US 12,409,427 B2
Direct electrical heating of process heater tubes using galvanic isolation techniques
Lanyon Carr, Gold River, CA (US); and Jon A. Bickel, Murfreesboro, TN (US)
Assigned to Schneider Electric Systems USA, Inc., Foxborough, MA (US); and Schneider Electric USA, Inc., Boston, MA (US)
Filed by Schneider Electric Systems USA, Inc., Foxborough, MA (US); and Schneider Electric USA, Inc., Boston, MA (US)
Filed on Apr. 11, 2025, as Appl. No. 19/177,018.
Application 19/177,018 is a continuation of application No. 18/477,843, filed on Sep. 29, 2023.
Application 18/477,843 is a continuation in part of application No. 18/142,933, filed on May 3, 2023, abandoned.
Application 18/142,933 is a continuation of application No. 17/532,571, filed on Nov. 22, 2021, granted, now 11,697,099, issued on Jul. 11, 2023.
Claims priority of application No. 2209906 (FR), filed on Sep. 29, 2022.
Prior Publication US 2025/0235841 A1, Jul. 24, 2025
Int. Cl. B01J 8/06 (2006.01); B01J 19/00 (2006.01); B01J 19/24 (2006.01); B01J 21/04 (2006.01); B01J 23/755 (2006.01)
CPC B01J 8/067 (2013.01) [B01J 19/0013 (2013.01); B01J 19/2415 (2013.01); B01J 21/04 (2013.01); B01J 23/755 (2013.01); B01J 2208/00389 (2013.01); B01J 2208/00407 (2013.01); B01J 2208/00415 (2013.01); B01J 2219/00132 (2013.01)] 27 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method of heating a system, wherein the system comprises:
one or more tubes, wherein each of the one or more tubes has at least one electrically conductive surface; and
wherein fluid enters each of the one or more tubes via an associated inflow pipe header and exits each of the one or more tubes via an associated outflow pipe header; and
wherein the method comprises:
providing three-phase power to at least one electrically conductive surface of each of the one or more tubes, wherein the first phase is provided to a first connection point, the second phase is provided to a second connection point, and the third phase is provided to a third connection point on the electrically conductive surface of each of the one or more tubes, and wherein the second connection point is between the first and third connection point;
providing a top grounding point on each of the one or more tubes, wherein the top grounding point is between the first connection point and the inflow pipe header;
providing a bottom grounding point on each of the one or more tubes, wherein the bottom grounding point is at the same location as the third connection point; and
individually adjusting a current level of the electrical energy provided to the at least one electrically conductive surface of each tube of the one or more tubes to individually control the temperature of each tube.