What is a Rotary Tube Furnace?

By definition, a rotary tube furnace is a heat-treating circular furnace, which rotates during heat-treatment. Samples are transported through the furnace in a circular path as they are heated.

Rotary tube furnaces generally burn pulverized, solid, gaseous or liquid fuel into its working section, and then the heating gases created flow towards the sample. These furnaces feature a metal drum lined with refractory, which is mounted at an angle.

Rotary tube furnaces are designed to heat loose materials for physiochemical processing, and they are classified depending on their method of heat-exchange (parallel or opposing gas flow) and their energy transfer method (direct, indirect or combined).

These furnaces are designed for continuous materials processing as it applies heat to the sample in multiple thermal control zones. The heat is transferred from a heat source to a rotating tube, which holds the sample.