Heating elements are a basic component in everything from home appliances to industrial machinery and laboratory equipment. They convert electrical energy into heat and are designed to provide the proper operating temperature for specific applications, and they come in a variety of shapes and forms. It is important to select the appropriate heater for your application because choosing the wrong type of element can lead to poor performance, higher operational costs, or even safety hazards.
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The most common element is a simple coiled resistance wire, which produces heat by converting electrical current into thermal energy. Other types include ribbon and tape wire, ceramic core elements, etched foil elements, and removable ceramic core elements that are inserted into sheaths or tubes sealed at one end. The choice of material for the element depends on the operating temperature range, oxidation resistance, and other critical properties.
Generally, nickel-based alloys are used for heating elements, including nichrome (80/20), which is inexpensive, durable, and readily available. These alloys have high oxidation resistance and low thermal expansion, allowing them to withstand high temperatures. They also are resistant to corrosion in most environments, except acidic ones. Other choices include tungsten disilicide and molybdenum disilicide, which are suited to vacuum furnaces because of their high melting points and lack of oxidation.
Other important characteristics include the ability to convert electric current into thermal energy, and the material’s durability, strength, and conductivity. Most heating elements are made of stainless steel or nickel-chromium-iron alloys, but some are manufactured from exotic materials like molybdenum disilicide and molybdenum ditungsten (MoSi2) for applications requiring extremely high temperatures.