IEEE recommended practice for the design and installation of electric pipe heating systems for nuclear power generating stations

The realization that electric pipe heating systems play an important role in the normal operation of both nuclear and non-nuclear processes in nuclear power generating stations is now coming of age. This is apparent by the increased amount of space being devoted to electric pipe heating in station technical specifications, system descriptions, and operating criteria. Such electric pipe heating systems are applied on borated water systems and on water treatment systems such as caustic. Since boric acid and caustics in water will crystalize or precipitate out of the solution, depending on their concentrations at temperatures above ambient, and since such crystallization can make the piping system inoperable for normal operation, electric pipe heating systems are required to keep the solutions and piping systems in a state to perform their intended functions. Electric pipe heating systems may also be applied on piping located outdoors at nuclear generating stations for the purpose of preventing the piping systems from freezing. It should be noted that each and all of these piping systems can include valves, pumps, strainers, tanks, and instrumentation components that can be rendered inoperable due to solutions crystalizing or freezing. Therefore, a definite need exists within the nuclear power industry for recommendations that provide a uniform method for the design and installation of electric pipe heating systems that meet the requirements for rendering reliable operation of the piping system. Without such recommendations, station reliability may be jeopardized