A steel-strip production method for producing a hot-dip-plated steel strip and a cold-rolled steel strip, the method being executed by a production apparatus including a continuous annealing furnace, a snout connected to the continuous annealing furnace, a contact-type seal plate device, a noncontact-type seal roll device, a hot-dip-plating tank being movable; and a roll configured to turn the path direction of the steel strip after passing through the snout, wherein a hot-dip-plated steel strip production unit configured to produce the hot-dip-plated steel strip by bringing the steel strip continuously annealed in the continuous annealing furnace into the hot-dip-plating tank; and a cold-rolled steel strip production unit configured to produce the cold-rolled steel strip by transferring the steel strip continuously annealed in the continuous annealing furnace without causing the steel strip to pass through the hot-dip-galvanizing tank, are configured to be switchable with one another.

A method includes the introduction of a first medium into the compartment through an inlet and the heating of the first medium when it is present in the inlet. The heating takes place through the use of a combustion arrangement that is arranged in the inlet and that comprises fuel. The heating, the use of the combustion arrangement, includes in turn the ignition of the fuel, combustion of the fuel, and the transfer of the combustion heat to the first medium that is present at the combustion arrangement in the inlet. The combustion arrangement, is arranged in a region in the inlet, which in turn is arranged outside of the direct passage of the first medium in and through the inlet, such that the ignition of the fuel, the combustion of the fuel and the transfer of combustion heat to the first medium take place in this region.

A method includes the introduction of a first medium into the compartment through an inlet and the heating of the first medium when it is present in the inlet. The heating takes place through the use of a combustion arrangement that is arranged in the inlet and that comprises fuel. The heating, the use of the combustion arrangement, includes in turn the ignition of the fuel, combustion of the fuel, and the transfer of the combustion heat to the first medium that is present at the combustion arrangement in the inlet. The combustion arrangement, is arranged in a region in the inlet, which in turn is arranged outside of the direct passage of the first medium in and through the inlet, such that the ignition of the fuel, the combustion of the fuel and the transfer of combustion heat to the first medium take place in this region.

An induction heating device for a metal strip, including: an induction coil provided on one side or on both sides of a front face side or a reverse face side of a metal strip, and that induces an induction current in the strip when a primary current is passed through the coil, the induction current configuring a closed loop as viewed from a direction perpendicular to a metal strip face; plural magnetic cores disposed at a specific position, this being a position at a back face side of the coil and separated from the strip by a specific distance, to concentrate magnetic flux generated by the coil in the strip; and a moving mechanism coupled to the magnetic cores, and that moves the cores to increase or decrease a disposed number of the cores at the specific position disposed side-by-side along a metal strip width direction.

A heat treatment apparatus includes: a plurality of rollers guiding a substrate, each of the rollers having a roller width greater than a substrate width; a heater including a heating surface which has a width greater than the substrate width; and a heat shield member arranged between a heating surface exposed portion of the heating surface, which is exposed while protruding from an end of the substrate in a width direction of the substrate along the width direction and a roller exposed portion of the specific roller included in the plurality of rollers, the roller exposed portion being exposed while protruding from the end of the substrate in the width direction to the same direction in which the heating surface exposed portion protrudes, the heat shield member shielding heat radiation from the heating surface exposed portion to an outer circumferential surface of the roller exposed portion.

A heat treatment apparatus includes: a plurality of rollers guiding a substrate, each of the rollers having a roller width greater than a substrate width; a heater including a heating surface which has a width greater than the substrate width; and a heat shield member arranged between a heating surface exposed portion of the heating surface, which is exposed while protruding from an end of the substrate in a width direction of the substrate along the width direction and a roller exposed portion of the specific roller included in the plurality of rollers, the roller exposed portion being exposed while protruding from the end of the substrate in the width direction to the same direction in which the heating surface exposed portion protrudes, the heat shield member shielding heat radiation from the heating surface exposed portion to an outer circumferential surface of the roller exposed portion.

Disclosed is a combustion heat generator with a recirculation region for forming uniform temperature distribution in a combustion chamber by forming a gas recirculation region around a central part of a combustion space in a housing and injecting fuel into the gas recirculation region to generate space combustion based on the recirculation region.

A tunnel oven and associated method for the heat treatment of friction elements, and in particular braking elements such as brake pads is provided. The friction elements are arranged on a resting surface of a conveyor device, are moved between an inlet opening and an outlet opening of the tunnel oven, and are heated by irradiation by at least one heating device. The heating device includes a radiating plate made from stainless steel arranged facing the conveyor device and heated by electromagnetic induction using at least one inductor arranged facing the radiating plate and spaced apart therefrom on the side opposite to the conveyor device. A cooling air flow for the braking elements between the resting surface and the radiating plate is directed in counterflow to a feeding direction of the conveyor device.

A tunnel oven and associated method for the heat treatment of friction elements, and in particular braking elements such as brake pads is provided. The friction elements are arranged on a resting surface of a conveyor device, are moved between an inlet opening and an outlet opening of the tunnel oven, and are heated by irradiation by at least one heating device. The heating device includes a radiating plate made from stainless steel arranged facing the conveyor device and heated by electromagnetic induction using at least one inductor arranged facing the radiating plate and spaced apart therefrom on the side opposite to the conveyor device. A cooling air flow for the braking elements between the resting surface and the radiating plate is directed in counterflow to a feeding direction of the conveyor device.

A method for heat-treating a metal strip, where the metal strip is pre-heated continuously in a pre-heating zone with the aid of hot gas and subsequently undergoes further heat treatment in a directly fired furnace in a reducing and/or oxidizing atmosphere. The metal strip is pre-heated in the pre-heating zone with hot inert gas and further heated with an electric heating system before entering the directly fired furnace. A furnace plant for implementing the process and a related heat recovery system are also disclosed.