NEO MAKİNA ve MÜHENDİSLİK A.Ş. designs, manufactures and installs turnkey thermal oil heaters (hot oil boilers) that deliver process temperatures up to 350 °C at low pressure with precise control. They replace steam in the chemical, food, textile, wood, asphalt and plastics industries as a safe heating solution.
What Is a Thermal Oil Heater and How Does It Work?
A thermal oil heater uses thermal oil instead of water as the heat-transfer fluid. The oil is heated in the heater coils, pumped to process equipment such as reactors, dryers, presses or heat exchangers, releases its heat and returns to the heater. Because thermal oil can exceed 300 °C at atmospheric pressure, the 80–100 bar needed to reach the same temperature with steam is not required.
System Components
- Coil-type heater body: Multi-layer helical coil with radiant and convection zones; vertical or horizontal design.
- Burner / firing system: Firing unit for natural gas, LPG, fuel oil or solid fuel (biomass, coal).
- Circulation pumps: High-temperature rated, redundant (1+1) pump set.
- Expansion and drain tanks: Absorb thermal expansion of the oil; nitrogen blanket prevents oxidation.
- Automation: PLC control of flow/return temperature, flow rate, pressure and flame supervision from one panel; remote monitoring optional.
Operational Advantages
- Low pressure, high temperature: Even at 300 °C system pressure is limited to pump head; boiler-room risk and pressure-vessel cost fall.
- Precise temperature control: Stable process temperature within ±1–2 °C; different consumers can run at different temperatures.
- No corrosion or water treatment: Closed oil loop; no scale, corrosion or blowdown losses.
- Fuel flexibility: Furnace and burner designs for fuels from natural gas to biomass.
- Low maintenance: No pressure-vessel inspections or water chemistry monitoring; less downtime.
Typical Application Range
- Thermal capacity: 100 kW – 10,000 kW (higher on a project basis)
- Outlet temperature: up to 350 °C (mineral oil); higher with synthetic oils
- Fuel: natural gas, LPG, fuel oil, biomass, coal
- Design codes: EN 12953 / ASME; CE conformity
- Applications: chemical reactors, asphalt and bitumen tanks, wood presses, textile stenters, food frying and drying lines
The NEO MAKİNA Difference
Heater capacity, oil flow and piping are calculated from the consumer list and temperature profile. Thermal oil selection, expansion-tank sizing and safety instrumentation are part of the engineering. Installation, commissioning, operator training and spare-parts support are provided by NEO MAKİNA.
Frequently Asked Questions
Thermal oil or steam?
Above 180 °C process temperature, thermal oil is advantageous due to low pressure and precise control. Steam is preferred where direct steam injection or sterilisation is required.
How long does thermal oil last?
In a correctly designed system (film temperature limits respected) mineral oil lasts 5–8 years; it is monitored with annual oil analysis.
Can an existing steam system be converted to thermal oil?
Yes. Consumer coils and heat exchangers are adapted for oil; a feasibility study is provided at proposal stage.
To size the right thermal oil heater for your process and request a quotation, contact us.