What is the best way to provide heat tracing for instruments in the northeast during winter?
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Once winter sets in in the northeast, the workload related to instruments **increases**. I worked through the entire night on the night shift last night; aside from one task that involved initializing a Siemens regulator, all the issues were caused by extremely low temperatures (-20°C), which led to the flow meters failing to function. Even the use of antifreeze didn’t help, as some of the meters’ heating systems also froze up. Please share your experiences, guys
Could you share a photo of the instrument heating system? I’d like to see it; I’ve only heard about it and have never seen what it looks like.
Steam tracing in the northeast. It mainly involves instruments, with most of them being used for pressure sampling. Before installing the heating system (before it freezes), it is necessary to check the condition of the heating system as well as drain liquid from the pressure sampling ports. You can’t wait until it freezes to deal with it
Anti-freezing measures must be taken before freezing occurs: heat tracing should be activated in advance, the traps should be checked, and the heat tracing pipelines should be cleared. Antifreeze should mainly be an ethylene glycol water solution, with an ethylene glycol content of 60%–70%; it should function properly at temperatures around minus 40 to minus 50 degrees.
It’s still about heat retention; those media with a low freezing point should be identified for focused inspection, in order to ensure effective heat retention and heating
I’ll upload photos of the heat tracing tomorrow; I’m on night shift tonight. Thank you all for your advice
Heating is not enough. Make sure proper insulation is in place. As long as the heat-traced trap is not damaged, there are generally no major issues
Reduce pressure tapping measurement devices, such as replacing orifice plates with vortex flow meters； Differential pressure to double-flange capillary ； Pressure-adjusting diaphragm. The premise also depends on the operating conditions. Next, inspections of the insulation and heating systems begin at the beginning of October each year, and actions are taken then. Precautions for heat tracing: Be cautious of fires caused by fire safety issues related to heat tracing, as well as measurement errors resulting from uneven heat tracing ； Electric shock from the heating circuit breaker ； Excessive heat tracing can damage the instruments, while insufficient heat has no effect ； Do not connect too many heating strips in series ； Be careful to prevent explosions when using heat tracing… During the cooler months, conduct more inspections during the day, and try to avoid problems during night shifts.
In fact, heat tracing is just a means; what really matters is a sense of responsibility – regular inspections and waste removal are the key. Electric heating elements can also be used.