How to choose a multi zone rotary furnace for experimental use?

The multi temperature zone rotary furnace used in experiments is a commonly used heat treatment equipment in university laboratories and industrial and mining enterprise laboratories. It is mainly used for heat treatment experiments of powder particles, CVD coating, powder sintering, annealing experiments, etc. So, what aspects should be paid attention to when choosing a multi temperature zone rotary furnace for experiments? Let’s take a detailed look below!

A commonly used 1600 ℃ experimental rotary tube furnace (click on the image to view product details)

1. Clarify process requirements and match core parameters
Temperature range and accuracy
Determine the required maximum temperature and continuous operating temperature based on experimental materials such as lithium battery materials and ceramic powders. For example, the sintering of lithium battery materials requires a high temperature of over 1200 ℃, and a furnace type with a maximum temperature of ≥ 1200 ℃ and stable continuous operating temperature should be selected.
Prioritize selecting equipment with temperature control accuracy within ± 1 ℃ to ensure experimental reproducibility. The multi temperature zone design can independently control the temperature of different areas, meeting the requirements of gradient sintering or complex reactions.

Heating speed and holding time
The heating rate affects the experimental efficiency. It is recommended to choose a furnace type with adjustable heating rate (such as 1-20 ℃/min) to meet the heat treatment requirements of different materials.
The insulation time should be set according to the material characteristics, and the furnace body should have long-term stable insulation ability to avoid temperature fluctuations that may cause differences in material properties.

Atmosphere control requirements
If the experiment requires inert gas (such as nitrogen, argon) protection or vacuum environment, a furnace type equipped with gas inlet and outlet, pressure gauge, and vacuum pump interface should be selected.

2. Optimize furnace structure and improve experimental efficiency
Furnace type selection
Horizontal vs vertical: Horizontal furnaces are suitable for handling large quantities of materials, while vertical furnaces save space and are easy to observe. If high surface utilization is required for the experiment, a single row tube double-sided radiation furnace type can be selected; If dealing with heavy and coking prone materials, a horizontal tube vertical furnace is better.
Single tube vs multi tube: Multi tube design can handle multiple samples simultaneously, but temperature uniformity between tubes needs to be considered. For example, a three zone rotary furnace achieves synchronous sintering of multiple materials through zone temperature control.

Furnace tube material and size
The material of the furnace tube directly affects its high temperature resistance and service life. Common materials include stainless steel (corrosion-resistant), nickel based high-temperature alloys (high temperature strength), and corundum pipes (high temperature resistance and good chemical stability). For example, it is recommended to use corundum tubes for sintering lithium battery materials to avoid metal ion contamination.
The size of the furnace tube needs to match the amount of material. If it is too small, it will cause uneven stacking, while if it is too large, it will waste energy. It is recommended to choose a furnace type with an effective volume slightly larger than the requirements of a single experiment, such as a 1.2L furnace tube, which is suitable for small-scale powder processing in the laboratory.

Speed and tilt angle adjustment
The furnace tube speed (adjustable from 1-10rpm) affects the uniformity of material mixing, and the inclination angle (adjustable from -5 ° to 20 °) optimizes the material flow path.

3. Focus on performance parameters to ensure experimental quality
Heating element and furnace material
The preferred heating element is resistance wire (low cost, accurate temperature control) or silicon carbide rod (high temperature resistance, long service life). The recommended furnace material is high-purity alumina fiber (energy-saving by more than 50%), such as alumina polycrystalline fiber vacuum adsorption furnace, which can extend the service life and reduce energy consumption.

Sealing and safety design
The sealing performance affects the atmosphere control effect, and it is necessary to choose a furnace type with magnetic fluid flange or high vacuum flange sealing. Cooperate with the mechanical pressure gauge at the intake end to monitor the pressure inside the furnace in real time and prevent overpressure explosion.
The safety design includes functions such as power-off when opening the door, over temperature alarm, emergency stop, etc., to ensure safe operation.

Temperature control system and data recording
Modern rotary furnaces should be equipped with intelligent temperature control systems that support PID regulation, fuzzy control, and temperature rise programming. For example, some furnace models have a temperature display accuracy of 1 ℃, a temperature field stability of ± 5 ℃, and can store multiple sets of experimental curves for easy data traceability.

4. Evaluate the strength of manufacturers and reduce long-term costs
Manufacturer qualifications and experience
Prioritize choosing manufacturers with good reputations. Inspect the manufacturer’s production workshop, testing equipment, and technical team to ensure reliable equipment quality.

After sales service and parts supply
Confirm that the manufacturer provides installation, debugging, operation training, and long-term technical support. Provide maintenance, parts, and technical services outside of warranty to reduce maintenance costs in the future.

Balancing cost-effectiveness and budget
The price of the experimental rotary furnace should be selected based on the budget to choose products with high cost-effectiveness.

Customized Multi Gradient Rotating Tube Furnace (Click on the image to view product details)

In general, when choosing a multi temperature zone rotary furnace for experiments, it is important to pay attention to the above aspects. Before selecting, you can communicate with relevant technical personnel about the experimental parameters you need, so as to choose a multi temperature zone rotary furnace that is more suitable for your experiment!Click to learn more tube furnaces! Or click on online customer service to learn more about product information!