Differences Between Convection and Vacuum Drying Ovens

Laboratory ovens are utilized in a broad spectrum of industrial applications for analysis and industrial pursuits. Some common uses are annealing, drying, die-bond curing, sterilizing, and polyimide baking. These ovens have numerous abilities and attributes. Their primary purpose is creating an environment that maintains and controls elevated temperatures at precise ranges. Ovens for analytical needs work at a max of 392°F.

If you are interested in investing in a laboratory oven for a manufacturing plant, you might need clarification on the different ovens. There are two prevalent kinds: convection ovens and vacuum drying ovens. The first uses a fan to distribute hot air, while the latter utilizes dry air to extract humidity. The following overview from our expert on medical laboratory supplies can help you determine which is better for your service.

Convection Ovens

Convection ovens have fans and exhaust systems to blow hot air around the contents and vent it back out. Unlike other ovens, they do not cook contents from the top; instead, they distribute heat more evenly. These ovens depend on convection technology that permits efficient heat transfer through the rapid motion of air. When fans at the rear of the heating chamber are set at fast speeds, hot air quickly gives heat to the contents, producing beneficial results in terms of quality and time. Consequently, they are often preferred by manufacturers for everyday usage.

Advantages of convection ovens include:

• Ensuring that heat is conducted evenly with air circulation mechanisms.
• More efficient than other kinds of ovens, mainly when set at lower temperatures.
• Warming or baking numerous items at once. Unlike other lab ovens, adding extra items does not force the temperature to decrease. All contents are handled as a single commodity. You can even employ stack trays without intercepting the radiant heat.

Disadvantages of convection ovens include:

• Convection ovens are not superior for baking bread and cake.
• The fan conducts a large part of its operation, making it more delicate and prone to problems.
• Convection ovens are more expensive than other kinds of ovens.

Vacuum Drying Ovens

In industrial circumstances, some samples are often much more sensitive than others. Therefore, they cannot dry through traditional means. However, the function of vacuum drying ovens has decreased this risk significantly. Vacuum generation takes out the moisture from wet solids and dries them out. When this process is accomplished at a larger scale, it is known as vacuum drying. Drying is frequently necessary for the agricultural, food, and pharmaceutical industries. In addition, vacuum drying ovens are generally employed in delicate processes like eliminating flammable solvents or drying tiny parts. Typically, these ovens perform between 392°F to 482°F.

Advantages of Vacuum Drying Ovens include:

• Appropriate for materials prone to deterioration when heated at high temperatures.
• Eliminate moisture and prevents explosion or oxidation when specific materials come into contact with air.
• Excellent in applications where a solvent’s objective is recovery.
• No hazardous chemicals are discharged in the process.
• Requires less time compared to other ovens for atmospheric drying.
• Conserves resources as drying at lower temperatures consumes less energy.

Disadvantages of vacuum drying ovens include:

• They are difficult to control and maintain.
•  The exposed material must be vacuum compatible. 
• Vacuum tubes are considerably large and not portable.

We hope this helps you better understand the differences between convection and vacuum drying ovens. Contact us today for more information on our medical laboratory supplies. We are here to help you find industry solutions to suit your demands.