SPECIFICATION SHEET

Circulation Heaters

Heaters Designed to Heat

Forced-Circulation Air,
Gases or Liquids
Flange
Assembly
Gasket

Circulation heaters provide a ready-made means to install Threaded

Pipe Outlet
electric heating with a minimal amount of time and labor.
This is accomplished by combining heating elements, vessel,
insulation, terminal enclosure, mounting brackets and inlet Jacket
Mounting
and outlet connections into a complete assembly. 1 in. (25 mm)
Lugs

Insulation
Made from National Pipe Thread (NPT) screw plug or Pressure
Vessel
ANSI flange heater assemblies mated with a pressure vessel
(tank), circulation heaters are designed to heat Threaded
Pipe Inlet
forced-circulation air, gases or liquids. Ideal for either
in-line or side-arm operations, these assemblies direct
fluids past WATROD™ heating elements, to deliver fast Features and Benefits
response and even heat distribution. Catalog screw plug and flange part numbers
Watlow® meets virtually all circulation heater assembly needs • Provides a wide selection of WATROD elements to meet
with made-to-order units. Watlow circulation heaters can be specific application requirements
made from a wide range of heating element sheath materials,
Type Sizes (in.)
wattages, vessel sizes and materials, pressure ratings, terminal
enclosures and controls. NPT screw plugs 11/4, 21/2
ANSI flanges 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14
Performance Capabilities
• Watt densities up to 120W/in2 (18.6 W/cm2) ANSI B16.5 Class 150 on 4 or 6 inch FIREBAR element flanges
and 3 to 14 inch WATROD element flanges
• Wattages up to three megawatts • Meets recognized agency standards
• UL® and CSA component recognition up to 690VAC FIREBAR assemblies pack more wattage in a smaller heater
• Ratings up to ANSI Class 600 pressure class bundle
• Alloy 800/840 sheath temperatures up to 1600°F (870°C) • Replaces larger flanges with round tubular elements, with a
smaller package
• Passivated 316 stainless steel sheath temperatures
up to 1200°F (650°C) Compacted mgO insulation filled elements
• Maximizes dielectric strength, heat transfer and life
• Steel sheath temperatures up to 750°F (400°C)
1 inch (25 mm) thermal insulation rated to 750°F (400°C)
• Reduces heat loss from the vessel
Heavy-gauge steel jacket (shroud)
• Protects thermal insulation and heating vessel and comes
with protective primer coating
Features and Benefits (Continued) Options
All catalog units are rated to ANSI pressure Class 150 Terminal Enclosures
• Provides pressure vessels (tanks) that are either carbon, General purpose terminal enclosures, without
304 or 316 stainless steel thermostats, are supplied on all Watlow circulation
heaters. Moisture and explosion resistant ratings are
Standard offering includes units rated for up to and
available to meet specific application needs.
including ANSI pressure class 600 (application review
required) Stand-off Terminal Enclosures
• Provides pressure vessels (tanks) available in carbon steel, Stand-off terminal enclosures help protect terminal
304 or 316 stainless steel materials enclosures against excessive temperatures.
• Includes schedule 40, standard and 80 pipe used in the ASME Pressure Vessel Code Welding
pressure vessel construction Flange or screw plug assemblies can be provided with an
ASME Section VIII or Section I, Div. I pressure vessel stamp
Catalog units provided with NPT or ANSI Class 150
upon request.
nozzle connection
• Makes installation easy. Inlet and outlet nozzle connections Branch Circuits
are threaded MNPT on 8 in. (203 mm) and smaller tanks. Branch circuits are designed for 48 amperes per circuit
Class 150 flanged connections on 10 in. (254 mm) and maximum. Contact a Watlow representative for circuit
larger tanks requirements other than those listed in the stock charts.
Mounting lugs are welded onto the tank wall of all 21/2 in. Certified Enclosures
(64 mm) NPT and larger units CSA, ATEX or IECEx certified enclosures protect wiring in
• Provides mounting support hazardous gas environments. These terminal enclosures,
covered under CSA file number
Direction of61707, ATEX certificate #
General purpose, moisture resistant enclosures available Flow
SIRA 10ATEX 1155X or IECEx certificate # IECEx CSA 09.0010
• Offers easy access to terminal wiring
are available on WATROD flange heaters.
Flange mounting holes
• Straddles centerline to comply with industry standards For products that will be installed in hazardous locations,
please provide the following information:
UL® and CSA component recognition under file numbers
E52951 and 31388 respectively • Operating conditions
• Meets industry safety standards • Minimum and maximum ambient
Direction of Flow temperatures for the

installation location
Typical Applications • Mounting orientation
Water: Watlow must understand this information so that an
• Deionized appropriate design can be provided.
• Demineralized Thermostats
Direction of Flow
• Clean To provide process temperature control, Watlow offers
optional single- and double-pole thermostats. Thermostats
• Potable are typically mounted in the terminal enclosure. Optional
• Process side mounting on vessel also available.
• Industrial water rinse tanks Baffles
• Hydraulic oil, crude, asphalt Direction of Flow
• Lubricating oils at API specified watt densities
• Heat transfer oil
• Paraffin
• Caustic cleaners
• Nitrogen, hydrogen and other air/gas systems Baffles mounted on the heating element bundle enhance
• Superheating steam and/or modify liquid or gas flow for better heat transfer.
For critical sheath temperature and low flow conditions,
baffles may be required.
Contact a Watlow representative for details.
Thermocouples
To sense process or element sheath temperature, ASTM
Type J or K thermocouples are available.
Options (Continued) Passivated Finish
Process Thermocouple in Nozzle For critical applications, passivation will remove free iron
(Must specify which nozzle) from all wetted surfaces.
Contact a Watlow representative for details.
Gaskets
Rubber, asbestos-free and spiral wound gaskets are available
Ref
T for all heater flange, and inlet and outlet flange sizes.
Watlow recommends ordering spares in case replacement
becomes necessary.
To order, specify gasket type, flange size/rating and process
operating temperature.
Inlet and Outlet Nozzle Connections
All inlet and outlet materials are compatible with the
Ref. Ref. Dimension pressure vessel material and pressure class rating.
Tank Size Nozzle Size “A” Vessel sizes from 11/4 to 8 inches are typically configured
11/4 3
/4 NPT 83/16
with Male National Pipe Thread (MNPT) nozzles. Optional
21/2 1 NPT 83/16 NPT and flange sizes can be supplied to mate with
3 1 NPT 83/16 existing piping.
4 11/2 NPT 103/8 10 inch and larger vessels are supplied with Class 150 inlet
5 2 NPT 111/16 and outlet flanges. Optional Class 300 or Class 600 can be
6 21/2 NPT 133/8 provided to mate with existing piping.
8 21/2 NPT 143/8 To order, specify type, size and pressure class rating for both
For 10 in. (254 mm) and larger tanks contact your Watlow inlet and outlet nozzle/flange connections.
representative for dimension.
Support Saddles
Sheath Materials To mate with an existing installation, customized support
The following sheath materials are available on WATROD saddle(s) and/or mounting lugs are available.
and FIREBAR heating elements: To order, specify mounting lugs or support saddles and
supply a dimensional drawing.
Standard Sheath Materials
WATROD Alloy 800/840 High-Temperature Thermal Insulation
316 SS To further minimize heat loss, the pressure vessel’s
Steel standard one inch thermal insulation wrap may be replaced
FIREBAR Alloy 800, 304 SS with thicker and/or higher temperature insulation.
For more information, contact your Watlow representative.
Made-to-Order Sheath Materials To order, specify insulation thickness, standard or high
WATROD 304 SS temperature insulation and temperature rating.
Alloy 600
Vessels may be supplied with a primer coating
Titanium
Hastelly® C276 without insulation.
To order, specify no insulation.
Wattages and Voltages
Pressure Vessels
Watlow routinely supplies circulation heaters with
All catalog pressure vessel (tank) materials consist of
120 to 690VAC as well as wattages from 500 watts
standard schedule and 150# class forged fittings and are
to one megawatt. If required, Watlow will configure
made from one of the following materials:
circulation heaters with voltages and wattages outside
these parameters. • Carbon steel
For more information on special voltage and wattage • 316 stainless steel
configurations, contact a Watlow representative. All catalog pressure vessels (tanks) are steel unless otherwise
Protective Steel Jacket (Shroud) noted.
To protect circulation heaters from weather or wash-down 316 stainless steel pressure vessels (tanks) are passivated on
conditions, partially welded (standard) outer protective all wetted surfaces. Available from assembly stock on
steel jackets are available. Standard steel, or made-to-order 21/2 inch NPT and 4 or 6 inch ANSI flange circulation heaters.
304 or 316 stainless steel or aluminum can be supplied. Made-to-order units can be made in a variety of materials,
Jacket diameter is dependent upon thermal insulation flange sizes and pressure classes. Ratings to ANSI class 2500
thickness. pressure class are available for high-pressure applications.
To order, specify protective steel jacket, material type and
weatherproof, if desired.
Ordering Information
Part Number
① ② ③ ④
Stock Plug or Optional Optional Sheath
ANSI Flange Terminal Process Limit
Part Number Enclosures Sensors Sensors

① Stock Plug or ANSI Flange Part Number ④ Sheath Limit Sensor

Insert Part Number HJ= Type J high-limit thermocouple, horizontal mount
Note: Catalog part numbers include optional enclosures and process TJ= Type J high-limit thermocouple, vertical/housing at top
sensors. To order optional enclosures or sensors, substitute the
appropriate suffix. BJ= Type J high-limit thermocouple, vertical/housing at bottom
HK= Type K high-limit thermocouple, horizontal mount
② Optional Terminal Enclosure
TK= Type K high-limit thermocouple, vertical/housing at top
S = General purpose enclosure
BK= Type K high-limit thermocouple, vertical/housing at bottom
W = Moisture resistant enclosure
Note: Heater orientation is critical to accurate sensing of limit
E = Explosion resistant enclosure
conditioners. Use the appropriate code to indicate heater mounting
C = Moisture/explosion resistant enclosure orientations.
Note: Catalog listings include either a general purpose enclosure or
moisture/explosion resistant enclosure. Substitute enclosure options
are noted.

③ Optional Process Sensor

2 = 30 to 250°F (-1 to 121°C), SPST
3 = 175 to 550°F (79 to 288°C), SPST
4 = 40 to 110°F (-1 to 43°C), DPST
5A= 60 to 250°F (16 to 121°C), DPST (FIREBAR)
7A= 100 to 500°F (38 to 288°C), DPST (FIREBAR)
J = Type J process thermocouple in thermowell
K = Type K process thermocouple in thermowell

Watlow® and FIREBAR® are registered trademarks of Watlow Electric Manufacturing

Company.
WATROD™ is trademark of Watlow Electric Manufacturing Company.
UL® is a registered trademark of Underwriter’s Laboratories, Inc.
Hastelloy® is a registered trademark of Haynes International.

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