Dennis Long, chief system designer at Watlow, explores the potential of electric process heaters.
direct result of burning fuels like natural gas or fuel oil for process heating. Scope two emissions result from the need to import energy, while Scope three emissions are produced while using a product. For example, emissions from vehicles on the road. All three types must be reduced to hit decarbonisation targets.
R
WHAT IS HOLDING BACK SCOPE ONE EMISSION REDUCTION? A survey conducted byWatlow for its customers and prospects has revealed that a full 90 per cent of oil and gas leaders are already actively engaged in decarbonisation efforts. Hydrocarbon processors are no longer focused on if they should decarbonise, but how they will decarbonise. So why are electric process heaters not more ubiquitous in the energy sector today? Surprisingly, familiarity might be the main reason. Until now, such heaters have played only very narrow roles in hydrocarbon processing and were usually smaller, operating at lower voltages. Although larger heaters are easily imaginable, engineers recognise that a number of questions arise when it comes to their control and maintenance. In short, no one wants to be first into the water when it comes to running larger medium-voltage thermal systems. The good news for industry is that modern
electric heaters can provide the same, or improved, performance that hydrocarbon engineers have come to expect from fossil fuel powered heaters and can therefore play a key role in decarbonisation efforts.
ENSURING CONSISTENT CONTROL Some of the most common questions about larger process heaters have to do with control. What additional elements are needed to ramp up the heater? How is temperature monitored and controlled? What additional safety precautions are needed? Just because larger electric heaters have not traditionally been used to heat all processes in the petrochemical industry does not mean that the technology is untested. In fact, field-proven power switching devices have been in use for low voltage electric process heaters and electric medium voltage motors in numerous industries for years, and the ability to control voltage is well established. PLCs and similar power management
systems bring heaters online in ways that prevent problems for other devices connected to the same power source. The heater and controller are part of one closed-loop system, which streamlines integration and yields more control over the entire system. Industry leaders like Watlow are solving the
world’s most challenging and essential thermal problems. Its work includes breaking down the
eplacing fossil fuel heaters with electric heaters would allow for a reduction in “Scope one” carbon dioxide emissions. As defined by Buehler, Scope one emissions are the
Welcometothe April issue of Instrumentation Monthly. There are only a few
days left to enter your nominations for the 2023 Instrumentation Excellence Awards so make sure you head over to
www.instrumentationawards.co.uk to make your nomination count. Turn to page 16 to find out more about the Awards.
barriers to energy transition to provide clean, efficient and reliable ways to electrify processes traditionally heated with fossil fuels. This includes Watlow’s POWERSAFE solution - a medium voltage heating solution that combines both anelectric heat exchanger and a control system. The system has been proven to operate safely and reliably at 4160V and higher. It also offers a flexible combination of a silicon-controlled rectifier and contactor circuits up to 25 megawatts within a single control package, delivering high-efficiency power to reduce the size and weight of the solution, while providing a clean, safe asset for engineers tasked with decarbonising thermal systems. Gaining familiarity with electric process
heating systems now will reduce the burden of energy transition later. Engineers are realising two things. First, there are far more opportunities to use electric process heating systems with far fewer size constraints than energy and environmental engineers previously imagined. Second, control of these megawatt size heating systems is demonstrated in field applications, with precise control of process and skin temperatures. But, by working with a reliable partner to electrify process heating systems is one of the surest ways to progress toward climate action goals without interrupting productivity or profitability.
Measuring gases. Focusing light.
www.axetris.com
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82
