Pipeline heat tracing
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We use PE pipelines to transport the material, but crystals begin to form in this material at around -12 degrees Celsius. Can this type of PE pipe be directly heated with steam? What method can be used to address the freezing issue while also preventing PE pipelines from being damaged by heat?
PE pipes can only withstand temperatures up to 50°C and cannot be used with steam insulation; those with a steel lining and PTFE coating can tolerate temperatures of around 200°C, so these should be considered.
Use electric heating or replace the pipeline
Heating with warm water is sufficient; if there is circulating water, it can also be considered for use
Without replacing the pipe, use hot water for heating; or it’s not possible to have only one pipeline in the pipe tray – simply combine it with another pipeline that has a lower temperature in order to provide insulation. Although this is not allowed in construction standards, it is indeed effective.
Using hot water for heating is a viable option; if there is waste heat available from the circulating water, it can certainly be utilized.
PE pipes cannot be heated directly with steam. Solution: Use an outer steel pipe, with hot water circulated inside the pipe.
I believe it is better to use hot water for heating. If recycled water is used to recover waste heat, attention must be paid to the issue of scaling in the recycled water; if scaling occurs and this leads to blockages in the heating pipelines, it becomes difficult to determine the location of the blockages and thus hard to resolve them. I recommend adding a hot water storage tank, two hot water pumps, and one hot water heat exchanger to maintain a constant temperature of the hot water, as chemical materials are prone to problems when the temperature fluctuates frequently.
Without changing the pipe material, using warm water for heating can be considered