EXHEAT MFH “The Bulldog” Portable ATEX Fan Heater | Hazardous Area Zone 1 & Zone 2
EXHEAT MFH ‘The Bulldog’ Fan Heater | Zone 1 & Zone 2
Product Code: EXHEAT MFH ‘The Bulldog’
EXHEAT’s MFH “The Bulldog” ATEX Portable Fan Heater (Exclusively Available at Thorne & Derrick in the UK) is engineered to deliver safe, efficient and highly portable heating in Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 21 and Zone 22 Hazardous Area environments. As the world’s first truly portable ATEX and IECEx certified fan heater, the MFH provides reliable temporary heat output up to 6kW for onshore and offshore applications, including process plants, containers, confined spaces and maintenance work areas. Designed to perform in extreme ambient conditions from -40°C to +40°C, it produces a powerful stream of warm air for rapid comfort heating, drying, curing and protection of personnel and equipment in potentially explosive atmospheres.
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The EXHEAT MFH “The Bulldog” is a compact, high-performance ATEX certified portable fan heater developed for use in hazardous area Zone 1 and Zone 2 locations where temporary and mobile heating is required. Designed to be easily deployed by a single operator, the MFH provides up to 6kW of controlled electric heat, making it well suited to enclosed workspaces, containers, plant rooms and industrial maintenance activities in potentially explosive atmospheres.
What sets the EXHEAT MFH ATEX Heater apart is its ability to deliver efficient, targeted heating from a remarkably compact and lightweight unit. A fan-assisted airflow system generates a consistent temperature increase of up to 18°C between air inlet and outlet, allowing warm air to be directed exactly where it is needed, either directly or via anti-static ducting. Built with a steel-reinforced conductive polymer enclosure and engineered to operate reliably in ambient temperatures ranging from -40°C to +40°C, The Bulldog offers a dependable solution for heating, drying and curing tasks across onshore, offshore and extreme industrial environments.
Contact our trusted experts – place an order or find out more about the EXHEAT MFH for your operations. Thorne & Derrick International, based in the UK, are the leading stockists and suppliers of Electric & Process Heating & Heat Trace, providing technical advice, quotations and fast worldwide delivery for both UK & export projects.
Technical Specifications
Key Benefits & Features
✔ World’s first truly portable ATEX and IECEx certified electric fan heater
✔ Approved for Zone 1 & Zone 2 gas and Zone 21 & Zone 22 dust hazardous areas
✔ Heating outputs up to 6kW for effective localised and temporary space heating
✔ Available in T3 and T4 temperature classes to suit a wide range of explosive atmospheres
✔ Efficient fan-assisted airflow delivers a temperature rise of up to 18°C
✔ Operates reliably in extreme ambient temperatures from –40°C to +40°C
✔ Compact, lightweight design allows safe single-operator handling and positioning
✔ Front and rear ducting capability using proprietary anti-static ducting
✔ Plug-and-play design with option for plug connection or hard-wired isolator
✔ Adjustable feet, optional castors and wall mounting bracket for installation flexibility
✔ Steel-reinforced conductive polymer casing eliminates static build-up risk
✔ Dual enclosure design using Ex d and Ex e protection concepts
✔ RTD-based over-temperature protection maintains certified T-Class limits
✔ Designed for low maintenance and long service life in harsh industrial environments
✔ Ducting available in 7.6m lengths with coupling capabilities – additionally, Y-duct is available for joint heater ducting
Robust Anti-Static Casing for Portable Hazardous Area Use
The MFH “The Bulldog” features a purpose-designed casing manufactured from aliphatic polyamide (PA66) reinforced with glass and steel fibres. This advanced composite construction provides exceptional mechanical strength while remaining electrically conductive, effectively eliminating the risk of static charge accumulation. The two-part moulded housing also enhances airflow management through the heater, maximising thermal transfer efficiency while maintaining a compact and lightweight portable form factor. Integrated EMI shielding further protects internal components from electromagnetic interference commonly encountered in industrial and offshore environments.
Advanced Heating Elements for High Efficiency and Safety
The MFH fan heater utilises premium tubular heating elements manufactured from nickel-chrome resistance wire, compacted in high-purity magnesium oxide and sheathed in corrosion-resistant stainless steel. Each fin is fully soldered in place to maximise heat dissipation away from the element sheath, allowing higher power density while remaining within strict ATEX temperature class limits. EXHEAT’s patented curved element formation enables a compact circular assembly, improving airflow uniformity and overall heater efficiency compared to conventional rectangular element arrays.
Integrated Over-Temperature Protection for Extreme Conditions
To ensure safe operation in extreme ambient temperatures, the MFH is fitted with a customised protection system incorporating an RTD temperature sensor positioned at the hottest point of the heating assembly. This system continuously monitors element temperature and prevents the heater from exceeding its certified T-Class, even under fault or misuse conditions. Unlike standard thermal cut-outs, the MFH protection system is specifically engineered to operate reliably at ambient temperatures as low as –40°C, making it suitable for offshore, Arctic and winterised applications.
Dual ATEX Enclosure Design for Enhanced Safety and Accessibility
The Bulldog incorporates two independently certified enclosures to meet hazardous area safety requirements. A flameproof Ex d enclosure, manufactured from hard anodised aluminium, houses sparking components while minimising overall weight for portability. An adjacent increased safety Ex e stainless steel enclosure provides secure access to wiring terminations and simplifies routine inspection and maintenance. By directly mounting both enclosures together, EXHEAT eliminates loose wiring runs, reducing risk and ensuring a neat, robust and reliable electrical installation.
Confined Spaces Heating
The compact design of The Bulldog fan heater is ideal for heating confined spaces where limited working space places a premium on available workspace. Other confined space working applications where potentially explosive gases such as hydrogen sulphide, chlorine, carbon monoxide, nitrogen, nitrogen dioxide and carbon dioxide are a risk including: Tanks, Silos & Process Vessels – Sewers, Pits, Sumps & Manholes – Grinding, Spraying, Painting & Shotblasting.
Applications
✔ Portable heating for Zone 1 & Zone 2 hazardous area workplaces
✔ Offshore containers, temporary shelters and maintenance habitats
✔ Confined spaces including tanks, silos, vessels and manholes
✔ Oil, gas and petrochemical processing facilities
✔ Chemical plants, pharmaceutical production and batch processing areas
✔ Heating and drying during fabric maintenance and composite repairs
✔ Paint curing, solvent stores and spray booth environments
✔ Battery rooms, gas installations and hazardous storage areas
✔ Portable washdown heating and moisture removal applications
✔ Sugar refineries, grain handling and combustible dust environments
✔ Firework factories, ammunition depots and explosive storage facilities
✔ Temporary heating of containers, enclosed plant rooms and work zones
Certifications
The EXHEAT MFH “The Bulldog” is engineered and certified for safe operation in demanding hazardous area locations, carrying full ATEX, IECEx and CU TR (EAC) approvals for use in explosive gas and combustible dust atmospheres. Designed specifically for portable and confined space heating duties, the MFH incorporates multiple layers of thermal protection, including element-mounted RTD sensing and independent over-temperature cut-outs to ensure strict compliance with its assigned T-Class rating. Its sealed stainless steel enclosure and IP65 ingress protection allow reliable operation in harsh, contaminated and low-temperature environments down to –40°C, making the MFH a trusted solution for temporary heating in Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 21 and Zone 22 hazardous areas.
Optional Accessories
The following optional accessories are designed to increase overall efficiency and convenience for the EXHEAT MFH “The Bulldog” ATEX Fan Heater, including:
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- Local Isolator – suitably rated isolators can be fitted to the fan heater with up to 1 x M32 cable entry.
- Wall Mounting Brackets – for fixed wall positioning of the electric heater in coated mld steel or 316l stainless steel
- Emergency Stop Button – can be supplied as additional component to be installed in the incoming power supply
- Indicating Lamps – can be fitted to The Bulldog heater to provide visual indication when the electric heater is live and energised
- Anti-Static Castors – can be supplied in place of fixed feet for additional mobility of the portable heater
- Ducting – flexible ducting to direct warm air can be affixed to the electric heater using a stainless steel mounting bracket (7.6m lengths)
Optional Accessories
Local Isolator
Wall Mounting Bracket
Emergency Stop Button
Indicating Lamps
Anti-Static Castors
Hazardous Area Portable Fan Heaters
ATEX Certified | The Bulldog
The MFH Portable Fan Heater manufactured by EXHEAT and Distributed Exclusively in the UK by Thorne & Derrick is the world’s first truly portable fan assisted heater with dual hazardous area ATEX & IECEX Certification. The portable heater has been extensively adopted by the process and hazardous area industries to safely provide temporary and portable air warming to workplaces in potentially explosive atmospheres.
The EXHEAT Bulldog combines efficient design with simple functionality to provide a portable heating solution for use in hazardous environments where the explosive atmosphere is classified as Zone 1/2 (IIB) or Zone 21/22 (IIIC).
Certified to the new EN 80079-36 and EN 80079-37 standards for constructional safety.
The Bulldog is supplied ready to ‘plug and play’ with the option of fitting a plug or hard wiring to an isolator unit.
The casing is moulded from a steel reinforced polymer which makes The Bulldog tough and durable. Using adjustable feet, the heater can be angled to allow for flexibility in its positioning and, with its compact design, can be easily stored or transported.
The Bulldog can be used with or without ducting to provide a warm stream of air that can be felt metres away, even in ambient temperatures as low as -40°C and up to +40°C.
Specification
Hazardous Area Classification: Zone 1 or Zone 2 (IIA, IIB & H2 T3 T4)
T Class: T3 or T4 Temperature Class Heaters
Rating: Up To 6kW
Voltage: Single Phase 110V to 277V | Three-Phase 380V to 690V 50/60Hz
- Compact & Robust | provides safe and reliable onshore and offshore electric heating including typical applications: fabric maintenance, hazardous waste storage facilities, offshore containers/habitats, paint curing, storage and spray booths – extensive space heating to maintain worker comfort and productivity in the oil, gas, petrochemicals and pharmaceutical industries.
- Versatile & Lighweight | electric heater allows for single user operation and can be supplied with optional long flying lead to introduce targetted and localised heating to hazardous and hard to reach locations.
- Portable, Powerful & Efficient | electric heating outputs up to 6kW for direct comfort heating of engineers working in unheated cold environments or warm a mid-sized room to a comfortable operating temperature. Temperature rises from inlet to outlet of 18C makes it the most energy efficient portable ATEX heater available.
- Floor & Wall | electric heater can be fitted with anti-static castors for improved mobility or a wall-mounting bracket (requires remote isolator for heater operation).
Heating Performance Examples
Uninsulated 20 Foot Container | Ambient Temperature 0°C
Poorly Insulated 24m³ Room With 2.2kW Heat Losses | Ambient Temperature -15°C
Adequately Insulated 110m³ With 1.7kW Heat Losses | Ambient Temperature 0°C
World’s First Truly Portable Hazardous Area Electric Fan Heater | L475 x W470 x H530mm. Base Weight 28kg
Optional Heater Accessories
Local Isolator Wall Mounting Bracket Emergency Stop Button Indicating Lamps Anti-Static Castors 
- Local Isolator – suitably rated isolators can be fitted to the fan heater with up to 1 x M32 cable entry.
- Wall Mounting Brackets – for fixed wall positioning of the electric heater in coated mld steel or 316l stainless steel
- Emergency Stop Button – can be supplied as additional component to be installed in the incoming power supply
- Indicating Lamps – can be fitted to The Bulldog heater to provide visual indication when the electric heater is live and energised
- Anti-Static Castors – can be supplied in place of fixed feet for additional mobility of the portable heater
- Ducting – flexible ducting to direct warm air can be affixed to the electric heater using a stainless steel mounting bracket (7.6m lengths)
Offshore Heater Variant
Certified and modified for offshore applications.
Following the launch of the MFH Bulldog, Thorne & Derrick have worked in close collaboration with the offshore oil and gas industry – this includes exploration and production companies, engineering contractors and ATEX compliance inspectors to ensure the heater was fit for purpose. This process involved gaining feedback on the basic design and taking advice on what users needed to comply with offshore regulations for safe use of portable equipment. The offshore model has now been developed and received an Offshore Inspection Release Notice.
The Bulldog heater is now currently being used on assets owned and operated by some of the largest international O&G companies including BP, Shell, Apache and Total.
➡ MFH The Bulldog Offshore Portable Fan Heaters more information
Fabric Maintenance & Habitat Heating | Composite Repair
During colder months fabric maintenance work needs to continue.
Today, aging asset infrastructure requires expensive maintenance and repair.
Asset life-extension programs require flexible, efficient and cost-effective maintenance products to enable infrastructure repairs.
This often includes painting and composite repairs of pipework and structures. Such work requires an elevated ambient temperature to ensure curing and drying processes are carried out in line with manufactures recommendations. The MFH heater can be used as a safe portable heating solution for such applications.
EXHEAT MFH Hazardous Area Fan Heater (Portable) – ATEX Certified Zone 1 & Zone 2 – Data Sheet
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