Application Engineering Application Engineering

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AE17- 1238 Application of Immersion Type Crankcase Heaters
Many larger horsepower Copelametic compressors are designed for immersion type crankcase heaters which mount in the compressor crankcase with the heater element in direct contact with the oil. Due to the limited space available and the need for a sufcient amount of heat to maintain the crankcase oil temperature a reasonable differential above outside temperature under low ambient conditions, high surface temperatures on the heater surface are unavoidable. As long as the surface temperature remains below the point at which oil carbonizes, no operating problem arises. However, if the surface temperature reaches 350F or higher, then oil breakdown can occur, carbon can form, and chemical reactions can occur which may cause compressor failure. Since the design safety margin is relatively small, extreme operating conditions can create dangerous temperatures, and system design precautions may be necessary. Heater elements are simple resistance heaters, so the heat developed is proportional to the square of the voltage. A 10% increase in voltage results in an increase in the heat generated in excess of 20%. Obviously the application of crankcase heaters on systems where high voltage is encountered is far more critical. The rate at which heat can be dissipated from the heater depends on the surface heat transfer coefcient, which is much higher when in contact with liquid as opposed to vapor. Therefore, if a high oil level is maintained in the crankcase at all times, heat transfer will be efcient, but if there are recurring periods when oil is low in the crankcase, as might occur on commercial applications, carbonizing temperatures are much more likely to occur. Another factor affecting heat dissipation is the temperature of the oil in which the heater is immersed. The higher the oil temperature, the greater the heater surface temperature required to give off the same amount of heat. Dangerous temperatures on air conditioning applications will seldom if ever be encountered unless the compressor is required to operate in very high ambient temperatures at extremely high voltage. However, low temperature applications at high voltage conditions are almost certain to be at the danger point. To provide adequate compressor protection, immersion type crankcase heaters on low temperature compressors must be de-energized when the compressor is operating, if above nominal voltage is to be expected. It is strongly recommended that this type of heater be de-energized during operation on low temperature compressors regardless of the voltage, and even on air conditioning compressors, it is good design practice to de-energize the heater when the compressor is operating. Disconnecting the heater may be accomplished by a reverse acting auxiliary contact on the contactor, or by means of a normally closed relay operated from the pilot circuit. Heaters mounted in external wells, or externally mounted heaters dissipate their heat over a much greater area and are not in direct contact with the oil, so the above restrictions would not apply in their application.

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September 1973
Reformatted October 2010

2010 Emerson Climate Technologies Printed in the U.S.A.