Nottingham University, Physical Chemistry Safety Protocol

Ovens And Furnaces (Tube And Box)

Last revised: 16/10/18 Restrictions? None Author(s): RM

Hazards
 Mechanical (Flying fragments following accidental implosion/explosion)
 Chemical (Depending on Sample Material and Flow Gas)
 Burns (Heated systems)

General Safety Precautions

A well-designed box or tube furnace should be inherently safe to use over a wide range of temperature and
under various gas flow atmospheres. Temperatures above 1200oC are discouraged and a temperatures of 1500oC
must not, except under exceptional circumstances, be exceeded.

To ensure containment and safe use, it is always necessary to ensure that any gas flow systems attached to the
ovens or furnaces are properly and securely sealed prior to exposure to high temperature or gas flow. The
compatibility of the gas with lining material must also be checked e.g. excessively corrosive gases may lead to
unexpected failure of seals or leakage of gas. Any seals attached to the tube furnace must be far removed from
the ‘hot areas’ to avoid any heat deformation. Any gas flow should be properly vented to include, where
appropriate, bubbling through a liquid trap.

Operational Procedures
Checking Integrity
Ovens and furnaces should be visually inspected for damage that might make them susceptible to fracture.

Admitting, operation and retrieving Samples

The ovens or furnaces should never be overcrowded.

Once heating has commenced, the ‘hot areas’ of the furnaces should not be accessed if at high temperature
(above 200oC).

During use, the furnaces must be firmly placed upright on a flat surface. The oven/furnace should normally be in
a fume cupboard to avoid contaminating the whole room in case of a leak.

Retrieval of samples from the ovens/furnaces must be with appropriate tongs or while wearing thermal gloves.
For furnaces, they must be thoroughly cooled down to a temperature well below 300oC and preferably below
200oC before the samples are removed.

Personnel Protection
Hazard ratings for the ovens and furnaces (eg temperature, heating rate) and procedures to be followed in the
event of failure should have been established in advance (see above).
To protect against explosion and splash hazards safety glasses should be worn at all times.
Lab coats should also be worn at all times.

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