Sintering apparatus

Abstract

This technology provides a way to suppress the risk of outside air flowing into the furnace. [Solution] The sintering apparatus 100 according to this disclosure comprises a sintering furnace 10, a spare chamber 20 provided at the inlet 10a of the sintering furnace 10, and a door 21 provided at the inlet 20a of the spare chamber 20. Between the inlet 20a of the spare chamber 20 and the door 21, there is a discharge passage 22 for discharging gas flowing from the sintering furnace 10 into the spare chamber 20 to the outside of the spare chamber 20. The sintering apparatus 100 may further include a positive pressure device for maintaining positive pressure inside the sintering furnace 10.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a sintering apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 discloses a sintering furnace provided with a gas burner that forms a frame curtain at the inlet.

Prior Art Document

Patent Document

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] The inventors of the present application have discovered the following technical problems. In the steady state of such a sintering furnace, the frame curtain can suppress the inflow of outside air into the furnace. However, the flame by the frame curtain is affected by disturbances or the flow of outside air, and its steady state is likely to change. Therefore, there is a risk that outside air may flow into the furnace.

[0005] The present disclosure has been made in view of the above-described problems, and provides a technique capable of suppressing the risk of outside air flowing into the furnace.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The sintering apparatus according to the present disclosure includes a sintering furnace, a preliminary chamber provided at the inlet of the sintering furnace, and a door provided at the inlet of the preliminary chamber, and a discharge passage is provided between the inlet of the preliminary chamber and the door, through which the gas flowing from the sintering furnace into the preliminary chamber is discharged to the outside of the preliminary chamber.

Effects of the Invention

[0007] According to this disclosure, the risk of outside air flowing into the furnace can be suppressed. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the sintering apparatus according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 2] This is a schematic diagram showing one operation of the sintering apparatus according to Embodiment 1. [Figure 3] This is a schematic diagram showing one operation of the sintering apparatus according to Embodiment 1. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] The following describes specific embodiments to which the present invention is applied, with reference to the drawings. However, the present invention is not limited to the following embodiments. Also, for clarity of explanation, the following description and drawings have been simplified as appropriate.

[0010] <Embodiment 1> Embodiment 1 will be described with reference to Figure 1. Figure 1 is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of the sintering apparatus according to Embodiment 1.

[0011] It should be noted that the right-handed XYZ coordinate system shown in Figure 1 and other drawings is merely for convenience in explaining the positional relationships of the components. Typically, the positive Z-axis direction is vertically upward, the X-axis direction is the transport direction, and the XY plane is the horizontal plane; these are common across drawings.

[0012] As shown in Figure 1, the sintering apparatus 100 comprises a sintering furnace 10 and a pre-chamber 20. The pre-chamber 20 is located at the inlet 10a of the sintering furnace 10. The sintering apparatus 100 may further include a positive pressure device and a control device (not shown).

[0013] The sintering furnace 10 comprises a degreasing chamber 11, a preheating chamber 12, a sintering chamber 13, and a cooling chamber 14. The degreasing chamber 11, preheating chamber 12, sintering chamber 13, and cooling chamber 14 are arranged in this order from the inlet 10a to the outlet 10b of the sintering furnace 10 (in this case, in the positive X-axis direction). Doors 11A, 12A, 13A, and 14A are preferably arranged in this order from the inlet 10a to the outlet 10b within the sintering furnace 10. Door 11A is located between the inlet 10a or the preheating chamber 20 and the degreasing chamber 11. Door 12A is located between the degreasing chamber 11 and the preheating chamber 12. Door 13A is located between the preheating chamber 12 and the sintering chamber 13. Door 14A is located between the sintering chamber 13 and the cooling chamber 14. Doors 11A to 14A may be, for example, insulated doors or vacuum insulated doors. Doors 11A to 14A should be opened as needed to allow the workpiece to pass through.

[0014] A door 21 is provided at the entrance 20a of the spare chamber 20. Between the entrance 20a and the door 21 is a discharge passage 22. The discharge passage 22 allows the gas that has flowed from inside the sintering furnace 10 into the spare chamber 20 to pass through and be discharged to the outside of the spare chamber 20. This gas may be, for example, air or nitrogen.

[0015] The sintering apparatus 100 may further include a conveying device 15. The conveying device 15 extends across the pre-chamber 20, the degreasing chamber 11, the preheating chamber 12, the sintering chamber 13, and the cooling chamber 14. The conveying device 15 can convey workpieces from at least the pre-chamber 20 to the exit 10b of the sintering apparatus 100. The conveying device 15 can convey workpieces using, for example, rollers. The conveying device 15 may extend from upstream of the pre-chamber 20 in the conveying direction (here, in the negative X-axis direction) to downstream of the cooling chamber 14 in the conveying direction (here, in the positive X-axis direction). The conveying device 15 may convey workpieces from upstream of the pre-chamber 20 in the conveying direction and into the pre-chamber 20. Alternatively, the conveying device 15 can convey workpieces downstream of the cooling chamber 14 in the conveying direction and out of the cooling chamber 14.

[0016] The above-described positive pressure device maintains a positive pressure inside the sintering furnace 10. The positive pressure device may appropriately supply gas into the sintering furnace 10 so as to maintain a positive pressure inside the sintering furnace 10. The supplied gas may be, for example, air or nitrogen. The positive pressure device may include a pump, a tank, and the like.

[0017] The above-described control device sends instruction signals to the transfer device 15, the doors 11A to 14A, 21, and the above-described positive pressure device to control the operations of the transfer device 15, the doors 11A to 14A, 21, and the above-described positive pressure device.

[0018] <Operation> Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, the operation of the sintering device 100 will be described. FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic views showing one operation of the sintering device according to Embodiment 1.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 1, the above-described control device opens the door 21 and places the workpiece W6 in the prechamber 20 by the transfer device 15 (step ST1). The workpieces W1, W2, W3, W4, and W5 are respectively arranged in the cooling chamber 14, the sintering chamber 13, the preheating chamber 12, the degreasing chamber 11, and the prechamber 20.

[0020] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 2, the above-described control device causes the workpieces W1 to W6 to be transferred by the transfer device 15 (step ST2). The doors 11A to 14A are opened as appropriate. The workpiece W1 is transferred out of the cooling chamber 14 through the outlet 10b. The workpieces W2 to W6 respectively reach the cooling chamber 14, the sintering chamber 13, the preheating chamber 12, the degreasing chamber 11, and the prechamber 20.

[0021] Subsequently, as shown in FIG. 3, the above-described control device closes the door 21. The above-described positive pressure device maintains a positive pressure inside the sintering furnace 10. The pressure inside the sintering furnace 10 is higher than the pressure inside the prechamber 20. Therefore, gas flows from inside the sintering furnace 10 into the prechamber 20. The inflowing gas is passed through the discharge path 22 and discharged to the outside of the prechamber 20. As a result, outside air is less likely to flow into the prechamber 20. Consequently, the risk of outside air flowing into the sintering furnace 10 can be suppressed.

[0022] It should be noted that the present invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, and can be modified as appropriate without departing from the spirit of the invention. Furthermore, the present invention may be implemented by combining the above embodiments or examples thereof as appropriate. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0023] 100 Sintering apparatus 10 Sintering furnace 10a entrance 10b exit 11 Degreasing room 12 Preheating chamber 13 Sintering chamber 14 Cooling room Doors 11A-14A 15 Conveying device 20 Spare Rooms 20a entrance 21 Doors 22 Exhaust channel W1~W6 Work

Claims

[Claim 1] Sintering furnace and A preliminary chamber provided at the entrance of the aforementioned sintering furnace, The room comprises a door at the entrance to the aforementioned spare room, Between the entrance to the pre-chamber and the door, there is a discharge passage for discharging gas that flows from the sintering furnace into the pre-chamber to the outside of the pre-chamber. Sintering apparatus.

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