I have an application I am trying to reverse engineer, it involves a closed loop heating system of a nichrome type wire. The setup is as such:
Transformer steps down 240/120ac to 12/24/30/36ac (secondary voltage depending on application)
Secondary coil is connected to heating element
A current transformer is coupled with one of the wires between the secondary and the heating element and is connected to the controller.
A wire pair is connected to the terminals of the heating element (supposedly for reading the voltage) and connected to the controller.
My understanding of how the control system works is the circuit is closed, the current is monitored through the current transformer. The heating element has a known relation of resistance to temperature, so by monitoring the current you can calculate the elements temperature. I am not sure what the exact function of the wire pair for monitoring the voltage.
The big question I have has to do with the control of the current. It is my understanding that the controller can control the output going to the heating element more than just an on/off manner. This is for more precise control of the heating elements temperature. Is it possible to use the current transformer to choke the current driving the heating element?
The current transformer is configured as a split-core current transformer, the power wire travelling through the core is either straight or wrapped 1-2 times depending on the magnitude of the current for the specific application.
Transformer steps down 240/120ac to 12/24/30/36ac (secondary voltage depending on application)
Secondary coil is connected to heating element
A current transformer is coupled with one of the wires between the secondary and the heating element and is connected to the controller.
A wire pair is connected to the terminals of the heating element (supposedly for reading the voltage) and connected to the controller.
My understanding of how the control system works is the circuit is closed, the current is monitored through the current transformer. The heating element has a known relation of resistance to temperature, so by monitoring the current you can calculate the elements temperature. I am not sure what the exact function of the wire pair for monitoring the voltage.
The big question I have has to do with the control of the current. It is my understanding that the controller can control the output going to the heating element more than just an on/off manner. This is for more precise control of the heating elements temperature. Is it possible to use the current transformer to choke the current driving the heating element?
The current transformer is configured as a split-core current transformer, the power wire travelling through the core is either straight or wrapped 1-2 times depending on the magnitude of the current for the specific application.