This GCF1700h series hydrogen muffle furnace contains the highest quality components, to bring your application to the next level. Molybdenum heating elements are embedded in Mitsubishi alumina fiber insulation. This is all encased in a unique, triple-wall steel housing, which prevents heat loss. It also helps protect the integrity of the chamber under vacuum. The furnace is precisely controlled by a Japanese Shimaden controller, while a built-in, 40-segment PID digital temperature control unit ensures accurate monitoring and consistency.
Want to operate or monitor the furnace remotely? A built-in RS485 digital communications port and USB adaptor lets you do it all direct from your PC. You can even save or export test results. If you’re working with more than one gas, know that this unit has multiple gas inlets and outlets with stainless steel ball valves. A flow meter controls the inbound and outbound flow of gases. Outlets can be ignited too, to burn off gas. What’s more, multiple atmosphere processes are possible in a single cycle.
The furnace’s chamber is welded and oil leak tested to ensure airtightness before it leaves our facility. Besides that, the furnace’s door is sealed with high temperature silicone gasket. But that’s not all. When under heavy use, a built-in, stainless-steel, water-cooling panel helps protect the door gasket.
This model is specifically designed to work with potentially explosive gases. For instance, it has a built-in hydrogen detector with a digitally controlled, magnetic, explosion-proof valve. That valve will open when the pressure grows beyond the set point. Other safety features include an alarm that will sound when there’s a hydrogen leak, overheat protection, and power failure protection. This model and all of our furnaces is CE compliant.
The benefits of an controlled atmosphere furnace
An atmosphere furnace provides the perfect environment for various procedures in many laboratories, providing the controlled temperature and atmosphere specific projects require. The controlled atmosphere is desired to complete tasks that require exact temperatures with no room for error. This is the best way to ensure the successful outcome of your project because it is sealed tightly to ensure the proper environment.
Gases
One of the main components of the atmosphere furnace is the correct mixture of gases. The precise measurement of each gas is essential to the success of your project. You can use a separate chamber to mix the gases, which are then pumped into the furnace chamber where the work will be completed when they are done mixing. It is essential that the separate chamber that holds the gases does not receive any outside air because it could throw off the gas mixture and render your project useless.
Temperature
Proper temperature control is vital to the success of your project as well. Temperatures that are too high or too low will cause problems with the process and could cost your company a significant amount of money. Across International furnaces come with built-in 40-segment PID digital temperature controller for accurate monitoring and consistency.
Features
- Built-in hydrogen detector and digital controlled magnetic explosion-proof valve
- Built-in large alarm lights with sound
- Multiple gas inlets and outlets with stainless steel ball valves. Flow meter to control inbound and outbound gas flows. Outlets can be ignited to burn off gas.
- Furnace chamber is welded and oil leak tested to ensure air tightness. Furnace door is sealed with high temperature silicon gasket.
- Built-in stainless steel water-cooling panel protects door sealing gasket when furnace is under heavy use.
- Microprocessor based self-tuning PID control provides optimum thermal process with minimal overshoot.
- Multiple atmosphere processes in a single cycle are possible (ex: binder burn out in air and parts sintering under rough vacuum or inert gas environment.)
- Built-in computer interface.
- CE compliant
A few things on working with hydrogen
- Hydrogen becomes explosive in the range of 5% to 75%
- We highly recommend using molybdenum wire heating elements if hydrogen content is more than 10%
- NEVER mix hydrogen with oxygen, make sure all oxygen is removed from chamber by purging the chamber a few times with vacuum pump. Oxygen content should be maintained at less than 10 ppm at all time
- If nitrogen is to be introduced, do NOT exceed 50%
- Pure hydrogen is allowed
- Try to keep the chamber at a slightly positive pressure (around 3 psi or 0.02 MPa)
- Make sure gas environment is prepared and ready before heating up the furnace
- Wait until furnace cools down entirely before turning off gas supply
Safety features
- Explosion-proof valve open with pressure is beyond set point
- Alarm will sound when hydrogen leak is detected
- Overheat protection shuts down the furnace if temperature is outside of acceptable range (refer to controller's manual) or when the thermocouple is broken or malfunctions.
- Power failure protection resumes furnace operation right after the point of failure when power is reestablished.
