摘要 |
A heated conduit (3) is used with an oil pipeline (1) so as to heat the oil and thereby lower its viscosity. In one embodiment an electrical conductor (4) inside a conduit 3 is attached to the outside of an existing pipe (1) either by winding or laying it laterally. The conductor (4) has an alternating electric current flowing through it and the electric current generates a magnetic field (5) which heats the wall (30) of conduit 3 by way of dipolar excitation and thus heats pipe (1). In other embodiments the heating element may be laid within the pipe or formed integrally therein. <IMAGE> |