Curious about the role of electric heaters in the decarbonization process?

According to Process Heating:

“Electrification of industrial processes is one of the key pillars for addressing climate change concerns. Many industries use gas-fired heaters, but Watlow is seeing a gradual shift to large electric heat exchangers.

“One challenge of this change is that electric heaters need to be able to accommodate the larger wattage and amperage requirements of these processes, which must be balanced with another challenge — control.

“Adequate control of the heater is needed to ensure that processes can be performed safely. Qualities of electric heat exchangers and electric process heaters have seen many improvements over the past decade, such as enhanced fluid dynamics, Continuous Helical Flow Technology and higher watt densities, which contribute to a heater with a smaller footprint, less fouling and greater safety features.

“Enhanced fluid dynamics heat exchangers are engineered for advanced flow throughout the system without compromising the integrity of the heating elements. Some heat exchanger designs have dead zones where hot spots can occur, which exacerbates the coking process, leading to fouling and the need for further maintenance. Continuous Helical Flow Technology offers ultrahigh heat transfer rates with minimal fluid bypass, eliminating these dead zones and contributing to a smaller footprint.

“In addition, higher watt densities incorporated into electric heat exchangers allow for designs that take advantage of increased heat flux. This can help make processes more efficient and less costly while still meeting critical temperature requirements, reducing overall footprint and providing a safer operation.

“When selecting an electric heater manufacturer in the process of electrifying your processes, it’s vital to ensure the company can provide safe and reliable heating solutions that contribute toward a greener footprint. Although progress is being made toward decarbonizing energy processing, there is still a long way to go. Switching to electric heat exchanges with advanced fluid dynamics, Continuous Helical Flow Technology and higher watt densities can aid the journey of electrification and decarbonization much more efficiently.”

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