As the market and the world around us change, we know that we need to work flexibly within all aspects of the manufacturing industry. Every year at Paratherm we embark on self-evaluation to see what we need to do in order to continue personal growth within the business for the upcoming year. Looking to 2017, […]
It’s hard to believe that we are fast approaching the end of another year. Many exciting strides and changes contributed to the past 12 months, but the one constant you can be sure to count on is our dedication to providing the best heat transfer fluids (HTF) for each of our customers. The Paratherm team […]
Fluid Life Tests While oxidation is the #1 reason that heat transfer fluids need to be replaced, it doesn’t always follow that using a fluid with an oxidation inhibitor will prevent oxidative sludging. Oxidation inhibitors are chemical additives designed to prevent the sludge formation, acidification, and viscosity increases that result when air and hot heat-transfer-fluid molecules […]
Does lab testing tell the whole story? There are a number of accelerated aging laboratory tests that are designed to determine oxidation-inhibitor performance and longevity. Most involve bubbling pure oxygen through a heated sample that has an oxidation catalyst (usually copper wire) submerged in it. The effectiveness of the additive is determined by measuring the […]
The reason Paratherm, and other responsible heat-transfer fluid manufacturers, put so much value on fluid analysis is because it’s an objective and scientific evaluation. Yes, there is a wide range of test values between brand-new fluid and fluid that has reached its end of life. And a discussion of the test results with a trusted […]
In Depth Answers to a few Frequently Asked Questions about Heat Transfer Fluids The technology of heat transfer fluids is not extremely complicated. It involves liquids, heaters, pumps, flow rates, thermal and physical properties, and a few basic engineering principles. Still, some of the more curious aspects of the fluids themselves fit with common-sense […]
When designing or maintaining a hot-oil system, one important aspect is thermal insulation; adequate insulation is a necessary evil on these systems. Even if energy costs were zero, there would still be the need to protect company personnel (especially overzealous young process engineers and nosy visitors from headquarters) from exposure to hot pipes. Not to […]
Minimizing fire hazard from insulation is very straightforward — if you have the money. Insulation is nothing more than a large number of air pockets that are held in place by some type of material. For high temperature systems, these materials may consist of mineral fibers, compressed particles (calcium silicate or perlite) or cellular glass […]
Reduce Insulation Fire Potential While Controlling Cost Although it almost eliminates the potential for insulation fires, good quality cellular glass insulation (like FOAMGLAS) is significantly more expensive both to purchase and install than the mineral fiber (fiber glass or glass wool) or compressed particle (calcium silicate or perlite) type materials. The trick to “optimizing” insulation […]
We are excited to see the old year winding down and the New Year quickly approaching. It has been a busy 2013 and thanks to our customers, it was a great one too! Here’s a look ahead for 2014: We are working on a possible new transfer fluid product for the asphalt paving industry. Its […]
