Proven tools and techniques for electric heat tracing

Journal Article · Mon May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1995 · Chemical Engineering

OSTI ID:69998

Gupta, D C ^[1]; Rafferty, N ^[2]

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1. Raychem Corp., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
2. E.I. duPont de Nemours and Co., Newark, DE (United States). Engineering Div.

Piping systems equipped with poor insulation, and such heat sinks as valves, pipe supports and instruments, tend to lose or gain a large amount of heat whenever there is a significant difference between the pipe and ambient temperatures. Variations in ambient temperatures from freezing winter nights to scorching summer days often affect the extent of heat loss or gain as well. Consequently, the fluid inside a pipe may undergo phase changes (such as freezing or vaporization), and the viscosity can change to adversely affect the fluid`s flow patterns. Heat tracing is a way of maintaining the temperature variation in a pipe within an acceptable range. An external heater is installed on the pipe under the insulation to compensate for heat loss. This external heater is typically called a tracer. The paper discusses stagnant fluids, smaller pipes, prevention of freezing, minimizing temperature swings, reliability, point sensing and control, ambient sensing and control, dead-leg sensing and control, cost estimation, and comparing typical costs.

• OSTI ID: 69998
• Journal Information: Chemical Engineering, Journal Name: Chemical Engineering Journal Issue: 5 Vol. 102; ISSN CHEEA3; ISSN 0009-2460
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
ECONOMICS
FLUID FLOW
HEAT LOSSES
HEATERS
INSTALLATION
MITIGATION
MONITORING
PHASE TRANSFORMATIONS
PIPES
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
THERMAL INSULATION