Vertical-mounting heaters for hazardous area applications

Intertec has introduced a versatile new series of slimline vertically-mounted electric heaters for protecting sensitive outdoor equipment against low temperatures in hazardous areas such as chemical, oil and gas plants. Available in five variants with output powers from 200 to 600 W, the finned heaters are compact high-efficiency blocks with profiles of just 60 mm - making them ideal for mounting adjacent to panels inside enclosures. This versatile design typically makes it simple for engineers to use when configuring protective enclosures, cabinets and shelters for field-based equipment.

The new CP MEGATHERM heaters are approved to IEC and other worldwide explosion proof standards like ATEX, CSA, UL and GOST. This makes it possible for one heater or enclosure configuration to be used anywhere in the world - greatly reducing design, system building and maintenance costs.

The flat rectangular shape of the CP MEGATHERM will be familiar to many instrumentation and plant engineers as it reprises Intertec's original design concept for explosion proof heaters. In the late 1960s, Intertec launched a product called EEx 500 T4 onto the market. This pioneering heater is believed to have been the first practical alternative to heat tracing techniques for explosion proof applications, and remained in production until the 1990s - when changes in standards led to its discontinuation. Although Intertec has since produced a very wide variety of heater designs and shapes to suit different applications, the company still receives requests for the 'old design' and has now re-engineered it. The new heater exploits advances in insulation and sealing materials to deliver more power in a smaller form factor than the original product, as well as more application versatility across different temperature classes.

The heaters use the Ex d (flameproof) protection principle and are available for the commonly-required T3 or T4 temperature classes - which restrict surface temperatures to a maximum of 200 or 135 degrees Celsius respectively. A temperature indicator strip is also attached to show potential problems such as incorrect installation or misapplication at an early stage.

CP MEGATHERM heaters are supplied with a thermostat to limit the ambient temperature in an enclosure and protect against freezing and condensation. This thermostat is located in the electrical connection cable - a patented design that maintains the heater's compactness and simplifies installation. If more precise temperature regulation is required, Intertec can supply heaters with an optional temperature controller.

CP MEGATHERM heaters' low-profile designs typically allow the heating element to be positioned in close proximity to any process equipment that requires protection. The heater body is fabricated from seawater-proof aluminium, with a black anodized finish. Additionally, the heaters are protected against ingress to IP68, so they are highly reliable even in corrosive atmospheres - such as hydrogen sulphide or ammonia for example.