Thermal Design of Tank Coils

The thermal design of tank coils involves the determination of the area of heat-transfer surface required to maintain the contents of the tank at a constant temperature or to raise or lower the temperature of the contents by a specified magnitude over a fixed time. 

Movement of fats and oils may be as the crude, partially refined, or finished oils and may be by rail tank cars, tank trucks, barges, and tanker ships. Rail tank cars are usually of the standard 60,566-L (16,000-gal 120,000-lb) or the jumbo 232,170-L (61,333-gal 460,000-lb) size. Standard cars are designed with a thermal expansion area of about 2% of the total capacity as a dome in the car. However, the rated capacity of the jumbo cars does not include any expansion space. Rather, these cars are equipped with a permanently installed bar marker located in the passageway, above which the quantity of oil should not be loaded. Heating coils can be installed for handling higher melting fats. 

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