Industrial heaters have played a very important role in various manufacturing industries. For example, a flanged heater is a popular immersion circulation heater continuously heats liquids used during industrial processing.
They consist of many cylindrical heating elements that are electrically connected and arranged in the shape of a flange. Industry professionals typically use flanged circulation heaters to heat liquids like water, chemical solvents, oil, gases, and corrosive solutions. They are vital to maintaining required temperature levels throughout any industrial process.
Choosing the right industrial heaters to get the job done is of vital importance. The required temperature levels must be continuously maintained to ensure safe and long-term ROI. This includes buying the right type of industrial heaters and having them properly installed and mounted. Any mishaps could result in serious repercussions.
All industrial manufacturing companies offer a range of industrial heaters, each catering to a different customer need. The heaters are designed to differentiate by wattage, power rating, maximum temperature, and the use of alloys. There are five primary factors to consider before purchasing one or more flange circulation heaters. They include:
The type of alloy for the heating elements, including maximum temperature and power rating, is determined by volume, density, heat capacity, viscosity, and corrosiveness.
Heating pure liquids is different than heating fluids made from different elements.
The flow rate of the heated mediums determines the power needed per square inch (watts per square inch). This directly affects the sheath watt density of the heating elements.
This depends on the type of material being stored in the container. For instance, a corrosive medium requires the sheath material to be corrosion-resistant.
The pressure at which the fluid will be heated determines the shape, material, and design of the tank/vessel. This determines the heater design best suited to regulate temperature.
Every potential customer must profile their process needs and identify the right metrics before selecting a heater.
The installation process is crucial to ensure safety, efficient heat transfer, and durability. The process can be divided into the following steps:
It’s important to check for any damage caused during the shipping process. At times, industrial heaters can be subject to bending when making contact with one another. If there is a visible bending, contact the manufacturers so they can repair the dielectric strength between the sheath and oil.
Using a Megohmmeter (Megger, minimum 500 VDC), customers can test the dissipation of heat. This is important because, during the shipping and storage of industrial heaters, moisture can find its way into the insulation material present in the elements. This affects the functionality of the Megohm valves, which directly affects efficiency.
Find the value using the Megger total value of all the heating elements. Divide them by the number of interconnected elements to gain the value for a single element. If the values are lower than the required (typically 10 Megohms is the acceptable minimum), the heater can be energized at low voltage to remove moisture. Terminal Enclosures Terminal enclosures are based on the appropriate national and local electrical codes. Determine the correct rating of the electrical housing that should be used during the process.
For example, the NEMA 1 is used for housing areas where there’s no danger of spilled liquids, moisture, and gaseous conditions. In hazardous locations, explosion-resistant housing may be needed. (as defined by NFPA 70 NEC article 1) Make sure that the enclosure is kept below 400F to maintain its integrity.
Industrial immersion heaters use a standard ANSI flange allowing for universal mounting, which is why tanks with standard mounts fit easily. When mounting industrial heaters, you should take into consideration the following:
There are dangers associated with electric industrial heaters, for example, the possibility of an electric shock. That’s why all electric wiring to the flange heater(s) must be made in accordance with the National Electric Code and any other local electrical codes issued by qualified personnel. Use the following precautions when wiring:
If thermostats are supplied, consult the wiring diagram.
Overheating can result in fire, damage to the equipment, and personnel injuries. Maintaining the proper control of the temperature is crucial. Use PID controllers for the continuous monitoring and regulating of temperatures. Careful consideration should be made to their redundancy, sensor type (normally high-temperature thermocouples), level of operator involvement (minimal), diagnostic features, accuracy, life, and monitoring style. It’s imperative that all precautions are made concerning different kinds of industrial heaters.