Published date: 22 November 2017

Closed opportunity - This means that the contract is currently closed. The buying department may be considering suppliers that have already applied, or no suitable offers were made.


Closing: 22 December 2017

Contract summary

Industry

  • Electrothermic appliances - 39711300

  • Industrial or laboratory furnaces, incinerators and ovens - 42300000

Location of contract

B15 2TT

Value of contract

£0

Procurement reference

SC5537/17

Published date

22 November 2017

Closing date

22 December 2017

Contract start date

29 January 2018

Contract end date

27 July 2018

Contract type

Supply contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (above threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements above the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

No

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

Supply and Installation of a Bridgman Furnace


The University of Birmingham invites tenders for the supply of a high specification vertical Bridgman-Stockbarger furnace, with a maximum operating temperature of 1700°C or greater, for the solidification and growth of single crystals of 12 mm diameter over a wide range of growth rates, including quenching capability.
The specification below outlines the requirements for a Bridgman-Stockbarger furnace that will be used to solidify samples for academic research. The core uses are twofold:
1. The production of high-purity, homogeneous single crystals across a wide spectrum of materials systems, from tin alloys and aluminium alloys to MnSi, FeGa alloys and rare-earth transition metals (e.g. DyFe2). The furnace must therefore allow different crucible materials and types, and operate over a wide range of growth temperatures, with controlled, slow withdrawal rates of typically 0.03 mm min-1. The supplier should detail which crucible materials are possible and indicate the costs of crucibles and their suppliers. To produce single crystals in non-equilibrium structures, the furnace must be capable of rapidly quenching its charge. To achieve high-purity, the sample chamber should be leak-tight under vacuum and have a gas-handling system for backfilling of inert gas atmospheres.
2. The study of dendritic growth and solidification kinetics in selected systems e.g. nickel superalloys. Here high withdrawal rates (typically 3 mm min-1) and large thermal gradients (200°C cm-1 or greater) are required, with a long charge length (45 cm or greater). Quenching is necessary to freeze in dendrite structures.
Different technical solutions are evidently possible to realise the quenching requirement e.g. among others, dropping into a liquid metal bath or through a rapid motion into a snug-fit cooled jacket. If the supplier opts for the latter, it should be noted that this must be optimised for at least two charge (i.e. inner crucible) diameters: 6mm and 12mm. This could be achieved with, for example, a removable copper insert in the quench zone.

More information

Links

Additional text

All main correspondence should go via the University's In-Tend website. Your tender documents and information must be submitted via In-Tend by the date and time specified; https://www.in-tendhost.co.uk/universityofbirmingham/aspx/Home


Is a Recurrent Procurement Type? : No

About the buyer

Contact name

Susanna Ting

Address

Edgbaston
Edgbaston
Edgbaston
B15 2TT
United Kingdom

Telephone

01214145389

Email

s.y.ting@bham.ac.uk