Comparison and selection of electric heat tracing and traditional heat tracing

　　In the modern industrial production, the pipeline accompanies the heat technology is guarantees the fluid to transport the safety, maintains the process temperature stable key link. Along with the technical progress, the electricity accompanies the heat and the traditional steam accompanies the heat to form two kinds of very different technical routes, each shows the unique advantage and the applicable scene. Deep understanding of these two kinds of technology difference, to the engineering design and system selection has important significance.

　　Traditional steam accompanying heat as the industrial field has been used for a hundred years of mature technology, its core principle is to use the factory surplus steam as the heat source, through the accompanying heat pipe to heat transfer to the process piping. The advantage of this method is that the heat source is convenient to obtain, especially suitable for petrochemical and oil refining enterprises that need a large amount of steam themselves. Steam tracing has a high heat transfer efficiency and is able to cope with the heat preservation needs of large pipe diameters and high viscosity media, and performs particularly well in extreme low-temperature environments. However, there are obvious limitations to steam tracer systems: the large pipe network structure takes up a lot of space, the complex hydrophobic system requires frequent maintenance, and the heat loss is usually as high as 30%-40%. What's more, the steam temperature is difficult to control precisely, easy to cause local overheating, especially unfavourable to the heat-sensitive medium.

　　The electric accompanying heat technology represents the new direction in the field of accompanying heat, and achieves more accurate temperature control by directly converting electric energy into heat energy. The modern electric accompanying heat system is mainly composed of heating element, temperature sensor and intelligent controller, which can control the temperature fluctuation of pipeline within the range of ±1℃, and fully meet the production requirements of precision chemical industry. The advantages of electric accompanying heat are obvious: flexible installation, not subject to pipeline layout restrictions; thermal efficiency of up to 95% or more, energy-saving effect is remarkable; basic maintenance-free operation, significantly reduce labour costs. Especially the appearance of self-limiting temperature electric accompanying tropical, so that the system has the function of automatic adjustment of power, completely solved the overheating hidden danger.

　　From the system complexity point of view, the two kinds of technology difference is remarkable. The steam accompanies the heat to need to support the boiler, the steam pipeline network, the trap and so on multiple facilities, the system investment is big and the design is complicated. And the electric accompanies the heat system structure is simple, the main equipment is only electric accompanies the heat tape and the control system, especially suitable for the space limitations of the transformation project. In terms of safety performance, electric heat tracing also occupies the advantage: no high-pressure steam brought about by the risk of scalding, no trap failure caused by the accumulation of water freezing and cracking hidden trouble, in the explosion-proof area of the application is also more reliable.

　　Economic comparisons require comprehensive consideration. Although the initial investment in steam tracing is low, the energy loss and maintenance costs in long-term operation are high. Electric trace heating systems have a higher acquisition cost, but the energy efficiency benefits make it possible to recoup the difference usually in 2-3 years. Whole life cost analysis shows that electric trace heating systems save 30-50% of the total cost of ownership compared to steam trace heating. In terms of environmental protection, the advantages of electric trace heating are even more obvious: zero emissions, no noise, fully in line with the requirements of green manufacturing. Especially in the ‘double carbon’ goal, electric accompanied by heat and renewable energy combination shows more potential.

　　Of course, electric accompanying heat is not a universal solution. For very large pipeline, ultra-high temperature requirements of special working conditions, steam accompanied by heat is still irreplaceable. In extremely cold regions, the stability and frost resistance of steam tracing heat is also more reliable. Therefore, the actual project can often be seen in the mixed use of the two technologies: the main pipeline using steam accompanied by heat, instrumentation pipelines and key control points using electric accompanied by heat, the formation of complementary advantages.

　　The future development trend is clearly visible. Along with the energy structure adjustment and the digital transformation, the electricity accompanies the heat technology is towards the intelligent, the high efficiency direction rapid development. The application of internet of things technology makes remote monitoring and predictive maintenance possible; new composite materials continue to break through the limit of temperature resistance; the combination with photovoltaic, energy storage has created a new mode of zero carbon heat tracing. Traditional steam tracers are also looking to innovate: the use of waste heat recovery technology is improving energy efficiency, and smart traps are reducing maintenance. The two technology routes will promote each other in the competition, and jointly promote the progress of the accompanying heat technology.

　　The choice of tracer needs to take into account the characteristics of the medium, process requirements, energy structure, cost budget and other factors. For the pursuit of precision control, energy saving and environmental protection of the modern enterprise, electric accompanied by heat is undoubtedly a better choice; And in the steam resources, insulation requirements are not high large-scale industrial scene, traditional steam accompanied by heat is still practical value. Wise decision-makers should go beyond the simple technical comparison, from the perspective of the whole life cycle to assess the overall value of various programmes, for each pipeline to choose the most suitable ‘warm clothes’.