Flexible heaters offer an array of benefits in various commercial industries, including aerospace, electronics, food, and beverage, and medical. They can perform various functions such as keeping food warm to preventing condensation on electronic equipment. Some of the most common flexible heaters are flexible Silicone heaters and Kapton® heaters which offer excellent thermal transfer and flexibility, and fast warmup for various applications. However, it is important to know some of the challenges associated with the use of these two types of heaters to prevent product issues or equipment failure. At JenTer Technologies, we offer a range of flexible heater solutions that are ideal for various applications.
Some of the challenges to consider when using flexible silicone and Kapton® heaters include:
Temperature Limitations
There are certain temperature limitations associated with the use of certain electronics and other products to prevent their malfunction. Industry applications must often adhere to these limitations.
Size Limitations
There are heater size limitations to consider based on the types of resistance elements and materials used for the flexible heaters. The thinness of the heater can also control the possible size. The size of a Silicone or Kapton® heating element hinges on the type of resistance element used.
Heated Material Limitations
When choosing an appropriate flexible heater, the manufacturer must account for the characteristics of the material to be heated. If the characteristics of the material will change when subjected to heat or if the material is vulnerable to higher temperatures, a heater that generates lower temperatures is desirable.
Material thickness can also impact the effectiveness of heating elements. This is also true as it concerns off-gassing. Kapton® and Silicone heaters possess low out-gassing characteristics.
Environmental Limitations
A Silicone and Kapton® heating element are resistant to ozone and moisture. These heaters also have a resistance to fungus. Silicone heaters are optimal for outdoor applications in which there is high humidity and moisture and where radiation is present.
Bending Limitations
Silicone heaters are subject to bend limitations. It is important to know the maximum bend radius of these heaters which is based on their required thickness. The greater the thickness, the less flexibility which inhibits their use in applications where there are more curves – in which a case a flexible Kapton® heater may be more ideal.
Chemistries, Corrosives, and Oxidizer Exposure Limitations
Both Silicone and Kapton® heaters offer chemical resistance. Flexible silicone heaters are resistant to various chemistries such as sodium hydroxide and sodium carbonate. They are also resistant to ammonia environments. However, silicone rubber may respond adversely to certain types of acids.
An important step in the manufacturing and use of flexible heaters is knowing their design limitations.
To learn about the various flexible heater options we offer at JenTer, give us a call today at 920.928.2022 or leave us a message through our contact form.