Heat Containment Apparatus

Abstract

A heat containment apparatus may include a housing having an access window, the housing being formed, at least in part, of an insulating material. Alternatively, a heat containment apparatus includes a housing being an expandable structure having an access window, the housing including an insulating material. Heat containment apparatuses may be used in conjunction with performing high temperature operations and/or low temperature operations to at least portions of substrates contained therein.

The invention claimed is: 
     
         1 . A heat containment apparatus comprising:
 a housing having an access window, the housing comprising an insulating material.   
     
     
         2 . The heat containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is formed from the insulating material. 
     
     
         3 . The heat containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the insulating material comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: a ceramic, a ceramic fiber, a ceramic block, a moldable ceramic, a woven ceramic, a cast ceramic, a fire brick, a carbon fiber, a graphite block, a shaped graphite block, a nanocomposite, a fluid in a jacket, a metal fabric, a metal wool, a metal casing, an insulating metal composite, any composite thereof, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         4 . The heat containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing further comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: a frame, a removable access window cover, a slideable access window cover, a hinged access window cover, a viewing window, a longitudinally expandable wall, a radially expandable wall, a hinged wall, a handle, a fluid port, a fluid jacket, a reduced pressure container, a substrate holder, a base, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         5 . The heat containment apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 at least one selected from the group consisting of: a heating element, a substrate holder, a sensor, a camera, a viewing window, a light, a handle, a hook, a fluid port, a chimney, a vent, a fluid handling device, a base, an electromagnetic field generator, a control system, and any combination thereof. 
 
     
     
         6 . The heat containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing is capable of being operably connected to a manipulator that comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of: a crane, a hook, a swivel arm, a mandrel, a lift, a tool balancer, a turntable, a fluid powered cylinder, a fluid powered actuator, an electrical actuator, a motor, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The heat containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a heating element capable of maintaining a temperature of at least a portion of a substrate between about 480° C. and about 705° C. 
     
     
         8 . The heat containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a heating element capable of maintaining a temperature of at least a portion of a substrate between about 260° C. and about 535° C. 
     
     
         9 . The heat containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a heating element capable of maintaining a temperature of at least a portion of a substrate between about 150° C. and about 260° C. 
     
     
         10 . The heat containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises an internal surface having a reflective coating. 
     
     
         11 . The heat containment apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the housing comprises a fluid jacket operably capable of flowing fluids therethrough at an elevated or reduced temperature. 
     
     
         12 . A heat containment apparatus comprising:
 a housing that comprises an access window and an insulating material; and   a heating element.   
     
     
         13 . A system comprising:
 a heat containment apparatus that comprises a housing having an access window, the housing comprising an insulating material;   a substrate holder capable of positionally maintaining a substrate within the heat containment apparatus; and   a ventilation element in fluid communication with the heat containment apparatus.   
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the housing further comprises a frame. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the substrate holder is movable in at least one direction selected from the group consisting of: angularly, rotationally, vertically, laterally, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         16 . A method comprising:
 heating at least a portion of a substrate to a first temperature;   placing the portion of the substrate in a heat containment apparatus that comprises a housing having an access window, the housing comprising an insulating material;   maintaining a first section of the portion of the substrate above a second temperature that is greater than about 50% of the first temperature; and   performing a first high temperature operation on the first section of the portion of the substrate while the portion of the substrate is substantially within the heat containment apparatus.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 maintaining a second section of the portion of the substrate above a third temperature that is greater than about 50% of the second temperature; and 
 performing a second high temperature operation on the second section of the portion of the substrate while the portion of the substrate is substantially within the heat containment apparatus. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first section of the portion of the substrate and the second section of the portion of the substrate overlap. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first section of the portion of the substrate and the second section of the portion of the substrate are the same section of the portion of the substrate. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the heat containment apparatus further comprises a heating element, and wherein heating is performed in the heat containment apparatus. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the first high temperature operation is at least one selected from the group consisting of: hardfacing, brazing, debrazing, welding, cutter removal, shrink fitting, creating interference connections between at least two components, connecting two or more components where at least one component is at an elevated temperature, assembling non-interference components where at least one component is at an elevated temperature, flame spraying, spray coating, applying an aerosolized heated metal, plasma spraying, vapor deposition, and any combination thereof. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 16  further comprising:
 moving the substrate through the first heat containment apparatus while performing the high temperature operation.