A refractory article having a support structure including a first plurality of posts coupled by a first member; and a second plurality of posts substantially parallel with the first plurality of posts, the second plurality of posts coupled by a second member, wherein the support structure has a height, H, and wherein the first and second members are positioned between 0.3H and 0.7H. In another aspect, the support structure has a height to width ratio of at least 1.5, a stiffness factor of no greater than 100 mm, and a solid to open volume ratio of no greater than 5%. In another aspect, the support structure has a weight of no greater than 1200 kg, a stiffness factor of no greater than 100 mm, and a solid to open volume ratio of no greater than 5%.

A refractory article having a support structure including a first plurality of posts coupled by a first member; and a second plurality of posts substantially parallel with the first plurality of posts, the second plurality of posts coupled by a second member, wherein the support structure has a height, H, and wherein the first and second members are positioned between 0.3H and 0.7H. In another aspect, the support structure has a height to width ratio of at least 1.5, a stiffness factor of no greater than 100 mm, and a solid to open volume ratio of no greater than 5%. In another aspect, the support structure has a weight of no greater than 1200 kg, a stiffness factor of no greater than 100 mm, and a solid to open volume ratio of no greater than 5%.

A shell (10) acts as a transporting shoe for steel ingots, which are pushed through a preferably tubular induction furnace for inductive heating for the purpose of producing seamless tubes by the extrusion process. The shell (10) is formed in such a way that it partially reaches around the contour of the steel ingot to be heated. The shell is provided at one end leading in the pushing-through direction or transporting direction, with a shoulder (12), which extends at an angle to the transporting direction, against which the steel ingot rests in such a way that the pushed-through steel ingot takes the shell (10) along with it. A method for inductively heating steel ingots uses a shell (10) as described.

A shell (10) acts as a transporting shoe for steel ingots, which are pushed through a preferably tubular induction furnace for inductive heating for the purpose of producing seamless tubes by the extrusion process. The shell (10) is formed in such a way that it partially reaches around the contour of the steel ingot to be heated. The shell is provided at one end leading in the pushing-through direction or transporting direction, with a shoulder (12), which extends at an angle to the transporting direction, against which the steel ingot rests in such a way that the pushed-through steel ingot takes the shell (10) along with it. A method for inductively heating steel ingots uses a shell (10) as described.

A shuttle kiln (100) according to certain aspects includes at least one flue channel (124) and multiple flue risers (122) in fluid communication with the flue channel (124), and at least one shuttle (104) defining multiple exhaust shafts (140) arranged above the multiple flue risers (122), wherein an aggregate volume of a first exhaust shaft/riser pair (140-1, 122-1) differs from an aggregate volume of a second exhaust shaft/riser pair (140-2, 122-2). Such configuration at least partially compensates for different backpressures that would otherwise be experienced by flue gas exiting a shuttle kiln cavity (138) through different exhaust shafts (140), thereby improving uniformity of flue gas flow and reducing temperature variability within a kiln cavity (138).

A shuttle kiln (100) according to certain aspects includes at least one flue channel (124) and multiple flue risers (122) in fluid communication with the flue channel (124), and at least one shuttle (104) defining multiple exhaust shafts (140) arranged above the multiple flue risers (122), wherein an aggregate volume of a first exhaust shaft/riser pair (140-1, 122-1) differs from an aggregate volume of a second exhaust shaft/riser pair (140-2, 122-2). Such configuration at least partially compensates for different backpressures that would otherwise be experienced by flue gas exiting a shuttle kiln cavity (138) through different exhaust shafts (140), thereby improving uniformity of flue gas flow and reducing temperature variability within a kiln cavity (138).

A heat treatment vessel coupler for coupling together heat treatment vessels adjacent in a horizontal direction, of a plurality of rectangular box-shaped heat treatment vessels each loaded with a material to be treated, conveyed in a conveying direction on a plurality of rotationally driven conveyor rollers arranged in parallel inside a heat treatment furnace, the coupler comprises a plate body smaller than each of the heat treatment vessels, at least a pair of engagement protrusions each projecting from the plate body and engaging with a corresponding one of side walls of the heat treatment vessels, and a spacer protrusion projecting from the plate body between the at least a pair of engagement protrusions so as to be sandwiched between the heat treatment vessels with which the at least a pair of engagement protrusions engage respectively.

A heat treatment vessel coupler for coupling together heat treatment vessels adjacent in a horizontal direction, of a plurality of rectangular box-shaped heat treatment vessels each loaded with a material to be treated, conveyed in a conveying direction on a plurality of rotationally driven conveyor rollers arranged in parallel inside a heat treatment furnace, the coupler comprises a plate body smaller than each of the heat treatment vessels, at least a pair of engagement protrusions each projecting from the plate body and engaging with a corresponding one of side walls of the heat treatment vessels, and a spacer protrusion projecting from the plate body between the at least a pair of engagement protrusions so as to be sandwiched between the heat treatment vessels with which the at least a pair of engagement protrusions engage respectively.

A method for holding a saggar conveyed out from a heat treatment furnace is disclosed. The method may include: holding the saggar by a pair of holding members configured to be movable in a left-right direction; and positioning the saggar held by the pair of holding members in an up-down direction at a predetermined position by moving the saggar in the up-down direction perpendicular to the left-right direction relative to the pair of holding members.

A method for holding a saggar conveyed out from a heat treatment furnace is disclosed. The method may include: holding the saggar by a pair of holding members configured to be movable in a left-right direction; and positioning the saggar held by the pair of holding members in an up-down direction at a predetermined position by moving the saggar in the up-down direction perpendicular to the left-right direction relative to the pair of holding members.