Thermal Electric has been certified by SIMTARS to design and manufacture IECEx certified explosionproof heaters in Australia at Thermal's Coffs Harbour plant in Northern NSW.
TEE's ThermalEx™ range of IECEx certified hazardous area heaters are currently available at with Ex 'd' certification for Zone 1, Group I and IIb with IP66 certified weatherproof terminal boxes.
Temperature classifications range from T3-T6 and all elements are specially sealed to prevent moisture ingress. Elements can be replaced individually and easily on site by using double-bite compression fittings to make installation and servicing easier.
The ThermalEx™ range of heaters is constantly expanding, so if you require a heater with specifications outside of this range, please contact us to find out what we can do for you.
View our current certification online or download the PDF
The IEC Ex Scheme
The IECEx Scheme is a quality based scheme that requires the issue of a Test Report and a Quality Assessment Report (QAR) in order for a Certificate of Conformity to be issued. A QAR is issued on the basis of a successful on site assessment of a manufacturer's quality system. Surveillance audits of the manufacturer are conducted annually or twice per year. The objective of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) Ex Scheme is to facilitate international trade in equipment and services for use in explosive atmospheres while maintaining the required level of safety. Thermal Electric's IECEx certification assures you that the products we supply are of the highest standards in both safety and design as well as meeting quality assurance standards equivalent to ISO:9001.
For more information on the IECEx certification scheme, visit the IECEx website.
Process, Inline & Immersion Heaters
The ThermalEx™ range of certified flanged immersion heaters are currently available at ratings up to 690V 430kW. Drawing on Thermal's extensive electric heating element experience, the elements used in these bundles can be a variety of sheaths to suit your specific applications, including Stainless Steel, Titanium, Incoloy and more.
Element lengths can be anywhere from 300mm to 6m depending on your requirements, with varying element quantities within the bundle, giving you the most efficient design.
Flange type is determined by your specifications in order to match your system.
Options include double-bite compression fittings or welding as well as the supply and manufacture of a vessel or thermowell for the heater.
Element End Sealing
The main cause of earth leakage trip issues is moisture ingress through the element ends. This leads to low insulation readings and subsequent element failure over time. To eliminate this problem, Thermal Electric uses a twin sealing process on all its ThermalEx™ heaters, which guarantees high insulation resistance readings for years to come.
Thermal's End Sealing Procedure
- Heating elements are placed into a vertical dehydration oven for a minimum of 48 hours and allowed to completely dry out.
- Insulation tests are performed and must be greater than 500MΩ before the sealing process is carried out.
- Sealing process 1 (10mm) is carried out while the heating element is in the hot state (110°C minimum surface temperature).
- Heating element is placed for the second time into the oven for a minimum of 36 hours.
- Insulation test performed - >500MΩ minimum reading allowable.
- Sealing process 2 (5mm) is carried out while the element is in the hot state.
- Once sealed, insulation and Hi pot tests are performed.
TEE's in house test results have verified the quality of the twin sealing process and guarantees the reliability and longevity of the unit.
- Squeeze test and then immersed in 20-24°C water for 45 minutes - Result: 200MΩ Insulation test
- Environmental chamber test at 90°C. 95% relative humidity for 4 weeks - Result: 200MΩ
- Immersed in 20-24°C water for 28 days - Result: 200MΩ
- High temperature oven at 125°C for 6 weeks, removed and placed in sub-zero temperatures for 72 hours - Result: 200MΩ
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ThermalEx™ Heater Assembly
Double Ferrule⁄Double Bite Compression Fitting
For easy individual heater element replacement
Double Ferrule Compression fittings are torque free, self-aligned mechanical grip fittings that are an industry standard for the chemical, bio-technology, semi-conductor, oil and gas industries to name a few. The complete assembly is made up of four parts (body, front ferrule, back ferrule and nut) that offer excellent leak proof performance in vacuum as well as in low and high pressure applications. The back ferrule provides an anti-vibration hold on the heating element and leak-proof sealing is guaranteed at high operating temperatures. The two ferrule design offered provides a leak-proof seal at three separate points and can adjust to temperature cycling while eliminating damage to the element sheath normally caused by inferior fittings.
- The heater element is inserted into the process flange or Ex 'd' enclosure via the four piece Stainless Steel compression fitting.
- The body of the compression fitting has an NPT thread that is designed for high pressure applications.
- The general arrangement and layout of the fitting entry points have been designed so as the integrity of the flange is maintained to the existing design codes.
- Easy removal and replacement of individual heating elements can be achieved without the need to replace the complete flanged heater bundle.
Standoff Flange Heater Ferrule Arrangement
For use on Compact High Powered ThermalEx™ Heaters
Tungsten Inert Gas (TIG) welding is highly resistant to corrosion and cracking over long time periods and is ideal for use when working with many of the exotic materials that are required for the Petrochemical, Chemical, Oil and Gas industries. It is the preferred choice when ThermalEx™ heaters are required to be installed into a process area that allows for the maximum kilowatt rating achievable with the minimal space utilised.
- Thorough cleanliness and preparation are imperative in achieving the best results with numerous inspections and quality checking performed before a single weld is committed to.
- 316SS standoff ferrules are TIG welded into the process flange or base of the ThermalEx™ enclosure that guarantee a high quality, strong and clean weld to prevent the occurrence of oxidisation.
- All element ends are heat treated and normalised numerous times prior to being TIG welded or silver brazed into position. This process relieves stress on all element to ferrule contact points ensuring stress fractures do not occur during the assembly and most importantly at the customers process facility.
- Various exotic flange and ferrule materials are available to suit customers requirements.
- The general arrangement and layout of the ferrule⁄element entry points have been designed so as to maintain the integrity of the flange and to comply with existing design codes and pressures.
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Control Systems
The operation of an electric heater is only as good as its control system, therefore a tailor made, first class control system is offered by Thermal with a range of options from the simple on⁄off control, to the most sophisticated burst fire⁄single cycle thyristor control.
Load splitting requirements can be divided into stages to give multi-thyristor control and in addition, combinations of thyristor and contactor control can be supplied to provide a fully synchronised system and limit impact on the power generation system.
TEE offers a total control system service including:
- Thyristor control system design
- Factory testing and quality control
- Step contactor sequence control
- Documentation
- PLC programming
- Spares and after sales service
- Engineering planning
- Ingress Protection up to IP66 (IEC), NEMA 4X (NEC)
- Manufacture
- Suitable for outdoor installation
In-House Testing - in compliance with IEC439-1:1992 AS3439.1-1993
- Full load⁄Heat Soak Testing
- Harmonic Analysis
- RF Interference Testing
- Dielectric Checks - including HV Test with 500⁄1000V Megger Test before and after
- Visual Checks - including all labels and door earths
- Mechanical Checks - including mechanical interlock operation checks
- Electrical checks - including MCCB⁄ACB setting, Fuse and conductor ratings, functionality and overloads
Flameproof Control Panels
Flameproof control panels can be supplied by Thermal. To enable local control of ThermalEx™ hazardous area heaters these control panels are an ideal solution.
Features:
- EEx 'd' IIB T1 to T6 Zone 1 & 2 to IP65 (in accordance with IEC529)
- From -20 to +40°C
- Marine grade aluminium cast alloy
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You can also view TEE's white paper on the use of IECEx certification in hazardous area heating, by downloading the PDF.