A Closer Look At Nitrogen Heaters
Last updated on October 15th, 2025 at 08:15 am
The type of circulation heaters you use is largely dependant on the fluid or medium being heated. Heating nitrogen, for instance, requires specific considerations. Safety is often a concern with nitrogen as it is prone to explosions if mishandled. We take a look at nitrogen heaters, some of their benefits, and some of the applications that use them.
Nitrogen heaters are essential for industries that require nitrogen gas to make industrial operations. Used in petrochemical plants, food packaging, electronics manufacturing, and aerospace. It controls the heating of nitrogen gas and maintains the inert properties during thermal cleaning, drying, and purging.
It also prevents condensation and regulates flow efficiency in the petrochemical sector. They sterilize containers and expand the product’s shelf life. These heaters are highly energy efficient, durable, and customizable for different temperature conditions. Due to its efficient heating, it improves process efficiency and product quality and acts reliably for different industrial applications.
The benefits of nitrogen heaters
Nitrogen heaters are designed to address the specific needs that come with heating nitrogen. They help keep processes safe, efficient, and cost-effective.
Nitrogen heaters offer safety
Wattco nitrogen heater design offers a 100% dry environment. This is essential. Nitrogen is an inert gas that is used in processes where water can cause an explosion if it contacts the heated chemical. Moisture can build up easily inside of tanks, and vaporized chemicals can have an elevated risk of contacting water.
The use of a nitrogen heater helps to eliminate this risk. For further safety, different housings are available. Control panels can be made with a NEMA 7 designation (explosion proof). This helps to protect processes and equipment. As well, the installation of digital temperature monitors and alarms increase safety.
Circulation heaters have lower maintenance requirements
Nitrogen circulation heaters have long lifespans. They also have low maintenance needs. So processes are less prone to failure and require fewer stoppages. With custom sheath and element materials available, such as INCOLOY, circulation heaters are built to withstand the mediums they are immersed in.
Nitrogen circulation heaters are mountable
Many applications that require nitrogen heaters also require mobility. Wattco circulation heaters are easy to mount. They can go inside tanks, mounted on wheels, or on lifts. When you need heat in hard-to-reach places, mounting a nitrogen heater is a prime solution.
Electric circulation heaters are more efficient
Electric circulation heaters are available for nitrogen heating applications. Electricity is more cost-efficient than fossil fuels, with lower operational costs. They are also more efficient, able to reach temperatures faster and with less lost energy in the process.
Applications of Nitrogen Heaters
Nitrogen heaters are used in a variety of industries. Some of the notable applications include:
- Polysilicon manufacturing
- Solar photovoltaic manufacturing
- Rocket facilities
Polysilicon manufacturing industries
Polysilicon manufacturing often uses the chemical Silicon Tetrachloride (STC). If STC comes into contact with water an explosion can occur. The highest likelihood of this happening is with vaporized STC. A nitrogen circulation heater design prevents this from occurring by creating a 100% dry environment.
Also Read: Wattco’s silicon rubber heaters
The circulation heater purges pipes with hot nitrogen to ensure complete dryness. Polysilicon processing plants are generally built tall, with heights ranging from 200 to 700 feet. To handle this, the heaters are mounted on secure skids that can be lifted as needed.
Solar photovoltaic manufacturing
Solar photovoltaics (PV) is the fastest growing energy technology today. The majority of PV demand is met by manufacturers in China and Taiwan. But there is significant growth in Canada and the USA as well. Nitrogen circulation heaters are commonly used in PV manufacturing.
They offer a high level of energy efficiency and uniform heat distribution. The nitrogen heater is mounted on a storage tank that can hold hot nitrogen. It also comes equipped with temperature sensors and monitors connected to a digital control panel. This helps to meet safety requirements and ensure efficiency.
Rocket facilities
Nitrogen heating isn’t rocket science – but it can be. Wattco helped a rocket facility in Florida choose the appropriate circulation heater. Nitrogen needs to be preheated before pre-launch procedures. So the heater is crucial to the launch process. They needed an industrial heater capable of heating nitrogen at high temperatures and withstanding high pressure. It also needed to be mobile, safe, and have accurate controls.
We were able to meet the exact needs and custom considerations with a carefully selected circulation heater and setup. We selected a horizontally mounted double skid circulation heater with ANSI stainless steel flanges. This allowed for mobility as well as protecting the flanges from corrosion. The addition of thermocouples helps regulate gas temperatures accurately. As well, we selected perforated baffles, which allow the gas to flow more easily.
The system we designed used 4 circuits, each with its own NEMA 7 terminal box. This provides a higher degree of safety, as well as allowing for easy connections. In addition to the NEMA 7 explosion proof housing, control panels were paired with SCR, digital temperature monitors, and alarm indicators to provide greater security and control. The result was an industrial circulation nitrogen heating system that provides:
- Heavy duty industrial power
- High degree of safety
- Extended warranty
- Suitability to a Class 1 Div II hazardous area classification
- A redundancy system
- Low maintenance circulation heater
Different types of Nitrogen Heaters
There are all sorts of configurations available for nitrogen heaters. But, generally, they are all flange heaters. Flange heaters offer high efficiency through direct immersion. Custom element configurations allow fast, even heat distribution for maximum flow. Flange heaters are ideal for nitrogen heating. They can handle high PSIs and offer the high temperature outputs needed to heat nitrogen and create a dry environment.
Electric Nitrogen Heaters: This kind of heater uses resistance to directly heat nitrogen gas, which is a more accurate method of heating, and perhaps more efficient overall because it heats nitrogen gas faster. Electric heaters are a great option for applications that require a quick temperature response.
Circulation (Inline) Nitrogen Heaters: Otherwise referred to as circulation heaters, these nitrogen heaters utilize circulating nitrogen to heat the nitrogen as it flows through the system, delivering heated nitrogen in a precise, repeatable, and controllable manner. Circulation heaters are advantageous for processes that need to run continuously, and there are variations available as portable and skid-mounted heaters as an alternative to permanent installations.
Flanged Immersion (or Explosion-Proof) Heaters: The majority of nitrogen heaters are immersion heaters, in which the heating elements are immersed in the flow or storage vessel. This type of heater provides an efficient heat transfer, and works well for applications with higher pressures and temperatures.
Heat Exchanger-Style Heaters: During indirect heating applications, a fluid heated separately, heats the nitrogen indirectly. Indirect heaters are appropriate for applications, in which direct heating may be unsafe or if there are concerns of contamination with the direct heating application.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can nitrogen gas be obtained by heating?
Nitrogen can be obtained by heating, but this is only when heating specific types of chemical compound(s). An example of this chemical process could be using ammonium nitrite (NH4NO2) and heating this to produce nitrogen gas and water, as part of the ammonium nitrite decomposition endothermic reaction process. Another form of nitrogen production could be heating Magnesium nitride (Mg3N2) to produce nitrogen gas in conjunction with metallic magnesium.
Does nitrogen expand when heated?
Yes. Just like all gases, nitrogen expands when it is heated because the gas molecules become energized and move faster. For gases, when heating nitrogen gas, it will expand in volume when heated under constant pressure, as governed by Charles’ Law. Understanding nitrogen gas when placed in this thermal predicament or under Charles’s law is especially important in the industrial sense when handling, storing, or isolating gases in a constant pressure environment, or another regulated aspect of the end use in regards to safe practices.
What are the main benefits of using nitrogen heaters?
Nitrogen heaters work exceptionally well in applications that require heating processes that need accurate heating and energy efficient heating. This also helps set a uniform and dry environment with minimal potential for contamination and/or condensation. Nitrogen heaters are especially useful in processes or applications, where water or potentially other explosive gases are a concern and can potentially cause an equipment failure that might be significant.
In which industries are nitrogen heaters commonly used?
Nitrogen heaters can serve a variety of applications including food packaging, chemical facilities, electronics manufacturing, solar PV panel assembly, polysilicon production, and space applications. They can create inert, dry environments aimed at applications which are generally sensitive to contamination or moisture, for example.
Are nitrogen heaters customizable for specific process requirements?
Nitrogen heaters can be customized beyond the variables indicated above to include variable controls, sheath designs (materials), portable mounting options, explosion proof enclosures, while also being constructed to a reasonable temperature range and pressure rating for applications.
Picking the right nitrogen heater configuration?
Picking the right nitrogen heater configuration for your process improves efficiency and safety. Contact a Wattco representative today for a quote or help selecting a nitrogen circulation heater.