Heated tubing: Prefabricated or field trace and insulate?

Heated instrument tubing is common throughout industry and is most often used for winterization. It is also common for tubing to be maintained at high temperatures for viscous processes or to keep gas samples above dew point and prevent condensation. In many cases the tubing is field routed, electrical heat tracing is then installed, followed by the insulation and weather barrier. Alternatively, pre-insulated and heat traced ldquotube bundlesrdquo are designed to expedite installation, minimize total installed cost, and ensure predictable and reliable operation. This paper addresses the advantages and limitations of both approaches.