Category: Watlow

The options that you need…

A single driver module can support up to four power modules – and hence

four independent control loops.  Power modules are available in current ratings

covering a range from 100A to 630A.  The driver module itself supports options

boards to give you additional flexibility in your solution:

• Communications – RS485 Modbus RTU, Profibus, DeviceNet®, Modbus TCP

network protocols, CCLink*, EtherNet IP* and ProfiNet*

Predictive Load Management (PLM) – A powerful feature to effectively manage

your power requirements across multiple machines to save on your energy costs.

Read more about PLM.

• Flexible I/O – The driver module supports standard I/O and up to three additional

I/O boards with analogue inputs, analogue outputs, digital I/O and relay outputs

• LTC – The Load Tap changer option for single phase unit applications only, allows

for managing multi-tap transformers, preventing both increased harmonics and the

reduction of power factor

• Energy Counter – Available over communications and for display on user screens,

customers can access up to 5 scalable counters, one per individual phases and a 

global energy usage counter

Revolutionary modularity and configurability to meet your needs…

• Easy ordering, configuration and maintenance through modular design

• If your requirements change EPower controller can be easily adapted to meet your needs

• Minimum spares holding – many options configurable through a common

driver module e.g. firing mode, load, phases, control etc.

• Up to four power control modules provide single and multi-phase control

• Software configurable options to bring you flexibility

Software Config Options:

Control Type:

• Single phase

• 2 x single phase

• 3 x single phase

• 4 x single phase

• Two phase

• 2 x two phase

• True three phase

Firing Modes:

• Phase angle

• Half cycle

• Burst firing

• Fix modulation period

• Logic mode

Load Type:

• Standard Resistive

• Complex Resistive

• Inductive e.g. Transformer

• Short Wave Infrared

• Load Configuration

• Single phase

• Star

• Delta

• Star with neutral

• Open Delta

Feedback:

• V2

• I2

• True power

• RMS load voltage

• RMS load current

• Open loop

• Large extruders

The EPower Advanced SCR Power Controller uses the newest technologies

and innovations to manage your process and reduce your energy costs.

On every level it brings you the flexibility you need to best meet your

requirements now and in the future.

Description

• Modular Design

• Software Configurable

• QuickStart Easy Setup

• Advanced Configuration using Graphical Wiring Editor    

• Predictive Load Management

• Flexible Communications

The EPower Advanced SCR (Silicon Controlled Rectifier) Power Controller

uses the newest technologies and innovations to manage your process and

reduce your energy costs. On every level it brings you the flexibility you

need to best meet your requirements now and in the future.

Let us look after your power control for you and give you the peace of mind

that you have the best for your process – even as it changes.

• Flexibility – advanced technologies in harmony with modularity and ease of 

use to deliver your power control needs

• Efficiency – world class power control with innovative features to minimise

your energy costs with exceptional process performance

• Peace of mind – a power controller that will bring you return on investment

and can be adapted in the future if your requirements change – one product for all solutions

Data driven performance

Support for popular industrial protocols including EtherNet/

IP and PROFINET allows easy integration into both new

and existing applications, enabling valuable insights into

your process, such as energy consumption, measurement

tracking, fault detections, and more.

• Easily connects with power monitoring software for

an insight into electrical system health and energy

efficiency

A pre-designed packaged solution

The EPower thyristor controlled power supply solution is available

in four standard sizes to cover a wide range of furnaces, with

customization available on request.

• Turnkey engineered cabinet solution, including transformers if required

• Available for single phase, or three phase 2-leg or 3-leg power control

• Cabinets are CE Marked and built with UL Listed products and UL Recognized components.

UL Listing of the solution is available on request

• Supported by Eurotherm services and Authorized Solution Provider Network

• Eurotherm services, support, and service level agreements (SLAs) available

Reduce unplanned downtime

Improved power efficiency combined with

diagnostics and health condition monitoring, help

to improve overall system robustness:

• Less equipment to maintain – no need for

power filters, power factor correction devices

or extra water cooling systems

• Monitoring and notification of key parameters

provide simplified diagnostics of process fault

conditions, for faster maintenance

• Advanced notification of heater deterioration

enables pre-ordering and scheduling of

replacement parts

• Predictive load management can keep the

power demand within the capability of the

power line, helping to reduce the risk of

power outages

Improve furnace performance

High accuracy temperature measurement

and precision power control help to improve

workpiece throughput and quality:

• High quality heat treatment

• Repeatable performance throughout the

furnace temperature range

• Achieve higher Nadcap furnace class

temperature uniformity

CapEx savings

An EPower controller based power supply

solution often costs less than an analog thyristor

or VRT design:

• Expensive additional power factor correction

systems are not required. Transformers can

be air cooled, or water cooled using the

furnace cooling system

• Digital thyristor control allows space saving,

due to a typically smaller footprint than analog

designs

• Ethernet connectivity enables communication

with other instruments and platforms,

reducing wiring costs and allowing access to

key parameters

• Greenfield electrical distribution systems

can be a smaller size due to load sharing

and shedding, which balances and limits the

power demand on the supply

The rise in power factor and peak demand charge

penalties is driving the need for better energy

efficiency in electric heat treatment furnaces. Installing

an EPower advanced thyristor power controller

with predictive load management offers a variety

of efficiency benefits, compared to legacy analog

thyristor and variable reactance transformer (VRT)

controlled designs.

Lower energy costs

Hybrid firing modes and predictive load

management strategies offer energy saving

efficiency improvements:

• Typical power factor (PF) better than 0.9 helps

to meet the PF limits set by utility suppliers,

reducing the risk of PF penalty charges

• Predictive load management can stabilize

power demand, helping to reduce peak

demand charge penalties

• Typical energy savings ≈10%

• Typical ROI < 2 years [1]

Energy efficiency for electric heat treatment furnaces

Standardized digital thyristor (SCR) power supply cabinet

solutions, designed to replace VRT and analog thyristor

power supplies

Benefits

Installing an EPower™ advanced thyristor (SCR – silicon

controlled rectifier) power supply cabinet solution offers

significant CapEx and OpEx efficiency improvements, compared

to legacy analog designs:

• Typical power factor > 0.9. helps to meet utility suppliers’

power factor limits

• Patented ‘Predictive Load Management’, helps to reduce

demand charge penalties

• Typical energy savings ≈10%, with typical ROI < 2 years

• Helps to achieve a repeatable high performance process

• Condition monitoring for reducing maintenance time and cost

• IIoT ready thanks to multiple communication protocols

• Smaller footprint than a typical analog power supply

Key features

• Standardized turnkey cabinet solution

• Predictive load management strategies

• Hybrid firing modes

• Load monitoring

• Industrial communication protocols

• High efficiency power transformers

• Customization available

• Supported by Eurotherm services and Authorized Solution Provider Network

Features and Benefits

Fast cycle card

• Increases heater life

• Optimizes temperature control

• Allows for higher watt density heaters

Zero cross firing

• Results in minimal electrical noise

Back-to-back SCR design

• Withstands harsh or hostile industrial environments

UL® recognized File #E151484 and #E73741

CSA certified up to 600VAC, File #LR700195

VDE 60950 License #40021401. File #1995500

up to 480VAC, CE – EN 60950 and RoHS

• Meets applications requiring agency approval

Watlow solid state relays (SSR) offer many of the

advantages of solid state power controllers, yet at a

lower cost. Watlow’s extensive knowledge in power

controller design has led to the development of a special

fast cycle input card that enables a SSR to operate

from a standard 4-20mA instrumentation command

signal. Test results have shown that a zero cross SSR

in combination with the fast cycle card promotes better

temperature control and longer heater life than slow

cycle relays. Through a time proportional cycle rate of

one tenth of a second heater life will be extended.

Both low and high voltage models are available from

24 up to 530VAC. All ac output models include

back-to-back Silicon Controlled Rectifiers (SCRs) for a

more rugged design than the traditional triac based SSR.

The internal design allows it to handle high currents

and the harsh electrical environments of heavy industry.

Watlow also offers a switched VDC model for dc heating

applications.

Watlow can provide all the components necessary

for trouble-free operation. This includes two standard

convenience items: A thermal foil to ensure proper

thermal transfer from the relay to the heat sink and

belville washers that ensure the relay is mounted with

sufficient pressure for good heat transfer. Matched

semiconductor fuses and heat sinks are available to

complete the power switching package.

Features and Benefits

200KA SCCR with proper fusing

• Minimizes damage in the event of a short circuit

Standard panel mount

• Provides same mount as industry standard 100A MDR

Compact size

• Reduces panel space and cost

Touch-safe terminals

• Increases safety for installer and user

Mercury free

• Assures environmental safety

Faster switching with solid state

• Saves energy and extends heater life

UL® 508 listed, C-UL®, RoHS and CE with filter

• Meets applications requiring agency approval

• Reduces end product documentation

Back-to-back SCR design

• Ensures a rugged design

On-board semiconductor fusing

• Provides quick access with no extra mounting

necessary