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Lab scale Top Hat furnace maintenance

Lab scale Top Hat furnace maintenance

Photo of Deltech top hat lab scale furnace

Lab scale top hat furnace

Do you have a bench top size “top hat” model Deltech furnace? If so, you’ll be interested in knowing the recommended maintenance for your furnace.

We all know maintenance can prevent future problems. In the case of furnaces, it can help minimize future downtime and ensure operator safety, two very important factors to consider when you are making product.

The timeline for lab scale top hat furnace maintenance is based on use under Deltech firing guidelines and assumes the product being fired is not detrimental to the performance of the elements and refractory.

Monthly

  1. Inspect the interior of the top hat furnace for cracking, sagging, and/or pin failures.  Replace pins as needed.  Please contact Deltech if any large fissures develop or if the sagging is marked.
  2. Inspect the kiln car and bottom mating refractory.  Corner and bottom patch kits can be used to eliminate damaged refractory where light can leak out of the furnace. The kits, available from Deltech, are quite inexpensive and include board, blanket, and high temperature adhesive.

Annually

  1. Replace the thermocouples. Thermocouples are subject to aging and will read low over time. This can result in the furnace true temperature being much higher than that indicated on the temperature controllers.
  2. Inspect the top hat lifting mechanism.  This includes, but is not limited to, fraying of the aircraft cables, and any cracking on the bearings and eyebolts.  Lock out the system and contact Deltech for replacement if any damage is found.

3-5 Years

  1. Roof Refractory Reline (Insulating Layers Only; Excludes Furnace Top)
  2. Jack Refractory Reline (Insulating Layers Only; Excludes Jack Board, Spacer, and Blanket)

10 Years

  1. Full refractory reline.
  2. Replacement of aircraft cables.

As Needed

  1. Heating Elements should be replaced when they fail.  If element failure is suspected, cool the furnace down prior to performing any testing.  Heating elements normally last between one and five years under standard operating conditions. For information on element replacement procedures, check out our video tutorials . Scroll down on the Tutorials page to locate the one that is right for your element size and connection type.

Remember that Deltech can quickly provide you with any needed parts for Deltech furnaces. Contact sales@deltechfurnaces.for information and pricing.