Furnace for the heat treatment of scale-covered steel

摘要

A scale-covered, hot-rolled steel work is heated under a reducing atmosphere and is then allowed to slowly cool while placed under the reducing atmosphere. Thereafter the work is maintained at a predetermined temperature under an oxidizing atmosphere to cause the scale to be re-oxidized. The work with the re-oxidizing scale is then allowed to stand to cool quickly, imparting fine cracks to the scales. The scales can readily be removed from the work during the subsequent pickling step.