Steam OR Thermal Oil ?

Water and steam are typically used as heat carriers in industrial heating systems.

In industrial heating systems a high temperature level is often a necessity for achieving the required high efficiency. When using steam or pressurized water these high temperatures correspond very high operating pressures. Such pressurized steam or water systems can be very controversial and expensive, however that has been the situation for centuries - and has thus been general accepted to deal with - technically and economically.

Today there are alternatives - high temperatures does not need requiring high pressure!

In thermal fluid heaters a special oil are instead as heat carrier, operating at atmospheric pressure up to 300°C. For comparison this to water and steam, it would require a pressure of 85 bar to obtain this temperature.

The safe system

A correct and safe system design is very important for any high temperature system. This is ensured by using only experienced suppliers for the heaters and accessories - and the contractors for building up the whole system on site. The engineers specializing in thermal oil systems, knows about all those details - the features, updated technical knowledge of possibilities, options, but also the threats particular when dealing with these high temperature process heating systems.
 

There are several advantages by using thermal fluid compare to e.g. steam systems. The most obvious advantages are:
 

	High temperatures up to 300°C at atmospheric pressure
	Optional temperature level set-points
	No equipment for pre-treatment of boiler feed water
	No heat loss due to hot condensate and flash steam
	No risk of corrosion and no risk of freezing damages.
	Low maintenance costs
	Quiet in operation (no steam stroke and flash steam noise)
	Easy to operate (does not require steam boiler certified staff)

Design

Thermal fluid heaters can be delivered in horizontal execution (with low height), or in vertical execution (occupying limited floor space). They are delivered insulated with stainless steel cover sheets and complete with burner, armatures, instrumentation, safeties and a control panel - and with full documentation including necessary certificates.

The heaters are made with coils made of seamless tubes. The thermal fluid is heated during the flow through the tubes.  

The heat is transferred to the fluid as radiant heat in the combustion chamber, where the inner cylindrical tube coil and a flat tube coil forms the chamber wall and the bottom respectively. Consequently refractory concrete is avoided. The combustion gasses are hereafter cooled in the outer convection part, as the gasses pass the space between the two tube coils.

The thermal design ensures a modest volume of the thermal fluid relative to the size of the heater, and allows unlimited thermal expansion due to the high fluid temperature.

The heater and the thermal fluid system in whole are constructed and equipped according DIN 4754 and are CE-marked. Pressure vessels according PED 97/23/CE, AD-Merkblätter 2000 (and corresponding EN norms).

Options

Beside the standard execution the heaters can be delivered in e.g. following variations: