Isotech ITL-M-17701 User Maintenance Manual/Handbook

Low temperature furnace
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LOW TEMPERATURE
FURNACE MODEL
ITL-M-17701
User Maintenance Manual/Handbook
Isothermal Technology Limited, Pine Grove, Southport, PR9 9AG, England
Tel: +44 (0)1704 543830 Fax: +44 (0)1704 544799 Internet: www.isotech.co.uk E-mail: info@isotech.co.uk
The company is always willing to give technical advice and assistance where appropriate. Equally, because of the programme of
continual development and improvement we reserve the right to amend or alter characteristics and design without prior notice. This
publication is for information only.
Page 1 of 43
Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20

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  • Page 1 Isothermal Technology Limited, Pine Grove, Southport, PR9 9AG, England Tel: +44 (0)1704 543830 Fax: +44 (0)1704 544799 Internet: www.isotech.co.uk E-mail: info@isotech.co.uk The company is always willing to give technical advice and assistance where appropriate. Equally, because of the programme of continual development and improvement we reserve the right to amend or alter characteristics and design without prior notice.
  • Page 2 INTERFERENCE WITH OR FAILURE TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN THIS INSTRUMENT MAY INVALIDATE THIS GUARANTEE Recommendation: the life of your ISOTECH Instrument will be prolonged if regular maintenance and cleaning to remove general dust and debris is carried out. The company is always willing to give technical advice and assistance where appropriate.
  • Page 3: Table Of Contents

    FIGURE 18: LOW TEMPERATURE FURNACE CELL ASSEMBLY ................34 THERMOMETRIC FIXED POINTS: A TUTORIAL ....................... 35 DEFINING FIXED POINTS AND RELATED DATA ...................... 37 GENERAL NOTE ON ISOTECH METAL FREEZE POINT CELLS ................38 PRECAUTIONS TO PREVENT DEVITRIFICATION OF QUARTZ ENVELOPES ............39 METAL CLAD CELLS ..............................39 GENERAL COMMENT ..............................
  • Page 4: Emc Information

    The Blue conductor should be connected to Neutral and the Brown conductor to Live (Line). Warning: Internal mains voltage hazard. Do not remove the panels. There are no user serviceable parts inside. Contact your nearest Isotech agent for repair. Voltage transients on the supply must not exceed 2.5kV.
  • Page 5: Health And Safety Instructions

    If cased, do not return the apparatus to its carrying case until the unit has cooled. There are no user serviceable parts inside. Contact your nearest Isotech agent for repair. Ensure materials, especially flammable materials are kept away from hot parts of the apparatus, to prevent fire risk.
  • Page 6: Unpacking

    The 3 screws should then be replaced in the top of the unit Normal commissioning procedure may now be followed. Keep the transit clamp and use it if the furnace is ever transported. Page 6 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 7: Installation Of The Thermometer Support (Removed For Transit)

    Please screw the thermometer support to the furnace in the way shown above using the screws supplied. Tighten sufficiently. Please take care when inserting or removing thermometers from the pocket below the support. Page 7 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 8: Safety

    THE UK SUPPLY. IF THE FURNACE IS TO BE USED ON A SYSTEM WHERE BOTH SUPPLY LINES ARE LIVE WITH RESPECT TO EARTH THEN THE NEUTRAL FUSE LINK SHOULD BE REPLACED WITH A FUSE. A SPARE FUSE IS SUPPLIED WITH THE FURNACE. Page 8 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 9: The Low-Temperature Furnace

    INTRODUCTION The Isotech Low Temperature Fixed Point Furnace is designed specifically to realize and maintain the freeze plateaux of Isotech Indium, Tin and Zinc Fixed Point Cells, for calibration of thermometers on the International Temperature Scale of 1990. The Low Temperature Furnace is a single-zone furnace. The recommended procedure for establishing a freeze plateau requires operator attention until the plateau is realized.
  • Page 10: General Layout

    GENERAL LAYOUT Figure 1: Front View USB Socket Ethernet socket Main Controller Overtemperature controller Main power switch Figure 2: Rear View Mains power cable Page 10 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 11 Figure 3: Top View Gantry support Pre warming pocket Furnace core Page 11 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 12: Quick Start

    “dried out” by running at a low value such as 100°C for a period of several hours. Page 12 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 13: Using The Overtemperature Controller

    Eight point zone linearization for Main and Annealing furnace • Built in Programmer, supports 100 programs, each of 25 segments Before using the controller, please read this manual thoroughly to get the best performance from the equipment. Page 13 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 14 Configuration changes to the controller require you log in as “Engineer” to perform these functions. These include: • Change language selection • Change °C to °F or K • Change equipment clock and time zone Page 14 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 15: How To Log In As The Supervisor

    Press PAGE button to prompt to accept the changes Select Yes and enter with SCROLL button to display the ENGINEER screen When logged in as the ENGINEER, the equipment will not control the temperature of the heat source Page 15 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 16: Using The Controller

    PAGE button SCROLL button DOWN button UP button Figure 7: The HOME page Furnace temperature Furnace setpoint Furnace setpoint box Data record symbol PAGE button SCROLL button Down button Up button Page 16 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 17: Changing The Set Point

    8 point adjustment curve for each furnace. See section below for details on how to do this. To change the Setpoint of the equipment: From the ISOTECH homepage, press the SCROLL button once, this will highlight the SETPOINT ADJUST box.
  • Page 18 Press the PAGE button to enter the SUPERVISOR menu Scroll to the CHANNELS tab and enter with the SCROLL button Scroll to the ISOTECH tab and enter with the SCROLL button Scroll to CAL STATUS and enter with the SCROLL button Scroll to POINT 1 and enter the value from the reference thermometer The controller is now ready to accept a value.
  • Page 19: Enabling The Autotune Feature

    The controller will now begin the tuning process During the tuning process, AT can now be seen to the left of the clock on the ISOTECH homepage. To disable the tuning feature during a tune, repeat the process above and select OFF. This will now disable the tune and install the previous values.
  • Page 20: The Network Interface

    Log in as the SUPERVISOR Plug a suitable USB memory stick to the socket on the control panel (Figure 1) Ensure the controller has accepted the memory stick by the icon in the lower left of the ISOTECH homepage Press the page button to scroll to the SUPERVISOR menu...
  • Page 21: Ftp Server Archiving

    USB memory stick and imported from there via the USB socket on the controller panel Figure 10: Programmer display – Program not running Program name Function select box Furnace temperature Current furnace setpoint Program status Page 21 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 22: To Create, Install And Run A Program Via The Controller Interface Please Follow The Instructions Below

    Copying. The program copy process is underway. Deleting. The relevant program is being deleted. Program The name of the program currently loaded. Holdback Style Appears only if ‘Holdback’ is enabled. See ‘Holdback’, below. Page 22 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 23: How To Create A Simple Program Using The Controller Interface

    How to create a simple PROGRAM using the controller interface: Below shows a basic PROGRAM that demonstrates the furnace instrument ability to create a program. Figure 12 This PROGRAM has 8 segments. Page 23 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 24: To Enable/Run This Program

    The soft keyboard will open allowing you to save the file as a filename of your choice When the name is selected, press the PAGE button to save the changes 10. Both the original file and the modified file will now exist in the memory Page 24 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 25: Using The Holdback Feature

    4. Scroll to CH1 HOLDBACK and enter the desired parameter and enter with the SCROLL button 5. Scroll to CH1 HOLDBACK VAL and select the desired temperature, enter using the SCROLL button Page 25 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 26 FIGURE 14: SEALED METAL FREEZING POINT CELL High-purity graphite crucible and cover High-purity graphite sleeve High-purity metal Fused-quartz envelope, filled to give a pressure of 1 standard atmos Page 26 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 27 FIGURE 15: SEALED METAL FREEZING-POINT CELL BODY DIMENSIONS Page 27 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 28 Furnace block Parallel wire heater (including thermal fuse) PRT for temperature control Over-temperature detection thermocouple Fiberfrax insulation (chopped bulk fibre) Ceramic support post Temperature controller Over-temperature controller On/Off power switch Page 28 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 29: Realising The Following Fixed Points: Indium, Lead, Zinc

    Th , etc. At the temperatures of Indium, Lead and Zinc it is generally permissible to withdraw a thermometer, of type Isotech 909, directly into room temperature. Page 29 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 30: Freezing The Tin Cell

    There follows later a tutorial about Fixed Points. Page 30 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 31 Temperature arrest during melt Furnace controlled temperature Temperature drop caused by furnace controller adjustment Depth of supercool (particularly pronounced for tin) Plateau showing constant temperature during freeze Temperature drop after completion of freeze Page 31 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 32: Cell Handling

    CELL HANDLING In order to facilitate introduction to, and removal from the furnace, Isotech can provide for each cell, supplementary equipment largely comprising an Inconel basket with detachable handle. To prevent the cell-surface becoming discoloured, it is recommended that, before using the cell, the basket and insulation be placed in the furnace and the furnace be taken to above the cell working temperature for at least 2 hours.
  • Page 33 Page 33 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 34 FIGURE 18: LOW TEMPERATURE FURNACE CELL ASSEMBLY Fibreboard Aluminium Foil Fibreboard Fibreblanket Fibrewool Fibreblanket Furnace Block Basket Kaowool Disc Page 34 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 35: Thermometric Fixed Points: A Tutorial

    This melt plateau can last for a considerable period of time. When melting is complete, the cell temperature will rise to the furnace temperature. Page 35 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 36 Defining Fixed Points and Related Data table. For a given column height (of the order of 200mm for Isotech sealed freeze point cells), the correction will be proportional to metal density and to a coefficient expressing the sensitivity to pressure of the phase-change temperature. The sign of this coefficient will depend on whether the metal contracts or expands on freezing.
  • Page 37: Defining Fixed Points And Related Data

    Furnace with potassium heat-pipe for zinc freezing point. Furnace with either potassium or sodium heat-pipe at aluminium and silver freezing points. Page 37 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 38: General Note On Isotech Metal Freeze Point Cells

    GENERAL NOTE ON ISOTECH METAL FREEZE POINT CELLS Isotech freeze point cells contain metal that is 99.9999+% pure. The metal is contained in crucibles of high-purity graphite. After machining the graphite, any residual metal oxides are removed by exposure to fluorine at a very high temperature. Graphite, even of high density, cannot be guaranteed to be non-microporous.
  • Page 39: Precautions To Prevent Devitrification Of Quartz Envelopes

    PRECAUTIONS TO PREVENT DEVITRIFICATION OF QUARTZ ENVELOPES The crucibles (containing the metal) of Isotech sealed fixed point cells are encased in an envelope of pure fused quartz, whose purpose is to avoid contamination of the enclosed metal, by foreign metal ions or oxygen.
  • Page 40: General Comment

    Before relying upon measurements made in them, the operator should perform enough freezes to become familiar with the cell, furnace, control, monitoring thermometer and readout (as a system) to ensure that the melt is clearly identifiable and sufficiently consistent. Page 40 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 41: Additional Services And Information

    ADDITIONAL SERVICES AND INFORMATION Isotech operates one of the world’s most comprehensive UKAS supervised Laboratories. Training is available to customers at an agreed daily rate. Page 41 of 43 Low Temp Furnace Model ITL-M-17701 13-07/20...
  • Page 42: Isotech I-Cal Easy

    This application allows logging of data from the furnace. Additionally, if a license is purchased it allows for fully automatic calibration including certificate printing and the calculation of coefficients. Refer to the Isotech I-Cal EASY handbook and help system for more details Figure 19 PROGRAM EDITOR This allows set point programs to be created on a PC and uploaded to the furnace.
  • Page 43: Review

    The user name and password are both ‘history and they are not editable. These applications can be downloaded from the Isotech website http://www.isotech.co.uk/downloads Connection to the unit is via the Ethernet interface, configure the IP address to suit your network and then select that IP address in the software.

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