How an industrial oven works?
An oven, also called heat chamber or furnace, is an enclosure or heating tunnel with enhanced insulation allowing the performance of various heat treatments at controlled temperatures. This equipment generally operates at atmospheric pressure (air) but can sometimes work under vacuum or neutral gas.
The temperature is regulated and controlled by a thermostat. Its maximum is around 400°C. Beyond this, it is called an industrial furnace. They can also be equipped with a cooling unit to maintain a certain temperature. In this case, we speak of refrigerated climatic chambers.
The heat can be supplied from different sources: electricity, gas or fuel oil.
Usually the heated air is introduced into the working area with or without a ventilation system. In this case, it is referred to as a natural or forced convection oven.
Depending on the use and handling of the products, the inside of this equipment can be different.
Material (stainless steel, painted steel, insulation panels, …)
Rollers, glass surface
Removable metal grilles, conveyor, …
Gas extractor / vacuum system
Lab oven
Ovens are often used in laboratories. Commonly called drying ovens or universal ovens, there are several types of laboratory ovens: drying, sterilisation or storage of elements at constant heat. They also allow various tests to be carried out (dry extract content, swelling rate, dissolution, traction, ageing, sterilisation, burn-in tests, hot storage and packaging, etc.).
Furnace / curing oven
In other industries, ovens are used to cure a product or material. In the field of composite materials and paints, for example, they ensure the pre-polymerisation and curing (polymerisation) of parts based on thermosetting resins.
They are also used to carry out post-curing or simply to soften thermoplastic materials in order to sample them (easier cutting) or make them applicable (by reducing viscosity).
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