It Gets Hot in the Kitchen

 

Food processing and Galley equipment include many components designed to reach high temperatures and stay there for extended periods of time. In this equipment, fire hazards and thermal runaway are key safety concerns. Even food packaging equipment used in production environments that pre-cook and seal food, have stringent requirements for temperature monitoring and fail-safe operation.

In areas like galley kitchens on boats or planes, the stakes are even higher. Fires in these areas can quickly spread and cause catastrophic damage or injury. Better that they never get started in the first place. We can help with that.

CPI switches are a standalone solution to Thermal Control

One key consideration in selecting a thermal sensor for food processing is whether it will function on its own, or does it require a PLC to react to sensor data and provide the right fail safe operation to external relays or systems. The primary tradeoff here is related to both cost, and durability of the overall solution. Thermal sensors in a PLC environment are cheap, but as part of an overall system solution they may not be best solution for critical thermal detection. These sensors are not generally hardened, have limited temperature detection ranges, and require a central computer or logic system to provide the required control, increasing complexity and the number of failure points.

CPI has found that the vast majority of OEM’s needing robust thermal safety switching, prefer a hardened standalone thermal sensor. In this scenario, an advanced thermocouple with a fixed set point, provides local switch open/closed behavior, completely independently of any central PLC or computer control. Add to this the fact that our thermal switches cover temperature ranges up 1750F (CPI Rod & Tube Series) which is well beyond the range of any remote sensor. CPI thermal switches are also hardened for survivability in high vibration environments.

CPI Thermals come in three varieties:

CPI SnapStat (0 – 300F) Using a precisely engineered bimetal snap disc, we actuate a miniature microswitch through a double snap action. Multiple mounting options available.

CPI PlugStat (0 – 650F)  Contact movement in the PlugStat is achieved by controlling the different expansion rates of 2 fused metals providing tight tolerances and a small differential.

CPI Rod & Tube (0 – 1750F) Ideal for use in galley’s or furnace controls to sense or control combustion. Very high temperature sensing with very rapid response time.

No matter what temperature range or form factor you choose, all CPI switches are hardened for longest possible lifetime, and extreme durability under adverse environmental conditions.

CPI Thermal Switches are also customizable for special mounting considerations like MIL STD bulkhead mounting or custom lead lengths or wiring insulation to achieve better thermal dissipation.

We’ve been doing this for over 70 years. Bring us your requirements, we’ll give you a solution that will be the last solution you’ll ever need. 

Original content published: https://www.cpi-nj.com/it-gets-hot-in-the-kitchen/