Infrared Heating Technologies (IHT) recently designed, manufactured, and installed a Direct Fired Natural Gas Infrared Tunnel Oven and Controls System for a major manufacturer of metal building systems. The pictured continuous in-line oven system cures coated steel strip of 72” in width at lines speeds of up to 600 feet per minute. Production throughput for the pictured in-line oven system is in excess of 7,500 pounds per hour, with heat residence times for curing the top and bottom side coating of only a few seconds.
High heat, low cost
The extremely high throughput of the system is due to the high source temperature of the gas-fired infrared burners and high radiant thermal transfer efficiency of the natural gas infrared (IR) heating. The gas-fired infrared system has a very low operating cost due to the high efficiency radiant and convective combination heating efficiency and low consumption cost of natural gas.
The gas infrared furnace system is rated at 2.1 Million BTU/HR and includes three (3) heat temperature control zones, each incorporating direct fire natural gas infrared burners. The burners are implemented into the Gas Infrared Tunnel Oven with a proprietary design that reduces the heater panel manifold temperatures, while still maintaining the full-burn temperature of the gas-fired heater panel surface for maximum efficiency and heater longevity.
Other specifications
The Gas Infrared Tunnel Oven and Controls System also includes cooling and exhaust fans with differential pressure switches, and all-gas train and safety circuitry controls to meet and exceed NFPA 86 guidelines for the safe operation of industrial ovens and furnaces. The system also includes an Allen Bradley Compact Logix PLC and touch screen HMI for recipe generation and Ethernet communications. These direct-fire gas infrared heater, oven, and furnace systems have been implemented for a variety of processes including preheating, drying, curing, annealing, and tempering.
More about Infrared Heating Technology (IHT)
Infrared Heating Technologies’ (IHT) gas-fired infrared oven and furnace systems are available as in standard configurations as well as custom configurations to meet the customer’s specific requirements while exceeding the highest industrial standards for machine building. IHT engineers work with the customer from original concept, through the design phase, fabrication, and final testing and run-off. Call us today for a free, no-obligation consultation at (865) 535-0050. Or email us at info@infraredheating.com
