Tube Furnace Fabrication: Any Tips or Recommendations?

  • Thread starter Thread starter KYPOWERLIFTER
  • Start date Start date
  • Tags Tags
    Tube
AI Thread Summary
The discussion focuses on fabricating a laboratory tube furnace capable of reaching temperatures of 1300°C or higher. Key components being considered include Mullite tubes, Kanthal A-1 wire, Kaowool insulation, and a stove pipe for the outer structure. The user seeks recommendations for better quality materials and advice on purchasing a thermocouple and thermometer, as well as designing a power control circuit. They mention a potential setup involving a dimmer switch and a bulb indicator for power management. Overall, the project is estimated to cost around $500, and the user plans to share a detailed guide once completed.
KYPOWERLIFTER
Messages
19
Reaction score
0
Hi All:

I plan on producing a laboratory tube furnace capable of = to or > 1300 C. Does anyone have any experience working with materials designed for these temps?

I have been pricing Mullite tubes: 500 mm L; ~34 ID; ~40mm OD, 18 G Kanthal A-1 wire (to be wrapped around the tube), Kaowool insulation blanket, and a piece of 'stove pipe' to be the outer tube.

Right now I have two questions:

1) Any suggestions as to the above components? By that I mean suggestions, as to better (in terms of quality and ability to take temperature), grades/types?

2) I need to purchase a thermocouple and thermometer. Recommendations? I also need to design a circuit to adjust power to the wire. What would you guys do and how would you arrange it? I was thinking some sort of dimmer switch (have to handle 2000W power @ 230V) parallel with a bulb as indicator?

Bear with me... When I get it going I'll make a how-to thread with pictures.

Thanks in advance
 
Engineering news on Phys.org
Update:

I have located two Mullite tubes; one @ 83.00 and one @ 86.00

Kanthal A-1 Wire @ 15.00-20.00

ITC 100 HT ceramic paste @ 38.00

Kaowool 1" 2600F 2 ft2 @ 13.50

Variac (for temp control) ebay searching ~100.00

Stove pipe... 10.00-15.00

Thermocouple and thermometer with the TP 04 thermocouple 89.99 http://cgi.ebay.ca/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260359668034&ssPageName=ADME:X:RTQ:CA:1123

Quartz glass test tube (with ground glass joint) for use inside furnace... ~100.00

I need to find a glassblower, I assume.

Suggestions/Thoughts? This is looking like a 500.00 project...
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Hi all I have some confusion about piezoelectrical sensors combination. If i have three acoustic piezoelectrical sensors (with same receive sensitivity in dB ref V/1uPa) placed at specific distance, these sensors receive acoustic signal from a sound source placed at far field distance (Plane Wave) and from broadside. I receive output of these sensors through individual preamplifiers, add them through hardware like summer circuit adder or in software after digitization and in this way got an...
I have recently moved into a new (rather ancient) house and had a few trips of my Residual Current breaker. I dug out my old Socket tester which tell me the three pins are correct. But then the Red warning light tells me my socket(s) fail the loop test. I never had this before but my last house had an overhead supply with no Earth from the company. The tester said "get this checked" and the man said the (high but not ridiculous) earth resistance was acceptable. I stuck a new copper earth...
Thread 'Beauty of old electrical and measuring things, etc.'
Even as a kid, I saw beauty in old devices. That made me want to understand how they worked. I had lots of old things that I keep and now reviving. Old things need to work to see the beauty. Here's what I've done so far. Two views of the gadgets shelves and my small work space: Here's a close up look at the meters, gauges and other measuring things: This is what I think of as surface-mount electrical components and wiring. The components are very old and shows how...
Back
Top