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Choosing Hot Oil Heaters for Industrial Applications: A 101 Guide

Staff Writer
1/27/2019 | 5 min read
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Choosing Hot Oil Heaters for Industrial Applications: A 101 Guide

Often referred to as thermal fluid heaters or thermic oil heaters, hot oil heaters are used in a variety of industries ranging from chemical plants to textile processing facilities to wastewater treatment systems.

A hot oil heater typically contains a heating and cooling package that allows the liquid to be heated to extremely high temperatures. Comprising tanks, pumps, valves, gauges, and heat exchanges, an industrial oil heater is designed to safely transfer the heat generated in the oil through a system of pipes to it’s required destination.

Hot oil heaters work by circulating oil, which is a thermic fluid capable of significant heat transfer. The oil is heated via a combustion process, and then moved through the system to carry the heat to other locations. After the heat is emitted, the fluid is recirculated and reheated in a continuous cycle.

Reasons to Use a Hot Oil Heater

Hot oil heaters are used in industrial situations to safely create and transfer heat at high temperatures. Many industrial situations require this type of heat transfer rather than pressure transfers.

Heat transfer may be used to keep water baths or kettles warm, or to heat presses and ovens. Larger industrial operations may require multiple heat sources to warm up large volumes of gases or liquids, in which case an oil heater can be used in conjunction with additional heat exchange systems. Hot oil heaters are the preferred method to heat corrosive fluids, as well as secondary fluids with low-temperature limits or fluids that have the potential to develop a choked flow.

Different Types of Hot Oil Heaters

There are several types of hot oil heaters to choose from, such as:

  • Jacketed Firebox Hot Oil Heaters use a cylindrical firing chamber with an outer jacket. As the oil circulates through tubes in the system, it gathers heat from the burner gases contained within the tubes. As the oil continues through the system, it gains additional heat from the burner flame before exiting the firing chamber to transfer the heat elsewhere in the system.
  • Helical Coil Hot Oil Heaters use a burner that opens into a helical coil. As gases turn at the end of the heater, they pass the coil where they circulate with the oil. The oil absorbs the heat from the helical coil and then exits the heater to begin the heat transfer.
  • Stack Heat Exchangers work by drawing heat from the exhaust gases of the system. The oil absorbs this heat as it flows through a set of coils located in the exchanger. This system is a prime example of oil heater efficiency because it takes advantage of heat that is already being generated and uses it to lower the demands on the system without consuming additional fuel.

Benefits of Using a Hot Oil Heater

Hot oil heaters offer a broad range of advantages, namely their applicability across a variety of industries. Providing a safe and efficient process to transfer heat to a predetermined endpoint, these heaters are easier to maintain than older boiler systems, and are also more efficient and economical that many competitive methods used in similar applications.

Choosing a Hot Oil Heater System

Purchasing a hot oil heater involves a thorough needs assessment as well as an understanding of the available options. Once you have determined that a hot oil heater is more appropriate than a direct heating system, it’s important to make sure you select a system that meets your specifications. Your next step should be to meet with a system engineer who can develop a cost-effective hot oil heater system that can meet your needs.

 

Image credit: cpaulfell / Shutterstock.com

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