Laboratory Tube Furnace

Compare LABORATORY TUBE FURNACES. Lab tube furnaces are designed to heat small samples evenly. Laboratory tube furnaces come in two types, split tube furnace and whole tube furnace. Split tube furnaces are split lengthwise and hinged to open like a clam shell. Whole tube furnaces are only open on the ends of the tube. Both can be mounted either horizontally or vertically, some tube furnaces are able to be mounted both horizontally and vertically. For the whole tube models, the vertical furnace design is more common while, for the split tube furnace, the horizontal design is preferred.

Laboratory tube furnaces can accept product with diameters of 1.5 cm (0.6 in) to 35 cm (14 in). The heating elements are outside of the tube, allowing the use of reducing or oxidizing atmospheres in the tube. There can be up to three heating elements in tube furnaces, each of which can be controlled separately. Each heating element in the lab tube furnace corresponds to its own heating zone. The heating elements surround the tube and are embedded in the insulation. This insulation is usually a ceramic fiber. Tube furnaces have maximum temperatures that range from 900C (1650F) to 1800C (3300F) with heated lengths from 30 cm (12 in) to 120 cm (48 in). The temperature controls usually are a separate item

Lab tube furnaces are used for continuous heating of samples and maintain a very uniform temperature near the heating elements. Because they maintain such a uniform temperature, tube furnaces are the preferred furnace for crystal growth. Laboratory tube furnaces are also used in superconductor research, chemical vapor transport, materials research, firing of ceramics, and thermocouple calibration