamping unit 51 rotates in the plane formed by the axial direction of the furnace tube 20 and the width direction of the furnace body 10.

[0039] The furnace body 10 is the main structure of the tubular heating furnace, and it is provided with a furnace cavity 11. The furnace cavity 11 can be equipped with the first heating component 30, the second heating component 40, and the furnace tube 20, etc.

[0040] The furnace tube 20 is a structure that accommodates the grain-oriented silicon steel sample 60. It is installed in the furnace body 10 and located in the furnace cavity 11, so that the first heating component 30 and the second heating component 40 can heat the furnace tube 20, thereby heating the grain-oriented silicon steel inside the furnace tube 20.

[0041] Please see Figures 8 to 9 Both the first heating assembly 30 and the second heating assembly 40 are heating structures that provide heat to the grain-oriented silicon steel inside the furnace tube 20, performing annealing heat treatment on the grain-oriented silicon steel to improve its secondary recrystallization behavior and thus optimize its microstructure. Since the first heating assembly 30 includes multiple first heating elements 31 sequentially distributed along the axial direction of the furnace tube 20, a temperature gradient along the axial direction of the furnace tube 20 can be formed. Similarly, the second heating assembly 40 includes multiple second heating elements 41 sequentially distributed along the width direction of the furnace, thus forming a temperature gradient along the width direction of the furnace. This creates a gradual temperature field on the plane formed by the axial direction of the furnace tube 20 and the width direction of the furnace, i.e., a gradual horizontal temperature field. The temperature at any position of the sample 60 held on the clamping assembly 50 is adjustable.

[0042] The clamping assembly 50 is used to clamp the sample 60. The clamping unit 51 of the clamping assembly 50 is connected to the base 53 through a rotating shaft. The axis of the rotating shaft is perpendicular to the gradual temperature field of the horizontal plane mentioned above. Therefore, the sample 60 clamped by the clamping unit 51 can rotate around the rotating shaft, so that each position of the sample 60 is at any different temperature. This allows the microstructure of the sample 60 at different positions at different temperatures to be obtained. Based on this data, the microstructure evolution and performance of materials under complex heat flux can be studied, promoting the further optimization and development of the properties of grain-oriented silicon steel.

[0043] For ease of explanation, this application describes the furnace tube 20 as being horizontally arranged. The axial direction of the furnace tube 20 can also be referred to as the length direction of the heating furnace, which is also the direction of the protective gas flow. The width direction of the heating furnace is perpendicular to the length direction of the heating furnace, and the height direction is perpendicular to the length direction of the furnace tube 20 and the width direction of the heating furnace.

[0044] The clamping assembly 50 serves as a structure for clamping the grain-oriented silicon steel sample 60. In some embodiments, please refer to [reference needed]. Figures 5 to 7 The clamping assembly 50 also includes a rotating unit 52, which is rotatably connected to the base 53 via a rotating shaft. The clamping unit 51 is slidably connected to the rotating unit 52 along a first direction. The base 53 and the clamping unit 51 are connected via the rotating unit 52, thus achieving a sliding connection between the clamping unit 51 and the rotating unit 52. In some embodiments, the clamping assembly 50 can be directly rotatably connected to the base 53 via a rotating shaft, which simplifies the structure.

[0045] In some embodiments, the first direction has a component along the height direction. In addition to forming a temperature gradient along the width of the furnace, the second heating component 40 is located on one side of the furnace tube 20 along its height direction, while no heating component is located on the other side. Therefore, a temperature gradient also exists along the height direction of the furnace tube 20. Since the first direction has a component along the height direction, the position of the clamping unit 51 can be adjusted in the height direction during the sliding process relative to the rotating unit 52, thereby expanding the temperature study range of the oriented silicon steel sample 60. Furthermore, the adjustment process is simpler and the heating accuracy is higher. In other embodiments, the temperature study range of the silicon steel sample 60 can also be expanded by adjusting the heating temperatures of the first heating component 30 and the second heating component 40, but the temperature control accuracy is not high.

[0046] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 6The first direction can be the extension direction of an arc. Since the inner wall of the furnace tube 20 is arc-shaped, the extension direction of the arc better matches the shape of the inner wall of the furnace tube 20, making full use of the space within the furnace tube 20 and expanding the temperature adjustment range. Simultaneously, the clamping unit 51 is slidably connected to the rotating unit 52 along the arc extension direction, enabling posture adjustment of the grain-oriented silicon steel sample 60 and further expanding the temperature research range. In other embodiments, the first direction can also be an inclined straight line, which can also achieve height adjustment of the grain-oriented silicon steel.

[0047] The clamping unit 51 serves as the structure for clamping the grain-oriented silicon steel sample 60. Please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 6 The clamping unit 51 may include a clamping frame 511, clamping members 512 and a driving member 513. There are two clamping members 512, which are slidably connected to the clamping frame 511. The driving member 513 acts on the two clamping members 512 to drive the two clamping members 512 to move closer or further away from each other, thereby clamping or releasing the sampled silicon steel sample 60.

[0048] The clamping frame 511 serves as the mounting base for the clamping unit 51. In cases where the clamping unit 51 is directly connected to the base 53 via a rotating shaft, the connection between the clamping unit 51 and the base 53 can be achieved by rotating the clamping frame 511 to the base 53 via a rotating shaft. The clamping frame 511 may be equipped with two slide rails 5111, spaced apart along the axial direction of the furnace tube 20. Two clamping members 512 are spaced apart along an axial direction perpendicular to the furnace tube 20. Each clamping member 512 is slidably mounted on the two slide rails 5111 to improve the stability of the clamping member 512 during sliding.

[0049] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 6 The drive component 513 can be a threaded rod, which is located between two slide rails 5111. The middle part of the threaded rod is rotatably connected to the clamping frame 511. The two ends of the threaded rod are two threaded segments with opposite thread directions. The two threaded segments are threadedly connected to two clamping components 512 respectively. When the threaded rod rotates, the two clamping components 512 will move closer or further away from each other, thereby clamping or releasing the silicon steel sample 60.

[0050] In other embodiments, the drive member 513 may also be a telescopic member, such as a cylinder. Two telescopic members may be provided. The fixed ends of the two telescopic members are connected to the clamping frame 511, and the telescopic ends are respectively connected to the two clamping members 512. By extending or retracting the telescopic members, the two clamping members 512 can be brought closer or further apart, thereby clamping or releasing the sampled silicon steel sample 60.

[0051] Please see Figure 7The clamping member 512 may be equipped with clamping rods 5121 for clamping the grain-oriented silicon steel sample 60. The clamping rods 5121 are relatively thin to minimize the contact area with the grain-oriented silicon steel, reduce the impact on the heating temperature of the grain-oriented silicon steel sample 60, and ensure the accuracy of the results. Two clamping rods 5121 are provided, which can improve the stability of clamping the silicon steel sample 60 and reduce the impact on the microstructure of the grain-oriented silicon steel.

[0052] The rotating unit 52 serves as a connecting structure between the clamping unit 51 and the base 53. The rotating unit 52 may include a rotating frame 522, a base 53, and a rotating frame 522, one of which is connected to a rotating shaft, and the other is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft. The clamping unit 51 is slidably connected to the rotating frame 522. That is, in some embodiments, the base 53 is connected to the rotating shaft, and the rotating frame 522 is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft, thus achieving a rotatable connection between the rotating unit 52 and the base 53. In other embodiments, the rotating frame 522 is connected to the rotating shaft, and the base 53 is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft, thus achieving a rotatable connection between the rotating unit 52 and the base 53.

[0053] The lower part of the rotating bracket 522 can be configured as a tube, forming a space for the rotating shaft to extend into. See also the following embodiments: Figure 6 The rotating unit 52 may further include a first locking member 521 for locking the rotating frame 522. When the rotating unit 52 rotates relative to the base 53 to a target position, the first locking member 521 locks the rotating frame 522, ensuring the attitude stability of the oriented silicon steel sample 60. The first locking member 521 may be a locking screw. The rotating frame 522 has a threaded hole, through which the locking screw passes and presses against the rotating shaft, thereby achieving locking between the rotating frame 522 and the rotating shaft. Alternatively, the first locking member 521 may be a pin. The rotating frame 522 has a first pin hole, and the rotating shaft has multiple circumferentially distributed second pin holes. The pin passes through the first pin hole and is inserted into any of the second pin holes, thereby achieving locking between the rotating frame 522 and the rotating shaft.

[0054] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 6 as well as Figure 7The rotating frame 522 may be provided with a first sliding portion 5221, and the clamping frame 511 of the clamping unit 51 may be provided with a second sliding portion 5112. The first sliding portion and the second sliding portion 5112 slide in a first direction, thereby realizing the sliding connection between the rotating frame 522 and the clamping unit 51. In some embodiments, the first sliding portion 5221 may be a groove, and the second sliding portion 5112 may be a protrusion. Both the protrusion and the groove extend in the first direction and slide in a slidable fit, thereby realizing the sliding connection between the rotating frame 522 and the clamping unit 51 in the first direction. In other embodiments, the first sliding portion 5221 may be a protrusion, and the second sliding portion 5112 may be a groove. Both the protrusion and the groove extend in the first direction and slide in a slidable fit, which also realizes the sliding connection between the rotating frame 522 and the clamping unit 51 in the first direction.

[0055] In some embodiments, the dimension of the first sliding portion 5221 along the first direction is the same as the dimension of the second sliding portion 5112 along the first direction, which can reduce the space occupied by the rotating frame 522. In other embodiments, the dimension of the first sliding portion 5221 along the first direction can also be larger than the dimension of the second sliding portion 5112 along the first direction, which can also realize the relative sliding between the rotating frame 522 and the clamping frame 511.

[0056] In some embodiments, two first sliding portions 5221 and two second sliding portions 5112 are provided, and they are arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. The two first sliding portions 5221 are arranged at intervals perpendicular to the first direction, and the two second sliding portions 5112 are arranged at intervals perpendicular to the first direction, thereby improving the stability of the sliding connection between the rotating frame 522 and the clamping unit 51 along the first direction. In other embodiments, at least three first sliding portions 5221 and two second sliding portions 5112 may also be provided, which can also improve the stability of the sliding connection between the rotating frame 522 and the clamping unit 51 along the first direction.

[0057] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 6 and Figure 7 When the first sliding part 5221 is a groove and the second sliding part 5112 is a protrusion, the openings of the two grooves can be arranged opposite each other perpendicular to the first direction, and the two protrusions can be arranged opposite each other perpendicular to the first direction. This reduces the space occupied and improves compactness. In other embodiments, the openings of the two grooves face upwards, and the two protrusions protrude downwards, which also enables the rotating frame 522 and the clamping unit 51 to slide along the first direction.

[0058] In some embodiments, the rotating unit 52 further includes a second locking member 523 for locking the rotating frame 522 and the clamping unit 51. The second locking member 523 allows the clamping frame 511 to slide along the first direction to a target position and then lock, ensuring the positional stability of the oriented silicon steel. In some embodiments, each first sliding portion 5221 is provided with a plurality of second locking members 523, such as two or three, to improve the locking stability between the clamping frame 511 and the rotating frame 522.

[0059] In some embodiments, the second locking member 523 can be a locking screw, and the rotating frame 522 has a threaded hole communicating with the slide groove. The screw passes through the threaded hole and presses against the slide protrusion, thereby achieving locking between the rotating frame 522 and the clamping frame 511. In other embodiments, the clamping frame 511 can have a plurality of third pin holes arranged sequentially along the first direction, and the rotating frame 522 has a fourth pin hole. A pin passes through the fourth pin hole and is inserted into any of the third pin holes, which can also achieve locking between the rotating frame 522 and the clamping frame 511.

[0060] The base 53 serves as the connection structure between the clamping assembly 50 and the furnace tube 20. In some embodiments, please refer to [reference needed]. Figure 4 The base 53 and the furnace tube 20 can be slidably connected along an axis parallel to the furnace tube 20. This configuration allows the base 53, carrying the rotating unit 52 and the clamping unit 51, to slide into the middle section of the furnace tube 20 or out to the end of the furnace tube 20. When the clamping assembly 50 slides to the end of the furnace tube 20, it facilitates clamping the grain-oriented silicon steel sample 60 onto the clamping unit 51, or removing the heat-treated grain-oriented silicon steel sample 60 from the clamping unit 51. Furthermore, the position of the clamping assembly 50 within the furnace tube 20 can be adjusted to regulate the temperature range of the grain-oriented silicon steel sample 60, allowing different locations of the sample 60 to be at various temperatures. This enables the study of the microstructure evolution and performance of materials under complex heat fluxes, promoting further optimization and development of the grain-oriented silicon steel properties.

[0061] In other embodiments, the base 53 can also be fixedly connected to the furnace tube 20, allowing the operator to reach into the furnace tube 20 to clamp or release the oriented silicon steel sample 60.

[0062] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 4 as well as Figure 5The furnace tube 20 has a track 21 on its cavity, and the base 53 has a groove 531. The groove 531 slides into the track 21 to achieve a sliding fit between the clamping component 50 and the cavity. In other embodiments, the furnace tube 20 has a groove 531 extending along its own axial direction on its cavity, and the base 53 has a protrusion. The protrusion slides into the groove 531, which also achieves a sliding fit between the clamping component 50 and the cavity.

[0063] In some embodiments, the base 53 may also be provided with a pull ring to facilitate the operator to slide the clamping assembly 50 relative to the furnace tube 20.

[0064] The first heating component 30 serves as the heating structure of the furnace; please refer to [link / reference needed]. Figure 8 Two first heating components 30 can be provided, located on both sides of the furnace tube 20 along the width direction of the heating furnace. Providing first heating components 30 on both sides of the furnace tube 20 along the width direction of the heating furnace can increase the heating temperature. The multiple first heating elements 31 of the two first heating components 30 can be arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. That is, two first heating elements 31 located at the same position along the axial direction of the furnace tube 20 are respectively located on both sides of the furnace tube 20 along the width direction of the heating furnace. The heating temperatures of the two corresponding first heating elements 31 can be the same or different. Even when the heating temperatures of the two corresponding first heating elements 31 are different, a temperature gradient along the width direction of the heating furnace can still be provided.

[0065] Similarly, please refer to Figure 9 The second heating assembly 40 serves as the heating structure of the furnace. Two second heating assemblies 40 are provided, located on both sides of the furnace tube 20 along the height direction. Having second heating assemblies 40 on both sides of the furnace tube 20 along the width direction of the furnace can increase the heating temperature. The multiple second heating elements 41 of the two second heating assemblies 40 can be arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. That is, two second heating elements 41 located at the same position in the width direction of the furnace are respectively located on both sides of the height direction of the furnace tube 20. The heating temperatures of the two corresponding second heating elements 41 can be the same or different. Even when the heating temperatures of the two corresponding second heating elements 41 are different, a temperature gradient along the height direction can still be provided.

[0066] The first heating element 31 and the second heating element 41 can be silicon carbide rods. Each heating element can be individually controlled to apply heat flow in different directions during annealing, and these flows can be combined to create temperature gradients in three directions: the height direction, the axial direction of the furnace tube 20, and the width direction of the heating furnace. This allows the sample 60 to be subjected to arbitrary and different temperatures at various locations, thereby obtaining the microstructure of different locations of the sample 60 at different temperatures. Based on this data, the evolution of the microstructure and performance of the material under complex heat flow can be studied, promoting further optimization and development of the properties of oriented silicon steel. In actual annealing, the temperature control accuracy of each region can reach ±1℃, dynamically adjusting the temperature gradient direction, refining the management of the temperature field, and optimizing the competitive environment for the secondary recrystallization texture of the oriented silicon steel sample 60.

[0067] In specific configurations, in some embodiments, the first heating element 31 may extend along the height direction, and the second heating element 41 may extend along the axial direction of the furnace tube 20. In other embodiments, the first heating element 31 may also have an angle with the height direction, and the second heating element 41 may also have an angle with the axial direction of the furnace tube 20.

[0068] The furnace body 10 serves as the main structure of the heating furnace. The furnace body 10 may include an outer tube and an inner tube arranged sequentially from the outside to the inside. The outer tube may be made of high-temperature resistant stainless steel, and the inner tube may be made of nickel-based alloy tube with a temperature resistance greater than or equal to 1300℃. The furnace body 10 may be rectangular in shape.

[0069] In some embodiments, please refer to Figure 8 The furnace body 10 is equipped with multiple partitions 12 arranged sequentially and at intervals along the axial direction of the furnace tube 20. These partitions 12 divide the space between the furnace body 10 and the furnace tube 20 into multiple compartments. A first heating element 31 is located within a compartment, and two second heating elements 40 are located above and below the partitions 12, respectively. The compartmentalization reduces the temperature influence between adjacent first heating elements 31, improving the accuracy of the temperature gradient. In practice, the number of first heating elements 31 can be the same as the number of compartments, arranged in a one-to-one correspondence. Alternatively, the number of first heating elements 31 can be a multiple of the number of compartments, with each compartment having a multiple number of first heating elements 31.

[0070] In some embodiments, two partitions 12 are provided, and the two partitions 12 are connected to the circumferential surface of the furnace tube 20, dividing the space between the furnace body 10 and the furnace tube 20 into three compartments. There are 12 first heating tubes, and four first heating tubes are provided in each compartment. The four first heating tubes are arranged in pairs, and the two pairs of first heating tubes are located on both sides of the same compartment along the width direction of the heating furnace, thus forming six heating zones.

[0071] The furnace tube 20, serving as the structure for accommodating the grain-oriented silicon steel sample 60, can be made of heat-resistant stainless steel nickel-based alloy tubing with a high temperature resistance of ≥1300℃. The diameter of the furnace tube 20 can be 250mm to 350mm, such as 280mm or 300mm, to provide space for accommodating the clamping assembly 50. The inner lining of the furnace tube 20 can be made of alumina ceramic fiber (temperature resistance ≥1600℃) to achieve efficient heat insulation and uniform thermal field.

[0072] In some embodiments, both ends of the furnace tube 20 extend outside the furnace body 10. The two portions of the furnace tube 20 extending outside the furnace body 10 serve as heat preservation and cooling zones, while the portion of the furnace tube 20 located inside the furnace body 10 serves as a heating and heat preservation zone. Both ends of the furnace tube 20 are provided with end caps 22, which are openable and closable to close or open both ends of the furnace tube 20.

[0073] In some embodiments, the end cap 22 is provided with a mounting hole for installing a temperature sensor, such as a thermocouple. The thermocouple is installed in the mounting hole, and its sensing end extends into the furnace tube 20 to detect the temperature inside the furnace tube 20 and study the relationship between temperature and the microstructure of the grain-oriented silicon steel. In other embodiments, the portion of the furnace tube 20 extending outside the furnace body 10 may also be provided with a mounting hole for installing a temperature sensor, which can also enable temperature detection inside the furnace tube 20 and study the relationship between temperature and the microstructure of the grain-oriented silicon steel.

[0074] In some embodiments, the end cap 22 is provided with multiple vents for introducing protective gases such as hydrogen or nitrogen to simulate the airflow during the annealing process, so as to study the relationship between the airflow and the microstructure of grain-oriented silicon steel.

[0075] In some embodiments, the heating furnace may further include a controller electrically connected to a temperature sensor to control the individual heating of the first heating element 31 and the second heating element 41.

[0076] Based on the same technical concept as the first aspect, the second aspect of this application provides a heat treatment apparatus capable of providing a temperature field for any heating requirement of the oriented silicon steel sample 60, facilitating the study of heat treatment and the microstructure of oriented silicon steel to guide production.

[0077] The heat treatment apparatus provided in this application includes a vacuum pump, a gas source, and a tubular heating furnace according to any embodiment of the first aspect.

[0078] The two end caps 22 are the inlet end cap 22a and the outlet end cap 22b, respectively. The vacuum pump is connected to the air hole on the inlet end cap 22a or the gas storage end cap 22 to extract the air from the furnace tube 20 and simulate the airless atmosphere in the annealing furnace.

[0079] The gas source provides either nitrogen or hydrogen gas and is connected to the vent on the inlet end cap 22a to supply a nitrogen or hydrogen atmosphere into the furnace tube 20. The gas is then discharged through the vent on the outlet end cap 22b, simulating the annealing production environment. In practice, the gas source can be connected to the vents via multiple branch pipes, each connected to a vent. A flow regulating valve can be installed on each branch pipe to adjust the airflow within the furnace tube 20, simulating heat treatment conditions under different airflow conditions. This allows for the study of the relationship between airflow and the microstructure of grain-oriented silicon steel, providing guidance for production.

[0080] The experimental steps for high-temperature annealing using a tube furnace are described below:

[0081] Step 1: Select a grain-oriented silicon steel sample 60 to be processed, with a length × width of 300mm × 30mm. Fix the grain-oriented silicon steel sample 60 to the rotating frame 522 using the clamping member 512 and adjust the clamping force (0-50N adjustable). Adjust the position of the clamping frame 511 along the first direction (e.g., the tilt angle of the grain-oriented silicon steel sample 60 is 45°) and lock it using the second locking member 523. Rotate the rotating frame 522 to the target position (e.g., the rotation angle is 90°) and lock it using the first locking member 521.

[0082] Step 2: Push the pull ring of the base 53 to send the grain-oriented silicon steel sample 60 into the center of the furnace tube 20 along the track 21.

[0083] Step 3: Set the temperature gradient inside the furnace tube 20 through the control unit. For example, the heating termination temperature of T1 can be set to 800℃ and T3 can be set to 1000℃, thereby forming a temperature heat flow gradient in the same direction.

[0084] Step 4: Close the inlet end cover 22a and the outlet end cover 22b, and start the matching vacuum mechanical pump to evacuate the furnace chamber 11.

[0085] Step 5: After turning off the vacuum pump and adjusting the airflow direction, nitrogen or hydrogen atmosphere can be introduced to prepare for the experiment.

[0086] Step 7: Start the first heating component 30 and the second heating component 40, and heat according to the preset temperature gradient. After the annealing treatment is completed, take out the oriented silicon steel sample 60 for performance testing and microstructure analysis.

[0087] The tubular heating furnace provided in this application has at least the following advantages:

[0088] The first heating element 31 of the first heating assembly 30 and the second heating element 41 of the second heating assembly 40 can be heated independently to form a temperature gradient along the width and length of the heating furnace. With the rotation of the clamping assembly 50, the heating requirements of any temperature gradient at any position of the oriented silicon steel sample 60 can be met, and the relationship between annealing process parameters and the microstructure of the oriented silicon steel sample 60 can be studied.

[0089] The clamping assembly 50 can drive the oriented silicon steel sample 60 to achieve rotation and tilting operations. The rotation angle range is 0° to 360°, and the tilting angle range is 0° to 90°. There is no need to set up a heating assembly to achieve a temperature gradient in the height direction. The silicon steel sample 60 can be heated to different temperatures along the height direction. The structure is simple and the adjustment is convenient.

[0090] Multiple independently adjustable air holes are provided on the end plate, which can flexibly adjust the airflow distribution into the furnace according to experimental needs to study the relationship between airflow and the microstructure of grain-oriented silicon steel sample 60.

[0091] 4. By controlling the temperature gradient and rotating the 60° angled silicon steel sample, the influence of different heat flow directions on the microstructure of oriented silicon steel can be accurately simulated, providing a powerful tool for studying the evolution of material microstructure and performance optimization. It also improves experimental flexibility, increasing experimental diversity and repeatability. Furthermore, it can optimize material properties, especially suitable for the study of secondary recrystallization of oriented silicon steel, significantly improving its magnetic properties and providing a new technical means for the development of high-performance materials.

[0092] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, "above" or "below" the second feature can include direct contact between the first and second features, or contact between the first and second features through another feature between them. Furthermore, "above," "over," and "on top" of the second feature includes the first feature being directly above or diagonally above the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a higher horizontal level than the second feature. "Below," "below," and "under" the second feature includes the first feature being directly below or diagonally below the second feature, or simply indicates that the first feature is at a lower horizontal level than the second feature.

[0093] In the description of this application, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "lateral", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", and "counterclockwise" indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are used only for the convenience of describing this application and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on this application.

[0094] In this application, unless otherwise expressly specified and limited, the terms "connection," "fixed," etc., should be interpreted broadly. For example, "fixed" can mean a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral part; it can mean a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can mean a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; it can mean the internal communication of two components or the interaction between two components. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this application according to the specific circumstances.

[0095] Furthermore, the use of terms such as "first" and "second" in this application is for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying their relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Therefore, features defined with "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more features. In the description of this application, "multiple" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0096] Although embodiments of this application have been shown and described, those skilled in the art will understand that various changes, modifications, substitutions and variations can be made to these embodiments without departing from the principles and spirit of this application, the scope of which is defined by the claims and their equivalents.

Claims

1. A tubular heating furnace, characterized in that, include: The furnace body is equipped with a furnace cavity; Furnace tubes are installed in the furnace body and located inside the furnace cavity; The first heating component and the second heating component are both located inside the furnace cavity. The first heating component is disposed on one side of the furnace tube along the width direction of the furnace body and includes a plurality of first heating elements arranged sequentially along the axial direction of the furnace tube. The second heating component is located on one side of the furnace tube along the height direction and includes a plurality of second heating elements arranged sequentially along the width direction of the furnace body. A clamping assembly is located inside the furnace tube. The clamping assembly includes a base and a clamping unit for clamping the sample. The base is connected to the cavity of the furnace tube, and the clamping unit is rotatably connected to the base via a rotating shaft. The rotating shaft is perpendicular to the axial direction of the furnace tube and the width direction of the furnace body, so that the clamping unit can rotate in the plane formed by the axial direction of the furnace tube and the width direction of the furnace body.

2. The tubular heating furnace according to claim 1, characterized in that, The clamping assembly further includes a rotating unit, which is rotatably connected to the base via the rotating shaft, and the clamping unit is slidably connected to the rotating unit along a first direction. The first direction has a component along the height direction and a component along the width direction of the furnace body.

3. The tubular heating furnace according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rotating unit includes a rotating frame and a first locking member for locking the rotating frame. Of the base and the rotating frame, one is connected to the rotating shaft, and the other is rotatably connected to the rotating shaft. The clamping unit is slidably connected to the rotating frame.

4. The tubular heating furnace according to claim 2, characterized in that, The rotating frame is provided with a first sliding part, and the clamping unit is provided with a second sliding part. The first sliding part and the second sliding part slide in cooperation along the first direction. The rotating unit also includes a second locking element for locking the rotating frame and the clamping unit.

5. The tubular heating furnace according to claim 4, characterized in that, The first sliding portion and the second sliding portion extend along the first direction and are both arc-shaped.

6. The tubular heating furnace according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The base is slidably connected to the furnace tube along an axial direction parallel to the furnace tube.

7. The tubular heating furnace according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, The clamping unit includes a clamping frame, clamping members, and a driving member. There are two clamping members, and both clamping members are slidably connected to the clamping frame. The driving member acts on the two clamping members to drive the two clamping members to move closer to or further away from each other. The clamping frame is rotatably connected to the base via the rotating shaft.

8. The tubular heating furnace according to any one of claims 1-5, characterized in that, Two first heating components are provided, and the two first heating components are located on both sides of the furnace tube along the width direction of the furnace body; There are two second heating components, which are located on both sides of the furnace tube along the height direction.

9. The tubular heating furnace according to claim 8, characterized in that, The furnace body is provided with a plurality of partitions arranged sequentially at intervals along the axial direction of the furnace tube. The plurality of partitions divide the space between the furnace body and the furnace tube into a plurality of compartments, and the first heating element is located in a compartment.

10. A heat treatment apparatus, characterized in that, The tubular heating furnace includes any one of claims 1-9.

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