Electric Steam Boiler / Generator
Click Here for Steam Generator Models
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Rapid Steam Generator. One ton/h
Or use a hybrid. Contact MHI.
If a large kW (large BHP) boiler is required only for heating, consider switching to process heat generators with or without moisture to save energy and water. Please view these pages for high-volume steam generators like the OAB-450 or OAB-1000.
Annual Cost Example (OPEX). This is only an example and may not be relevant to your specific application. Please contact MHI for details.
 Old-style boilers are massive and constantly under repair |
Changing From Fossil Fuel Boiler to Electric | 
Installed Electric Steam Generator Assumptions |
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ons: · The steam demand averages 20% of installed capacity · The steam is required intermittently throughout the day · Existing 500 BHP natural gas boiler · One standby boiler kept hot · Steam distributed throughout plant · Natural gas costs 1/3 the equivalent energy cost of electricity Annual Cost Example Result Even though electricity is assumed to cost three times more than natural gas on an energy basis, the total annual operating cost can still be significantly lower because:
Electric Steam Generators include HMI and controls. No need to buy an extra Boiler Management Control Feature. |
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High-efficiency electric steam boiler / Generator for heating kettles and vats. Use hot air/gas or steam. MHI manufactures all types of steam generators.
Please take me to the Airtorch® Models Page or Take me to the Steam Generator Models Page.
Compare Efficiency. Three types of efficiencies are essential to consider. (1) the efficiency of the steam generation device where the GHGA, OAB®, and MightySteam® excel; (2) the efficiency of the downstream process that the steam is used for; and (3) the overall water usage efficiency and propensity to recycle the water. The one-atmosphere steam-gas generator/boiler OAB® performs well in all three categories. Better conversion factors allow OAB® units to use fewer resources to produce more steam. A standard OAB steam output at 350°C is almost at the theoretical efficiency of power conversion for OAB steam generation! The OAB’s rapid startup (generally within a minute from a cold start) also considerably reduces energy usage.
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It reaches temperature quickly, resulting in lower wear, higher productivity, and higher kinetics. The output velocity of the 550°C OAB steam is very high – almost 40m/s or more. This feature supports uniform heating of kettles/heat exchangers and reaches long piping distances without significant temperature loss. The heating rate for industrial vats and kettles significantly affects the overall process economics. A general rule of thumb for productivity from traditional pressure boilers is – (0.35 Gallons of a heated product like water)/kW-hr. For the OAB, it is closer to (1 Gallon/kW-hr), i.e., almost three times (numbers may be lower or higher as they are situationally dependent and one needs to evaluate on a case-by-case basis). Traditionally, an 80-200 kW boiler is used for vat-heating by microbreweries and juice producers. Imagine cutting the required power to 1/3. This is a new 2021 technology.
Note that 1 Kilowatt (KW)= 3,414 BTU/hour. At the lower end of the clean burn, about 0.4 Kg of CO2 is produced for every 1 kWh of combustion. For a 100 kW combustion boiler running continuously and burning fuel for 24 hrs., ~960 Kg (close to a ton) of CO2 may be produced per hour. Home gas burners burn natural gas. If home-gas-fired burners are used for ~2 hrs., then about 2-4 Kg or more of CO2 could be made in that time. Please note that modern burners are restricted in the amount of CO produced, but venting is essential whenever a burner is used. Please review, for example, this published link: https://www.abe.iastate.edu/extension-and-outreach/carbon-monoxide-poisoning-gas-fired-kitchen-ranges-aen-205/.
How much does energy cost? Energy prices depend on the source but don’t differ much between commonly used energy types (e.g., gas or electric). Comparisons are given here, for example. In the US, when comparing gas and electricity, a rule of thumb is that gas energy costs about 75% as much as the same quantity of electric energy. However, electric machines (OAB®) and even electric boilers are generally much more efficient than gas heaters. Additionally, electric heaters can be efficient/accurately controlled. For natural gas heating, about 117 pounds of CO2 are produced for one million BTU (293 kWh) of energy produced by burning natural gas. The OAB® produces no CO2. The boiler industry uses a unit called Boiler-Power (BP). (1BP ~ 10kW). So an 8 BP-rated boiler is approximately an 80 kW boiler.
https://mhi-inc.com/oab-instant-high-temperature-steam-models/
Example of energy savings: Microbrewery or Cottage Cheese Milk owners want to use much less energy and maintain an ecologically low carbon footprint. A typical microbrewery may use kettles and vats heated with steam (or high-quality hot air). Sometimes steam heating can replace high-quality Air Heating for the same kW’s. Airtorch units are less expensive than the corresponding steam units for the same kW.
General instructions for Beer. Unless steam is required, a hot air device may be easier to use and can save money by avoiding water use. A typical microbrewery may use kettles and vats heated with steam (or high-quality electric Airtorch® hot air) with the following sequence. Note that the scenario below is optimized for the lowest possible power use. MHI offers steam generators or Airtorch® units ranging from one to several hundred kg/hr.
Step 1: Heat approximately 600 gallons of water from 75°F to 170°F in a kettle in 6 hours ~ requires 24 kW for a well-insulated kettle (i.e., one OAB -36, MVTA-36, or two OAB-12 or two MVTA925-12 units for use overnight). Lower power equals a longer heat-up time if the insulation is adequate. 12 kW = 40968 BTU/hr. If you are a specialized microbrewery making 100 gallons daily, each vat may require only two hours of heating time.
Step 2: Add grain to 600 gallons & maintain 150° F-170°F temperature in kettle for 1 hr ~ requires 12 kW (one OAB-12 or MVTA925-12) to maintain the temperature at 170°F. This depends on how much cold grain is added. Please check with your Brewmaster for accuracy. You can preheat grain independently with an efficient hot air device or steam before VAT heating.
Step 3: Remove grain and bring the liquid to a mild boil for 6 hours (from 170°F to 210°F) – requires 12kW depending on how much steam is made during the spot (one OAB-12 or MVTA925-12). The immediate introduction is not feasible for all brews or with air to avoid combustion.
Using a more efficient steam generator like the OAB® helps reduce operating costs and shows ecological sensitivity. With an OAB® or Airtorch, please remember it is an on-off (on-demand) device, unlike many traditional boilers. Remember, you can also choose the heating medium: steam or air. Contact MHI.
Note* Power values stated are approximate. How much savings per kW saved? This page may be used to calculate the energy and power required.
When using steam, i.e., an OAB®, please remember it is an on-off device (on demand), unlike a traditional boiler which often has to be idled. Save enormous amounts of electricity and water by using this on-demand feature. Use only when required.
How does one increase the rate of production?
Short Answer: Increase the temperature of the process gas or steam. Yes, you can do this with OAB steam or an Airtorch®.
Detailed Answer: Click the Steam Calculator page.
HGA and OAB Steam Generator Models. A list of applications for the best steam available.
MightySteam® Products (Industrial and R&D Use)
Steam boilers and generators utilizing 20th-century technology are innately inefficient. Combustion processes are typically inefficient or polluting. Even with economizers and the best designs, most fire tube and water tube boilers can only approach 85% efficiency. Low-efficiency ratings, large footprints, long startup times, and safety concerns have been the norm for any application requiring steam. Steam boilers generate steam through combustion and high pressure. MHI’s full line of patented steam boilers and generators generates pure, superheated steam at 1-atmosphere pressure without any discharge.
- Electric Steam Generation – MHI’s Steam Boiler and Generator lines generate steam without combustion. Or use the Airtorch®. No NOx by-products.
- Pure Clean Steam – The highest quality, low moisture content dry steam available is offered by many of MHI’s steam generators.
- High Temperatures – Steam temperatures are available from 300°C up to 1300°C. Scalable units provide steam without ever-increasing operating pressure!
- 21st Century Efficiency – MHI’s steam products are 99%+ outlet-to-output efficient. Convert electricity to steam while minimizing losses resulting from combustion.
- Excellent Design – Most MHI electric boilers are small enough to be near the demand source. Save money by not having to route steam piping.
Electric steam generators are now a reality. With small device footprints and unparalleled feature sets, products such as our OAB can revolutionize processes and reduce inefficiencies in transporting steam through pipes, idling boilers, and the combustion process. With outputs available to over 2000kg/h of 1300°C steam, MHI’s One Atmosphere Boilers can fulfill many small to moderate steam demands.
For more information, see Superheated Steam or One Atmosphere Electric Steam Boiler. HGA and OAB Steam Generator Models
