When homes and industries with installed valves and pipes are faced with extreme climate conditions, including temperatures dropping below freezing, those pipes and valves freeze and expand. This uncalled-for and imminent expansion causes these pipes to burst and causes damage around the installation. This damage can be brutal and expensive if not properly taken care of in due time. This is where pipe heating, or heat tracing, comes in

What is Pipe Heating or Heat tracing?

Heat tracing, also known as pipe heating, is the process of heating oils, pipelines, and various storage tanks with an efficient and effective heating system that helps mitigate the adverse effects of temperature changes due to climate fluctuations. In extreme conditions, these methods can help stabilize the surface temperature of the object they are wrapped around and improve fluidity, saving you from excessive equipment damage.

Major Features:

• It helps in both maintaining and raising the temperature of the object it is wrapped around, thus offering a great heat loss prevention method.
• Owing to its extremely malleable and flexible materials, it is able to serve effective and efficient results for unique structures as well.
• They are custom designed for every environment and Industry they are to serve and protect from heat loss, thus being the best bang for the buck for most customers.

How Does Pipe Heating or Heat Tracing Work?

• There is a harmonious flow of process among all the components in a Heat trace cable. The most critical component is an electrical heating element that is installed along the equipment or the surface of the equipment.
• These electrical components, when put in place, are then wrapped with an insulation material and a metal jacket that helps mitigate heat loss from the wire.
• To secure these electrical pipes, high-temperature tapes are used.
• An RTD sensor or a traditional Thermostat is usually plugged in to help monitor and control the temperature. They allow connections with both single-phase or two-phase power supply.
• Control and Monitoring Systems play a vital role in heat tracing systems as they help in conserving energy, extend the life cycle of cables and components, ensure accuracy, and help minimize operational costs.

Typically, a Heat Trace system lasts for approximately 2-3 years. However, other factors help determine their lifecycles. There are different types of Pipe Heating or Heat Tracing Cable on offer to customers with different needs and demands.

Types of Heat Trace or Pipe Heating cables available

• Self-Regulating: These Cables, as the name suggests, are able to manipulate or regulate temperature automatically to adjust for the heat losses along the complete circuit. They are usually used in vessels and moving storage trucks. The temperature range of application offered on these cables lies between 65 degrees Celsius and 200 degrees Celsius.

• Constant Wattage: These cables are employed in places and equipment where constant and steady heat output, irrespective of ambient temperature, is of crucial importance. Their applications vary from being used for storage tanks to piping installations. They have a varying temperature range for wider uses, ranging from a maximum of 65 degrees Celsius for parallel and a maximum of 204 degrees Celsius for Series constant wattage.
• Mineral Insulated: Mineral insulated cables consist of either a single or multiple conductors of copper or alloy imbued in MgO (Magnesium Oxide) insulation that is ideally suited for a high-temperature service. They offer resistance to corrosion and other harmful agents that might stress the environment of installation. They are used in regions where temperature variations are quick and extreme, going up to 500 degrees Celsius.

Assembling and designing an effective and efficient Heat Tracing or Pipe Heating system is an extensive and complicated task. With such an immense array of variables to factor in and ensure a system that is both economical and well-suited for your requirements is a tremendously tedious task.

Newer and Advanced technology has helped consumers design and build their Heat Trace system via software rather than manually dimensioning and slicing. That being said, there are still a few vital factors that require accurate knowledge and experience before moving forward.

These factors help you Select Your Ideal Heat Trace or Pipe Heating Cable

• Determining the Control and Monitoring Approach

A Clear understanding of the Control and monitoring plans should be made before making any selections. Analyzing the process requirements includes the temperature of the system, the flow path of the current and heat, and a statistical idea of extreme possibilities. There should also be a concrete idea of panel placements for power distribution that assures easy access when needed.

• Economic and Maintenance Plans

Designing and selecting a Heat trace cable requires not only the technical feasibility but also a clear understanding of if the employed methods are economically feasible as well to ensure no unbearable costs to the consumer. The Cabling requirements can be excessive or can be extremely difficult to maneuver, which would lead to an increase in costings and maintenance of the setup. Ensuring a system with proper location of installation, appropriate monitoring setups, and basic simplicity is key to making this project economically successful.

• Major Purpose of Installation of Heat Trace System

Different types of Heat tracing systems are synthesized to cater to different demands and customer requirements. They offer different benefits and unique technical features that are appropriate for the custom situation. Frost Protection is where fluids are to be kept above a certain temperature to minimize freezing. Broad Temperature Maintenance indicates control between a moderate range to assure accurate viscosity control and flow.

• Desired Method of Control

Choosing a method that fulfills your situational demands better is key. Different methods are based on different desired outputs. Ambient Sensing Control is used when you want the heating executed only on a temperature shift in the environment. Line sensors offer better control for a narrow temperature band, with multiple circuits for different flow paths ensuring efficient and accurate response. Proportional Ambient Sensing Control offers a newer approach with a pre-programmed algorithm that predicts the drop in temperature and matches the heat input.

• Insulation Material and Thickness

Selecting a Cable that has the most appropriate insulation materials used in manufacturing that assures resistance from external harmful agents such as corrosion from changing temperatures and rusting while also delivering efficient and accurate heat input is imperative. The thickness of the cable selected should be considered critical since it helps regulate power requirements and has a direct impact on how flexible a heat cable can be.

Conclusion

Selecting an appropriate heat trace or a pipe heating system is crucial for ensuring your pipes and valves last through those extreme weather conditions. These systems not only help regulate the temperature around the equipment but also ensure the longevity of the equipment. Selecting the appropriate system can help minimize the damage and ensure a perfect setup through all adverse situations.

Carefully understanding all the mandatory requirements of the selection can help develop a healthy and long-term protection for your industry and minimize operational costs and risks.

Wattco also manufactures other industrial heating solutions such as band heaters, immersion heaters, circulation heaters and more. Click here to view all of our products