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Small footprint multipair thermocouple cable overcomes space constraints in glass manufacturing factory overhaul

What was the project?
Customer Installation Challenges
Thermocouple Cable Solution
Results and Conclusion after Cable Installation

What was the project?

TC was approached by an engineering firm contracted to refurbish and upgrade a large furnace for a glass manufacturing company. This project required the installation of numerous additional thermocouples and related instrumentation, which would play a critical role in the plant's refurbishment.

Installation Challenges

The additional thermocouples and instruments required a significant amount of new cabling. However, the existing infrastructure had limited space for additional cables. Traditional multipair thermocouple cables would have been too bulky, making them unsuitable for the available space.

Thermocouple Cable Solution

PFA insulated multipair thermocouple cable in glass factory

Cable Supplied – 12 pair PFA Insulated, PFA Sheathed Multipair Thermocouple Cable

TC recommended a compact multipair cable with an overall diameter of just 8mm, less than half the size of traditional 12-pair PVC-insulated multipair cables. This smaller footprint allowed for optimal use of the limited space available while maintaining excellent performance.

The PFA sheath also provided additional benefits, including a higher operating temperature range and superior resistance to oils and chemicals. TC was able to manufacture and deliver all the required cables and thermocouples to meet the customer’s specifications within two weeks.

Benefits of PFA Insulated Thermocouple Cables:

Wide temperature range: -75ºC to +250ºC
Excellent resistance to oils, chemicals, acids, and alkalis
Allows for thinner insulation compared to PVC, enabling a smaller overall cable diameter
Maintains flexibility across a wide temperature range, making it easy to install

Results and Conclusions

The recommended cable design enabled the customer to install all additional thermocouples and instrumentation within the existing cable infrastructure. This solution saved significant time and reduced costs by eliminating the need for new cable trays and additional labour.

Note: This solution resolved a specific challenge in a particular application. Every situation is different, and your needs may require a different approach. The suitability of any of our products for a particular application is ultimately for the purchaser to determine, as they are best positioned to make that judgment.

These case studies are shared to illustrate how our products have been used successfully, but final product selection should always be based on your specific application requirements, standards, and industry regulations. The suitability of any of our products for a particular application is entirely at the discretion of the purchaser as being the best judge for that particular application.

For application-specific advice, please contact us — one of our engineers will be happy to assist with technical guidance.

Thermocouple Sensors - Bespoke Thermocouples direct from UK Manufacturer TC Ltd.