By Cole G. Kingsbury
under the direction of
Jessica F. Larsen
2. Furnace Apparatus
2.1.
Introduction (Rationale)
The furnace
setup is a critical component to any qualiatative and quantiatative
expermental investigations of magma storage, ascent and quenching and
the products thereof. Chief amongst concerns is replicating the natural
parameters (e.g. temperature, gas composition, pressure) imposed on
natural magmas in the laboratory setting. To do this, we isolate the
sample in a thoroughly sealed furnace, with the ability to vary
temperature, gas composition, and pressure. In equilibrium experments,
it is of paramount importance that the apparatus do not contain any
substances that may induce oxidation-reduction reactions, as such
influences will prove detrimental to final results. In particular, we
have found the use of rubber as a sealing device, reduces the oxygen
fugacity level in the furnace chamber significantly. The purpose of
this section is to document in detail, the setup of our furnace
apparatus, (fig. 6).
a
b
c
d
Figure
6:Diagrams showing the setup of the furnace apparatus. (a)
Generalized
diagram showing composition of the apparatus elements (b) Schematic diagram showing the
parts of the furnace apparatus. (c) Detailed schematic diagram showing the setup of the gas seal and the
associated parts, within the thick red rounded box in (b). (d) enlargement of the end of the
alumina fO2 sensor tube, (within the small blue rounded box in (b)). All thumbnails link to enlarged
images. Figs. 6a-c: Diagrams by Cole G. Kingsbury with consultation by J. Larsen. Fig. 6d: Diagram
by Cole G. Kingsbury adapted from Dufresne (writt. commun., 2008).
diagram showing composition of the apparatus elements (b) Schematic diagram showing the
parts of the furnace apparatus. (c) Detailed schematic diagram showing the setup of the gas seal and the
associated parts, within the thick red rounded box in (b). (d) enlargement of the end of the
alumina fO2 sensor tube, (within the small blue rounded box in (b)). All thumbnails link to enlarged
images. Figs. 6a-c: Diagrams by Cole G. Kingsbury with consultation by J. Larsen. Fig. 6d: Diagram
by Cole G. Kingsbury adapted from Dufresne (writt. commun., 2008).