Heated air can then be distributed directly for applications such as space heating and drying or may be stored for later use.

Air is the heated drying medium however, if the liquid is a flammable solvent such as ethanol or the product is oxygen sensitive then nitrogen is used.

When warming up a steam turbine for use, the main steam stop valves (after the boiler) have a bypass line to allow superheated steam to slowly bypass the valve and proceed to heat up the lines in the system along with the steam turbine.