07-04-2014

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Mar 2014

FIRED HEATERS - DESIGN

DEDICATED TO:
Lynn Evans and Bill Handel, Foster Wheeler, UK Acknowledgment
Robert D Reed, John Zink, USA API Standard 560/ RP 530
Project Standards/ Specifications
Pictures from many sources, suppliers, internet
Today we are able to see further and farther
standing on the shoulders of such giants

Since
Fired Heaters Training 1 - 3 days 1976 38

Introduction (100 slides) - 6 ~ 8 hours

Design (40 slides) - 3 hours + 4 hours in Worksheet

Operations (45 slides) - 2 ~ 4 hours

 Introduction Design
 Process Fired Heaters
 Firebox Heat Transfer - A Primer
 Plant energy flow; Fired heaters - Source of high temperature heat
 Vertical Cylindrical, Box, Cabin, Multi-cell
 Radiant Section Sizing
 Fired Reactors  Convection Section Sizing
 Ethylene Cracker; Steam Hydrocarbon Reformer; EDC Cracker;  Coil Design
Visbreaker; Delayed Coker
 Other Types  Stack
 All Convection; Water Bath  Burners
 Firing
 Single or double sided; Floor up-fired, End or Side wall fired; Multi-
 Refractory System
level fired and Roof or Down-fired
 Burners Operations
 Gas or Oil or Combination; Low NOx  Safety Alerts
 Draft
 Firebox Explosion
 Natural, Forced, Induced and Balanced
 Components  Excess Air Control
 Tube & Tube Supports; Soot blowers, Stack, Refractory  Draft Control
 Waste Heat Recovery:
 Fuel & Firing Control
 Steam Generation; BFW Heating, Air Pre-heater, Gas Turbine
Exhaust WHRU  Heater Control
 Coking & Hot Spots

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Contents

Firebox Heat Transfer - A Primer

Radiant Section Sizing

Convection Section Sizing

Coil Design

Stack

Burner, Fuel Systems

Refractory System

Design Steps: There are 2 loops

Loop 1: Assume Coil Size, No of Passes, to calculate coil velocity, heat transfer coefft etc
Loop 2:Assume Radiant Duty, Flux, Size Firebox, Find Firebox Temperature, Do heat balance;
Verify assumed radiant duty, Repeat, if required
Size convection Section; Check pressure drop
Repeat Coil size/ passes, if required

FIREBOX HEAT TRANSFER - A PRIMER

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Radiation - Bulk from gas; not flame

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IR: 0.7 to 400 µ. Heater 0.7 to 14 µ

Radiation: heat transfer across space without physical contact.

A surface phenomena related to surface temperature

Solid radiation is in full spectrum. Surface phenomena.
Gas radiation - Thickness or Depth related. Limited range.

Wavelengths: Shorter as energy level/ temperature rises
 Sun is hot. Much of its radiation in shorter wavelengths, visible light

It may appear that radiation is from flame,
 But bulk is from hot CO2 and H2O in flue gas, in infrared range
 90% from gas; 10% from flame

Note: H2 has no visible flame. Oil flame appears luminous as it cracks to
soot during combustion

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Gas Radiation - H2O + CO2 The link ed image cannot be display ed. The file may hav e been mov ed, renamed, or deleted. Verify that the link points to the correct
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Why only CO2 and H2O?

Symmetrical molecules O2 + N2 do not
absorb or radiate in firebox IR range
Mol Fractn H2O+ CO2

0.35
0.30 H2
Partial Pressure or

Binary H2O and CO2 molecular bonds 0.25 CH4

bend and vibrate.  Kinetic energy 10°Oil
 H2O emissivity is the highest
 Gaseous fuels radiate better
Fuel H2O/ (H2O+CO2) 0% Xs Air 20% 40%
Heavy oil 1/3 (0.3-0.42) 0.7
Distillates 1/2 (0.42-0.5) 700°C
Natural Gas 2/3 (0.6-0.7) 0.6 900°C
1100°C
Gas emissivity, εG

Gas emissivity εG depends on gas 0.5

temperature, partial pressure of H2O + 0.4
CO2 + SO2 - “p” and depth of gas cloud 0.3
or mean beam length, L. High Xs air
reduces εG 0.2
0.1
0.0 0.5 1.0 1.5
L = 3.6*V/Ae, Wimpress pL, atm.m

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Flue gas recirculation velocity

increases with firebox height, giving
Firebox - All 3 modes convection coefft hc = 10 to 15 W/~,
10-15 kCal/~, 2-3 Btu/~)

Flue gas recirculates - between tubes and

refractory - thermo siphon effect - and
transfers heat by convection to the front + back
of tubes and refractory

Heat to tubes/ fluid
 Front: Flame + gas cloud radiation + convection
Re-circulating
 Back: Convection + Refractory radiation
Flue Gas
 By conduction thru tubes; by convection from tubes
to process fluids
Gas Cloud

Refractory

Heat Exchange between gas components
 70% heat in non-radiating O2 and N2. Exchange
heat by convection with CO2 and H2O that radiate

In firebox - all 3 modes of heat transfer active
 Radiation from gas cloud; convection between
gases, to tube and refractory; tube and heated fluid. Gas cloud remains at
Conduction thru scale and tube wall residual or equilibrium
firebox temperature,
receives heat from
flame and radiates it to
Bulk of heat transfer in radiant section is by convection between gases tubes and refractory

Firebox - Refractory’s Role Tube Spacing Vs. Fraction

absorbed α c.f. parallel planes
1.0

0.8
Reflection boosts radiation transfer. Effectiveness: Total = Direct +
Reflected
Fraction absorbed α

Direct 75%; Once reflected 68%; Twice 61%; Thrice 54% 0.6
Refractory

D
Take 100 rays from a single point 0.4 Direct
S Direct 40 rays x 0.75 = 30 units
Once reflected 30 rays x 0.68 = 20.4 0.2
Twice reflected 15 rays x 0.61 = 9.2 0.0
Thrice reflected 15 rays x 0.54 = 8.1 1 2 3 4
Spacing S in terms of tube dia d, S/D
Total 67.7 units

Refractory re-radiation enhances gas emissivity + S
heats tube backside
Refractory

Larger the tube spacing: or more gap between tubes, Acp S

less direct radiation and more reflected radiation L Acp
 Tubes usually on 2D spacing
 Tube to wall 1½ D. Beyond 1½ D, rear side absorption 
L

Av Radiant Flux: Acp S
 Based tube outside area = πDL
 In analysis, area of receiving plane, viz αSL taken, viz.
effective area of Cold Plane or αAcp
Acp = nSL if single side fired
Acp = 2nSL if double side fired,
but “α” direct only

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Cgr
Cgt
Firebox - Refractory’s Role
Rgt Rrt CCRra
Rgr

3 Zones:

Overall Exchange Factor, F

1. Source = Gas cloud + Flame 0.9
2. Sink = Tubes; and both enclosed by 0.8 Ar/αAcp =5
0.7 3
3. Refractory that absorbs no heat but reradiates 0.6 1
back to source, to sink and to itself 0.5 0
0.4

Refractory 0.3
 Enhances heat to tubes - back and front side 0.2
0.1
 More effective - close to tube + high emissivity; 0.2 0.3 0.4 0.5 0.6 0.7
short distance (square-of-distance-effect) Gas emissivity, εG
 Contribution more in side-wall and central/ Ar = Uncovered refractory
bridge-walled fired heaters; but mean beam area = Total Refractory
length and flue gas recirculation is low area, At minus αAcp

Once refractory’s role is understood, 2nd row
of tubes abandoned. Doubles the cost but

Refractory
adds 25% more area. Also abandoned efforts X
on polished reflecting surface on refractory
X

Flux & Temperature Gradient

180°

60°

Gradient in Tube and Gas Temperature based on: Single sided firing
 Size and shape of firebox

Squat firebox: Less gas temperature gradient

Long cylinder more gradient
Double sided firing
 Proportion of tube covered wall area
 Flow of fluid w.r.t flue gas flow
 Tube to tube spacing Impact of T4 relationship:
 Tube to wall spacing and if T2 < ½T1, flux gradients
 Type of firing & firing density impacting recirculation minor. Take a Crude Oil
Heater. Tin = 300°C Tout =

Single sided firing: Max front or fireside 180°flux 370 Tav = 335 Tt = 370 Tg =
50% higher than average flux on 2D spacing; front 870°, Tt4 is about 10% of
60° is 80% more - 45% more on 3D Tg4. 10% variation in Tt has

Double sided firing - 25% more on front 60° little impact on Tg. Some
correlations ignore Tt.

Larger tube spacing evens out maximum flux rate
Inlet : Outlet flux = 1.05:1.0
 Example: Peak film temp- 2D = 450°C 3D = 433°C
In case of fired reactors T1
and T2 are close

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Cgr
Cgt
Summary
Rgt Rrt CCRra
Rgr

Emissivity, ε and Absorptivity, α depend on temperature/
wavelength. Higher the temperature, lower in metals; exception
non-metals like refractory

Polished and clean metal surfaces - low ε; oxidized and rough metal
surfaces - high ε. Usual tube ε = 0.9

Simple heat transfer analysis - stirred tank or single zone.
Computerized methods - multiple small zones
 Temperature gradients expected in wall firing tall and narrow fired reactors

Conduction and convection decided by temperature difference or
∆t. Radiation decided by temperature level. WB = σT4. Higher
sensitivity to temperature

Net exchange between two surfaces:
q1
2 A1F σ(T14 - T24)/(1/ε1 - 1/ε2 -1) + convection part, hc Ao(T1 - T2)

Multiple sources + multiple receptors @ temperature gradients in
different firebox zones - can be solved by a network analysis as in an
electrical circuit with differing potential

Qr = Radiant duty
Qin = Heat input into firebox
Literature φoverall = Overall exchange factor
C = Empirical coefft based on Tg
Se = Equivalent effective area

Wilson, Lobo & Hottel (1932)

 Qr = Qin/ (1+G(Qin/αAcp)½/4200). Only Xs air. Firebox Ar, pL, Tg, Tt not in

Hottel (1938)
 Qr = αAcpφoverallσ(Tg4 - Tt4). pL, εgas,εeffective ,firebox geometry considered

Mekler (1938)
 Qr = 1.74e-8CSe(Tg4 - Tt4). pL, εgas ,εeffective ,firebox geometry not considered

Lobo & Evans (1939) - Widely used
 Qr = 1.73e-8αAcpφ(Tg4 - Tt4) + 7φ(Tg4 - Tt4)
 pL, εgas ,εeffective ,firebox geometry + convection considered. εtube = 0.9
 85 tests; 19 different furnaces; Xs air = 6-170% q/A = 3,000 to 54,000 Btu/h.ft2;
Ar/ αAcp = 0.45-6.65. Error 5-16%. Modern: Xs air = 5-40% Ar/αAcp = 0.5-1
Tg

Hottel & Sarofim (1967)
 Qr = Acp σ εeffective (Tg4 - Tt4)
 pL, εgas , firebox geometry not considered. εeffective based
on tube pitch and εtube free to input
Tg = Based on both heat
transfer and heat balance

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S S

Literature L
D
Acp

S = 12/6.625 = 1.81

Literature “bookish” correlations S = 8/4.5 = 1.77, say 1.8 D
require Ao ≈ 2αAcp
 Firebox layout to find Tg; as if equations
hc = 10 W/~, kCal/~ , 2
are good for rating only Btu/~ units based on Ao.
 Not true. One can assume a radiant duty
Based on αAcp
split / duty, lay out firebox and tubes, Taking εeffective = 0.57,
calculate Ar, αAcp, Tg, and check duty 10*2/0.57 = 35 W/~, kCal/~
, 7 Btu/~ units,

Which tube area?
 Projected area, At = DL
 Projected cold plane, Acp = SL = 1.8DL
 Flux specified on tube OD area, Ao = πDL
 At = Ao/π = Acp/1.8
 Acp = 1.8*At = 1.8Ao/π. Ao ≈2 αAcp

Literature

Qr = αAcp εeffective σ(Tg4 - Tt4) + hc Ao(Tg - Tt) or
Qr/αAcp εeffective = σ(Tg4 - Tt4) + 35 or 7 (Tg - Tt)
Ao ≈ 2αAcp

Graph of Ttube Vs various Tgas against Ao flux hc = 10 W/~, kCal/~ , 2

Btu/~ units based on Ao.

Convection in a Crude Heater firebox, say Based on αAcp

Tg=870°; Tt=370°C = 10*500 = 5,000 W/~ or Taking εeffective = 0.57,
about 16.6% 10*2/0.57 = 35 W/~, kCal/~
, 7 Btu/~ units,

Correlations that ignore convection give a

higher gas or Bridge Wall Temperature + lower
radiant duty split
Av Flux - OD

950°C
 Example F = 30,000 W/~ Tt = 370 Tg = 870 / 925°C 850°C
750°C
69/66%
Tube Metal Temp

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Case Study - 3 MW
Method Radiant % BWT, °C
Simple F = 0.35 on OD. - Convection  69 875
GPSA WLH - No Convection 65 930
Nelson WLH - No Convection 67 900
Hottel & Sarofim (Add Convection) 65 (68) *935 (890) Chart = 890°C
Lobo & Evans - With Convection 65 *940
* BWT by trial & error. Need to assume firebox layout first to determine heat transfer in firebox
T-ambient
Parameter 100% Load 100% Load 67% Load
T- Stack
WLH Method 20% Xs Air 60% Xs Air 20% Xs Air
Stack Gas Temp, °C 385 405 340
BWT Overall
Efficiency, % 80.2 74.0 82.7
efficiency
Radiant Radiant Split, % 67.4 62.5 72.0
efficiency
Bridge Wall Temp, °C 900 825 800
Flame Temp
Arch Draft, mm WC -1.5 +4 -1.5
Xs air reduces flame temp; Air- Burner Draft, mm WC -6.3 -1 -6.3
preheat increases flame temp

RADIANT SECTION SIZING

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Duty = 3 MW
Fuel & Flue Gas
VC Heater

Tin / Tout = 250/ 450°C

Stack Gas ∆T = 140°C

Verify heat duty = ẃ(Hout-Hin)

Stack Gas T = 390°C

Select heater type

No dew pt issue

Select stack temp = Inlet fluid temp + 30 ~ 150°C

Fuel = Refinery Gas

Check if inlet fluid temperature results in

Ex Air = 20%
 Flue gas water dew point (≈ 60-70°C) and/or
 Acid dew point (≈ 150°C). Stack gas T > Dew Point
Thermal eff = 82.2 %

Find thermal efficiency based on stack gas
Casing loss = 2%
temperature, Xs air and 1-3% casing loss
Fired Duty = 30/0.802 =

Find fuel fired, flue gas and air demand 3.74 MW
NHV Air Air kg/
Fuel (LHV 46,250 kJ/kg) =
Fuel kCal/kg kg/kg 10,000 kCal 291 kg/h
H2 28,670 34.8 12.10
C 8,110 11.6 14.30

Air = 5,427 kg/h
S 5,650 4.4 7.80
Flue gas = 5,718 kg/h
Methane 13,290 17.3 13.00 Combustion Air Demand. Magic Number
Ethane 12,420 16.1 13.00 3.4 kg/10,000 kJ;14.0 kg/ 10,000 kcal; 7.8 lb/ 10,000 Btu

Coil Design

Based on flow and allowable ∆P,
∆P, allow = 3 bar
select tube size (4 or 6”) and passes
2 pass - 4”

Velocity = 17.7 m/s

Find velocity and heat transfer coefft

hi = 1,088 W/m².°C

Vacuum heater: Limit outlet velocity

hio = 983 W/m².°C
to 80% sonic to avoid shearing liquid

Ensure flow regime in vaporizing
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froth, plug, slug, and annular

Check ∆P after heater sizing - total
equivalent length

If calculated ∆P is higher than
allowed, change tube size / passes.
Repeat to match specified ∆P

Reaction Heater: Coil size to suit soaking volume

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Typical Radiant Flux

Service Av Flux, W/m² Av Flux, Btu/h.ft²

Crude, Charge/ Feed Heater, Reboiler, Hot Oil 32~38,000 10~12,000
Vacuum (Fuel), Coker 32,000 10,000
Vacuum (Lube) 28,000 9,000
Visbreaker, Raffinate, Extract 22,000 7,000
Asphalt 19,000 6,000
Ethylene Cracker; Hydrogen Reformer 64,000 20,000

Fluid Tin = 250°C

Tout = 450°C
Radiant Section
Radiant 67%;
Convection 33%

Assume a radiant split (% total duty in firebox)
Radiant Tin = 250 +
60-80%, find fluid inlet temperature and 0.33*200 = 316 °C
average temperature in firebox
Fluid Tav = (316+450)/2

Take average radiant flux given by client/ =383°C
assume
Av Flux = 30 kW/m²
 Higher the flux, heater size ; TMT and coking 

Assume 2D (8”) pitch

From “hio” and tube thermal conductivity,
calculate average tube metal temperature (Tt)
Front 180° Flux = 45

For the flux and Tt, find Tg, the gas cloud
Tube = 315 + 45/ hio +
radiating temperature ∆tm =435°C
 Hottel, Wilson, Lobo & Evans, Mekler correlations
Tgas = 900°C (WLH)

In a well stirred heater, Tg ≈ Bridge Wall
Radiant Eff = 54 %
Temperature (BWT) or radiant exit gas
temperature to perform heat balance and
Split = 0.54*3.74/3 =
radiant section efficiency. In tall fireboxes Tg > 67%
BWT by 100-150°C
Assumed split OK

Measured Firebox Temperature could be less by 50-100°C, due to heat given up to shock tubes

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Radiant Q = 0.673*3 =
Radiant Section 2.02 MW

Radiant Area =

Based on radiant duty 2,200/Flux 30 = 67 m²
 calculate tube area and length
4” NB 4.5” OD
 Assume number of tubes, get tube length, tube
Coil Length = 188 m
circle dia or width and L/D ratio or b:h:l ratio

Assume tubes = 36

A L/D ratio of 1.5 to 3 or b:h: l ≈ 1: 2-3: 5.
Smaller heaters L/D ≈ 1 or b:h: l ≈ 1: 1-1: 2
Even no/pass. Top out

L/D lower with more number of burners, as
Each Tube L = 5.2 m.
D gets bigger with bigger Burner Circle Credit 180° bend 4.9m

Tube to Burner distance specified in API 560
2D (8”) pitch. Tube
Circle Diameter =
36*8”*/pi() = 2.3 m

L/D Ratio = 5.2/ 2.3 =
D 2.2 OK
Heat, MW Vertical, m Horizontal,
m
Say 3 burners. 1.5 MW
L
1.5 5.6 0.9 @ 120% BCD = 0.7m.
H 2.5 8.3 1.2 H-clear = 0.8m V 0.9m
c L
B 5.5 11 1.4
Extract. Oil Firing. Full table in RP 560

CONVECTION SECTION SIZING

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Convection Section Studded

Finned
Bare

Shock Tubes - Standard correlations
Qc = 3 - 2 = 1 MW

 Bottom 2 - 3 rows, bare to avoid high rates.
4” NB 4.5” OD 2 shock
Firebox radiation + Hot gases transfer. ho rows; 6/row, 2.5m
governs
Tube Ao = 1o.8 m²
 Bottom half may get firebox radiation, if
located above fire box. Area not counted in
Flue gas V = 3.m/s
radiant area
Assume q = 0.24 MW
 3 modes: Gas convection, radiation and
Tg out = 780°C
refractory radiation
 Gas convection: hoc = 900°C
k*Cp*G^0.667*T^0.3/Do^0.33 k = 0.018 in SI 316°C
780°C
units; 1.6 in British units
LMTD = 530°C 300°C
 Gas radiant: hr = x*T-y x= 0.092 y = 34 in SI
hc = 21.02 W/m².°C
units; 0.0025 and 0.5 in British units with t
 Refractory radiant: hrc= 5-15% of hc + hr
hr = 19.08 W/m².°C
 Total = 1.1*(hc+hr)
ho = 44.17 W/m².°C

Temperature change/ row: high in bottom
U = 41.57 W/m².°C
rows
Duty = 0.24 MW

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Convection Section

Extended Surface - Studs or Fins
Qc = 1 -0.24 = 0.76 MW

Standard heat transfer correlations; Radiation from hot
gas is low. Thinner gas cloud
4 finned rows 160

Fins are less expensive than studs fins/m; 25 mm high 1.5
 Fins: 0.05-0.1” thick, 2-5 fins per inch. Less on oil mm thick fins
firing; more on gas
Tube Afinned = 226 m²
1.25 - 2.5 mm thick, 80 - 200 fins per meter
 Studs ½” dia in 8-24 studs per plane with 19.2
Flue gas V = 3.4m/s
planes/ft (63 per m)
 Height 0.5-1.25” (12 to 40 mm) based on tube

Tg out = 385°C
780°C
spacing 300°C
 Max convection flux to may exceed max radiant flux - 385°C
on bare surface basis due to high extended area ratio 250°C

Options
LMTD = 272°C

 Small dia tubes to increase outside coefft ho

hc = 175.46 W/m².°C
 Tubes horizontal spacing: increase/ decrease gas
velocity
hr = 0 W/m².°C
 Higher velocity  higher ho  taller stack

U = 143.35 W/m².°C

Duty = 0.76 MW

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Coil Design

Pressure Drop Calculations: Pressure Drop

Re = 16,35,550 f = 0.017
 Standard friction loss method, for

∆P/100m = 55 kPa
single and two phase flows

Eq L = 500 m
 Packed bed method for catalyst

∆P = 220 Vs 300 allowed
tubes
 Two Phase: Wetted annular is
desired
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Coil Design
Equilibrium Flash Vaporization Chart

Two Phase Pressure Drop

 Use EFV Chart
 Typical vacuum heater chart

0% Vaporized
Pressure

60% Vaporized

Temperature

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Tube Design

On internal pressure
 Elastic deformation

linear stress - strain relation

once internal pressure is removed,
metal gets back to original state. Stress
at that point is called Yield Stress
 Plastic deformation, on further stress

remains permanent even when load is
removed

Stress causing plastic deformation
before fracture is Ultimate Tensile
Stress
 Design stress = 2/3 Yield or 1/3 UTS. For
CS plates it is about 17,000 psig (117 • Steam coils to ASME
MPa) • Corrosion allowance, high
 Yield point at 1.5*design pressure; in initial life, indirectly
deform at 3*design pressure. adds to design life

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Tube Design

Hot tubes undergo
permanent growth or
creep This image cannot currently be display ed.

 Time dependent
deformation below yield
strength at high temp
 Stress rupture - short term;
Creep - long term failure

Heater tubes are usually
designed for 20,000 to
100,000 hours of creep-
rupture life per API RP 530
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Limiting design TMT

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Tube Design - Material of Constrn

Service 1¼ 2¼ 5Cr 9Cr 316 317 321 347 HK Issues
Cr Cr SS SS SS SS 40
HP
CDU VDU X X X X Creep, External
oxidation, Sulfidic/
Naphthenic Acid
Corrosion
Delayed X X X Carburization,
Coker Erosion
Creep, External
oxidation, Sulfidic/
Polythionic Acid
Stress Corrosion
Cracking (TP 347)
Catalytic X X X X Creep, External
HDS oxidation, H2/ H2S/
Polythionic Acid
Stress Corrosion
Cracking (TP 347)

Tube Design - Material of Constrn

Service 1¼ 2¼ 5Cr 9Cr 316 317 321 347 HK Issues
Cr Cr SS SS SS SS 40
HP
Cat Reformer X X X X Creep, External
oxidation, H2
attack, Metal
dusting, 1¼Cr
spheroidization
CO Boiler CS X X Internal corrosion,
X External dew point
corrosion, Erosion,
Creep, External
oxidation
H2 Reformer X Creep
Ethylene
Cracker

Spheroidization: Aging of carbon and low alloy steels with loss of mechanical and creep strength
when exposed to 440°C - 760°C (850°F - 1400°F) where carbide phases (the strengthening element of
steels) become unstable and begin to agglomerate, which then results in loss of strength

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Tube Supports Design

Tube Supports
 Dead load and tube expansion
 Horizontal Support: @35D / 6m
Tube Wall Thickness
 Vertical: 70D or 12m
OD = 114.33mm
 25Cr-20Ni, 25Cr-12Ni, SS or CS.
Design = 25 bar/540°C
High vanadium + sodium in fuel
Allowable Stress - Elastic/
oil may call for expensive 50Cr- Rupture @ 100,000 hrs =
1,310/ 450 bar
50Ni to withstand fuel ash

t calculated = 1.08/3.09mm
corrosion

Corrosion Allowance = 2mm
 Cast Iron: 425°C (800°F) (Note: Factored CA used)
 25Cr-12Ni: 815°C (1,500°F)
t min = 3.6/ 4.8mm

t average - pipes ±12.5% =
 End tube sheets are CS lined with 5.49mm
castable
t provided = 5.52 mm

Stack

Sizing based on:
Stack dia, say = 0.6 m
 Buoyancy effect of flue gas
Arch draft min = 1.5mm
 Frictional losses in convection bank, duct
and stack
Firebox T = 900°C
 Standard formulae for duct friction loss
Firebox ht = 5.5 m

Stack draft affected by altitude/
Firebox draft = 5 mm
atmospheric pressure at site (Draft for burner)

Height to get draft or mostly suit GLC of
Stack T = 390°C
emission
 Due to heat loss, stack draft temperature <

Draft/100m = 66 -12 =
Stack gas inlet temperature 54 mm

Structural design of firebox and stack
∆Pconvn = 2.6 - 0.85
based on:
Damper loss = 3 mm
 Wind and seismic loads

Stack tip loss = 4 mm

Draft reqd = 10.4mm

Stack Ht = 20 m

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Burners

Heater performance depends on burner
performance

Number of burners decided by flame length
 Service, fuel, firebox layout. Flame length < 2/3 firebox
height. Gas flame 1-2 m/MW (1-2 ft/MMBtu/hr)
 Burner to tube clearance. Min 450mm (1.5’). See API 560
 3 - in - Cluster burner for small heaters
 Burner to burner space: Must avoid flame merging to
avoid unburnt fuel and longer flames; may increase NOx
 Excess Air: 5-10-20-30: based on fuel and draft (FD?)
 Burners, duct & stack sized for 110-120% firing and
higher excess air
 Must avoid flame and hot gas impingement

Fuel - MW 11.6 25.8 42.6

HHV, Btu/SCF 700 1,400 2,100
Burners HHV, kcal/kg 12,700 11.425 10,380
Press, barg HP 2.1 1.2 0.9
Press, barg LP 1 0.5 0.35

Low NOx Burners Turndown Gone!
 Air or Fuel staging + Internal flue gas recirculation
 Extra 150 mm (6”) clearance to tubes; More burner to
burner clearance for flue gas recirculation, min 250 mm
(10”)
 Flames 25-50% longer. Retrofit difficult
 Avoid inner circle burners in VC; may not get cool flue
gas recirculation more NOx

Fuel gas at 1.5 to 2 bar. Oil at 5-7 bar. Oil viscosity
≈ 25 cs
 Atomizing steam at dP of +2 bar @ 25-45% oil flow
 Caution: Gas Mol Wt change can play havoc on
pressure at burner; may lead to Xs firing on fuel switch
over and explosion. Why? Combustion Air Demand. Magic Number
3.4 kg/10,000 kJ;14.0 kg/ 10,000 kcal; 7.8 lb/ 10,000 Btu

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Refractory / Insulation System

Ceramic fiber and castable are common

Fire bricks for fired-upon walls & hotter fireboxes - reaction
heaters

Design to limit casing temperature <100°C and < heat loss

Insulation + air film resistance (hc + hr)
 Casing surface temperature calculated at still air; heat losses @ high
wind
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With wind, casing temperature

fall off fast while heat loss
increase marginally high

Sizing Firetube Heater

Given
 ID = 0.6m (2’) L = 0.9m (3’); Tg = 1,540°C (2800°F) and Tw = 150°C
(300°F). 20% Xs. Q = 1.2 MW (4 MMBtu/h)

qr
 F = Ac/At = πDL/(πDL + 2πD²/4) = 0.75
 pL = 0.24*0.6 = 0.144 at.m (0.48 atm.ft)
 εg = 0.12; εt = 0.79; (1/εg - 1/εt -1) = 8.6
 q/A = Fσ(T14 - T24)/(1/ε1 - 1/ε2 -1) = 53.3 kW/m² ~ (17,000 Btu/h.ft²)

qc
 hc = 7.45 W/~ (1.31 Btu/~). 10.34 kW/ kW/m² (3,275 Btu/ h.ft²)

qr + qc = 63.6 kW/m² ~ (20,300 Btu/ h.ft²)

Application: Water bath, steam bath, salt bath and reboiler
 150 - 750mm (0.5-3’) dia x 1.5 - 9m (5-30’) long

From: Engineering Data Book, GPSA, Section 8, Ex 8-6 and 8-13

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Utility Demand

Heater Utility 7

Fuel & Snuffing Steam, TPH

6
5
4 Snuffing Atomizing
3
2
1
0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70
Heat Liberated, MW

Snuffing Steam
 Purge firebox of unignited hydrocarbon, before light up to avoid an explosion
 Failure to purge - repeated cause of firebox explosions
 LP steam @ firebox volume in 5 minutes; additional purge connections to
header boxes. Note: Use steam density at atmospheric pressure
 Use snuffing steam to put out any small fire caused by tube leak
 Run FD fan for few minutes, if no LP steam OR use steam ejectors

Atomizing Steam
 Atomizing steam - to shear and froth fuel oil. @ 25-45% oil flow

Soot Blower Steam + Plant Air
 Steam: 4,500 kg/h for retractable. Air: 80-100 Nm³/h for its pneumatic motor

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mov ed, renamed, or deleted. Verify that the link points to the
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Heater Decoking Decoking Pig

Intelligent Pig

Regular decoking will avoid hot spots and premature tube

failure. Remove coke deposited inside tubes by
 Gas oil circulation to soften and remove deposits. Not for heavy
coking
 Chemical cleaning - circulating inhibited acid or chemical + water
wash for salt deposits
 Hydroblasting - high pressure water jet; abrasive grit. Shot/sand

Steam: air decoking: In-situ combustion with steam and air
 While tubes in 1 pass are decoked, tubes in other passes kept cool
with steam

Cooling steam is 5-15% of decoking steam flow

Decoking air 5-15% of decoking steam flow

Pigging - abrasive pigs. Less damage than decoking or acid
wash

Mechanical turbine thru Mule Ear Plugs

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Recommended Reading

Furnace Operations, R D Reed
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Petroleum Refinery Engg, W L Nelson, Chapter

18

Engineering Data Book, GPSA, Section 8
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API Publications
 Spec 12K Specification for Indirect Type Oilfield
Heaters
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 Std 530/ISO 13704 Calculation of Heater-Tube
Thickness in Petroleum Refineries
 RP 535 Burners for Fired Heaters in General
Refinery Services
 RP 556 Instrumentation, Control, and Protective
Systems for Gas Fired Heaters
 Std 560/ISO 13705 Fired Heaters for General
Refinery Services
 RP 573 Inspection of Fired Boilers and Heaters
“Heat Transfer in Radiant Section of Petroleum Heaters” WE Lobo, JE Evans; Trans. AIChE, pp 748-778, 1939
“Heat Transmission in Convection Section of Pipe Stills”, CC Monrad, Ind. Eng. Chem., Vol 24, 505, 1932
“Generalized Method Predicts Fired Heater Performance”, N Wimpress, ChE, May 22,1978

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Stay Safe. The best for many years of safe and sustained operations

THANK YOU

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