Graphite is a popular choice for heating elements due to several key advantages.
7 Key Reasons Why Graphite Stands Out
1. Stable Resistivity
Graphite offers stable resistivity, ensuring consistent performance.
2. Low Resistance Temperature Coefficient
It has a low resistance temperature coefficient, which means it maintains its efficiency even at high temperatures.
3. Small Thermal Expansion Coefficient
Graphite has a small thermal expansion coefficient, making it less prone to damage from thermal stress.
4. Large Blackness
Its large blackness allows for efficient heat absorption and radiation.
5. High Temperature Capability
Graphite can reach temperatures up to 980 °C, making it suitable for high-temperature applications.
6. Rapid Response Time
It has a rapid response time of just 4 seconds, ensuring quick heating.
7. High Heat Output
The heat output at 60 seconds can reach up to 5600 J, providing substantial energy for various processes.
Applications and Advantages
Graphite heating elements are commonly used in vacuum furnaces for processes like hardening and brazing.
They have a lower thermal mass compared to previous generation graphite rod or bar elements.
Graphite is unaffected by thermal shock and can withstand frequent heating and cooling without degradation.
It is more durable than molybdenum heating elements and has better resistance to operational mishaps such as accidental breakage or braze alloy spill.
Graphite furnaces can operate at temperatures as high as 3000°C in inert gas or 2200°C in a vacuum.
Manufactured from high purity carbon composite, graphite heating elements offer excellent temperature uniformity, longevity, mechanical strength, and repeatability.
They are designed with rounded edges and proper gap spacing to minimize gas ionization at elevated temperatures, increasing their life expectancy and maximum obtainable temperatures.
Early designs of graphite heating elements were bulky and limited to simple shapes, and their connections were prone to failure.
However, with advances in materials and manufacturing techniques, graphite heating elements have overcome these challenges.
The most widely used design incorporates lightweight and durable curved bands.
In the past, molybdenum heating elements were the preferred choice for vacuum furnaces.
However, with the improvements in graphite-based electrical products, the popularity of graphite heating elements now exceeds that of molybdenum elements in general heat-treating and brazing furnaces.
Overall, graphite is a reliable and effective heating element material, offering high temperatures, rapid response time, durability, and resistance to operational mishaps.
It is widely used in various thermal applications and has become a well-accepted choice for heating element material.
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With stable resistivity, low resistance temperature coefficient, and fast response time, our graphite heating elements provide temperatures up to 980 °C for efficient heat treatment processes.
Their lower thermal mass, resistance to thermal shock, and enhanced durability make them a superior choice compared to molybdenum heating elements.
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