Types of industrial heaters

Heaters are employed in many industrial settings including in plastics, food, oil and gas and the chemical industry, and they seek to achieve different purposes. Different heater types are selected for industrial heating services for a different purpose. Here are the five types of industrial heaters and their explanations.

1. Immersion heaters: Used in different industries to heat liquids in large vats, containers and tanks, immersion heaters transfer heat directly to heat liquids and the speed of heating is therefore much higher. These systems are easily maintained and will work for liquids with vastly different properties. They are also better for the environment. The different types of immersion heaters include flanged heaters, screw plug heaters, circulation heaters and over the side heaters.

The most recent types are the electric immersion heaters compared to previously popular fuel heaters because of the rising fuel costs.

2. Pipe heaters: These are designed to fit inside 2 or 3” pipes and provide heat. They work well for applications requiring low heat like the making of waxes, tar, and molasses or with more corrosive materials. These heaters do not touch the liquid that is being heated but will transfer the heat indirectly: the heating element will heat the pipe from the inside, which will in turn heat the liquid.

These types do not require much maintenance. You do not have to empty the containers holding liquids if you change the heaters. This is because the heater is not actually in the liquid.

3. Circulation Heaters: Also called ‘in-line’ heaters, this particular type can be recommended by a building services engineers or industrial heating services expert, with the exact type of circulation heater being determined by the flow rate and viscosity.

These types also come in a wide range of different watt densities, with each density being determined by the type of liquid being heated.

A feature drain valves may be installed in order for easier maintenance when heater needs maintenance.

4. Cartridge Heaters: These are used to heat solids where they snugly fit inside a mold or cavity. They are able to reach very high temperatures.

A thermocouple installed on these heaters helps to control and maintain the temperature of the heater with a greater degree of accuracy. Cartridge heaters are employed in motor oil or hydraulic oil applications, bag sealing, water based applications and gearboxes.

5. Duct Heaters: Used for either airflow ventilation or process heating applications, they come in three basic types, namely the tubular, open coil and finned tubular. They are either inserted directly into the duct or flanged. While duct heaters are used in ventilation systems or comfort heating, air and process duct heaters are used for ovens and other applications that need forced circulation or re-circulated air.

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