Mini Clean Flow (MCF) Air Heater – Three Phase

BACKGROUND 

The application requirement was a 2” Stainless Steel heater capable of 120 CFM with a 250⁰C outlet temperature.  The inlet temperature was ambient air.  The heater required two Conflat Flanges (CF2.75), which could be used in a parallel flow configuration at the customer site.  The heater needed to be air tight.    

SCOPE

MCF – Three Phase:

• 250⁰C @ 120CFM using (2) units in a parallel flow pattern
• Stainless steel 304, all wetted parts 
• Pressure tested to 90 PSI (or equivalent 5 x 10 ¯⁴ ATM, cc/sec or better)  
• 3-phase with three heated zones 
• (3) independent internal type “K” thermocouples for each zone 
• 11KW (± 10%) , 240 Volt, 3-phase (or 1-phase optional) 
• 36” Lead wires for each zone with 12” wire braid for strain relief
• 304SS CF 2.75 inlet and outlet flange   
• Medium being heated: Air, ambient  
• He Leak Tested = 5 x 10¯⁴ ATM, CC/sec or better 

OUTCOME

The heater was laser welded on the flanges and brazed on the heater zones.  The heater helium leak test passed up to 1 x 10 ¯⁸ cc/sec in during the testing phase.  There were no problems heating ambient air at 2.5CFM to 200°C during the live power test at BCE.  The part was cleaned and passed the required 700 Volt DC Hi-pot test for 5 seconds @ 0.5mA.  

BCE’s Mini-Clean Flow (MCF) Heater at the Core of 4D Entertainment

BCE Mini Clean Flow (MCF) Heater

Picture this: a heater that can sustain elevated motion, high temperatures and pressures, and be compact enough to fit into a restricted assembly. BCE was approached by a worldwide provider of 4D cinematic experiences to help design a custom heating apparatus. This novel thermal assembly would be capable of creating a desired heat effect enhancing the viewing of attraction films around the globe.

SCOPE
The heater of the apparatus needed to be able to:

• Generate internal temperatures exceeding 500°C 
• Ramp to elevated temperatures within minutes 
• Operate at low voltage: 24V 
• Sustain pressures up to 80 psi 
• Assemble easily to a control valve 
• Remain operable at a motion of 10 g 
• Allow for acute temperature control 
• Have a low mass design for efficient heat transfer 
• Be compact; allowing the assembly to remain within a 10” envelope 

OUTCOME

BCE’s MCF heater provided the optimal solution to this design challenge. During pre-heat with no air flow, the internal temperature of the MCF reached 320°C. After an 80 psi air burst and temperature drop, the low mass of the heater was able to achieve an internal temperature of 505°C in just under 90 s during the heat effect. This greatly surpassed customer expectations. Not only was its compactness an asset in maintaining the dimensional restrictions, its unique design with NPT fitting assembled easily to other components. Moreover, the built-in thermocouple type K offered precise temperature monitoring for this sensitive application. Finally, its robust design allowed for continuous operation under the most strenuous pressures and motion.

Download a PDF of the Mini Clean Flow (MCF) Heater here.