Electric heater instead of natural gas burner

The young company "HyperHeat" and RWTH Aachen University are testing high-performance electric heaters for industrial high-temperature processes. They are intended to replace or supplement natural gas burners.

The technology provider Hyper Heat and the Institute for Industrial Furnace Construction and Heating Technology (IOB) at RWTH Aachen University are launching a research project on the electrification of industrial high-temperature processes, the project partners announced on March 16. The aim of the project is to investigate the economic and ecological savings that can be achieved by replacing a fossil fuel burner with an electric "HyperHeat heater".

Hyper Heat develops high-performance electric heaters for industrial high-temperature applications. The systems reach temperatures of up to 2,000 degrees Celsius and address processes such as steel forging or thermal treatments in metal processing. The technology uses existing openings in industrial furnaces and is intended to replace or supplement existing natural gas burners. Operators can switch between electricity and gas. The furnace operation can thus be controlled depending on the energy price and availability.

The project partners are now installing a retrofit solution in a test furnace at the Aachen Institute's technical center. There they are testing the electric heater under conditions that correspond to typical industrial processes.

Hyper Heat wants to use the trials to determine technical data for industrial use. The company is pursuing the goal of developing a marketable product for energy-intensive industries. The researchers are also analyzing factors that influence the service life and material durability of the components.

Test series from summer 2026

The project is divided into three phases: Hyper Heat plans to manufacture the electric heater and deliver it to the institute by June 2026. The team at the institute will then begin a series of tests under different operating scenarios. The investigations will focus on two temperature ranges. A high-temperature range of around 1,250 degrees Celsius simulates forging processes for steel. A second range around 500 degrees Celsius corresponds to applications in the heat treatment of aluminum.

The project partners plan to evaluate the test data from autumn 2026. The results should provide information on the integration of electric heating methods into existing thermal processing plants.

Institute Director Christian Wuppermann sees process gas heaters as an option for decarbonizing energy-intensive high-temperature processes. However, the integration of hybrid heating methods poses technical challenges in terms of plant operation, material load and process stability. The project aims to help identify risks when implementing such technologies in existing industrial plants. Wuppermann: "Cooperation between industry and science can accelerate the implementation of new technologies."

Hyper Heat develops high-performance electric heaters for heavy industry that can reach temperatures of up to 2,000 degrees Celsius. In this way, Hyper Heat aims to offer an economical, CO2-free alternative for energy-intensive industries such as steel, glass, ceramics and cement, which are currently dependent on fossil fuels. The electric heaters can either fully electrify existing furnaces or initially be installed as a hybrid solution to supplement existing gas burners. The company was founded in 2023 and is based in Offenburg and Cologne.

The project is part of the Central Innovation Program for SMEs (ZIM) and receives funding from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWE).

Author: Heidi Roider