Jason Toledano has been the CEO of WATTCO, Inc., a worldwide leader in electronics manufacturing for the past decade.
In the complex world of petrochemical applications, countless seemingly insignificant factors can impact a company’s precise industrial needs. Factors such as location, use case and weather exposure can affect everything from the alloy to the specific heating mechanism, such as flanged versus screw plug heaters. Uns S66286
An incorrect decision can significantly influence the effectiveness and longevity of heating equipment, turning a short-term fix into a long-term expense. When exploring the best way to go about installing or upgrading a heating solution for your industrial application, here are the factors to consider.
Although it seems like one of the most obvious considerations, the heater’s intended application is important enough to bring up first. Petrochemical applications often involve corrosive or high-temperature environments, and heaters made from off-the-shelf, standard materials may be sufficient for optimal performance.
Be sure to look for options made from materials that withstand these harsh conditions, ensuring longevity and reliability. These materials include steel, stainless steel, titanium and Hastelloy alloys.
Particularly for remote locations like offshore platforms, grid access can be limited or even nonexistent, necessitating solutions that are energy efficient, capable of running on limited wattage or entirely independent.
Will the heater be installed indoors or outdoors? Off-the-shelf heaters are often produced for general use or controlled indoor environments, but may not be sufficient for the variables present outside.
Climate, weather conditions and how these factors will impact air quality are all significant considerations, especially in petrochemical operations that will be exposed to harsh climates. Extreme temperatures, storms and seasonal fluctuations are all factors to account for. Humidity, salt or dust in the air can also drastically affect a heater’s performance and lifespan. The salty air and sea spray that will coat an off-shore platform, for example, will corrode certain alloys faster than others.
Along with keeping specific materials in mind, be sure to understand the different technologies that can impact how your heater may perform in specific conditions. These can include moisture-resistant terminal boxes such as NEMA 4- and/or NEMA 7-rated digital temperature controllers with specially designed thermocouples.
Even for certain indoor applications, it’s crucial to carefully consider environmental conditions such as a sweltering room with poor airflow.
A petrochemical facility with physical space constraints may need a specialized heater shape or size. A facility with limited ground or horizontal space, for example, may require a vertical engineering solution. Be sure that your solution fits seamlessly into the existing setup without compromising efficiency.
Since off-the-shelf equipment comes as-is, there may be limited flexibility when it comes to programming automation and safety measures. Fail-safe mechanisms, for example, are critical in the petrochemical industry and can be easily and effectively incorporated into the design of custom heaters.
Furthermore, specific industries or applications might have strict regulatory requirements or standards for heating equipment. To provide an added layer of assurance, familiarize yourself with these regulations to make sure your intended solution complies.
Electric heating can lead to long-term savings, but replacing an entire system can be a costly upfront investment—not to mention the operational downtime for installation and training. This is why petrochemical facilities often opt for a hybrid approach, where electric-powered additions are installed to enhance the power and efficiency of existing gas equipment.
Certain heaters may or may not plug into a facility’s existing equipment, but some options can help minimize disruption to operations and leverage existing investments. Custom engineering, for example, can be tailor-fitted to seamlessly integrate with existing automation, control systems or building management systems.
Other steps that can be taken include a well-defined maintenance plan to keep the units running efficiently for its specific environment, spare components to reduce possible downtime as well as adding high-limit temperature sensors in locations that proactively sense temperature abnormalities before possible failure and downtime.
Depending on your unique application, it’s essential to perform due diligence and consider every possible angle that could influence your investment’s efficacy. Even a custom-designed solution can fail to meet a facility’s needs if an engineer fails to account for every variable. For petrochemical facilities seeking to maximize their investment while protecting the safety of staff and longevity of equipment, it’s not just an option—it's a necessity.
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I am a New York-based wealth reporter at Forbes. I am a recent graduate of the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, prior to which, I worked and studied in Ireland, covering European finance and economics. I am originally from Boston, Massachusetts.
I am a New York-based wealth reporter at Forbes. I am a recent graduate of the Columbia Graduate School of Journalism, prior to which, I worked and studied in Ireland, covering European finance and economics. I am originally from Boston, Massachusetts.
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