A furnace for the heat treatment of a metal product includes constitutive elements, each having a thermal inertia property determined from physical parameters. The constitutive elements include walls delimiting at least partially the furnace, a heating unit for heating the metal product, and a rapid heating element for heating the metal product. The furnace also includes a control circuit for controlling the heating unit and/or the rapid heating element, based on one or more thermal inertia properties of one or more constitutive elements of the furnace, and at least based on a ground of a constitutive element of said furnace.

A furnace for the heat treatment of a metal product includes constitutive elements, each having a thermal inertia property determined from physical parameters. The constitutive elements include walls delimiting at least partially the furnace, a heating unit for heating the metal product, and a rapid heating element for heating the metal product. The furnace also includes a control circuit for controlling the heating unit and/or the rapid heating element, based on one or more thermal inertia properties of one or more constitutive elements of the furnace, and at least based on a ground of a constitutive element of said furnace.

A process chamber for carrying out thermal processes in the manufacture of an electronic assembly with at least one opening for moving in and/or removing the electronic assembly; a supply of a protective gas; a controllable protection device arranged at the opening to reduce escape of the protective gas from the process chamber; and a control that can control the protection device such that, when the electronic assembly passes through the opening, an opening cross section of the opening is provided, which corresponds to the cross section of the electronic assembly.

A galvanizing furnace (1) with a galvanizing vat (6) and a furnace housing (2) surrounding the galvanizing vat (6), which furnace housing has a rectangular cross-section. The furnace housing (2) has two opposite longitudinal sidewalls (4) and two opposite end walls (5) and further comprises burners for heating molten zinc in the galvanizing vat (6). In the areas of two diagonally opposite corners of the furnace housing (2), at least one first receptacle (15) is provided for a burner. In the areas of the other two diagonally opposite corners of the furnace housing (2), a second receptacle (16) is provided for a burner. The burners are arranged optionally either in the first receptacles (15) or in the second receptacles (16). Flames produced by the burners are conducted in the area between a longitudinal sidewall (4) of the furnace housing (2) and the opposite wall of the galvanizing vat (6).

A galvanizing furnace (1) with a galvanizing vat (6) and a furnace housing (2) surrounding the galvanizing vat (6), which furnace housing has a rectangular cross-section. The furnace housing (2) has two opposite longitudinal sidewalls (4) and two opposite end walls (5) and further comprises burners for heating molten zinc in the galvanizing vat (6). In the areas of two diagonally opposite corners of the furnace housing (2), at least one first receptacle (15) is provided for a burner. In the areas of the other two diagonally opposite corners of the furnace housing (2), a second receptacle (16) is provided for a burner. The burners are arranged optionally either in the first receptacles (15) or in the second receptacles (16). Flames produced by the burners are conducted in the area between a longitudinal sidewall (4) of the furnace housing (2) and the opposite wall of the galvanizing vat (6).

A method of thermally processing work pieces including providing an insulated chamber having a first end, an opposing second end, and a middle portion disposed between the first and second ends, wherein the first end is inclined with respect to middle portion, creating a thermal gradient within an interior of the insulated chamber, and providing a means for gradually moving a workpiece from the first end to the second end within the created thermal gradient.

A method of thermally processing work pieces including providing an insulated chamber having a first end, an opposing second end, and a middle portion disposed between the first and second ends, wherein the first end is inclined with respect to middle portion, creating a thermal gradient within an interior of the insulated chamber, and providing a means for gradually moving a workpiece from the first end to the second end within the created thermal gradient.

The invention relates to a device for continuous treatment of a metal strip (1), in particular a metal strip consisting of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, or consisting of a non-ferrous metal or a non-ferrous metal alloy, said device comprising at least one temperature control device (2) through which the metal strip (1) is guided in a floating manner, and comprising at least one strip position regulation unit (7), by means of which the position of the metal strip (1) can be controlled or regulated on the belt movement plane (E) and transversely to the strip running direction (B), wherein the temperature control device (2) has at least one entry-side heating section (3) and an exit-side cooling section (4). The invention is characterised in that the strip position regulation unit (7) that works in a contactless manner has at least one contactless strip position detection element (12) and at least one linear motor (13) and is arranged within the heating section (3) or between the heating section (3) and the cooling section (4).

The invention relates to a device for continuous treatment of a metal strip (1), in particular a metal strip consisting of aluminum or an aluminum alloy, or consisting of a non-ferrous metal or a non-ferrous metal alloy, said device comprising at least one temperature control device (2) through which the metal strip (1) is guided in a floating manner, and comprising at least one strip position regulation unit (7), by means of which the position of the metal strip (1) can be controlled or regulated on the belt movement plane (E) and transversely to the strip running direction (B), wherein the temperature control device (2) has at least one entry-side heating section (3) and an exit-side cooling section (4). The invention is characterised in that the strip position regulation unit (7) that works in a contactless manner has at least one contactless strip position detection element (12) and at least one linear motor (13) and is arranged within the heating section (3) or between the heating section (3) and the cooling section (4).

A method for opening up electrochemical energy storage devices in connection with a subsequent recovery of valuable materials contained therein as secondary raw materials, in which method the energy storage devices are opened up by a thermal treatment system to remove the electrolytes and reactive substances, before the thermally treated material is subjected to processing, whereby secondary raw materials in the thermally treated material are separated from one another. The thermal treatment is performed in an indirectly heated furnace under atmospheric pressure conditions or a slight overpressure relative to the ambient pressure of up to 20 mbar in a reducing atmosphere, and influence is exerted on the course of the thermal treatment process via the reducing atmosphere, as a control variable. Furthermore, a thermal treatment system is described for removing electrolytes and reactive substances in electrochemical energy storage devices and consequently for pyrolytic opening.