I am working with a group to put together a Road Map document pertinent to advance materials related to heat treating furnaces. As part of this team, I am looking at specific issues regarding refractory materials found in the various heat treating furnaces. This is a steel-centric focused effort, so we are not specifically looking at the heat treating of other materials (titanium, high-temperature alloys, aluminum, etc.). What the goal of the exercise is ultimately headed toward is identifying the current status in the industry, what is needed in the near future, and what is needed more long term in regard to cost reduction, higher temperature capabilities, longer life/greater reliability of systems, recycling, and energy reduction. As a start, we have kind of broken representative heat treating systems down to air systems (650-1250C), controlled atmosphere systems (amonia, hydrocarbon, etc.) (>650C, 760-975C, 975-1250C), vacuum systems (800-1250C). I would also welcome feedback on these selections, current state of the art, and what you feel needs to be improved upon in the near term and more longer term time frames.
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James Hemrick
Senior Research Staff
Oak Ridge National Laboratory
Knoxville TN
(865) 776-0758
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