Silicon Carbide Technology
Making a masonry heater out of silicon carbide is unique to Ecco Stove.
Silicon carbide (SIC) occurring naturally as a mineral moissanite (found in Meteorites) but has been fused as a combination of silica and carbon since 1893 and used as the abrasive ‘Carborundum.’ SIC is chemically inert at any temperature band in current normal use and only changes mineral form at temperatures in excess of 2200°C.
SIC has to date been used widely in the automotive industry for car brakes, clutches and in bullet proof vests as well as the ceramic plates for electrical semi conductors where its high conductivity characteristics and high electric field breakdown strengths make it a usable and reliable mineral combination for such high temperature and high voltage applications.
SIC has a very low coefficient of thermal expansion (4.0 x 10-6/K) resulting in no external or internal impact to other materials used in conjunction with it.
SIC has been to date used as heat reflective plates within the combustion chamber of incinerators, to reflect heat back to the combustion process and thereby dramatically increase combustion efficiently which is of course ideal for waste incineration.
Other applications for SIC such as LEDS, heating elements, nuclear, steel production & gas turbines due to its unique properties:
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High heat retention properties with less mass required than conventional materials used for masonry heaters.
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High temperature resistance able to withstand up to 2200°C much higher than conventional materials used for masonry heaters.
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Low transfer rate of heat due to high retention making it more comfortable to be next to when under fire.
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Highly durable the second hardest mineral to diamond making it incredibly strong.
These characteristics make silicon carbide highly effective for use in the Ecco Stove ® masonry heaters.
E645 in metallic blue