Industrial Heat Treating: Gas Train Basics

Industrial Heat Treating Burners

The item on gas fired heat treating equipment that produces and controls the heat is generally referred to as the “Gas Train.” Its job is to properly and safely mix the fuel / air together and cause combustion.

The combustion provides the thermal energy to heat the workpieces in an oven or furnace to the desired temperature.  The gas train can be broken down into several major components. The major parts of a gas train are:

Blower:

Industrial Heat Treating Gas Train

The blower introduces and mixes atmospheric air with the available fuel to create combustion. Blowers come in many sizes and velocities to accommodate the combustion required for the work. Common blower sizes are 10HP and 15HP motor and can move up to 2200 cubic feet/minute.

Regulator

Regulates the total volume of fuel available to the burner and available to mix with the combustion air.

Control System

Gas Train Control System

Includes regulating valves and ignition control system. The control system's primary purpose is to control the volume of fuel to the burner, assure that proper gas pressure is available, monitor for the presence of flame, and provide alarms and shutdown in the event of flameout or loss of fuel supply. Safety is paramount for gas trains, so many safety components are designed in the control system. Examples are redundant pilot and main valves, UV sensors, high and low gas pressure switches, power/kill switches, master/slave controllers, warning lights, and purge components to expel gas from the system.

Ignition System and Transformer

Provides the required voltage to create an arc sufficient to light the burner. The ignition system is used to ignite the fuel / air mix - once the ignition takes place, the ignition system is no longer active. Electrical system includes circuit breakers for high and low voltage, starter contactors with over-load, and 750vA transformers for low voltage side.

High Velocity Nozzle Burners

Where the mix of fuel and air combusts and expels a high velocity / high BTU flame as the thermal energy source. Common sizes for burners are 6-10 million BTU, 3-6 million BTU, and 1 million BTU. Features commonly included are separate air and gas connections, UV hook-up, spark ignitors, ample lengths of air and gas hoses.

Watch the video below for a great visual on how a gas train works!

For more information, contact Hotfol-EHS at www.hotfoilehs.com or call 609.588.0900.