• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content

Process Heating Services Ltd.

For Industrial Electric Heaters

  • Immersion Heater
    • PCSS 27/9/1 kW
      • PCSS27kW
      • PCSS9kW
      • PCSS1kW
    • Industrial Immersion Heater 3-24kW PII Range
      • 3kW Industrial Immersion Heater
      • 6kW Industrial Immersion Heater
      • 9kW Industrial Immersion Heater
      • 12kW Industrial Immersion Heater
      • 18kW Industrial Immersion Heater
      • 24kW Industrial Immersion Heater
    • Brewery Immersion Heater 3-18kW PCAB Range
      • 3kW Brewery Immersion Heater
      • 6kW Brewery Immersion Heater
      • 9kW Brewery Immersion Heater
      • 12kW Brewery Immersion Heater
      • 18kW Brewery Immersion Heater
    • Heavy Duty Industrial Immersion Heater 4.5-24kW PIH Range
      • 4.5kW Heavy Industrial Immersion Heater
      • 9kW Heavy Industrial Immersion Heater
      • 12kW Heavy Industrial Immersion Heater
      • 15kW Heavy Industrial Immersion Heater
      • 18kW Heavy Industrial Immersion Heater
      • 24kW Heavy Industrial Immersion Heater
    • Oil Immersion Heater 750w – 4.5kW POIL Range
      • 750W Oil Immersion Heater
      • 1kW Oil Immersion Heater
      • 1.5kW Oil Immersion Heater
      • 2.25kW Oil Immersion Heater
      • 3kW Oil Immersion Heater
      • 3.75kW Oil Immersion Heater
      • 4.5kW Oil Immersion Heater
      • 6kW Oil Immersion Heater
    • Removeable Immersion Heaters for Breweries
    • Flanged Immersion Heater
  • Heating Element
    • Incoloy 800 Heating Element 250W–6kW
    • Finned Element—for Air Heating Units 250W–6kW
    • Air Heating Element 500W – 3kW
    • Element configurations
  • Vat Heater
  • Air Heater
  • Breweries
    • Breweries—Our Favourite Customers
    • 2.25″BSP Brewery Heater PCAB Range
    • Removable Brewery Immersion Heater PIR Range
    • Water heating time calculator
  • Accessories
  • CONTACT
  • Testimonials
  • Blog

PHS Blog

Watt density and its importance for brewery immersion heaters

By polymer on April 8, 2015

Have a little look at the general watt density explanation, which can be found HERE.

In terms of brewing, the higher the watt density, the higher the temperature of the sheath and consequently the more your wort, hops, etc are going to stick to that element. This starts an unfortunate snowball rolling downhill. As “stuff” sticks, the heat being produced by the element cannot dissipate (or get away) so the element sheath gets even hotter, and more “stuff” sticks. This explains the importance of cleaning any crust off your elements as, once its there, it’s only going to get worse, until it kills the element. Unless you get it off.

Which may explain why one brewer told me today that he’d been advised to spend 45 minutes cleaning EACH ELEMENT of his heaters. WOW, 2 hours & 15 minutes to clean one immersion heater. Every brew. We need to bring back child slavery or expand the Apprenticeship system for this investment of time and labour to be viable!?!

I’m all for advising you to look after your stuff, so you don’t have to speak to me too often, but 135 minutes?

Having spoken to many a brewer over the last few years (it seems to be the only expanding area of production industry, due to that little quirk of the tax & vat laws, long may it continue), it seems that everybody cleans a different way. I’ve heard of toothbrushes, scouring pads, lemon juice & other mild acids, mild alkali products, jet washing, steam cleaning & even the cleaning fairy. Whatever works for you.

So, to sum up, we have to keep the watt density down, while giving you brewers the heating power you crave, to get up to temperature as rapidly as possible. Cleaning time is wasted brewing time, but keeping the elements crud free will extend the working life considerably.

So how do we address these issues? By giving you, the brewing customer the relevant, educational information and a range of alternative solutions, to suit different pockets and different levels of urgency of need (ie, if you’ve boiled dry and blown a heater up and are unable to brew, meaning you want it yesterday, or if you are planing an upscale to greater brewing capacity, and can wait a couple or 3 weeks for delivery of something tailor made).

We used to sell a lot of PIH heaters to brewers, and still do for those that want like for like replacements, but the half inch elements do not have much of a gap between them, for scrubbing purposes. Italian, pricey, but rock solid.

PIH Heavy Immersion Heater
PIH Heavy Immersion Heater

So we introduced the PCAB range (Process Calorifier And Brewery) with 10mm elements and a bigger gap. Nice to clean 10mm elements, again Italian, so unfortunately no flexibility on lengths, etc, as we have to buy in 20’s.

PCAB Brewery Immersion Heater
PCAB Brewery Immersion Heater

Then we had the bright idea of tweaking the bends on our PII range (8mm double looped elements = almost twice as much element in the immersed length available) to make the upward leg flex outwards after insertion through the weld boss. Could be flexed up to 30º, but hot element MUST remain in solution at all times. Also, being available bespoke in 2 weeks allows us to maximise the amount of element squeezed into your tank.

PIB terminal box and elements
PIB Brewery Immersion Heater

Finally, what we consider to be the optimum solution, but will require new tank fittings as it is not a 2.25″BSP fitting. The PIR Range is a removable immersion heater, allowing you to remove the whole unit between brews, for cleaning purposes. Bespoke to maximise power and minimise watt density, 2 week leadtime. Slightly increased costs will more than pay for themselves in the ease & speed of cleaning, and resulting extension in working lifespan of the heater.

removable brewery immersion heater
Removable Brewery Immersion Heater

Whichever option tickles your fancy, or if you just want to ask a question, or perhaps you want to report a sighting of the Cleaning Fairy, call me, Jamie, on 01827 703228.

IP Ratings explained.

By Jamie Bristoll on February 16, 2021

Ingress Protection (IP) and what it means

The IP Code (or International Protection Rating, sometimes also interpreted as Ingress Protection Rating*) consists of the letters IP followed by two digits and an optional letter. As defined in international standard IEC 60529, it classifies the degrees of protection provided against the intrusion of solid objects (including body parts like hands and fingers), dust, accidental contact, and water in electrical enclosures. The standard aims to provide users more detailed information than vague marketing terms such as waterproof.

The digits (usually numerals) indicate conformity with the conditions summarized in the tables below. For example, an electrical socket rated IP22 is protected against insertion of fingers and will not be damaged or become unsafe during a specified test in which it is exposed to vertically or nearly vertically dripping water. IP22 or 2X are typical minimum requirements for the design of electrical accessories for indoor use.

First Digit: Solids

The first digit indicates the level of protection that the enclosure provides against access to hazardous parts (e.g., electrical conductors, moving parts) and the ingress of solid foreign objects.

Level Object size protected against Effective against
0 Not protected No protection against contact and ingress of objects
1 >50mm Any large surface of the body, such as the back of the hand, but no protection against deliberate contact with a body part.
2 >12.5mm Fingers or similar objects.
3 >2.5mm Tools, thick wires, etc.
4 >1mm Most wires, screws, etc.
5 Dust Protected Ingress of dust is not entirely prevented, but it must not enter in sufficient quantity to interfere with the satisfactory operation of the equipment; complete protection against contact.
6 Dust Tight No ingress of dust; complete protection against contact.

 


 

Second Digit: Liquids

Protection of the equipment inside the enclosure against harmful ingress of water.

Level Object size protected against Effective against
0 Not protected –
1 Dripping water Dripping water (vertically falling drops) shall have no harmfull effect.
2 Dripping water when tilted up to 15° Vertically dripping water shall have no harmful effect when the enclosure is tilted at an angle up to 15° from its normal position.
3 Spraying water Water falling as a spray at any angle up to 60° from the vertical shall have no harmful effect.
4 Splashing water Water splashing against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effect.
5 Water jets Water projected by a nozzle (6.3mm) against enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects.
6 Powerful water jets Water projected in powerful jets (12.5mm nozzle) against the enclosure from any direction shall have no harmful effects.
7 Immersion up to 1m Ingress of water in harmful quantity shall not be possible when the enclosure is immersed in water under defined conditions of pressure and time (up to 1 m of submersion).
8 Immersion beyond 1m The equipment is suitable for continuous immersion in water under conditions which shall be specified by the manufacturer. Normally, this will mean that the equipment is hermetically sealed. However, with certain types of equipment, it can mean that water can enter but only in such a manner that it produces no harmful effects.

 


IP Rating Reference Chart

Below is an easy to follow reference chart to help you decide which IP rating you need or have.

IP Number First Digit – SOLIDS Second Digit – LIQUIDS
IP00 Not protected from solids. Not protected from liquids.
IP01 Not protected from solids. Protected from condensation.
IP02 Not protected from solids. Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP03 Not protected from solids. Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP04 Not protected from solids. Protected from water spray from any direction.
IP05 Not protected from solids. Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction.
IP06 Not protected from solids. Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction.
IP07 Not protected from solids. Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP08 Not protected from solids. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP10 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Not protected from liquids.
IP11 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from condensation.
IP12 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP13 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP14 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from water spray from any direction.
IP15 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction.
IP16 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction.
IP17 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP18 Protected from touch by hands greater than 50 millimeters. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP20 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Not protected from liquids.
IP21 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from condensation.
IP22 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP23 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP24 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from water spray from any direction.
IP25 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction.
IP26 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction.
IP27 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP28 Protected from touch by fingers and objects greater than 12 millimeters. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP30 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Not protected from liquids.
IP31 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from condensation.
IP32 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP33 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP34 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from water spray from any direction.
IP35 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction.
IP36 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction.
IP37 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP38 Protected from tools and wires greater than 2.5 millimeters. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP40 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Not protected from liquids.
IP41 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from condensation.
IP42 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP43 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP44 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from water spray from any direction.
IP45 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction.
IP46 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction.
IP47 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP48 Protected from tools and small wires greater than 1 millimeter. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP50 Protected from limited dust ingress. Not protected from liquids.
IP51 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from condensation.
IP52 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP53 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP54 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from water spray from any direction.
IP55 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction.
IP56 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction.
IP57 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP58 Protected from limited dust ingress. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP60 Protected from total dust ingress. Not protected from liquids.
IP61 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from condensation.
IP62 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from water spray less than 15 degrees from vertical.
IP63 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from water spray less than 60 degrees from vertical.
IP64 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from water spray from any direction.
IP65 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from low pressure water jets from any direction.
IP66 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from high pressure water jets from any direction.
IP67 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from immersion between 15 centimeters and 1 meter in depth.
IP68 Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from long term immersion up to a specified pressure.
IP69K Protected from total dust ingress. Protected from steam-jet cleaning.

 

REFERENCES

1. IEC 60529, “degrees of Protection Provided by Enclosures (IP Codes),” Ed. 2.1 (Geneva: International Electrotechnical Commision, 2011)

2. IEC 60529 (Ed. 2.1), clause 4.1.

For more information on IP Rating please consider the following links:

  • IEC 60529 – “Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code)”
  • IEC Standards
  • NEMA Enclosure Ratings
  • Wikipedia Article – “IP Code“

Catharsis.

By Jamie Bristoll on September 24, 2019 0

Last time I did the Dog & Monkey on the same day, I ended up in Good Hope Hospital having my head x-rayed for damage, having had a little tumble 100 yards from the end of Lower Cliff. This time, in glorious sunshine, Jon, my newly acquired American bike buddy, and I met up with Sisi, Byron & Ben on the journey round, had a great ride round, foraged some blackberries, and I exorcised some ghosts. Gotta get back on the bike after a fall. Bloody Strava dropped me part way round, I did not fly a large section in a straight line as the map indicates.

My happy, if a little hot and thirsty, companions.

Adrenaline still coursing through my veins, hence the smile. In the lavs of The Chase pub, which has good Marstons Pedigree, which I avoided that day.

Adrenaline gone, my daughter ran away upon seeing me. I bought a full face helmet soon after. I really must start wearing it!

BSP explained.

By Jamie Bristoll on February 3, 2017

Thanks to whoever researched and produced this web page, which explains the intricacies of the British Standard Pipe Thread family most accurately and eloquently.

How to wire an immersion heater.

By polymer on June 27, 2014 0

Find out more at Elements Of Heating.

What is an immersion heater?

By polymer on August 22, 2013 0

Read more at Elements Of Heating

  • Go to page 1
  • Go to page 2
  • Go to Next Page »

Quick Links

  • Contact
  • Heat-up Calculations
  • Useful Links
  • Terms & Conditions

Social Media

PHS on Twitter

Find us on Facebook

watch our YouTube videos

Smart Income
Treewise Tree Services: Tree Surgeons in Sutton Coldfield

While you're here, why not visit one of our happy customers' websites as well?

Your Name Here
Your Name Here

© 2021 Process Heating Services • Web development by counsell.com