Milestone: Conductive Polymer Self-Regulating Heat-Tracing Cable, 1972

 

Electrical heating has many aspects including less energy use and tighter temperature control that make it the choice for heating process pipes and freeze protection. Two notable deficiencies are corrected by the parallel circuit self-regulating heaters invented by Raychem in 1972.
For more information on this Milestone:
‎IEEE Milestone proposal webpage

 

Citation

Plaque citation summarizing the achievement and its significance:

In 1972, Raychem Corporation patented and began producing the first commercially successful electric self-regulating heat-tracing cable. The conductive polymer in this cable revolutionized the temperature maintenance of process piping, which has had major applications in refineries and chemical plants, and made freeze protection of water pipes simple and energy efficient. By 2008, the firm had manufactured and sold one billion feet of this cable.

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Official Plaque Location

nVent Raychem Main Lobby
899 Broadway
Redwood City, CA

 

Duplicate Plaque Location (private dedication)

nVent Thermal Management (production bldg)
2555 Bay Road
Redwood City, CA