# Thermal Fluid heating



## cubpilot (Aug 18, 2008)

Three sister ships I sailed on in the 1970s had thermal fluid heating systems rather than steam for all heating requirements. Lots of benefits that outweighed the cost of the fluid. 
With fewer and smaller components to maintain there was less workload for us and with no source of additional humidity the engine room felt more comfortable in the tropics. 
Just wondered if thermal fluid systems are used these days in preference to steam.


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## G0SLP (Sep 4, 2007)

Yes, many ships use Thermal Oil systems. My employers have recently built 8 ships with TO as opposed to steam


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## Robin Craythorn (Nov 9, 2006)

I sailed on a few ferries with thermal oil system, whilst it was efficient, it did have a low flash point and would ignite easily if coming into a hot surface such as hot bearing oil leaking from leaking gland packing on vertically mounted circulating pump oil (Earl Glanville) hot exhaust uptakes and valve leak on 'Norsea/Pride of York'


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## borderreiver (Oct 11, 2008)

Tankers have had them for a few years for cargo heating.


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## twogrumpy (Apr 23, 2007)

We used thermal heating systems for frying potato crisps, if I remember correctly there were two vertical cylindrical "boilers" about 8' in diameter standing in the region of 20' high, these supplying heat to the fryers.

Known as a Wanson.


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