10 industrial applications of temperature controller

Thermal controllers are becoming increasingly popular in industry, offering precise, reliable temperature control for a wide variety of industrial applications.

From testing laboratories in the pharmaceutical industry to the manufacture of polymers and plastics, there are many sectors where temperature controllers can help optimize performance and productivity.

In this article, we'll look at 10 industrial applications where the installation of thermal controllers can significantly improve industrial processes.

The use of temperature controllers in the pharmaceutical industry

In the pharmaceutical industry, traceability of measurements at all stages of the manufacturing process is essential to ensure that all products and experiments comply with strict quality and efficacy regulations.

By equipping themselves with temperature controllers, pharmaceutical companies can ensure that the manufacture of each product or medicine is carried out in compliance with current standards. In addition to enabling precise traceability of measurements, this instrument helps to ensure the smooth running of equipment and various types of laboratory research work.

Temperature controllers are essential to the success of many chemical manufacturing processes.

In chemical reactors to ensure optimum, safe reaction.
In distillation processes for efficient separation of individual components.
In product drying processes, which extend product life.
In polymerization processes for a homogeneous, controlled reaction.
In oxygen reduction processes to prevent product decomposition. This technique can be used to preserve vegetable oils, organic solvents and polymers.

Temperature measurement control in laboratories is also used in storage systems to preserve the stability and quality of the chemical elements produced.

Temperature control is an important factor in the chemical industry, since the simple installation of a temperature controller can considerably improve the manufacturing process and the results of experiments.

Temperature controllers for petroleum applications

Refining: this process transforms crude oil into finished products such as gasoline, diesel and heating oil, by passing it through a distillation tower and heating it to very high temperatures.
Catalytic cracking: this technique is used to convert heavier hydrocarbons into lighter petrochemicals by subjecting them to a temperature of around 500°C.
Steam-assisted oil recovery: this technique is used to extract heavy, viscous oil from underground reservoirs by injecting high-temperature steam to fluidize the oil.

Temperature controllers for gas applications

Natural gas liquefaction: this process involves cooling natural gas to very low temperatures, transforming it into a liquid that can be easily stored and transported.
Hydrogen production: this technique often involves reacting methane with steam to produce hydrogen and carbon monoxide.
Gas treatment: when industrial gases such as oxygen or nitrogen are produced, they need to be purified to the datasheet required under precise pressure and temperature conditions for successful purification.

The installation of temperature control systems ensures optimum conditions for the extraction and processing of oil and natural gas. Fast, reliable temperature control increases efficiency in the various stages of fossil fuel processing.

Once the pulp has been produced, it has to be transformed into sheets, which are then drained and dried, and this manufacturing process can be improved with temperature controllers.

Forming: at this stage, the pulp is very wet and is drained on a wire screen before being pressed to reduce its moisture content.
Drying: the sheet of paper passes through dryers whose temperature reaches 120°C.
Calendering: the paper is passed between heated rollers to smooth and protect it. Depending on the temperature of the rollers, the paper will render differently.
Winding: the paper is wound to form reels which are cut to customer specifications.

The papermaking process is a complex operation that requires a precise control loop of the temperature variable to ensure continuous production. Otherwise, papermakers risk costly downtime and poor end-product quality. To maintain a constant temperature throughout the papermaking process, companies need reliable and efficient temperature management systems.

First of all, the machines used to manufacture the packaging use a heating device to shape and form the different types of packaging:

Thermoforming machines for forming plastic products such as cans and bags.
Blow molding machines for temperature-controlled production of plastic bottles.
Injection molding machines for the production of specially shaped plastic parts.

The importance of control in optimizing temperature settings for different packaging processes cannot be underestimated.

To fill manufactured containers, the packaging industry uses equipment where the temperature must be controlled so as not to alter the quality of the packaged product:

Liquid filling machines: for filling liquid products such as beverages, sauces and oils.
Sterilization machines for sterilizing food and medical products, for example.

Finally, packaging plants also use machines to seal packages in order to extend shelf life or protect sealed materials:

Heat-sealing machines for sealing packages under vacuum or protective atmosphere.

Welding machines for sealing plastic and paper packaging.
Bag sealing machines for sealing plastic and paper bags for food, chemicals and other products.
Heat-sealing machines for sealing paper and plastic packaging using a heating element.
Induction sealing machines for sealing paper and plastic bags using an electromagnetic field to heat the plastic part of the container lid.

Temperature regulation and control of packaging machines plays an essential role in ensuring optimum quality of the finished product. Manufacturers in this sector therefore need to consider the installation of reliable, precise temperature controllers to guarantee the best performance for their product packaging and sealing.

The operating principle of an industrial boiler is simple. 

A heating system boils the water in the boiler tank. This boiling water then produces steam. This steam turns a turbine, which is connected to an alternator to generate electricity. It's important to maintain a balance in the water level in an industrial boiler's drum when generating electricity. The combination of steam flow and feed water flow with the drum level element enables more precise regulation of the amount of water inside the drum, improving monitoring.

The techniques used to create glass vary according to the different types - hollow, flat or technical - but the production process remains fundamentally unchanged.

Preparation of the melting bed: this stage involves grinding and mixing the various raw materials that will make up the glass.
Melting: the glass is fired at a gradually rising temperature until it reaches 1,300° - 1,400°C.
Refining and homogenization: the glass undergoes a higher temperature to liquefy it and correct any defects and bubbles present in the composition.
Ember: the temperature of the glass is lowered to make it more malleable, to give it a specific shape.
Shaping: either press-blow or blow-blow.
Firing: the glass first undergoes a temperature of 650°C, then undergoes a heat treatment from approximately 500° to 550°C.
Quality control: glass is inspected according to various criteria to certify its quality.

Temperature control is an essential part of the glassmaking process and requires precise management. Without a high-performance, reliable control system, product manufacture can be compromised, since temperature ranges are very high and very precise at every stage of the industrial process. Thanks to precise temperature controllers, manufacturers in the glass industry can ensure, among other things, high-performance heat treatment in a controlled atmosphere, as well as reliable, precise temperature control of their process.

Let's take the case of the bakery sector

As well as continually delivering top-quality products to their consumers at the right price, they also have to pay attention to their costs and find ways to optimize their performance.

A pid temperature management system makes it possible for industrial oven manufacturers to guarantee the production quality and yield of bakery ovens.

When it comes to packaging, palletizing, stock management and transporting food products to distributors, wholesaler-distributors must not break the cold chain principle.

To guarantee the quality of stored items and prevent deterioration, storage areas must be kept within specific temperature ranges. In addition, vehicles used for transport and refrigerated chambers must all be equipped with temperature measurement devices to preserve the cold chain.

All the more so as the components are subjected to extreme and precise temperatures as part of their manufacturing process.

Thermal regulators can be used in several stages of electronic component manufacturing, in particular during :
Soldering integrated circuits to maintain a stable temperature when soldering components onto a wafer.
Reliability testing to simulate extreme environmental conditions for electronic components.
The manufacture of memory devices to maintain a stable temperature during heat treatment of materials.
Heat treatment for electronic component rings, to improve reliability and performance.
Drying components in drying chambers to dry coatings and material layers on printed circuit boards.
Housing soldering to maintain a stable temperature for soldering plastic or metal housings to electronic components.
Accelerated aging test to simulate the impact of aging on the performance of electronic components at high temperatures.

Precise temperature control with a thermal regulator during all these production phases ensures better quality and longer life for the final product.

The polymers used in plastic design come mainly from the oil and gas industry.

Fractional distillation: oil is subjected to very high temperatures to extract naphtha, a liquid used in the production of plastics.
Cracking: this stage breaks down the naphtha's large hydrocarbon molecules into smaller components by heating them to very high temperatures before cooling them. The resulting small molecules form the polymers needed to make plastic.
Moulding: polymers are injected into a mould to form the final shape. The product is then cooled before being removed from the mold.
Cooling: The finished product must undergo a cooling or freezing process to ensure optimum quality and use.

From oil refining to the cracking of hydrocarbons into smaller molecules for the manufacture of plastics, temperature measurement and management must be precise and reliable at every stage of the process.