Unlike fossil-fuel-fired heaters, electric heaters always provide 100% energy efficiency even after many years or even decades of operation. In addition, electric heaters may be interfaced and coordinated with other plant electrical equipment so that their load can be reduced to base rates, preventing increased demand charges or peak-use rates. The company’s low-watt density tank-heating systems maintain a decreased heater sheath temperature, reducing potential damage to liquid asphalt cement and emulsions, while keeping buildup/coking to a minimum in tanks and hot oil systems. This low-watt density heat also greatly extends heater life.
The drywell design of PHCo’s electric heaters allows service personnel to remove and perform minimal required maintenance on the heating elements without draining the tank that they are heating. In addition, electric heat is safe and environmentally friendly because it heats without combustion eliminating stacks that must be monitored for emissions, along with eliminating air quality and boiler permits that must be pursued and maintained.