Grieve Furnace Heat Treats Turbine Components

Grieve’s No. 1039 is a 2,000°F (1,093°C), inert atmosphere, heavy duty furnace used for heat treating turbine components. With workspace dimensions of 36 × 60 × 36, it features 73 kW installed in ICA wire coils supported by vacuum-formed ceramic fiber on all interior surfaces, including the door and beneath the hearth. It also has a roof-mounted, heat-resisting alloy circulating fan powered by a 1-hp motor with V-belt drive, water-cooled bearings and an inert atmosphere shaft seal. The furnace has 9”-thick insulated walls comprised of 5”of 2,300°F ceramic fiber and 4” of 1,900°F block insulation; 8 ½” floor insulation comprised of 4 ½” of 2,300°F firebrick and 4” of 1,900°F block insulation. Other features include ¼” plate exterior reinforced with structural steel; ½” steel face plate at doorway with air-operated vertical lift door. Inert atmosphere construction includes continuously welded outer shell, high-temperature door gasket, sealed heater terminal boxes, inert atmosphere inlet, inert atmosphere outlet, inert atmosphere flow meter and manual gas valve. Controls include a digital programming temperature controller, manual reset excess temperature controller with separate contactors, paperless event recorder and SCR power controller.