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Industrial Process Heaters: Choosing the Right Heating Solution

Industrial heating is an essential part of many manufacturing and processing operations. From heating air and liquids to maintaining the temperature of equipment and materials, industrial heaters must be selected according to the specific requirements of the process.

The right heater can provide the necessary heat while working with temperature controls and other equipment to maintain consistent operating conditions. Seagate Control Systems supplies a broad range of industrial heating products and works with customers to help identify solutions for their applications.

What Are Industrial Process Heaters?

Industrial process heaters are heating devices designed to provide controlled heat for manufacturing and industrial processes. Unlike general purpose heating equipment, process heaters are selected around specific requirements such as temperature, wattage, voltage, material compatibility, flow conditions, and installation environment.

There are many different types of process heating equipment because industrial applications vary significantly. A heater used to heat moving air may have very different requirements from one used to heat a liquid, tank, drum, or piece of production equipment.

Understanding the application is therefore one of the most important steps when selecting an industrial heater.

Types of Industrial Heaters

Different processes call for different heating technologies. Seagate Control Systems offers several categories of heating equipment for industrial applications.

Air Heating Equipment

Air heating systems can be used when a process requires controlled heated airflow. Seagate offers hot air tools and forced air duct heaters in multiple configurations.

Available options can include different voltage ranges, power levels, mounting styles, blower configurations, and temperature control options. Certain models are available with PID temperature control for applications requiring more precise regulation.

Band, Strip, and Cartridge Heaters

Band, strip, and cartridge heaters are commonly used where heat needs to be applied directly to industrial equipment or components.

The appropriate heater depends on the shape and size of the equipment, required operating temperature, available electrical power, and the desired method of heat transfer.

Circulation Heaters

Circulation heaters are designed for applications involving flowing liquids or gases.

For example, Cast X circulation heaters offered by Seagate use stainless steel flow tubes that isolate the process media from the heating element. This design can be used for applications involving liquids and gases, including certain applications involving fuels, petrochemicals, pharmaceutical processes, and food applications.

Immersion Heaters

Immersion heaters provide direct heating for liquids and other applications where the heating element can be installed into a tank, vessel, or process system.

Proper material selection and sizing are important because the heater must be compatible with the process environment and provide sufficient heat for the required application.

Infrared Heating

Infrared heating can provide a different approach to industrial heating by transferring energy directly to a surface or material. This type of heating can be useful in applications where conventional heating methods are not the best fit.

Why Heater Selection Matters

Choosing an industrial heater based only on wattage can result in an unsuitable solution. The complete application needs to be considered.

Important factors can include:

The physical design of the heater is also important. A heater that works well in one application may not be appropriate for another because of differences in temperature, materials, airflow, fluid characteristics, or available installation space.

Combining Heaters With Temperature Controls

Industrial heaters are often only one part of a larger heating system. Temperature sensors and controllers provide the feedback necessary to regulate the heater and maintain the desired process temperature.

For example, a temperature sensor can measure the process temperature and send that information to a controller. The controller can then regulate the power delivered to the heater.

Power control equipment such as solid state relays and SCR controllers can also be used to regulate electrical heating loads. Seagate offers these components along with temperature controls and industrial heating equipment.

This approach allows the heating system to be designed as a complete solution rather than treating the heater as an isolated component.

Custom Industrial Heating Solutions

Some applications can be addressed with standard heating products, while others require a more application specific approach.

Seagate Control Systems can design and build control systems or heating systems using its engineering staff. The company works with a range of industrial products and more than 50 suppliers, giving its engineers access to different components when developing a solution.

This can be especially useful when an application has unusual temperature requirements, limited installation space, specialized process conditions, or specific control requirements.

Get Help With Your Industrial Heating Application

Finding the right industrial process heater begins with understanding the process. The required temperature, material, power, environment, and method of heat transfer all play a role in determining the appropriate equipment.

Seagate Control Systems has been supporting industrial customers since 1970 and offers process heaters, temperature controls, sensors, power controls, and related industrial components. Its application engineers can help evaluate heating requirements and identify equipment for the job.

If you are selecting an industrial process heater or developing a new heating system, contact Seagate Control Systems to discuss your application and heating requirements.