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Critical Tracing

Where the product temperature is critical, to prevent solidification of the product in the pipeline, or where the temperature of the product must be maintained within a special band, to prevent product spoilage, the type of trace heating required is termed ‘critical tracing’.

Due to the high temperatures usually involved, it is often necessary to attach many tracers to the process pipe. It must, however, be realised that there comes a point where jacketed piping proves to be a more economical solution.

In critical tracing applications generally thermodynamic steam traps are recommended and TS traps are second choice.

Jacketed Product Pipes

When the temperature of a product is highly critical, because of the danger of solidification, burning or vaporization, the complete product pipeline is ‘traced’ with a jacket. Jacket tracing is most commonly used for tracing sulphur lines. Jacket tracing is an expensive option and is therefore used only where the application demands it.

In jacketed tracing systems the TD traps are recommended.