Vertical Furnace
Vertical Fire Resistance Test Furnace
Large-scale fire resistance testing of vertical building elements, combining precise fire exposure, pressure control, advanced instrumentation and flexible specimen handling for accredited laboratory applications.
Applications
Large-Scale Vertical Testing
- Walls and partitions
- Fire-resistant doors and shutters
- Lift landing doors
- Façade and curtain wall elements
- Glazing systems and glazed screens
- Penetration and linear joint seals
- Ventilation and smoke control ducts
- Fire and smoke control dampers
- Cable barriers
Typical Configuration
- Standard furnace sizes: 3 × 3 m, 4 × 3 m and 4 × 4 m
- Large-scale configurations up to 4 × 5 m and beyond, according to laboratory requirements
- Typical furnace depth: approximately 1.3–2 m
Instrumentation & Specimen Handling
Measurement
Plate thermometers, furnace and specimen thermocouples, pressure transducers, radiometers, oxygen measurement and additional channels according to the project.
Frames
Interchangeable heavy-duty specimen frames, preparation supports and handling arrangements can be integrated.
Control
PLC/SCADA furnace control for burners, temperature curve, pressure, gas/air, alarms and safety functions.
Performance
- Furnace pressure control: ±2 Pa within the specified pressure range
- Fire curves: ISO 834, slow heating, HC, HCM, RABT, RWS and project-specific curves
- Maximum temperature capability: up to 1,350 °C, depending on furnace configuration
- Burner power: configurable according to furnace size and required fire curve
- Control: fully automatic PLC/SCADA operation with manual override
- Fuel options: natural gas or light fuel oil, according to project requirements
Maximum temperature, burner power and curve set are specified per project; 1,350 °C is the capability ceiling of the range, not the rating of every furnace.
Refractory Construction
- High-alumina refractory materials selected according to furnace temperature and duty
- Insulating refractory layers designed to reduce heat losses and external surface temperatures
- Low-thermal-mass construction for controlled thermal response
- Modular refractory design to facilitate inspection, maintenance and replacement
- Engineered expansion joints to accommodate thermal movement and reduce deformation
Steel Structure
- Heavy-duty welded steel structure engineered for repeated thermal cycling
- Structural design adapted to furnace dimensions, specimen loads and laboratory configuration
- Furnace casing and reinforcement designed for dimensional stability during testing
- Accessible construction for inspection and maintenance
- Surface protection and finishing according to project and environmental requirements
Referenced Standards
- EN 1363-1 / -2
- EN 1634-1 / -2
- EN 1364-1
- EN 1364-3 / -4 / -5
- EN 1366-1
- EN 1366-2
- EN 1366-4
- EN 1366-7
- EN 1366-10
- EN 81-58
- BS 476 Part 20 / 22
- ASTM E119
- UL 10B / 10C
Furnace configuration, instrumentation and control systems are engineered according to the applicable test standards and the laboratory's specific testing programme. Final compliance capability depends on the delivered configuration, instrumentation, commissioning and the exact applicable edition of each standard.
Selected Vertical Furnace Projects
- Country
- Germany
- Laboratory
- Testing and certification organisation
- Scope
- Design & commissioningConcept, design and commissioning
- Equipment
- Vertical furnace with fully automatic control, specified at min. 6.4 × 5.3 × 2.0 m (W × H × D); tests per EN 1363-1, EN 1363-2, EN 1634-1, EN 1364-1, EN 1364-3, EN 1364-4, EN 1366-7
- Country
- United Arab Emirates
- Laboratory
- Fire testing consultancy
- Scope
- Complete laboratoryComplete laboratory: concept, design, commissioning and technician training
- Equipment
- Vertical furnace 4 × 5 m; tests per EN, BS 476, UL, ASTM and NFPA
- Country
- Slovenia
- Laboratory
- National building institute
- Scope
- Complete laboratoryComplete laboratory: concept, design, commissioning and technician training
- Equipment
- Vertical configuration 4 × 4 m of one light-fuel-oil-fired multi-configuration furnace to EN 1363-1
Other Configurations
Request Information
Discuss Your Project
Contact STARKOS to define your test programme, standards, specimen dimensions, instrumentation and laboratory requirements.