Predicting the future in heat management is not an easy task, especially in the last few years, which has brought our industry so many impactful changes.
However, with technology addressing many of heat management’s most critical needs to keep facility’s operating as smoothly as possible, along with the industry’s desire for increased cost-efficiencies, significant developments which are on the horizon will help owner/operators meet their objectives.
Here are the three trends we expect to dominate the heat management industry in 2022.
Corrosion Under Insulation Prevention
Corrosion under the insulation on pipes, vessels, and tanks has always been among the biggest concerns of oil and gas companies because solutions to combat corrosion were more reactive than proactive, and in most cases, after the damage had already been done.
Traditionally, all efforts to reduce corrosion were based upon ensuring no water, whether from rain, snow, or other plant processes, could penetrate the cladding from the outside. This approach involved filling gaps and seams with caulking and ensuring a high-quality install built to withstand moisture.
However, even with regular maintenance on the best installations, the lines were still prone to future failures due to moisture in the insulation, often within days of commissioning the line. This moisture occurs because condensation that developed on the piping is now trapped in the cladding.
Trapped condensation leads to two types of problems:
- Wet insulation that is in contact with the pipe is prime for the development of corrosion
- Wet insulation does not contain heat and puts the product in the piping at risk of freezing
Heat trace systems aren’t designed to protect the pipe if the insulation is not performing like it’s supposed to. So, now we have two significant issues to deal with on a reactive basis, a situation that no owner/operator wants.
In 2022, we expect to see more companies implementing more proactive corrosion prevention measures on both new installations or retrofits of existing systems to keep the insulation dry, not just how to keep the moisture from getting in.
Fortunately, new solutions in the market can support this emerging trend while helping facilities keep their insulation dry, protect their products from potential freezing, and ensure a longer-lasting pipeline.
Utilizing hydrophobic insulations like Armagel can create a barrier that stops the ingress of water. Armagel is also advantageous when used with heat tracing due to its low thickness and high R-value.
When Armagel is combined with Integrity products, a path is created for moisture to leave the system. If you use a more traditional insulation system such as mineral wool, Integrity products keep the insulation out of direct contact with the pipe and ensure wet insulation can dry through a combination of air movement and drains.
Increased Preventative Maintenance Through Thermal Imaging
Your heat management system is a failsafe, but leaving it to fail for too long leads to costly downtime of the processes that facilities rely on for revenue. Facility operators have come to understand that the traditional method of waiting for a failure to happen and then correcting it leaves little margin for error when your production lines are at stake.
Preventing problems before they become severe issues is vital to avoiding system failure and possible shutdown.
The implementation of heat trace preventative maintenance programs has been on the rise recently, but technology has added an elevated level of accuracy when diagnosing potential issues. By utilizing thermal imaging through handheld cameras and drones, maintenance teams can understand how the insulation and heat tracing system performs and then make improvements based on the information provided.
These tech-enhanced preventative programs help ensure that failures are caught before they happen. In 2022, we expect to see a trend toward preventive action through a proper understanding of the information gained from thermal imaging.
Integrated Heat Management Solutions
When maintaining, retrofitting, or commissioning a heat management system, many facility owners/operators have relied on many different contractors to do the work. However, calling and coordinating several different heat trace, insulation, and rope access service providers is time-consuming and frustrating.
In 2022, expect more facilities to work with companies that offer integrated heat management solutions that offer all of the engineering services and technical expertise to design, create, audit, maintain, and commission your heat management system, all under one roof. These service providers should also provide all the materials and services needed for the initial system build, ongoing maintenance, and repair.
This solution makes heat trace and insulation management easier, as it eliminates the need to juggle multiple contracts, contractors, invoices, and communications. One phone call is all it takes to take care of every aspect of your heat trace system. It also has the potential to significantly reduce your operating costs.
2022 will likely also see more technical innovations that make heat trace more reliable, cost-efficient, and easier to manage. We’ll be sure to keep you apprised of new technology as they become available.
Read More: What Is A Heat Management Solution?
Our goal at MSCP is to help your facility achieve zero downtime due to heat management issues with a cost-effective solution that eliminates the worry of freezing temperatures affecting production. Contact us anytime to learn more about how we can help you.
