Potlines are an integral part of the large-scale production of aluminium. A potline is a row of serially arranged electrolytic cells (typically 100-400) used to produce aluminium. In a potline, the cathode of one cell electrically connects to the anode of the following cell. Challenges of Potlines Thermal losses are one of the biggest challenges [...]

Protective heat shields are used as barriers to sources of extreme heat; usually some sort of mechanical sub-system that inherently generates high temperatures. Alternatively, certain high-performance applications require protective thermal management solutions that manage heat generated by high speeds. Aviation increasingly requires both, with conventional turbine-driven aircraft using lightweight firewalls and insulation to prevent the [...]

Heat shields are critical components used for thermal management in a wide range of applications, and their purpose doesn’t tend to vary much from market to market—whether they are used on a car or a spacecraft. Essentially, a heat shield is a thermal barrier designed to protect objects from overheating. In the automotive sector, they [...]

Heat shields minimize the operating costs of a system by way of intercepting radiated heat that would usually add to the load on the low-temperature section of the system. Heat shields are often considered to be radiation shields which minimize the heat radiating from a warm to a cold surface. In reality, a cold mass [...]

Robots play an increasingly significant role in modern industry, often finding application in areas that are unsafe for human workers. This puts them at risk of exposure to corrosion, heat damage, abrasion and other types of exposure-related damage, which can dramatically reduce operational lifetime. THERMOPAK® Robot Covers from Mid-Mountain Materials offer a robust and cost-effective [...]

Food processing plants leverage numerous thermal processing techniques that operate above and below ambient temperatures. Frying, roasting, and pasteurization are commonplace on production lines, generating temperatures as high as 657°C on non-food contacting surfaces. At the other end of spectrum is the likes of refrigeration, blast chilling, and freezing where temperatures routinely drop as low [...]

Thermal insulation reduces the transfer of thermal energy between objects which have different temperatures or are within range of radiative influences. Heat flow is an inevitable outcome when objects of different temperatures interact. Thermal insulation provides a region in which thermal conduction is reduced or thermal radiation is reflected by the lower-temperature object. Benefits of [...]

Thermal solar collectors absorb sunlight to collect heat. The term thermal solar collector is often used in reference to a device for heating water, however the term also can be used for large power generating installations or non-water heating devices. Solar thermal collectors are extremely efficient at capturing solar radiation, which is mostly comprised of [...]

Commodity fabric coatings like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and polyurethane (PU) are used in many different applications, but silicone-coated textiles have grown substantially in popularity over the years. Silicone coated fabric is used in a range of industries including aerospace, aluminum, automotive, oil and gas, and even food industry applications. The composition of silicone fabrics largely [...]