News

Zenergy Power Completes Successful Operation Of First Commercial High-Temperature Superconductive (HTS) Induction Heater

July 28, 2008 by Jeff Shepard

Zenergy Power Inc., developer of commercial products based on high temperature superconductor (HTS) technology, announced the successful installation and implementation of what it claims is the world’s first commercial full scale HTS induction heater for Weseralu GmbH & Co. KG (Weseralu), an aluminum profile extrusion company, at its manufacturing facility in Minden, Germany.

The HTS induction heater is based on Zenergy’s proprietary technology and is specifically designed for heating large aluminium billets that can be manipulated when softened and shaped for numerous products in the automotive, aerospace and machine building industries.

The newly installed HTS induction heater is now fully operational at Weseralu and is said to offer compelling economic advantages over other technologies in the marketplace with respect to energy efficiency, operational simplicity and carbon emissions. According to the company, conventional induction heater technologies require over 1MW of power to operate at full capacity, while Zenergy’s HTS induction heater consumes a mere 450kW of power when functioning at full volume, representing a substantial 55% energy saving. Additionally, Zenergy states that its technology requires less maintenance than traditional induction heaters since it does not employ copper coils, which require multiple replacements during the lifetime of a unit. From an environmental viewpoint, the operation of a Zenergy HTS induction heater diminishes CO2 emissions by 300 tonnes each year – the equivalent of the emissions of 150 households.

"Zenergy’s HTS technology represents a quantum leap for our industry and I am delighted to be the first in the world to utilize this technology," remarked Mr, Hagemann, owner and Managing Director of Weseralu. "I am confident that it will prove advantageous on an economic and ecologic basis in comparison to any existing billet heating equipment. Additionally, the HTS induction heater offers Weseralu unprecedented temperature homogeneity in our aluminium billets during the heating process in contrast to conventional technology, which will afford the company even more meaningful financial benefits through the increased productivity it generates from the considerable electricity savings we expect to enjoy from the unit."

"The successful implementation of the world’s first full scale commercial HTS induction heater represents a landmark achievement for Zenergy and will enhance Weseralu’s reputation for delivering outstanding and high quality products to its customers," said Dr. Jens Muller, CEO of Zenergy. "We are delighted by the implicit industrial acceptance our technology has obtained thus far, and look forward to a long history of providing cutting-edge, environmentally efficient products to the market."