Many commodities carried by the DOT-117J100W tank car can experience significant changes to their viscosity resulting from loss of temperature in the time between tank car loading and unloading. This may make these materials difficult, if not impossible, to unload. Heater systems applied to the tanks permit reheating of the commodity at the unloading facility.
UTLX’s exterior heater systems are made of half oval coils welded to the exterior surface of the tank. This creates a continuous back-and-forth flow path through which a heating medium can be distributed. Plant-generated steam is the most common heating medium but hot oil or hot water can also be used. With this arrangement, heater coils never come in direct contact with the commodity inside the tank.
