Heating Element
Heating Element
A heating element is a material or device that directly converts electrical energy into heat or thermal energy through a principle known as Joule heating. The amount of heat generated depends upon the current and the voltage or the conductor resistance. Basically, heating elements are made of nichrome, metal alloy or ceramic compounds. Heating elements come in different shapes and sizes depending on the particular thing that they are built for. You will generally need the component with high resistance that generates the heat, something to make the external surface and insulating material to protect the element.
With heating elements like those found in small appliances like hair dryers, small heaters, kettles, for the device to operate well and not burn out, it is necessary for an insulating material to be added to the construction to make sure that the heating element works well. Magnesium oxide is such a popular insulating material.
Take tubular heating elements as an example, the inside heat source is nichrome wire (80% Nickel and 20% Chrome). This wire has a relatively high resistance, and when electrical current is passed through it, it produces heat. To protect the nichrome heater wire, it is placed inside a metal tube or sheath. To keep the heater wire centered and from touching (shorting to) the metal tube, Magnesium Oxide powder is packed between the heater wire and the metal tube. Magnesium Oxide is a very good conductor of heat and an excellent insulator of electricity. To produce more heat per inch (heat density), the heater wire is often shaped in the form of a spring (helix coil). Tubular heating elements are used in ovens, electrical rice cookers, coffeemakers, electrical furnaces, water heaters, irons, hotplates and other appliances.
Magnesium oxide used in heating elements is usually an electrical grade magnesium oxide which is made of electro fused crystalline MgO block by crushing and combining in specific proportions of different particle sizes (mesh) either directly or after modification. Electrical Grade Magnesium Oxide powder is filled between the heating wire and the metal outer tube, playing a superexcellent role of insulation and thermal conduction. It is widely used in civil and industrial heating elements.
Recommended Products
ElectroMag is an electrical grade magnesium oxide with superior fine particles control and excellent chemical stability, moisture resistance and electrical insulation.
