Eksperimental Study of the Power Control System in an Electric Heater

Abstract

Electric heaters are vital devices in various industrial fields that convert electrical energy into thermal energy The operation of power control systems is crucial to ensuring stable temperatures, providing safety, minimizing equipment damage,        and conserving energy consumption. This experimental study was motivated by the need to analyze and compare the performance characteristics of power control systems using contactors, Solid State Relays (SSRs), and power regulators in a heating element. The experiment was conducted on-site at PT. Vinilon Jaya Sakti in Mojokerto collecting data on the operation of a 3,600-watt band heater integrated with an Autonics TK4S thermocontroller and a thermocouple temperature sensor. The main parameters tested and analyzed included electrical current, effective power, heating time efficiency, and temperature stability as measured by the offset value relative to the target set point of 150° C. The test results showed that the conventional        control system          using a           contactor successfully reached the target temperature of 150° C within 10 minutes with a constant average current of 15.71 A during the full heating process. However, because it operates on a full On/Off mechanism, the contactor caused a significant temperature overshoot due to thermal inertia during the pre-heating phase, with an average offset value of 9.83° C. This empirical study is expected to serve as a technical reference for the industry in selecting the most suitable control device to reduce both operational and maintenance costs of heating systems