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Vertical · Electrically Heated · Zero On-Site Emissions

Industrial Electric Steam Boiler for Small-Capacity Process Steam

EPCB electric steam boilers are vertical units producing 50–500 kg/h (0.05–0.5 T/H) of saturated steam at 0.4–0.7 MPa, rated 36–360 kW, with ≥98% electricity-to-steam conversion efficiency. They generate steam without combustion — no fuel storage, chimney, flue gas, or emissions at the point of use — using staged resistance elements switched in steps to hold pressure precisely. This is a small-capacity product for specific applications, not a substitute for fuel-fired boilers in high-volume continuous steam production.

Request a Custom Quote Power Supply Requirements
50–500
Steam Capacity
kg/h (0.05–0.5 T/H)
36–360
Power Rating
kW · 380V 3-phase
≥98%
Conversion Efficiency
Electricity to steam
Zero
Point-of-Use Emissions
No flue · no chimney
Selection Logic

When an Electric Steam Boiler Fits — and When It Does Not

Electric steam boilers convert electricity to steam at ≥98% efficiency — higher than any combustion boiler — but high conversion efficiency does not mean low operating cost. Electricity is generally a more expensive energy carrier than fuel per unit of heat, so for continuous high-load operation a gas, oil, or biomass boiler usually costs less to run. The decision depends on your steam load profile, local electricity tariff, and emissions requirements — not on the efficiency figure alone.

Where an Electric Boiler Is the Right Choice

  • Small or intermittent steam demand within 50–500 kg/h — laboratories, pharmaceutical pilot lines, small food and beverage production
  • A zero-emission requirement at the point of use, or operation in an urban or emission-controlled setting where air permits are restricted
  • No available fuel infrastructure, or limited installation space — the vertical unit occupies under 2 m² even at 0.5 T/H
  • Sterilization, humidification, or backup / supplementary steam where fast response and precise pressure control matter more than fuel cost
  • Site has access to low-carbon, renewable, or off-peak electricity that narrows the cost gap against fuel

Where a Fuel-Fired Boiler Is the Better Fit

  • Continuous high-volume steam production where electricity costs more per unit of delivered heat than the available fuel
  • Steam demand above 500 kg/h — this series tops out at 0.5 T/H; higher demand needs a gas, oil, or biomass boiler
  • Operating cost is the dominant decision factor and local electricity tariff is high relative to fuel — efficiency advantage does not close the gap
  • The existing electrical distribution cannot deliver the required power and an upgrade would exceed the boiler cost

The most common mismatch we see is a site selecting an electric boiler for its emission and installation advantages without first confirming the existing electrical distribution can support the power rating — particularly the 216 kW and 360 kW models, which draw over 300 A and 540 A respectively. Confirming available power capacity at the start of scoping prevents a late-stage electrical upgrade that can exceed the cost of the boiler itself.

The Binding Prerequisite

Power Supply and Installation Requirements

The first gate for an electric steam boiler is whether your site's electrical supply can deliver the required power — the equivalent of confirming fuel supply for a combustion boiler, and it must be verified before model selection. All units require 380V three-phase three-wire supply (no neutral).

Model Power Rating Approx. Current at 380V 3-Phase
0.05 T/H (50 kg/h)36 kW~55 A
0.1 T/H (100 kg/h)75 kW~114 A
0.2 T/H (200 kg/h)144 kW~219 A
0.3 T/H (300 kg/h)216 kW~328 A
0.5 T/H (500 kg/h)360 kW~547 A

These current figures are nominal values for a resistive load before project-specific derating, cable sizing, breaker selection, and local electrical code are applied. The 216 kW and 360 kW models draw substantial current — many sites' existing distribution capacity cannot support them without an electrical upgrade, which adds cost and time outside the boiler scope. Confirm your available distribution capacity, voltage, and phase configuration against the model rating before ordering, and raise any deviation from 380V three-phase three-wire at the inquiry stage.

Because there is no flue gas, no chimney, combustion-air provision, or fuel line is needed. Installation is limited to electrical connection, feedwater supply, and steam piping — one reason the installation approval timeline is often shorter than for combustion equipment.

Technical Data

Rated Parameters and Application Range

Full range for this EPCB vertical electric steam boiler series. All models share ≥98% design conversion efficiency and 380V three-phase three-wire connection. Working pressure is gauge pressure; steam temperatures are approximate values for each pressure. Final pressure-temperature configuration per model is confirmed at order.

Cross-section diagram of vertical electric steam boiler with staged resistance heating elements

Vertical Staged-Element Construction

Resistance heating elements are arranged in stages, and the control system switches them on and off in increments to hold steam pressure at the setpoint. The 0.5 T/H unit's fifteen 24 kW stages give power adjustment in roughly 6.7% steps — the technical basis for the fast response and stable pressure control electric boilers are selected for. More stages mean finer modulation, so larger models offer tighter control across varying demand.

The vertical layout keeps the footprint small — even the 0.5 T/H unit occupies under 2 m². Units ship fully assembled, with no two-section shipment, chimney construction, or fuel system installation required.

Steam Capacity 0.05 T/H
50 kg/h		 0.1 T/H
100 kg/h		 0.2 T/H
200 kg/h		 0.3 T/H
300 kg/h		 0.5 T/H
500 kg/h
Power (kW) 3675144216360
Working Pressure (MPa) 0.40.4 / 0.70.4 / 0.70.70.7
Steam Temperature (℃) 154154 / 170154 / 170170170
Heating Elements 12 kW × 315 kW × 524 kW × 624 kW × 924 kW × 15
Steam Outlet (DN) 2025404050
Feedwater Inlet (DN) 2025252525
L × W × H (mm) 700×470×1250890×700×13101180×960×14701220×980×15201916×1336×2700
Weight (kg) † 1602204205001,980

† Note the weight step between the 0.3 T/H (500 kg) and 0.5 T/H (1,980 kg) models — the near-fourfold increase reflects a different vessel construction at the top of the range and should be accounted for in floor loading and handling planning. All units run on 380V three-phase three-wire supply.

Capacity Ceiling — Read Before Sizing

This series tops out at 0.5 T/H (500 kg/h). If your peak demand exceeds that, a fuel-fired boiler is usually more appropriate, or multiple electric units can run in parallel where zero-emission operation is a hard requirement. Size on peak demand — for processes with short high-draw cycles such as a sterilization peak, confirm the boiler supports that peak without pressure drop rather than sizing on average load.

Control & Water

Safety Devices, Staged Control, and Water Treatment

EPCB electric steam boilers are supplied with a safety valve, blowdown valve, water level indication, and an automatic control system that switches heating elements in stages to maintain pressure. Water quality has a direct and specific impact on electric boilers that is greater than on fuel-fired units — and it determines element service life.

Staged Element Control

The control system switches resistance elements in increments to hold pressure at the setpoint. More stages mean finer modulation — the 0.5 T/H unit modulates in roughly 6.7% steps, giving the fast response and stable pressure electric boilers are chosen for.

Standard Protection

Protection typically includes low-water-level cutoff, over-pressure and over-temperature protection, and electrical overload protection. Confirm the exact safety and control package for your model and market at order, as specific protective devices and certification requirements vary.

Water Treatment — Critical

Scale on the resistance elements, where heat flux is concentrated, causes local overheating that shortens element life and can cause failure. Softened or treated feedwater is recommended; regular blowdown is required. A softener, RO unit, or dosing system may be needed depending on operating hours and makeup water rate.

Heating elements are a consumable maintenance item. They degrade with use — and degrade faster on poor water quality — so element replacement is a recurring cost that should be factored into total cost of ownership. Acceptable hardness, conductivity, and pH limits are confirmed per model; share a local water analysis during scoping so we can advise on the treatment configuration.

Cost & Carbon

Operating Cost, Emissions, and the Carbon Picture

Electric steam boilers produce zero emissions at the point of use — no CO₂, NOx, SO₂, or particulates at your facility, and no flue gas. But the operating cost and the overall carbon outcome both depend on factors beyond the boiler itself, and should be understood before a carbon or cost claim is made.

Operating Cost vs Fuel

The determining factor is your local electricity tariff relative to fuel cost. The absence of fuel handling, emissions equipment, and chimney maintenance lowers ancillary costs and avoiding air permits saves on compliance — but these are partly offset by element replacement over time. Whether total cost is competitive against a fuel boiler is site-specific and should not be assumed.

The ≥98% Figure, in Context

The ≥98% efficiency value refers to boiler-side electricity-to-steam conversion only. It does not include power generation, grid transmission losses, or the carbon intensity of the supply. Higher point-of-use efficiency does not automatically mean lower operating cost, because electricity is generally a more expensive energy carrier than fuel per unit of heat.

Carbon Depends on the Grid

On renewable or low-carbon power, operation can approach carbon-neutral; on fossil-generated grid power, upstream (Scope 2) emissions are accounted for differently than on-site combustion. Buyers reporting under a specific carbon framework should confirm how grid electricity is treated in their methodology before claiming a carbon benefit.

Want a real cost comparison? Share your local electricity tariff and steam load profile and we can compare projected operating cost against a fuel-fired boiler for your specific case — rather than relying on the conversion efficiency figure, which does not by itself indicate operating cost.

Why EPCB

Engineering & Operating Advantages

For the applications electric steam boilers are chosen for, four characteristics determine whether the unit delivers on its advantages — precise control, clean operation, compact installation, and element-protective design.

Staged resistance heating elements inside an electric steam boiler
01

Staged Elements for Fast, Precise Pressure Control

Heating elements switch in stages to hold pressure at the setpoint, giving the fast response and tight modulation that sterilization, humidification, and pilot-line processes require. Larger models with more stages modulate more finely — down to roughly 6.7% power steps on the 0.5 T/H unit.

Electric steam boiler producing clean steam with zero on-site emissions
02

Zero On-Site Emissions, No Flue or Chimney

With no combustion, there is no CO₂, NOx, SO₂, or particulate at the point of use and no flue gas. These units typically avoid the air emission permits fuel-fired boilers require — often shortening the installation approval timeline in urban and emission-controlled settings.

Compact vertical electric steam boiler with small floor footprint
03

Compact Vertical Footprint, Fully Assembled

The vertical layout occupies under 2 m² even at 0.5 T/H, and units ship fully assembled — no two-section shipment, chimney construction, or fuel system installation. Installation is limited to electrical connection, feedwater, and steam piping.

Safety valve water level control and protection devices on an electric steam boiler
04

Integrated Safety and Element-Protective Control

Safety valve, blowdown valve, water level indication, low-water cutoff, and over-pressure / over-temperature / overload protection come as standard. Because water quality drives element life, the configuration is specified against your feedwater analysis to protect the elements from scale-induced failure.

Compliance

Certifications: Coverage Scope & How to Verify

Certification requirements depend on the destination market, rated pressure, and applicable pressure-vessel and electrical regulations. ISO 9001 indicates the manufacturer's quality management system and is not a substitute for product-level pressure or electrical compliance — confirm the certificate referencing your specific model and rated pressure.

ISO 9001 quality management certificate for EPCB boiler manufacturing
ISO 9001 — Quality Management System
CE PED declaration document for eligible electric steam boiler configuration
CE / PED — Eligible EEA Configurations
EAC conformity certificate for electric boiler export to Eurasian Economic Union markets
EAC — Applicable EAEU Markets
SGS boiler supplier assessment certificate for EPCB industrial boiler
SGS Boiler Supplier Certificate

What to request for your market. For EU projects, confirm whether the unit falls under PED 2014/68/EU and request the model-specific CE Declaration of Conformity, applicable PED conformity documentation, pressure test record, electrical safety documentation (LVD/EMC where applicable), and material certificates. For US projects, confirm whether the applicable ASME section and National Board registration apply, along with any required electrical listing. Because these are electrically heated pressure vessels, both pressure-side and electrical-side compliance apply.

Request the certificate referencing your specific model and rated pressure rather than relying on a general product-page image. For Southeast Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern, and African markets, import registration requirements vary by country — confirm before issuing the purchase order. Third-party inspection by Bureau Veritas, SGS, or TÜV can be arranged before dispatch on request.

Procurement Workflow

Delivery Process & What Affects Lead Time

Electric units ship fully assembled, so the delivery path is simpler than for combustion boilers — no chimney, fuel system, or two-section reassembly. The one site-side prerequisite that governs the timeline is electrical supply readiness.

1
Power Supply & Application Assessment Critical Gate

Confirm available distribution capacity, voltage, and phase configuration against the model rating, plus steam capacity, pressure, and application. This gate determines whether an electrical upgrade is needed before anything else proceeds.

2
Model & Configuration Selection

Match capacity and pressure to the application and confirm the safety, control, and water-treatment package against your feedwater analysis and steam quality requirement.

3
Drawing Approval & Order Confirmation

Technical drawings and final pressure-temperature configuration confirmed and signed off before manufacturing begins.

4
Manufacturing & Factory Testing

Unit built and pressure-tested; electrical safety checks performed. Factory test record issued and included in the documentation package.

5
Third-Party Inspection Where Required

Bureau Veritas, SGS, or TÜV inspection before dispatch where the market or project requires it. Include in your initial inquiry so it is scheduled before the shipment date.

6
Delivery & Commissioning Guidance

Shipped fully assembled. On-site work is limited to electrical connection, feedwater supply, and steam piping — no chimney or fuel system installation required.

The one delay that matters for electric boilers is a late discovery that the site's electrical distribution cannot support the power rating — an upgrade can exceed the cost of the boiler and add weeks to the schedule. Confirming distribution capacity at the start of scoping is the single most effective way to keep the timeline predictable.

Inquiry Inputs

What to Confirm Before Requesting a Quote

An accurate quotation is possible once the following are confirmed. Without them, any price or lead-time figure remains conditional.

01
Steam Capacity (kg/h)

Based on peak demand. The range tops out at 500 kg/h — higher demand requires a fuel-fired boiler or multiple units in parallel.

02
Operating Pressure (MPa)

0.4 or 0.7 MPa depending on model and process temperature requirement.

03
Power Supply — The Key Prerequisite

Available distribution capacity (kW), voltage, and phase configuration at the connection point. The single most important input — confirm it can support the model rating before ordering.

04
Application & Steam Quality

The process served — sterilization, humidification, process heating, backup — and any clean-steam or dryness requirement, which may need a different specification.

05
Local Electricity Tariff

Needed for an operating cost comparison against a fuel boiler — the figure that actually determines whether electric is economical for your load profile.

06
Emissions / Carbon Reporting

If the zero-emission attribute is claimed under a framework, confirm how grid electricity is treated in your methodology.

07
Feedwater Quality

Hardness, conductivity, and pH — these determine element scaling rate and service life, and whether a softener, RO, or dosing system is needed.

08
Destination Market & Certification

Confirm pressure-vessel and electrical compliance requirements — PED/CE, ASME, LVD/EMC as applicable — before issuing the purchase order.

FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Is an electric steam boiler cheaper to run than a gas or oil boiler?

Not necessarily. Conversion efficiency is ≥98%, but electricity generally costs more per unit of heat than fuel, so for continuous high-load operation a fuel boiler usually has a lower operating cost. Electric boilers win on zero point-of-use emissions, no air permit, fast installation, small footprint, and precise control. Whether total cost is competitive depends on your local electricity tariff, load profile, and element replacement over time — share your tariff and we can compare for your specific case.

What is the maximum steam capacity, and what if I need more?

This series tops out at 0.5 T/H (500 kg/h). For higher demand, a fuel-fired boiler is usually more appropriate, or multiple electric units can run in parallel if zero-emission operation is a hard requirement. Share your peak demand with our engineering team to confirm the right approach.

How much current does a 360 kW electric steam boiler draw?

At 380V three-phase, the 360 kW (0.5 T/H) model draws approximately 547 A as a nominal resistive-load figure, before project-specific derating, cable sizing, and breaker selection. This is a substantial connection — confirm your site's distribution capacity can support it before ordering, as an electrical upgrade may otherwise be needed.

What water treatment does an electric steam boiler need?

Softened or treated feedwater is recommended, because scale on the resistance elements causes local overheating and shortens element life. Acceptable hardness, conductivity, and pH limits are confirmed per model, and regular blowdown is required. Depending on operating hours and makeup water rate, a softener, RO unit, or dosing system may be needed. Share a local water analysis during scoping so we can advise.

Can it be used for food or pharmaceutical steam?

It can serve food and pharmaceutical processes, but confirm the required steam quality first. Standard units produce plant steam; applications needing clean steam or a defined dryness fraction may require additional treatment or a different specification. Raise this during scoping so the configuration matches your process.

What is the difference between an electric steam boiler and an electric steam generator?

The terms are often used interchangeably for this type of product. In general usage, "electric steam generator" emphasises compact, fast-response units for smaller or intermittent needs, while "electric steam boiler" is the broader term. EPCB's vertical units in this range function as both — confirm capacity and pressure against your application rather than relying on the naming.

Before Selecting

Confirm Power Supply and Application Fit First

Whether an electric steam boiler is the right fit depends on three conditions: steam demand within the 50–500 kg/h range, a site electrical supply that can deliver the required power at 380V three-phase three-wire, and a use case where zero point-of-use emissions, fast installation, small footprint, or precise control outweighs the electricity-versus-fuel operating cost difference.

The most common mismatch we see is a site selecting an electric boiler for its emission and installation advantages without first confirming the existing electrical distribution can support the power rating — particularly the 216 kW and 360 kW models, which can draw over 300 A and 540 A respectively. Confirming available power capacity at the start of scoping prevents a late-stage upgrade that can exceed the cost of the boiler itself.

To begin, share your steam capacity, operating pressure, available power supply (kW, voltage, phase), and application with our engineering team. For an operating cost comparison against a fuel boiler, include your local electricity tariff; if the zero-emission attribute is claimed under a reporting framework, note which one so we can confirm the applicable documentation.

Talk to an Engineer
  • Steam capacity (kg/h) — peak demand, up to 500 kg/h
  • Power supply — distribution capacity (kW), voltage, phase — the key prerequisite
  • Operating pressure (MPa) — 0.4 or 0.7 by model
  • Application & steam quality — plant steam or clean-steam requirement
  • Local electricity tariff — for the cost comparison against fuel
  • Feedwater quality — hardness, conductivity, pH for element life

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