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KLM Technology
Group Rev: 01

Project Engineering
Standard
April 2011
www.klmtechgroup.com

KLM Technology Group PROCESS DESIGN OF HEAT TRACING AND

#03-12 Block Aronia, WINTERIZING
Jalan Sri Perkasa 2
Taman Tampoi Utama
81200 Johor Bahru
Malaysia
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS)

TABLE OF CONTENT

UNITS 3
APPLICATION AND METHODS 3
General Considerations 3
Methods of Winterization 3
CONDITIONS REQUIRING WINTERIZATION 4
REQUIREMENTS 5
General 5
Piping 6
Instruments 7
Valves 11
Equipment 11
Miscellaneous Items 13
DESIGN 14
Internal Steam Tracing 14
External Steam Tracing 14
Insulation 25
Steam Jacketing 25
Identification 26
Inspection and Testing 26
Electrical Tracing 26
Use of Heat Transfer Cement 28
APPENDIX A 29
APPENDIX B 30
APPENDIX C 31
APPENDIX D 32
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KLM Technology
Group PROCESS DESIGN OF HEAT Rev: 01
TRACING AND WINTERIZING
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)

SCOPE

This Project Standards and Specifications covers the minimum requirements for
protection of process and utilities and all associated equipment and flow lines
and instruments against the temperature which would cause congealing or
freezing of contents, interfere with operation or cause damage to equipment or
pipe lines and for heat conservation requirement as would be determined by
process conditions. The heat conservation system shall be designed for
continuous operations while, winterizing shall be for seasonal operation. The two
systems shall be separate from each other.

REFERENCES

Throughout this Standard the following dated and undated standards/codes are
referred to. These referenced documents shall, to the extent specified herein,
form a part of this standard. For dated references, the edition cited applies. The
applicability of changes in dated references that occur after the cited date shall
be mutually agreed upon by the Company and the Vendor. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced documents (including any
supplements and amendments) applies.

API (American Petroleum Institute)

API RP-550, Section 8.5, "Winterizing", 4th. Ed., October 1980

SYMBOLS AND ABBREVIATIONS

SYMBOL/ABBREVIATION DESCRIPTION
CM Collection Manifold
DM Distribution Manifold
DN Diameter Nominal (Pipe Size), in (mm)
ET Electric Traced and Insulation
ETT Electric Traced with Heat Transfer Cement
H Heat Conservation
ID Inside Diameter
MI Mineral Insulation
PD Meters Positive Displacement Meters
P & IDS Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams
Ref. Reference
OD Outside Diameter
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KLM Technology
Group PROCESS DESIGN OF HEAT Rev: 01
TRACING AND WINTERIZING
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)

SJ Steam Jacketing Pipe and Insulation

ST Steam Traced and Insulation
STS Steam Traced with Spacers and Insulation
STT Steam Traced with Heat Transfer Cement and insulation
UOP Universal Oil Products
W Winterization
WS Winter Seal
WISI Winterize Insulator, Steam Trace, Insulate

UNITS

This Standard is based on International System of Units (SI) except where

otherwise specified.

APPLICATION AND METHODS

General Considerations

To avoid operating difficulties in process and utility Units in colder climates and
the hazard of freezing which may cause damage to equipment or blockage of
lines, different methods to the extent of protection required, will be used. The
extent of protection may vary considerably between one location and another.
However, the requirements for other ambient temperature conditions is also
covered herein.

Methods of Winterization

The following methods of winterization is required to be used for adequate

protection as will be determined by combined climatic and process condition for
seasonal operation and heat conservation:
1. Insulation
The insulation alone may be used to prevent solidification or increase in
viscosity where the liquid in the equipment has sufficient sensible heat for
normal operating flow rates and will be of value only for short time exposure;
for long term exposure however it is only successful when heat is
continuously added by the process. Although heat input at normal flow rates
may be adequate, it may fall to an unsatisfactory level at low throughputs, or
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KLM Technology
Group PROCESS DESIGN OF HEAT Rev: 01
TRACING AND WINTERIZING
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)

during start up or shut down, or when a line is blocked off in error, and as a
result, freezing of the system may take place.
2. Heating
Winterizing with heating should not be used where other methods can be
used. Any of the following heating system may be used:
- Internal heat tracing
- External heat tracing
- Jacketing
- Electrical tracing
- Routing along and/or insulating together with a hot line.
Heating medium for non-electric tracing and jacketing can be steam, hot oil
and hot water.
3. Vent / Drain on lines and equipment
Winterizing by draining require particular attention which must be given to
vents and drains on utility lines and equipment for eliminating low spots or
dead ends in which water and other liquids can collect and freeze. During
shut-down and non-operating period these lines may completely be drained.
4. Bypasses around equipment to provide continuous flow
Bypass line connection in appropriate points as specified herein, and in
accordance to project specification should be provided for use in maintaining
flow.
5. Hot air circulation
Hot air circulation may be used in aerial exchangers, instrument and
equipment housing, flushing connections to displace viscous-material.

CONDITIONS REQUIRING WINTERIZATION

Process, utilities, equipment and pipe lines and other equipment/pipe lines shall
be winterized when any of the following conditions apply to fluids contained:
a. Pour point or freezing point is above the lowest ambient temperature.
b. Undesirable phase separation, deposition of crystals or hydrate formation will
occur at any ambient temperature.
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KLM Technology
Group PROCESS DESIGN OF HEAT Rev: 01
TRACING AND WINTERIZING
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)

c. Ice or hydrate formation occurs due to pressure reduction of moisture-bearing

gases.
d. Viscosity at any ambient temperature, is so high that an inadequate flow rate
is obtained with the pressure available for starting circulation.
e. Corrosive compounds form if condensation occurs.
f. Lines which are normally dry, e.g., flare lines which may carry moisture during
an operating upset may require some protection.

REQUIREMENTS

General
1. The requirements for protection shall be based on the winterizing temperature
specified in project specification, and shall consist of two parts:
a. Lines and equipment which appear on P & I Diagrams. The extent and
degree of protection shall be specified by the project engineer and shown
on the P & I Diagrams.
Note:
Protection described by standard nomenclature on P & I Diagrams may be
inadequate for projects involving low winterizing temperatures in
combination with unusual process fluid properties. On such projects
consideration shall be given to the use of high thermal conduction cement
bonding of tracers, steam jacketing, electric heating, shelters and other
special design.
b. Lines and equipment not shown on the P & I Diagrams. Protection shall be
provided by the design Contractor/ Consultant to the extent and in the
manner provided herein.
2. Layout, design and details which are to be followed by the design Contractor
in winterizing all equipment shall be as specified herein.
3. Protective heating of piping and instruments shall be indicated on the process
engineering flow schemes and on the piping data sheets.
4. The extreme case of the lowest minimum temperature should not be selected,
but in general, equipment should be designed for protection against the
minimum temperature prevailing after rejection of the lowest 1% of the hourly
temperature readings in the coldest month, or in 1% of the daily minimum
temperatures for the year; the readings should as far as possible be based on
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KLM Technology
Group PROCESS DESIGN OF HEAT Rev: 01
TRACING AND WINTERIZING
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)

the average of records obtained over a period of years and not those of a
single year.
5. The amount of winterizing protection shall be based on minimum atmospheric
temperature as shown on site data sheet. For heat conservation during
operation, fluids with a pour point of 10°C and higher shall be traced to
maintain a temperature at least 22°C above their pour point. Molten sulfur
lines shall be maintained between 118°C (245°F) and 158°C (316°F).

Piping
1. A list of all piping requiring tracing should be prepared for each Unit in project
specification.
2. Sections of gas systems in which ice or condensate would otherwise be
produced, due to atmospheric cooling or auto refrigeration, should be traced.
Protection will also be required where there is hydrate formation at
temperatures above 0°C.
3. Careful consideration should be given to the design and protection of lines
which are dry during normal operations but which may contain sufficient
moisture to be troublesome during an operational upset, e.g., flare lines, etc.
4. Process piping
a. Compressor suction lines between the knockout drum and the compressor
shall be heat traced and insulated if ambient temperature is below the dew
point of the gas at compressor suction or if handling hydrocarbon gas
components heavier than ethane.
b. Intermittently used process piping containing liquids such as tars or
chemicals, which will congeal during nonflowing conditions, shall be
provided with valves for venting and draining, blowing out with air or
flushing with light stock in preference to heat tracing.
c. Tank car and tank truck loading lines shall be heat traced and insulated
and provided with valved flushing or blow out connections.
Note:
Blowing out piping with air shall be confined to lines containing stocks of
low volatility which are well below their flash points. Where piping to be
blown discharges into tankage. Venting capacity shall be provided to
prevent pressurizing the tankage.
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KLM Technology
Group PROCESS DESIGN OF HEAT Rev: 01
TRACING AND WINTERIZING
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)

5. Piping for water services

a. When daily mean temperature is below -1°C, underground water systems
(including sewers) shall be installed at a minimum of 300 mm below the
frost line. Above ground portion of water systems shall be winterized by
such means as heat tracing or draining component, of the system after
each use. All piping in salt water service, if heat traced, shall be cement-
lined. A typical pipe line external tracing detail is shown here in Appendix
B.
b. Where branch single service lines rises from below ground, block valves
shall be provided in the risers just above the ground. The following
arrangement will provide protection against freezing:
- A by-pass shall be provided just under the block valves, from the
supply back to the return for use in maintaining circulation. This by-
pass shall be DN 20 (¾") for lines DN 80 (3") and smaller, DN 25 (1")
for lines DN 100 (4") to DN 200 (8") and DN 40 (1½") for lines larger
than DN 200 (8"). Bypasses shall be covered with 25 mm of insulation.
- A drain shall be provided in the line at a minimum distance above the
block valve, except that for 150 mm and larger size valves a drain shall
be provided in the valve body above the seat.
- 25 mm of insulation shall be provided around the piping, from the
ground up to and including the block valves in the water risers.
c. Where a header for multiple services rises from below ground, protection
shall be provided in the same manner as overhead headers.

Instruments
1. Winterization of instrumentation systems should be in accordance with
Section 8.5 of API RP 550. However, when electronic instruments are heat
traced the type of heat tracing should be to the instrument manufacturer’s
recommendation. Consideration should be given to the use of electrical heat
tracing and also to thermostatic control to ensure the manufacturer’s specified
operating temperatures are not exceeded.
2. Proposals for winterization are to be discussed and agreed with the
Company.
3. Where practical, instruments shall be installed in heated buildings to simplify
protection requirements and facilitate maintenance.
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KLM Technology
Group PROCESS DESIGN OF HEAT Rev: 01
TRACING AND WINTERIZING
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)

4. Electronic instruments which may be damaged by freezing shall either be

installed in heated housing or located in buildings to maintain the temperature
within the manufacturer’s recommended temperature rating.
5. When installation of instruments in heated building is impractical, protection is
required for instruments on water, steam, hydrocarbons or other liquid
services which are subject to freezing or congealing. A safe temperature
should be maintained for hydrocarbons with pour points -12°C and above.
Protection is also required on gas or air service where condensate may
render instruments inaccurate operation or make inoperative and on liquid
services where moisture is likely to enter lead lines and instruments.
6. Precaution shall be taken to prevent excessive heating of mechanical and
electrical instrument components.
7. Enclosed analyzer cabinets shall be heated.
8. Preferred practices are insulation, heat tracing and heated instrument housing
to maintain the manufacturer’s recommended temperature rating.
9. Instrument piping shall be winterized by sealing with an antifreeze solution
where possible. Protective heating of lead lines shall be installed in a manner
which will prevent the liquid from overheating and boiling away.
10. Locally mounted pressure gages and instruments, and seals required for
corrosion protection, shall be winterized.
11. Unless otherwise specified by the manufacturer the following locally mounted
instruments shall not be housed in cabinets. They are winterized by sealing,
heat tracing, or by a combination of both:
a. Alarm pressure switches
b. Control pilots for control valves
c. Displacer type level instruments
d. Float-type alarm units
e. Pressure gages.
12. Protection houses are used for local instruments where the process fluid is in
the instrument body. Houses are also used for instruments that require
regular access that are outdoors and are otherwise unprotected. Such
instruments include controllers and recorders. All housings are of galvanized
sheet metal construction with hinged doors and a steam or electric heating
coil. Blank metal doors are furnished for blind transmitters. A lucite window is
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KLM Technology
Group PROCESS DESIGN OF HEAT Rev: 01
TRACING AND WINTERIZING
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)

furnished in the door on houses for indicating transmitters and meters. The
housings for analyzer transmitters are furnished as part of the instrument
assembly.
13. Level instruments
a. Protective provisions for differential type level instruments conform to that,
described for differential type flow instruments.
b. External float instruments are heat-traced for the following services:
- Steam
- Water
- Caustic
- Viscous hydrocarbon with a pour-point -12°C and above
- Light hydrocarbon where hydrate formation is possible.
14. Flow instruments
Differential pressure instruments having factory-filled bellows or diaphragm
assemblies are specified with a fill material that does not require winterizing.
Care should be taken not to overheat diaphragms above their design
temperature.
15. Control valves
a. Control valves are not traced with the associated process piping, except
that valves are steam traced on gas or vapor services with high pressure
drops, where hydrates may be formed, or where freezing or congealing
may occur.
b. When control valves used as direct connected regulators require
winterizing, the pressure control line and valve diaphragm chamber
containing the process fluid shall be heat traced and insulated. When the
diaphragm chamber is sealed, the pressure control line shall be heat
traced and insulated from the point of seal to the process line connection.
c. In light hydrocarbon-vapor services, where hydrate formation or frosting
due to low temperature is likely, only the control valves body shall be heat-
traced.
d. Steam atomizing control valves with diaphragm and in contact with heavy
process fluid shall be protected with seal pot filled with glycerin.
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KLM Technology
Group PROCESS DESIGN OF HEAT Rev: 01
TRACING AND WINTERIZING
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)

16. Temperature instruments

Bulb type temperature instruments shall be specified with fill material which
does not require winterizing for the particular zone in which they are to be
installed.
17. Lead lines and instruments
a. Lead lines and instruments containing fluids subject to winterizing shall be
protected by seals, tracing or heated housings.
b. Seals are a non-freezing solution compatible with the process fluids, and
piping and instrument materials. A 60 percent ethylene glycol and water
solution is utilized for most hydrocarbon process fluids. (Refer to API RP-
550 for other sealing fluids).
c. Those liquids of seal pots which are in contact with process fluids are
protected for the zone in which they are installed.
d. In areas where steam or electricity is not readily available for heat tracing,
consideration shall be given to use of instruments equipped with a
mechanical diaphragm type seal at the process connection, in lieu of heat
tracing.
e. Instruments with dry gas or dry air purging do not require protection for the
lead line.
f. Instrument lines and gage glasses which are steam traced and contain
liquids that boil at tracing steam temperature shall be separated from the
tracer lines by insulation of 25 mm.
18. Rotameters
Rotameters are winterized in accordance with the requirements of the
process line in which they are installed. They are housed when they are
recording and when they are outdoors.
19. Analyzing instruments
a. Sample system for analyzers which require a liquid stream shall be
protected in the same manner as the pipe line from which the sample is
obtained, using caution to insure the sample is not damaged by
overheating or vaporizing.
b. Gas samples to analyzers which contain condensables shall be provided
with heat tracing to prevent condensation.
c. Heated housing shall be provided for analyzer and with temperature
control and sample conditioning systems. Each analyzer installation shall
be investigated for winterizing requirements.
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KLM Technology
Group PROCESS DESIGN OF HEAT Rev: 01
TRACING AND WINTERIZING
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)

Valves
1. Where necessary, relief valves and adjoining piping should be suitably
protected.
2. The vent line relief valves discharging to atmosphere should have a suitable
drain hole at the lowest point.
3. Flanged shut off valves and check valves in vertical lines shall have bodies
trapped and valved above the disk or seat if commodity will freeze or congeal
during shutdown.
4. Water seals and traps should be steam traced.
5. Low points of flare lines should drain into vessels which are suitably protected
against freezing.

Equipment
1. Drum, vessel, storage tanks
a. A drum or vessel containing hydrocarbon and water which operate
normally at 52°C or above, shall be protected by insulating the nozzles,
block valves and drain piping in contact with water.
b. A drum or vessel containing hydrocarbon and water which operates
normally below 52°C shall be protected by steam tracing and insulating
the nozzles, block valves and drain piping in contact with water.
c. All other process vessels containing fluids which may congeal during
dormant periods shall be insulated and if necessary shall be heat traced.
d. Bottoms of fuel gas drums and low points in above ground gas lines shall
be insulated and steam traced.
e. Tanks containing liquids difficult to pump or flow when cold, shall be
equipped with heaters.
f. Steam coils in tanks should consist of a number of sections arranged in
parallel flow, thus avoiding the total loss of tank heating in the event of a
coil section leaking.
g. Roofed or open water tanks (except for potable water tanks) shall have
steam connections to heat and agitate water at intervals to prevent
freezing.
h. Storage tanks shall be equipped with freeze proof type water draw valves.
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KLM Technology
Group PROCESS DESIGN OF HEAT Rev: 01
TRACING AND WINTERIZING
Project Engineering Standard
April 2011
(PROJECT STANDARDS AND
SPECIFICATIONS)

i. Consideration may have to be given in some extreme cases to insulating

the roofs of some cone roof tanks to prevent internal corrosion due to
condensation of sulphurous vapors.
2. Exchangers
a. Heat exchangers and coolers containing liquids which may congeal or
freeze at ambient temperature shall have sufficient valved drain points to
insure complete drainage upon shutdown.
b. Evaporators in chlorine service shall be housed in a heated, forced
ventilated building if the ambient temperature can drop below 13°C.
3. Pumps and compressors
a. Although compressors may be housed in enclosed or partly sheeted
buildings, consideration should be given to the protection of any exposed
parts such as water lines, lubricating and seal oil lines, air and oil filters,
suction lines and knock-out drums. Tracing of the oil sumps of
compressors may be required to assist start up.
b. Pumps shall have plugged drains on all water cooled jackets and
pedestals.
c. Compressors and auxiliaries enclosed in buildings shall have winterizing
protection when the system is shut down.
d. Heating shall be provided for every reciprocating pumps lubricator.
e. Pumps and associated piping shall be protected as required by the nature
of fluids handled and duration of anticipated non-operating periods.
Circulating fluid from an active pump through a non-operating pump is a
preferred practice for pumps handling viscous fluids. (See Appendix C for
typical steam tracing of pumps).
f. The pumps in intermittent services which cannot conveniently be drained
whenever not in use, should be traced or jacketed or located in a heated
enclosure if the liquid handled would otherwise freeze or become too
viscose to pump.
g. Seal and flushing oil piping shall be steam traced whenever cooling to the
ambient temperature would diminish the quantity or pressure of seal oil at
the point of consumption below the equipment manufacturer’s
recommended minimum.
h. Suitable provision should be made in the water systems of equipment
which is on intermittent duty or immediate standby duty and which cannot
therefore be drained to ensure that it will not freeze during idle periods. A
particular case to be checked is that of machines which have thermostatic