ECN Forum
Posted By: clgman Immersion Heaters - 03/01/09 07:18 PM
Gentlemen: This question concerns both application and safety(perhaps more) on direct Immersion Electric Heaters in a sump of a Cooling Tower. The Heaters are in direct contact with the water of the sump (cold water basin) to prevent freezing (typically 40 to 45 degrees). The sump areas are typically large enough to access through a door onto a cat walk. This places a worker directly above a sump area with a potentially charged (heater energized and failing) water source. Finally, my questions!! Is there a Megohm reading that the heater should pass to be considered safe, and does or should any type of code call for a specific type of breaker or fuse(circuit protection)for this application ?? More information available if required, thanks.
Posted By: gfretwell Re: Immersion Heaters - 03/01/09 07:40 PM
We use immersion heaters everywhere, like spas and domestic water heaters. The case of the element is usually bonded. Generally they seem to be pretty safe. If you are concerned, put it on a GFCI.
Posted By: kohli Re: Immersion Heaters - 03/01/09 08:24 PM
You are talking about in cooling towers Just put your lock on the heater disconect if you are concerned & why are you in there to do what?
Posted By: frenchelectrican Re: Immersion Heaters - 03/02/09 03:23 AM
IIRC the cooling towers do have specal safety producres if you used the immerison heaters and yes you must have a disconnection switch if you go in the " restricted " area.

If this on 3Ø you can get this on GFI relay or GFI breaker it will sense any bad elements that shorting out it will trip the GFI and the alarm luminaire go on to give you a head up the heater malfuction.

Merci,Marc
Posted By: KJay Re: Immersion Heaters - 03/05/09 03:55 AM
Originally Posted by clgman
Gentlemen: This question concerns both application and safety(perhaps more) on direct Immersion Electric Heaters in a sump of a Cooling Tower. The Heaters are in direct contact with the water of the sump (cold water basin) to prevent freezing (typically 40 to 45 degrees). The sump areas are typically large enough to access through a door onto a cat walk. This places a worker directly above a sump area with a potentially charged (heater energized and failing) water source. Finally, my questions!! Is there a Megohm reading that the heater should pass to be considered safe, and does or should any type of code call for a specific type of breaker or fuse(circuit protection)for this application ?? More information available if required, thanks.


I think that qualified persons following a written safety procedure can do more to prevent accidents than anything else.

IMO, since you normally can't enter a cooling tower to do any maintenance without first shutting down the water pumps at the chiller location, you should also LOTO the circuits or disconnects for the tower heaters and make up water valve before attempting to clean the sump filter grates or perform algae and mold removal.
Posted By: clgman Re: Immersion Heaters - 03/08/09 05:54 PM
Thanks for the replies, and I understand the normal safety procedures for Lock Out, Tag Out, etc. However to attempt to predict heater failure, or when a heater should be taken out of service before it actual trips a breaker or blows the fuses, a megohmeter reading or hipot test. or some type of test ought to able to be preformed to predict such a failure, and I'm courious about the voltage/current leakage to ground before the fault take place. Thanks Clgman.
© ECN Electrical Forums