An energy-efficient self-regulating heater for flow-through applications.

Abstract

In many experiments, a flow-through heating arrangement is needed to reduce reaction time. Often the reaction conditions require inertness of the wetted material. Heated reactors based on polymeric tubing, notably PTFE, are the most common, and such reactors are typically used in a manner in which they are put in a heated bath or an otherwise thermally conductive potting in which a heater and a temperature sensor are embedded for heating and temperature control. Polymeric tubes are poor conductors of heat; as such, most reactors of this type have very poor energy utilization. We describe here heated flow-through reactors where a wire runs through the entire length of the tubular reactor and where the wire is directly electrically heated. The wire may or may not be electrically insulated. If the exterior of the tube is well insulated, the energy efficiency of such a reactor in heating the fluid of interest is nearly unity. This makes it most suitable for battery-powered applications. If an appropriate wire with a significant temperature coefficient of resistance is chosen, monitoring the current through the device at constant applied voltage indicates the effective mean temperature of the device and thus allows effective temperature control without an additional sensor/controller with essentially instantaneous response. Temperature control within +/- 0.4 degrees C at a mean temperature of 65 degrees C and within +/- 0.9 degrees C at 87 degrees C have been achieved.