Silicon Carbide Heating Elements for Industrial Furnaces
Silicon Carbide (SiC) is a ceramic material consisting of silicon and carbon. It has become a popular choice for heating elements as it has high electrical conductivity, is available in various shapes and sizes, and is designed to withstand extremely high temperatures.
What is a silicon carbide heating element?
Silicon carbide is a synthetic chemical compound composed of silicon and carbon with a hardness approaching that of diamond.
A SiC heating element is a cylinder, tube or bar made by fusing high-purity silicon carbide grains at a temperature over 2150oC. This process is known as recrystallization and must be carefully controlled for a high level of electrical resistance to be formed.
Why is silicon carbide used in industrial furnaces?
SiC heating elements are suitable for many types of industrial furnaces in the heat-treating industry because of their high-temperature strength and high thermal conductivity.
Using silicon carbide elements offers many benefits, such as:
- Available in numerous shapes and sizes. SiC heating elements can vary in shapes and sizes depending on the furnace designs they need to fit. The standard sizes range from 0.5 inches in diameter and 1 foot in length, up to 3 inches in diameter to 10 feet in length. Some companies can create custom shapes or sizes depending on their customers’ requirements. Ours are made to fit the Deltech furnaces we provide.
- Can endure high operating temperatures
We use silicon carbide elements in a wide range of furnaces that reach temperatures of 1550oC, although they can withstand higher temperatures should the process require it.
An additional advantage is that SiC is resistant to chemical reactions, and therefore the material undergoing the heat treatment process will not be adversely impacted.
SiC heating elements can have a long service life due to their outstanding toughness and ability to withstand strong chemicals and high temperatures.
To prolong the service life, regular maintenance should be carried out on the furnaces. Business owners should also handle the machinery with care and ensure the furnace is running on the lowest possible voltage without compromising the operating temperature.
For the products we provide, silicon carbide ensures quality heating elements, high levels of heat resistance, and, if looked after well, they can retain a long service life. For more information on our products, please get in touch with a member of our team.
