Ferroman Heatbox
Ferroman Engineering Product launch
Ferroman Heatbox
Keep your furnace. Use less gas.
Heatbox preheats combustion air with electricity so your burners use less gas for the same heat. The calculator compares annual furnace energy costs using your gas and electricity prices and operating hours.
- Installation
- Furnace retrofit
- Heating elements
- Silicon carbide
- Energy sources
- Gas + electricity
How it works
Electric heat.
Before the burner.
Heatbox sits in the combustion-air duct and adds electric heat upstream of the burner.
Combustion air preheating
- Recuperator
- Heatbox
- Burner
In the example shown, the recuperator first warms the incoming air with recovered heat. The air then passes over the Heatbox’s silicon carbide elements. At the burner, the hotter air reduces the gas needed to deliver the same heat to the furnace.
Benefits
What Heatbox delivers
Lower fuel costs, steadier furnace operation and a new use for electrical flexibility.
- Electricity used
- 1 MWh
- Natural gas displaced
- 1.25 MWh
Burn less gas for the same heat
In Ferroman’s reference case, 1 MWh of electricity replaced 1.25 MWh of natural gas. That is 20% less energy for the portion of gas replaced. Total furnace savings depend on the share of heat supplied electrically.
Heatbox adds electric heat after the recuperator, so the furnace keeps using recovered heat. In a separate reference case, raising burner inlet-air temperature by 100°C gave 5% energy savings.
Cut direct CO₂ and ETS costs
In the gas-displacement reference case, each MWh of electric preheating avoided 0.25 tonnes of direct CO₂. For a plant covered by the EU ETS, lower combustion emissions can also reduce allowance costs. The overall carbon impact depends on the electricity used.
Switch to the lower-cost energy source
Increase electric preheating when electricity delivers heat more cheaply than gas. Reduce it when prices reverse. The burners remain available to meet the process demand.
Stabilise furnace pressure and burner operation
Using less fuel reduces the volume of combustion gases. This can improve the furnace pressure balance. A steadier combustion-air temperature also helps burners operate closer to their intended conditions, with less excess oxygen where the process allows.
Increase throughput and yield
Where heating time limits output, reaching the target temperature sooner can increase throughput. More consistent burner conditions can also improve product quality and yield. The opportunity depends on the material, cycle and production bottleneck.
Earn revenue from grid balancing
Heatbox gives the plant an electrical load it can raise or lower. The gas burners can compensate as electric input changes. Where the site meets the local market’s requirements, that flexibility can earn revenue from reserve and balancing services.
Retrofit with one accountable partner
Retrofit the air duct and retain the existing furnace and burners. Ferroman can take the project from feasibility and engineering through installation and commissioning. Training, performance monitoring and ongoing service can help sustain savings and reduce maintenance costs over the life of the unit.
Applications
Where Heatbox fits
Select your process to see what we would assess first.
Combustion-air preheating
Add electric heat to the air duct feeding the burners. The starting point is the combustion airflow and its temperature before and after any existing heat recovery.
Drying
Heated air carries moisture away from the material. To assess a drying line, Ferroman reviews the airflow and temperature the material can tolerate, alongside the moisture removal the process requires.
Energy-efficient curing
A curing oven must hold the temperature profile required by the product. Ferroman reviews the cycle time, air circulation and heating demand to assess where electric air heating could fit.
Technical information
Integration & specifications
The installation is sized around your air system, available power and operating conditions.
Electrical supply
Available electrical capacity sets the starting point. Ferroman compares the power available at the installation with the heating duty at your normal and peak airflow.
Digital capabilities
The control interface is defined with your automation team. The review covers available plant signals and how the electric heat input should respond when airflow or furnace load changes.
Mechanical integration
Duct dimensions, pressure drop and access for element maintenance determine where the unit fits. A duct layout helps identify possible connection points.
Heating principle
Silicon carbide (SiC) resistance elements transfer electric heat to the air flowing through the unit. For combustion-air preheating, that heat enters the furnace through the existing burner system.
Technical specifications
- Product
- Ferroman Heatbox
- Heating power range
- 250 kW to 3.0 MW
- Heating elements
- Silicon carbide (SiC)
Heating power, airflow, operating temperatures and installation dimensions are specified for each site.
EU funding for industrial heat
Heat action
If you’re considering electric heating for an existing furnace, EU funding may be worth exploring.
European CommissionExplore the IF26 Heat Auction (opens in a new tab)
About the Heat Auction
The EU’s Heat Auction supports selected projects that reduce emissions from industrial process heat. The European Commission publishes the eligibility criteria and funding terms for each round.
Ferroman Engineering
Heatbox contacts
Discuss the investment, check the technical fit or plan a site assessment with the Heatbox team.
Sales & funding
Anton Johansson
Head of Sales – Heating & Energy Solutions
For the business case, investment estimates and EU funding opportunities.
Technology
Björn Ahlqvist
Project Owner / Technical Expert
For heating duty, silicon carbide elements and integration with your furnace and burners.
Applications
Samuli Bergman
Product Manager
For Heatbox applications, project scope and the next steps in a site assessment.