Electric heat tracing system basically includes segments, for example, electric heat tracing links (parallel steady watt, arrangement consistent watt, control constraining, or automatic), link end systems, control association pack, RTD sensors or control indoor regulator, in-line units, warm protection, observing and control board, and different embellishments. Business utilization of electric heat tracing systems started during the 1950s when these turned into an elective where steam tracing couldn’t be utilized.
The oil & gas industry is the major application area of electric heat tracing systems. Oil & gas is a highly volatile sector globally. The oil & gas industry has been expanding at a sluggish pace in the last couple of years. The electric heat tracing systems market contracted significantly from 2014 to 2016. However, recent stability is anticipated to offer substantial expansion opportunities to the electric heat tracing systems market in the near future. Many new projects are also estimated to be awarded in the near future. This, in turn, is expected to boost the demand for electric heat tracing systems during the forecast period.
The electric heat tracing systems market is primarily driven by the low maintenance cost, increase in adoption of electric heat tracing systems over conventional steam tracing, and rise in investment in development of oil & gas pipeline infrastructure. Since the beginning of the 19th century, steam tracing has been the primary means of industrial heat tracing such as tars, petroleum residues, and waxes flowing through pipelines and other equipment in chemical processing and petroleum industries. Currently, steam tracing systems account for 70% of all the industrial heat tracing systems. However, tracing of vessels and pipe work is inefficient and complex to control in steam tracing systems vis-à-vis electric heat tracing systems. A reliable method to monitor and control steam tracing system is not yet available.
The information Presented in this Review is Based on Press-Release by TMR
This makes it unsuitable for applications such as process maintenance, where tight control of temperature is mandatory. Considering the entire tracing system, control & monitoring, and power distribution system, the total installed cost of electric heat tracing system is 3/4th of the total installed cost of steam tracing system. Electric heat tracing system is safer in terms of installation and operation since it does not use exposed circuits. Furthermore, the annual maintenance cost of the electric heat tracing system is considerably lower than that of the steam tracing system.
