Abstract :
Heating systems were developed initially using steam or hot water as their energy source. The 1930s saw the emergence of the first electrical pipeline heaters in the form of lead sheathed cables. The half century since has seen the development of a profusion of different types of electric heating cables to satisfy a multitude of applications now embracing a wide range of industries. Convenient products such as parallel resistance, constant wattage and self-regulating cables have emerged for heating complex in-plant pipework, whilst series resistance and skin effect systems have been developed for the heating of long pipelines. Simultaneously, sophisticated electronic control and monitoring devices have combined to produce systems offering higher levels of efficiency and safety than is possible with steam or other energy sources. The need for safe equipment had intensified with a growing number of applications being in hazardous environments such as petrochemical plants, offshore platforms, etc. The authors discuss the benefits to industry of electric heating cables, standards, hazardous area use, types of heating cable, and control and monitoring systems
