Proposal of Mathematical Models for a Continuous Flow Electric Heater

Electrical heating systems based on continuous flow or fluid passage are widely used, as for example in industrial and residential applications. Recently a new application took place in the automotive industry as fuel heating systems to improve fuel-burning efficiency. These devices are highly controllable and relatively simple to be built. But the challenge to have an efficient system begins when it is necessary to model mathematically the system plant to provide a simulation tool as close as possible to the real world and reach the desired result using control systems. Accurate mathematical modeling for continuous flow heating systems creates a powerful tool to be used in simulation software and allows to run the tests and validations in a virtual world, to speed up the control system project and find a better solution with low cost. This article suggests three methods to model mathematically the same electric continuous-flow heater with different situations of losses and shows a comparison to certify they are valid and applicable.