ControTrace vs.

Jacketed Piping
Saudi Aramco Rail Car Loading Facilities Project
Jacketed Piping
Process
Pipe

Process
Pipe

Jacket
Applications

Purpose

ControTrace

ControTrace

Pumped Sulfur Lines - generally 3.5 to 5.0 bar g steam used

Molten Sulfur lines - to maintain the bulk temperature above the freezing temperature to
prevent plugging when molten sulfur flows stop. It is also designed for a melt-out scenario
so that the system can quickly recover after a loss of utilities
ControTrace features a 2" x 1" rectangular
heating element which is secured to the
pipe or vessel to be heated. A heating
medium (steam) flows inside the heating
element and transfers heat to the
pipe/vessel. One of the 2" sides of the
element is contoured to closely fit the
outside diameter of the pipe/vessel to
ensure good contact for heat transfer. A
thin layer of heat transfer compound is
used between the element and the
pipe/vessel to eliminate any air gaps
between ControTrace and the pipe/vessel
wall.

Operating Principle

Jacketed piping features a core pipe which is

completely surrounded by a jacket pipe.
Process flows through the core pipe, while a
heating medium (or cooling medium) flows in
the annular space between the core and
jacket pipes. This allows the heating medium
to directly contact the entire surface of the
process pipe, providing maximum surface
area and heat transfer to the process pipe.

Heat Transfer

Very good (CSI calculates the minimum

number of elements that are required to
offset the process heat loss.)
ControTrace systems are also designed for
Excellent (The heating medium completely
a melt-out scenario so that the system can
surrounds the process. The heating medium quickly recover after a loss of utilities.
is in direct contact with the process piping.) Unlike other heating system providers, CSI
But it would have sulfur over-heating
provides a thermal guarantee of system
potential.
performance. This guarantee is enabled by
CSI's proprietary thermal analysis tool
which have been repeatedly confirmed with
field temperature data. It would have
reduced sulfur over-heating potential.

Energy used

Too much heat unnecessarily raises the

process temperature. (wasted)

Saudi Aramco RailCar Loading Facilities Project

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ControTrace coverage is custom

engineered to provide the proper thermal
coverage to offset the process heat loss.
Excessive energy is not wasted on heating
up the process.
ControTrace vs. Jacketed Piping

Jacketed Piping

ControTrace
Process
Pipe

Process
Pipe

Jacket

ControTrace

Steam consumption

Significantly more steam consumption than is

Optimized steam consumption
necessary.

Steam Circuitry

Based on typical industry specifications "no

more than 15 m of pipe to be supplied with a
single steam supply" - Too conservative
which requires a higher number of steam
circuits.

Each circuit is engineered specifically for

the conditions of the individual line/pipe size
combination that it serves. ControTrace
systems are optimized to minimize the
number of steam circuits while guranteeing
system performance.

Steam trap failure

tolerance
(Redundency)

If the steam circuit fails most commonly due

to the failure of the associated steam trap,
thermal maintenance for that spool is lost
entirely.

Typically separate steam circuit on each

side of the pipe with each circuit terminating
at a single steam trap. If a steam trap fails,
steam will be lost to only one side of the
pipe. (Redundency)

Purpose

Prone to cross-contamination resulting from

weld failure between the core and the jacket
due to the increased internal stresses.
Additional stresses due to the temperature
difference between the jacket and core, and
the normal expansion of the piping system by
the increased stiffness of the jacketed pipe.
Therefore, it requires special stress analysis,
more frequent supports and expansion loops.
Note that the molten sulfur pump head
pressures generally exceed the steam
pressure.

No cross-contamination and much less pipe

stress because ControTrace system bolts
onto the outside of the process piping.
Much less supports and expansion loops
are required for process pipe, which saves
significant capital expenditure. Because the
ControTrace is not welded to the pipe, it is
free to expand and contract independently
of the piping system, requiring conventional
pipe stress analysis methods.

Intermediate flange
pairs

All intermediate flange pairs can be

Due to a way of fabricating Jacketed pipe,
eliminated. The only flanges that would be
intermediate flange pairs are required with 6 present in the lines would be when a pipe
to 12 meters internal.
spool connects to a valve / instrument /
nozzle.

Constructability

A straightforward process (CSI provides a

Field fabrication / core & outer hydro-test /
corresponding installation drawing for every
field modification are very complex and
piping isometric drawing.) ControTrace can
difficult. So, extended construction schedule. be easily modified in the field if required by
piping modification.

Maintenance/Repair

Due to no welding between ControTrace

Once cross-contamination does occur,
and process pipe, maintenance is generally
finding the location of the weld failure can
not required. If required, repair works of
take days and weeks, and field repair with
process pipe and/or ControTrace is very
required testing is very complex and difficult.
simple just by cutting and welding.

Saudi Aramco RailCar Loading Facilities Project

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ControTrace vs. Jacketed Piping