Over the Side Heaters for Wax Liquids

Last updated on November 3rd, 2023 at 06:12 pm

In industrial operations, an important element that requires heating is liquefied wax. This process requires optimum temperature to heat up because it has a plastic texture and melting point of 44oC. Industrial heating appliances like immersion heaters are used to heat liquids in large reservoirs and containers. Such heating appliances provide the essential heating required to maintain liquid’s temperature.  

Heating Liquefied Wax                                                                      

Liquid wax is a component used in many industrial processes and its hydrocarbon constituents form a solid plastic structure at room temperature. The melting point of wax is 99°F (37°C) that makes the liquefied wax less viscous. Industrial tanks have large amounts of liquefied wax that require proper heating and constant temperature maintenance through the large reservoirs or containers.  

The immersion heaters are an ideal heating source compared to gas heaters that were used earlier for heating wax. This is because immersion heaters provide even heat distribution and the required optimum temperature for liquefied wax. By providing proper heating of liquid wax, a smooth industrial process flow is guaranteed. It also resolves many of the issues that come up in case of gas heating.  

Immersion Heaters  

Industrial process heating operations like in oil and gas companies, food, petrochemical and other processing units, managements use immersion heaters for quick and efficient heating of liquids and gases, as they are essential raw materials and require optimum temperature for smooth execution. Immersion heaters are heating appliances that can be directly immersed in the industrial tank and containers above the substance to be heated and are a fast and reliable heating source with low maintenance costs.  

There are different types of immersion heaters like flanged heaters, screw plug heaters, over the side heaters and circulation heaters that provide direct heat transfer to allow liquids to quickly reach the optimum temperature.  

Over the Side Heaters  

Over the side, immersion heaters are an ideal heating source for heating liquids in large tank and reservoirs. These heaters are designed for installation at the side or bottom of a reservoir. While the control box is installed at the top of the tank, the heating element is immersed at the side or bottom of the container. This is an effective installation as it allows easy removal of the heating appliance and does not take up much place inside the container.

The heating element is made up of copper, special alloys and steel depending on the design and manufacturer, to provide resistance to corrosion along with safety and protection against other hazards.  

Over-the-side heaters offer the most effective installation types that other immersion heaters like flanged and screw plug heaters do not provide. The heater is installed at the top of the container with the heating element along the sides or bottom of the container. This provides fast heat transfer and even heat distribution.

As the installation creates enough space inside the container to allow for smooth liquid or fluid circulation, hence, even heat distribution is greatly aided.  

Elements & Mounting

Manufacturers of industrial heating elements provide over the side immersion heaters with different designs, kilowatt range and installation types to suit your industrial environment. The best thing about these over the side immersion heaters is their ability to be portable and to be used in more than one reservoir. The heater comes along with a digital control box and a wire for the power source.      

Fig1: Over the Side Immersion heater Installation  

There are various mounting designs that can be used according to your requirement. Typically, brackets are used to mount the heater at the wall of the container and the digital box controls allow optimum temperature to be maintained and prevent overheating of fluids inside. The controls measure any areas where the temperature has dropped due to liquid evaporation or drainage and quickly regulate the temperature to its desired level.  

These over the side heaters require minimal maintenance costs and provide fast and efficient heating with easy installation, which makes them an ideal heating source for varied industrial environments.  

The use of Immersion Heaters for Heating Wax Liquids  

Heating large amounts of liquid wax require an efficient heating source and over the side heater is an ideal source for heating liquefied wax. These heaters contain a heating element that is shaped in an elongated tubular form that can be extended all the way to the bottom of the container. For heating liquefied wax, this is an effective installation as it guarantees even heat distribution and optimum temperature for large amount of liquid wax. The thermocouple that comes with the heating element helps to regulate the flow of heat. The heating element I coated with copper, steel or special alloy material that helps prevent against corrosion and the low maintenance costs coupled with the heaters ability to be used in multiple containers makes it an ideal solution with long-term usage.  

Benefits of Over the Side Heaters  

  • Over the side, heaters make use of the container shape to provide quick and even heat transfer to fluids and liquid wax inside the containers and tanks.
  • The heater includes a thermocouple that helps in regulating temperature to ensure optimum temperature and to prevent overheating of liquids.
  • The heating element is made of copper, steel and Incoloy material depending on design that helps provide corrosion resistance and safety.
  • Portable. Can be easily removed to allow for cleaning of tanks.
  • Installation allows enough space inside the tank to allow for efficient fluid circulation.
  • Easy installation and low maintenance costs make it a perfect choice for many industrial environments.

  SPECIAL FEATURES  

Depending on the manufacturer and heater model, the following special features are available for over-the-side immersion heaters.  

  • Different Kilowatt ranges
  • Control terminal that provides resistance to explosion
  • Special Coating of stainless steel for passiveness
  • Digital Control Box
  • Heating element with sheath made of Incoloy, Inconel, steel or copper.

Applications  

There are many industrial heating applications of over the side immersion heaters. The design and installation of these heaters can be customized for your special industrial environment thereby making it a popular choice of many industrial applications. These heaters are commonly used to heat water, solvents, liquid wax, oils, salts and acids along with other viscous materials.  

References  

Incoloy is a superalloys group used as construction material for appliances for corrosion resistance.

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