Engineering Precision: Electrical Trace Heating Solutions for Temperature Critical Transport

Published 09 May 2025

Electrical Trace Heating Solutions

Electrical heat tracing manufactured by Eltherm is employed to maintain exact temperatures when transporting temperature-sensitive chemicals in tank containers, SWAP containers, Road Tankers und IBCs (Intermediate Bulk Containers). Temperature maintenance is required for substances such as MDI, highly viscous industry materials, oils, resins, fat, coatings, bitumen, adhesives, foods and casting compounds

With its electric tank container heating systems, Eltherm has created an alternative to heating with water vapour, thermal oil and glycol. In comparison to water vapour or glycol heating systems, electrical heat tracing has a significantly lower weight. This offers the advantage of a greater loading capacity and therefore increased cost-effectiveness of the tank container.

As an engineering company – with their own production facilities – Eltherm provides comprehensive advice to freight forwarders and container manufacturers right from the planning phase. This cooperation ensures that the heat tracing system meets all transport and contract requirements. After all, it’s that simple and straightforward: Anyone who wants to claim the highest quality must be able to guarantee that high-quality products reach their destination without damage and remain in good condition throughout.

Benefits of the Eltherm Heat Tracing System:

• Exact temperature maintenance along the entire production and transport chain
• Best possible operational capacity for the entire fleet
  Safe temperature maintain for loading and unloading
• Hitch-free transport operation
• No cold zones, even when cables are damaged
• Quick repair and easy maintenance
• Resistance to moisture and salt water

Tank Container Heating Systems

Thanks to our specially developed installation technology and control system, which has been market-tested and continuously improved over decades, we can guarantee high temperature accuracy and consistent heating of the entire tank surface. To provide greater flexibility, several heating and control circuits can also be created for different filling levels.

Due to the very large contact surface, a generously dimensioned power reserve can be provided. This allows the loaded product to be heated up (within its physical limits). As an alternative to supplying power from the mains, the heating system can also be powered by generators. In addition, the product temperature can be fully documented over the duration of transport.

Along with the actual container, it is often necessary to heat attached components such as dome boxes, outlet valves and riser pipes. If required, customer-specific insulating sleeves for valves and ball valves can also be manufactured.

Control Accuracy for Precise Temperatures

A special assembly technique for EHT on tank containers developed by Eltherm engineers plus reliable monitoring and control ensures uniform temperature accuracy across the entire tank surface. It is resistant to vibration impact and thus designed for reliable operation. Apart from the tank container itself, the EHT system takes account of outlets, riser pies, including insulating sleeves for valves and ball taps.

Technical Eltherm Advantages:

• Solutions for all sensitive temperatures during transport, storage, loading and unloading at +/- 2 °C
• Standard performance to 18 kW, more electrical performance possible
• Maintenance temperatures with PTFE trace heaters up to 210 °C, with MI trace heaters > 250 °C
• PTFE trace heaters resistant to cargo load temperatures up to 260 °C.
• Exact temperature maintenance during storage and transport
• Designed for voltage supply from 220 V to 500 V for global fleet operations
• Heat up of empty tank before cargo loading
• Safe compensation of heat loss on thermal bridges such as support struts
• Light weight of the EHT system, high performance
• Reliable, trouble free operation even during power supply fluctuation during ship transport
• Electrical controllers with hysteresis of +/- 1 °C
• One heating circuit remains operable even when the other is damaged thanks to redundant design
• Repair and easy maintenance of PTFE insulated trace heaters possible anywhere, anytime
• Monitoring and storage of all temperature data along the entire storage and transport cycle
• Tank container for hazardous areas covered by ATEX approval

FAQ

Our tank containers are used in potentially explosive atmospheres. Can your offer us a suitable heating system?

As the only supplier of heating solutions for tank containers with valid certificates and approvals in ATEX and IECEx, we can also offer you a safe solution to minimise your liability risks as an operator.

Is it sensible to heat a bottom outlet valve?

If a medium is to be transported that solidifies at ambient temperature, the outlet valve should be heated to ensure that the tank can be emptied without delay. We offer appropriate heating solutions for many standard valves on the market. Just get in contact with us!

We use riser pipes for loading and unloading. Why should these be heated?

To ensure that a product does not form a solid plug in the riser pipe during transport and storage in the tank container and thus make unloading more difficult, we offer appropriate riser pipe heating.

What types of energy supply are available?

In general, any electrical power supply can be used, from car batteries to overhead lines. Heating solutions with a power supply in the 400V 3-phase range have proven to be common and technically meaningful.