Description
Jacketed Heating Tank — Laser-Welded Inflated Plate
3D honeycomb channels, superior heat transfer, and shell welds protected from direct thermal stress. Engineered for Australian chemical, pharma, food and bitumen processing.
A Smarter Way to Jacket a Tank
Traditional jacketed vessels use full-annular jackets or half-pipe coils — both require heavy welding directly onto the tank shell, which stresses seam strength and complicates code compliance.
Ever-power takes a different route: we laser-weld a thin stainless sheet onto the outside of the shell in a grid pattern, then hydroform it into a 3D honeycomb channel structure. Result: more heat-transfer area, less shell stress, and a mechanically stiffer tank.
How the Inflated-Plate Jacket Works
1. Pattern Laser-Welding
A 1.2–2.0 mm thin plate is tacked to the tank shell in a spot or line grid. Weld nodes are placed where structural stiffening is most useful.
2. Hydroform Inflation
Water is injected between the plate and shell at up to 250 bar. Unwelded zones bulge outward, forming uniform 3D flow channels with controlled bulge height (typically 4–10 mm).
3. Code-Tested Assembly
Hydro-pressure test, PMI, and surface finishing follow. The jacket ships ready for steam, thermal oil, hot water, glycol or cooling-water service.
Head-to-Head — Inflated Jacket vs. Traditional Alternatives
| Criterion | Inflated Plate Jacket | Half-Pipe Coil | Full Annular Jacket |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heat-transfer area | ≈ 95 % of shell surface | 45–60 % | 100 % |
| U-value (steam side) | 700–1,400 W/m²·K | 450–800 W/m²·K | 300–600 W/m²·K |
| Jacket pressure | up to 1.6 MPa | up to 2.5 MPa | up to 0.6 MPa |
| Extra shell stiffness | Yes (honeycomb effect) | Moderate | None |
| Welds on shell | Tack welds only (low heat input) | Continuous fillet welds | Circumferential seams |
| Typical jacket weight | 35–50 kg/m² | 55–80 kg/m² | 90–130 kg/m² |
| Fluid inventory | Low (fast response) | Medium | High |
Technical Specifications
| Item | Standard Offer |
|---|---|
| Tank volume | 50 L – 120 m³ (larger on request) |
| Tank diameter | up to 4,500 mm |
| Shell material | 304 / 316L / 2205 / carbon steel |
| Jacket plate material | 304 / 316L / 2205 / 904L |
| Jacket design pressure | 0.6 / 1.0 / 1.6 MPa |
| Jacket design temperature | -30 °C to +300 °C |
| Heating media | Steam, thermal oil, hot water, glycol |
| Surface finish (internal) | Ra ≤ 0.4 µm (pharma grade) to Ra 1.6 µm (industrial) |
| Applicable codes | AS 1210, ASME VIII Div.1, PED 2014/68/EU |
| Agitator & accessories | Top-entry / bottom-entry, baffles, manways, CIP/SIP ports |
Industries That Rely on Our Jacketed Heating Tanks
Fine Chemicals
Reactor temperature control for exothermic and crystallisation processes.
Pharmaceutical
GMP-grade jacketed vessels with mirror-polished interiors and CIP/SIP connections.
Food & Beverage
Mixing and heating tanks for syrups, sauces, dairy bases and brewing worts.
Bitumen & Asphalt
Thermal-oil-heated tanks for storage and polymer-modified bitumen blending.
Paints & Coatings
Heated resin and solvent blending tanks with ATEX-compliant fittings.
Waste Treatment
Pre-heating and conditioning tanks ahead of incineration and RTO systems.
Why Ever-power Jacketed Tanks Win Tenders
▶ Less Heat Input Into the Shell
Laser tacks transfer 70 % less heat than continuous fillet welds. Your shell weld seams and internal linings stay intact for the design life of the vessel.
▶ Faster Temperature Response
Thin 3D channels hold only a fraction of the heating-fluid inventory of a full jacket — changeovers and setpoint changes happen 2–4× faster.
▶ Stiffened Shell, Lower Tank Weight
The honeycomb effect stiffens the shell so we can reduce shell thickness by one or two grades — saving 10–18 % on overall tank weight and shipping cost.
▶ Global Code Coverage
Designs stamped to AS 1210, ASME Section VIII, PED, and SQL/JB 4732. Full documentation package delivered before FAT.
▶ Australian-Friendly Lead Times
Most jacketed heating tanks ship in 10–16 weeks ex-works, with sea freight to Brisbane, Melbourne, Adelaide or Perth fully coordinated on our side.
▶ One Partner for Whole Systems
Pair the tank with agitators, skid piping, heating/cooling units, and downstream oxidisers — see the complete range on our company page.
Case Study — Victoria Specialty Chemicals
Melbourne Specialty Resin Plant — 25 m³ Reactor
Challenge: Existing half-pipe coil reactor could not ramp from 60 °C to 180 °C within the 45-minute batch window. Competitor vessel had shell-weld cracks at the coil attachment.
Ever-power Scope: 25 m³ 316L vessel with inflated-plate thermal-oil jacket, 180 m² effective heat-transfer area, bottom-entry agitator, AS 1210-compliant design package.
Outcome: Heat-up time reduced to 24 minutes; batch cycle shortened by 18 %; zero shell-weld defects after 3 years of continuous service.
Queensland Bitumen Terminal — 6 × 80 m³ Storage Tanks
Challenge: Legacy tanks with external coil heating suffered poor temperature uniformity; cold-spot bitumen refused to pump below 150 °C.
Ever-power Scope: Retrofit inflated-plate jacket over entire tank shell, thermal-oil service at 230 °C, insulation cladding with aluminium outer sheet.
Outcome: Bitumen temperature uniformity within ± 4 °C across full tank height; pump-out time down 35 %; thermal-oil heater load reduced 22 %.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Is an inflated-plate jacket stronger than a half-pipe coil?
For the same jacket design pressure, the inflated jacket is typically lighter but equally strong, because the honeycomb weld nodes act as structural anchors distributed across the whole shell — rather than concentrated stress at a single coil weld line.
Q2. Can I use steam, thermal oil and cooling water in the same jacket?
Yes. The jacket is a sealed volume — any clean heat-transfer fluid compatible with the plate material can be used. Multi-media service (for example heating and cooling cycles) is standard in reactor applications, provided the jacket is drainable.
Q3. Does the inflated jacket meet AS 1210 requirements?
Yes. Ever-power designs to AS 1210, ASME Section VIII Div.1 or PED 2014/68/EU as requested. The jacket is treated as a pressure envelope with its own design calculation and test pressure, documented in the final MDR.
Q4. Is this suitable for GMP pharmaceutical service?
Yes. Internal surfaces are electropolished to Ra ≤ 0.4 µm and supplied with 3.1 material certificates, surface-finish logs and FDA-compliant gaskets. Riboflavin spray tests and SIP cycle qualification are available.
Q5. Can I add an agitator later?
Yes, provided the top head nozzle pattern is specified in advance. We often supply tanks with an agitator-ready nozzle even when the initial project is storage-only, to protect future flexibility.
Q6. What is the typical delivery time to Australia?
Fabrication takes 10–16 weeks depending on size and code. Sea freight to Brisbane, Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide or Fremantle adds 4–6 weeks. Expedited air or break-bulk shipping is offered for critical projects.
Q7. How do I prevent fouling inside the jacket channels?
Use filtered heat-transfer fluid, install a strainer upstream of the jacket inlet, and follow the inhibitor-dosing schedule provided with the O&M manual. Internal channels are designed to drain fully, so chemical cleaning is straightforward when required.
Ready to Replace Your Half-Pipe or Full-Jacket Tank?
Share your process duty, media and code requirement. Within 48 hours we will return a jacket heat-transfer calculation, tank GA sketch and fixed quotation — delivered across Australia, supported locally.
