Mobile glycol heater for iso tank container heating

Abstract

A mobile heating system for heating a fluid (e.g., glycol) and circulating the heated fluid through one or more ISO containers. In an embodiment, the mobile heating system includes a first heating loop that utilizes steam to heat the fluid. In another embodiment, the mobile heating system includes a second heating loop that uses electrical power to heat the fluid.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A mobile fluid heater for heating an ISO tank container, comprising:
 a fluid reservoir;   a steam heat exchanger having:
 a first fluid path through the heat exchanger fluidly connectable to a source of steam; and 
 a second fluid path through the heat exchanger fluidly connected to the fluid reservoir and an outlet tube; and 
   a pump, the pump configured to pump fluid from the fluid reservoir through the second fluid path of the heat exchanger, through outlet tubing and through return tubing fluidly connected to the outlet tubing; and   wherein the return tubing is fluidly connected to the reservoir such that the outlet tubing and return tubing may form a heating loop through the ISO tank container.   
     
     
         2 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a controller, the controller operatively connected to the pump and configured to control operation of the pump.   
     
     
         3 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of fluid in the outlet tubing exiting from the heat exchanger, wherein the controller is configured to control the operation of the pump based at least in part on an output of the temperature sensor.   
     
     
         4 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a flow sensor configured to measure a flow volume of fluid in the outlet tubing exiting from the heat exchanger, wherein the controller is configured to control the operation of the pump based at least in part on an output of the flow sensor.   
     
     
         5 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a pressure regulator configured to regulate steam flow through the first fluid path through the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         6 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 1 , wherein the controller is configured to control the pressure regulator based on at least one of steam temperature, steam pressure and a temperature of fluid passing through the steam heat exchanger. 
     
     
         7 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 1 , claim further comprising:
 at least a first reel holding a length of at least one of an outlet hose and a return hose.   
     
     
         8 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a plurality of reels each holding lengths of at least one of outlet hoses and return hoses.   
     
     
         9 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a circulation heater fluidly connected to the fluid reservoir and an at least one outlet tube; and   a second pump, the second pump configured to pump fluid from the fluid reservoir through the circulation heater, through the at least one outlet tubing and through at least one return tubing fluidly connected to the at least one outlet tubing,   wherein the at least one return tubing is fluidly connected to the reservoir, wherein the at least one outlet tubing and the at least one return tubing form a second heating loop.   
     
     
         10 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 9 , wherein the circulation heater comprises an electric heater. 
     
     
         11 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a second temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of fluid in the at least one outlet tubing exiting from the circulation heater, wherein the controller is configured to control the operation of the second pump based at least in part on an output of the second temperature sensor.   
     
     
         12 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a second flow sensor configured to measure a flow volume of fluid in the at least one outlet tubing exiting from the circulation heater, wherein the controller is configured to control the operation of the second pump based at least in part on an output of the second flow sensor.   
     
     
         13 . A mobile fluid heater for heating an ISO tank container, comprising:
 a fluid reservoir;   a first heating loop including:
 a steam heat exchanger connected to the fluid reservoir and a source of steam; and 
 a first pump for pumping fluid from the fluid reservoir through the steam heat exchanger, through first outlet line and through a first return line fluidly connected to the fluid reservoir; 
   a second heating loop including:
 an electrical heater connected to the fluid reservoir; 
 a second pump for pumping fluid from the fluid reservoir through the electrical heater, through a second outlet line and trough a second return line fluidly connected to the fluid reservoir; and 
   a controller operatively connected to the first and second pumps and configured to control operation of the pumps based on at least one temperature measurement.   
     
     
         14 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 13 , further comprising:
 a pressure regulator configured to regulate steam flow through the first fluid path through the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         15 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 13 , wherein the controller is configured to control the pressure regulator based on at least one of steam temperature, steam pressure and a temperature of fluid passing through the steam heat exchanger. 
     
     
         16 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 13 , further comprising at least first and second sets of outlet and inlet hoses connected to the first heating loop and the second heating loop respectively. 
     
     
         17 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 13 , wherein each heating loop further comprises at least one temperature sensor operatively connected to the controller. 
     
     
         18 . The mobile fluid heater of  claim 13 , wherein each heating loop further comprises at least one flow sensor operatively connected to the controller. 
     
     
         19 . A method for heating an ISO container, comprising:
 providing a mobile heating unit near an ISO container, the mobile heating unit having a reservoir of fluid;   connecting a heating loop of the mobile heating unit to the ISO container;   connecting the mobile heating unit to a source of steam, wherein the steam flows through a steam heat exchanger in the mobile heating unit;   pumping fluid from the fluid reservoir through the steam heat exchanger, wherein the fluid is heated to a predetermined temperature;   circulating heated fluid through the ISO container and back into the reservoir.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 controlling the flow rate of the pump that pumps the fluid through the steam heat exchanger based on at least one of:   a fluid outlet temperature of the fluid exiting the steam heat exchanger;   a fluid return temperature of fluid returning to the reservoir.