4. The role of atmosphere and pressure in furnaces

4.1 Furnace pressure control

The relative pressure we aim to maintain in a furnace chamber, or laboratory, is of the order of a few tens of pascals. This pressure can be either positive (direct-heating furnaces) or negative (tube furnaces in the chemical industry). In all cases, it's an important operating parameter that needs to be carefully monitored.

Indeed, poor pressure control can lead to major setbacks and difficulties:

• deterioration of heating quality in direct-heating furnaces ;

• increased specific consumption and reduced yield ;

• combustion deterioration in furnaces equipped with induced-air burners ;

• wall...