Carbolite LHTG 200-300/30-1G High Temperature Furnace Our newest furnace is capable of reaching temperatures of up to 3000 C in argon, or 2200 C in nitrogen or vacuum. It has a hot zone size of approximately 7" (178 mm) diameter and 12" (305 mm) tall with graphite heating elements and an automatically retracting thermocouple. It can be used to sinter large ceramic parts pressurelessly.
Centorr Equipped with an MTS Load Frame We have a Centorr Furnace with graphite elements that is capable of temperatures to 2200oC. The hot zone is approximately 60 mm diameter by 100 mm tall. We have two gettering furnaces, for either nitrogen or argon, capable of producing oxygen concentrations less than 10-7 ppm . With a MTS loadframe integrated into the furnace it can also be used as a hot press and a high temperature dilatometer.
Ablation Rig Prof. Trice and his group has designed and constructed an ablative setup complying with ASTM E285-08. Current capabilities include ablating samples up to 2200°C, indirect thermal gradient measurements across multilayered-samples, and thermal-spray of ceramic powders. Multi-layered systems temperature profiles constituting of a ceramic coating and a metallic substrate, are measured using two laser aiming pyrometers. A specialty wavelength pyrometer measures the ceramic coating temperature in a range of 500-1700°C (Williamson Co., Neustadt, Germany), while simultaneously a long-wavelength pyrometer measures the metallic substrate temperature in a range of 20-2500°C (OS555, Omega Engineering Inc., Stamford, USA). Data loggers and command modules record the pyrometers temperature readings with resolutions up to 0.1 sec and ±2% accuracy. The UniSaprayJet-SE gun allows to heat samples up to 2200°C in less than 30 seconds (Ibeda Co., Neustadt, Germany). Also, the oxyacetylene gun incorporates the capability of spraying ceramic powders in variable rates while heating the samples. Powder feed rates are controlled using a powder feeder model 1270 that preheats the powder at 50°C and control the feed rate volumetrically (Praxair Technology Inc., Indianapolis, USA). Sample ablation conditions are characterized by measuring the oxygen/fuel consumption with digital flow mass meters, and the heat evolved with a heat flux sensor. This piece of equipment will afford measurement of gas turbine materials under realistic heating and thermal gradients to evaluate the effect of biofuel impurities on thermal barrier coatings. (Note the video does not include all these updates to our capabilities.)