A two-dimensional model of the horizontal pipe that can heat binary molten salt through a built-in electric tracing heater is constructed. The melting process of molten salt in the pipe is numerically simulated

and the uniformity and efficiency for the melting process of molten salt are analyzed under different layout locations

sizes

and powers of the electric tracing heater. The results show that

affected by natural convection

the melting molten salt near the electric tracing heater flows to the upper space of the pipe gradually and converges to the top of the pipe. When the power of the electric tracing heater is 47.1 W/m and the angle between its installation position and the gravity direction is approximately 30°

the uniformity for the thawing process of the molten salt is better and the melting time is shorter(about 270 min). As the diameter of the electric tracing heater is increased from 10 mm to 30 mm

the temperature uniformity of the molten salt melting process is improved by 31.2% and the time required for complete melting is reduced by 54.6%. It is suggested that during the design and installation of an electric tracing heater in the molten salt pipe

the angle between the electric tracing heater location and the gravity direction should be better at 30°～90°

and the diameter of the electric tracing heater should be enlarged as much as possible while meeting the process requirements

to improve the uniformity and efficiency for the melting process of molten salt.