What are the details of the electric tracing belt?

　　As a kind of efficient and safe electric heating equipment, electric tracing belt is widely used in pipeline insulation, roof snow melting, floor heating system and anti-freezing protection of industrial equipment. Its working principle seems simple, but it actually involves many technical details, including material selection, structural design, temperature control and safety protection. Understanding these details will help to better select, install and use the electric tracing belt and ensure its long-term stable operation.

　　The core of electric heat tracing is its heating element, and different types of electric heat tracing adopt different heating mechanisms. The most common is the self-limiting electric heat tracing belt, and its heating material is usually made of conductive polymer composite material. The resistance of this material will increase with the increase of temperature, thus automatically adjusting the heating power and avoiding the risk of overheating. The other is constant power electric tracing belt, which usually uses alloy resistance wire as heating element, and its power is constant, so it is suitable for occasions that need stable heating. In addition, there are mineral insulated heating cables with magnesium powder insulated metal sheath structure, which are resistant to high temperature and explosion-proof, and are often used in harsh environments such as petrochemical industry. These different heating materials determine the working temperature range, power output and applicable scenarios of the electric tracing belt.

　　In structural design, the electric heat tracing belt usually adopts multi-layer composite technology to ensure electrical safety, mechanical strength and weather resistance. The innermost layer is a conductive heating core, and the outer layer sequentially wraps an insulating layer, a shielding layer and a sheath. XLPE or fluoroplastics are usually used as insulation layer to improve temperature resistance and corrosion resistance. The shielding layer is generally woven with tinned copper wire for grounding protection and anti-electromagnetic interference; The sheath material of the outermost layer is selected according to the use environment, such as PVC suitable for general environment, while fluoropolymer (such as PFA) is suitable for high temperature or corrosive environment. The combination of these structural layers enables the electric tracing tape to work stably for a long time under the conditions of humidity, chemical corrosion or mechanical wear.

　　Temperature control is one of the key details of electric tracing system. Although the self-limited temperature electric tracing belt can automatically adjust the power, it still needs to be used with a thermostat in some applications to achieve more accurate temperature management. Common temperature control methods include mechanical temperature controller, electronic temperature controller and intelligent control system. The mechanical thermostat senses the temperature change through bimetal, which is simple and reliable, but the accuracy is low. The electronic temperature controller adopts digital sensor, which can set accurate temperature range and has over-temperature alarm function; The intelligent control system can realize remote monitoring and automatic management through the Internet of Things technology, which is suitable for large-scale industrial projects. In addition, some high-end electric tracing belts also have built-in temperature feedback components, which can adjust the output power in real time to ensure uniform heating and energy saving.

　　The installation mode also has an important influence on the performance and life of the electric tracing belt. In the application of pipeline insulation, the electric heat tracing belt is usually fixed by spiral winding or parallel laying, and aluminum foil tape is used to enhance heat conduction. For the floor heating system, the electric tracing belt should be evenly laid under the floor and covered with insulation layer to reduce heat loss. In the application of roof snow melting, electric heat tracing tape is usually embedded in waterproof layer or drainage trough to prevent snow from freezing. No matter which installation method, it is necessary to pay attention to avoid excessive bending or mechanical damage of the electric tracing belt, and at the same time ensure its close contact with the heated object to improve the heat transfer efficiency. In addition, in flammable and explosive environment, explosion-proof electric tracing belt should be adopted, and it should comply with relevant safety regulations.

　　Safety protection is a detail that can not be ignored in the use of electric tracing tape. Due to the long-term electrified operation of the electric tracing belt, it is necessary to ensure its electrical safety, including good insulation performance, reliable grounding protection and appropriate overcurrent protection. In humid or corrosive environment, the tightness of sheath material is particularly important to prevent moisture infiltration from causing short circuit. In addition, the starting current of the electric tracing belt may be high, so sufficient capacity should be considered when designing the power supply system. For long-distance electric tracing, attention should also be paid to voltage drop, and multiple power supply points should be used when necessary. In terms of maintenance, regular inspection of insulation resistance and heating uniformity of electric tracing tape can find potential problems in time and avoid failures.

　　With the development of technology, the application scope of electric tracing belt is constantly expanding, and its detailed design is also constantly optimized. For example, the new type of self-limiting temperature electric tracing belt adopts more advanced PTC material, which has faster response speed and better energy-saving effect; In addition, combined with solar energy and energy storage system, the electric tracing belt can also play a role in off-grid environment. In the future, with the development of intelligent and green energy, the electric tracing belt will show its value in more fields.