Convection heater sealed to IP68

Paul Boughton

Intertec is introducing a compact new electric convection heater that has been designed for temperature maintenance or control in harsh environments such as wells, tunnels, water and wastewater plants, pulp/paper mills, rendering/food processing environments, and any dusty or wet process conditions.

The heater has been optimised for reliability through features including a fully potted and factory-sealed design, plus it is rated to IP68 so that it can function even when fully submerged.

Additionally, it has no exposed contacts, so it is highly reliable even in corrosive atmospheres containing hydrogen sulphide or ammonia, for example.

Available with power outputs from 25-500W, the new heater is said to be much smaller and easier to install than the common option of trace heating cabling.

This new product is a variant of Intertec's field-proven, explosion-proof Multitherm design for heating in hazardous environments, with the same high-integrity features, but without the protection markings.

Multitherm features a compact 8x8cm square shape that is designed for vertical mounting, with surface profiling that optimises convection heat transfer.

This form factor typically allows the heating element to be positioned alongside any process equipment that requires protection against freezing or condensation, or temperature regulation.

The heater body is fabricated from seawater-proof aluminium, with a black anodised finish.

As standard, the Multitherm heater comes with a thermostat to limit the ambient temperature in an enclosure. This is located in the electrical connection cable. If precise temperature regulation is required, Intertec can supply the heater with an optional temperature controller.

The power density offered by Multitherm heaters can be very high, as they can be fitted with resistive elements capable of outputs up to 500W.

Heaters vary in length according to output. As an example, a 250W version measures 22.5x8x8cm (HxWxD). By comparison, trace heating cables offer typical outputs of around 10-30W/m.

Intertec can also supply similar heaters but with different shapes - such as block heaters - to suit other applications.v

For more information, visit www.intertec.info