It's That Time Again: Start Winterizing Your Fluid System Now

To avoid unplanned downtime and labour, get the work done while it's still warm 

Did you notice a few cooler days in the Edmonton weather forecasts this month? That's your reminder that winter is not far off. This is the time to get your systems ready for cold weather, and Edmonton Valve and Fitting wants to help.  

Last year we presented three winterization webinars that we recorded and put online. Our resident expert on the topic, Tristian McCallion, guided his audience through the best practices of steam tracing, steam trap stations and unit heaters.

Each video is about 45 minutes long and packed with way more information than we can summarize in a blog post, but here are a few highlights:

Steam tracing

The most efficient type of tracing is the gut line, in which the tracer runs inside the pipe. The entire exterior surface of the trace line is exposed to the process fluid, so you get great heat transfer. But it's very difficult to install and maintain, so you don't see gut lines used very often.

Another method is the jacketed design. In this case, the tracer is on the outside, surrounding the pipe. It's not as efficient as a gut system because some heat radiates outward.

The most common design used today is the bare-tube tracer. It's very easy to install, very easy to change, and very reliable. The downside is that it is not nearly as efficient. Having said that, there are ways to improve efficiency. A heat-transfer material can help, such as a heat transfer cement.

Remember, heat rises, so put the tracers on the bottom of the pipe for maximum effect. It's also important to keep tracers in good repair. They may not use much energy individually, but when you add them up the total can be significant.

Steam trap stations

You'll want a steam trap station at the bottom of the supply header to remove any condensate that builds up, and on the return header. Avoid threaded systems if you can. The expansion and contraction inherent in the system is a setup for leaks. It's also important to keep the supply and return headers as close together as possible. If they are close enough, it usually takes only one person to start up the system or take it down.

The steam trap station itself has several components. One important part is a strainer. One of the main reasons that traps fail is because of dirt or corrosion in the system. It's also important to have a blow-down valve on the strainer. One more component is the test valve, or the secondary isolation valve. There are several ways to test steam traps: temperature, ultrasound and visual tests. McCallion recommends using all three. Each is good for indicating certain problems, and each has its negatives.

Unit heaters

Unit heaters are often ignored when it comes to winterization. But if they are installed and maintained correctly, they can be a very efficient way of heating a large industrial space. One of the biggest problems we run into is that the heat is not being distributed correctly. That's usually a matter of properly adjusting louvers. It's also important to make sure areas are not being cut off by other pieces of equipment. A combination of vertical and horizontal heaters usually is best.

"People understand they have to winterize, but most of the time it becomes a reactive procedure rather than proactive," McCallion says. "Really, you should already have the work done by the time you start thinking about bringing your winter jacket out."

About Swagelok Energy Advisors

Swagelok Energy Advisors has a core team of four full-time field engineers in North America. They’re on the road three out of every four weeks. In 2011 they conducted 62 steam system reviews, held 26 training events and worked on two large implementations. When needed, they can call on local specialists like Tristian McCallion, here at Edmonton Valve & Fitting.

Most of these experts are mechanical engineers with 15 to 20 years of working with steam systems in a variety of industries. Not only do they know steam, they know how it is applied in various processes. They understand pulp and paper mill equipment, food processing, refineries and more. So even if it is a new process, they understand what is going on inside the system. Swagelok Energy Advisors won’t just tell you that you need a valve in a particular spot, they’ll explain why.