Versatile, Pre-Engineered Heater Power Panels For Petro-Chemical, Industrial Applications

Principal Technology Inc., a provider of total system solutions for natural gas, refining, chemical, process and manufacturing facilities, has created a line of standardized, pre-engineered heater power panels. Designed to include the key features industrial customers need, these heater power panels provide safety interlocks and control of electric heaters for process streams including liquid, gas and aqueous electric fluid heating and vaporizer applications.

“Principal Technology’s years of experience in the field enables us to understand the features and requirements petro-chemical refiners, industrial processors and manufacturers demand most from their industrial controls equipment,” said Matthew S. Hodson, P.E. (Texas), president and CEO of Principal Technology. “We have taken this knowledge forward to create a line of pre-engineered products, including our heater power panels, that allow for faster design, installation and commissioning. Not to be confused with a One-Size-Fits-All product, our pre-engineered systems can be tailored to meet the needs of the end-user. This modular design approach allows us to efficiently marry the foundation elements of a pre-engineered solution with the unique requirements of many industrial operators.”

Principal Technology’s heater power panels have standard heater ranges from 15 to 540 KW at 480V/3 ph/60 Hz and are configured with multiple heater circuits capable of offering redundancy if one or more circuits fails. Modulating control for electric heaters is accomplished using silicon rectified controllers (SCRs) proportional to the customer’s demand signal (4-20 mA), and SCR heat sinks are mounted externally on the enclosure for faster SCR heat rejection. Each unit includes a main three-phase disconnect and control power transformer with Nema 4 electrical enclosure. LED pilot indicator lights for ‘power on’, ‘heater on’, and ‘over-temperature’ protection with reset are included.

Principal Technology’s pre-engineered heater power panels come with a number of standard critical safety features, such as:

• Single power disconnect
• Branch circuit protection with semiconductor fuses designed for SCR short circuit protection
• Over temperature controller with password protected configuration access
• Touch safe electrical components
• Remote heater run permissive with heater running feedback
• Factory tested to assure quality and performance

To provide our customers with the exact equipment needed for their specific operation, Principal Technology offers a choice of several optional features to customize heater units. These options include:

• Single—One electrical panel for one heater set
• Dual—One electrical panel with reversing starters for two heater sets (i.e. redundant heaters).
• Integrated process temperature controllers
• UL Listing for General Purpose or Hazardous Classified Areas
• Stainless steel enclosures
• Enclosure space heaters and air conditioners for reliable operation in extreme climates
• Short circuit current ratings to 65,000 amps

All Principal Technology pre-engineered heater power panels meet NFPA 70, National Electric Code and are available with approval for hazardous locations.