How should steam tracing pipes for long-distance material pipelines be installed?
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For long-distance material pipelines, steam pipelines are used for heating, but these steam heating pipes are quite thin – usually seamless steel pipes with a diameter of DN15 or DN20. Over very long distances, such thin pipes can reduce the effectiveness of the heating system; especially during the winters in the northeast, it’s possible for these steam heating pipes to freeze up. Does anyone have experience in this area? I would appreciate any advice.
I’m here to learn *; I’m waiting for experts to give answers!
The best solution is to use electric heat tapes in place of steam tracing for heating. (Naturally, reinvestment is required.) Another approach is to use steam for heating at both ends and install two traps in the middle.
The maximum allowable effective length of the heat tracing tubes for DN15 and DN20 is usually 60 m. When a U-shaped bend is present, the cumulative elevation cannot exceed 4 m; otherwise, it will affect the heat tracing effect.
The segmented heat tracing method can be employed.
Jacketed heating can be considered, as it yields good results; however, it is also necessary to install steam traps at regular intervals
In my opinion, it is better to use stainless steel for pipes with internal heating. Long-distance material pipelines are generally pipelines with larger diameters. Therefore, the temperature-controlled pipe that can be used can be a thicker one, such as size 32. Multiple steam traps can be installed on the temperature-control pipe to prevent it from freezing. The key to solving this problem is: as winter approaches, it is necessary to increase the steam supply to the temperature maintenance pipes in a timely manner, strengthen inspections, and address any issues with the traps failing to function properly as soon as they are detected. As long as steam is supplied continuously, the temperature-sensing tube will not freeze.
I’m not sure how long a ‘long distance’ refers to in your case. The DN20 pipes I’ve seen had a heating length of around 300 meters, and there were no problems with that. There were also two gantries in between, rising more than 1 meter. This winter is definitely troublesome: if the steam flow is too high, it’s a waste; if it’s too low, there’s too much condensate which can cause freezing. Careful inspections are necessary.
Reply to 8# Optical Mouse: What is the pressure of the steam you use?
Electric tracing is recommended for long-distance pipelines. . . .
Reply to 1# Zhu Hongbin: How far are you? Moreover, if the distance is long, consider providing heat tracing from both sides towards the center; this will reduce the distance by half. Additionally, for long-distance heat tracing, consider enlarging the pipes to DN25.