Thermal Fluid/System Care

Scheduled system maintenance, management of flash points and regular collection and analysis of closed, hot and circulating samples is essential to ensure a safe and legally compliant working environment.

Over time, all thermal fluid will degrade and breakdown in one of two ways:

Thermal Cracking

This is the breaking of the molecules due to the absence of oxygen. It can be compared to the fractional distillation process used to produce products from crude oil in a refinery.

Decomposition products are:

• Low boiling fractions (known as light ends) – resulting in reduced flash and fire points
• High boiling fractions (known as heavy ends) – these recombine to form heavier polyaromatic molecules resulting in fouling of the heat transfer surface through carbon deposition

Thermal Oxidation

This is the reaction of the molecules when exposed to oxygen.

Decomposition products are:

• Organic acids - Total Acid Number and RCR - carbon residue which increases the formation of insoluble particles and sludge.
• This has the effect of fouling heat transfer surface, causing loss of thermal efficiency and hot spots.

Global Heat Transfer offers a total fluid management package, which includes filtration and light ends removal right through to 3 - 5 year complete fluid service contracts.

Find out more about our Service Agreements