Atmosphere Generators are commonly used in industrial furnaces and heat treating. In a continuous industrial furnace, one of the most important variables in achieving a successful process is control of the atmosphere. From the initial installation and start-up of the furnace to its maintenance throughout its life cycle, the process atmosphere demands an attentive eye in order to produce metal parts that are well sintered, meet the specification, and have no defects.
Atmosphere Generators are commonly used in industrial furnaces and heat treating. Abbott Furnace manufactures several types of atmosphere generators including nitrogen moisturizing systems, endothermic systems, methane control systems, and ammonia dissociation systems.
Dissociated Ammonia Generator
Abbott Furnace’s Dissociated Ammonia Atmosphere Generators are designed to provide an economical source of pure, dry, highly reducing atmosphere. The dissociating process produces an atmosphere gas that consists of 25% nitrogen and 75% hydrogen.
This gas can be used in many thermal processing applications where high hydrogen content is necessary in the furnace atmosphere. Dissociated Ammonia provides a dry hydrogen/nitrogen mixture that is produced by passing ammonia through a heated retort that contains a nickel catalyst.
Abbott’s line of Dissociated Ammonia Atmosphere Generators uses a vertical retort configuration with silicon carbide heating elements and are available in sizes ranging from 100 – 6000 cubic feet per hour. These generators are based on the historically robust Drever designs dating back to 1939.
Abbott has added all of the improvements you would expect to see in new equipment today including state of the art controls with several PLC/HMI combinations, data logging, digital power controllers, and updated gas safety systems.
Endothermic Gas Generator
Abbott Furnace Company’s Endothermic Gas Generators offer a large capacity with a minimum footprint and automated controls for continuous process furnace needs as a reliable and easy to maintain unit. Endothermic Generators are used for the hardening of carbon and tool steels, annealing and normalizing of carbon steels, sintering, and brazing.
ENDOTHERMIC GAS GENERATOR FEATURES
- Modular design with 6000 scfh capacity of each module.
- 6:1 turn-down facilitates furnace idling without venting excess gas.
- Automated controls provide consistent dewpoint throughout operating range.
- Optional preheated air/gas mixture can be provided for fuel savings.
- Air or water-cooled gas cooler.
- Simple catalyst replacement, without removal of retort.
- Modern controls with PLC/HMI for easy-to-use automated operation.
- Analyzers and controls to monitor and control automated operation, idling, and burnout.
- Data logging and control alarms for gas output, dewpoint, system pressures, and temperatures.
Methanol Control System (MCS100)
Abbott Furnace Company’s Methanol Control System, the MCS100, is designed to inject a constant stream of blended nitrogen/methanol into continuous belt furnaces. The nitrogen/methanol blend creates a process atmosphere that can contain up to 10% hydrogen by volume.
The MCS100 is a modular, stand-alone system that can be easily and quickly retrofitted to existing furnaces. Additionally, it may be ordered as an option on new furnaces.
The MCS100 contains all the necessary temperature and atmosphere controls including a safety system that can be integrated with existing furnace safeties.
Nitrogen Moisturizing System
Abbott Furnace Company’s solution for enhanced delubing is our Nitrogen Moisturizing System, also known in the industry as a Nitrogen Bubbler. The Nitrogen Moisturizing System is designed to inject a water-misted stream of nitrogen into a continuous furnace to increase the dew point.
This option incorporates the following features to ensure the desired wet Nitrogen conditions.
HEATED WATER CHAMBER
The element preheats the water before the introduction of Nitrogen.
AUTOMATIC WATER CONTROLS
Level sensors and solenoid maintain the proper water levels.
AUTOMATIC NITROGEN CONTROLS
Separate flow scopes control ratio of dry versus wet Nitrogen.
