Hotfoil-EHS Products

A Better Choice in Heat Treatment Control Systems

Ice Star, a Finnish company, engineers and manufactures heat treatment controllers for electric and gas furnaces, as well as for induction and resistive heating consoles. The company manufactures the most advanced metal heat treatment control system available today. Since 1984, they have been laser-focused on the development and advancement of industrial heat treatment controllers and software.

ICE Star
Model ISG
Heat Treatment Controller

Ice Star’s founder, Esa Santala, has decades of knowledge and experience in the heat treatment industry. He developed one of the first processor controlled multi-channel controllers and has since been building even more innovative products.

Ice Star controllers do not require a separate recorder. Ice Star controllers monitor all critical heat treatment variables - temperature, time, soak, upsets, diagrams, events, alarms etc. - and then provide extremely detailed records for each. Additionally, with ISPort software, you can monitor and control the heating processes directly from remote process displays and computers.

For more information about Ice Star in North America, visit Hotfoil-EHS or call 609.588.0900.

Hazardous Area Heater Control Systems for Coal Hoppers and Conveyors

Explosion proof control system.

A major hazard in coal burning utilities is the transfer and storage of coal due to the presence of highly combustible coal dust. Mitigating the risks of combustible dusts eliminate the potential for dust explosions. It is critically important that any coal handling or coal storage facility have access to experienced application engineers who understand the specific requirements when handling coal and managing coal dust.

Electric heat is very often used to prevent coal freeze-ups in hoppers and conveyors. The most common electric heaters used are are exterior mounted panel heaters with carefully calculated watt densities to keep sheath temperatures low. A less preferred solution is the use of tubular heating elements that may have higher sheath temperatures. Tubular heaters are usually clamped or stud-welded to the exterior of the coal hopper or conveyor chute.  In either case, a control system must be employed to maintain operating temperatures and to safely limit temperatures below dust ignition temperatures.  Since the presence of coal dust in the atmosphere is considered normal, the use of explosion proof housings, conduit, and wiring practices is required for these control systems.

Internal view.

Hotfoil, a New Jersey manufacturer of electric hopper and coal handling heating systems,  designs, engineers, and fabricates custom control systems specifically for these applications. 

With decades of experience in hopper, conveyor, and tank heating systems they provide their customers with a single-source, turn-key, electrical heating and control system solutions provider. All products are 100% quality tested prior to leaving the facility, and an added plus is that they provide on-site start-up assistance.