AN EXTREME TEMPERATURE, ULTRACLEAN RADIANT FURNACE

THIS IS A PROPOSAL TO DEVELOP A COOL-WALLED RADIANT FURNACE FOR OPERATION AT EXTREMELY HIGH TEMPERATURES (UP TO 3300 K IN THE PROTOTYPE VERSION OF THIS PROPOSAL). IT WILL EMPLOY REFRACTORY METAL ELECTRICAL RESISTANCE HEATERS IN CONFIGURATIONS THAT PRESENT NEAR ONE HUNDRED PERCENT VIEWFACTORS AS SEEN FROM THE OBJECT BEING HEATED. THE RADIANT FLUX TO THE WORKPIECE WILL BE EXTREMELY UNIFORM, PRODUCING HIGHLY UNIFORM WORKPIECE TEMPERATURES. SHOULD SUCH A FURNACE BE USED IN A MICROGRAVITY ENVIRONMENT, THE ABSENCE OF CONVECTION WILL PRODUCE THE MOST UNIFORM HIGH TEMPERATURE HEATING AVAILABLE. THE COOL WALLS WILL ALLOW ITTO PRODUCE THESE CONDITIONS IN AN ULTRACLEAN ENVIRONMENT. THE UNITS WILL BE AVAILABLE FROM VERY SMALL SIZES (SCALE OFMILLIMETERS TO DELIVER INTENSE HEAT OVER VERY SMALL VOLUMES WITHOUT HEATING SURROUNDING VOLUMES) TO LARGE SIZES OF SCALES OF METERS FOR INDUSTRIAL USE. THEIR COST WILL BE MUCH LESS THAN THOSE OF OTHER FURNACES OF LESSER CAPABILITIES, AND AS A RESULT THEY WILL FACILITATE THE WORK OF HIGH TEMPERATURE SCIENTISTS WITH MODEST BUDGETS. THE FURNACES WILL FIND EXTENSIVE USE IN R&D AND PRODUCTION IN HIGH TEMPERATURE CHEMISTRY, SOLID STATE PHYSICS, CERAMICS, SOLID STATE ELECTRONICS, AND CHEMICAL VAPOR DEPOSITION, AMONG OTHER FIELDS.