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Electrical Heat Tracing |
Electrical Heat tracing is an electrically driven system that uses cables or tapes to maintain or increase the temperature of pipes and other equipment. This prevents freezing and ensures optimal temperature control in various environments.
How It Works: Electrical heat tracing systems use cables or tapes that generate heat along pipes or surfaces to compensate for heat loss. These systems can be controlled with thermostats or sensors to adjust the temperature as needed.
Applications and Benefits: Electrical heat tracing systems, often used in industrial and residential environments, protect infrastructure from freeze damage, improve fluid flow and viscosity control, and provide reliable, efficient and safe temperature management.
Types of Heat Trace: Self-regulating cables adjust their heat output based on ambient temperature, providing flexibility and safety by preventing overheating, as opposed to constant wattage
Background Electrical Heat Tracing
Theoriginal technology initially existed as MI cables that produced heat through resistance-generating electric current, but these cables lacked control and adaptability.
Between then and now, technological advances have allowed heat tracing systems to evolve from mineral-insulated metal sheathed (MI) cables to the self-regulating heat tracing cables available today.
Self-regulating heat tracing cables offer a self-limiting and cut-to-length solution that makes up most of today's market. These heat tracing systems offer solutions for everything from pipe protection to soil heating.
Inefficient heating processes can slow down production, costing you time and money. Damaged products due to freezing temperatures or improper heating are a painful mistake. Heat tracing systems are made to ensure that mistake is never made.
How hot do heating cables get and what is the lifespan of heating cables?
MI Cable can maintain temperatures near 538°C (1000°F), while constant wattage cables can normally maintain temperatures above 204°C (400°F.) Self-regulating cables normally have two different offerings, ranging from 65°C (150°F) to over 204°C (400°F), to hold temperatures.
Although the lifespan of heating cables can vary due to external conditions and treatment, the heating cable usually lasts longer than the object being protected.
Junction box
One of the most important components in an electric heat tracing system is a junction box, which is designed to connect heating cables to the electrical power system The box itself can be mounted on a pipeline or the surface of equipment such as vessels and storage tanks.
The box allows cable heating sections to be connected to power cables, and is used as part of cable heating systems for pipelines and vessels in non-hazardous environments.
The design of the junction box guarantees moisture and dust protection and high corrosion stability, and is available with a wide variety of connection points.
Remark(s) of the Author...
Electrical heat tracing is an excellent replacement for steam tracing in many cases.
From my own experience I would like to make the following remarks when it comes to electric heat tracing systems.
In practice, a few more things come up.
Suppose:
A flange connection electrically traced and insulated must be opened for inspection.
Steps Phase 1:
1.disconnect tracing
2.disassemble insulation
3. remove or temporarily relocate tracing tape
Mechnical and inspection do their thing
Steps Phase 2:
1. mount tracing tape
2. insulation resistance measurement of tracing
3. replacing insulation
4. insulation resistance measurement of tracing
As you can note, the tracing is measured twice to detect damage to the tape; once before the insulation is replaced and the second time after the insulation is installed.
In the example above, four disciplines are involved in a relatively simple task. Working on multiple systems simultaneously can cause logistical problems. If several systems with probably different temperature settings are managed, a good document flow is extremely important.
