Take the circular approach to thermal fluid management
15 Dec 2025
In an era of tightening regulations, rising energy prices and sustainability targets, manufacturers must do more with less. Adopting a circular approach to thermal fluid management can cut costs, extend system life, reduce downtime and lower carbon footprint, Clive Jones advises …
Circularity is no longer just a buzzword — it is a response to growing regulatory, environmental and economic pressure. The European Union’s Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) compels companies to measure and reduce their environmental impact. In the United Kingdom, frameworks such as the Task Force on Climate-related Financial Disclosures are prompting similar reforms.
As environmental, social and governance priorities rise, thermal fluid management is emerging as an area of significant potential. The need for change is pressing. According to the International Energy Agency, heat applications represent nearly 50% of global energy use and around 40% of carbon dioxide emissions. Any opportunity to improve efficiency — including fluid reuse — is essential.
Traditionally, thermal fluids have followed a linear path: fill, run, degrade, flush and replace. This generates unnecessary waste, higher costs and unplanned downtime. A circular model implements a cycle centred on longevity, reuse and strategic end-of-life treatment — particularly valuable in sectors such as food processing, chemicals, pharmaceuticals and plastics, where uptime is critical and degradation poses serious risks.
Manufacturers face rising costs, stricter emissions rules and growing scrutiny of health, safety and environmental performance. In this context, reactive maintenance is no longer enough. Predictive maintenance is enabling the shift. A Deloitte study shows it can cut downtime by up to 50% and reduce maintenance costs by 25%.
Circularity is no longer just a buzzword — it is a response to growing regulatory, environmental and economic pressure
It can also extend asset life by almost 20% and lower safety and environmental risks by 14%. With Europe’s heat transfer fluid market expected to almost double from US$8.5 billion in 2024 to over US$16 billion by 2032, demand is rising for sustainable and cost-efficient systems.
To this end, Global Heat Transfer’s Thermocare programmes are designed to support circularity. These provide continuous fluid monitoring, regular laboratory analysis and proactive maintenance. By extending fluid life and improving system reliability, they help reduce energy use, emissions and replacement frequency.
Circular measures also include using nitrogen blankets to reduce oxidation, installing flange guards to redirect hot oil and reduce the risk of it spraying onto people or equipment if a flange fails, and providing spill kits and staff training to improve on-site safety. All contribute to a smarter, more sustainable operating model.
Avoiding common pitfalls
A frequent system mistake is turning up the temperature to maintain output. While tempting, this accelerates degradation. Volatile ‘light ends’ increase fire risk while heavy residues reduce efficiency and cause carbon build-up, leading to hot spots, leaks and potential failure.
Another common oversight is failing to optimise the output of the heater fluid. Adjusting the operating temperature to better match process energy needs can reduce the amount of unwanted heat returning to the heater, where excess energy is often lost through exposed sections and insulation. This simple adjustment can improve efficiency and prolong fluid life. Thermocare services catch these problems early through routine analysis. In many cases, fluid quality can be restored with dilution or targeted interventions. At end-of-life, Global Heat Transfer’s recycling programme reprocesses spent fluid for reuse — reducing both waste and cost.
Circularity starts with design. Choosing electric heaters over gas boilers, where feasible, supports cleaner, more maintainable operations. Specifying non-toxic fluids ensures safer performance.
Circular fluid management is already delivering results. At food manufacturer James T. Blakeman Ltd, an Ultimate Thermocare contract helped extend thermal fluid life, reduce environmental impact and improve plant uptime — all through proactive monitoring and lifecycle planning.
In operations where degraded fluids, emissions targets or reliability concerns are key challenges, circular management offers a sustainable, cost-effective path forward — enabling industry to achieve more with less.
Clive Jones is managing director of Global Heat Transfer
