Nabertherm Tube Furnace Control Systems (Chamber, Charge & 3-Zone)
Nabertherm Tube Furnace Controls offer advanced precision. Choose **Charge Control** for measuring temperature directly inside the tube (using an extra thermocouple) or **Three-Zone Control** to compensate for heat loss at tube ends, extending the constant temperature zone.
Optimizing the temperature control of your “Made in Germany” Nabertherm tube furnace is critical for process accuracy. We offer three distinct control strategies to meet your specific application requirements: Standard Furnace Chamber Control, Charge Control for high precision, and Three-Zone Control for extended uniformity.
1. Standard Furnace Chamber Control
In this mode, the temperature is measured only in the furnace chamber, outside the working tube. This protects the thermocouples from damage and aggressive batch vapors. The control response is intentionally slow to avoid overshoots. Note: A temperature difference may occur between the displayed chamber temperature and the actual batch temperature inside the tube.
2. Charge Control (High Precision)
For processes requiring exact temperature accuracy inside the tube, Charge Control is the solution. With an additional charge thermocouple positioned directly inside the working tube, the controller measures and regulates the batch temperature directly. This enables very precise and fast control, eliminating the temperature difference found in standard mode.
3. Three-Zone Furnace Chamber Control
For long tube furnaces, the heated length is divided into **three heating zones** (Middle, Left, Right). Each zone has its own thermocouple. The side zones are controlled via a setpoint offset relative to the middle zone. Consequently, this compensates for heat loss at the cold tube ends, creating a significantly extended zone of constant temperature (+/- 5 K).
To implement these advanced control strategies, specific hardware upgrades are required for your tube furnace.
Required Hardware:
- Charge Control Upgrade: Includes an additional thermocouple inlet, a specialized charge thermocouple (Type N or S), and a controller configuration to read two temperature inputs.
- Three-Zone Upgrade: Requires a specific furnace model designed with three separate heating coils and three thermocouples. (Available on models with heated length > 500 mm).
- Thermocouples: High-quality Type N or Type S thermocouples with protection tubes for internal measurement.
Related Products:
These control systems are compatible with our high-performance tube furnaces, including the R Series and RS Series.
Not all control modes are available for every furnace series. Use this table to determine which control strategy is compatible with your specific Nabertherm model.
Control System Compatibility Matrix
| Furnace Series | Standard Chamber Control | Charge Control (Internal) | Three-Zone Control |
|---|---|---|---|
| RD Series | ● | – | – |
| RT Series | ● | – | – |
| R Series | ● | ● | ● (Select Models) |
| RHTC Series | ● | ● | – |
| RHTH / RHTV | ● | ● | ● (RHTH Only) |
| RSH / RSV | ● | ● | ● (Select Models) |
| RSRB / RSRC | ● | ● | ● |
Legend: ● = Available / – = Not Available. Charge control requires an additional thermocouple.