Catenary Furnace Size

Heat transfer rate is a function of the gas blanket thickness, which should be 3 ft above and below the strip. For the strip hanging in the natural shape of a catenary curve with, for example, the low point of the strip 1.5 ft (0.5 m) below the top surface of the supporting rolls, the furnace bottom should be 4.5 ft (1.4 m) below the strip s highest level. 

Warnings When designing a furnace, one should expect that eventually the process capacity will be furnace constrained, and that the furnace will be costly to upgrade or replace. Therefore, making the furnace somewhat larger than present needs, say 20% larger, will generally return the investment well. 

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