As we begin to return to normal, equipment that has been turned off will need to be brought back online. There are a few considerations that must be taken to ensure a successful return to operation. Here are 7 tips you need to know.
- Reference the manufacturer-supplied manual for specific information regarding the restarting of the equipment.
- Be sure that water is flowing to all of the cooling chambers of the furnace.
- Check that the belt is on and moving smoothly through the furnace. Watch for jerking or jumping of the belt that would indicate an issue with the drive or pathway through the furnace.
- Enable the ramp mode in your controls to limit the heating rate of each zone to 100°F (55°C) per hour or less. If the furnace does not have a ramp mode, be sure to manually adjust the setpoints of each zone as to not exceed the suggested ramp rate.
- Once the furnace reaches 300°F (150°C), purge the furnace with nitrogen and allow the nitrogen to flow as the furnace continues to heat up.
- When the zones of the high heat section of the furnace are above 1400°F (760°C), combustibles may be introduced and the furnace can continue to be ramped to the final processing setpoints once the pilots are ignited.
- Allow the furnace atmosphere to re-condition the furnace, clean the belt and stabilize.
For more information, contact Abbott Furnace at info@abbottfurnace.com or 814-781-6355. You can view the paper here.
