What to Use When Heating Wax

Situation
A popular chemical compound that often requires heating is wax, which is an organic compound that has a plastic texture at room temperature. Wax begins to melt at 44 degrees celsius resulting in a low viscosity rating.

A processing plant in Wisconsin had seven 500 Gallon tanks that contained liquefied wax, and needed to maintain this temperature consistently throughout the area of the tanks. 

Originally the manufacturers used gas heating for the task, however uneven heat distribution as well as the problem of fumes within the working area complicated the process. Several deposits of solid wax appeared at random which created issues in production.

Solution
The tanks had a small opening from the top which provided an access point to the liquid. Wattco took advantage of this by offering an Over the Side electric heating element, which has tubular elements that extend along the bottom length of the heating tank. This solution is often the preferred wax heating process.

The over the side heater provided even heat distribution and took advantage of the shape of the tank to allow for constant, precise heat. The heaters had a low watt density to ensure a long life as well as to avoid any deposits from forming on the elements. A thermostat was installed as a cost efficient way to regulate the heat.

There was no need for a more expensive digital controller as the temperature variant was minimal. Multiple units were used from tank to tank making this a long term solution.
 
Benefits
·           Over the Side immersion heaters are an excellent way of heating tanks evenly without any tank modifications necessary
·           Mechanical thermostat controls were used to regulate temperature, and easily adjusted with a turn knob.
·           Use of an electric heating element is preferred for health and safety purposes.
·           Heat up time is fast and adjustable.