Electrical heating for ISO & swap body tanks

Expertise in electrically heated tank containers

Tankcon has years and years of experience in supplying electrically heated tank containers in various specifications, including Standard ISO electrical tank containers and swap body tanks fitted with an electrical water-glycol heating unit. These units are provided by renowned suppliers such as Holvrieka, Klinge, and Loebbe. The water-glycol mixture is pumped through the tank’s steam channels to maintain consistent heating.

Standard ISO electrically heated tanks

Our Standard ISO electrically heated tanks are equipped with a full electric heating system supplied by Eltherm. These tank containers are also fitted with steam channels as a backup system, so you can enjoy reliable heating whatever the conditions. Don’t forget to consider heating the discharge valve for all heating solutions, including electrical and steam-based systems.

Flexibility for remote operations

In cases where no power connection is available, the electrical tank container can be fitted with a generator set, offering flexibility for remote operations. Although this may seem straightforward, there are important technical details to discuss with our staff to make sure you get the right configuration for your needs.

Constant product temperature during transit

Wondering whether you need to maintain a product at a specific temperature during transit? Or just before loading? These questions are crucial for determining the right electrical heating solution for you. You need to know the required product temperature during loading and transport, as well as the melting point, and the expected ambient temperature during transit.

Tailored recommendations for electrical heating units

Once you have that information, we can recommend the most effective electrical heating unit, the insulation you need for the tank, and the appropriate heating medium ‒ either water-glycol or pure glycol. If you need to turn up the heat, we can also supply high-temperature electrically heated tanks equipped with thermal oil heating units.

Water-glycol heated tank containers

How water-glycol heating works

The way this heating option works is quite simple: the tank container has a heat unit fitted that heats the water-glycol mixture, which is pumped through the channels under the tank barrel.

Steam channel configuration

Most tank containers have steam channels in various layouts and quantities. When building a new tank with a water-glycol heat unit, you can arrange the layout of the steam channels in a way that works for you and, if needed, add channels to the ends of the vessel. In most cases, a water-glycol unit on a standard tank container has 8, 10, or 12 steam channels. We recommend involving the heat unit and tank container manufacturers in the project to discuss the best flow direction of the heated glycol.

Placing the control box and electrical cable

The position of the control box and electrical cable is crucial; you should generally place the control box at the rear of the tank container. However, there are situations where a side position is better for access.

Download Technical Specifications (PDF)

If deep-sea traffic is involved, we recommend you consult the shipping line to confirm that you can mount the reefer unit on one of the sides and place the control box on the rear of the container. Our friendly staff will be happy to help.

Expansion tank: Each water-glycol system includes an expansion tank located on top of the tank container. You can choose between stainless steel and plastic.

Ventilation: We advise you add a vent to the two top steam channels, as this will make filling the system much easier. However, this comes with costs, as you need to remove the cladding and insulation to install the vent lines.

Full electric heating

The water-glycol heating system offers flexibility, because you can remove it from the container when the unit reaches the end of its technical life, allowing you to reuse the tank as a standard tank container. You can also install the unit on another tank container. For a more permanent solution and higher investment, you can go 100% electric, where you attach electrical cables to the tank barrel before applying the insulation. This makes it more expensive for existing tank containers, as you have to remove the cladding and insulation during installation. Companies mainly opt for this on newly built tank containers.

The pros:

No moving parts like pumps, which means lower maintenance costs and fewer failures.
You can attach the electrical cables around the entire barrel, including the front and rear.
The system is designed with multiple power groups. If there’s a problem with one cable, you can switch off one power group, while the remaining groups will still be powerful enough to maintain the temperature of the loaded product.
The tank container’s steam channels remain available and can serve as a backup. So, if the electrical system fails, you can still heat the product before discharge.

As an alternative to cable heating, silicon mats can be supplied by various manufacturers for a dedicated tank container, see sample in left image:

We work with first-class suppliers of heating systems, including Loebbe and Klinge, as well as world-class manufacturers of tank containers. With our combined expertise, we can offer the best possible solution for your product. These images are electrical heat systems supplied by Eltherm.