Intertec Instrumentation's new Hot Box for outdoor process sampling applications can deliver high temperatures up to 150°C/300°F in compact footprints.
The new hot boxes employ a combination of conduction and convection heating assisted by a novel air circulation system. Protective enclosures are usually necessary for analyzer applications, and are a major contributor to overall costs. The compact hot boxes make it possible to provide elevated temperature environments for sampling systems in small form factors, This greatly simplifies installations close to the process lines being tested to minimize sample lag time and substantially reduce the hidden costs of analyzer installations such as heated sample lines.
For many instrumentation applications in chemical and petrochemical plants, and especially for analyzer sample conditioning systems, it is essential to maintain an elevated temperature in order to prevent condensation or crystallization of the media and corresponding inaccuracy of results. Complete insulation of measurement and analysis stations is rarely possible due to requirements for maintenance and calibration. Intertec's easy-access hot boxes provide an efficient heating solution thanks to the way they are constructed, using high-performance insulation sandwiched between sheets of GRP (glassfiber reinforced polyester).
All of the materials have low thermal conductivity, and the sandwich construction means that enclosures can be fabricated using bonding techniques, avoiding the 'thermal short cuts' between inner and outer shells that metal enclosures and metal fixings create.
The new hot boxes use electric heaters that have a flat side for conductive heat transfer, and a finned side for efficient heat transfer to the internal atmosphere using convection. The conductive face of the heater is attached to an aluminium plate. The sampling equipment is assembled onto a second detachable plate, which bolts onto the heated plate with the assistance of thermal transfer paste for optimal heat conductivity.
The heaters are designed for hazardous area (potentially explosive) applications and employ positive temperature coefficient or PTC cartridges. As their electric resistance increases with rising temperature, the heaters are self limiting, ensuring that the surface temperature will never exceed the maximum temperature of the listed temperature class.
The exact temperature inside the hot box is controlled by Intertec's explosion proof smart controller, which provides programmable digital PID (proportional-integral-derivative) control. The temperature sensor for the controller can be mounted at the optimum position in the enclosure to ensure accurate control.
For more, visit www.intertec.info.
