Firing furnace

Abstract

To prevent deformation and breakage of the inside of a firing furnace.SOLUTION: A firing furnace 1 comprises a muffle 10, a carry-in passage 30, a carry-out passage 40, a main pusher 20 and a carry-out pusher 45. The firing furnace 1 is mounted on a frame 50. The carry-in passage 30 is provided at the side of a first end part 10e of the muffle. The carry-out passage 40 is provided at the side of a second end part 10f of the muffle. In this firing furnace 1, the second end part 10f of the muffle, the carry-out passage 40 and the carry-out pusher 45 are fixedly arranged relative to the frame 50. On the other hand, the first end part 10e of the muffle, the carry-in passage 30 and the carry-in pusher are movably arranged in the length direction of the muffle 10 relative to the frame 50.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a kiln. [Background technology]

[0002] WO 2013 / 065556 discloses a continuous method for producing boron nitride powder. The high-temperature continuous reactor used in this method is a pusher-type tunnel furnace equipped with a graphite heater and a graphite muffle-type tunnel. The center of the pusher-type tunnel furnace is maintained at 1550°C to 2400°C, and the interior is filled with high-purity nitrogen.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open Publication No. 2023-148905 discloses a tunnel-shaped muffle furnace that isolates a transport space through which materials to be processed are transported. Because this muffle furnace is a pusher furnace, the materials to be processed are pushed forward. The muffle furnace has an inlet section, a transport section, a transport pusher, and an outlet pusher. The transport pusher pushes the materials to be processed in the transport section of the muffle furnace forward. The outlet pusher pushes the materials to be processed in the transport section of the muffle furnace toward the outlet section. The muffle furnace also has a partition that separates the transport space along the transport direction. In this muffle furnace, the temperature inside the muffle can be increased in stages from 410°C to 800°C. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] International Publication No. 2013 / 065556 [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2023-148905 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In a firing furnace, the muffle thermally expands due to high-temperature heating. The effects of thermal expansion are particularly noticeable in the longitudinal direction of the muffle (i.e., the conveying direction). This disclosure proposes a new structure for a firing furnace that can minimize the effects (distortion) of the muffle due to thermal expansion.

[0006] One embodiment of the kiln disclosed herein includes a linear, tunnel-shaped muffle and a stand on which the muffle is placed. A first end of the muffle is provided with a main pusher for pushing the material to be treated along the length of the muffle, an inlet passage connected to the first end of the muffle so as to intersect with the length of the muffle, and an inlet pusher for pushing the material to be treated into the muffle through the inlet passage. A second end of the muffle is provided with an outlet passage connected to the second end of the muffle so as to intersect with the length of the muffle, and an outlet pusher provided at the second end of the muffle for pushing the material to be treated toward the outlet passage. The second end of the muffle, the outlet passage, and the outlet pusher are fixedly disposed relative to the stand, while the first end of the muffle, the inlet passage, and the inlet pusher are movable relative to the stand in the length of the muffle.

[0007] In this firing furnace, the discharge side of the muffle in the longitudinal direction is fixed, and the supply side is movable, which results in minimizing the effects (distortion) of the muffle due to thermal expansion. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a firing furnace 1. As shown in FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the muffle 10. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the carry-in path 30. As shown in FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional side view of the discharge path 40. As shown in FIG. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a schematic configuration of a stand 50 on which the firing furnace 1 is placed. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a schematic diagram of the first replacement chamber 60a. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a schematic plan view of the first replacement chamber 60a. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a schematic diagram of the second replacement chamber 60b. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] <Terminology> One embodiment of the present disclosure will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. In the following drawings, components and parts that perform the same function are denoted by the same reference numerals. Furthermore, the dimensional relationships (length, width, thickness, etc.) in each drawing do not reflect the actual dimensional relationships. The directions of up, down, left, right, front, and rear are represented by arrows U, D, L, R, F, and Rr, respectively, in the drawings. Here, the directions of up, down, left, right, front, and rear are defined merely for the convenience of explanation and do not limit the present invention unless otherwise specified.

[0010] FIG. 1 is a schematic plan view of a firing furnace 1. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal side view of a muffle 10. In FIG. 1, a schematic plan view of the firing furnace 1 seen from above with the interior of the muffle 10 exposed is shown so that the general configuration of one embodiment of the firing furnace 1 disclosed herein can be seen. In FIG. 2, a cross-sectional view II-II (see FIG. 1) taken along the longitudinal direction Y of the muffle 10 is shown so that the transport state of the workpiece A in the muffle 10 can be seen. In FIGS. 1 and 2, hatching other than that of the sealing members is omitted as appropriate.

[0011] <Firing furnace 1> As shown in Fig. 1, the firing furnace 1 has a muffle 10, a main pusher 20, an inlet path 30, an outlet path 40, and an outlet pusher 45. Here, the front and rear are defined along the conveying direction Y (length direction) of the firing furnace 1. That is, with respect to the firing furnace 1, the upstream side is defined as the rear (Rr) and the downstream side is defined as the front (F) along the direction in which the workpiece is conveyed, and the front and rear are defined. Furthermore, left and right (L, R) are defined along the direction in which the workpiece is conveyed.

[0012] In this embodiment, the firing furnace 1 also has an input pusher. The input pusher pushes the material to be treated along the input direction X. In FIG. 1, the upstream side of the input direction X is defined as the right (R) and the downstream side is defined as the left (L). The input pusher is attached on an extension of the input path 30.

[0013] The firing furnace 1 continuously heats the workpieces A placed in a heating container B while transporting them along a transport direction Y. In this embodiment, the firing furnace 1 heats the workpieces A while transporting them in the transport direction Y (from Rr to F). The workpieces A are transported by being pushed sequentially by a main pusher 20 on a transport rail 17. The firing furnace 1 is a muffle furnace and a pusher furnace.

[0014] The workpiece A is indirectly heat-treated by a heater (not shown) via the muffle 10. The workpiece A may be, for example, a nitride-based ceramic powder, such as silicon nitride, boron nitride, or aluminum nitride, which is a heat-dissipating material, or a carbon-based or silicon-based powder, which is a negative electrode material for lithium-ion batteries. However, the workpiece A is not limited to these. In this embodiment, the workpiece A is transported through the firing furnace 1 while housed in a heating container B. The heating container B is made of, for example, a material with excellent heat resistance. The material and shape of the heating container B can be selected appropriately depending on the heating temperature, the type of workpiece, and the like. The heating container B is made of, for example, carbon or ceramic. In this embodiment, the heating container B has a generally rectangular shape with a flat bottom and sidewalls. The heating container B is also referred to as a "sheath." A lid B1 may be attached to the heating container B. The lid B1 may be made of the same material as the heating container B.

[0015] <Muffle 10> The muffle 10 is formed in a linear tunnel (or cylindrical) shape surrounding a transport space 10a through which the workpiece A is transported in the transport direction. The muffle 10 can be made of metal, ceramic, or carbon. In this embodiment, a metal muffle 10 is used. Metal muffles 10 are easier to process than ceramic or carbon muffles. Using a metal for the muffle 10 reduces leakage of atmospheric gas from the muffle. The muffle 10 is surrounded by a furnace body (outer wall, not shown) in the transport direction Y via a heater (not shown) and a heat insulating material (not shown). The heater is a heating device. The type, material, and shape of the heater are not particularly limited and can be appropriately selected depending on the heating conditions, such as the target heating temperature and heating atmosphere. The heater may be, for example, far infrared or electric. The heater may be made of, for example, ceramic, carbon, or metal. The heater may be cylindrical or a plate-shaped panel heater. A temperature sensor may be attached inside the muffle 10. In this case, it becomes possible to adjust the temperature conditions based on the temperature detected by the temperature sensor.

[0016] 1 and 2, the muffle 10 has a bottom wall 10d, an upper wall 10b facing the bottom wall 10d, and a pair of side walls 10c1 and 10c2 sandwiching a transfer space 10a. In addition, in Fig. 2, up and down (U, D) are defined along the height direction of the firing furnace 1. In this embodiment, a transfer rail 17 is provided on the bottom wall 10d of the muffle 10 along the transfer direction Y.

[0017] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a main pusher 20 is provided at the rear Rr end (first end 10e) of the muffle 10 in the conveying direction Y. A first opening 11 is provided in a side wall 10c2 of the muffle 10 on the first end 10e side. A discharge pusher 45 is provided at the front F end (second end 10f) of the muffle 10 in the conveying direction Y. In this embodiment, the first end 11 and the second end 13 of the muffle 10 face each other across the conveying space 10a in the conveying direction Y. A second opening 12 is provided in a side wall 10c1 of the muffle 10 on the second end 10f side. A third opening 13 is provided in a side wall 10c2 of the muffle 10 on the second end 10f side.

[0018] The first opening 11 of the muffle 10 is an opening for introducing the workpiece A from the carry-in path 30 into the transfer space 10a. The first opening 11 also serves as a connecting portion that connects the muffle 10 and the carry-in path 30. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, the first opening 11 of the muffle 10 is provided in one side wall 10c1 on the first end 10e side of the muffle 10. Since the workpiece A is introduced into the first opening 11 of the muffle 10 from the carry-in path 30, it is sufficient that the first opening 11 has an inner diameter that is at least larger than that of the workpiece A (or the heating vessel B).

[0019] The second opening 12 of the muffle 10 is an opening through which the discharge pusher 45 pushes the workpiece A in the discharge direction. The third opening 13 of the muffle 10 is an opening through which the workpiece A is introduced from the transfer space 10a into the discharge path 40. As shown in FIG. 1 , the discharge path 10 is connected to the muffle 10 at the second end 10f side of the muffle 10 via the second opening 12 and the third opening 13 so as to intersect with the muffle 10. In this embodiment, the second opening 12 of the muffle 10 is provided in one side wall 10c1 on the second end 10f side of the muffle 10. The third opening 13 of the muffle 10 is provided in the other side wall 10c2 of the muffle 10 so as to face the second opening 12 of the muffle 10. The second opening 12 and the third opening 13 of the muffle 10 are provided opposite each other across the transfer space 10a.

[0020] <Main pusher> The main pusher 20 is a device that pushes the material A to be treated a predetermined distance along the length direction of the muffle (transport direction Y (Rr to F)) at predetermined time intervals. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the main pusher 20 is provided at the first end 10e of the muffle 10. The main pusher 20 can push the material A to be treated that is supplied from the carry-in path 30 to the transport space 10a of the muffle 10 in the transport direction Y. In this embodiment, the main pusher 20 includes a pusher head 20a, a pusher rod 20b, a seal portion 20c, and an actuator 20d. The pusher rod 20b is inserted into the transport space 10a from the first end 10e of the muffle 10. The first end 10e is provided with a seal portion 20c. The seal portion 20c supports the sliding of the pusher rod 20b while ensuring airtightness within the muffle 10. The pusher head 20a is attached to the tip of a pusher rod 20b that extends into the transfer space 10a.

[0021] When the actuator 20d is operated, the pusher rod 20b of the main pusher 20 moves forward, and pushes the workpiece A from the transfer space 10a in the forward direction F. After pushing out the workpiece A, the main pusher 20 moves the pusher head 20a and the pusher rod 20b to standby at the rear. This ensures space for new workpieces A to be supplied from the carry-in path 30 to the transfer space 10a. In this embodiment, a servo motor is used as the actuator 20d. However, this is not a limitation, and the actuator 20d may also be a cylinder mechanism. Because the actuator 20d is provided outside the muffle 10, the pusher rod 20b can be moved with little effect from the temperature inside the muffle 10.

[0022] <Access Route 30> As shown in FIG. 1, the carry-in path 30 is connected to the first end 10e of the muffle 10 so as to intersect with the longitudinal direction of the muffle 10. The carry-in path 30 is a tunnel-shaped (or cylindrical) path having a carry-in space 30a for introducing the workpiece A carried in through the carry-in opening 31 into the muffle 10. FIG. 3 is a longitudinal side view of the carry-in path 30. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section III-III (see FIG. 1) of the carry-in path 30 taken along the carry-in direction X so as to show the interior of the carry-in path 30. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the carry-in path 30 has a bottom wall 30d, an upper wall 30b facing the bottom wall 30d, and a pair of side walls 30c1 and 30c2 sandwiching the carry-in space 30a. In this embodiment, a transport rail 17 intersecting the transport direction Y is provided on the bottom wall 30d of the carry-in path 30. The material of the carry-in path 30 may be the same as that of the muffle 10. Like the muffle 10, the carry-in path 30 may be surrounded in the conveying direction Y by a furnace body (outer wall, not shown) with a heater (not shown) and a heat insulating material (not shown) interposed therebetween.

[0023] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the carry-in path 30 is equipped with a carry-in inlet 31 and a shutter 61. The carry-in path 30 also has a carry-in pusher not shown in FIGS. 1 and 3. The carry-inlet 31 is an opening for carrying the workpiece A into the carry-in space 30a. The carry-inlet 31 is provided opposite the first opening 11 of the muffle 10 across the carry-in space 30a. The shutter 61 has an opening / closing function for making the interior of the firing furnace 1 an airtight space. The shutter 61 may be a lid. Alternatively, the shutter 61 may be derived from the replacement chamber 60 described below. By providing an opening / closing function such as a shutter, the interior of the firing furnace 1 can be separated from the outside atmosphere.

[0024] <Loading pusher> The carry-in pusher is a device that pushes the object A to be treated a predetermined distance along the carry-in direction X (from R to L) of the muffle 10 at predetermined time intervals. The carry-in pusher is provided on the carry-in entrance 31 side of the carry-in path 30. The carry-in pusher supplies the object A to be treated into the transfer space 10a of the muffle 10 by sequentially pushing the object A in the carry-in direction X. The carry-in pusher can push the object A to be treated into the muffle 10 through the carry-in path 30. The carry-in pusher may include a pusher head, a pusher rod, a seal, and an actuator, similar to the main pusher 20.

[0025] <Export path 40> As shown in FIG. 1, the discharge path 40 penetrates the second opening 12 and the third opening 13 of the muffle 10. The discharge path 40 is connected to the second end 10f of the muffle 10 so as to intersect in the longitudinal direction of the muffle. The carry-in path 30 is a tunnel-shaped (or cylindrical) path having a discharge space 40a for carrying out the workpiece A in the transfer space 30a to the outside of the firing furnace 1. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the discharge path 40. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a cross section IV-IV (see FIG. 1) of the carry-in path 30 taken along the discharge direction Z so as to show the interior of the discharge path 40. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the discharge path 40 has a bottom wall 40d, an upper wall 40b facing the bottom wall 40d, and a pair of side walls 40c1 and 40c2 sandwiching the discharge space 40a. In this embodiment, a conveying rail 17 that intersects with the conveying direction Y is provided on the bottom wall 40d of the discharge path 40. The material of the discharge path 40 may be the same as that of the muffle 10. As with the muffle 10, the discharge path 40 may be surrounded in the conveying direction Y by a furnace body (outer wall, not shown) with a heater (not shown) and a heat insulating material (not shown) interposed therebetween.

[0026] As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the discharge path 40 includes a discharge port 41, a discharge pusher 45, and a shutter 61. The discharge port 41 is an opening for discharging the workpiece A to the outside of the calcination furnace 1. The discharge port 41 is provided opposite the third opening 13 of the muffle 10 across the discharge space 40a. The discharge pusher 45 is provided at an end 40e of the discharge path 40 that faces the discharge port 42. The shutter 61 has an opening / closing function for making the inside of the calcination furnace 1 an airtight space. The shutter 61 may be a lid. Alternatively, the shutter 61 may be derived from the replacement chamber 60, which will be described later. By providing an opening / closing function such as a shutter, the inside of the calcination furnace 1 can be separated from the outside atmosphere.

[0027] The discharge path 40 has an opening and closing function to make the inside of the firing furnace 1 an airtight space. Here, the discharge path 40 has a shutter 61 as the opening and closing function. However, the opening and closing function is not particularly limited. The opening and closing function may be, for example, a lid or a shutter. The opening and closing function may also be derived from the replacement chamber 60 described later.

[0028] <Export Pusher 45> The discharge pusher 45 is a device that pushes the workpiece A a predetermined distance along the discharge direction Z (from L to R) of the muffle 10 at predetermined time intervals. The discharge pusher 45 sequentially pushes the workpiece A from the transfer space 10a in the discharge direction Z, thereby discharging the workpiece A out of the firing furnace 1. As shown in FIG. 1 , the discharge pusher 45 is provided on the second end 10f side of the muffle 10. In this embodiment, the discharge pusher 45 includes a pusher head 45a, a pusher rod 45b, a seal portion 45c, and an actuator 45d. The pusher rod 45b is inserted into the discharge space 40a from the end 40e of the discharge path 40. The end 40e is provided with a seal portion 45c. The seal portion 45c supports the sliding of the pusher rod 45b while ensuring airtightness within the muffle 10. The pusher head 45a is attached to the tip of a pusher rod 45b that extends into the discharge space 40a.

[0029] <50-seat stand> FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically illustrating the configuration of a stand 50 on which the firing furnace 1 is placed. As shown in FIG. 5, the stand 50 supports the bottom surfaces of the firing furnace 1 (the muffle 10, the main pusher 20, the discharge pusher 45, the carry-in path 30, and the discharge pusher 45). The second end 10f of the muffle 10 is fixed to the stand 50. Here, the second end 10f of the muffle 10, the discharge path 40, and the discharge pusher 45 are fixedly disposed relative to the stand. The fixing method is not particularly limited. For example, they can be fixed by metal fittings, belts, adhesives, welding, or the like. Metal fittings used for fixing include, for example, bolts or rivets. In this embodiment, the second end 10f, the discharge path 40, and the discharge pusher 45 are fixed to the stand 50 by brackets 51 and bolts 52.

[0030] Furthermore, the first end 10e side of the muffle 10 is arranged on the stand 50 so as to be movable in the length direction of the muffle 10. Here, the first end 10e of the muffle 10, the carry-in path 30, and the carry-in pusher 35 are not fixed to the stand 50. The first end 10e of the muffle 10, the carry-in path 30, and the carry-in pusher are arranged so as to be movable in the length direction of the muffle 10 relative to the stand 50.

[0031] A firing furnace is a device that heats workpieces at high temperatures. High-temperature heating causes thermal expansion of the muffle used in the firing furnace. In applications requiring long-term firing, the overall length of the muffle may be increased to improve productivity. In this case, the overall length of the muffle may reach approximately 4 m or more. Depending on the workpiece, heating at a higher temperature may be required. For example, in a debinding process for ceramic materials, the temperature inside the muffle may reach approximately 500°C to 600°C. When such a long muffle is used and exposed to high temperatures, the overall length of the muffle may increase by 2 cm or more. The inventors believed that the expansion of the muffle due to the thermal expansion described above may cause distortion in the muffle. They believed that such distortion may affect the airtightness of the muffle and the transportation of the workpiece.

[0032] As described above, the firing furnace 1 disclosed herein includes a muffle 10, a main pusher 20, an inlet passage 30, an inlet pusher, an outlet passage 40, an outlet pusher 45, and a base 50. The second end 10f of the muffle, the outlet passage 40, and the outlet pusher 45 are fixedly disposed relative to the base 50. However, the first end 10e of the muffle, the inlet passage 30, and the inlet pusher are disposed movably relative to the base 50 in the longitudinal direction of the muffle 10 (here, from Rr to F). This allows the expansion of the muffle 10 due to thermal expansion to be restricted to one direction (here, the Rr direction). That is, the first end 10e of the muffle 10 can slide in the longitudinal direction of the muffle 10 by an amount corresponding to the thermal expansion of the muffle 10. As a result, distortion inside the muffle 10 can be reduced. For example, distortion at the connection portion (first opening 11 or third opening 13) between the muffle 10 and the carry-in path 30 or the carry-out path 40 can be reduced.

[0033] Alternatively, the first end 10e of the muffle 10 may be fixed to the stand 50, and the second end 10f of the muffle 10 may be movable relative to the stand 50. However, as in this embodiment, it is preferable to fix the second end 10f of the muffle 10 to the stand. When the muffle 10 thermally expands, expansion tends to concentrate at the end of the muffle that is not fixed (movable). In this embodiment, the first end 10e of the muffle 10 is more likely to have a larger gap between the heating containers B (objects A) than the second end 10f. Even in this case, the main pusher 20 can push the heating containers B (objects A) in the conveying direction Y. Since the gap between the heating containers B (objects A) can be reduced, the extrusion by the discharge pusher 45 can be more stable.

[0034] The expansion of the muffle 10 due to thermal expansion varies depending on the temperature range used and the total length of the muffle. The higher the temperature inside the furnace, the greater the thermal expansion rate. The temperature inside the furnace is determined by the target workpiece. In this embodiment, the total length W of the muffle 10 in the longitudinal direction (from the first end 10e to the second end 10f) is approximately 4.4 m. The interior of the muffle 10 is heated to approximately 500°C to 600°C. In this case, the muffle 10 expands in the longitudinal direction by a maximum of 24 mm due to thermal expansion. The technology disclosed herein is particularly effective for firing furnaces that have a long total length and are used at high temperatures. The total length of the muffle 10 is preferably 2 m or more, more preferably 3 m or more, and even more preferably 4 m or more.

[0035] As shown in FIG. 5, the base 50 includes a long first frame 50a, a second frame 50b, and support members 50c. The first frame 50a is provided on the upper side of the base 50 for placing the firing furnace 1 thereon. The second frame 50b connects multiple support members 50c so as to be located below the base 50. The second frame 50b can reinforce the base 50. In this embodiment, the second frame 50b is provided with adjustment bolts 53 and anchor bolts 54. The adjustment bolts 53 can adjust the height of the base. The anchor bolts 54 can secure the base 50 to the floor.

[0036] Free rollers may be provided on the first frame 50a of the stand 50. The axes of the free rollers are arranged so as to be perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the muffle 10. This allows the first end 10e of the muffle 10 to be easily moved in the longitudinal direction.

[0037] The material and shape of the pedestal 50 are not particularly limited. However, it is preferable that the pedestal 50 be made of a material that can withstand the weight of the firing furnace 1 on which it is placed and the heat transfer from the firing furnace 1. The pedestal 50 is made of, for example, metal or ceramic. In this embodiment, the firing furnace 1 is placed on a stainless steel pedestal 50. The pedestal 50 may support the entire length of the firing furnace 1. Furthermore, specific locations of the muffle 10, such as near the first end 10e and near the second end 10f, may be individually supported by multiple pedestals 50.

[0038] <Transport rail 17> Conveyor rails 17 may be provided in the muffle 10, the carry-in path 30, and the carry-out path 40 as appropriate. By providing the conveyor rails 17, the conveyance of the workpiece A (or the heating container B or the base plate B2) can be regulated. The conveyor rails 17 are provided on the bottom walls or floors of the muffle 10, the carry-in path 30, and the carry-out path 40. By providing the conveyor rails 17, the workpiece A can be conveyed more reliably even if the muffle 10 undergoes thermal expansion. In this embodiment, the conveyor rails 17 are substantially C-shaped rails arranged along the carry-in path 30, the muffle 10, and the carry-out path 40, as shown in FIG. 1. The material of the conveyor rails 17 is not particularly limited. It is preferable that the material of the conveyor rails has low thermal expansion. For example, carbon, ceramic, etc. are preferable as the material of the conveyor rails.

[0039] The objects to be treated A (or heating containers B or base plate B2) are placed on the conveyor rail 17 with almost no gaps between them. In this state, when the foremost object to be treated A (or heating containers B or base plate B2) is pushed by a pusher, the objects to be treated A (or heating containers B or base plate B2) on the conveyor rail 17 are sequentially pushed and conveyed. In this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a detachable carbon conveyor rail 17 is provided on the bottom wall 10d of the muffle 10. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the conveyor rail 17 has a recess 17a and bases 17b on both ends. Here, the heating container B is placed on the base plate B2 placed on the conveyor rail 17. The base plate B2 is conveyed on the conveyor rail 17 by being positioned by the recess 17a formed in the conveyor rail 17. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the heating containers B are placed on the conveyor rail 17 with almost no gaps between them. In this state, when the heating container B located at the frontmost side F of the transfer space 10a is pushed one by one by the main pusher 20, the heating containers B on the transfer rail 17 are sequentially pushed and transferred. By repeating this loading process, the heating containers B can be sequentially transferred along the transfer rail 17. As described above, since the heating containers B in the muffle 10 are sequentially transferred, the loading and unloading of the heating containers B are performed at the same time. Therefore, the loading entrance 31 and the unloading exit 41 are opened and closed at the same time.

[0040] <Gas exhaust pipe 16> As shown in FIG. 2, the muffle 10 may be provided with piping such as a gas supply pipe (not shown) or a gas exhaust pipe 16. The gas exhaust pipe 16 is a pipe for supplying atmospheric gas (e.g., nitrogen, argon, etc.) or a reaction gas generated by firing the workpiece A from within the muffle 10. An exhaust device such as an exhaust pump may be connected to the gas exhaust pipe. The gas supply pipe is a pipe for supplying atmospheric gas into the muffle 10. The gas supply pipe is connected to a gas supply source (not shown). The arrangement and number of the gas exhaust pipe 16 and the gas supply pipes are not particularly limited as long as they do not significantly impair the technology of the present disclosure. In this embodiment, the gas exhaust pipes 16 are connected to multiple gas exhaust holes 16a provided in the upper wall 10b of the muffle 10. However, the gas exhaust holes 16a may also be provided in the side walls 10c1, 10c2, etc. of the muffle 10. These piping can be moved in the conveying direction by connecting them to flexible hoses. This makes it possible to reduce the influence of positional misalignment (distortion) between the muffle and the piping when the muffle 10 expands in the transfer direction Y due to thermal expansion.

[0041] <Replacement room 60> A replacement chamber 60 may be provided in the carry-in path 30 and / or the discharge path 40. The replacement chamber 60 is a space that can separate the atmosphere inside the calcination furnace 1 from the atmosphere outside the calcination furnace 1. The replacement chamber 60 has the function of adjusting the atmosphere inside the calcination furnace 1. When the workpiece A is supplied to the replacement chamber 60, the atmosphere inside the replacement chamber 60 is adjusted to be approximately the same as inside the calcination furnace 1 before being carried in. The replacement chamber 60 can keep the atmosphere inside the muffle 10 constant even during continuous operation, so that the workpiece A can be stably heated. In this embodiment, the calcination furnace 1 is provided with a first replacement chamber 60a provided in the carry-in path 30 and a second replacement chamber 60b provided in the discharge path 40. The first replacement chamber 60a is attached to the carry-in entrance 31 of the carry-in path 30. The second replacement chamber 60b is attached to the carry-out exit 41 of the discharge path 40.

[0042] The replacement chamber 60 is provided with a furnace body-side shutter 61 that separates the replacement chamber 60 from the calcination furnace 1, and an external shutter 62 that separates the replacement chamber 60 from the outside. The furnace body-side shutter 61 separates the replacement chamber 60 from the inside of the calcination furnace 1. The external shutter 62 separates the replacement chamber 60 from the outside of the calcination furnace 1. The replacement chamber 60 may be provided with guide rails 63 for transporting the workpiece A.

[0043] Fig. 6 is a schematic diagram of the first replacement chamber 60a. Fig. 7 is a schematic plan view of the first replacement chamber 60a. Fig. 7 is a plan view of the interior of the first replacement chamber 60a seen from above so that the interior of the first replacement chamber 60a can be seen. As shown in Fig. 7, the first replacement chamber 60a includes a furnace body-side shutter 61a, an external shutter 62a, and a guide rail 63. The above-mentioned loading pusher may be provided in the first replacement chamber 60a.

[0044] The first replacement chamber 60a is equipped with a mechanism for carrying the workpiece A into the calcination furnace 1. In this embodiment, first, the shutter 61a is opened with the shutter 62a closed. Next, the heating container B placed on the base plate B2 is introduced into the first replacement chamber 60a. Once the heating container B has been introduced into the first replacement chamber 60a, the shutter 62a is closed. Then, the atmosphere inside the first replacement chamber 60a is adjusted. After the atmosphere inside the first replacement chamber 60a has been adjusted, the shutter 61a is opened. A carry-in pusher provided in the first replacement chamber 60a pushes out the heating container B, thereby carrying the heating container B into the calcination furnace 1. This separates the atmosphere inside and outside the calcination furnace 1, thereby suppressing the influence of outside air on the workpiece A in the muffle 10.

[0045] The first replacement chamber 60a is placed on a stand 50. The first replacement chamber 60a is arranged to be movable relative to the stand 50 in the longitudinal direction of the muffle. This allows the muffle 10 to slide in the longitudinal direction (rearward, in this case, Rr) when the muffle 10 expands toward the first end 10e due to thermal expansion. The first replacement chamber 60a or the stand 50 on which the first replacement chamber 60a is placed may be provided with free rollers 55. The free rollers 55 allow the first end 10e of the muffle 10 to easily move in the longitudinal direction. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6 , the stand 50 on which the first replacement chamber 60a is placed is provided with free rollers 55. The axes of the free rollers 55 are arranged perpendicular to the conveying direction Y of the muffle 10.

[0046] The second replacement chamber 60b is equipped with a mechanism for transporting the workpiece A out of the firing furnace 1. In this embodiment, first, the shutter 61b is opened with the shutter 62b closed. Next, the heat-treated workpiece A is introduced into the second replacement chamber 60b from the discharge path 40. Once the workpiece A has been introduced into the second replacement chamber 60b, the shutter 61b is closed. Then, the atmosphere inside the second replacement chamber 60b is adjusted. After the atmosphere inside the second replacement chamber 60b has been adjusted, the shutter 62b is opened and the workpiece A is transported out. This allows the atmosphere inside and outside the firing furnace 1 to be separated.

[0047] The second replacement chamber 60b is placed on the pedestal 50. The second replacement chamber 60b is placed on the pedestal 50. Alternatively, the second replacement chamber 60b may be fixedly disposed relative to the pedestal 50. In this embodiment, the second end 10f of the muffle 10 is fixed. Therefore, by fixedly disposing the second replacement chamber 60b relative to the pedestal 50, it is possible to restrict the direction of expansion due to thermal expansion to one direction. In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the second replacement chamber 60b is fixed to the pedestal 50 by a bracket 51 and a bolt 52.

[0048] Although the invention disclosed herein has been described in detail above, it should be understood that these are merely examples and should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention as claimed. The scope is not limited to the present invention. Furthermore, the disclosure herein may be modified in various ways, and no particular problems may arise. Unless otherwise specified, each component or each process described herein may be omitted or omitted as appropriate. They can be combined as desired.

[0049] This specification includes the following items 1 to 4. The following items 1 to 4 are not limited to the above-described embodiment.

[0050] Item 1: A firing furnace comprising: a straight, tunnel-shaped muffle; a stand on which the muffle is placed; a main pusher provided at a first end of the muffle and pushing the material to be treated along the length of the muffle; an inlet passage connected to the first end of the muffle so as to intersect with the length of the muffle; an inlet pusher for pushing the material to be treated into the muffle through the inlet passage; an outlet passage connected to a second end of the muffle so as to intersect with the length of the muffle; and an outlet pusher provided at the second end of the muffle and pushing the material to be treated toward the outlet passage, wherein the second end of the muffle, the outlet passage, and the outlet pusher are fixedly disposed with respect to the stand, and the first end of the muffle, the inlet passage, and the inlet pusher are movably disposed with respect to the stand in the length direction of the muffle.

[0051] Item 2: The firing furnace according to Item 1, wherein the muffle is provided with a conveying rail.

[0052] Item 3: A firing furnace according to Item 1 or 2, wherein a first replacement chamber is provided in the inlet path, a second replacement chamber is provided in the outlet path, the first replacement chamber is arranged to be movable relative to a stand in the length direction of the muffle, and the second replacement chamber is arranged to be fixed relative to the stand.

[0053] Item 4: The firing furnace according to any one of Items 1 to 3, wherein a stand on which the first replacement chamber is placed is provided with free rollers. [Explanation of symbols]

[0054] 1. Kiln 10 Muffle 10a Transfer space 10b Upper wall of the muffle 10c1 Muffle side wall 10c2 Muffle side wall 10d Bottom wall of muffle 10e First end of muffle 10f Second end of muffle 11 First opening of muffle 12 Second opening of muffle 13 Third opening of muffle 16 Gas exhaust vent 16a Gas exhaust pipe 17 Transport rail 18 Convex portion of conveyor rail 20 Main Pusher 20a Pusher Head 20b pusher rod 20c Seal part 20d actuator 30 Loading Route 30a Loading space 30b Upper wall of the access road 30c1 Side wall of access road 30c2 Side wall of access road 30d Bottom wall of access road 31 Loading entrance 40 Export path 40a Unloading space 40b Upper wall of the transport route 40c1 Side wall of the carrying-out route 40c2 Side wall of the carrying-out route 40d Bottom wall of the transport route 40e End of the carrying-out path 41 Exit 45 Output Pusher 45a pusher head 45b pusher rod 45c seal part 45d actuator 50 Mounting stand 50a 1st frame 50b 2nd frame 50c Support member 51 Bracket 52 volts 53 Anchor bolt 54 Adjustment bolt 55 Free Roller 60 Replacement room 60a First Replacement Room 60b 2nd exchange room 61 Furnace body side shutter 61a Furnace body side shutter of the first replacement chamber 61b Furnace body side shutter of the second replacement chamber 62 External shutter 62a External shutter of the first displacement chamber 62b Second displacement chamber external shutter 63 Guide rail A. Processing object B Heating container B1 Lid B2 base plate W Overall length of muffle X Loading direction Y conveying direction Z unloading direction

Claims

1. A straight tunnel-shaped muffle, A stand on which the muffle is placed; a main pusher provided at a first end of the muffle and configured to push the object to be treated along the length of the muffle; an inlet path connected to the first end of the muffle so as to intersect in the longitudinal direction of the muffle; an inlet pusher that pushes the object to be treated into the muffle through the inlet path; a discharge path connected to a second end of the muffle so as to intersect with the longitudinal direction of the muffle; a discharge pusher provided at the second end of the muffle and configured to push the object toward the discharge path; Equipped with the second end of the muffle, the discharge path, and the discharge pusher are fixedly disposed relative to the base, The first end of the muffle, the introduction path, and the introduction pusher are arranged to be movable in the length direction of the muffle relative to the stand. Firing furnace.

2. The firing furnace according to claim 1 , wherein the muffle is provided with a transport rail.

3. A first replacement chamber is provided in the carry-in path, A second replacement chamber is provided in the discharge path, The first replacement chamber is disposed movably in the length direction of the muffle relative to the stand, The firing furnace according to claim 1 , wherein the second replacement chamber is fixedly disposed relative to a frame.

4. The firing furnace according to claim 3 , wherein a stand on which the first replacement chamber is placed is provided with free rollers.

Images