The use of tank coils is particularly common in marine applications where cargoes of crude oil, edible oils, tallow

and molasses are heated in deep tanks. Many of these liquids are difficult to handle at ambient temperatures due to
their viscosity. Steam-heated coils are used to raise the temperature of these liquids, lowering their viscosity so
that they become easier to pump.
Tank coils are also extensively used in electroplating and metal treatment. Electroplating involves passing articles
through several process tanks so that metallic coatings can be deposited onto their surfaces. One of the first stages
in this process is known as pickling, where materials such as steel and copper are treated by dipping them in tanks
of acid or caustic solution to remove any scale or oxide (e.g. rust) which may have formed.