WATER BATH HEATERS
Water Bath Heaters provide a safe, reliable and proven solution for indirect process heating across a wide range of industrial applications.
Water bath heaters are indirect fired heaters that heat the target application through a process coil submerged in a heated water or glycol solution, with the bath fluid temperature selected according to the required outlet temperature. The bath fluid itself is heated by one or more firetubes, each fitted with its own burner.
Water bath heaters have been a proven process heating solution across industries for decades, valued for their reliability, safe operation in high-risk field environments and straightforward operator interface.
Our designs follow API 12K, typically applied to oil and gas heating, though we offer a full range of customised designs to meet specific application demands and customer requirements while remaining fully compliant with international standards.
The Integraheat Difference
Most heater suppliers rely on a separate combustion or burner company to provide the burner for their heater design. That split responsibility creates complications when performance issues arise and liability cannot be clearly defined.
We design, manufacture and guarantee the complete system: heater, burner and control system. Only secondary components are sourced from suppliers. The result is a single point of accountability, a fully integrated design from a company that understands the functionality and capability of every part of the system it is asked to service and support.
Typical Components
Shell
The heater shell is typically made from carbon steel and formed with multiple saddle-type supports depending on length. It can be standalone with saddles fixed directly to site foundations or mounted on a skid structure. Lifting points are normally from the skid, though shell lifting is available where no skid is required. The shell design allows for straightforward insertion and extraction of the coil and firetube for maintenance and inspection.
The heat transfer medium may be water, water-glycol mixture, natural or synthetic oil, or complex synthetic fluid mixes. Water is the most common bath solution, operational to 90°C. Water-glycol mixtures are used depending on environmental conditions and customer requirements. Where high process fluid outlet temperatures are required, thermal fluids or molten salts are specified, as both can operate above 90°C.
Process Coil
The process coil operates above atmospheric pressure and is made from seamless pipe in accordance with ASME Section VIII Division 1. Coils attach to a common flange plate connecting to the shell, positioning the coil directly above the firetube for maximum heat transfer efficiency. All coil welds are 100% radiographed.
Firetube
We provide the optimum firetube configuration to meet code requirements for heat flux and to suit natural or forced draft designs for increased thermal efficiency. The firetube assembly may be a U-tube configuration, or a main firetube with multiple returns bringing flue gas back to a common gathering box before release into the stack, significantly increasing heater efficiency. Firetube length is determined by the overall heater design. The firetube sits in the bottom section of the shell and connects by flange for ease of maintenance throughout the asset lifecycle. Expansion bellows can be incorporated where required to absorb dimensional changes during thermal cycling.
Exhaust Stack
The exhaust stack is generally mounted on the flue gas gathering box welded to the firetube cover plate, collecting flue gas from the return firetubes. Stacks are designed to meet minimum height requirements with high discharge velocities for pollution control, with maximum height considered where visual impact in scenic areas is a factor. Stack design informs the decision on whether to run the heater on natural or forced draft.
Burner
All our water bath heaters are designed so that the firetube flange connection accommodates the full Integraheat burner range. Burners are available in natural or forced draft depending on heater requirements and meet low NOx performance targets in line with industry efficiency goals.
Typical Applications
Wellhead
Heating
Gas
Heating
Transmission and Distribution System Heating
Crude Oil
Heating
LNG/LPG Vaporisation
Regeneration
Gas Heating
Dew Point
Heating
WHAT WE MAKE
Direct Fired API 560 Heaters
Used across multiple heating requirements and particularly associated with crude oil heating. Available in a range of configurations to suit the application.
Thermal Fluid Heaters
Indirect heating systems that utilise a circulating thermal fluid to deliver controlled high-temperature heat without the need for high-pressure steam. Ideal for applications where multiple process users require heat from a single system.
Once Through Steam Generators
Fired heating solutions that produce high-pressure steam in a single pass for enhanced oil recovery and other demanding industrial applications.
Industrial Burners
A bespoke range of natural and forced draft burners designed for process heating systems, covering firing rates from 350 kW to 30 MW and meeting global emission requirements.
Burner Management Systems
Safety systems ensuring the safe start-up, operation and shutdown of process burners across a wide range of heating applications.
Get in Touch WITH OUR TEAM
To discuss your process heating or combustion requirements, contact the Integraheat team.