Plansee offers range of new hot zones
October 19, 2016
Peter Mallaun (left) and Dr Bernd Kleinpass were responsible for designing the new hot zones in cooperation with their colleagues
Plansee has announced it is offering a range of new hot zone systems suited for high temperatures over 1,000°C. Three newly developed equipment packages are said to cover the differing requirements of plant operators. In addition, an online configurator now gives potential buyers immediate access to prices, energy consumption values and equipment features.
In a furnace, the hot zone is crucial for the temperature distribution, the cleanliness of operations and the energy consumption of high-temperature processes. Plansee states that it does not support the one-size-fits-all approach and has therefore developed its Basic, Premium and Enerzone hot zone packages that are specifically designed to meet differing customer requirements.
“Our engineers have listened very carefully to the customers – leading furnace manufacturers as well as end users – and have taken into account all of their requirements in the new hot zones. Every nozzle, shield and shielding layer has already proved its value in practice,” stated Dr Bernd Kleinpass, who is responsible for the Thermal Processes Market Unit at Plansee.
In the Basic hot zone package the main materials are pure molybdenum and steel. This package is designed for moderate application conditions and frequency of use. The Premium hot zone includes various design features and a number of material alloys that permit a particularly long service life and dimensional stability. Even after a very large number of cycles and at very high temperatures, it is reported that there is no deformation or cracking evident.
Plansee recommends its Enerzone package to customers who place the most exacting demands on their furnaces. This system is said to excel through its long-term durability and offers unrivalled energy-efficiency thanks to many additional layers of shielding and its lightweight construction. “The same applies to hot zones as it does to cars: The right equipment depends on the way you want to use it. ‘Basic’ is the hot zone for the daily drive to work and ‘Enerzone’ is the sports car for the highest performance,” added Kleinpass.
Plansee hot zones are available for new systems or as replacement units. A state-of-the-art simulation procedure also makes it possible to test how the hot zones will function during live operation before they are used in production. Plansee stated that this service is of vital importance to customers whose processes push their hot zones to the very limits.
