Daily maintenance of tube furnaces used in university laboratories

The daily maintenance of tube furnaces used in university laboratories is crucial for ensuring the normal operation of equipment, extending their service life, and ensuring the accuracy of experimental results. The following are detailed daily maintenance steps and precautions:

1、 Regular inspection and cleaning
Check the wiring and indicators
Regularly inspect the wiring terminals of the equipment and controller to ensure proper contact and no looseness or corrosion.
Check whether the pointer movement of the indicator is smooth and whether there is any jamming phenomenon. Use a potential difference meter to check the calibration error of the indicator and ensure accurate readings.
Clean the furnace and furnace tubes
After each use, the furnace and furnace tubes should be cleaned to remove impurities such as carbon slag and oxides generated during the experimental process.
The cleaning methods include physical cleaning and chemical cleaning. Physical cleaning can use mechanical force to break down impurities accumulated in the pipeline, and then blow them out with high-speed airflow; Chemical cleaning is the process of destroying the structure of impurities through chemical reactions to achieve slag removal. The specific method needs to be selected according to the materials and experimental requirements of the furnace and furnace tubes.
Keep the surface of the equipment clean
Regularly wipe the outer surface of the tube furnace to remove dust and dirt, and keep the equipment clean.
Be careful to avoid using highly corrosive cleaning agents to prevent damage to the surface of the equipment.
2、 Oven operation
Oven used for the first time or after long-term disuse
When the tube furnace is first used or reused after a long period of disuse, the drying operation should be carried out to remove moisture and impurities from the furnace and prevent furnace cracking.
The usual steps for baking are: first, raise the furnace temperature to about 120 ℃ and maintain it for 1 hour; Raise to about 300 ℃ and maintain for 2 hours. The specific baking time and temperature can be adjusted according to the equipment manual.
Regular oven drying
Even if the tube furnace is frequently used, regular drying operations should be carried out to keep the furnace dry and clean.
3、 Temperature control and maintenance
Set a reasonable temperature range
When using a tube furnace, a reasonable temperature range should be set to avoid the furnace temperature exceeding the rated temperature of the equipment, in order to prevent damage to the heating elements and furnace lining.
Regularly check the temperature control system
Regularly check the electrical connections of the temperature control system to ensure good contact.
Pay special attention to whether the connection points of the heating element are tight, and whether there are any oxidation, burning, or other phenomena.
4、 Working environment and storage
Suitable working environment
Tube furnaces should be placed in a dry, ventilated, and non corrosive gas environment, avoiding direct sunlight and humidity.
The working environment temperature of the controller should be between 0-50 ℃, and the relative humidity should not exceed 85%.
Correct storage method
When not in use for a long time, the tube furnace should be powered off and stored in a dry and ventilated place.
Avoid placing heavy objects on the tube furnace to prevent damage to the equipment.
5、 Other precautions
Avoid severe vibrations
When using a tube furnace, severe vibration and collision should be avoided to avoid damaging the internal structure of the equipment.
Regularly check the sealing performance
For tube furnaces that can be evacuated or filled with atmosphere, the sealing of furnace doors, pipeline interfaces, and other parts should be regularly checked to ensure accurate atmosphere control during the experimental process.
Timely replace damaged parts
If damage or failure of heating elements, temperature sensors, temperature controllers and other components is found, they should be replaced in a timely manner to avoid affecting the normal operation of the equipment and the accuracy of experimental results.
6、 Maintenance cycle and records
service interval
In general, the recommended maintenance cycle for tube furnaces is one year. Every year, comprehensive maintenance and upkeep of the equipment should be carried out, including replacing aging components, cleaning the furnace and furnace tubes, etc.
Maintenance records
Establish maintenance records for the tube furnace, detailing the time, content, and replaced parts of each maintenance, in order to track the maintenance status of the equipment and detect problems in a timely manner.
By implementing the above daily maintenance measures, the normal operation and extended service life of tube furnaces used in university laboratories can be ensured, providing strong support for scientific research and teaching.