Pacific Combustion Engineering

High Temp. Furnaces

2008-04-16T10:08:00.000-07:00

Different people think different things when and if they think about high temperature furnaces.

What's high temp to you may be low temp to somebody else.

Typically anything over 1100°C is considered high temperature. With the advent of the Molybdenum Disilicide element (sometimes referred to as Moly Disilicide, sometimes just as Moly D's,) in the late 1970's, high temperature furnaces were pushed past the 1500°C limiting factor of the Silicon Carbide element.

For most processes the 1500°C threshold will suffice. But like everything else in science, needs and processes have changed. A good example is Fuel Cell technology. Fuel Cells operate at high temperatures and therefore must be processed at high temperature, typically 1700°C and higher.

Most metal fabricators can get by with running in the 1100° to 1200°C range. What needs to be bent, dried, cleaned and annealed can all be done at those relatively low temperatures. Relative only to the higher temp furnaces.

We sell a number of small furnaces that measure a mere 4" wide x 5" deep x 4" high. A lot of the manufacturers I represent have chambers in that range and bigger, all the way up to 24" wide x 36"deep x 18" high. If you need a custom furnace, certainly they are available, and if you need a custom high temperature furnace, we represent a few manufacturers that can customize any furnace to your specifications. Give us a try.

Now back to my pizza analogy. I wouldn't recommend it, but if you're going to be so bold.....one to three minutes is all I recommend, and keep an eye on that sucker, frozen or not...you're going to burn it, and you're going to burn it quickly. Have fun, and let me know about your adventure.

Mecahnical Convection Ovens

2008-04-08T15:42:00.000-07:00

Now here's a series of ovens you can find a variety of uses for.

Mechanical Convection Ovens. sometimes known as Forced Air Ovens, sometimes simply referred to as a Lab Oven, typically can be found in sizes ranging from 1.4 cubic foot to 4.9 cubic foot, but certainly can be much bigger.....all the way to 18 cubic feet. Most are designed to be bench-top models, however the larger ones, by their shear size, necessitate a bench of their own or sit on a floor stand.

Mechanical Ovens have faster heat up times than a laboratory Convection ovens, closer temperature uniformity and a more efficient transfer of heat from the heating element.

It's pretty simple. A fan motor blows cold air across a heated element and into the chamber, either horizontally or vertically through the chamber, or a combination of both....horizontally and vertically.

It's more precise and more efficient than a Gravity Convection Oven because you are actually moving air within the chamber as opposed to the "natural" gravity oven which is also known as a passive system.

You'll pay more, but have better control over your temperature gradients, your heat up times, and with the advent of digital controllers, stability has been greatly increased, usually to +/-3% for uniformity and +/-0.5% for accuracy.

Most manufacturers stay in the 204°C to 300°C range. However Carbolite has a fine series of lab ovens, read mechanical convection here, that heat to the 400°C, 500°C and 600°C range. Leave it to the British to accomplish that.

I still would not recommend putting last nights leftover pizza in these ovens......you know what you've been processing in there,............would you want to digest any of those chemicals? I think not.

Next week we'll tackle the hot topic of laboratory furnaces..........from 1000°C to 1800°C. Stay tuned !!

Gravity Ovens

2008-04-03T10:45:00.000-07:00

There are so many different types of ovens to choose from.

The smallest and least expensive, is the Gravity Convection oven.

Gravity Convection is most similar to what we all use in our homes. The heating coils are located at the bottom of the chamber, and through natural convection, (heat rises, no fan) heat the chamber to your desired temperature.

These ovens are used for drying parts in a general Laboratory, Life Science, or Industrial setting. I've had customers who dry soil, glassware, metal and moisture test in these ovens.

While not as precisely accurate as a Mechanical Convection Oven, and usually at lower temperatures, Gravity Ovens are a good workhorse to have in the lab when you don't have big batches to do, or you require a lower heat.

Since the introduction of the digital controller about 15 years ago, these Gravity Convection ovens are fairly accurate in maintaining a constant temperature... usually within a 5% range or less.

You can still purchase these ovens with analog controls, and with an independent thermometer can achieve good accurate results.

Gravity ovens come in many sizes.

They come in pretty handy when you can't afford for your powered samples to be blowing around in the chamber, as would be the case with a Mechanical Convection oven.

Although it would work, I wouldn't recommend heating your leftover pizza in these, but for your small batches, a Gravity Convection oven is a good way to go..... more on Mechanical Convection ovens next week.

Ovens and Furnaces and Freezers, Oh My

2008-03-20T15:35:00.000-07:00

The effects of the bad economic practices put out by the current administration in Washington have created a perfect storm in the industry and the global economy as a whole.

Somehow The Village Idiot from Crawford,TX got loose, and a minority of like minded Americans got him into his current job. The immediate, and future repercussions are enormous, and will be long lasting....meaning at least the next generation of Americans will be paying for this mistake.

There is a definite tightening of belts being done by the plebes, and industries like mine, with larger ticket items to sell, are feeling it. Not that it is all bad. There will always be the need for the customer services we provide, I am just saying.

Not to get all politico on you, but I needed to vent and thought this was a good place for that too...

Another "HOT" Day

2008-03-12T15:53:00.001-07:00

Things in the oven and furnace business are really heating up..... God that was a terrible pun.

As I mentioned last time, the conglomeration's and contractions in the Industry continue. Someone, somewhere out there, has been trying for the last 10 or 15 years to break up and destroy the good Lindberg name. Once the Cadillac of the Industry.

It all apparently started in 1915, when the Hevi-Duty Electric was formed in Newark, New Jersey. The company produced small electric laboratory-type furnaces.

In 1924 the company was purchased by the North American Company and moved to Wisconsin where it operated in conjunction with the Wisconsin Electric Power Company of Milwaukee, in an effort to promote the use of electric energy. It's principal business was to supply electric transformers to Surges Electric Company. Eventually Hevi-Duty bought Surges Company outright.

In 1955, because of government action against utility holding companies, another Utility was forced to divest itself of that company and in 1956 Hevi-Duty became an independent company.
Eventually, again due to consolidation in the Industry, Hevi-Duty was bought by the company that eventually became Lindberg.

Blue M ovens, manufactured in Blue Island, Illinois, A General Signal Corporation, was joined with Lindberg and they made some fine products throughout the 1970's and 80's, suppling the military industrial complex and other industries across the nation.

It was truly a great company. If you wanted a well built, well engineered furnace or oven, that was the place to buy one.

But I'm getting off my point.

Sometime in the 1990's Lindberg was acquired by SPX Corporation and the present demise began.

As our economy began to shrink, and we shipped more manufacturing overseas....we basically stopped making great American products here, and the need for those great American companies became smaller.

The more we stopped making products, the more companies went overseas. It's a vicious cycle. As Bob Dylan once said...." They don't make nothin' here no more".

Again, I'm off my point.

Trying to get a product out of what's left of the Lindberg company is almost impossible.....almost impossible to decipher where to look for it, how to find it, and who might build it for you.

I was told today that a furnace formerly built by Lindberg now is built by Kayex, which was part of TPS, which owns Blue M, Tenny, Gruenberg, Lunaire and MPH.

Am I loosing anybody here?

I followed the trail as far as I could,...then gave up. And I'm in the business!

Again, to quote Bob, " Well, it's sundown on the union, And what's made in the U.S.A., Sure was a good idea, 'Til greed got in the way".

There will be more rantings........there are still some fine smaller furnace manufacturers out there, I represent most of them, but it's sad when an old horse goes down.

PITTCON 08

2008-03-06T17:12:00.000-08:00

There's lots happening in the heat treat business these days, what with consolidations, corporations merging, expanding, contracting.......changing.

I was down in New Orleans for PITTCON '08 this past week. Not much for the average furnace looking type guy, but....

Thermcraft was showing a new line of products that looked interesting. They've been around for almost 40 years and their new line looks promising.......sleek design, more lab friendly than their industrial looking products. Good looking controllers.

Carbolite was also there, showing a great line of products and Rob Harms was there in person. Always nice to talk with someone who's been around since God invented fire,...and heat.
Rob started in the Industry with Lindberg in Watertown, Wisconsin way back in the late 70's. He's forgotten more than I'll ever know. As always, he's gracious and willing to share his knowledge with one and all.
One of the best if you ask me.

Nabertherm showed as well, but how many furnace companies can a guy like me represent....is 10 too many?????.....15 too much? You never know.

Saw some good blues guys as well....hey it's New Orleans, can't pass up the music in that city, it's everywhere. Gotta have some fun while I'm out on the road doing business.

I saw Big AL at a small club on Bourbon Street. They don't call him the largest guy in show business for nothing as Big Al is well over 400 lbs....well over. But a great singer and a good band.
Bourbon Street is a hoot for anyone over 30 who's not drinking and just observing the crowd. How this particular street came to allow that kind of behavior is beyond me. But it sure is an interesting view.

I will be back there for Jazzfest at the end of April....can't wait. Jazzfest is one of the best parties in America.

About Us

2008-02-27T11:31:00.000-08:00

Pacific Combustion Engineering has been a major distributor of laboratory and industrial oven and furnaces since 1955 and now offers a full range of high quality laboratory equipment. Long recognized as an industry leader - by numerous Fortune 500 companies, medical and scientific laboratories and research centers, colleges and universities, PCE delivers personalized customer service and highly competitive pricing.

At Pacific Combustion our customer service representatives answer your calls from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM PST, Monday thru Friday. We don't like leaving important messages on tape. We don't think you do either.

Your needs are important to both of us. All quotes are delivered ASAP or by the end of business on the day you call. Our business day isn't over until your business is complete. 2006 marks 50 years for Pacific Combustion, and the 5th year of business under new ownership.

Our new location in Torrance, CA, is conveniently located 15 minutes south of Los Angeles International Airport. As we continue to grow and expand our product line in response to industry, customer service remains our number one priority,...that's how we compete with the Big Boys. Filling your equipment needs with exceptional service and competitive pricing is our business. We stand behind what we sell and we will be there until you are fully satisfied.