Electric Immersion Heaters In Cold Climates For The Oil & Gas Sector

Published 31 Mar 2017

T&D, a leading UK distributor for process heaters including a broad range of immersion heaters, present a Guest Article by Ilan Toledano (Vice President from Wattco) outlining the importance of using immersion heaters in cold climates.

The process heating industry utilises a broad range of immersion heaters to achieve and maintain proper fluid temperatures. Flanged heaters, over-the-side heaters, and circulation heaters all operate in a similar fashion to ensure the fluid within a vessel stays at optimal operating temperature.

In some instances, the fluid must be kept at temperatures much higher than ambient, and energy from immersion heaters is a safer and more reliable source of energy than that of external, gas-generated or other industrial heaters.

In other cases, the external climate is far too cold for the processing fluid to endure; these instances require the use of immersion heaters to prevent processing fluids from freezing or icing.

Nearly every region in the US experiences below-freezing t Electric Immersion Heaters In Cold Climates For The Oil & Gas Sector emperatures for a portion of the year. Some of the major industrial cities in the country are located in the Northeast and Midwest where they experience more extreme low temperatures than any other parts of the country.

It is critical in the chemical, petroleum, and even food industries that fluid temperatures are maintained. Immersion heaters are an efficient, low-cost solution for industrial heating. The flanged heater, for instance, is an easy-to-install system that is submerged directly in the fluid it is intended to heat. As opposed to external heat sources, there is no risk of frosting or freezing of the heater, and the temperature within the tank is easily maintained thanks to user-friendly controls.

A similar product is the circulation heater, which utilises a flanged heater stationed inside a rigid steel vessel. Liquid is pumped through the inlet of the circulation heater, passes through the heating element, and exits the system at the target temperature.

Immersion heaters are ideal in the process heating industries because they are suitable for a variety of liquids. These heaters may be designed with elements that are resistant to corrosive chemicals, and they are built from materials that withstand even the most extreme wear and tear. Electric Immersion Heaters In Cold Climates For The Oil & Gas Sector

Energy efficiency is also extremely important when the liquid being heated is in a low-temperature climate. Virtually no heat is lost or wasted with immersion heaters since the heat source directly interacts with the target medium. In cases where constant heat input is necessary to prevent liquids from freezing in frigid climates, an efficient system is critical for avoiding unnecessary costs. As important as energy efficiency is time efficiency.

Installation, setup, and maintenance of an electric immersion heater are simple and straightforward; heaters come equipped with external temperature controls and feedback panels to afford the user clear visibility into the system being heated.

In the oil and gas sector, process heating is necessary to maintain extremely high temperatures for certain fluids and chemicals. In other industries, heating is a way to simply prevent fluids from freezing. The needs within the process heating industry are diverse, and Wattco is committed to offering quality service in a variety of applications.

We have a range of off-the-shelf designs for standard industrial jobs, and our skilled engineers are capable of designing custom equipment to meet the requirements of our customers.

Who Are Wattco?

Wattco is a manufacturing company developing electric heating products for use around the world since 1969. With uncompromised dedication to customers, Wattco offer solutions and not just products. Wattco development in oil and gas industries, renewable energy, HVAC systems and government projects help customers get alternative solutions for their projects to get off the ground in the most cost efficient way.

Circulation heaters, flanged heaters and industrial immersion heaters are an important heating product of many industries. Wattco heaters are used to prevent freezing and act as a catalyst in many chemical reactions in both the petrochemical industry as well as processing industries. Wattco manufactures electric heating elements for a wide range of applications

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