Designation: E 145 – 94 (Reapproved 2001)

Standard Specification for

Gravity-Convection And Forced-Ventilation Ovens1
This standard is issued under the fixed designation E 145; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision. A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval. A
superscript epsilon (e) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.

1. Scope controllable by an automatic device, and shall be uniform

1.1 This specification covers the performance requirements within the tolerances given in Table 1 for the particular type of
for general-purpose air ovens ordinarily used in testing opera- oven when tested in accordance with Section 4.
tions, which have a testing chamber up to 0.6 m3 (25 ft3) in 3.2 The “time constant” is an arbitrary measure of the rate at
volume. It is applicable to gravity-convection ovens designed which a standard specimen is heated following the procedure
to operate over all or part of the temperature range from 20°C prescribed in Section 5. The value of the time constant shall not
above ambient temperature to 200°C and to forced-ventilation exceed the maximum value given in Table 1 for the particular
ovens designed to operate over all or part of the temperature type of oven.
range from 20°C above ambient temperature to 500°C. 3.3 The rate of ventilation of the testing chamber shall
conform to the requirements specified in Table 1 for the
NOTE 1—Ovens are designed for maximum operating temperatures of particular type of oven when measured in accordance with the
about 200°C, 300°C, and 500°C, the thermal insulation and cost of the
oven being dependent on the maximum temperature required.
procedure given in Section 6.

1.2 This specification does not include safety requirements TEST METHODS
that are essential for ovens used in the presence of combustible
vapors or gases. 4. Temperature Uniformity
1.3 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regarded 4.1 Place nine calibrated thermocouples (Note 2) made from
as the standard. The metric equivalents of inch-pound units iron or copper-constantan wire, approximately 0.5 mm in
may be approximate. diameter (No. 24 gage) and having a junction size of not more
than 2 mm (0.08 in.), in the empty testing chamber with
2. Types shelves in place and vents open. Locate one thermocouple in
2.1 This specification covers the following four types of air each of the eight corners of the oven approximately 5 cm (2 in.)
ovens: from each wall and place the ninth thermocouple within 2.5 cm
2.1.1 Type IA—An oven ventilated by gravity convection (1 in.) of the geometric center of the chamber. A minimum
having a uniformity of temperature within 62 % of the length of 30 cm (12 in.) of lead wire for each thermocouple
differential between oven and ambient temperatures. shall be inside the oven to minimize the conduction of heat
2.1.2 Type IB—An oven ventilated by gravity convection from the thermocouple.
having a uniformity of temperature within 65 % of the NOTE 2—If calibrated thermocouples are not available, nine thermo-
differential between oven and ambient temperatures. couples made from the same spool of wire may be used provided they give
2.1.3 Type IIA—An oven having forced ventilation and a the same value for temperature when placed adjacent to one another in the
uniformity of temperature within 61 % of the differential testing chamber at the temperature of test.
between oven and ambient temperatures. 4.2 Bring the oven to the specified temperature and allow it
2.1.4 Type IIB—An oven having forced ventilation and a to reach a steady state (Note 3). Record the temperatures of the
uniformity of temperature within 62.5 % of the differential nine thermocouples for a period of at least 24 h, and determine
between oven and ambient temperatures. from the record the maximum deviation of each point from the
3. Performance Requirements desired temperatures. The ambient room temperature shall vary
by not more than a total of 10°C, and the line voltage for
3.1 The temperature within the testing chamber shall be electrically heated ovens shall vary by not more than a total of
5 % during the test.
1
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee E41 on NOTE 3—Some ovens may require as much as 24 h to reach a steady
Laboratory Apparatus and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee E41.01 state. If a steady state does not exist, there is a drift in the temperature
Apparatus. toward the steady-state condition.
Current edition approved Aug. 15, 1994. Published October 1994. Originally
published as E 145 – 59 T. Last previous edition E 145 – 68 (1992).

Copyright © ASTM International, 100 Barr Harbor Drive, PO Box C700, West Conshohocken, PA 19428-2959, United States.

1
 E 145
TABLE 1 Performance Requirements for Ovens
Characteristic Type IA Type IB Type IIA Type IIB
Deviation from specified temperature of test throughout testing chamber during
24-h period for the following differentials between ambient and test temperatures:
50°C or less, max, °C 1 2.5 0.5 1.25
More than 50°C, max, percent of differential 2 5 1 2.5
Time constant, max, s 600 720 480 660
Rate of ventilation of testing chamber, air changes per hour:
min 10 10 50 50
max ... ... 200 200

5. Time Constant 6.2 Heat the oven to a temperature of 80 6 2°C above the
5.1 Heat the oven to within 10°C of the maximum operating ambient room temperature, and while at this temperature
temperature for which it is designed and allow it to stabilize for measure the consumption of electrical energy for a period of at
at least 1 h. Prepare a standard specimen consisting of a smooth least 1/2 h. Start and stop the test at corresponding points of the
brass cylinder 9.56 0.1 mm (0.375 6 0.005 in.) in diameter “on-off” heating cycle, that is, at the moment when the heaters
and 57 6 1 mm (2.25 6 0.05 in.) in length, and solder one are switched on by the thermostat.
junction of a differential thermocouple to it. 6.3 Then remove the seals, open the ventilation ports, and
5.2 Open the door of the oven for 1 min while the standard measure the consumption of electrical energy in the same
specimen and differential thermocouple are being suspended in manner. The ambient room temperature measured at a point
the testing chamber. Suspend the specimen vertically within 25 approximately 2 m (6 ft) from the oven, approximately level
mm (1 in.) of the geometric center of the chamber by means of with its base and at least 0.6 m (2 ft) from any solid object,
an asbestos cord of fine wire (0.3 mm maximum diameter, No. shall be the same within 0.2°C during the two tests.
30 gage). Place the free junction of the differential thermo-
couple in the air space of the chamber at least 75 mm (3 in.) 6.4 Calculate the number of changes per hour of the air in
removed from the specimen. Then close the door and either the test chamber from the following equation:
record or measure the temperature differential every 10 s. N 5 3590 ~X 2 Y!/VDDT (1)
Determine the time in seconds required for the temperature
difference to decrease to one tenth of the original or maximum
where:
value (for example, from 120°C to 12°C) and consider this to
N = number of air changes per hour,
be the time constant of the oven. X = average power consumption during ventilation, W,
6. Rate of Ventilation (Note 4) obtained by dividing the energy consumption deter-
mined from the watt-hour meter readings by the
6.1 Seal the ventilation ports, door, and all apertures of duration of the test in hours,
electrically heated ovens with adhesive tape or by other means Y = average power consumption with no ventilation,
to prevent any air from passing through the oven (Note 5). computed in the same manner, W,
Connect a watt-hour meter, with the smallest division reading V = volume of the testing chamber, cm3,
in 0.01 Wh in the electrical supply line to the oven. D = density of the ambient room air during the test,
NOTE 4—This method is only applicable to electrically heated ovens. g/cm3, and
Methods are being developed by the committee for determining the rate of DT = difference in temperature between the testing cham-
ventilation of ovens that are not electrically heated and for determining the ber and the ambient room air, °C.
uniformity of air-flow within the testing chamber.
NOTE 5—In forced-ventilation ovens, the space around the motor shaft 7. Keywords
where it enters the oven must be closed, but the fan speed must not be
affected by the closure. 7.1 forced-ventilation; gravity-convection; ovens

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