A manufacturer of wastewater/storm water processing equipment developed a new flexible auger system to transfer solids from wastewater. The new system helped to automate what had been a labor-intensive procedure. But the flexible auger was sometimes housed in unheated buildings in cold climates where freezing is an issue, especially since the equipment is used intermittently. Without freeze protection, the system could potentially have problems on start-up. Systems range between six and thiry feet.
The Solution
The customer initially considered using silicone heaters, but because of the potential for methane gas buildup, an explosion-proof solution was necessary. Chromalox developed a solution that included HSRL heat trace along the exterior of the heater, covered in insulation, and connected via a hazardous location tee kit to an ambient sensing thermostat that controls the heating system via a set point temperature.
Benefits
- Design provided heat protection and met explosion-proof requirements
- Fast response met customer’s needs
- Cost-effective answer solved a complex problem
