When it comes to heating in a laboratory, the terms "oven" and "furnace" are often used, but what exactly is the difference between them?
4 Key Differences Between Laboratory Ovens and Furnaces
1. Temperature Range
Laboratory Ovens: These devices generally operate at lower temperatures, suitable for domestic and commercial settings. They are used for tasks like drying, sterilizing, and simple heating processes.
Laboratory Furnaces: Furnaces can reach much higher temperatures, often necessary for industrial processes. They are designed to handle the high heat required for metalworking and other specialized applications.
2. Applications
Laboratory Ovens: Common uses include solvent removal, sterilizing, evaporation, and polymer curing. They are available in various sizes and convection types (gravity or forced-air), and can be powered by electricity, natural gas, or LP.
Laboratory Furnaces: These are versatile tools used for a wide range of applications including annealing, which improves ductility and malleability in metal samples. Other uses include loss-on-ignition, ashing, and testing specimens in ceramic or special metal crucibles. Furnaces are often more compact with thicker insulating walls to maintain higher temperatures.
3. Design and Construction
Laboratory Ovens: Typically made of steel to prevent radiant heat from the exterior, they are designed for efficiency and safety at lower temperatures.
Laboratory Furnaces: These have specialized designs with thermal insulation to improve efficiency and reduce thermal transfer. They are robust and often utilize specialized fuels or heat sources due to their industrial nature.
4. Purpose and Materials
In summary, while both laboratory ovens and furnaces serve the purpose of heating, the key differences lie in their temperature capabilities, applications, and the nature of materials they are designed to handle. Furnaces are more specialized for high-temperature processes involving metals and other materials requiring extreme heat, whereas ovens are more general-purpose heating devices suitable for a variety of laboratory tasks that do not require such high temperatures.
Continue exploring, consult our experts
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