An operation support apparatus for a heat-treatment furnace for heat-treating a metal plate continuously includes a required time calculation unit configured to calculate, based on a current furnace temperature which is a current temperature of the heat-treatment furnace, a current line speed which is a current conveyance speed of the metal plate, and a target line speed which is a conveyance speed of the metal plate to be changed from the current line speed, an estimated required time until a temperature of the heat-treatment furnace reaches, from the current furnace temperature, a target furnace temperature which is a temperature of the heat-treatment furnace corresponding to the target line speed, and a first output unit configured to output the estimated required time calculated by the required time calculation unit.

The invention relates to a method for the open-loop and/or closed-loop control of a heating of a cast or rolled metal product, comprising the following steps: determining the total enthalpy of the metal product from a total of the free molar enthalpies (Gibbs free energy) of all phases and/or phase fractions currently present in the metal product; determining a temperature distribution within the metal product by means of a dynamic temperature calculation model by using the determined total enthalpy; and open-loop and/or closed-loop controlling of the heating of the metal product according to at least one initial variable of the temperature calculation model.

A method of operating an oven to cook a food product that includes changing a heat setting of a heating element of the oven, selecting a cook time for the food product in the oven, driving a heating element of the oven at a heat power input based on the heat setting, predicting a cooking ability of the oven by calculating an estimated temperature in the oven using a formula that is a function of a heat power input during a previous time period, and modifying the cook time to a modified cook time based on the estimated temperature that was calculated using the formula.

A method of operating an oven to cook a food product that includes changing a heat setting of a heating element of the oven, selecting a cook time for the food product in the oven, driving a heating element of the oven at a heat power input based on the heat setting, predicting a cooking ability of the oven by calculating an estimated temperature in the oven using a formula that is a function of a heat power input during a previous time period, and modifying the cook time to a modified cook time based on the estimated temperature that was calculated using the formula.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a handling device for handling a metal component part between a furnace device and a further processing device. The handling device comprises a temperature-control chamber, in which the metal component part can be inserted, and a conveying device. The temperature-control chamber comprises a temperature-control unit that adjusts a temperature in the temperature-control chamber. The temperature-control chamber can be conveyed between a receiving position, in which the metal component part can be conveyed from the furnace device into the temperature-control chamber, and a dispensing position, in which the metal component part can be conveyed from the temperature control chamber to the further processing device. The conveying device is configured in such a manner that the metal component part can be conveyed in the receiving position by means of the conveying device between the furnace device and the temperature-control chamber and that the metal component part can be conveyed in the dispensing position by means of the conveying device between the temperature-control chamber and the further processing device.

Embodiments of the present invention relate to a handling device for handling a metal component part between a furnace device and a further processing device. The handling device comprises a temperature-control chamber, in which the metal component part can be inserted, and a conveying device. The temperature-control chamber comprises a temperature-control unit that adjusts a temperature in the temperature-control chamber. The temperature-control chamber can be conveyed between a receiving position, in which the metal component part can be conveyed from the furnace device into the temperature-control chamber, and a dispensing position, in which the metal component part can be conveyed from the temperature control chamber to the further processing device. The conveying device is configured in such a manner that the metal component part can be conveyed in the receiving position by means of the conveying device between the furnace device and the temperature-control chamber and that the metal component part can be conveyed in the dispensing position by means of the conveying device between the temperature-control chamber and the further processing device.

Disclosed is heat treatment equipment and process that facilitates heat treatment process by introducing focused high intensity infrared heating to components on a conveyorized system for maximizing the throughput of heat treated components.

The present invention discloses a metal sulfurization device using a single furnace, comprising an internal quartz tube unit; an external quartz tube unit that is located outside the internal quartz tube unit; a single furnace that is outside the external quartz tube unit and is movable along the outside of the external quartz tube unit; and a single furnace location control unit that is capable of controlling a position of the single furnace, wherein the internal quartz tube part includes: a sulfur source part that supplies sulfur powder; a substrate part on which metal is deposited; a distance control part that is capable of controlling a distance between the sulfur source part and the substrate part; and a gas supply part that injects gas from the sulfur source part toward the substrate part.

The present invention discloses a metal sulfurization device using a single furnace, comprising an internal quartz tube unit; an external quartz tube unit that is located outside the internal quartz tube unit; a single furnace that is outside the external quartz tube unit and is movable along the outside of the external quartz tube unit; and a single furnace location control unit that is capable of controlling a position of the single furnace, wherein the internal quartz tube part includes: a sulfur source part that supplies sulfur powder; a substrate part on which metal is deposited; a distance control part that is capable of controlling a distance between the sulfur source part and the substrate part; and a gas supply part that injects gas from the sulfur source part toward the substrate part.

A steel strip annealing furnace humidification system includes a furnace, a water-injecting system, and a control system. The furnace has a heating region and a soaking region. The water-injecting system is configured to directly feed a liquid into the furnace. The control system is in communication with the water-injecting system to control the feed of liquid into the furnace based on a measured dew point associated with an interior of the furnace.