Precautions for selecting customized experimental tube furnace

When selecting a customized experimental tube furnace, it is necessary to comprehensively consider five dimensions: core performance parameters, functional adaptability, safety and durability, operational convenience, and cost budget. The following are specific precautions:

1. Core performance parameters
Temperature range and accuracy
Determine the maximum temperature (such as 1600-1800 ℃ for ceramic sintering) and continuous operating temperature according to experimental requirements, and select matching heating elements (such as MoSi ₂ suitable for 1600-1800 ℃).
The temperature control accuracy should reach ± 1 ℃ or lower to ensure experimental repeatability.
Furnace tube and crucible material
Furnace tube material: Quartz tube is suitable for ≤ 1200 ℃, and corundum tube is suitable for ≤ 1700 ℃.
Crucible Material: Quartz crucibles are suitable for temperatures ≤ 1200 ℃, while alumina crucibles are suitable for temperatures ≤ 1800 ℃.
Heating zone and constant temperature zone
The length of the heating zone determines the temperature coverage range, while the length of the constant temperature zone (temperature difference in the central area ≤ ± 1 ℃) affects the uniformity of sample heating.

2. Functional adaptability
atmosphere control
Choose a tube furnace that supports inert gases (such as nitrogen and argon), reducing gases (such as hydrogen), or vacuum environments according to experimental requirements.
The accuracy of atmosphere control needs to meet experimental requirements, such as the need for a purification system for hydrogen treatment.
Special Features
Rapid Heat Treatment (RTP): A rapid cooling system (such as a water-cooled jacket) is required.
Rotation function: suitable for uniform powder processing or coating preparation.
Multi zone temperature control: suitable for experiments that require temperature gradients (such as dual zone gradient sintering).

3. Safety and durability
safety protection
Equipped with safety devices such as over temperature protection, leakage protection, and emergency shutdown.
The design of the furnace body requires reasonable heat dissipation to prevent safety accidents caused by high temperatures.
Material and Structure
Furnace material: Aluminum oxide polycrystalline fiber has good insulation performance and corrosion resistance.
Furnace shell material: Stainless steel is suitable for high temperature and high corrosion resistance applications.

4. Operational convenience
control system
Priority should be given to tube furnaces with intelligent temperature control systems (such as PID automatic control, multi-stage program control) that support touch screen operation or remote monitoring.
The user interface should be user-friendly, easy to set parameters and monitor experiments.
Modular design
Components such as furnace tubes and heating elements should be easy to replace and maintain, reducing long-term usage costs.

5. Cost and Budget
Equipment cost
Choose the appropriate model and configuration based on the budget to avoid sacrificing key performance due to low prices.
operating cost
Choose equipment with high energy efficiency to reduce long-term energy consumption and operating costs.
Consider the cost of consumables (such as heating elements and furnace tube replacement frequency).

6. Supplier selection
Qualifications and Experience
Choose manufacturers with ISO certification and over 10 years of industry experience to ensure equipment quality and performance.
Verify supplier cases and user evaluations to avoid selecting inexperienced small factories.
after-sale service
Understand the supplier’s after-sales service policy, including installation and commissioning, technical training, maintenance, etc.
Sign a detailed contract that specifies equipment specifications, performance, delivery time, and other terms.