POWERSAFE? is a fully integrated medium voltage control and heating solution that offers longer heater life, allowing you to confidently replace fossil fuel solutions with a clean electric solution. It also meets the necessary agency requirements to help make your process safe and reliable.
Wattage size requirements for electric thermal equipment have been on the rise. This makes medium voltage solutions attractive because they reduce overall installation costs compared to traditional electric heat exchangers. Watlow’s POWERSAFE medium voltage solution eliminates the need for additional cabling and step down transformers typically required with lower voltage systems. This translates to significant reduction in installation costs.
If you are looking for a solution to decarbonize your existing systems, Watlow’s POWERSAFE medium voltage solution provides a clean, reliable and fully integrated system with optimal fluid dynamics that requires even less space to operate.
Features
POWERSAFE? Features
Operates safely and reliably up to 4160V
- Eliminates the need for costly step-down transformers typically required with lower voltage systems
- Operates at low current allowing for up to 90% reduction in cable costs
Fully integrated thermal control system
- Delivers reliable and safe operation
- Integrates a full thermal system including an electric heat exchanger, process controller and power system
- Includes isolated low voltage enclosure including an HMI and PLC
Flexible combination of SCR/contactor circuits up to 20MW
- Delivers high-efficiency power > 99%
- Reduces overall size and weight of power controller solution
Available power feeder with high speed protective relay and breaker
- Offers rapid shut down protecting personnel and equipment
Includes safety interlocks in controller and heater
- Provides safety while in service and security during operation
Zero-cross SCR control
- Offers low electromagnetic interference
Heater sizes from 12NPS to 60NPS
- Supports heating systems up to 100MW+
Heater lengths up to 30 feet for design optimization
- Consolidates heat exchangers and reduces number of vessels
- Allows for smaller and lighter heat exchangers
Enhanced fluid dynamics and optimized film temperature proprietary technologies
- Provides advanced flow throughout the system, improving heat transfer
- Allows vessel to perform consistently at shorter lengths
Patent-pending medium voltage heater busing system
- Provides ease of connection and service
- Provides the required creepage and clearance distances
- Eliminates partial discharge to ensure high reliability
- Accommodates heater spares
Patent-pending replacement of 180° hairpin bend
- Eliminates single-ended element with power and return pins in close proximity
- Isolates power and return pins at sealed termination
Specifications
POWERSAFE? Specifications
SCR Power Controller
- 4160VAC 300A 3-phase, 3 controlled legs
- SCCR rating: 50KA
- 50/60Hz
- Integrated fuses
- Zero-cross firing
- N+1 redundant SCR cooling fans
Load Monitoring
- Phase current measurement
- Ground fault
- Current imbalance
Incoming Power Feed
- Manual disconnect with Lockout/Tagout
- Mechanical and electrical safety interlocks
- Line voltage measurement
Connectivity
- Ethernet with Modbus? TCP
Power Controller Agency Approval and Regulatory
- UL? 347 and 347C
- UL? 508A
Flange Heater Agency Approval and Regulatory
- Ordinary and Class 1, Div. 2 Groups B, C and D
- Designed and stamped to ASME Code
Flange Heater Agency Approval and Regulatory
- Input, power and controller output terminals are touch-safe removable 12 to 22 AWG
Flange Heater
- ANSI compatible
- 4160VAC 3-phase
- Multiple unit configurations: Parallel, in series or a combination of these
Q & A
POWERSAFE? Q & A
POWERSAFE operates at medium voltage, up to 4,160 V. Because of this, many of the costs associated with low-voltage systems are reduced or eliminated. For example, there is no need for step-down transformers commonly required when converting higher voltage supply to lower voltage heater/control circuits. Also, the systems operate at lower current, which means cable sizes can be smaller, reducing material & installation labor cost.
So in short: high voltage = less current = smaller cables & fewer auxiliary components = lower installation cost, assuming your facility can supply the needed medium-voltage power safely.
The POWERSAFE is a fully integrated heater + control system. Key included components are: Electric heat exchanger / heater elements sized appropriately (heater sizes from 12 NPS to 60 NPS) and accommodating lengths up to 30 ft.
- Control system including power system, SCR/contactor circuits (for power control up to ~20 MW), an isolated low-voltage enclosure with HMI and PLC.
- Protective devices: high-speed protective relay, breaker, safety interlocks in both heater and controller.
- Zero-cross SCR control for minimizing electromagnetic interference.
What the user usually must supply / pre-install / verify:
- Medium‐voltage power source up to 4160 V, with proper feeders.
- Infrastructure for mounting, supporting the heat exchanger, piping or fluid connections.
- Any required facility & safety approvals, clearances, and utility permits associated with operating at medium voltage.
- Cooling or flow systems for heated fluid (if applicable) and monitoring instrumentation as needed by process.
- POWERSAFE includes safety interlocks in both the controller and the heater.
- It uses rapid shutdown capability via high-speed protective relays and breakers to protect personnel and equipment during fault conditions.
- Features like isolated low-voltage control enclosures containing HMI and PLC help with operator safety.
- Zero-cross SCR control reduces electromagnetic interference, which is not just about performance but often matters for compliance with EMI/EMC standards.
- The design emphasizes creepage and clearance distances (important for medium voltage) and elimination of partial discharge via specific heater bus systems.
Customers should still verify this meets local codes (e.g. NEC in the U.S.), agency certifications (UL/CSA/etc.), as well as any permits for operating at the specified voltage in their region.
- Heater sizes are available from 12 NPS up to 60 NPS.
- Heater lengths up to 30 feet are supported, which allows consolidation of heat exchanger length in fewer vessels, optimizing physical footprint.
- The power control circuits are flexible, combining SCRs and contactors to achieve up to 20 MW in a single system.
- The fluid‐dynamics design and film‐temperature optimization help performance consistency even with shorter heaters. This helps when scaling down or optimizing for smaller plants.
- Using an electric heater at medium voltage allows a facility to eliminate or reduce reliance on fossil fuels for thermal energy. That can reduce greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions, especially if the electric power comes from clean or renewable sources.
- Because installation costs are lowered (less cabling, no transformers), payback times can improve. The electric system tends to have lower maintenance (fewer moving parts for combustion), lower emissions permitting cost, etc.
- The system is designed for high efficiency: power control circuits with >99% efficiency according to spec.
- Also, by optimizing fluid flow, minimizing film temperature issues, etc., the system helps avoid losses or degradation that sometimes accompany older fossil fuel or inefficient heating methods.
Downloads
White Paper: Electrification of Process Heating: Medium Voltage Systems Driving Decarbonization
Download Watlow POWERSAFE? Medium Voltage Integrated Heater and Control System Datasheet
Talk to one of our process heat experts today at (855) 737-4718 or fill out our online form to learn more.