FRP HEATING

PANELS

RECOMMENDED SPECIFICATION

FREEZE−PROTECTION OF
HOPPERS, CHUTES AND TRANSFER POINTS
WITHIN COAL, CEMENT, POWDER AND
OTHER TYPES OF MATERIAL
CHWS SPEC−F−6/03 HANDLING / CONVEYING SYSTEMS
 FRP HEATING PANELS

RECOMMENDED SPECIFICATION − WINTERIZATION SYSTEMS

For COAL , CEMENT, POWDER AND OTHER TYPES OF MATERIAL CONVEYING SYSTEMS

FOREWORD The text and terminology of this recommended

specification is written around applications involving
the freeze−protection of coal conveying equipment
within Power Plants.
The approach and solution is applicable to many
other bulk materials that are conveyed throughout
many other types of plants. The reader should make
the appropriate substitutions and revisions to text and
terminology when using this document to assist with
the writing of specifications that involve any materials
other than coal
SPECIFICATION
1.0 SCOPE This specification is intended to define the minimum
parameters for the design of an electric heat tracing
system suitable for winterization (freeze−protection) of
the silos, hoppers, chutes and critical transfer points
of a coal handling and conveying system.

In this specification, the term "winterization" and/or

"freeze−protection" defines the requirement for the
heating system to prevent wet or frozen coal from
freezing, sticking, bonding and building up on the
internal metal surfaces of the specified items and
areas of the coal handling and conveying systems
during winter operation.

2.0 GENERAL
The vendor shall design, specify and provide an
electric heat tracing system that shall meet the criteria
detailed in all sections of this specification.

3.0 DESIGN SPECIFICATIONS

3.1
The electric heat tracing system shall be capable of
maintaining the internal metal surfaces of all coal
silos, hoppers, chutes and critical transfer points at a
minimum of 40°F (writer to specify exact items and
areas to be heated).
3.2
The system shall be capable of maintaining the
specified temperature in minimum ambient
temperatures of ______°F (writer to specify lowest
anticipated winter temperature).
3.3
Calculations shall include a wind factor of ____ mph
(writer to specify maximum anticipated wind speed).
 FRP HEATING PANELS

3.4 The heating system shall be FM Approved for use

Class _____, Division ____, Group ____ hazardous
areas, as defined in Article 500 of the National
Electrical Code (writer to specify hazardous area
designations).
3.5 Temperature Control of the heating system shall be
automatic, with the heating system being energized
by the fall in ambient air temperature and
de−energized by actual heating system operating
temperatures. Temperature Controllers shall be
suitable for use in the areas detailed in 3.4.
3.6 Vendor shall supply a complete set of heater layout
drawings, wiring diagrams, control system schematics
and ____ copies of a System Operation and
Maintenance Manual. (writer to specify number of
copies).
4.0 EQUIPMENT SPECIFICATIONS
4.1 The heat tracing equipment and system shall be of
low watt density design with a maximum power
density of 0.7 w/sq.in.
4.2
Individual heaters shall be custom sized and shaped
to provide 100% heater coverage of the area or
object being winterized.
4.3 Individual heaters shall be fabricated complete with
a suitable thickness and type of thermal insulation to
meet the requirements of 3.1, 3.2 and 3.3.
4.4 Heaters and thermal insulation shall be modular in
design such that they can be easily removed and
re−installed without damage (essential feature for
applications with liner plates).
4.5
Heaters and thermal insulation shall be totally
encapsulated such that the complete construction is
waterproof, hoseproof, corrosion−resistant and
dust−tight.
4.6
Modular heater construction must be extremely
robust and suitable for safe, reliable operation under
high levels of vibration in hazardous, wet, dusty and
dirty conditions.
4.7
Heaters shall be individually labelled to show type,
reference, wattage and voltage. All heaters shall
be supplied with an FM Approval stamp or label that
confirms suitability for installation and operation in the
area defined in 3.4.
4.8
Heating system designer and manufacturer shall be
HTD Heat Trace, Inc. Whitehouse, New Jersey.
4.9
Vendor shall provide documentation and literature
identifying a product and system that meets all the
requirements of this complete section.
 FRP HEATING PANELS
5.0 HEATER DESIGN
5.1 Heaters shall be panel type, suitable for direct attach−
ment to the outside of the item or object being heated
5.2 Heating source shall be a low watt density heating
blanket that is laminated into a solid ¼" thick
construction of Fiberglass Reinforced Plastic (FRP).
5.3 Heaters shall be fabricated to fit the exact size and
shape of the item or object being heated. Items or
objects with irregular or curved surfaces shall be
heated with molded heating panels that have
duplicate features of the irregularities or curvatures.
5.4 Heating panels shall be fabricated with a layer of
polyurethane insulation covering the complete back
face of the heater. External edges and surfaces of
this insulation shall be encapsulated with FRP, such
that heating panel and insulation become one, light−
weight, modular, laminated, waterproof, dust−tight
construction.
5.5 Heaters shall be type FRP Heating Panels as
manufactured by HTD Heat Trace, Inc. Whitehouse,
New Jersey.
5.6 Heating panels and system shall be designed for
operation on a ____ vac, ___ phase power supply
(writer to specify desired voltage and phase
requirements).
5.7 Each heating panel shall be fitted with flexible cold
leads of sufficient length to reach a local mounted
junction box. Cold lead shall exit the heating panel
through a ½" NPT fitting suitable for attachment of
flexible conduit (writer to specify this approach on
small, unclassified installations involving less than
10 heating panels) OR
Each heater shall be connected to the power supply
within a NEMA 7 / 9 conduit box, fabricated directly
into the construction of the heating panel. Conduit
box shall be approved for use in the area specified in
3.4 and sized to accept ¾" rigid or flexible
conduit (writer to specify this approach for hazardous
area installations and systems involving 10 or more
heating panels).
6.0 CONTROL SYSTEM DESIGN
6.1
Each heating area shall be controlled separately.
6.2
A suitably rated ambient sensing thermostat shall be
used to switch on the heating panels when ambient
air temperatures fall to 45°F.
6.3
A suitably rated bulb and capillary style thermostat
shall be used to limit the operating temperature of the
heaters and switch off the system at a safe operating
temperature ( vendor to specify temperature).

P O Box 398 Tel (908) 534 8313

Whitehouse Station Fax (908) 534 8023
New Jersey 08889 E Mail : sales@htdheattrace.com
USA
 FRP HEATING
PANELS

TYPICAL APPLICATIONS

FREEZE−PROTECTION OF
HOPPERS, CHUTES AND TRANSFER POINTS
WITHIN COAL, CEMENT, POWDER AND
OTHER TYPES OF MATERIAL
CHWS APPLICATIONS−F−6/03 HANDLING / CONVEYING SYSTEMS
 FRP HEATING PANELS

HOPPERS Preventing flash−freezing in hoppers and silos is a common

application for the FRP Heating Panel System. Typical
installations are Rail Car Dumper Hoppers and Truck Dumper
Hoppers in coal fired power plants, coal terminals and coal
mines. The FRP Heating Panel System has also been
sucessfully used to prevent material build up and freezing in
wood chip hoppers in the Pulp and Paper Industry and to
prevent freezing in cement, lime, ore, dust and powder
hoppers in material bulk handling and general industrial plants

Following are a few examples of FRP Heating Panel System

installations involving hoppers that are critical to plant
operation and performance.

Photograph 1

FRP Heating Panels installed on a Rotary Car Dumper

Hopper at the Port of Conneaut Dock facility of the Bessemer
and Lake Eire Railroad Company in Conneaut, Ohio.
This bulk storage and transfer facility is located directly on
Lake Eire approximately 68 miles east of Cleveland. The
facility is designed to handle 25 million tons per year of
metalurgical and steam coals, direct shipping ore, fine ores,
concentrates, pellets, limestone and dolomite.
The two main Rotary Car Dumper hoppers handling all
incoming coal shipments are freeze protected with FRP
Heating Panels to prevent flash−freezing and hopper blockage
during the long, harsh Lake Eire winter periods.
This installation was originally commissioned in 1979 and
upgraded in 2002 after 23 years of successfull operation.

Photograph 2
This photograph shows the FRP Heating Panel installations
on the main Truck Dumper Hoppers at the Colver Power
Project located in Cambria County, PA.
The Colver Power Project is a 102.5 MW waste bituminous
coal fired power plant that has won several prestigious
awards including the Power Magazine 1996 Powerplant
Award, Power Engineering 1996 Project of the Year and the
Environmental Protection Magazine 1998 Facility of the Year.
During the initial winter operations of 1995 / 96, this plant
experienced significant flash−freezing problems as the fine,
wet, bituminous coal was dumped from the delivery trucks
into the only two hoppers that feed the plant. FRP Heating
Panel Systems were designed and installed on each hopper
in early 1996. Since this time, winter operation of these
critical hoppers has continued without any form of
disruption from freezing or hopper blockage.
 FRP HEATING PANELS

CHUTES Steel chutes are commonly used to direct the flow of coal and
other bulk materials from one conveyor to another. During
winter operations, the coal being conveyed may be wet, snow
Photograph 3 covered or frozen. As transfers from conveyor to conveyor
take place, this wet or frozen coal is thrown into contact with
the inner steel surfaces of the transfer chutes. If this steel is at
or below 32°F, the moving coal may instantly stick or bond to
the inside of the chute. This instantaneous sticking, bonding
and build up process is known as flash−freezing. Continued
coal flow and freezing accelerates the build up process until
the transfer capabilities of the chute are reduced to the point
that the conveyor must be shut down and the chute must be
manually unblocked.
FRP Heating Panels, custom sized to fit the critical impact
faces of the transfer chutes will maintain the inner steel
surfaces above 32°F. As the coal leaves the conveyor and
enters the chute, it now contacts a warm surface to which it
cannot stick or freeze. Instead, the free flowing coal is able to
slide and drop through the chute and the potential for build up
and blockage within the chute is completely eliminated.
Photograph 4 The photographs show examples of how the FRP Heating
Panel System has been successfully applied to prevent
flash−freezing in various styles of conveyor transfer chutes.

Photograph 3. A 1979 full coverage installation on a Drop

Chute

Photograph 4. Custom shaped "spot heaters" positioned to

freeze protect specific problems areas at the
base of an underground transfer chute.

Photograph 5 This is a just a small portion of the

largest Coal Handling Winterization
System in the world, installed in
1985 on the Intermountain Power
Project in Delta,Utah.
The photograph shows adjacent
transfer chutes designed to provide
alternating coal flow patterns to
several conveyors.
FRP Heating Panels are positioned
directly on the chute faces that carry
the coal and they are sized to fit
between liner bolts such that the chute
liners can be removed and replaced
without the need to disturb the heating
system.
 FRP HEATING PANELS
CHUTES (cont)

Photograph 7 Photograph 8
Photograph 7
Full coverage heating panels fitted
to the sides and back faces of a
sloping transfer chute.

Photograph 8
Triangular shaped FRP Heating
Panels designed to fit a complex
shaped transfer chute.

Photograph 9
Single heating panel located on the
back impact face of a Drop Chute
directly above conveyor.
Photograph 9 Photograph 10
Photograph 10
Full coverage heating panel design
to ensure that there is no freezing
and blockage at this tapering
entrance above a conveyor.

Photograph 11
Trapezoidal shaped heating panel
on a pyramidal style feed chute.

Photograph 12
Back and side face heating panel
coverage on a bifurcated transfer
chute.

Photograph 11 Photograph 12

HTD Heat Trace, Incorporated sales@htdheattrace.com

8 Bartles Corner Road Voice - +1.908.788.5210
Unit #104, Flemington, NJ Fax - +1.908.788.5204
USA 08822-5758 www.htdheattrace.com