Cartridge Heaters can be a great choice for many applications that require heat. If used and controlled properly, cartridge heaters can provide a long-term solution for many conductive process heating applications.
When using a cartridge heater for application, there are two key factors to be notic:
Make sure the heater is sized correctly for the hole it’s intended for
Make sure the surfaces of the heater and hole are clean
If you’re heating a solid item, such as metal, you’ll require a hole in the material for a cartridge heater to be inserted into. Usually, it’s easy to find a heater for a hole size you have. If a hole measures 0.500” across its inside diameter (ID) you’ll want to use a 1/2” diameter cartridge heater.
Make sure the heater and inside of the hole are clean. This will enable the heater to be inserted into a hole without too much difficulty or excess force. Contamination will interfere with the heat transfer from the cartridge heater to the hole’s surface.
Conduction is the best method of heat transfer for instances where you have a cartridge heater inserted into a hole. Conduction can be described as heat transfer between objects in physical contact.
