Thermal Solutions Design Guide Build the perfect solution today This Design Guide is meant to provide introductory considerations for selecting appropriate heater technologies, as well as an index of heaters available for immediate shipment for testing and evaluation purposes. It also highlights design, integration, and assembly capabilities that enable Minco to work with you to develop comprehensive thermal solutions. Getting Started Accessories The Minco Difference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Getting Started The Minco Difference. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Selecting a Minco Heater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
The Minco Difference Harness Minco’s knowledge and diverse product lines to create the perfect solution Custom and integrated components E2E — Engineer to Engineer Minco operates four different product lines, all coordinated in the same facility for faster, seamless integration that can boost your time-to-market. This makes us unique in our ability to customize and integrate components into turnkey assemblies and complete thermal, sensing and flex circuitry solutions.
Selecting a Minco Heater Follow these steps to select your heater loss, download Minco White Paper “Estimating Power Requirements for Etched-Foil Heaters.” Also helpful is Thermal Calc, an online tool to assist with calculations. Both are available at www.minco.com. 1. Choose insulation type Pick from the available insulation types. When selecting insulation consider temperature range, maximum resistance density and maximum heater size. Insulation options are available on page 7. 4.
Selection and Design Thermofoil Solutions for Heating. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 Custom Design Options. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7 Heater Insulations. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .10 Installing a Thermofoil Heater. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Thermofoil™ Solutions for Heating Industry-leading heater technology Flexible Thermofoil™ Heaters Thermofoil™ heaters are thin, flexible components consisting of an etched-foil resistive heating element laminated between layers of flexible insulation. Since their introduction by Minco over 55 years ago, Thermofoil heaters have demonstrated significant advantages over conventional electric heaters. Precise heating Thermofoil heaters put heat where you need it.
Custom Design Options Heater designs to perfectly fit your application Methods to derive the profiling pattern include: Minco’s Unmatched Design Options •• Experimentation: Lay out a pattern with standard heaters and vary the power levels until temperature reaches the desired uniformity. Or, Minco can provide a custom heater with separately powered zones for prototyping. Minco will then reproduce the successful profile with a single element.
Custom Design Options Value-added assemblies and complete thermal solutions. Overview Clamped mica heaters For best heater performance and reduced installation costs, consider Minco’s capabilities in mounting heaters to make complete thermal subassemblies. You can furnish the heat sinks or we can fabricate them to your specifications. Either way, you get a guaranteed bond, superior reliability, and the benefits of Minco’s experience with advanced adhesives and lamination equipment.
Custom Design Options Integrating sensors and thermal cut-outs beneath the heater, yet remains close to the heating element itself. This tight coupling of heater, sensor, and heat sink can greatly improve heating control and accuracy. Sensors can be electrically connected via leadwires or flex circuitry. Temperature sensors Integrating sensors into heaters simplifies your assembly operations by providing a gradient-free system with excellent temperature control.
Heater Insulations Compare the insulations Minco uses in its heaters Polyimide/FEP Material Polyimide/FEP Polymide film with teflon adhesive Silicone rubber Rubber film with rubber adhesive Mica Mica insulation with temporary binder Optical grade polyester Polyester film with acrylic adhesive Silicone Rubber Mica Optical Grade Polyester Temperature range Max. size Max.
Installing a Thermofoil Heater Choose the best method for your application Versatile Thermofoil heaters allow a variety of mounting methods. Proper installation is crucial to heater performance. The heater must be in intimate contact with the surface beneath, as any gaps can block heat transfer and cause a hot spot resulting in premature heater failure.
Installation Method Comparison Description Usage notes Factory mounting to flat or curved heat sinks using an acrylic adhesive and our specialized lamination equipment •• Thin, uniform bond layer provides excellent heat transfer •• Enables watt densities up to 50 watts/in² (7.
Maximum Watt Density Calculate maximum allowable power All-Polyimide Heaters If watt density exceeds the maximum rating, the heater is in danger of overheating and premature failure. To obtain more power: 12.8 CLAMPED 10.9 9.3 50 7.8 40 6.4 FACTORY MOUNTED 30 Select a larger size heater Consider other heater insulation materials, e.g. mica 10 4.7 3.1 25 50 75 100 125 150 175 200 225 1.
Maximum Watt Density Refer to these parts when computing watt density Silicone Rubber Thermofoil Heaters 70 .008”/0.2mm Silicone Rubber Maximum Watt Density by Mounting Method WA Heaters 1mil/25μm WA 2mil/50μm Polyimide Maximum Watt Density by Mounting Method 10.9 #20 STRETCH TAPE 60 35 9.3 5.4 WA w/ALUM #12 PSA 40 6.2 30 4.7 20 3.1 Watts / in² VULCANIZED #6 RTV 1.6 0 0 50 3.9 WA w/ALUM #10/16/19 PSA 20 100 150 200 15 2.3 WA w/ PSA WA FACTORY MOUNTED/CLAMPED 0.
Simulation Capabilities Minco offers thermal simulations to ensure proper heater design Choosing Minco for Thermal Simulations When you choose Minco to create a thermal simulation, you are partnering with expertise in providing complete integrated thermal solutions for the most critical applications—in markets where failure is not an option. Minco performs more than 500 thermal simulations in a year.
List of Requirements for Analysis Refer to the following list while preparing your project for thermal analysis. The more detail our engineers receive, the more accurate and useful the simulation will be. •• Ambient Conditions (FEA) −− Any known heat transfer coefficients on any surfaces −− Ambient temperature of surfaces 3. Heater Requirements 1.
Prototyping with Thermofoil Heaters Use multiple standard heaters to prototype a profiled heating solution Estimating power requirements Create a Mosaic of Heaters Etched-foil heaters provide excellent temperature control and uniformity in a broad range of applications. Their thin profile and foil elements contribute to fast warm-up, consistent heat distribution, and extended heater life.
Heater Types Heater Types All-Polyimide (AP) Heaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Mica Thermofoil Heaters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21 Polyimide Thermofoil Heaters. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24 Silicone Rubber Thermofoil Heaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
All-Polyimide (AP) Thermofoil Heaters Flexible heaters provide uniform heat transfer to 260°C (500°F) Overview AP heaters are a high performance alternative to Minco’s standard polyimide heaters, allowing higher temperatures and watt densities. Minco’s unique ability to manufacture these heaters has prompted success in many high-temperature applications worldwide. AP heaters must be factory mounted or clamped to heat sinks, and are only available as custom designs.
Y Y 11 22 33 44 Stock AP Thermofoil Heaters 5 5 66 77 88 XX Buy online at Minco.com 99 Notes for Stock Heaters Heated area is within the X and Y dimensions •• Voltage and wattage values are for reference only •• Resistance tolerance is +/- 10% or +/- 0.
Mica Thermofoil Heaters High watt density and temperature range Overview Custom options Mica Thermofoil™ heaters consist of an etched foil element sandwiched between layers of mica. Installed by clamping to heat sinks, mica heaters provide the ultimate temperature and wattage capability for fast warmup. •• Custom shapes and sizes to 22” × 46” (560 × 1168 mm) •• Custom resistance options up to 25 W/in² (3.
Mica Thermofoil Heaters Technical specifications Specifications Installation instructions Temperature range: -150 to 600°C (-238 to 1112°F). Lead tab area: 538°C (1000°F) max. Minco Engineering Instruction #347 describes mica heater installation in detail. Contact Minco for a copy or download the document at www. minco.com/ Resistance tolerance: ±10% or ±0.5 W, whichever is greater. Dielectric strength: 0.010” (0.3mm) insulation: 1000 VRMS. 0.020” (0.
Stock Mica Thermofoil Heaters Buy online at Minco.com The stock heaters listed below are available for immediate shipment to support your testing and evaluation. Notes for Stock Heaters Rectanglular heaters Size (inches) X Y Size (mm) X Y Resistance Effective Area Lead (Ω at 0°C) in² AWG cm² Model Number 1.00 4.00 25.4 101.6 11.0 2.5 16.13 22 HM6950 •• Insulation thickness is .010” (0.3 mm) 1.00 4.00 25.4 101.6 21.2 2.5 16.
Polyimide Thermofoil Heaters Thin, flexible heating solutions from -200 to 200°C Overview •• Polyimide (Kapton™) is a thin, semitransparent material with excellent dielectric strength. Polyimide Thermofoil™ heaters are ideal for applications with space and weight limitations, or where the heater will be exposed to vacuum, oil, or chemicals.
Polyimide Thermofoil Heaters Technical specifications Specifications WA Heaters 35 Material: 0.002” Polyimide/0.001” adhesive (0.05/0.03 mm). Minimum bend radius: 0.030” (0.8 mm). 30 4.7 25 3.9 WA w/ALUM #10/16/19 PSA 20 3.1 15 Leadwire: Red PTFE insulated, stranded. 10 Current capacity (based on 100°C max. ambient temp.): AWG 30 - 3.0 A AWG 26 - 5.0 A AWG 24 - 7.5 A AWG 20 - 13.5 A 5 2.3 WA w/ PSA WA FACTORY MOUNTED/CLAMPED Watts / cm² Dielectric strength: 1000 VRMS. 5.
Stock Polyimide Thermofoil Heaters Buy online at Minco.com Notes for Stock Heaters •• Heated area is within the X and Y dimensions •• Voltage and wattage values are for reference only •• Resistance tolerance is +/- 10% or +/- 0.
Silicone Rubber Thermofoil Heaters Rugged and flexible to 235°C Overview Silicone rubber is a rugged, flexible elastomer material with excellent temperature properties. It is most suited to larger heaters and industrial applications.
Stock Silicone Rubber Thermofoil Heaters Buy online at Minco.com Notes for Stock Heaters Heated area is within the X and Y dimensions •• Voltage and wattage values are for reference only •• Resistance tolerance is +/- 10% or +/- 0.
Silicone Rubber Wire-Wound Heaters Uniform heating to 220°C Overview •• These silicone rubber heaters have a wirewound element and are economical in large sizes.
Stock Silicone Rubber Wire-Wound Heaters Buy online at Minco.com Notes for Stock Heaters •• Heated area is within the X and Y dimensions •• Voltage and wattage values are for reference only •• Resistance tolerance is +/- 10% or +/- 0.
SmartHeat SLT™ Heaters Minco’s self-limiting heaters require no sensor or controller Overview SmartHeat is the ideal solution for many of today’s most demanding heating applications. It provides a plug-and-play heating solution requiring only a power source. Each heater operates to a specific temperature and power based on its unique design. The heating power is applied and modulated at infinite points across the entire heating surface based on the heat load.
SmartHeat SLT Heaters Technical specifications Specifications Environment temperature range: -45°C (-49°F) to 100°C (212°F) Operational set point range: 10°C (50°F) to 70°C (158°F) Leadwires: 24 AWG Lot/Batch Variation: +/- 5decC typical Heater Size Constraint: 7 in x 22 in Maximum (standard construction) 22 in x 42 in Maximum (stitched construction) Heater thickness: 0.
Stock SmartHeat SLT Heaters Buy online at Minco.com The stock heaters listed below are available for immediate shipment to support your testing and evaluation.
Thermal-Clear™ Transparent Heaters Perfect for de-icing and de-fogging transparent materials Overview Thermal-Clear heaters and LCDs Featuring a micro-thin wire heating element laid in a pattern between optical grade polyester sheets, Thermal-Clear™ heaters provide reliable heat without blocking light. Most dot matrix LCDs lose sharpness and response speed below 0°C. Achieve acceptable performance at much colder temperatures with a Minco Thermal-Clear heater. 1-2 Ω/in² (0.16 - 0.
Thermal-Clear Transparent Heaters Technical specifications Specifications 12" (300 mm) Temperature range: -55 to 120°C (-67 to 248°F). Y X Insulation: Optical grade polyester is standard. Glass and polycarbonate materials are available on custom models. MAX. LEAD BULGE: 0.42" WIDE x 0.35" DEEP (11 X 9 mm) Transparency: 82% minimum light transmission over the visible spectrum. Heating element: Resistive wire, diameter 0.0008” to 0.002” (0.02 to 0.05 mm). Resistance tolerance: ±10% or ±0.
Stock Thermal-Clear Transparent Heaters Buy online at Minco.com 12" (300 mm) Notes for Stock Heaters •• Heated area is within the X and Y dimensions •• Resistance tolerance is +/- 10% or +/- 0.5Ω, whichever is greater •• Standard leadwire length is 12” (305mm) minimum •• Mounting: acrylic PSA applied on entire substrate area Y X DIMENSIONAL TOLERANCE: 6" (150 mm) or less: 6.01 - 12" (150 - 300 mm): Sized (inches) X Y Size (mm) X Y MAX. THICKNESS MAX. LEAD BULGE: 0.42" WIDE x 0.
Heater Accessories Thermostats. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 38 Pre-Cut Insulators. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Heater Accessories Select Thermostats and Insulators for your heaters Thermostats Thermostats provide basic heater control at little cost. You can also use them as thermal cutoffs in conjunction with other control systems. All thermostats come with a 1.5” (38.1 mm) long, silicone rubber coated sleeve for electrical insulation (case is electrically live), and mounting adhesive. Specification options TH100 Model number: TH100 (creep action) These thermostats are ordered separately.
Pre-cut Insulators Pre-cut insulator Trimmed to the same size as heaters, these pads provide thermal insulation to minimize heat loss. You can also place them between clamping plates and heaters for uniform pressure. Optional pressure sensitive adhesive (PSA) backing permits easy installation. It will not bond permanently and may be removed later without damaging the heater. Heater Heat sink * Every mica heater comes with two sheets of ceramic paper free of charge. Order extra sheets here.
Sensors and Controllers Temperature Sensors . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 41 Temperature Controllers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 42 CT325 Miniature DC Temperature Controllers. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 43 CT425 Temperature Controllers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Temperature Sensors Fast response and easy installation Minco is a leading manufacturer of temperature sensors. We have hundreds of common model configurations in stock for immediate shipment. Visit minco/com/components to see what we have in stock. Below is a selection of popular sensors for use with our heaters and controllers.
Temperature Controllers Choose the control method that works best for your application Uncontrolled system If powered without regulation, a heater will rise in temperature until heat losses (increasing with temperature) equal heat input. This may be acceptable in rare situations, but normally is avoided because the equilibrium temperature is highly unpredictable. In most cases the heater temperature needs to be controlled.
CT325 Miniature DC Temperature Controller Inexpensive heater control Overview The CT325 Miniature DC Temperature Controller is designed for use with Minco Thermofoil™ heaters and RTD or thermistor sensors. It offers inexpensive on/off temperature control of your process or equipment with accuracy many times better than bimetal thermostats. Easily read and adjust the set point temperature using a voltmeter, then monitor the actual signal temperature at the other end. Operating from your 4.
CT325 Miniature DC Temperature Controller Specification options CT325 Model number PD Sensor type from table below 1 Power supply: 1 = 4.75 to 10 VDC 2 = 7.5 to 60 VDC .69 (17.5) 1.09 (27.7) Mounting Hole C Temperature range: A = 25 to 75°C (thermistor only) C = 2 to 200°C (RTD only) 1 Dead band: 1 = 0.
CT425 Temperature Controllers Versatile, configurable controller Overview Minco’s CT425 Temperature Controller is a PID temperature controller capable of reading two independent temperature sensors (RTDs). By utilizing an internal solid state relay, logic voltage output, and internal mechanical relay, the controller is fully configurable. Simply connect the CT425 to a laptop or PC to configure.
Stock CT425 Temperature Controllers Buy on Minco.com The CT425 is a universal temperature controller that supports two platinum RTD inputs and three outputs. Thermistors are also supported to a limited extent. A 32 bit processor allows up to two PID loops to operate simultaneously at individually configurable loop rates up to 25Hz. An autotune feature generates PID coefficients, and all configurations are performed through a Windows application over a USB connection.
Reference FAQ. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 48 Glossary. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 51 Industry Specifications for Heaters . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Frequently Asked Questions Refer to these FAQs to learn more about Minco’s heater offerings Thermofoil Heaters What is the correct voltage for this heater? Standard heaters are specified by resistance, not voltage. This lets you operate them at different power levels. In selecting a heater model you should consider the size, resistance, operating temperature, total wattage and watt density (watts/in² or watts/ cm²) for your application.
SmartHeat utilizes a resistive foil bus-pattern to deliver a voltage potential to the underlying heating foil. This bus-pattern may act as an inductor in certain configurations, but this is a byproduct of the design and not the intended function.
What are the size limitations for your SmartHeat product line (i.e. the biggest and smallest heater you can produce)? The maximum size heating element that Minco is capable of manufacturing is 7 in. x 22 in. Larger heaters can be manufactured by combining (stitching) multiple heating elements on a common polyimide substrate and cover. The maximum size stitched heater Minco is capable of manufacturing is 22 in. x 42 in. The minimum size heating element that Minco is capable of manufacturing is 0.5 in.
Glossary Minco’s heater terminology defined All-in-one Heater: A heater which incorporates the functions of an external sensor and controllers. Anti-reset windup: Turns off integral action outside the proportional band to prevent false accumulation of error during warmup. AP (All-Polyimide): Flexible heaters with adhesiveless substrate and covers. High temperature capabilities to 260°C. Derivative: Adjustment to output based on the process’s rate of change, usually to allow faster recovery from upsets.
Integral: A controller feature that continuously compensates for droop by integrating errors over time and adjusting the proportional band up and down. Also expressed as “reset” (integral time = 1/reset rate). General rule: Short integral times give faster correction, but too short causes oscillation. ISO 9001: A quality management system that is accepted worldwide.
Set point: The temperature at which a controller is set to control a system. In SmartHeat SLT heaters, the setpoint is the temperature at which the heater is designed to reach and maintain. Shrink band: Pre-stretched strips, that shrink when heat is applied, for mounting heaters or temperature sensors to cylinders. Silicone rubber: A flexible, synthetic elastomer used to electrically insulate heaters and Thermal-Ribbons™.
Industry Specifications for Heaters Minco has been certified compliant with a number of international standards Core Certifications TÜV Minco’s Quality Management System complies with a variety of market-specific standards. Minco’s experience in each of our market areas enables us to understand their unique quality requirements and what it takes to meet them.
Thermal Solutions Design Guide | Specifications subject to change 55
Contact us today | Tel 763.571.3121 | minco.