Pyrometallurgical Equipment

High temperature vertical tube furnace (in air)

Our high temperature vertical tube furnace operates in air atmosphere for temperatures up to 1600 °C. The furnace is equipped with a bottom loading system which can evacuate the sample from the hot zone in 5 seconds to allow quenching, which allows characterization of the high temperature microstructure. At the top, either a 4-electrode or a hot wire probe can be to allow the measurement of slag electrical conductivity (and electronic transference numbers) and slag thermal conductivity. Typical slag masses vary around 40 – 50 gram and crucible materials can be either alumina, magnesia, zirconia or platinum.

Gas tight high temperature rheometer

A high temperature (1600 °C) gas tight rheometer set-up is also available in our lab. This furnace is also equipped with a bottom loading system which allows air cooling of the sample after the measurement for characterization. The rheometer can be used to measure slag viscosity and density using a rotating spindle. In addition, a 4-electrode probe is also available to measure slag electrical conductivity and the slag electronic transference number. Typical slag masses are around 50 – 100 g and crucible and spindle materials are either graphite or alumina. Furnace atmosphere can be either air, argon (Ar) (inert) or combinations of CO/CO₂/Ar.

Induction furnace

An induction furnace is present in our lab which is used to prepare slags with a maximum liquidus temperature of 1400 °C. This is one of the two routes to prepare synthetic slags from oxide powders. Air is blown during the slag melting to ensure a proper homogenization. Typical slag preparation batches weigh about 300 – 400 g.

Muffle Furnace

The muffle furnace in the lab can reach temperatures up to 1400 °C while operating in an air atmosphere.

Simultaneous Thermal Analysis & Mass Spectrometry

Simultaneous Thermal Analysis (STA) combines both Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC), in a single device. The addition of a mass spectrometer provides additional information on the decomposition products. The device in our lab is capable of operating at isothermal temperatures of up to 1550 °C with a controlled heating rate between 0.001 °C/min – 50 °C/min and a controlled cooling rate of 20 °C/min. The furnace is able to operate under air, pure oxygen – nitrogen mixtures, argon and CO₂.