Abstract: A suspension mounted heating system is designed to allow easy installation of electric heating cable that is positioned against the bottom surface of a suspended stair or walkway so that heat generated by the cable is efficiently transferred up into the stair or walkway material to raise its temperature enough to prevent the accumulation of snow and ice on the material's top surface.

Abstract: A skin effect heating system for long pipelines includes a heater cable disposed in a ferromagnetic or other conductive heat tube. A semiconductive jacket contacts the inner surface of the heat tube, where the charge density of the return current carried by the heat tube is at its highest. The semiconductive jacket material has a resistivity that is sufficiently low to reduce or eliminate arcing events such as corona discharge by allowing accumulated charge on the heat tube to dissipate. The resistivity is also high enough to prevent the return current from flowing into or through the semiconductive outer layer, so that heat production capacity of the system is maximized.

Abstract: An end cap for a heat shrink kit having a heat shrink tubing, wherein the end cap includes a tubing portion sized to be inserted into the heat shrink tubing and an end portion configured to prevent at least a portion of a flame from reaching the heat shrink tubing.

Abstract: A low smoke, zero halogen self-regulating heating cable includes a semi-conductive heating core and two conductive wires embedded within and separated by the semi-conductive heating core. The cable also includes a primary jacket surrounding the semi-conductive core, a braid surrounding the primary jacket, and a final jacket surrounding the braid. At least one of the primary jacket and the final jacket includes a low smoke, zero halogen material.

Abstract: A skin effect heating system for long pipelines includes a heater cable disposed in a ferromagnetic or other conductive heat tube, the heater cable and heat tube cooperating to produce heat that is applied to the carrier pipe. The heater cable includes a conductor surrounded by an insulating layer, and then a semiconductive outer layer or “jacket.” The semiconductive jacket contacts the inner surface of the heat tube, where the charge density of the return current carried by the heat tube is at its highest. The semiconductive jacket material has a resistivity that is sufficiently low to reduce or eliminate arcing events such as corona discharge by allowing accumulated charge on the heat tube to dissipate. The resistivity is also high enough to prevent the return current from flowing into or through the semiconductive outer layer, so that heat production capacity of the system is maximized.

Abstract: A lighted cable termination assembly for use with one or more pipes is provided herein. The lighted cable termination assembly includes a base component having a body defined by an upper portion and a lower portion. The base component is configured to receive, through the lower portion of the body, an end portion of an electric heating cable. A lens has a proud surface and a pedestal is configured to couple the lens to the upper portion of the body such that the proud surface of the lens extends radially outside of a perimeter of the base component. A light emitting component optically is coupled with the lens such that the lens provides, through the proud surface, illumination from a plurality of viewing angles as viewed from an underside of the any of the one or more pipes on which the lighted cable termination assembly is installed.

Abstract: A self-regulating heater cable includes a PTC core formed of positive temperature coefficient material and disposed in electrical contact with at least two bus wires. The PTC core may encapsulate the bus wires and space the bus wires apart a predetermined distance via a connecting portion of the PTC core. The connecting portion has a tapered profile, and is thinner at the ends approximate the bus wires and thicker in a portion between the ends, which portion may be toward or at the center of the connecting portion. The thicknesses of the ends and the thicker portion are selected to produce a ratio that is within a range at which the heater cable produces heat at its outer surface with a substantially uniform profile, and primary heat generation of the heater cable has not shifted from the center of the connecting portion to the ends of the connecting portion.

Abstract: An armor for a heat shrink kit for joining a first length of heating cable and a second length of heating cable. The armor includes a spring configured to be positioned over at least a portion of the heat shrink kit, a first fastener configured to couple the spring to at least one of the first length of heating cable and the heat shrink kit, and a second fastener configured to couple the spring to at least one of the second length of heating cable and the heat shrink kit. The armor is configured to provide impact protection to the heat shrink kit.

Abstract: A system may automatically control a pipeline heating system to maintain a desired temperature and/or to provide flow assurance of process fluid along a pipeline. The system may identify the occurrence and location of the solidification of a given process fluid or the melting of the given process fluid by monitoring temperatures along the pipeline and identifying from the monitored temperatures the occurrence and location of a latent heat signature associated with the solidification or melting of the given process fluid. The system may determine a distribution of solidified process fluid along the pipeline. The system may determine the percentage of a given section of pipeline that is filled with solid and/or liquid process fluid on a meter-by-meter basis. The system may perform automated re-melt operations to resolve plugs of solidified process fluid that may occur in the pipeline.

Abstract: A self-regulating electric heater cable includes a monolithic heater core of PTC material encapsulating a pair of bus wires, and a conductive layer disposed on an outer surface of the heater core such that the conductive layer levels the voltage generated at the outer surface of the heater core when an electric current is passed through the bus wires. The conductive layer draws the current evenly through lobes of PTC material encapsulating the bus wires. The conductive layer may be a coating, such as a conductive ink or paint, or may be an extruded or wrapped material applied to the heater core. Standard heater cable layers are applied over the conductive layer, including an electrically insulating layer that contacts a portion of the conductive layer and also may be separated, at points, from the conductive layer by one or more air gaps.

Abstract: A three-way splice assembly for splicing together a first cable, a second cable, and a third cable. The assembly includes an exterior enclosure, an interior enclosure positioned within the exterior enclosure, and an insulation layer positioned between the exterior enclosure and the interior enclosure. The assembly also includes a first port, a second port, and a third port, each extending from the exterior enclosure, through the insulation layer, and into the interior enclosure and each sized to receive one of the first cable, the second cable, and the third cable, respectively. The assembly further includes a terminal configured to electrically connect a respective conductor from the first cable, the second cable, and the third cable to form a three-way splice, and a fuse configured to be electrically connected between the terminal and one of the conductors of the first cable, the second cable, and the third cable.

Abstract: A lighted cable termination assembly for use with one or more pipes is provided. The lighted cable termination assembly includes a stand, a lens, and a plurality of light emitting components. The stand is configured to be supported, with the stand extending upwardly, by the one or more pipes. The lens is positioned over an upper opening of the stand and includes a proud surface extending radially outside of a perimeter of the stand. The plurality of light emitting components are disposed under the lens, and the proud surface of the lens providing illumination from a plurality of viewing angles as viewed from the underside of the any of the one or more pipes on which the stand is supported.

Abstract: A self-regulating heater cable includes a PTC core formed of positive temperature coefficient material and disposed in electrical contact with at least two bus wires. The PTC core may encapsulate the bus wires and space the bus wires apart a predetermined distance via a connecting portion of the PTC core. The connecting portion has a tapered profile, and is thinner at the ends approximate the bus wires and thicker in a portion between the ends, which portion may be toward or at the center of the connecting portion. The thicknesses of the ends and the thicker portion are selected to produce a ratio that is within a range at which the heater cable produces heat at its outer surface with a substantially uniform profile, and primary heat generation of the heater cable has not shifted from the center of the connecting portion to the ends of the connecting portion.

Abstract: A power converter for heat tracing applications is disclosed. The power converter includes a controller configured to control an input switching stage. The power converter also includes an output filter, the output filter electrically coupled to the input switching stage. Further, the power converter includes a passive cooling element, the passive cooling element coupled to the power converter. The controller is configured to select a peak voltage and set a power converter output voltage based on at least one of the peak voltage and a power converter input voltage. The passive cooling element is configured to decrease a temperature of the power converter and to obviate the need for cooling with moving parts, making the system viable for hazardous areas in addition to non-hazardous areas. The input switching stage includes a plurality of transistors. The power converter output voltage and the power converter input voltage are both alternating current.

Abstract: A heater cable produces a substantially level voltage across its cross-section, providing a uniform and controllable thermal output along its length. The heater cable includes at least one center bus wire extending axially along a central axis of the heater cable, and at least one radial bus wire extending axially through the heating cable and positioned adjacent to the center bus wire. The heater cable further includes a thermally and electrically conductive interstitial material disposed around the at least one center bus wire and the at least one radial bus wire, and a jacket disposed about the interstitial material, the at least one center bus wire, and the at least one radial bus wire.