High power AC controller for smoking

[JC in GB]

I am in the planning stage to build a high powered AC PID smoker controller (Up to 50 kW). I have the controller designed and my pre-production prototype worked as expected.

My questions to the forum are thus:

Is there any need for this type of controller outside of a commercial market?

Is this worth developing?

Thanks for any insight.

JC

 

[Steve H]

50KW? I couldn't imagine anyone outside of commercial use for something this size. I wouldn't want to pay for the juice to run it!

 

[bill1]

Where high power comes in handy is in initially heating up a rig or in bringing cold meat up to a normal temp for absorbing smoke. If you're putting 200# of frozen meat into a 500# cold steel smoker, I'm not sure having 50kW (200A at 240V) at hand is wasted. But that is commercial-level power and cooking...most home service panels have less than 200A total. Unless you own an electric car!

 

[JC in GB]

I have gotten some progress done on this project. I have the SCR module on order and will be assembling the firing control circuit when it arrives. This switch will control quite a bit of AC current. With a small modification, I could also run it as a DC output. SCR is rated at 1600VAC 160 Amps. I will wire it and use it as a triac. That will control a lot of power.

https://www.aliexpress.us/item/3256804356906105.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.4b9d69edUdXYxb&algo_pvid=f982a7ea-7a33-4be7-95d1-4051d0c7f7a0&algo_exp_id=f982a7ea-7a33-4be7-95d1-4051d0c7f7a0-17&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2212000029545467979%22%7D&pdp_npi=2%40dis%21USD%2115.7%2115.7%21%21%21%21%21%402101e9cf16696556262642307ead10%2112000029545467979%21sea&curPageLogUid=HMcm3sFiaxZC

JC

 

[bill1]

Nice device. Full specs here:
https://ixapps.ixys.com/DataSheet/MCC162-16io1.pdf
I worry a bit about getting counterfeit electronics from AliExpress. I note digiKey or Newark is 5X the price for this device. (I could see where this could be a lesser product in the same Y4-M6 package with some deceptive silkscreening.)