Often, the functionally safer a system is built, the less reliable it becomes. In a continuing discussion of how to handle independent protection layer alarms, this article demonstrates the concepts using the example of a refinery furnace.

When constructing a new canola crushing and oil refining plant capable of processing 2,500 metric tons of canola seed per day, one of the largest Canadian canola producers sought a process heating system capable of mitigating the unavoidable sub-freezing temperatures affecting production during winter.

Line of heat-trace cables can be used in applications for freeze protection, temperature maintenance and specialty uses.

Harsh environments can compromise the performance of heat-tracing systems, resulting in system failure and costly maintenance.

Staying competitive and profitable is a balancing act for industrial processing companies. Meeting market demand and shareholder expectation keeps the pressure for well-executed heat tracing systems on high boil. 

Whether maintaining pipe temperatures in a petrochemical plant on the Gulf of Mexico or a platform off the windswept Scottish coast, facility managers are all too familiar with the challenges such a task poses.

When people think of fiber optic cables, they most likely think of their role in the transmission of telecommunication data, carrying light pulses over great distances at the highest possible speed.