Both steam and thermic fluid move heat from a fired unit to your process. The right choice depends mainly on the temperature your process needs, and on how much pressure you are prepared to run at to reach it.
The quick rule
| Steam boiler | Thermic fluid heater | |
|---|---|---|
| Typical process temperature | Up to about 180 °C | 150 – 300 °C |
| Pressure in the system | Rises with temperature (15 kg/cm² ≈ 200 °C) | Near-atmospheric, even at 300 °C |
| Best for | Direct heating, sterilisation, humidification, jacketed vessels, presses, laundries | Reactors, stenters, corrugators, hot-oil presses, drying |
| Water treatment | Needed (soft feed water) | Not needed, as the oil circulates in a closed loop |
| Neotech range | Revotech · Minimatic · Nanomatic | Neotherm · Neotherm C · Neotherm E |
Why thermic fluid wins at high temperature
To get 250 °C from steam you would need roughly 40 kg/cm², which means a heavy, high-pressure system. A Neotherm heater delivers thermic fluid at up to 300 °C at near-atmospheric pressure, with three passes, one radiant and three convective heat transfers, and around 88 % efficiency on oil.
Fuel choice
- Oil (LDO / FO): Neotherm NT, from 50,000 to 15,00,000 kcal/hr.
- Coal, wood or briquette: Neotherm C, with an external furnace and balanced draught, built for low-grade fuel.
- Electric: Neotherm E, up to 70,000 kcal/hr at 98 % efficiency, for pilot plants and small reactors.
- PNG / LPG: Neotherm with a Riello gas burner.
A note on sizing
Add up the heat loads of every consumer and allow for piping losses and a sizing margin. Keep the thermic fluid outlet at least 20–30 °C above your highest process temperature. The thermic fluid calculator does this for you and gives the circulation rate too.