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The Heat Trace Installation Process

By Sandra Ross


Industries have been growing in the recent past with heat tracing incorporation taking place in most of them. This process is done on pipes, tanks and other parts that require heat tracing. Many industries have enjoyed various benefits from this innovation as well as the safety and efficiency of this system has depended mainly on this process and its maintenance. The heat trace installation process has a guideline which is followed to ensure maximum benefits of a system.

The system has gradually grown in some years from the filled-bulb thermostat and also contractors to computerized network control systems. Besides, large systems require a networked computerized control system. This technology is used to maintain or raise the temperature in valves, pipes, tanks, as well as pumps and comes in a cable kind of format. It began with a mineral insulating cable to self-regulating wires to series resistant wires together with constant voltage wires.

Before any heating wire installation, it is important for installers to ensure that all piping together with equipment to be traced are entirely installed. Besides, they should check whether the pressure has been tested. The surfacing area where the tracing is to be installed must be reasonably clean without rust or any dirty substance. The equipment must also be thermally insulated.

The installer follows all applicable health and safety guideline rules without obligation since these systems can be used in both non-hazardous and hazardous places. Personal protective gear like gloves should be employed during this process by the individuals involved. The wire manufacturer provides a manual guide to give directives and help the installer through the steps of this process.

One of the crucial parts in this entire process is checking materials which are required for installation, for example one has to check the tools required for this procedure and the pipeline to be traced. Checking materials received involve reviewing the cabling system architecture and comparing the materials to their catalog numbers of heating wires, and components received. This ensures all proper materials are on site and then proceeding to make sure that all the mechanical pipe testing is done.

The individuals who installs the system begins by paying out the wires loosely tying them along the area of a pipe and putting the wires next to pipes where there are obstacles. A reel holder is used to keep such wires strung loosely. The wires are positioned on lower sections of the pipe and also meter marked to determine its length, it is as well attached using fiberglass or even aluminum tapes. An extra loop of a cable is allowed on heat sinks such as valves flanges together with pipe supports.

Immediately after cable attachment, the installer is supposed to install the heating cable components such as thermometers and sensors. If the step is not done immediately, then it is advised that the installer to protect the ends of the cable from moisture. Multiple cabling and spiraling are done if a backup system is required and when considerable heat loss is counterbalanced. Cable cutting is later done after the attachment step is over.

Therefore the system is fully installed after following the above procedures, and this helps to minimize accidents in the industries. Monitoring systems are thereby installed after this process to help in monitoring the tracing system. Such systems are found in oil and gas, power plant and food production. It is very important to follow the requirements to be on the safe side.




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