No.

001/2004

A COMPARISON: THERMAL FLUID VS. STEAM

Replacing steam systems in a wide range of industries, thermal fluid heat transfer systems provide highly accurate temperature control,
even heating, low maintenance, safety and long, efficient service. Hot oil* systems provide advantages in nearly every category.
EFFICIENCY
Manufacturers of thermal fluid heaters indicate that efficiencies can be as much as 5% to 8% higher than conventional steam systems.
Hot oil heated shell-and-tube steam generators can significantly increase efficiency. And these steam generators require less water
treatment due to the lower heat flux.
Considering the typical steam system flash loss (including trap losses) of 6% to 14%, blowdown loss of up to 3%, and de-aerator loss of
another 2%, the significant difference in efficiency becomes pronounced.
Thermal fluid systems suffer none of these losses and as a result can be up to 31% more efficient excluding additional heater and steam
generator efficiencies.
LICENSED OPERATORS
In many areas of the country, fulltime licensed operating engineers are required by law to supervise the operation of high-pressure fired
steam systems. Including salary and fringes, annual cost can be well in excess of $50,000.
Thermal fluid systems operate at atmospheric pressure, typically vented to atmosphere. Pressure in these systems is limited to the pump
discharge necessary to overcome piping frictional drag.
Typical pump discharge pressures can range from 35 psi to 65 psi, and somewhat higher in large systems.
Thermal oil systems seldom, if ever, require licensed operators.
CORROSION
Steam systems are well known for corrosion problems. Air in combination with water, leachable chlorides and other reactive contaminants
presents a high potential for metal corrosion. Steam is abrasive with virtually no lubricity. Add scale deposits from minerals found in most
all water supplies, and system problems quickly compound. Thermal fluid systems suffer none of these corrosion problems.
Paratherm fluids are non-corrosive. Derived from natural U.S. feedstocks, they provide the same high degree of metal surface protection
and lubricity as the finest light lubricating oils.
MAINTENANCE
Steam systems require unending maintenance normally concentrated in steam traps, valves, condensate return pumps, expansion joints
and water analysis and treatment. And, in the event of a power failure in a cold climate, steam systems can be subject to freezing, burst
pipes and damaged components.
Thermal fluid systems require no traps, condensate return, blowdown or water additives and if the proper fluid is specified, can be shut
down even in sub-zero conditions with no worry of freezing. (Note that if Paratherm fluids are cooled below pour points, they contract upon
solidifying, presenting no danger of burst pipes). Hot oil systems have proven to operate quietly safely and efficiently for years with minimal
maintenance.

ENVIRONMENTAL SAFETY
The water in a steam system must be treated to prevent corrosion.
Chemicals used to treat the water in most cases cannot be discharged into sewers, as they can be dangerous to the environment.
And the temperature of discharge water may be regulated by law.
Special provisions for cooling are required if water is to be drained into sewers (in many areas of the country, water hotter than 140F
cannot be discharged).
Thermal fluid systems require no blowdown. Unlike steam systems, they are not subject to leakage.
Should Paratherm fluids escape from the system, cleanup can be handled using the same sample procedures used for spills of light
lubricating oils. And unlike heavily treated boiler feed water,
Paratherm heat transfer fluids can be disposed by combining with used lubricating oils and sent to the local oil recycler for processing into
another useful product. This helps conserve our natural resources and precious landfill space.
SAFETY
To deliver the kind of heat required in most process operations, steam systems must operate at exceptionally high pressures. At 600F for
example, a saturated steam system develops about 1600 psi. Even at 400F, the pressure is still high, at about 235 psi.
In contrast, thermal fluid systems are vented to atmosphere with only the discharge of the pump providing pressure adequate to overcome
piping friction. (Note that the vapor pressures of Paratherm fluids are fractions of atmospheric even at the maximum operating temperature
of 600F).
TEMPERATURE CONTROL
Steam systems rely on control of pressure to control temperature.
With this reliance on delicate pressure balance, accuracy is generally limited to swings of 10F or so.
Evenness of heating can also be a significant problem with steam due to varying rates of condensation and condensate removal in the heat
user.
In comparison, manufactures of a broad range of equipment employing heat transfer fluid boast of being able to control temperatures to
1.5F of less. This is accomplished through metering and mixing of supply and return fluid.
And with high rates of turbulent fluid flow, thorough even heat (or cooling) across the entire user surface is assured.
SYSTEM COST
Purchase cost of steam systems can be less than thermal fluid systems. With less-complex thermal fluid systems however, there are
paybacks. Among them are lower fuel and maintenance costs, the elimination of operating headaches, no water treatment and discharge
problems and substantially increased production quality resulting from better control of heating and cooling.

And with no expensive licensed operating engineers, thermal fluid systems easily outdistance steam in the long run.
*

Thermal fluid heat transfer systems are also commonly known as hot oil systems, thermal oil systems and thermal liquid
systems.