Type/Location Use Advantages Disadvantages

Heaters That Heat Entire Tank Contents

(a)Bare pipe coils: General Tank must be cleaned for coil repairs
and if sediment reaches coil level
(1)Internal Replacement is time-consuming
because of in-place welding
(2)External Small tanks Easy tank cleaning, coil repair Poor heat transfer
Requires insulation on coils
(b)Plate coils: Small tanks Easily cleaned Multiple units may be required
Internal/external Lube and grease Integral type constitutes tank Integral/external require insulation on
/ integral compounding wall coils
(c)Finned tube General Compact: bundle may be sized Multiple units may be required
pipes and bundles: to fit through man-way for
quick installation and
replacement
Vertical units have thermo- Tank must be cleaned for heater
siphon effect, which increases repairs
tank circulation, reduces
sedimentation
Internal, Frequently cheaper than bare Vertical units may limit liquid
arranged either pipe coils for the same duty drawdown and useful tank working
horizontally or capacity
vertically
(d)Immersion General May be designed for Separate tank nozzle for each heater
heaters: withdrawal from empty but
uncleaned tank for repairs
Internal Electric heating
may be used
where steam is
not available
(e)Recirculation General Circulation agitates tank Added pumping costs for circulation
system: applicability, but contents
rarely used
Internal or
external

 Bare Pipe Coils: Bare pipes that are normally placed in horizontal banks inside the tank or wrapped
around the outside. Coils may be located near the floor or around the perimeter of an internal tank
duct leading to the tank suction to act as suction heating.
 Plate Coils: Formed double wall plates that are either a portion of the tank wall, bolted to the
external wall of the tank or used as internal heaters.
 Finned Tube Heater: Consists of prefabricated sections of extended surface tubes that can be
internally mounted either vertically or horizontally. The effective surface of these sections is about
five to 12 times that of bare pipe.
 Immersion Heater: A finned surface U-tube or bayonet tube projecting horizontally through the
tank wall or vertically through the roof via a nozzle. Multiple units may be spaced around the
suction nozzle for use as suction heaters for high withdrawal rates. Steam is the common heating
medium. Alternate designs using electrical heaters are also available.
 Recirculation System: A system that heats liquid pumped out of the tank and returns it to the tank.
Heating may be performed in the suction or line heater or in a separate heat exchanger in the
recirculating circuit.