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What is Ohmic heating really?

A brief look at InstaHeat technology, its applications and advantages.


Ohmic heating is an innovative technique that harnesses electrical resistance to generate heat directly within a material. This process involves passing an electric current through a resistive material, which, in turn, causes the material to heat up due to the resistance it offers. Hence, unlike traditional heating methods that rely on external heat sources like flames or hot surfaces, ohmic heating generates heat from within the substance itself.

Quick, precise and sustainable

The uniqueness of this method lies in the fact that it allows for precise and uniform heating throughout the material, making it a versatile and efficient technology with numerous applications.


Various industries benefit from the Ohmic heating technique. These include:

  • Food processing industry, where the process is employed for pasteurization, sterilization, and cooking. The advantages of Ohmic heating include rapid and uniform heating that maintains the quality of delicate food products while ensuring safety by eliminating harmful microorganisms. (However, some amount of research is still required to understand and refine the system and maximise technological performance around food product development.)

  • Chemical and pharmaceutical industry, for processes that require precise temperature control, while reducing reaction times, and enhancing product consistency.

  • Environmental applications, like wastewater treatment, enabling efficient heating for various industrial processes without relying on fossil fuels, thus reducing environmental impact.

The advantages of Ohmic heating

Joule heating, electrical resistance heating, direct electrical resistance heating, and electroconductive heating – known by all these names, the main advantages that the process offers are:

  • Product consistency and quality since the heating is uniform and heat is generated directly and homogeneously in the material itself as opposed to being transferred from an external source.

  • Fast heating because of the direct conversion of electrical energy into heat energy, resulting in almost instantaneous heating.

  • Controlled heating that makes it ideal for applications requiring precise temperature control, such as the synthesis of chemical compounds.

  • Energy and cost efficiency by minimizing heat loss to the surroundings.

  • Safety and cleanliness as this process requires no open flames or hot surfaces.

InstaHeat takes Ohmic heating one step further by creating a smart, miniaturized, customized, and efficient flow heater, which makes liquid heating sustainable and efficient.

For more on the InstaHeat, connect with us at info@instaheat.ch and feel free to check out our site for details.

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