The role and advantages of electric heating

Electric heating involves converting electrical energy into thermal energy. Therefore, wherever electric heating is used, it consumes significant amounts of electricity. Consequently, electric heating devices are often considered "power hogs." Even household electric heating appliances often struggle to meet the demand for affordable, unaffordable equipment. Therefore, minimizing power consumption while maximizing heat output under the same operating conditions-in other words, improving the thermal efficiency of electric heating appliances-is the key to saving electricity. Electric heating and energy conservation are two aspects of the same coin, integrated throughout the entire product design, manufacturing, and operation process.

For example, typecasting machines used for printing originally employed external radiant heating elements in the lead melter. Later, the design switched to internal conductive tubular heating elements. Under otherwise identical conditions, electric heating power consumption dropped from 30 degrees Celsius per day to 12 degrees Celsius, achieving significant energy savings.

For example, after reasonable improvements and installation of electric heating elements in the water-flow baking tunnel of a food factory, the power consumption was reduced from 500 kilowatts to 400 kilowatts, saving 100 degrees of electricity per hour. With two shifts of production per day, 1,600 degrees of electricity can be saved per day. Based on 25 production days per month, 4,000 degrees of electricity can be saved per month. If this technology is promoted in similar industries across the country, its power-saving effect cannot be ignored. In the current era of increasingly tight energy resources in the world, it is increasingly important to transform old equipment, trial-produce new products, and use them rationally and correctly, while saving electricity and improving thermal efficiency. The reason why electric heating has been so widely developed is mainly because electric energy has the following advantages compared with other forms of heating: (1) Electric heating is clean and hygienic, without smoke, oil, or environmental pollution. (2) Electric heating has higher thermal efficiency than other energy sources. The thermal efficiency of coal is about 12-20%, the thermal efficiency of liquid fuel is about 20-40%, the thermal efficiency of gas fuel is about 50-60%, the thermal efficiency of steam is about 45-60%, and the thermal efficiency of electricity is about 50-95%.

(3) Using electric energy for heating can generate a large amount of heat energy in a very small area, which can heat at a higher speed to obtain the predetermined operating temperature.

(4) The power of electric heating can be adjusted more conveniently, so it is easy to adjust the temperature and realize automatic control.

(5) The thermal inertia of electric heating is small, the temperature control accuracy is high, and it is more energy-saving and has a good heating effect.

(6) The heated object is not easy to oxidize. Electric heating does not require ambient atmosphere conditions, unlike fuel combustion, which requires the help of oxygen.

(7) Electric heating products and electric heating equipment can be easily made simple and compact in structure, easy to maintain, and can greatly improve the working conditions of the operator.

(8) Small one-time investment.

(9) The heated objects can be easily moved, mechanized and automated in the heating zone, creating extremely favorable conditions for assembly lines and automatic production lines. With the development of science and technology, new technologies, new processes, new materials and special equipment are widely adopted in various sectors of the national economy. While improving labor productivity, they also improve product quality, reduce product costs, and improve labor intensity. Mechanization, streamlining and automation of production processes are still a very important aspect of my country's modernization construction. The so-called electric process, which directly applies electric energy to production processes, is a new technology that has gradually become popular and is a major innovation in production processes in modern industry. The electric processes currently used in industrial and agricultural production include various processing methods such as electrothermal, electrochemical, electric pulse, and electrocorrosion. Among them, the electric heating process is the earliest and most widely used. In heavy industry, the electric heating metal heat treatment method can ensure that the heating temperature of metal structures is uniform and the temperature control is precise, thereby improving the quality of heat treatment. In addition, electric heating equipment can be easily made airtight, thereby maintaining the required gas or vacuum in the equipment or container. Electric heating can also be used to locally heat a specific part or surface of a workpiece. Consequently, specialized heat treatment equipment is increasingly appearing in mechanical manufacturing and in ferrous, non-ferrous, and light metallurgy. In the foundry industry in particular, technological advancements have led to an increase in complex shapes, thin walls, and minimal or no cutting required for castings. To ensure that the molten metal quickly fills the mold cavity and maintains its heat for optimal fluidity, molds are often equipped with electric heating devices. This significantly reduces material consumption and labor hours, resulting in lower costs.

In light industry, electric heating has become an essential new process technology for heating and drying food, wood, paper, cotton, and wool fabrics, as well as in printing and dyeing. Whether in the established rubber vulcanization process or the emerging plastics industry, compression molding and injection molding rely on electric heating. Uniform heating of all mold sections is crucial, especially for complex products or multi-part processes.

In the petrochemical industry, the use of electric heating for heating crude oil pipelines, heating and insulating pipe tanks, drying paints and coatings, and refining fertilizers has reduced project investment and lowered operating costs.

In agriculture, with the development of modern technology and the gradual specialization of agriculture, electric heating has also been widely used in seedling cultivation, silkworm breeding, fish fry cultivation, chicken hatching, and high-quality seed breeding. For example, in silkworm breeding, heating previously used coal, which was difficult to control, resulting in inconsistent egg yields and high carbon dioxide content in the silkworm houses, which caused silkworm nurseries to faint. Switching to electric heating and humidification has resulted in fresher indoor air, a significantly improved working environment, and a more consistent egg yield and significantly higher yield rates.

Electric heating not only plays a significant role in industrial and agricultural production but is also increasingly used in daily life. As people's living standards continue to rise, the demand for household appliances is increasing. Household appliances are categorized by their principle, including electroacoustic, electroluminescent, electric heating, electric cooling, and electric motors. Electric heating appliances have become a significant component of these appliances.

For indoor heating and insulation, there are various indirect heating options, such as electric heaters, electric water heaters, infrared heaters, and air heaters. There are also direct heating options, such as electric quilts, electric mattresses, electric seat cushions, and hand warmers. Especially in southern my country, where buildings generally lack heating systems, electric heating appliances are often needed during winter cold snaps and falling temperatures.

For cooking, electric stoves, electric rice cookers, electric hot pots, electric ovens, toasters, and electric coffee makers have provided people with a wider variety of food options while reducing the time spent on cooking. This is particularly true in areas with abundant hydropower resources, such as Hunan Province. Thanks to its abundant hydropower resources, the province's installed capacity of small hydropower reached nearly 900,000 kilowatts in 1982, generating over 2 billion kilowatt-hours of electricity annually, providing farmers with a large amount of affordable electricity. By early December 1982, over 5,600 households in 27 counties across the province were using electricity for cooking, frying, and heating water.

In the areas of hygiene and cosmetics, bath water heaters, electric irons, flat irons, water boilers, electric combs, hair dryers, and hair curlers have gradually become part of people's lives.

In the medical and health sector, electric heating has also provided numerous new products, including household sterilizers, hot compresses, and gynecological douches.

The widespread use of electric heating in industrial and agricultural production and in people's daily lives demonstrates its significant development in the national economy.