Industrial immersion heaters are used when the temperature of the object has to be increased. They work by converting electrical energy to thermal energy. Industrial immersion heaters are very similar to the common household immersion heaters that are used to heat water or make brews. The difference is that these immersion heaters are used on a much larger scale.
Copper immersion heaters are the cheapest but are not suitable for hard water areas, stainless steel tanks, or thermal store units. Incoloy or titanium are recommended in areas where hard water is common, although these are slightly more expensive than copper immersion heaters. The price of the immersion heater increases as per the size of the heater.
Some people choose to install an immersion heater as a backup particularly when they have a boiler that is old or unreliable. Some purchase an immersion heater with thermostats. This is highly suggested as it helps you save money and also gives you control over the required temperature.
How Does an Industrial Immersion Heater Work?
Industrial immersion heaters are installed vertically or horizontally as an inline electric heater. They are used in various applications that heat simple solutions, heat lubricating oil, thermal fluids, or process air heating.
Immersion heaters have an electrical resistance heating element that is enclosed in a sheath. When the heat passes through the element the sheath gets heated up, which then heats the liquid. The effectiveness of the industrial immersion heater depends on the measure at which the heat can pass through the sheath.
Direct and indirect immersion heaters use different techniques for heating liquids. The direct immersion heater is inserted straight into the liquid or in the opening at the side. In this technique, the heating element comes in contact with the fluid that needs to be heated. The heater is then turned on and electricity passes through the element and thermal energy flows into the liquid.
The indirect industrial immersion heater is inserted into a pipe and immersed in the liquid. In this technique, the heating element heats the air inside the pipe and then heats the liquid. As this does not come in direct contact with the liquid it prevents contamination and corrosion.
Advantages of Immersion Heaters
One of the main advantages of having an immersion heater is that they are separate from the boiler. As it is a separate entity, even if the boiler breaks down, hot water can still be generated for your needs. Another advantage is that if the hot water cylinder of the immersion heater is well insulated, the water will remain hot for several hours even after the heater is switched off.
