Metal Curing Ovens with Quick Heat-Up and Cooldown, and Processes
Epcon developed this patent for metal curing. The proprietary system is comprised of insulated ovens that include an oven entry enclosure having a quick cool-down fan and damper, a direct-fired, forced draft combustion chamber, a converging enclosure at a distal end of the chamber, an oven exit enclosure having an exhaust fan, and oven cool-down doors. Combustion burners form a first heated gas that heats a wet coated continuous metal sheet to form a dried, uncured continuous metal sheet having a first heated temperature. The converging enclosure includes more burners, creating impinging flames that heat the dried, uncured continuous metal sheet, forming a continuous metal sheet having a dried, cured water-based coating having a second heated temperature. During cooling, actuators stop the coated continuous metal sheet upon receipt of a first signal, stop combustion except for pilot burners, open the cool-down doors and operate the quick cool-down fan to avoid waste. Burners may be relit in a second heating cycle.