www.advancedenergy.com ELECTRIFIED THERMAL PROCESSES 29 www.power-mag.com Issue 3 2026 Power Electronics Europe Case Study: Scaling Up with a 1.5 MW Electric Kiln Many companies involved in battery recycling are recognizing the need to both scale up processing capacity to meet surging demand and keep operating costs as low as possible through improved efficiencies. A good example of the move to electrified thermal processes can be found at one North American lithium-ion battery recycler for whom Advanced Energy has helped migrate its facilities from gas to electrically-powered kilns. The heat in the new kiln is based on nickel-iron heating elements in a WYE configuration that output 1.5 MW of power. The associated electronics need to deliver this power while maintaining precise temperature control across 13 individual heating zones. Both highperformance power control and rapidresponse safety mechanisms to handle operational anomalies are essential. In this case the power is supplied by six 3PX 500-280HF and seven 3PX 500-75H SCR (silicon-controlled rectifier) power controllers from Advanced Energy’s ThyroPX series, which provide precise load regulation and ensure consistent temperature control across all zones. These modular three-phase units deliver precise regulation of resistive and transformer loads, with accuracy better than ±0.5 % for voltage or current and ±1 % for power output. They support load currents up to 5000 A and 1000 V and integrate features including mains-load optimization as well as phase-angle, fullwave and soft start/down control modes. Direct compatibility with multiple industrial protocols such as Ethernet/IP, PROFINET®, and Modbus TCP/IP make the SCRs ideally suited to automated industrial processes such as extraction kilns, steel manufacturing and glass recycling, as well as other tightly controlled, multi-zone thermal systems. At the battery recycling facility, the SCRs are supported by 13 Anybus Ethernet/IP modules for robust and scalable industrial communication and seamless integration with the plant’s existing control infrastructure. Such integration allows realtime monitoring and adjustment of operations, enabling advanced load management and continuous process monitoring to further enhance system stability, efficiency and safety. Furthermore, by implementing this architecture with the WYE configuration, it is also possible to enable an ultra-fast shutdown process in a single AC cycle. In addition to technology in the modular Thyro-PX SCR series, highpower electrified thermal processes can also be successfully implemented using Advanced Energy’s ThyroA and ThyroA+ SCR power controllers. These digital SCR systems are widely deployed in heavy industrial heating applications and are well suited for continuous, highcurrent resistive loads such as electric kilns and furnaces. For megawattlevel systems, SCR power controllers such as the Thyro-PX, ThyroA and ThyroA+ units are typically configured in threephase fullcontrolled (3PX, 3A, 3A+) or in two-phase economic (2PX, 2A, 2A+) topologies, supplying power to transformerfed or directly-connected heating elements. Multiple controllers are installed in parallel across independent heating zones, allowing the total system power to scale while maintaining stable and repeatable thermal control. Conclusion There is a pressing demand to scale up battery recycling capacity to meet future demands and establish a sustainable, circular economy for lithium-ion batteries. Addressing this demand as efficiently and as effectively as possible is driving the transition away from gas-fired kilns and furnaces to electrically-powered thermal processes, which offer significant benefits in emissions reduction, process efficiency, and material purity. Building effective systems requires efficient electrical power delivery and highefficiency SCR power controllers are ideal for meeting this requirement. These advanced systems can deliver the exact amount of power needed to maintain a specific temperature and have the interfaces and communications capabilities that support rapid integration into automated monitoring and control systems to ensure maximum material recovery and minimum energy consumption. www.advancedenergy.com To receive your own copy of Power Electronics Europe subscribe today at: www.power-mag.com Figure 2: The Thyro-PX 3PX 500-280HF and 3PX 500-75H units have been used to deliver precisely controlled power in a 1.5 MW electric battery recycling kiln.
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