Heater assembly for bulk liquid tank trailers

A method for heating a fluid circulating through a liquid transport trailer while in transit, the trailer being connected to a truck having a source of direct current (DC) electric power, the method comprising:

• sourcing DC power from the truck's DC electric power source;
• converting the DC power to alternating current (AC) using an electric inverter electrically connected to the DC power source;
• activating a liquid pump using DC power to initiate circulation of a heating liquid through a closed-loop heat exchange tube in the trailer and a resistance-type AC electric liquid heater;
• activating the AC electric liquid heater to begin a heating cycle, wherein the heater is supplied with AC power from the electric inverter;
• heating the circulating liquid with the resistance-type AC electric liquid heater to maintain the heating liquid at a temperature within a pre-set operational range that is sufficient to maintain the cargo at a desired temperature;
• and
• continuously circulating the heated liquid through the heat exchange tube to maintain the temperature of a temperature-sensitive material being transported in the trailer.