The IQV 1224 is a vertical loading integral quench furnace. The seal between the furnace chamber and the quench tank is made in the quench tank media. This provides the furnace with a unique safety feature. The quench tank is open to the air and provides automatic relief to excess pressures inside the retort. There is no large vestibule to fill with combustible gas at a low temperature. In addition, the retort provides superior atmosphere protection because there is no outgassing of oxygen from the insulation. The three zone heating, even heating of the elements which surround the retort, fan and recirculation muffle provide excellent temperature and gas uniformity. The furnace is extremely responsive and controllable allowing, for instance, very shallow case depths in carbonitriding, previously obtainable only in cyanide salt bath furnaces. The vertical downloading is ideal for long vertical parts that need to be protected from distortion. It also allows for a very quick quench transfer time. There is no water consumption for cooling and consumption of gas and fluids is minimal. The unit is completely self contained, needing only hook up to bottles of nitrogen, ammonia and propane and an included pressurized tank of methanol. This furnace is intended for carburizing, carbonitriding, carbon restoration, and neutral hardening. It has also been very effectively used for heat treating copper berylium. The entire control system is software driven on a PLC with integrated PID control loops allowing the system to be completely automated. Even with a polymer quench the dew point can be as low as +10ºF.