In the laboratory, heaters are required for all processes requiring the heating of liquid substances. Modern requirements demand maximum safety, constant repeatability and controlled energy consumption. Thanks to the latest technologies and materials, these requirements can be met.
Precision heaters
Today's heater plates are designed for applications requiring high precision, stability and repeatability. Digital controls enable accurate control of the probes.
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The plates are made of materials that ensure even heat distribution. They can be round or rectangular in non-corrosive materials.
The heating time and temperature to be reached can be programmed. Once the set values are reached, the acoustic signal is activated.
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Uniformity of temperature
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In order to ensure maximum temperature uniformity, the base plates can be made of ceramic or aluminium.
If the heater is circular, the balloon is completely surrounded by the heating agent, which guarantees maximum efficiency.
Heating liquids are usually water or oil, which has greater holding properties over time.
In the laboratory, it may also be necessary to heat containers at high temperatures and of atypical shapes. For this purpose, there are heating tapes that can be wrapped around the instrument or container to be heated.
Even in this case, of course, safety and maximum efficiency are guaranteed.
There are tapes made of quartz fibres that reach temperatures of up to 900°C.
Fibreglass models can reach temperatures of up to 400°C and are usually used to wrap even small tubes.
These are also used to heat the containers.
For maximum safety requirements, there are explosion-proof heater models consisting of welded and sealed elements that guarantee perfect insulation. These models are approved according to the highest safety standards in force.
These models are also approved according to the highest safety standards.
Other forms of heating used in the laboratory are dry heaters, which require the use of blocks, usually made of aluminium, to house the containers.
In the context of the general need to heat some substance inside the laboratory, let us take a look at the most popular instrument intended for this purpose.
Cheating Plates for Chemical Laboratory
Heating plates are indispensable within a chemical laboratory, their use is essential for carrying out classic tasks requiring the heating of liquid substances contained within special containers. Thanks to the latest technology, they are able to guarantee maximum safety within the workplace, high heating precision and energy savings.
Electrical hotplates
Electrical hotplates due to their safety and functionality are the most sought after and used in chemical laboratories. They consist of an electrically heated ceramic glass plate and can be of varying widths depending on the intended use.
Thanks to the material it is made of, it is able to produce and maintain a uniform and constant temperature across the entire surface of the hotplate, the controls are very functional and regulate the temperature very well, being able to control it quickly, all in maximum safety and with the possibility of operating a switch to turn the hotplate off immediately. In relation to the qualities of the hotplate, professionalism and resistance, the prices are not very high or exaggerated, on the contrary they reflect excellent value for money.
Laboratory hotplate
In laboratories, heating plates are one of the basic tools, indispensable for heating certain substances, usually water and oil. Ease and speed of heating are two of the qualities that all technicians require of the hotplate to be used. The technician relies on the speed with which the hotplate can reach the desired temperature and on the reliability of the hotplate, which must maintain a uniform temperature across the entire surface of the instrument. In achieving high temperatures and safe performance, low power consumption is required to ensure maximum efficiency through minimum consumption.
The use of the hotplates is very intuitive as they are equipped with only one or two knobs, in case they also act as magnetic stirrers. By simply turning the knob, the hotplate reaches the desired temperature and emits an acoustic signal. The hotplates are equipped with safety devices to prevent the technician from being burnt by the heated material; they are designed to insulate the hot zones, in compliance with current legislation.
Chemical heating plate
Of all laboratory instruments, the heating plate is one of the most widely used and necessary, and the best and most high-tech, as well as highly safe, equipment is always required to do the job in the laboratory.
For heating plates, superior resistance is required, so that they can be used in contact with corrosive materials such as acids and bases, and resist scratching. The technology of the hotplate must guarantee the best user experience, with the possibility of freely setting the temperature, that the temperature is reached quickly and that the surface of the hotplate, made of highly resistant material, heats evenly. Technological development and scientific progress provide state-of-the-art materials and tools that guarantee great reliability and safety in the use of such hotplates.
Useful Links Heating plate Cast iron heating plate Cast iron heating plate
Thermoblocks
Other special equipment, again in the area of heaters, are heated thermoblocks.
Sometimes there is a need to heat a container, usually glass.
In these cases, a solution is sought that can heat as much of the container's surface area as possible.
For this reason, blocks are created with holes of the appropriate size to hold different types of test tubes.
They are usually made of cast iron.
In fact, the test tube is usually the container used to carry out these processes.
The most common test tubes used in experiments involving the heating of substances are the standard 100 mm high test tubes.
Or the large 33 mm diameter test tubes.
Blocks with holes suitable for holding the most common test tubes are available on the market.
The most common test tubes are the standard 100 mm high test tubes.
However, for special requirements, it is not difficult to have a specialised workshop make an aluminium block with customised holes. The material from which these blocks are made is aluminium because of its properties as an excellent heat conductor.
On reaching temperature, the entire block transmits the heat evenly and distributes it over the surface of the containers with which it is in contact. The heater must be equipped with a metal tank to contain the blocks. This is because thermal shock can occur during heating, resulting in the glass container breaking.
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In these cases, to prevent the contained liquids from being dispersed, it is a good idea to provide a collection tank to protect the device from damage.
The heating container is generically called a 'thermomantle' because its function is to cover as much of the container's surface as possible in order to heat it.
This is very evident with flasks that must be almost completely immersed in the block. In the past, other techniques such as heating tapes or heating socks have also been used.
These solutions, however, apart from being unreliable from the point of view of the temperatures reached, do not offer sufficient guarantees of safety in the event of liquid spillage.
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See RC and RC2 series heating plates
See also TD 2000 heating pads