Tube furnaces are one of the most effective ways to heat a small sample while allowing rapid temperature changes and uniformity. A Split Tube Furnace is a furnace that allows for the easy changing of the working tube as required. With a divided tube furnace, one can comfortably exchange various working tubes. These furnaces can be optimally tailored for the process. Split tube furnaces will heat objects that do not fit through a smooth box due to their geometry. These furnaces have single and multiple heating zones incorporating gradient heating. 

On the other hand, a Benchtop Furnace allows the heat to treat small steel parts, conduct ignition tests, conduct gravimetric analysis, determine volatile and suspended solids, and ash most organic and inorganic samples. The furnace provides improved temperature uniformity due to an embedded heating element on top and both sides of the stove. It reaches a maximum temperature of 1100 °C. A Benchtop Furnace is perfect for various applications. Due to its versatility, one can use it regardless of changes in products and processes. It is best used for ashing most organic and inorganic samples. 

Let us dip our toes to understand more about a Split Tube Furnace and a Benchtop Furnace. 

Features of Benchtop Furnace

Benchtop industrial furnaces have many unique features and a one-year warranty. Three different types of benchtop furnaces are available: Front Load, Bottom Load and Top Hat Benchtop Furnaces. These furnaces are simple to use and maintain and have features that one can use for various thermal processing. 

Some of the unique features of a Benchtop Furnace include:

• Over Temperature Protection (OTP): Protects the furnace from excessive heat.
• Thermocouple break protection: In a thermocouple fault runaway, the heating elements cut power off.
• The counter-weighted door swings: It directs heat away from the operator.
• Four individual refractory cement elements: It permits excellent heat distribution in the chamber
• Door safety switch: When the door is opened, the button cuts power to the heating elements, protecting the operator.
• LED display: It simultaneously shows both setpoint and actual furnace temperatures in either °C or °F.

Applications of a Benchtop Furnace 

The uses for benchtop furnaces include:

• Heat treatment of steel parts
• Gravimetric analysis
• Ignition tests
• Sintering
• Determining volatile and suspended solids
• Quantitative analysis

 What is the importance of a Split Tube Furnace?

One of the main advantages of using a Split Tube Furnace is the ability to open the furnace to allow the easy installation and removal of work tubes and reaction vessels with ends and fittings that would otherwise be impossible to fit into a non-split tube furnace. The process of installing and removing of the furnace is easier and faster. 

Applications of Split Tube Furnace

Research on Materials: Researchers use split tube furnaces to study material properties. These experiments are critical for developing advanced materials for electronics, ceramics, and aerospace industries.

Synthesis in Chemical Laboratories: In chemical laboratories, split tube furnaces are used. They enable scientists to create and study novel compounds and materials.

Heat Treatment: Industries use split tube furnaces for heat treatment, such as tempering, sintering, and stress-relieving metal and ceramic components. 

Research and Development: Universities and institutions rely on split tube furnaces for various research applications, from studying material behaviour at extreme temperatures to developing advanced

coatings and thin films.

Annealing and Growth of Crystals: Split tube furnaces are essential for annealing processes in crystal growth and semiconductor research. They provide controlled conditions for high-temperature annealing, promoting crystal quality.

Environmental Testing: These furnaces simulate extreme environmental conditions, such as high-temperature corrosion testing, to evaluate materials’ performance in harsh settings.