A New, Innovative Approach to Designing a Vacuum Furnace Hot Zone

A new high strength and energy efficient graphite board (HEFVAC) was introduced in fall 2016 as a vacuum furnace insulation package, which has evolved with the goal of further reducing power consumption. The unique features of the HEFVAC material offer a new approach to the design and construction of a vacuum furnace hot zone. Our presentation will document the thermal advantages of the HEFVAC board as well as introduce a new hot zone design that integrates the board into a self-supporting structure. This new design offers greatly improved thermal efficiency, resulting in reduced power usage compared to current vacuum furnace hot zones.