LOI Thermprocess GmbH (Essen, Germany):

P. Wendt, Dr., e-mail: peter.wendt@tenova.com
M. Flieβ

Bilstein Service GmbH (Hagen, Germany):
H. Mühlniclel, Mag. Eng.
Ch. Hagenkord

Kranbau Kötchen GmbH (Kötchen, Germany):
H. Witke, Cand. Eng., Director

Ludwig Bönnhof GmbH (Wetter, Germany):
D. Winkens

In December 2017, the Bilstein company in Hagen-Hohenlimburg made an additional order to LOI Thermprocess GmbH to expand the world’s first fully automated line for annealing in bell-type furnaces. Along with the unique automation concept, the presented line for annealing in bell-type furnaces is the most efficient with respect to energy consumption with a base output of about 2.82 t/h (a reference stack weighing about 90 t at ΔТ = 35 K). In this case, a high-performance circulation system with a working impeller specially developed for this customer and a powerful bypass cooling system is used. Following the recent expansion of the section for annealing in bell furnaces, Bilstein doubled the number of annealing bases. The line for annealing in belltype furnaces is not only the unique unit in the world operating fully automatically, but also the most productive and efficient in terms of energy consumption.

1. Wendt P. et al. MPT Intern. 38 (2015) Nr. 3, S. 136–41, URL: issuu.com/stahleisen/docs/int_2015-3/136.
2. Wendt P. et al. MPT Intern. 41 (2018) Nr. 2, S. 48–52.
3. Wendt P. et al. Heat Processing. 13 (2015) Nr. 2, S. 81–90.
4. Wendt P. et al. Gaswärme intern. 64 (2015) Nr. 3, S. 97–108.