Bellows Heater Unit Reflecting Radiant Heat to Prevent Insulator Sooting
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional carburizing furnaces experience sooting between heat insulators due to radiant heat emission, leading to reduced productivity as regular burnout is necessary to prevent heat insulator failure.
Innovation Solution
A heater unit with a bellows-shaped heat generation part and a supporting member that reflects radiant heat, preventing sooting on the outer wall side of the heat insulator by maintaining a lower surface temperature on the furnace inner side.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If a conventional heater with radial heat emission is used, then the heater can heat the furnace atmosphere effectively, but the surface temperature of the outer wall side of the first heat insulator becomes 800°C or less, causing sooting to occur between heat insulators
Solution Approach 1:
A reflector is introduced as an intermediary component between the heater and the first heat insulator. The reflector redirects radiant heat that would otherwise reach the outer wall side of the heat insulator back toward the furnace interior, preventing sooting while maintaining effective heating
Solution Approach 2:
The surface temperature of the outer wall side of the first heat insulator is changed from 800°C or less (causing sooting) to a lower temperature range. This parameter change is achieved by blocking direct radiant heat exposure through the reflector, thereby eliminating the sooting condition
2Reliability
If burnout is performed regularly to remove soot between heat insulators, then sooting can be prevented and heat insulator reliability is maintained, but productivity is reduced due to interruption of carburizing process
Solution Approach 1:
The reflector is installed in advance to prevent sooting from occurring in the first place. By blocking radiant heat from reaching the outer wall side of the heat insulator, the reflector eliminates the root cause of sooting, thereby preventing heat insulator degradation without requiring periodic burnout operations
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the surface temperature of the outer wall side of the first heat insulator is reduced to prevent sooting, then sooting between heat insulators is suppressed, but the heater's ability to heat the furnace atmosphere may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The reflector acts as a mediator that redirects radiant heat away from the heat insulator while reflecting it back toward the furnace interior. This ensures that the heating capability is maintained or even enhanced, as the heat energy is not lost but redirected to where it is needed
Solution Approach 2:
The radiant heat that would otherwise cause harmful sooting is converted into a beneficial heating source for the furnace atmosphere. The reflector redirects this potentially harmful radiant energy back into the furnace, transforming a harmful effect into a useful heating function
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution prevents heat insulator rising and falling off, extends the burnout cycle, and improves productivity by reducing the frequency of burnout operations.
Implementation Method 1
a heater supporting member that reflects radiant heat of the heater
Implementation Method 2
a heater that heats a furnace atmosphere; a heat generation part of the heater
Data Source
AI summary
In a heater unit for a carburizing furnace that carburizes a workpiece, a heater that heats a furnace atmosphere; and a heater supporting member that reflects radiant heat of the heater are provided, in which a heat generation part of the heater is attached to the heater supporting member, and a heat generation body composing the heat generation part is formed in a bellows shape.