The invention relates to a chamber (1) for the controlled oxidation of metal strips in a furnace for annealing a continuous production line of strips which are hot-coated, for example by galvanisation, the oxidation chamber allowing the oxidation of the metal strips by means of an oxidising gas injected on at least one of the faces of a strip (15), the oxidation chamber comprising oxidation portions (17) extending over the width and/or length thereof, each portion comprising at least one blow opening (4) and at least one suction opening (5) between which an oxidising gas circulates, each portion being controllable in a different way so as to adjust the oxidation induced on the strip over the width and length of the oxidation chamber.

An apparatus for metallurgical heat-treatment includes a solid-oxide electrolyser, a furnace and a heat-exchanger. The electrolyser is arranged to electrolyse water and provide resulting hydrogen to the furnace. A first portion of the hydrogen from the electrolyser is combusted in a combustor to heat the furnace. A second portion provides a treatment atmosphere including hydrogen for the heat-treatment of a metal or metal alloy object. Water vapour output by the combustor is provided to the heat-exchanger which transfers heat within the water vapour to the solid-oxide electrolyser to improve or maintain its efficiency. In contrast to apparatus of the prior art, the apparatus does not produce carbon dioxide at the point of use. By applying waste heat, carried by the water vapour output from the combustor, to the electrolyser, the power consumption of the electrolyser is reduced for a given rate of electrolysis.

A carbon fiber bundle, wherein an average single-fiber fineness is from 1.0 to 2.4 dtex and a roundness is from 0.7 to 0.9 in a shape of a cross-section perpendicular to a fiber axis of a single fiber; the roundness being determined with equation (1): roundness=4S/L.sup.2, where S is a cross-sectional area of the single fiber and L is a circumferential length of the single fiber, and S and L are obtained by observing, under an SEM, the cross-section of the single fiber perpendicular to the fiber axis of the single fiber and analyzing the obtained image.

A carbon fiber bundle, wherein an average single-fiber fineness is from 1.0 to 2.4 dtex and a roundness is from 0.7 to 0.9 in a shape of a cross-section perpendicular to a fiber axis of a single fiber; the roundness being determined with equation (1): roundness=4S/L.sup.2, where S is a cross-sectional area of the single fiber and L is a circumferential length of the single fiber, and S and L are obtained by observing, under an SEM, the cross-section of the single fiber perpendicular to the fiber axis of the single fiber and analyzing the obtained image.

An erasing apparatus of embodiments has a color erasing device, the color erasing device has: a first heating member; a second heating member provided at a position facing the first heating member so as to form a nip portion therebetween through which the sheet is passed; a halogen lamp configured to heat the second heating member from outside thereof; and a reflector provided at a position opposite to the second heating member with the halogen lamp interposed therebetween and having a reflective surface configured to reflect heat received from the halogen lamp toward the second heating member, the reflector forming a guiding section configured to be in sliding contact with the sheet being conveyed so as to guide the sheet to the nip portion, the guiding section being heated by the halogen lamp.

A carbon-fiber-precursor acryl fiber bundle, including a polyacrylonitrile-based copolymer that contains from 95 to 99 mol % of an acrylonitrile unit and from 1 to 5 mol % of a hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate unit, where the fiber bundle has a single-fiber fineness of from 1.5 dtex to 5.0 dtex and a roundness of from 0.75 to 0.9 in a cross-section shape perpendicular to a fiber axis of the single fiber; the roundness being determined with equation (1): roundness=4S/L.sup.2, where S is a cross-sectional area of the single fiber and L is a circumferential length of the single fiber, and S and L are obtained by observing, under an SEM, the cross-section of the single fiber perpendicular to the fiber axis of the single fiber and analyzing the obtained image.

A carbon-fiber-precursor acryl fiber bundle, including a polyacrylonitrile-based copolymer that contains from 95 to 99 mol % of an acrylonitrile unit and from 1 to 5 mol % of a hydroxyalkyl (meth)acrylate unit, where the fiber bundle has a single-fiber fineness of from 1.5 dtex to 5.0 dtex and a roundness of from 0.75 to 0.9 in a cross-section shape perpendicular to a fiber axis of the single fiber; the roundness being determined with equation (1): roundness=4S/L.sup.2, where S is a cross-sectional area of the single fiber and L is a circumferential length of the single fiber, and S and L are obtained by observing, under an SEM, the cross-section of the single fiber perpendicular to the fiber axis of the single fiber and analyzing the obtained image.

A modular furnace, in particular for the oxidative stabilization of a carbon fiber starting material comprising a cuboidal furnace chamber, on the upper face of which first deflecting rollers are arranged in a mutually spaced and parallel manner and on the lower face of which second deflecting rollers are arranged in a mutually spaced and parallel manner such that the carbon fiber starting material runs upwards and downwards in a laterally adjacent and slightly spaced manner so as to meander vertically in the area of the furnace chamber. A carbon fiber inlet locking device and a carbon fiber outlet locking device are provided on the upper face of the furnace chamber, and an air guiding device is connected to the furnace chamber. A supply air portion of the air guiding device is connected to a vertical air inlet side of the furnace chamber, and a discharge air portion of the air guiding device is fluidically connected to a furnace chamber vertical air outlet side opposite the vertical air inlet side. The air guiding device has an air drive device between the supply air portion and the discharge air portion.

A modular furnace, in particular for the oxidative stabilization of a carbon fiber starting material comprising a cuboidal furnace chamber, on the upper face of which first deflecting rollers are arranged in a mutually spaced and parallel manner and on the lower face of which second deflecting rollers are arranged in a mutually spaced and parallel manner such that the carbon fiber starting material runs upwards and downwards in a laterally adjacent and slightly spaced manner so as to meander vertically in the area of the furnace chamber. A carbon fiber inlet locking device and a carbon fiber outlet locking device are provided on the upper face of the furnace chamber, and an air guiding device is connected to the furnace chamber. A supply air portion of the air guiding device is connected to a vertical air inlet side of the furnace chamber, and a discharge air portion of the air guiding device is fluidically connected to a furnace chamber vertical air outlet side opposite the vertical air inlet side. The air guiding device has an air drive device between the supply air portion and the discharge air portion.

An example oven for heating fibers includes a chamber having upper and lower portions and a supply structure between first and second ends of the chamber, wherein the supply structure is in communication with a first heating system and is configured to direct first heated gas from the first heating system into the upper portion of the chamber to heat fibers in the upper portion at a first temperature, and wherein the supply structure is in communication with a second heating system and is configured to direct second heated gas from the second heating system into the lower portion of the chamber to heat fibers in the lower portion at a second temperature different than the first temperature such that the upper and lower portions of the chamber maintain the different temperatures without a physical barrier between the upper and lower portion.