Maintenance

Routine schedule (Section 7)

  • Inspect liners and electrodes after every ~10 hours at temperature. Replace worn anode faces and document cathode recession.

  • Bake the argon dryer and replace filters quarterly or when differential pressure rises beyond spec.

  • Clean cold traps after each run; capture and store condensed SiO for potential reclaim or proper disposal.

  • Calibrate pyrometers quarterly and verify LIBS/OES wavelength alignment during each daily warm-up cycle.

Post-run service

  1. Allow the system to cool below 200 °C before opening.

  2. Remove slag and residual metal from the phase-separation pockets. Check for erosion or cracks and replace inserts if necessary.

  3. Inspect vacuum seals, pump oil, and scroll tips. Top off or service pumps according to manufacturer recommendations.

  4. Empty and regenerate desiccant beds in the argon dryer if moisture breakthrough is detected.

Spares & consumables

  • Maintain at least one spare ZrO₂ liner and an Al₂O₃ backup set.

  • Stock replacement electrodes or coatings (IrO₂) to avoid downtime.

  • Keep desiccant cartridges, filters, and cold-trap cups in rotation so cleaning cycles do not halt production.

Record keeping

Log maintenance actions alongside batch data. Tracking liner hours, electrode wear, and pump service intervals is essential for correlating yield changes with hardware condition.