The current challenges of energy optimisation and decarbonisation are driving companies to convert from gas to electric heating systems. The energy mix for electricity generation has evolved considerably in recent decades, driven by national and supranational policy agendas to encourage a rapid energy transition. And industrial electric boilers can play a leading role in this transition.
The electrification of processes
Let us now try to clarify the reasons for the last statement, pointing out, first of all, the benefits of electrical processes.
The technologies involved in electrothermal systems allow for an integral utilisation of heat, without losses, i.e. without the transition from a higher to a lower temperature source, according to the laws of classical thermodynamics.
Moreover, electrothermal processes do not generate harmful emissions of nitrogen oxides, carbon dioxide or sulphur.
The main advantages of industrial electric boilers
- Emission-free operation: Steam production is entirely powered by electricity, eliminating combustion and related emissions.
- High operating efficiency thanks to precise modulation with thyristor technology.
- Cost reduction and simplification: The absence of fuels, flue gases and chimneys significantly reduces installation costs, space requirements and maintenance interventions.
- Customised reliability: Engineered solutions tailored to the specific operational needs of each company.
- Smart integration: I sistemi di controllo avanzati si integrano facilmente con le infrastrutture esistenti, consentendo una gestione ottimizzata dell’energia disponibile.
Getting to the heart of the matter, industrial electric boilers convert electricity into heat or steam. All incoming electrical energy is converted into thermal energy, with an efficiency close to 100 per cent, if minimal radiation losses are excluded.
Compared to processes mediated by fossil fuels, electrically driven processes ensure rapid start-up and uniform boiler heating, but also accurate control of temperature and steam pressure.
In particular, precise pressure control with multiple power stages allows the boiler to react quickly to load variations, ensuring fast start-ups to absorb available grid power when needed.
Environmental respect and comfort
As they do not consume fossil fuels, industrial electric boilers do not release gaseous effluents into the atmosphere, making them safer. This advantage facilitates their installation: they do not require chimneys, fuel supply networks or storage tanks.
In addition, they do not require periodic monitoring of atmospheric emissions and operate quietly, another detail not to be overlooked for a sustainable environment, where the degree of noise pollution must also be taken into account.
Efficient simplicity
Industrial electric boilers offer numerous advantages both in terms of performance and construction, and for periodic maintenance. As anticipated, they are designed to allow rapid start-up and steam production, protecting the heating elements from sudden stresses.
In addition, industrial electric boilers have a robust construction and a wide range of adjustments, ensuring safe and long-lasting operation. This feature, coupled with the ease of cleaning compared to gas boilers, means that maintenance and operating costs are significantly reduced.
The push for renewables
In conclusion, with the development and deployment of grid-integrated renewable energy sources such as wind and solar power, unplanned production peaks should be mitigated; given also new trends and some new regulations in several European countries that promote self-consumption rather than feeding electricity back into the grid.
With the use of electric boilers, excess electricity can be used intelligently to generate heat and steam in industrial processes, according to an energy storage process that is becoming increasingly important for the energy transition.
Investing in competence to increase business competitiveness
This multiplicity of benefits is driving companies to supplement and replace traditional boilers with electric boilers. A competitive and sustainable solution that, in such a complex period, limits the vulnerability of industries to energy price fluctuations.
However, it must be considered that electrothermal energy is a complex sector, requiring advanced knowledge spread over several disciplines: electrical engineering, thermal engineering and materials science. It is therefore necessary to rely on competent partners for the electrification of systems and operations.
Why focus on CD Automation?
Choosing CD Automation gives you access to a team of experts who have been working for over thirty years to reduce consumption and complexity and improve the power quality of their customers’ industrial processes. The company manufactures thyristor power units and soft starters of the highest quality, with the support of a system of subsidiaries and partners that are leaders in the industrial thermoregulation sector worldwide.
Through these products, CD Automation ensures the reduction of power line disturbances, heating of electrical cables and energy losses. Three strategic benefits in the area of monitoring the operation of industrial electric boilers. In particular, the control system designed by CD Automation makes it possible to maintain power factor values close to 1, avoiding energy cost penalties.
The proposal
Let us now go into the details of CD Automation’s offer for manufacturers of electric boilers for industrial use. The Legnano-based company offers the series REVO C and REVO S three-phase, with currents from 60 to 800A. But it also offers the use of a synchronisation system that combines the REVO PC unit with the REVO S series.
The REVO C series consists of high-performance power control units, adaptable to all SCR applications, equipped with an advanced microprocessor that makes it universal and fully configurable via software.
REVO C is the most complete unit thanks to:
- three-phase synchronisation, phase rotation diagnostics, phase angle switching, current limit, measurement accuracy;
- integrated Profinet communication and reduced integration time using ready-to-use TIA PORTAL libraries. IP Ethernet communication with libraries to reduce integration time;
- SCCR approved 100kA – 600V (Short Circuit Current Rating), according to UL508.
The REVO S family consists of high-performance, reliable, flexible and compact SSRs with the following properties:
- nominal voltage 480-600-690V;
- SSR or analogue input already configured;
- Burst Firing (Fast Zero Crossing);
- Heater Break alarm to diagnose partial or total load break or thyristor short circuit;
- internal fuses that reduce wiring time and panel size.
For the intelligent management of electrical loads, REVO PC, the multi-channel power controller is used to optimise consumption and power factor.
This intelligent device can manage up to 24 single-phase zones or 8 three-phase zones.
With the REVO PC unit you can:
- eliminate instantaneous power peaks,
- keeping instantaneous power below the companies’ contractual limits,
- setting less onerous contracts and avoiding penalties for exceeding these limits,
- manage REVO S units with a simple SSR input.
Conclusions
Industrial electric boilers, integrated with innovative CD Automation technologies, represent a strategic solution combining environmental sustainability, operational efficiency and tangible economic benefits for companies committed to sustainable growth and operational excellence.
Concrete advantages for companies:
- Significant reduction in energy consumption and operating costs.
- Elimination of power peaks and related tariff penalties.
- Increased system longevity and reliability.
- Improved environmental sustainability with lower indirect CO₂ emissions.
Would you like to receive more detailed information about the proposals developed by CD Automation for industrial electric boilers? Contact us and book a free consultation session with one of our experts. You will receive strategic indications to optimise the energy efficiency of your products and services.
