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| CARTRIDGE HEATERS - PTC SELF-LIMITING |
PTC elements are electronic components made of a polycrystalline ceramic material with a barium titanate base, suitably doped according to the desired work characteristics.
Its peculiar property is instantly rising its resistance in a logarithmic ratio when temperature rises. This process, practically instantaneous, reaches stability at a certain temperature (Curie point). At such temperature the only energy absorbed is the one needed to keep the PTC element’s temperature constant.
Therefore, a rather high energy absorption will occur initially, that will then decrease depending, after a while, only on the dissipation coefficient. PTC is indeed the acronym of "Positive Temperature Coefficient".
Automax cartridges incorporate PTC elements, thus cannot be classified with a fixed wattage absorption. Their most significant measurable feature is instead the temperature that the heater’s sheath reaches when the cartridge is powered at the specified voltage and placed in open air at ambient temperature.
The input voltage of Automax cartridges can vary within a considerably broad range (12-36 V and 110-240 V) without significant variations in their efficiency.
In Automax cartridges, PTC lend their properties to the whole heater according to a technology exclusively developed by Rotfil’s technicians. This involves irreversibly compressing the electrodes on the entire surface of both input faces. This avoids a decrease of the efficiency due to oxidation, mechanical shocks, vibrations, etc. Insulation between electrodes and external sheath is given by a ceramic tube with high thermic conductivity, also compressed to provide maximum efficiency in heat transfer.
The main advantages of Automax heaters’ performances are therefore:
-Self-regulation
-Safety
-Energy saving
-Quick heating |
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Optimal work range of the PTC element
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