self-Regulating Heating Cable

Complex piping Design guiDe

self-Regulating Heating Cable

Complex piping Design guiDe

Contents
introduction ......................................................................... 2 Application information ...................................................... 2 Heat Tracing Design outline ..........................................3-12 Basis for a good Design Step 1: Establish Design Parameters ................................. 3 Step 2: Determine Heat Losses ...................................... 4-5 Step 3: Select the Proper Thermon Heating Cable .......6-10 Step 4: Determine Heat Tracing Circuit Lengths...............11 Step 5: Choose Options/Accessories ............................. 12 Design Tips ........................................................................ 13 Design Worksheet ........................................................14-15 general specification ................................................... 16-17
This Design Guide displays information in English and metric values wherever possible. Certain tables have been displayed in English values only due to space constraints. Contact Thermon to obtain these tables in metric values.

self-Regulating Heating Cable

introduction . . .
This design guide addresses the heat tracing requirements of complex piping. Whether the application is a small project or a complete network of piping and equipment, designing an electric heat tracing system for complex piping is simplified by using Thermon self-regulating cables. The information contained in this design guide will take the reader through a step-by-step procedure to make proper heating cable selections based on:
Pipe size Thermal insulation type and thickness Desired maintenance temperature Maximum exposure temperature Minimum ambient temperature Heating cable start-up temperature Available power supply Electrical area classification

HTsx . . . Designed for process temperature maintenance or freeze protection applications up to 250F (121C) and withstand intermittent exposure temperatures (power-on) up to 420F (215C), intermittent exposure temperatures (power-off) up to 482F (250C) and continuous exposure (power-off) to 400F (204C). The cable is capable of withstanding the exposure temperatures associated with steam purging.
4 3 2 1
1. Nickel-Plated Copper Bus Wires 2. Semiconductive Heating Matrix and Fluoropolymer Dielectric Insulation 3. Tinned Copper Braid 4. Fluoropolymer Overjacket

After following the prescribed steps in this design guide, the reader will be able to design, select and/or specify or establish a bill of materials for a heat tracing system. Typically, complex piping is located inside a process unit and consists of relatively short runs of pipe with frequent tees, as well as in-line valves, pumps and related process equipment that also requires heat tracing. Circuit lengths can range from several feet (less than one meter) to several hundred feet (meters) in length; however, the average is usually 100 feet (30 meters) or less. For applications ranging from freeze protecting water lines to maintaining elevated process temperatures as high as 300F (149C), Thermon self-regulating, cut-to-length, parallel resistance heating cables are recommended. Variations in the heat loss of the insulated pipe (due to equipment, supports and/or insulation) are compensated for by the heating cables PTC (Positive Temperature Coefficient) characteristic. Thermon offers heating cables specifically designed, manufactured and approved to cover a wide range of applications. Bsx . . . Designed for freeze protection and temperature maintenance at or below 150F (65C), BSX is well-suited for both metallic and nonmetallic piping and equipment.
5 3 1 2
1. Nickel-Plated Copper Bus Wires 2. Radiation Cross-Linked Semiconductive Heating Matrix 3. Polyolefin Dielectric Insulation 4. Tinned Copper Braid 5. Polyolefin or Fluoropolymer Overjacket

Vsx . . . Designed for process temperature maintenance or freeze protection applications up to 300F (149C) and withstand intermittent exposure temperatures (power-on) up to 450F (232C), intermittent exposure temperatures (power-off) up to 482F (250C) and continuous exposure (power-off) to 400F (204C).
4 3 2 1
1. Nickel-Plated Copper Bus Wires 2. Semiconductive Heating Matrix and Fluoropolymer Dielectric Insulation 3. Nickel-Plated Copper Braid 4. High Temperature Fluoropolymer Overjacket

Computer Aided Design program . . .

Thermon has developed a sophisticated yet easy-to-use computer program, CompuTrace, that provides detailed design and performance information. Users of CompuTrace are able to input application-specific information into the program and obtain detailed electrical and thermal performance information. Calculations made within the program are based on the formulas prescribed in IEEE Standard 515-2004. The information input to and/or generated from CompuTrace can be printed and summary reports, including load chart information, exported for use in other programs. While CompuTrace is a valuable asset to use in designing a heat tracing system, the design steps detailed in this guide will still form the basis for identifying the design process necessary to establish a properly functioning heat tracing system.

Rsx 15-2 . . . Designed for applications where the watt density requirements preclude the use of the standard range of BSX cables.
3 1 2
1. Nickel-Plated Copper Bus Wires 2. Radiation Cross-Linked Semiconductive Heating Matrix 3. Polyolefin Dielectric Insulation 4. Tinned Copper Braid 5. Polyolefin or Fluoropolymer Overjacket

Complex piping Design guiDe

Heat Tracing Complex piping Design outline . . .
The five steps below outline the design and selection process for an electric heat tracing system. The step-by-step procedures that follow the outline will provide the reader with the detailed information required to design, select and/or specify a fully functional electrical heat tracing system. step 1: establish Design parameters Collect relevant project data: a. Piping/equipment Diameter Length Material 1 b. Temperature Low ambient Start-up temperature Maintain temperature High temperature Limits/excursions c. Insulation Type Thickness Oversized? d. Electrical Operating voltage Circuit breaker capacity Electrical area classification step 2: Determine Heat losses Using information gathered in Step 1 and based on: a. Heat loss charts/tables b. Computer design programs CompuTrace step 3: select the proper Thermon Heating Cable Based on: a. Application requirements Maintain temperature Maximum exposure temperature b. Watt density requirements Power output at maintain temperature c. Electrical design Available voltage Circuit breaker capacity Cold start impact d. Approval requirements Hazardous area approval Code requirements step 4: Determine Heat Tracing Circuit lengths Based on cable selection, electrical design and pipe lengths with allowances for; Valves, pumps, supports, other equipment Circuit fabrication and splice kits step 5: Choose options/Accessories Minimum installation accessories include: a. Power connection and end termination kits b. Cable attachment tape Optional accessories include: Thermostatic control and monitoring

Basis for a good Design . . .

To become familiar with the requirements of a properly designed electric heat tracing system, use the five design steps detailed here and on the following pages. Once comfortable with the steps and the information required, use the design worksheet included at the end of this design guide for applying these steps to a complex piping application. step 1: establish Design parameters Collect information relative to the following design parameters: Application information . . . Pipe sizes or tubing diameters Pipe lengths Pipe material (metallic or nonmetallic) Type and number of valves, pumps or other equipment Type and number of pipe supports expected minimum Ambient Temperature . . . Generally, this number is obtained from weather data compiled for an area and is based on recorded historical data. There are times, however, when the minimum ambient will not be the outside air temperature. Examples include pipes and equipment located underground or inside buildings. minimum start-up Temperature . . . This temperature differs from the minimum expected ambient in that the heating cable will typically be energized at a higher ambient temperature. This temperature will have an effect on the maximum circuit length and circuit breaker sizing for a given application (see Circuit Length Tables on pages 7-10 ). insulation material and Thickness . . . The selection charts in this design guide are based on fiberglass insulation with thicknesses shown in Tables 2.2 through 2.7. If insulation materials other than fiberglass are used, refer to the insulation correction factors shown in Table 2.1 or contact Thermon or a Thermon factory representative for design assistance. supply Voltage . . . Thermon self-regulating cables are designed in two voltage groups: 110-130 Vac and 208-277 Vac. Determine what voltage(s) are available at a facility for use with heat tracing.
note . . . 1. All information in this design guide is based on metallic piping. For nonmetallic applications, contact Thermon.

self-Regulating Heating Cable

step 2: Determine Heat losses There are several ways to determine the heat loss for pipes under a given set of design conditions: Heat loss calculations such as those detailed in IEEE Std 515-2004 (IEEE Standard for the Testing, Design, Installation, and Maintenance of Electrical Resistance Heat Tracing for Industrial Applications). Computer-aided design programs that allow the user to input detailed information specific to an application. (Thermons CompuTrace design and selection program provides this and more based on the formulas presented in IEEE Std 515-2004.) Heat loss charts based on selected pipe diameters, temperature differentials and insulation materials. This guide is based on heat loss charts derived from the formulas presented in IEEE Std 515-2004.1 The values shown in Tables 2.2 through 2.7 are in watts per foot and are based on fiberglass insulation. 1. Select the heat loss chart which meets or exceeds2 the temperature differential (T) between the minimum ambient and the maintain temperature. 2. Based on the pipe diameter(s) of the application, read across the table to the insulation thickness column to find the heat loss under those conditions. For insulation materials other than fiberglass, use Table 2.1 below to select the appropriate multiplier. If rigid insulation is used, select the heat loss for the next larger size of pipe to accommodate the heating cable prior to applying the multiplier.3 Table 2.1 Alternate insulation multiplier
preformed pipe insulation Polyisocyanurate Fiberglass Mineral Wool Calcium Silicate Cellular Glass Perlite
notes . . . 1. Heat loss calculations are based on IEEE Std 515-2004, Equation B.1, with the following provisions: Piping insulated with glass fiber in accordance with ASTM Std C547. Pipes located outdoors in a 0F ambient with a 25 mph wind. A 20% safety factor has been included. 2. For situations where the T falls between two temperature ranges, linear interpolation can be used to approximate the heat loss. 3. When using flexible insulation on piping 1" in diameter and smaller, the insulation must also be one pipe size larger to accommodate the heating cable; i.e., use insulation sized for a 1" diameter pipe if the pipe to be insulated is " diameter.

Table 2.2 pipe Heat loss @ 50F T

pipe size " " 1" 1" 1" 2" 2" 3" 3" 4" 5" 6" 8" 10" 12" 14" 16" 18" 20" 24" 30" insulation Thickness " 2.2 2.6 3 3.7 4.1 5 5.9 7 7.9 8.8 10.7 12.6 ---------1" 1.5 1.9 2 2.6 2.6 3.1 3.6 4.2 4 5.1 6.4 7.7 9.4 11.5 13.4 ------1" 1.2 1.5 1.6 1.8 2.1 2.4 2.5 3.2 3.2 3.9 4.7 5.6 6.7 7.9 9.2 10.7 12.1 13.5 ---2" 1.1 1.3 1.4 1.7 1.6 2 2.1 2.7 2.7 3.2 3.8 4.4 5.4 6.4 7.4 8.4 9.5 10.5 11.6 13.7 16.8 2" 1 1.1 1.3 1.5 1.5 1.8 1.9 2.3 2.4 2.8 3.2 3.7 4.4 5.4 6.2 7 7.8 8.7 9.5 11.2 13.8 3" 0.9 1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.6 1.7 2.1 2.1 2.4 2.8 3.3 3.9 4.7 5.4 6 6.7 7.4 8.2 9.6 11.7 3" 0.9 1 1.1 1.3 1.3 1.5 1.6 1.9 2 2.2 2.6 2.9 3.5 4.2 4.8 5.3 5.9 6.5 7.2 8.4 10.2 4" 0.8 0.9 1 1.2 1.2 1.4 1.5 1.7 1.8 2 2.3 2.6 3.2 3.8 4.3 4.8 5.3 5.9 6.4 7.5 9.1

Table 2.3 pipe Heat loss @ 100F T

pipe size " " 1" 1" 1" 2" 2" 3" 3" 4" 5" 6" 8" 10" 12" 14" 16" 18" 20" 24" 30" insulation Thickness " 4.4 5.2 6.2 7.5 8.4 10.2 12.1 14.3 16.1 17.9 21.9 25.8 ---------1" 3.1 3.8 4 5.2 5.3 6.3 7.3 8.7 8.2 10.5 13.2 15.7 19.3 23.5 27.5 ------1" 2.5 3 3.3 3.7 4.2 4.9 5 6.5 6.5 7.9 9.7 11.4 13.8 16.2 18.9 22 24.8 27.6 ---2" 2.3 2.6 2.8 3.4 3.4 4.1 4.4 5.4 5.5 6.5 7.9 8.9 11.1 13 15.1 17.2 19.4 21.5 23.7 28 34.5 2" 2 2.2 2.6 3 3 3.7 3.9 4.7 4.9 5.6 6.6 7.6 9 11 12.7 14.3 16 17.8 19.5 23 28.3 3" 1.9 2.1 2.4 2.8 2.8 3.3 3.6 4.3 4.4 5 5.8 6.7 7.9 9.6 11 12.3 13.8 15.2 16.7 19.7 24 3" 1.8 2 2.2 2.6 2.6 3.1 3.3 3.9 4 4.5 5.3 5.9 7.1 8.6 9.8 10.9 12.1 13.4 14.7 17.2 21 4" 1.7 1.9 2.1 2.4 2.5 2.9 3.1 3.6 3.8 4.2 4.8 5.4 6.5 7.8 8.9 9.8 10.9 12 13.1 15.4 18.7

insulation Type multiplier 0.73 1.00 0.95 1.41 1.30 1.80

insulation k Factor (Btuin/hrft2F) @ 68F 0.183 0.251 0.238 0.355 0.326 0.455

Complex piping Design guiDe

Table 2.4 pipe Heat loss @ 150F T
pipe size " " 1" 1" 1" 2" 2" 3" 3" 4" 5" 6" 8" 10" 12" 14" 16" 18" 20" 24" 30" insulation Thickness " 6.8 8 9.6 11.6 13 15.7 18.6 22 24.8 27.6 33.8 39.7 ---------1" 4.8 5.9 6.2 8.1 8.2 9.8 11.3 13.4 12.6 16.3 20.4 24.3 29.7 36.3 42.5 ------1" 3.9 4.6 5.1 5.7 6.5 7.5 7.8 10.1 10.1 12.3 15 17.6 21.4 25.1 29.2 33.9 38.3 42.7 ---2" 3.5 4 4.4 5.3 5.2 6.4 6.7 8.4 8.6 10.1 12.2 13.8 17.1 20.1 23.3 26.6 29.9 33.3 36.6 43.3 53.3 2" 3.1 3.5 4 4.7 4.7 5.6 6 7.3 7.6 8.7 10.2 11.8 13.9 17 19.6 22.1 24.8 27.5 30.2 35.6 43.7 3" 2.9 3.2 3.7 4.3 4.3 5.1 5.5 6.6 6.8 7.7 9 10.3 12.2 14.8 17 19 21.3 23.6 25.9 30.4 37.2 3" 2.7 3.1 3.5 4 4.1 4.8 5.1 6 6.2 7 8.2 9.1 11 13.2 15.2 16.8 18.8 20.7 22.7 26.6 32.5 4" 2.6 2.9 3.3 3.7 3.8 4.4 4.8 5.5 5.8 6.5 7.4 8.3 10.1 12 13.7 15.1 16.9 18.6 20.3 23.8 28.9 pipe size " " 1" 1" 1" 2" 2" 3" 3" 4" 5" 6" 8" 10" 12" 14" 16" 18" 20" 24" 30"

Table 2.6 pipe Heat loss @ 250F T

insulation Thickness " 12 14.3 17 20.5 23 27.9 33 39.1 44.1 49.1 60.1 70.5 ---------1" 8.5 10.5 11 14.4 14.7 17.4 20.2 23.9 22.5 29.1 36.4 43.4 53.2 65 76.1 ------1" 7 8.2 9.1 10.3 11.7 13.5 13.9 18.1 18 22 26.9 31.5 38.3 45 52.4 60.8 68.7 76.6 ---2" 6.2 7.2 7.9 9.4 9.3 11.4 12.1 15.1 15.3 18.1 21.8 24.8 30.7 36.1 41.9 47.7 53.7 59.8 65.8 77.8 95.7 2" 5.5 6.2 7.1 8.4 8.4 10.1 10.8 13.1 13.5 15.7 18.3 21.1 25 30.5 35.2 39.6 44.5 49.4 54.3 64 78.5 3" 5.2 5.8 6.6 7.6 7.8 9.2 9.9 11.8 12.1 13.7 16.2 18.6 22 26.6 30.6 34.2 38.3 42.4 46.4 54.6 66.8 3" 4.9 5.5 6.2 7.1 7.3 8.5 9.1 10.7 11.2 12.5 14.7 16.3 19.8 23.8 27.2 30.2 33.7 37.3 40.8 47.8 58.4 4" 4.7 5.2 5.9 6.7 6.8 7.9 8.5 9.9 10.4 11.6 13.3 15 18.1 21.6 24.6 27.2 30.3 33.4 36.5 42.7 52

Table 2.5 pipe Heat loss @ 200F T

pipe size " " 1" 1" 1" 2" 2" 3" 3" 4" 5" 6" 8" 10" 12" 14" 16" 18" 20" 24" 30" insulation Thickness " 9.3 11 13.1 15.9 17.8 21.6 25.5 30.3 34.1 38 46.5 54.5 ---------1" 6.6 8.1 8.5 11.1 11.3 13.4 15.6 18.5 17.4 22.4 28.1 33.4 41 50.1 58.6 ------1" 5.4 6.4 7 7.9 9 10.4 10.7 13.9 13.9 16.9 20.7 24.3 29.5 34.6 40.3 46.8 52.9 58.9 ---2" 4.8 5.5 6.1 7.3 7.1 8.8 9.3 11.6 11.8 13.9 16.8 19.1 23.6 27.8 32.2 36.7 41.3 46 50.6 59.8 73.7 2" 4.2 4.8 5.5 6.4 6.5 7.8 8.3 10.1 10.4 12 14.1 16.2 19.2 23.5 27.1 30.5 34.2 38 41.7 49.2 60.4 3" 4 4.5 5.1 5.9 6 7.1 7.6 9.1 9.3 10.6 12.5 14.3 16.9 20.5 23.5 26.3 29.4 32.6 35.7 42 51.4 3" 3.8 4.2 4.8 5.5 5.6 6.6 7 8.2 8.6 9.6 11.3 12.5 15.2 18.3 20.9 23.2 25.9 28.6 31.4 36.8 44.9 4" 3.6 4 4.5 5.2 5.3 6.1 6.6 7.6 8 8.9 10.2 11.5 13.9 16.6 18.9 20.9 23.3 25.7 28.1 32.8 39.9 pipe size " " 1" 1" 1" 2" 2" 3" 3" 4" 5" 6" 8" 10" 12" 14" 16" 18" 20" 24" 30"

Table 2.7 pipe Heat loss @ 300F T

insulation Thickness " 14.9 17.7 21.1 25.5 28.6 34.8 41 48.7 54.9 61.1 74.8 87.8 ---------1" 10.6 13 13.8 17.9 18.3 21.8 25.2 29.9 28.2 36.3 45.5 54.2 66.4 81.2 95.1 ------1" 8.7 10.3 11.3 12.8 14.6 16.8 17.4 22.6 22.6 27.5 33.6 39.4 47.9 56.3 65.6 76.1 86 95.8 ---2" 7.8 9 9.8 11.8 11.6 14.2 15.1 18.9 19.2 22.7 27.3 31 38.4 45.2 52.4 59.7 67.3 74.8 82.4 97.4 119.9 2" 6.8 7.7 8.9 10.4 10.5 12.7 13.5 16.5 17 19.6 22.9 26.4 31.3 38.2 44.1 49.7 55.8 61.9 68 80.1 98.4 3" 6.4 7.2 8.2 9.6 9.7 11.5 12.4 14.8 15.2 17.2 20.3 23.2 27.5 33.3 38.4 42.8 47.9 53.1 58.2 68.4 83.7 3" 6.1 6.9 7.7 8.9 9.1 10.7 11.4 13.4 14 15.7 18.4 20.4 24.8 29.8 34.1 37.8 42.3 46.7 51.1 59.9 73.2 4" 5.9 6.6 7.3 8.4 8.6 9.9 10.7 12.4 13.1 14.5 16.6 18.8 22.6 27 30.9 34 38 41.9 45.8 53.5 65.1

self-Regulating Heating Cable

step 3: select the proper Thermon Heating Cable Apply the temperature, electrical and heat loss information gathered in Steps 1 and 2 to the items listed below to determine which Thermon self-regulating cable is best suited to the needs of the application. Table 3.1 compares numerous product features of Thermons BSX, RSX 15-2, HTSX and VSX selfregulating heating cables. Specific cable performance for BSX, RSX 15-2, HTSX and VSX is detailed on pages 7-10. When the heat loss of the insulated pipe exceeds the output of the desired cable, consideration should be given to: a) using multiple passes of cable, b) switching to a higher power output cable, or c) decreasing the heat loss by increasing the insulation thickness or using an insulation with a lower k factor (see Table 2.1 Alternate Insulation Multiplier on page 4). Temperature Requirements . . . The temperature information gathered in Step 1 can now be applied to determine which cable(s) meet or exceed the requirements. For installations in hazardous (classified) areas (see Approvals at right), the heating cable may also be required to meet a temperature classification rating, T-rating, to ensure safe operation even during an upset condition. electrical Requirements . . . The power supply system available for use with heat tracing may leave few options available. Where there is a choice of voltage, the overall number of heat tracing circuits might be reduced as longer circuit lengths are possible when using the heating cables designed for nominal 240 Vac operation. Similarly, the amperage rating of the branch circuit breakers feeding power to the heat tracing can affect the maximum circuit length and, accordingly, the number of circuits required for a system. Specific maximum circuit lengths are shown in Tables 3.5 and 3.6 (BSX and RSX 15-2), Tables 3.9 and 3.12 (HTSX), and Tables 3.16 and 3.17 (VSX) based on circuit breaker size and start-up temperature (see Cold Start Impact). If the heating cable will be energized on a voltage other than 120 or 240 Vac, use Tables 3.3 and 3.4 (BSX and RSX 15-2), Tables 3.8 and 3.11 (HTSX) and Tables 3.14, 3.15 (VSX) to locate the appropriate multiplier. Apply this multiplier to the watt density heat output value established using Graphs 3.1 through 3.4. Cold start impact . . . While a heat tracing system is generally designed to keep the contents of a pipe at the desired maintain temperature, the cable may periodically be energized at lower temperatures. The design of self-regulating cables requires increased heat output at lower temperatures; consequently, the start-up temperature for the heat tracing circuit must be considered when determining the maximum circuit length for a given branch circuit breaker size.

Watt Density (Heat) Requirements . . . The available watt densities are shown for each cable. These rated output values are based on maintaining 50F (10C) when the cable is installed on insulated metallic piping (using the procedures outlined in IEEE Std 515-2004) at 120 and 240 Vac. Because the heat Approvals . . . All Thermon self-regulating heating cables are output of a self-regulating cable decreases with increasing approved for use in ordinary (nonclassified) and hazardous temperatures, use Graphs 3.1 through 3.5 to determine the (classified) locations. For specific approval information, refer power output at the maintain temperature. Begin by finding to the product specification sheets, Thermon Forms TEP0067 the corresponding pipe temperature for a specific cable on (BSX), TEP0048 (RSX 15-2), TEP0074 (HTSX) and TEP0008 the graphs bottom axis. Where this temperature intersects the (VSX). For Class I, Division 1 applications in the United States, power output curve, read across to the watts per foot (w/m) refer to Forms TEP0080 (D1-BSX), TEP0077 (D1-HTSX) and power output axis to identify the heat output of the cable at a TEP0009 (D1-VSX). given temperature. Table 3.1 suitability Comparison
Bsx Maximum Maintain Temperature Maximum Exposure Temperature Continuous Power-Off Intermittent Power-On T-Rating Available Watt Densities w/ft @ 50F (w/m @ 10C) Steam Purge Tolerant Dielectric Material Metallic Braid Material Overjacket Material(s) 150F (65C) 185F (85C) N/A T6 3, 5, 8, 10 (10, 16, 26, 33) No Polyolefin Tinned Copper Polyolefin or Fluoropolymer Rsx 15-2 150F (65C) 185F (85C) N/A T5 15 (49) No Polyolefin Tinned Copper Polyolefin or Fluoropolymer HTsx 250F (121C) 400F (205C) 420F (215C) T2C - T3 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 20 (10, 20, 30, 39, 49, 66) Yes Fluoropolymer Tinned Copper Fluoropolymer Vsx 300F (149C) 400F (204C) 450F (232C) T3 5, 10, 15, 20 (16, 33, 49, 66) Yes Fluoropolymer Nickel-Plated Copper Fluoropolymer

Complex piping Design guiDe

Bsx and Rsx 15-2 self-Regulating Cables . . . The power outputs shown in Table 3.2 and Graph 3.1 apply to cable installed on insulated metallic pipe at 120 and 240 Vac. When the heating cable will be operated on voltages other than 120 and 240, use Table 3.3 for 120 Vac nominal cable and Table 3.4 for 240 Vac nominal cable.
Table 3.2 Bsx and Rsx 15-2 power outputs at 120 & 240 Vac
Catalog number 120 Vac nominal BSX 3-1 BSX 5-1 BSX 8-1 BSX 10-1 -Catalog number 240 Vac nominal BSX 3-2 BSX 5-2 BSX 8-2 BSX 10-2 RSX 15-2 power output at 50F (10C) W/ft (m) 3 (10) 5 (16) 8 (26) 10 (33) 15 (49)

Circuit Breaker sizing . . . Maximum circuit lengths for various circuit breaker amperages are shown in Tables 3.5 and 3.6. Breaker sizing should be based on the National Electrical Code, Canadian Electrical Code or any other local or applicable code. The circuit lengths shown are for nominal voltages of 120 and 240 Vac. While the power outputs will change based on the applied voltage, the circuit lengths will not significantly change; however, for detailed circuit information use CompuTrace.
Table 3.5 Bsx Circuit length vs. Breaker size (120 Vac)
120 Vac service Voltage Catalog number start-up Temperature F (C) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) max. Circuit length vs. Breaker size ft (m) 20A 360 (110) 325 (99) 285 (87) 260 (79) 240 (73) 205 (62) 185 (56) 165 (50) 190 (58) 150 (46) 135 (41) 120 (37) 160 (49) 110 (34) 100 (30) 90 (27) 30A 360 (110) 360 (110) 360 (110) 360 (110) 300 (91) 300 (91) 275 (84) 250 (76) 240 (73) 225 (69) 200 (61) 180 (55) 200 (61) 170 (52) 150 (46) 135 (41) 40A 360 (110) 360 (110) 360 (110) 360 (110) 300 (91) 300 (91) 295 (90) 265 (81) 240 (73) 240 (73) 240 (73) 215 (66) 200 (61) 200 (61) 200 (61) 180 (55)

graph 3.1 Bsx and Rsx 15-2 power output Curves at 120 & 240 Vac
18 (59) 16 (52) 12 (39) 10 (33) 8 (26) 6 (20) 4 (13) 2 (6) 0 30 (-1) 50 (10) 70 (21) 90 (32) 110 (43) 130 (54) 150 (66) Bsx 8 Bsx 5 Bsx 3 Rsx 15-2

BSX 3-1

Bsx 10

BSX 5-1

Watts per Foot (W/m)

BSX 8-1

BSX 10-1

Table 3.6 Bsx and Rsx 15-2 Circuit length vs. Breaker size (240 Vac)
240 Vac service Voltage Catalog number start-up Temperature F (C) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) max. Circuit length vs. Breaker size ft (m) 20A 725 (221) 650 (198) 575 (175) 515 (157) 480 (146) 395 (120) 350 (107) 315 (96) 385 (117) 285 (87) 255 (78) 230 (70) 280 (85) 225 (69) 200 (61) 180 (55) 205 (63) 145 (45) 130 (40) 120 (36) 30A 725 (221) 725 (221) 725 (221) 725 (221) 600 (183) 590 (180) 525 (160) 475 (145) 480 (146) 425 (130) 380 (122) 345 (116) 400 (122) 340 (104) 300 (91) 275 (84) 320 (98) 225 (70) 200 (62) 180 (55) 40A 725 (221) 725 (221) 725 (221) 725 (221) 600 (183) 600 (183) 590 (180) 530 (162) 480 (146) 480 (146) 480 (146) 430 (131) 400 (122) 400 (122) 400 (122) 365 (111) 380 (116) 315 (97) 280 (86) 250 (77)

pipe Temperature F (C)

Table 3.3 Bsx power output multipliers (110-130 Vac)

Catalog number BSX 3-1 BSX 5-1 BSX 8-1 BSX 10-1 110 0.90 0.92 0.91 0.92 operating Voltage (Vac) 115 120 0.93 0.96 0.96 0.96 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 130 1.07 1.08 1.08 1.08

BSX 3-2

BSX 5-2

Table 3.4 Bsx and Rsx 15-2 power output multipliers (208-277 Vac)
Catalog number BSX 3-2 BSX 5-2 BSX 8-2 BSX 10-2 RSX 15-2 208 0.87 0.88 0.89 0.89 0.89 operating Voltage (Vac) 220 240 0.90 0.92 0.93 0.93 0.93 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 277 1.13 1.12 1.12 1.12 1.12

BSX 8-2

BSX 10-2

RSX 15-2

self-Regulating Heating Cable

HTsx self-Regulating Cable energized at 120 Vac . . . The power outputs and temperature/power curves for HTSX cables rated for nominal voltage of 120 Vac are shown in Table 3.7 and Graph 3.2. For other voltages, use Table 3.8. The maximum recommended circuit lengths shown in Table 3.9 will not significantly change for 120 Vac HTSX energized on voltages ranging from 110 to 130 Vac; however, for detailed circuit information use CompuTrace. Table 3.7 HTsx power outputs at 120 Vac
Catalog number 120 Vac nominal HTSX 3-1 HTSX 6-1 HTSX 9-1 HTSX 12-1 HTSX 15-1 HTSX 20-1 power output at 50F (10C) W/ft (m) 3 (10) 6 (20) 9 (30) 12 (39) 15 (49) 20 (66) HTSX 3-1

HTsx Circuit Breaker sizing 120 Vac . . . Maximum circuit lengths for various circuit breaker amperages are shown in Tables 3.16 and 3.17. Breaker sizing should be based on the National Electrical Code, Canadian Electrical Code or any other local or applicable code. The circuit lengths shown are for nominal voltages of 120 and 240 Vac. While the power outputs will change based on the applied voltage, the circuit lengths will not significantly change; however, for detailed circuit information use CompuTrace. Table 3.9 HTsx Circuit length vs. Breaker size (120 Vac)
120 Vac service Voltage Catalog number start-up Temperature F (C) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) HTSX 9-1 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) HTSX 12-1 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) HTSX 15-1 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) max. Circuit length vs. Breaker size ft (m) 20A 360 (109) 360 (109) 360 (109) 360 (109) 235 (71) 235 (71) 235 (71) 235 (71) 170 (52) 170 (52) 170 (52) 165 (50) 135 (41) 135 (41) 135 (41) 125 (38) 100 (30) 95 (29) 90 (27) 85 (26) 85 (26) 80 (24) 75 (23) 70 (21) 30A 360 (109) 360 (109) 360 (109) 360 (109) 250 (77) 250 (77) 250 (77) 250 (77) 205 (62) 205 (62) 205 (62) 205 (62) 175 (54) 175 (54) 175 (54) 175 (54) 160 (48) 150 (46) 145 (44) 135 (41) 130 (40) 120 (37) 115 (35) 110 (33) 40A 360 (109) 360 (109) 360 (109) 360 (109) 250 (77) 250 (77) 250 (77) 250 (77) 205 (62) 205 (62) 205 (62) 205 (62) 175 (54) 175 (54) 175 (54) 175 (54) 160 (49) 160 (49) 160 (49) 160 (49) 140 (42) 140 (42) 140 (42) 140 (42)

graph 3.2 HTsx power output Curves at 120 Vac

21 (69) 18 (59) 15 (49)

HTSX 6-1

HTsx 20

HTsx 15 HTsx 12 HTsx 9 HTsx 6 HTsx 3 50 (10) 100 150 (38) (66) pipe Temperature F (C) 200 (93) 250 (121) HTSX 20-1

Watts per Foot (W/m)

12 (39) 9 (30) 6 (20) 3 (10) 0

0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40)

0 (-18)

Table 3.8 HTsx power output multipliers (110-130 Vac)

Catalog number HTSX 3-1 HTSX 6-1 HTSX 9-1 HTSX 12-1 HTSX 15-1 HTSX 20-1 110 0.83 0.88 0.90 0.91 0.93 0.94 operating Voltage (Vac) 115 120 0.90 1.0 0.93 0.95 0.96 0.97 0.97 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 130 1.13 1.12 1.10 1.08 1.07 1.05

Complex piping Design guiDe

HTsx self-Regulating Cable energized at 240 Vac . . . The power output and temperature/power curves for HTSX cables rated for nominal voltage of 240 Vac are shown in Table 3.10 and Graph 3.3. For other voltages, use Table 3.11. The maximum recommended circuit lengths shown in Table 3.12 will not significantly change for 240 Vac HTSX energized on voltages ranging from 208 to 277 Vac; however, for detailed circuit information use CompuTrace. Table 3.10 HTsx power outputs at 240 Vac
Catalog number 240 Vac nominal HTSX 3-2 HTSX 6-2 HTSX 9-2 HTSX 12-2 HTSX 15-2 HTSX 20-2 power output at 50F (10C) W/ft (m) 3 (10) 6 (20) 9 (30) 12 (39) 15 (49) 20 (66) HTSX 3-2

HTsx Circuit Breaker sizing 240 Vac . . . Maximum circuit lengths for various circuit breaker amperages are shown in Tables 3.16 and 3.17. Breaker sizing should be based on the National Electrical Code, Canadian Electrical Code or any other local or applicable code. The circuit lengths shown are for nominal voltages of 120 and 240 Vac. While the power outputs will change based on the applied voltage, the circuit lengths will not significantly change; however, for detailed circuit information use CompuTrace. Table 3.12 HTsx Circuit length vs. Breaker size (240 Vac)
240 Vac service Voltage Catalog number start-up Temperature F (C) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) HTSX 9-2 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) max. Circuit length vs. Breaker size ft (m) 20A 710 (217) 700 (214) 615 (187) 530 (162) 470 (143) 435 (132) 390 (120) 355 (108) 340 (104) 310 (95) 290 (88) 265 (81) 270 (82) 245 (74) 230 (70) 215 (65) 200 (61) 175 (53) 165 (51) 155 (48) 155 (48) 140 (42) 130 (40) 125 (38) 30A 710 (217) 710 (217) 710 (217) 710 (217) 505 (154) 505 (154) 505 (154) 505 (154) 410 (125) 410 (125) 410 (125) 410 (125) 355 (109) 355 (109) 355 (109) 340 (104) 315 (96) 275 (84) 260 (79) 245 (74) 245 (75) 215 (65) 205 (62) 190 (59) 40A 710 (217) 710 (217) 710 (217) 710 (217) 505 (154) 505 (154) 505 (154) 505 (154) 410 (125) 410 (125) 410 (125) 410 (125) 355 (109) 355 (109) 355 (109) 355 (109) 315 (96) 315 (96) 315 (96) 315 (96) 275 (84) 275 (84) 275 (84) 265 (80)

21 (69) 18 (59) 15 (49)

graph 3.3 HTsx power output Curves at 240 Vac

HTsx 20

HTSX 6-2

HTsx 15 HTsx 12 HTsx 9 HTsx 6 HTsx 3

Watts per Foot (W/m)

12 (39) 9 (30) 6 (20) 3 (10) 0

HTSX 12-2

HTSX 15-2

0 (-18)

50 (10)

100 150 (38) (66) pipe Temperature F (C)

200 (93)

250 (121)

HTSX 20-2

Table 3.11 HTsx power output multipliers (208-277 Vac)

Catalog number HTSX 3-2 HTSX 6-2 HTSX 9-2 HTSX 12-2 HTSX 15-2 HTSX 20-2 208 0.80 0.78 0.82 0.84 0.88 0.93 operating Voltage (Vac) 220 240 0.87 1.0 0.87 0.89 0.91 0.93 0.97 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 277 1.27 1.25 1.18 1.15 1.11 1.05

self-Regulating Heating Cable

Vsx self-Regulating Cable . . . The power outputs shown in Table 3.13 and Graph 3.4 apply to cable installed on insulated metallic pipe at 120 and 240 Vac. When the heating cable will be operated on voltages other than 120 and 240, use Table 3.14 for 120 Vac nominal cable and Table 3.15 for 240 Vac nominal cable. Table 3.13 Vsx power outputs at 120 & 240 Vac
Catalog number 120 Vac nominal VSX 5-1 VSX 10-1 VSX 15-1 VSX 20-1 Catalog number 240 Vac nominal VSX 5-2 VSX 10-2 VSX 15-2 VSX 20-2 power output at 50F (10C) W/ft (m) 5 (16) 10 (33) 15 (49) 20 (66)

Circuit Breaker sizing . . . Maximum circuit lengths for various circuit breaker amperages are shown in Tables 3.16 and 3.17. Breaker sizing should be based on the National Electrical Code, Canadian Electrical Code or any other local or applicable code. The circuit lengths shown are for nominal voltages of 120 and 240 Vac. While the power outputs will change based on the applied voltage, the circuit lengths will not significantly change; however, for detailed circuit information use CompuTrace. Table 3.16 Vsx Circuit length vs. Breaker size (120 Vac)
120 Vac service Voltage Catalog number start-up Temperature F (C) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) max. Circuit length vs. Breaker size ft (m) 20A 30A 40A 50A

graph 3.5 Vsx power output Curves at 120 & 240 Vac
VSX 5-1 20 (66) Watts per Foot (W/m) Vsx 20 15 (49) Vsx 15 10 (33) Vsx 10 5 (16) 0 50 (10) 100 (38) 150 200 (66) (93) pipe Temperature F (C) 250 (121) 300 (149) VSX 15-1 VSX 10-1

205 (63) 335 (102) 335 (102) 335 (102) 205 (63) 335 (102) 335 (102) 335 (102) 195 (60) 335 (102) 335 (102) 335 (102) 185 (56) 135 (41) 135 (41) 125 (38) 115 (36) 100 (30) 100 (30) 95 (29) 90 (27) 70 (21) 60 (18) 55 (17) 50 (16) 315 (97) 335 (102) 335 (102) 220 (66) 220 (66) 210 (63) 190 (58) 160 (48) 160 (48) 155 (47) 145 (44) 105 (32) 90 (28) 85 (26) 80 (25) 265 (80) 265 (80) 265 (80) 265 (80) 235 (71) 235 (71) 230 (70) 215 (65) 150 (45) 125 (39) 120 (36) 110 (34) 265 (80) 265 (80) 265 (80) 265 (80) 235 (71) 235 (71) 235 (71) 225 (69) 200 (62) 170 (52) 160 (48) 150 (45)

0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40)

Vsx 5

VSX 20-1

Table 3.17 Vsx Circuit length vs. Breaker size (240 Vac)
240 Vac service Voltage Catalog number start-up Temperature 20A 30A 40A 50A F (C) 50 (10) 415 (126) 685 (209) 685 (209) 685 (209) 0 (-18) 415 (126) 685 (209) 685 (209) 685 (209) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) VSX 15-2 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 50 (10) VSX 20-2 0 (-18) -20 (-29) -40 (-40) 395 (120) 685 (209) 685 (209) 685 (209) 365 (112) 630 (193) 685 (209) 685 (209) 270 (82) 255 (78) 235 (72) 220 (66) 200 (61) 175 (53) 165 (50) 155 (48) 145 (45) 125 (39) 120 (37) 115 (34) 435 (133) 565 (172) 565 (172) 420 (128) 565 (172) 565 (172) 385 (117) 565 (172) 565 (172) 350 (107) 535 (163) 565 (172) 315 (97) 275 (84) 260 (79) 245 (75) 230 (70) 195 (60) 185 (56) 175 (53) 465 (142) 530 (161) 405 (123) 525 (161) 375 (115) 485 (148) 355 (108) 450 (138) 325 (99) 275 (84) 260 (79) 245 (75) 405 (124) 375 (114) 350 (106) 325 (100) max. Circuit length vs. Breaker size ft (m)

Table 3.14 Vsx power output multipliers (110-130 Vac)

Catalog number VSX 5-1 VSX 10-1 VSX 15-1 VSX 20-1 110 0.88 0.91 0.93 0.94 operating Voltage (Vac) 115 120 0.94 0.95 0.97 0.97 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 130 1.12 1.09 1.06 1.05

VSX 5-2

Table 3.15 Vsx power output multipliers (208-277 Vac)

Catalog number VSX 5-2 VSX 10-2 VSX 15-2 VSX 20-2 208 0.82 0.86 0.90 0.92 operating Voltage (Vac) 220 240 0.88 0.92 0.94 0.96 1.0 1.0 1.0 1.0 277 1.22 1.14 1.09 1.07

VSX 10-2

10

Complex piping Design guiDe

step 4: Determine Heat Tracing Circuit lengths Heat tracing circuit lengths are based on several conditions which must be simultaneously taken into account and include: Heating cable selected (type and watt density) Length of piping (including extra allowances) Operating voltage Available branch circuit breaker size Expected start-up temperature Maximum allowable circuit length In Step 3 the cable type, watt density, operating voltage and maximum circuit length based on the available branch circuit breaker size and start-up temperature were determined. With this information, a circuit length specific to an application can now be determined. Every heat tracing circuit will require some additional heating cable to make the various splices and terminations. Additional cable will also be needed to provide extra heat at valves, pumps, miscellaneous equipment and pipe supports to offset the increased heat loss associated with these items. Use the following guidelines to determine the amount of extra cable required:
pipe size " " 1" 1" 1" 2" 3" 4" 6" 8" 10" 12" 14" 16" 18" 20" 24" 30"
note . . .

Table 4.1 Valve and pump Allowances 1

Valve Allowance screwed Flanged or Welded 6" 9" 1' 1' 6" 1' 6" 2' 2' 6" 4' 7' 9' 6" 12' 6" 15' 18' 21' 6" 25' 6" 28' 6" 34' 40' 1' 1' 6" 2' 2' 2' 6" 2' 6" 3' 6" 5' 8' 11' 14' 16' 6" 19' 6" 23' 27' 30' 36' 42' Butterfly 0 0 1' 1' 1' 6" 2' 2' 6" 3' 3' 6" 4' 4' 5' 5' 6" 6' 6' 6" 7' 8' 10' pump Allowance screwed 1' 1' 6" 2' 3' 3' 4' 5' 8' 14' 19' 25' 30' 36' 43' 51' 57' 68' 80' Flange Flanged Allowance 2' 3' 4' 4' 6" 5' 5' 6" 7' 10' 16' 22' 28' 33' 39' 46' 54' 60' 72' 84' 4" 4" 4" 5" 5" 5" 5" 6" 6" 6" 7" 8" 9" 10" 10" 11" 12" 19"

Power connections . . . Allow an additional 2' (61 cm) of cable for each heating circuit. Splices . . . Allow an additional 2' (61 cm) of cable for each heating circuit per component. (Example, allow 4' (122 cm) per each in-line splice connection and 6' (183 cm) for T-Splice connections.) Pipe supports . . . Insulated pipe supports require no additional heating cable. For uninsulated supports, allow two times the length of the pipe support plus an additional 15" (40 cm) of heating cable. Valves and pumps . . . Use allowances from Table 4.1.
Pipe Support Power Connection

1. The valve allowance given is the total amount of additional cable to be installed on the valve. If multiple tracers are used, total valve allowance may be divided among the individual tracers. The total valve allowance may be alternated among tracers for multiple valves in a heat trace circuit. Allowances are for 150 pound valves. More cable is required for higher rated valves. Refer to heat trace isometric drawing for project specific allowances.

example . . . A discharge line pumps product to a storage tank through flanged piping and equipment. The particulars for the line are: Pipe length Pipe diameter Pipe supports Pump Valves 60' 4" 8 @ 6" long (welded) 14" diameter 24" diameter

Splice

The amount of heating cable required to heat trace this example (assuming that one pass of cable is required) is as follows: item Piping = 60' Pipe supports = (6" x 2) + 15" = 27" x 8 Pump = 1 x 10' (Table 4.1) Valves = 2 @ 5' (Table 4.1) Power connection Total Cable Required Cable Required 60' 18' 10' 10' 1' 99'

11

self-Regulating Heating Cable

step 5: Choose options/Accessories A Thermon self-regulating heat tracing system will typically include the following components: 1. Bsx/Rsx, HTsx or Vsx self-regulating heating cable (refer to Step 3 for proper cable). 2. Terminator or pCA-1-sR power connection kit (permits one, two or three cables to be connected to power). 3. Terminator or pCs-1-sR in-line/T-splice kit (permits two or three cables to be spliced together). 4. Terminator, eT-6 or eT-8 cable end termination. 5. FT-1l or FT-1H fixing tape (tape secures cable to pipe; use on 12" intervals or as required by code or specification). Use Table 5.1 Fixing Tape Allowance to determine tape requirements. 6. Cl Electric Heat Tracing label (peel-and-stick label attaches to insulation vapor barrier on 10' intervals or as required by code or specification). 7. Thermal insulation and vapor barrier (by others). Metallic power connection kits (Catalog No. ECA-1-SR) and in-line/ T-splice connection kits (Catalog No. ECT-2-SR) are also available from Thermon. Refer to the SX Self-Regulating Cables Systems Accessories product specification sheet (Form TEP0010) for additional information. As a minimum, each self-regulating heat tracing circuit requires a PCA or ECA power connection kit, an ET-8 or ET-6 end-of-circuit termination cap and FT-1L or FT-1H cable fixing tape. Use Table 5.1 to calculate the number of rolls of FT-1L or FT-1H fixing tape required, based on the pipe diameter(s) and total length of heating cable required. (Table 5.1 assumes circumferential bands every 12" along length of pipe.) Table 5.1 Fixing Tape Allowance (Feet of pipe per Roll of Tape)
Tape length 108' Roll 180' Roll pipe Diameter in inches "-1" 130' 215' 1" 115' 195' 1" 110' 180' 2" 95' 160' 3" 75' 125' 4" 65' 105' 6" 50' 80' 8" 40' 65' 10" 35' 55' 12" 30' 50' 14" 26' 43' 16" 23' 38' 18" 21' 35' 20" 19' 31' 24" 16' 27' 30" 13' 22'

notes . . . All heat-traced lines must be thermally insulated. Thermostatic control (not shown) is recommended for all freeze protection and temperature maintenance heat tracing applications (see page 13). Ground-fault maintenance equipment protection is required for all heat tracing circuits.

12

Complex piping Design guiDe

Design Tips . . .
To ensure a properly operating heat tracing system and avoid the common mistakes made by first-time users, the following tips have been compiled: 1. When a heat-traced pipe enters a facility, the heating cable should extend into the building approximately 12" (305 mm) to ensure the pipe temperature is maintained. This prevents temperature drops due to air gaps or compression of the thermal insulation. 2. A similar situation exists when an aboveground pipe goes underground. While the pipe may eventually travel below the frost line and therefore be protected from freezing, the distance between the surface (grade) and the frost line must be protected. This can be accomplished by creating a loop with the heating cable end terminated above the normal water line. If the application is temperature maintenance, the above grade and below grade portions should be controlled as separate circuits due to the differing surrounding environments. 3. Where a freeze protection application has a main line with a short branch line connected to it, the heating cable installed on the main line can be looped (double passed) on the branch line. This eliminates the need to install a T-splice kit. 4. All of the heating cable power connection points should be secured to the piping. Heating cable should not pass through the air to travel to an adjoining pipe. Instead use multiple power connection kits interconnected with conduit and field wiring as shown.

Thermostatic Control . . .
While the five steps in the design and selection process provide the detailed information required to design, select and/or specify a self-regulating heating system for complex piping, some type of control will typically be needed. The type of control and level of sophistication needed will depend entirely on the application of the piping being heat traced. Self-regulating heating cables can, under many design conditions, be operated without the use of any temperature control; however, some method of control is generally used and the two most common methods are ambient sensing and line sensing. Each method has its own benefits, and various options are available within each method. Ambient sensing . . . An adjustable thermostat, designed for mounting in an exposed environment, senses the outside air temperature. When this temperature falls below the set point, a set of contacts close and energize the heating cable(s). Should the electrical load of the heating circuit exceed the rating of the thermostat switch, a mechanical contactor can be used. An entire power distribution panel, feeding dozens of heat tracing circuits, can be energized through an ambient sensing thermostat. The primary application for ambient sensing control of electric heat tracing is freeze protection (winterization) of water and water-based solutions. A benefit of ambient sensing control for freeze protection is that pipes of varying diameters and insulation thicknesses can be controlled as a single circuit. By controlling heat tracing with ambient sensing control, the status (flowing or nonflowing) of the heated pipe needs no consideration. line sensing . . . While a selfregulating cable adjusts its heat output to accommodate the surrounding conditions, the most energy-efficient method for controlling heat tracing is a line-sensing thermostat. This is because a flowing pipe will typically not need any additional heat to keep it at the proper temperature. Where a piping system has tees and therefore multiple flow paths, more than one thermostat may be required. Situations where more than one thermostat could be necessary include: Pipes of varying diameters or insulation thicknesses. Varying ambient conditions such as above/belowground transitions and indoor/outdoor transitions. Flowing versus nonflowing conditions within the interconnected piping. Applications involving temperature-sensitive products.

13

Design WoRksHeeT
Use the following worksheet to apply the information to a specific application. step 1: establish Design parameters Collect relevant project data: piping information . . . Circuit No. Diameter Length Material
1

step 2: Determine Heat losses using Tables 2.2 Through 2.7 . . . Select table based on temperature differential (T) between low ambient and maintain temperature. Circuit No. Table/T Used Heat Loss

Apply insulation Correction Factor From Table 2.1 . . . equipment information . . . Circuit No. Qty. Dia. Description 2 Type 3 Circuit No. Heat Loss x x x x Temperature information . . . Low ambient Start-up temperature Maintain temperature High temperature exposure insulation information . . . Type Thickness Oversized (to accommodate cable) electrical information . . . Operating voltage Circuit breaker capacity Electrical area classification Yes No
notes . . . 1. If using nonmetallic piping, contact Thermon. 2. Type of equipment; i.e. valve, pump, strainer, etc. 3. Flanged, welded or screwed.

Multiplier = = = =

Corrected Heat Loss

step 3: select the proper Thermon Heating Cable Based on: Maintain temperature Exposure temperature Required heat output at maintain temperature Circuit No. Cable Selected Watt Density

14

Design WoRksHeeT (Contd)

step 4: Determine Heat Tracing Circuit lengths Provide sufficient cable for: Circuit number Pipe length Supports (2 x length + 15") x number of supports equipment . . . Valves Pumps Other Terminations/splices . . . Power connection (1' per circuit) In-line splices (3' per splice x number of splices) T-splices (3' per splice x number of splices) Total Cable Length Verify that the total cable length per circuit does not exceed the limit for the cable type and watt density chosen based on circuit breaker size and start-up temperature. step 5: Choose options/Accessories power Connection/splice kits . . . Terminator nonmetallic kits are approved for ordinary and Division 2 hazardous locations. The kits have a maximum service temperature rating of 482F (250C). TracePlus nonmetallic kits are approved for ordinary and Division 2 hazardous locations. The kits have a maximum service temperature rating of 400F (204C). Terminator Dp or Traceplus pCA-1-sR . . . is designed for connecting up to three heating cables to power and may also be used as an in-line or T-splice connection kit. Terminator Ds or pCs-1-sR . . . is designed to fabricate accessible outside-the-insulation splices. Terminator Dl or Traceplus Vil-6C . . . is designed to provide visual indication of an energized heating circuit. Totals Circuit Number Kit Type Power Conn. Splice End Term. Thermon metallic accessories are approved for ordinary and Division 2 hazardous locations. The kits utilize epoxy-coated aluminum junction boxes and expediters. eCA-1-sR . . . is designed for connecting one or two heating cables to power or for splicing two cables together. eCT-2-sR . . . is designed for connecting three heating cables to power or for splicing three cables together. Vil-4C-sR . . . is designed to provide visual indication of an energized heating circuit. end Termination kits . . . eT-6C and eT-8C . . . end termination kits are designed to properly terminate the end (away from power) of an SX heat tracing circuit. Power connection, splice and end termination kits:

15

General Specification
The following sample specification is intended to provide the user with a tool to ensure that the proper guidelines are in place for specifying the use of self-regulating heating cable on a complex piping system. This specification, plus others, are available from Thermon in both printed and electronic formats. part 1 . . . general Design, furnish and install a complete system of heaters and components approved by Factory Mutual Research (FM), Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) and/or the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) specifically for pipe heat tracing. The heat tracing system shall conform to the latest edition of the applicable requirements of the following codes and standards: National Electrical Code (NEC/NFPA 70) National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers (IEEE) All applicable local codes and standards part 2 . . . Design 1. The equipment, materials and installation shall be suited for the electrical classification of the area involved. Area classification drawings shall be available for identifying the boundaries of the areas. 2. A minimum safety factor of 10% shall be used to determine heat loss. 3. Heat loss calculations shall consider that the thermal insulation may be oversized to allow space for the heating cable(s). 4. Heater cable lengths for piping shall include cable on all in-line components including, but not limited to, flanges, pumps, valves, pipe supports/hangers, vents/drains and instruments. part 3 . . . products Heating cables used on this project shall be self-regulating in nature and vary their output in response to temperature variations along the length of a traced pipe. The heat tracing contractor shall be responsible for selecting the type of heating cable to be used for a given application based on the design and operating environment requirements. The following selfregulating heating cables are approved for use on this project. low Temperature 1. Self-regulating heating cable design shall be capable of maintaining process temperatures up to 150F (65C) and continuous exposure to temperatures of 185F (85C) while de-energized. 2. Cable must be capable of being cut to a desired length to suit the installation conditions and must form a continuous heating circuit. 3. The heating cable shall consist of two parallel 16 AWG nickel-plated copper bus wires embedded in a semiconductive polymer core that forms a continuous matrix heating element. A polyethylene dielectric insulating jacket is extruded over the heating element core. 4. The basic cable shall be covered by means of a metallic braid of tinned copper. The braid shall provide a nominal coverage of 80%. 5. Cables braided with tinned copper shall be further covered with corrosion resistant overjacket of polyethylene (for exposure to aqueous inorganic chemicals) or fluoropolymer (for exposure to organic chemcals or corrosives). 6. Long-term stability shall be established by the service life performance test per IEEE Std 515-2004. medium Temperature 1. Self-regulating heating cable design shall be capable of maintaining process temperatures up to 250F (121C) and intermittent exposure to temperatures of 420F (215C) while energized and 400F (204C) continuous pipeline exposure temperature while de-energized. 2. Cable must be capable of being cut to a desired length to suit the installation conditions and must form a continuous heating circuit. 3. The heating cable shall consist of two parallel 16 AWG nickel-plated copper bus wires embedded in a semiconductive polymer core that forms a continuous matrix heating element. A fluoropolymer dielectric insulating jacket is extruded over the heating element core. 4. The basic cable shall be covered by means of a metallic braid of tinned copper. The braid shall provide a nominal coverage of 80%. 5. Cables braided with tinned copper shall be further covered with corrosion resistant overjacket of fluoropolymer. 6. Long-term stability shall be established by the service life performance test per IEEE Std 515-2004.

16

High Temperature 1. Self-regulating heating cable design shall be capable of maintaining process temperatures up to 300F (149C) and intermittent pipeline exposure temperatures of 450F (232C) while energized and 400F (204C) continuous pipeline exposure temperatures while de-energized. 2. Cable must be capable of being cut to a desired length to suit the installation conditions and must form a continuous heating circuit. 3. The heating cable shall consist of two parallel 14 AWG nickel-plated copper bus wires embedded in a semiconductive polymer core that forms a continuous matrix heating element. A high temperature fluoropolymer dielectric insulating jacket is extruded over the heating element core. 4. The basic cable shall be covered by means of a metallic braid of nickel-plated copper. The braid shall provide a nominal coverage of 80%. 5. Cables braided with tinned copper shall be further covered with corrosion resistant overjacket of fluoropolymer. 6. Long-term stability shall be established by the service life performance test per IEEE Std 515-2004. part 4 . . . installation 1. Refer to the manufacturers installation instructions and design guide for proper installation and layout methods. Deviations from these instructions could result in performance characteristics different than intended. 2. All installations and terminations must conform to the NEC and any other applicable national or local code requirements. 3. All heat tracing circuits shall be equipped with ground-fault equipment protection in accordance with applicable codes and standards. 4. Heating cable shall preferably be installed on pipes in a single pass without spiral wrapping. Where the heat loss of the pipe exceeds the output of the cable, an additional pass or passes shall be used unless approval has been granted by owners engineer to permit spiral wrapping. 5. Heating cable shall be attached to pipes on maximum onefoot (30 cm) intervals. 6. Heating cable shall be installed such that all in-line devices and equipment may be easily removed and reinstalled without cutting the heating cable. 7. Heating cable shall be installed on the lower quadrant of horizontal pipe whenever possible to avoid mechanical damage. Cable shall be located on the outside radius of all 45 and 90 pipe elbows. part 5 . . . Testing 1. Heating cable shall be tested with a megohmeter (megger) between the heating cable bus wires and the heating cable metallic braid. While a 2,500 Vdc megger test is recommended, the minimum acceptable level for testing is 500 Vdc. This test should be performed a minimum of three times: a. Prior to installation while the cable is still on reel(s). b. After installation of heating cable and completion of circuit fabrication kits (including any splice kits) but prior to installation of thermal insulation. c. After installation of thermal insulation but prior to connection to power. 2. The minimum acceptable level for the megger readings is 20 megohms, regardless of the circuit length. 3. Results of the megger readings should be recorded and submitted to the construction manager.

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THeRmon . . . The Heat Tracing specialists 100 Thermon Dr. PO Box 609 San Marcos, TX 78667-0609 Phone: 512-396-5801 Facsimile: 512-396-3627 1-800-820-HeAT www.thermon.com In Canada call 1-800-563-8461

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Form TEP0013-1107

Thermon Manufacturing Co.

Printed in U.S.A.