This larger benchtop horizontal tube furnace of split-type uses multiple zone metal coil elements for heating. The furnace has a removable tube-shaped and vacuum-sealed temperature chamber of inner diameter 100 mm. The split-type design reduces tube cooling time.
The tube chamber opening is on the right tube end, and a dedicated sealing insert with sensor fixture, sample holder, and sensor cable feedthrough, tailored for the chamber, is included. The maximum sample size that the sample holder can accommodate is 80 mm wide, 80 mm long, and 25 mm thick (for one of the two sample pieces surrounding the sensor). For easy and safe access to the sample holder, the insert is equipped with a slide bar. Moreover, the insert has a port for a thermocouple (which is included). This thermometer however is not used for the automatic temperature control of the tube furnace. It is only employed for registering the temperature close to the sample, and prior to a measurement with the Hot Disk® instrument. The tube furnace can be used to test samples up to 1000°C, where the temperature stability is better than ±0.5°C. Finally, please note that the furnace has a separated control unit.
The tube chamber and insert are made of stainless steel, and close to the tube chamber opening the tube has an integrated liquid cooling coil pipe. This is used to protect the gasket (lubricated in silicone grease) in the bolt connection between the insert and tube as well as the thermocouple ferrule and outside wiring of the insert. For cooling we recommend the use of a chiller (cooling water circulator) that we supply on request. The tube chamber also has gas ports on both ends.