A retort for thermally processing sinterable objects including a retort body having an interior cavity configured to receive at least one part for sintering. The retort body includes a retort inlet, a fore volume, an inlet plenum, an outlet plenum and a retort outlet. The retort inlet is configured to be fluidly connected to a process gas inlet tube and receive a flow of process gas. The retort inlet is fluidly connected to the fore volume, the fore volume being configured to receive a cleansing object. The fore volume is fluidly connected to the inlet plenum, which is fluidly connected to the interior cavity, which is in turn fluidly connected to the outlet plenum. The outlet plenum is fluidly connected to the retort outlet which is configured to be fluidly connected to an effluent gas outlet tube via a Peclet sealing element.

A thermal process system includes a retort assembly and a heating assembly. The retort assembly includes a retort chamber defining a longitudinal axis, and is configured to substantially contain one or more gases in the retort chamber during a thermal process house substrate material within the retort chamber. The heating assembly includes a plurality of heating elements adjacent to the retort chamber that is configured to selectively generate two or more heating zones at different axial positions along the longitudinal axis within a heating region.