The microwave carburization reactor which features that

摘要

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a microwave carburizing furnace with which the microwave is used and the carburization is performed under non-electrode and atmospheric pressure, and the carburizing treatment method for iron and steel material by using this carburizing furnace.;SOLUTION: In a microwave irradiation chamber for introducing the microwave, an atmospheric gas supplying mechanism for supplying the atmospheric gas containing at least Ar and O₂ and a rapid-cooling mechanism for cooling a material to be treated after carburizing with cooling medium, are provided so that the treating material composed of the iron and steel material and carbon source needed to the carburization, are prepared in the microwave irradiation chamber. The carbon source is supplied with the solid or the gas. The microwave is irradiated under a state that the material to be treated, the carbon source and the atmospheric gas containing Ar and O₂ exist, and Ar plasma is generated with the reaction of the carbon source and the oxygen and , the generation of CO accompanied with the reaction and excitation, carbon ion is generated to carburize the material to be treated. Thereafter, the material to be treated is rapidly cooled with a cooling medium to apply the quenching.;COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT