Bell furnace HPH®

annealinggashydrogen

For over 60 years LOI, has been a technical and economical market leader in Bell-type Annealing technology. A wide variety of innovative details and comprehensive process technology expertise are the result that customers can build on. Throughout the world, more than 8,500 LOI annealing bases have been installed. About 5,000 of these bases operate with HNx controlled atmospheres (5 % H2, 95 % N2). More than 3,500 bases use HPH® annealing technology with pure hydrogen annealing atmosphere. LOI is therefor also market leader in the field of high performance Bell-type Annealing Furnaces. LOI has installed more than 300 bell-type-annealing plants in more than 30 countries and these plants are producing approx. 45 million tons of wide, medium-width and narrow strip each year. In developing HPH® technology, LOI focused on the zero-error philosophy at the same time as building on existing furnace designs. As a result, even older Bell-type Annealing plants can be converted to HPH® operation. LOI HPH® technology ensures atmosphere dew points below -60 °C. The extremely pure hydrogen annealing atmosphere and precise temperature control bring considerable quality benefits with a wide variety of steel grades. BYPASS+JET cooling BYPASS+JET cooling allows highest productivity of the three cooling technologies designed by LOI. High efficient JET cooling hood is combined with a BYPASS system utilizing a gas-water heat exchanger to cool the process atmosphere directly. BYPASS+JET cooling requires no open water in the plant while at the same time the BYPASS-System is suitable for a variety of energy recovery options.