Vertical Immersion Heaters

new century heaters

Our vertical immersion heaters for molten melting heating elements are made of heavy gage ICA wire on cast ceramic cores that guarantee wire spacing to evenly distribute the heat through high density, high conductivity, non-wetting protection tubes.

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heaters are single phase

When used in holding furnaces, vertical immersion heaters more efficiently transfer heat into dip wells & degassers. The heat does not have to pass through an insulating layer of oxides on the surface of the melt.

save up to 30% on energy

Power requirements are typically 25-30% less than glow bar furnaces. The reduction in melt loss & improved metal quality over glow bar & gas fired reverb furnaces is significant.

controls available

We also supply additional products such as Seal Cones, Ceramic Inserts, Thermocouples, Mounting Hardware, Protection Tubes & more.

made in the usa

New Century Immerison Heaters are designed & manufactured in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, U.S.A.

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New Century Heaters has engineered our immersion heaters specifically for molten metal. These heaters coupled with specially designed protection tubes provide the most robust & efficient molten metal heat source in the industry.

Power requirements are typically 25-30% less than glow bar furnaces. The reduction in melt loss & improved metal quality over glow bar & gas fired reverb furnaces is significant. Pairing these advantages with extended refractory life provides cost savings for the user.

Immersion heaters virtually eliminate melt loss in melters & since the refractory is never super-heated, the refractory life over glow bar & gas fired reverb holding & melting furnaces is typically at least doubled. Corundum is eliminated in properly designed immersion heated furnaces. Super-heating the surface of molten aluminum greatly increases the absorption of hydrogen into the molten aluminum & the creation of aluminum oxides at the surface, many of which become suspended in the melt or sink, only to be riled up from time to time.

We use the heaviest gage wire in the industry to provide robust, long-lived immersion heaters for molten melting that can be operated up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit . The wire is recessed in separating groves that are precision cast in a ceramic core that is engineered to compliment the mating protection tube. Because of this, the coils can never touch each other & short out . Extra heavy leads are brought out & insulated away from the heater core to provide trouble free connections .

When used in holding furnaces, immersion heaters more efficiently transfer heat into dip wells & degassers. The heat does not have to pass through an insulating layer of oxides on the surface of the melt. The heat source is beneath any separating refractory arch & close proximity to the dip well or degassing head.

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START-UP IN A COLD DRY FURNACE. Close the furnace.

Before you turn the power on:

Set the heater thermocouple high limit at 1700° F
Set the percentage of power to the heater at 15%.

Turn the power on.

Increase the power every 5 minutes by 5% until the temperature in the heater approaches 600° F

As the furnace warms up, it will be necessary to reduce the power to the heater to avoid tripping the 1700° F. high limit. The power off & on switching that occurs from excessive tripping of the high limit over time is detrimental to the ceramic tube & the heater wire.

Allow the heater to operate at or just below 1700° F until the interior of the furnace reaches 1400° F. Allow the interior of the furnace to hold at 1400° F (+/- 50°) for four hours before adding metal, but depending on the furnace this pre-heat process may take up to 48 hours before metal can be introduced to the furnace.

INTRODUCING METAL TO THE FURNACE.

Reduce the power to the heaters by 10%.
After 15 minutes, add metal quickly to bring the level 3” above the top of the heaters.
Turn the power to 90% & continue filling the furnace.
Raise the heater thermocouple high limit to 1850° F
The metal temperature will drop considerably before it begins to rise.
If the heater approaches the high limit at 90% power you may increase the high limit to 1900° F

NORMAL OPERATION

After determining the percent of power required to maintain the bath temperature (usually not more than 70%) you should limit the maximum power to 20% more to give adequate recovery capability.

A build-up on the protection tube will cause a temperature rise in the heater & heater failure. A spot build-up on the protection tube may cause a heater failure with no warning. Periodic cleaning of protection tube is recommended for long life.

The frequency for scraping the tubes is determined mostly by oxides from the break-down furnace & from alloy modifications.

MODES OF IMMERSION HEATER FAILURE

The most common failure is the result of sludge poured from the bull ladle & sticking to the upper surface of the tube. Sludge is formed during the melting process & is not removed by degassing.

REMEDIES — Remaining sludge in the bull ladle should be emptied in a waste receptacle for that purpose & regular scraping of the tubes is required. Sometimes a build-up of sludge on the floor of the furnace can get close to the bottom of the tube & cause a heater failure.

OTHER POTENTIAL FAILURES & REMEDIES

Improper PID loop — Set PID loop to increase or decrease power at (2%) per min. (approx.)
Improper SCR Fuse — Most SCR units come with very quick fuses. Substitutes may cause catastrophic heater failures leaving molten metal splashed on the inside of the tube. This type of failure can also occur for no apparent reason. If metal remains on the inside of the tube, it may cause the replacement heater to fail.
Improper Power Transformer — Some furnace builders, when pressed for a quick delivery, use a 220 V or 240 V transformer instead of a 200 V transformer that has a longer delivery in this country. If your controller is equipped to allow you to limit the maximum output to (90%), you may solve the problem easily. Many controls or SCR units have a current limiting feature. Also, according to the wire manufacturer, reducing the maximum temperature of the wire by (100 deg. F) you may double the life of the heater. We think it may be current spikes that are part of the problem.
If the furnace uses (2) heaters, you may have a (scot T type) transformer. There may be some advantage in using phase angle instead of zero crossover SCR firing on the primary. Some SCR units are switchable.

Vertical Immersion Heaters

new century heaters