Commercial and industrial enterprises rely on a variety of liquids in their operations. Effective freeze protection and viscosity control are crucial for the safe and efficient storage, use, and transportation of these liquids. Cold temperatures can lead to production slowdowns, poor product quality, and even equipment damage. Conversely, excessive heat can also negatively impact product quality. These challenges directly impact a company's profitability.
This blog provides six essential tips to consider when working with bulk liquids:
Tip One: Determine the Optimal Temperature Range
- Identify critical temperature thresholds that may affect material properties (e.g., spoilage, degradation).
- Determine if there's an optimum temperature for a desired physical or chemical change within the material.
- If Freeze Protection is the goal, heat only 10-15°F above the liquid's freeze point
Tip Two: Utilize the Correct Storage Container
- Pick a container size that is approproate for your operation. Low usage liquids that must be heated should be in smaller containers to save energy. For example, why heat 55 gallons of liquid that has a consumption rate of one cup per hour?
- Determine if the container is appropriate for the target temperature.
- Be sure the liquid can be dispensed from the container conveniently.
Note: IBC tote tanks, drums, and standard pail sizes allow for easy transportation and material movement. BriskHeat's Full Coverage Container Heaters and Insulators work well with standard container sizes and provide an energy efficient heating solution.
Tip Three: Calculate the Amount of Heat Required
- Using temperatures that represent the worst conditions, answer these following questions:
- What is the coldest material temperature?
- What is the coldest ambient temperature?
- What is the maximum amount of material to be heated?
- Remember that material properties are critical to calculations. Specific heat and material density impact the fluid's ability to be heated!
- Using insulation can reduce heat-up times and decrease the energy requirement.
Note: Even storage containers absorb energy during the heating process!
Tip Four: Choosing the Right Heater for Standard Containers
- Standard drums and pails can be heated with , made with built-in or seperate temperature controllers.
- IBC/Tote Tanks can be heated with the that fit underneath the plastic bladder of the tote for direct surface contact.
- combine insulation with heat for optimum performance.
- slide into the opening in the top of the container to heat from the inside out.
Tip Five: Some Liquids Need to Be Heated In Special Vessels
- Large Vessels or tanks can be heated with silicone rubber heating blankets. Heaters should be positioned so they will always be below the fill-line when heating.
- Self-regulating cables can be used to heat pipes or vessels, but cables must be in contact with the surface being heated.
Tip Six: Don't Forget the Accessories
- Insulation should never be overlooked! Not only does it save energy, but it promotes temperature uniformity of the material being heated.
- Temperature controllers are important to maintain specific temperatures. They may be accessories in some cases, but many heaters require a temperature controller for operation.
- Junction boxes, fiberglass tape, heat conductive putty, connection kits, and temperature sensors are other accessories BriskHeat offers.
Contact BriskHeat
If you have questions about heating bulk liquids, BriskHeat Corporation has the answers! BriskHeat has been providing bulk liquid heating solutions for over 75 years, starting with our knit and braided cloth heating tape. As heating technology has evolved, so has our business. With worldwide sales offices and factories, our sales team has the knowledge and experience to provide custom solutions to your business. now to see how we can help.
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