Electric heat tracing band safeguards the operation of industries in Northwest China

In the harsh winter of the northwest, the cold wind is biting. On the vast Gobi, oil fields, chemical plants, and railway lines, a series of Fuxing high-speed trains travel smoothly through the severe cold. The petrochemical pipelines remain unobstructed under extreme low temperatures, and large industrial equipment continues to operate in winter. Behind all of this, there is a key technology - electric heat tracing technology. These seemingly ordinary "black belts" are silently guarding the lifeline of northwest industry.

The industrial development in the northwest region has long faced the severe test of severe winter cold. Traditionally, many enterprises rely on steam tracing to prevent pipeline freeze-ups. Although this method requires less investment and provides a large amount of heat, it has high energy consumption, prone corrosion of pipelines, and high maintenance costs. Especially with the transfer of China's energy base to the northwest region, the challenges faced by winter construction and operation have become more prominent. Low temperatures often lead to extended construction periods and even affect the normal installation and operation of large machinery.

The emergence of electric heat tracing technology has changed this situation. Compared with steam heat tracing, electric heat tracing requires a higher initial investment, but it has the advantages of easy operation and low maintenance costs, and the technology has already been very mature. In the purification plant of a gas field in the northwest, the enterprise has replaced the original steam heat tracing pipelines in the pressure guiding pipelines of liquid level and differential pressure instruments for key equipment such as desulfurization towers, dehydration towers, and regeneration towers, as well as in the instrument boxes of supplementary steam and flash towers, with electric heat tracing. About 300 meters of heat tracing and return pipelines were removed, and two electric heat tracing belts were reinstalled and laid.

The core of electric heat tracing technology lies in its intelligent features. Taking the self-regulating electric heat tracing belt as an example, after being powered on, the heat tracing belt itself generates heat, and its resistance increases with the rise of ambient temperature, automatically attenuating the output power, thus maintaining the temperature within a set range and achieving precise temperature control. This technology not only solves the problems of pipeline freezing and medium condensation, but also has the advantages of high thermal efficiency (up to 90%-96%), easy installation, simple maintenance, and high automation level.

The technological breakthroughs made by Chinese enterprises in the field of electric heat tracing are particularly noteworthy. Once upon a time, the heat resistance temperature of domestic electric heat tracing materials was generally only 85℃, and the core materials were monopolized by foreign countries. However, through continuous technological breakthroughs, Chinese enterprises represented by Anhui Huanrui Electric Heating have achieved a leap from catching up to leading. In 2023, Huanrui Electric Heating's 200℃ high-performance self-regulating temperature products achieved full-scale production; by the beginning of 2025, products with a heat resistance level of 260℃ were also successfully mass-produced, marking that China has reached the international leading level in the field of self-regulating temperature electric heat tracing materials.

In the northwest region, electric heat tracing technology has penetrated into various key areas of industrial operations:

In the petrochemical industry, electric heat tracing technology ensures that oil pipelines remain unblocked in low-temperature environments, preventing production downtime accidents. Companies such as China National Offshore Oil Corporation (CNOOC) and Sinopec have begun to adopt domestically produced high-performance electric heat tracing products.

In the field of transportation, electric heat tracing bands with a temperature resistance rating of 110°C have been successfully applied to the Fuxing CR450 multiple unit train. This ensures the normal operation of equipment such as water tanks and drainage pipes when the train travels to high-altitude and cold regions, significantly reducing safety risks.

In industrial manufacturing, electric heat tracing bands also play an irreplaceable role. Companies such as Jiuquan Iron and Steel Group Western Heavy Industries Co., Ltd. regularly purchase electric heat tracing bands for equipment antifreeze and insulation, ensuring smooth production in winter.

In emerging fields, electric heat tracing technology also demonstrates broad application prospects. It can not only be used for winter antifreeze and anti-blocking of solar energy equipment, but also solve the problem of plastic pipes easily condensing and even bursting in low temperature environments.

The value of electric heat tracing technology is not only reflected in its basic function of anti-freezing and heat preservation, but also in the comprehensive benefits it brings. Compared with traditional material supply insulation boxes, the use of electric heat tracing belts not only brings good economic benefits but also achieves the goal of energy saving and consumption reduction, with extensive social benefits.

Nowadays, domestically produced electric heat tracing products have obtained global authoritative certifications such as Russia's EAC, the European Union's CE, France's BV, and Canada's CSA, providing products and services to over 50 countries and regions worldwide. From oil fields in the northwest to railways in the northeast, and from domestic chemical plants to industrial projects globally, the electric heat tracing belts made in China are safeguarding industrial lifelines with their reliability and progressiveness.

In the severe cold of the northwest, the electric heat tracing belt serves as a silent guardian, using technological warmth to withstand the natural chill and ensure the continuous pulse of industry. It is not only a technological product, but also an epitome of China's industrial perseverance, from catching up to leading. In the cold winter, it provides a solid guarantee for industrial operations in the northwest and even the whole country.