Comparison of self-limiting temperature and constant power heating cable

Self-limiting temperature and constant power electric heating cables are two different electric heating cables, which have different characteristics and applicable occasions in heating and heat preservation applications. Below we compare these two products from different aspects, mainly heating principle, power, installation and maintenance, and service life and safety. Both differ in these respects.

1. Heating principle. Both self-limiting and constant power electric heating cables adopt the principle of electrothermal conversion, and heat objects through the heat generated after electrification. The self-limiting temperature electric heating cable is made of PTC ceramic material. As the temperature rises, the resistance value changes in a stepwise manner. It can automatically limit the heating power and has the characteristics of automatic constant temperature. The constant power electric heating cable is made of parallel resistance material, which generates a fixed power per meter after being energized. As the temperature rises, the resistance value will not change, so it will not automatically limit heating.

2. Power. The self-limiting temperature electric heating cable has the feature of automatically adjusting the heating power. When the temperature is too high, it will automatically reduce the power to keep the temperature stable. This feature makes it suitable for some occasions that require insulation but do not require overheating protection, such as pipelines, storage tanks, etc. The constant power electric heating cable does not automatically adjust the heating power, so it is suitable for some occasions that require overheating protection, such as medical equipment, electronic equipment, etc.

3. Installation and maintenance. Self-limiting temperature heating cable has the characteristics of good flexibility, bendability, and shearability. It is easy to install and can be laid and wound at will. On the other hand, the heating belt body of the electric heat tracer with constant power demand is relatively hard, and fixed support is required during installation, and the maintenance is relatively complicated.

4. Service life and safety. The self-limiting temperature electric heating cable is made of PTC ceramic material, which has high safety. The constant power electric heating cable has a long service life and is made of parallel resistance material, which is easily affected by voltage fluctuations and short circuits, and its safety is relatively low.

To sum up, self-limiting temperature and constant power electric heating cables have their own advantages and disadvantages, and they need to be selected according to specific applications. When choosing, it is necessary to comprehensively consider factors such as the material, structure and use environment of the heated equipment, pipes and other objects.