VERFAHREN ZUM BETRIEB EINES EINKAMMER-VAKUUMOFENS MIT WASSERSTOFFABSCHRECKUNG

A method for operating a single-chamber vacuum tempering furnace with hydrogen (H 2) cooling involves (a) filling the furnace cavity (FC) with workpieces (WP's), then closing and evacuating the FC, (b) heating the WP's and keeping a specific temperature, (c) filling the FC with pressurized H 2, ceasing heating and circulating the H 2to cool the WP's, (d) discharging the H 2and evacuating the FC, (e) filling the FC with inert gas up to atmospheric pressure and (f) opening the furnace and removing the WP's. An independent claim is included for apparatus for carrying out the process, comprising a tempering furnace surrounded by a safety zone (20), in which travel or transfer of the immediate environment of the furnace (11), excluding the openable front side (18), is mechanically or electrically inhibited.