For storage tanks that require heat tracing, is it better to use external heating or internal heating coils?
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Generally, materials in the north need heated normal pressure storage tanks. Is it better to use external heat tracing or internal heating coils? Please let us talk about it from the aspects of cost, maintenance, etc.
It seems that they are usually heated internally.
There is a lot of external heat tracing, and the internal one should be used for heating materials.
Hot water tracing is generally used for external steam heating and internal
Internally, if the storage tank is large, the external coil pipe will be more troublesome.
There are both types, the internal ones use steam, the external ones also use steam and water. It is estimated that if the medium temperature is low, it will crystallize and require internal heating. However, the pipeline investment is high and the sealing requirements are strict.
Both internal and external heating are possible. It depends on the nature of the internal materials. If the internal materials are afraid of water (chemical reactions will occur when meeting water), use an external coil.； The above is the premise, and the following content is based on the above. If the melting point of the material is low, both internal and external coils are suitable ； If the material has a higher melting point, it is best to use an inner coil. If the material is affected by water content, it is best to use external coils. The production cost depends on the heat exchange area, and it cannot be directly determined which one is higher.
Maybe external heating is more reasonable. Internal heating has problems with heat transfer (whether it forms natural convection or how it flows), and the problem of gasification of materials that have been in contact with the heating coil. External heating directly faces the external low-temperature environment. As long as external cold energy is not allowed to enter, it will be fine.
If the medium has a high freezing point, it is best to use internal coil heating. If it is a conventional water tank or the like, only external heating is required.