Abstract
A horizontal tube furnace with a wide uniform-temperature zone was developed using isothermal characteristics of a heat pipe. The heat pipe heating system consists of a concentric annular shaped stainless-steel container, sodium as a working fluid and a screen mesh wick structure. The performance test of the heat pipe revealed that temperature changes along seven consecutive positions of the heat pipe outer wall were less than${\pm}0.1^{\circ}C$, thereby ensuring the high isothermal property. The isothermal property of the heat pipe-adapted tube fumace was investigated and compared to a conventional non-heat pipe type tube furnace. The temperature distribution measurement showed that the uniform temperature zone, in which temperature change is less than${\pm}$1$^{\circ}$C, of the heat pipe employed tube furnace system was about three times longer compared to the conventional tube furnace system.
