SKIN system

• Purpose
• Principle of operation
• Advantages
• Specifications
• Electric supply diagram of a pipeline run heated by skin-system

Heating cables Accessories Fastening elements Electrical heating systems controllers Control cabinets Heat-conducting paste SILARM

Induction-resistive heating system for pipelines.
Safe reliable heating system for pipelines of an unlimited length applicable for above­ground, subsurface and underwater pipelining, including those in explosion hazardous zones

• The only way to heat pipelines with the length up to 30 km without parallel supply network
• The most efficient way to heat any trunk pipelines of an unlimited length
• Inherent strength and reliability of system design
• Up to 120 W/m power output of the heating element
• Certificate of conformity GOST R and Permit of Federal Service for Ecological, Technological and Atomic Inspection for application in explosion hazardous zones
• Operating temperature up to 200° C
• Zero electrical potential on outer surfaces of heating elements. They are earthed and do not require any electrical insulation

Purpose

Induction­resistive heating system (IRHS) or SKIN-system is designed to maintain the product temperature, protect long trunk pipelines against freezing and ensure their start heating. Skin System is the only one, which is capable to heat a pipeline run of up to 30 km long with power supply from one point (without any parallel network); it is as well the most efficient and cost­effective solution for heating trunk pipelines of an unlimited length with parallel supply network.

Principle of operation

Heating element of the system consists of a ferromagnetic steel tube with the outer diameter of 20­60 mm and the wall thickness of at least 3.0 mm; there is an insulated copper or aluminum conductor with cross section of 10­50 mm² laid inside the tube. The conductor is electrically connected to the tube at the end of a heating run while AC voltage is supplied between the conductor and the pipe at the run head; the voltage value is calculated basing on the required heat output and the heated run length.

Currents of the conductor and the tube have opposite directions and thus skin and proximity effects originate in the system. As a result the tube current flows in the inner layer close to the inner surface of the tube and there is no voltage available on the outer surface of the tube. The conductor is non­magnetic (made of copper, aluminum), thus, it does not feature any noticeable skin effect and AC flows throughout the whole section of the conductor. The main heat producing element of IRHS is the tube, which produces up to 80% of the system output.


Advantages

Long range of a pipeline heated run. . The system low resistance per a meter of length along with its high supply voltage makes possible to feed heated runs of up to 30km long from a single source.
One end powering. The SKIN System inherently is designed to be electrically supplied from one end of a heated run.
Electrical safety. Outer surface of the heating element is earthed and its voltage potential relative to the earth is zero.

Good thermal contact. Metal heating element is welded directly to the pipeline or is fixed to it with special fasteners. In order to improve the thermal contact a special heat conducting paste is applied.

Easy installation. Heat producing elements have not any outer electric insulation which may be damaged during installation works.
Reliability. The steel heating tube ensures mechanical stability of the conductor and protects it against damages. This fact is especially important for subsurface and underwater pipelines.

One, two or three heating elements can be fitted on a trunk pipe depending on the required heating power and pipeline length.
SST designs and supplies IRHS-­system as a full set including a special integrated transformer substation, all elements belonging to the heating system itself, monitoring and control systems.

Specifications

OPERATING TEMPERATURE RANGE - 50 °C - +200 °C POWER SUPPLY up to 5 kVAC 50 Hz CONSTRUCTION Heat producing element: Low carbon steel tube with diameterof 20­60mm and wall thickness of 3­4mm Current carrying conductor: Special conductor resistive to high voltage (up to 5kV), high temperature (up to 200°C) and mechanical stress at installation Anticorrosion protection epoxy coating of a SKIN : heater (at Customer request)

CONTROL SYSTEM

In order to improve its efficiency SKIN System is provided with a control system, which decreases heating power in response to rise of ambient temperature. Control system ensures reliable monitoring of the system status and revealing of emergency conditions.

ESTIMATED TEMPERATURE DISTRIBUTION
Rated power output of one heating element, W/m Example of heat insulated pipeline heating by three heating elements of Skin System with the total output of 130 W/m.

Pipe diameter is 530 mm, tambient air.= ­20 °C.

 

 

Electric supply diagram of a pipeline run heated by skin-system

Electric power supply system is performed as an integrated transformer substation including distributing sells of the HV and LV sides, specialized balancing transformer, monitoring and control system. The integrated transformer substation is located in a hermetically sealed and heated container.

The preheated vessels on Harampurskoe field

The SST company has completed the heating cable delivery for vessels

The pipeline system Eastern Siberia-Pacific Ocean is being expanded

Some more stations of the ES-PO project received the SST products

International exhibition” Oil and gas of Turkmenistan” Ashgabad.

"Special systems and technologies", LLC together with the Turkmen colleagues took part in the exhibition.