A vacuum oven is a type of oven in which the products in the oven are surrounded by a vacuum during processing. The absence of air and other gases prevents oxidation by convection and heat loss of the product and eliminates sources of pollution. This allows the furnace to heat materials (usually metals and ceramics), including selected materials, to temperatures up to 3,000 ° C (5,432 ° F) [1]. vacuum oven
The maximum furnace temperature and vacuum level depend on the melting point and vapor pressure of the material being heated. Vacuum furnaces are used to perform processes such as annealing, brazing, sintering, and heat treatment in high concentrations and with low contamination. The features of the vacuum furnace are as follows.
Uniform temperature within the area. 800-3000 ° C (1500-5400 ° F)
Commercially available vacuum pump systems can achieve low vacuum levels of 1 x 10 -11 Torr (1.3 x 10 -11 mbar; 1.3 x 10 -14 atm). The temperature can usually be controlled within a heating zone surrounded by heat shields or insulation. Less product contamination by carbon, oxygen and other gases. The vacuum pump system removes low temperature by-products from the process material during heating, resulting in a higher purity final product.
You can use product quenching (quenching) to reduce process cycle time. The process can be computer controlled to ensure reproducibility. Heating metals to high temperatures in an open atmosphere usually results in rapid oxidation, which is not desirable. The vacuum oven removes oxygen and prevents this.
Inert gases such as argon are often used to quickly cool the treated metal to non-metallurgical levels (less than 200 ° C) in the furnace after the desired process. [2] This inert gas can be pressurized to more than twice the atmospheric pressure and circulate in the hot zone area to absorb heat before passing through the heat exchanger to remove the heat. This process continues until the desired temperature is reached.
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Vacuum furnaces are used in a variety of applications both in manufacturing and in laboratories.
At temperatures below 1200 ° C, vacuum furnaces are commonly used for heat treatment of steel alloys. In many common heat treatment applications, steel parts are hardened and tempered to increase strength and strength during use.
Hardening involves heating the steel to a given temperature and then rapidly cooling it with water, oil, or a suitable medium. Another use for vacuum furnaces is vacuum carburizing, also known as low pressure carburizing or LPC. In this process, a gas (such as acetylene) is introduced into the hot zone as a partial pressure, typically at a temperature of 1600 to 1950 ° F (870-1070 ° C). The gas is broken down into its constituents (in this case, carbon and hydrogen). The carbon then diffuses into the surface area of the part. Read more...