Heat Tracing
system also requires special fittings, skilled
Learning the basics of steam tracing
allows processors to review and
compare options for each application.
By Peter Baen and Lance Bielke, Thermon Industries Inc.
I t has been estimated that the current
installed base of steam tracing world-
wide is 360 million feet (110 million
meters), with the installed base in North
America at approximately 150 million feet
(45.7 million meters). However, most pub-
lished articles discuss steam tracing with
tubing without defining whether the tub-
ing is bare convection, isolated, internal or
conduction tracing.
As has been the case for decades, differ-
ent steam trace methods can provide differ-
ent levels of heat: light, medium and high
heat. Proper references to the various steam
tracing methods and whether the applica-
tion is winterization or high-temperature
maintenance should help reduce confu-
sion or misunderstandings. It also should
increase confidence and reliability in this
common method of heat tracing in refin-
eries, chemical plants and other process
plants around the world.
The primary purpose of this article is to
review and compare common steam trac-
ing methods. Although there are clearly
advantages and limitations to each, it does
not attempt to compare steam and electri-
cal heat tracing methods.
High-Temperature
Steam Tracing
High-temperature application for materials
such as asphalt, phthalic anhydride and sulfur
generally suggests temperatures above 225F
(110C) and often involves heating mediums
such as steam or heat transfer fluids.
Basically, three methods are used for
high-temperature heating in process plants
where melt-out or reasonably fast hea-
tup requirements must be met. The three
methods include:
Conduction tracing with tubing and heat
transfer compounds.
Clamp-on pipe heating jackets.
Fully jacketed piping.
Fully jacketed piping provides the highest
heat transfer rates and will melt a material
faster than other methods. However, plants
frequently use tubing with heat transfer
compounds or clamp-on pipe heating jack-
Preformed, flexible heat transfer compound is
designed for rapid, consistent installation on
straight piping runs. The heat transfer
compounds provide an efficient
thermal connection between
the tracer and the process
equipment.
ets because the heatup and melt-out times
are sufficient and these methods eliminate
cross-contamination problems that occur
frequently with fully jacketed piping.
With jacketed piping, cross-contamina-
tion risks are due to leaks that develop in
the process pipe without any warning until
steam is detected in the process. A typical
problem would be where steam leaks into
molten sulfur, causing a very undesir-
able reaction. Once the contamination is
detected, there is still no easy means of
detecting the leak location.
In addition to the risk for cross contami-
nation, the installed cost of fully jacketed
piping is high. The fabrication of such a
welders and more trapping stations than
either conduction tracing with tubing and
heat transfer compounds, or clamp-on pipe
heating jackets. Additionally, construction
time and final testing for jacketed piping is
quite long, and the installed system cannot
easily be modified.
Conduction tracing with tubing and
heat transfer compounds as well as clamp-
on pipe heating jackets frequently are
installed on industrial piping systems for
high-temperature heating applications.
However, conduction tracing with com-
mercially available tubing can be reliable
and cost effective, and it can reduce the
installation time for a piping system by
eliminating welding of piping, jacketing or
modification of clamp-on jackets.
Modern Conduction
Tracing Systems
Prior to the advent of heat transfer com-
pounds, the process industry had to rely on
fully jacketed piping or multiple bare tubes
to maintain high process temperatures on
piping. Today, conduction tracing systems,
including clamp-on steam-heating jackets,
rely on heat transfer compounds to maxi-
mize heat transfer rates.
Heat transfer compounds became com-
mercially available in 1954. Tracers installed
with these compounds have been highly
reliable in replacing many fully jacketed
piping systems and multiple bare or con-
vection tracing systems. The performance
www.process-heating.com J a n u a r y 2 0 1 0 | 27
 Heat Tracing
A single tube-type conduction tracing
system can replace three or more bare
tracers, with a cost savings in labor
as well as reductions in steam and
condensate-handling equipment.
results are notable as are the reductions in
installed costs by minimizing steam traps
and overall distribution costs.
Today, the cost savings for conduction
tracing over fully jacketed piping can be
in the 50 to 90 percent range, depending
upon the piping system complexity. By
comparison to other methods, a single
tube-type conduction tracing system can
replace three or more bare tracers, with a
cost savings in labor as well as reductions
in steam and condensate-handling equip-
ment. Table 1 compares bare convection
tracing and conduction tracing.
The hand-toweled method of apply-
ing heat transfer compound continues to
be a convenient way to cover tracing on
valves, pumps or other types of equipment.
However, todays heat transfer compound
is likely to be a preshaped extruded materi-
al that is snapped over the tube-type tracer
and held in place by a galvanized steel or
stainless steel channel. The heat transfer
compound material melts and cures when
steam is supplied to the tracer.
Debunking Tracing Myths
Even though steam tracing has been used
in the process industry for more than 100
years, there is still misinformation that
attempts to make steam tracing appear to
be inferior to other methods.
Myth 1. Tube-type tracing is not a good
alternative to steam jackets because it does
not result in uniform temperatures along
the process pipe wall.
The Facts. If the myth statement relates to
bare convection tracers, it is true. However,
WEB EXCLUSIVE
Steam Tracing Method Definitions
System components can include bare
or convection tubing, conduction tub-
ing, clamp-on jackets, fully jacketed
piping and heat transfer compounds.
READ MORE @ WWW.PROCESS-HEATING.COM
28 | J a n u a r y 2 0 1 0 Process Heating
Tracing With Heat Transfer Compound vs. Bare Tracing
Pipe Size Mineral Wool 0.5" OD Number Temperature
Thickness Tracer Type of Tracers Held on Pipe
4" (100 mm) 1" (25 mm) Heat Transfer Compound 1 314F (157C)
4" (100 mm) 1" (25 mm) Bare 4 281F (138C)
6" (150 mm) 1.5" (40 mm) Heat Transfer Compound 1 311F (155C)
6" (150 mm) 1.5" (40 mm) Bare 4 280F (138C)
8" (200 mm) 2" (50 mm) Heat Transfer Compound 1 309F (154C)
8" (200 mm) 2" (50 mm) Bare 6 301F (149C)
10" (250 mm) 2" (50 mm) Heat Transfer Compound 1 293F (145C)
10" (250 mm) 2" (50 mm) Bare 6 295F (146C)
Steam Pressure 150 psig; Ambient Temperature 0F, Wind 25 mph
(Steam Pressure 10.34 bar g; Ambient Temperature -18C; Wind 11 m/s)
The Facts. Literally thousands of valves,
pumps and other types of plant equip-
ment have been successfully steam traced
with good quality heat transfer compounds.
When properly installed on tube tracing,
these can last as long as the equipment on
which it is installed. Properly selected heat
transfer compounds can also resist mechani-
Fully jacketed piping provides the high- cal shock well. If cracking or bond separation
est heat transfer rates and will melt a does occur, it generally is due to improper
material faster than other methods. selection or poor quality heat transfer com-
pounds, poor surface preparation or improp-
er startup and curing procedures.
In conclusion, steam tracing can be
designed to maintain a range of process
temperatures, even from a common steam
pressure/temperature. Some companies
offer design software for steam tracing
piping, tanks or instrument tubing while
others offer design support or proven heat
The metallic tracer tube is covered with transfer calculations.
composite materials that lower thermal
conductance to reduce heat output and But, beyond reliability, the real issue
temperature. with all heat tracing systems is ensuring the
lowest total cost of ownership with mini-
mal operating and maintenance expense.
if it relates to tubing installed with heat Calculating condensate loads and knowing
transfer compounds, it is untrue. Modern the maximum vertical rise for every steam
methods of thermal analysis such as finite trace design is critical to optimizing circuit
element analysis (FEA) and computational lengths to reduce the number of steam
fluid dynamics (CFD) commonly are used traps and arrange the lowest installed cost
by engineers and designers of steam trac- possible for each application. PH
ing systems to closely predict temperatures
around the circumference of a traced pipe Peter Baen is the senior product manager for
wall as well as at pipe shoes and supports, steam heating and instrument tubing and Lance
risers and other areas of concern. Bielke is the web/literature manager with Thermon
Myth 2. Heat transfer compounds crack Corp., San Marcos, Texas, a manufacturer of heat
or break off when used on valves, pumps tracing systems and components. For more infor-
and other equipment. mation, call (512) 396-5801 or www.thermon.com.