What are Longline Trace Heating Cables?

What are Longline Trace Heating Cables used for?

Longline trace heating cables are used when circuit lengths exceed the ratings of conventional parallel-resistance heat trace cables and you need a single power source. Industrial longline trace heating is necessary to heat long pipelines for -

• Transfer lines between processing plants.
• Condensation prevention.
• Temperature maintenance.
• Viscosity control.
• For pipe freeze protection.
• Between storage or transportation facilities

The intricacy of this pipe heat trace system comes from the need for long electrical circuit lengths, usually with a single electrical power point.

Ideal applications for longline trace heating systems might include -

• Pipes between petrochemical facilities 
• Piers for ocean transport vessels
• Freeze protection or temperature maintenance of tank farms
• Condensation and coagulation prevention on filters, etc…

Why is longline trace heating important? Well without it, the following problems could occur -

• Liquids freezing resulting in disastrous pipe failures.
• Liquids becoming too viscous.
• Gases condensing.

Here at Cross Electrical Ltd we design, manufacture, install and supply a complete range of heating cables suitable for every Trace heating application. We offer a wide range of industry-proven longline trace heating solutions as a complete heat management system. This includes the selection of suitable pipe heat trace technologies, highly developed control system technologies, in addition to engineering design services and site services!

 Some of our longline length heating cables include:

XSWE Single Wire Heating Cable

Teflon PFA insulated heating cable for maintaining temperatures up to 120°C, medium to long length heating circuits. Maximum withstand temperature of 230°C (power off).  Approved for use in hazardous areas.

XCN Mineral Insulated Cupro Nickel Sheathed Single Conductor Heating Cable

For maintaining temperatures up to 250°C medium to long heating circuits, maximum withstand temperature 400° (power off), approved for use in hazardous areas.

XINC Mineral Insulated Inconel Sheathed Single Conductor Heating Cable

For temperatures up to 600°C, highly corrosion resistant for medium to long length heating circuits, maximum withstand temperature 1000°C (power off) approved for use in hazardous areas.

XSS Mineral Insulated Stainless Steel Sheathed Single Conductor Heating Cable

For maintaining temperature up to 500°C medium to long length heating circuits, maximum withstand temperature 1000°C (power off), approved for use in hazardous areas.

Our general applications include –

• Heating Pipelines, tanks & vessels,
• Frost Protection for water pipes,
• Condensation prevention within hoppers and process equipment,
• Snow and ice prevention for roads, ramps and stairs,
• Underfloor heating,
• Emergency Maintenance Services,
• Annual Test and Survey Contracts.

For more details on these applications please see out website! Simply click here

What’s so great about our XEL-W Hot Water Pipework system

We promote our modern solution, the XEL-W, because it offers an effective, energy efficient solution for hot water pipe work within re-circulation systems. With global warming being such a widely talked about issue, and everyone becoming more and more aware of their carbon footprint, energy efficiency is an important part of the building and construction industry.

In fact, UK building regulations require all engineers, architects and builders to ensure that they work hard to reduce energy use in the areas in which they work, and they must to utilise renewable sources of energy.

That is where our  XEL-W hot water pipework comes in. Just one area in which those working in these types of industry can make an impact on this reduction in the energy use of a whole building, our hot water pipework is extremely efficient.

Standard methods of hot water distribution in a building, often referred to as ‘flow and return’, don’t necessarily work with in commercial use.

This is because the system is not energy efficient for commercial and industry use and can often lead to significant heat losses and subsequently money losses.

Our aim is to ensure your industry is utilising the correct temperature maintenance when building or constructing homes and buildings to enable the best cost-effectiveness for yourself and your clients in addition to using energy efficiently. 

XEL-W  offers an effective solution for hot water pipe work within re-circulation systems. This piece of equipment can have a significant impact on energy efficiency. By combining hot water comfort with economical methods, the self-regulating heating cable fitted can compensate for the heat loss of water in the pipe while ensuring that hot water is delivered at the desired temperature the whole way through to the hot water system.

It’s the perfect solution for hot water temperature maintenance of pipes in:

•  Family homes
•  Industry buildings
•  Hospitals
•  Sports centres
•  Houses and flats

By providing hot water from every tap outlet it eliminates the necessity for return pipe work and reduces energy consumption. What’s even better is that it is very easy to install and no maintenance is required. 

With 50% less pipe work than normal hot water pipe work systems the XEL-W has been specifically designed for such application and can even be fitted to existing systems preventing the running of gallons of cold water in order to get to the hot water.

What is Trace Heating?

With this month’s blog we are going back to basics, explaining exactly what Trace Heating is and what it is used for. As we are specialists in Trace Heating systems, we automatically assume that everyone knows exactly what it is and how is works, which is obviously not the case. So what is Trace Heating? Read on to find out...

What is Trace Heating?

Trace heating, known as Electric heat tracing, heat tape or surface heating, is a system used to maintain or raise the temperature of pipes and vessels. Trace heating takes the form of an electrical heating element run in physical contact along the length of a pipe. The pipe must then be covered with thermal insulation to retain heat losses from the pipe. Heat generated by the element then maintains the temperature of the pipe. Trace heating is used for many applications from protecting pipes from freezing, to maintaining a constant flow temperature in hot water systems, or to maintain process temperatures for piping that must transport substances that solidify at ambient temperatures.

When did Trace Heating come about?

Electric trace heating began in the 1930s but to begin with no dedicated equipment was available. Mineral insulated cables were run at high current densities to produce heat, and control equipment was adapted from other applications. Mineral-insulated resistance heating cables were introduced in the 1950s, and then parallel-type heating cables that could be cut to length in the field became available. Self-limiting thermoplastic cables were marketed in 1971.

So what is Trace Heating used for?

The most widespread pipe trace heating applications include:

Temperature maintenance

Road & Ramp Outdoor Surface Heating

Anti-condensation

Gulley and roof snow / ice protection

Frost protection and freeze prevention

Door / frame interface ice protection

Window de-misting

Pond freeze protection

Soil warming

Anti-cavitation purpose

Here at Cross Electrical, we’ve been controlling the temperature for industries for over 40 years, so why compromise? Call us today on -01159722050

The history of underfloor heating

Did you know that underfloor heating is far from a new concept? It has actually been dated back as far as the Neolithic period and has been used throughout history as a main form of heating. The type of underfloor heating we offer to you today is a far cry from some of the methods used in the past.  We’ve compiled a concise history of some of the inventive systems used by our ancestors to heat their homes.

The earliest forms of heated flooring have been dated back to as early as 5,000 BC. Archaeologists have found evidence that shows the use of ‘baked flooring’ dating back to this time. Found in China, these methods heated floors by drafting hot smoke from fires through trenches cut into the floors.
There is evidence that the Romans were using underfloor heating systems on a larger scale by around 500 BC. Their homes were constructed with voids in the floors and walls through which air, warmed by an open fire, could pass through to heat the structure. These systems were often used in Roman baths and would heat the pools of water as well as the rooms.

In the following 500 years, similar methods of underfloor heating was widely used throughout China and Korea, but was not used significantly in Europe until much later. These days it has developed so much that it has become one of the most energy efficient forms of heating available on the market. As people are striving towards more energy efficient homes, underfloor heating is being used more and more in both commercial and residential new build properties.
The systems of today are exceptionally comfortable and controllable. They remove the need for radiators resulting in more room space and heat provided underfloor is distributed completely evenly causing is zero dust circulation.

This simple method of heating has been available from us for many years, providing a cost effective and energy efficient system for any application. We have the products and support to make your project run smoothly, offering a free quotation service and practical advice. Our electric under floor heating products can be installed in hours without the need for specialist tools or skills, the products we propose are low profile and won't raise floor levels.   Call us today for more information!