Gravity
convection ovens for laboratories have a unique design that works without using
any blowing fan. It works on the principle of thermal expansion of hot air,
which proves to be a cost-efficient alternative. They're also better at
retaining heat and drying chemical compounds to yield better results in any
thermal expansion.
These
gravity convection ovens prove to be of great help in certain sensitive
experiments, temperature control, and evaporation of chemicals. However, a
brief introduction to the basics of gravity convection ovens is essential to
make the best of use.
Gravity Convection Ovens For Lab
Gravity
convection ovens work by air currents that form due to thermal expansion. The
hot air rises, hit the ceiling, and then falls back down continuously,
resulting in uniform heating of the material within the oven. Gravity
convection ovens are designed with a separate entrance and exit to ensure that
items placed within do not get burnt or damaged due to direct contact with hot
air.
The working
mechanism of Gravity Convection Ovens is similar to that of forced convection ovens; they differ
only because they don't use any blower fan or circulating pump. Instead, the
heated air inside the oven rises upwards by buoyancy while cool air flows in
from the bottom, which in turn helps heat the material inside.
Why Do You Need One?
In
addition to saving cost and energy, gravity convection ovens are ideal for
drying chemical compounds. The air within is heated along with the material
placed in them, and the convection currents lead to an even distribution of
heat.
Temperature
can be easily maintained at the desired level by controlling the flow of
coolant from the bottom. This allows you to adjust the temperature per your
required field and get optimum output. Take a look at these pointers to
understand the importance of these ovens in your lab:
ü Control
Temperature
Since
these ovens work without electricity, they allow easy temperature control. You
can easily adjust the heat and maintain it at the desired level. In addition,
the flow of coolant from the bottom can be adjusted as per requirement, which
further helps to keep the temperature at an optimum level.
ü Uniform
Heating
The
heating in gravity convection ovens is uniform throughout because the air
currents induced are balanced and don't end up affecting a particular area
within the oven, like in forced convection ovens where heated air rises.
However, hot air tends to hit one side of the material placed due to a lack of
airflow.
Thick
glass makes up the walls of these ovens, which helps retain heat for a long
duration; this proves helpful in temperature-sensitive experiments that require
heating or cooling at a constant rate over a long period. For example, it can
help dry different chemical compounds by evaporation.