A muffle furnace is a small apparatus used in craft, industrial, and scientific laboratory environments to introduce heat at extremely high temperatures within an enclosed, insulated area. It historically reached high temperatures with a heating chamber isolated from the fuel source and by-products created and is usually made of ceramic or concrete. It can be used for a variety of purposes, including firing pottery, welding objects together, and identifying organic and inorganic materials.
Similar to a furnace, a muffle furnace sits atop a control unit that electronically introduces heat at extremely high temperatures within an enclosed, insulated area. The apparatus is usually small in size and can be used on a table. Historically, a muffle furnace was a furnace capable of reaching high temperatures with a heating chamber isolated from the fuel source and the by-products created. Fuel sources in the past may have included wood or liquid fuel. Muffle furnaces are typically used in craft, industrial, and scientific laboratory environments.
The built-in heating elements usually line all surfaces of the specially insulated ceramic or concrete interior of the heating chamber. Maximum outlet temperatures vary, with some models reaching temperatures as high as 2,200 degrees Fahrenheit (1,204 degrees Celsius). Many benchtop muffle furnaces heat by conduction. As the temperature of the internal heating elements rises, heat circulates throughout the chamber and is absorbed by the inserted object. Some models also have convection capabilities, circulating heat by means of fans.
The gases and by-products of combustion generally escape through a small vent located in the upper part of the oven. Some interior rooms may not contain shelves, while other models feature up to two shelves for more items. The largest muffle furnaces contain chambers measuring up to 1.6 cubic feet (0.04 cubic meters). The exterior of the muffle furnace is usually stainless steel, and the largest models available measure 9 cubic feet (0.25 cubic meters).
Many models have a 0.38 inch (0.96 cm) monitoring port on the back of the oven for viewing. The heavily insulated muffle furnace door can open via conventional hinges or can operate on sliding hinges. Most manufacturers design these ovens with safety mechanisms, which cut off the power once the door is opened. While some models receive electricity via a three-prong power cord, many require permanent wiring by an electrician for safe and continued operation. Muffle furnaces can have analog or digital temperature monitoring.
Control settings can be managed manually. A programmable muffle furnace, on the other hand, allows the technician to pre-set the heating and burning times. The kilns perform dozens of operations including heating, ramping, sintering, and soaking. As a pottery or craft tool, the muffle kiln can fire or harden glaze on pottery, braze and weld objects together, and melt and fuse glass.
Scientific circles could use a laboratory muffle furnace for nutritional analysis by calculating the amount of fat, carbohydrate, protein and water contained in a particular food. Laboratories can also identify organic and inorganic materials based on the rate of burn and the by-products obtained afterwards. Industrial uses could include determining the combustion temperatures of specific materials.
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