Fired Heaters are a critical to successful operation of refineries and petrochemical plants. They are a major energy consumer as well as a major source of air pollution. There are also concerns about the run length of the heaters as well safety issues.

1. www.heatflux.com
Fired Heaters
Key to Efficient Operation of Refineries
and Petrochemicals
Ashutosh Garg
Furnace Improvements
Services
Sugar Land, TX

2. www.heatflux.comMay 19, 2017 2
Typical Refinery Process Flow Diagram
CRUDE
OIL
DISTILLATION
FCC
VACUUM
DISTILLATION
JET FUEL
& DIESEL
MID-DISTILLATE
HYDROTREATING
ASPHALT
COKING
PETROLEUM COKE
LPG
GASOLINE
CYCLE OIL TO
HYDROTREATING
OR
HYDROCRACKING
GASOLINE
ALKYKATION
NAPHTHA
HYDROTREATING
GASOLINE
ISOMERIZATION
HYDROGEN
LPG
CATALYTIC
REFORMING
GASOLINE &
AROMATICS
JET FUEL &
DIESEL
HYDROCRACKING
CRUDE
OIL
CDU
HEATER
COKER
HEATER
VDU
HEATER
REFORMER
HEATER

3. www.heatflux.com
Major Refinery Building Block
 Majorly used in refinery processes which
require very high temperatures
 Crude Unit – 650-750ºF
 Vacuum Unit – 700-800ºF
 Coker Unit – 950ºF
 Reforming Unit – 1000ºF
 Heating options-
 Steam
 Hot Oil/Molten Salts
 Electric
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Fired Heaters in Petrochemical
Industry
 Most common petrochemical classes - Olefins & Aromatics
 Processes involved:
 Steam Cracking – To Produce Olefins (Using Ethane to Gas
Oils), Propane Dehydro to produce Propylene
 Catalytic Reforming – To Produce Aromatics (Using Naphtha)
 Global Production
 Ethylene – 140 Million Tonnes
 Propylene – 100 Million Tonnes
 Aromatics – 85 Million Tonnes
4May 19, 2017

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Steam Cracking
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Natural Gas
Processing
Petroleum
Refinery
Raw Natural
Gas
Ethane
Propane
Butanes
Methane
Methane
Ethylene
Propylene
Benzene
Butadiene
Byproducts
Optional
gas
feeds
Optional
liquid
feeds
GasOil
Naphtha
Crude
Oil
BTX
Produced by cracking any of the optional feeds
Produced only by cracking any of the liquid feeds
Benzene, Toluene
Xylenes
Steam Cracker
polyesters
engine coolant
polyvinyl chloride
polyol
propylene glycol
epoxy resins
polyurethanes
polystyrenes
nylons
1600o
F

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Steam Reforming
1500o
F
Steam
ReformerDesulfurization
Naphtha
Natural
Gas
Fischer-Tropsch
Synthesis
Water-gas-shift
Reaction
Methanol
Synthesis
Hydrogen
Ammonia
Synthesis
Ammonia
Synthetic Fuels
CH3OH
Dimethylether
Steam
Synthetic Gas
CO+H2

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Heat transfer modes
 Conduction-Solids
 Heat is transferred by direct contact
between two objects
 Convection-Fluids
 Heat is transferred with in a medium due
to movement of molecules
 Radiation
 Transmission of heat from a heated body
by electromagnetic waves

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Heat transfer requires difference in
temperature of two bodies
Flue gas Tube
(Higher temperature) (Lower
temperature)
Heat transfer is proportional to temperature
difference.
1,500 °F 800 °F

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How is Heat
Transferred to the Fluid?
 Direct Radiation from hot
gases to tubes
 Re-radiation from
refractory walls to tubes
 Convection from hot
gases to tubes
 Conduction through wall
of tubes
 Convection into process
fluid
TUBE
CONVECTIVE
HEAT TRANSFER
RERADIATION
REFRACTORY
DIRECT
RADIATION
FLAME

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Fired Heaters Evolution
 Developed in late 1800s for growing
demand of petroleum products
 Earlier designs – Shell Still-Batch
Process-unable to heat viscous liquids
efficiently
 Led to development of tubular coil
arrangements in 20th century
 Earlier designs were based on
convection section heat transfer and
flue gas recirculation
May 19, 2017 10
Courtesy- Refinery Operations by Bill Berger

11. www.heatflux.com
Courtesy- Refinery Operations by Bill Berger

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Fired Heaters Evolution
May 19, 2017 12
TO
STACK
TO STACK
TO
STACK
TO
STACK TO
STACK
TO
STACK
BURNERS BURNERS
BURNERS
BURNERS
BURNERS BURNERS
BURNERS
(A)
(F)
(E)
(D)
(C)(B)

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Fired Heater Evolution-2
May 19, 2017 13
TO
STACK
BURNERS
TO
STACK
BURNERS BURNERSBURNERS
TO
STACK
BURNERS
BURNERS
BURNERS
TO
STACK
TO
STACK
TO STACK
(L)(K)(J)(I)(H)(G)

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Fired Heater – Evolution
 Fired heaters- initially box type radiant shape
with horizontal tubes and end wall fired
burners
 Initially two rows of tubes backed by the
refractory
 In 1950s, designs used single row of tubes
 New designs go for double fired tubes
 Vertical tube configuration with Vertical
Cylindrical Radiant Section
 Vertical up fired burners
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15. www.heatflux.com
Fired Heaters - Importance
 Major energy consumer
 High temperature
 Exposed to flames
 Major source of green house gases
 Major source of NOx emissions
 Coking of tubes
 Run length
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Fired Heaters in Refining Industry
 About 3000 Heaters in the USA
 Natural Draft Heaters- 89.6%
 Forced Draft Heaters-8% without APH
 Balanced Draft Heaters- 2.4% with APH
 Natural Draft Heater- 72 MMBtu/hr
(Avg Size)
 Balanced Draft Heater-110 MMBtu/hr
(Avg. Size)
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Heater Nomenclature
 Three major components
 Radiant Section
 Convection Section
 Stack
 Radiant / Convection split
 In refinery heaters, radiant section heat
transfer is predominant (60-80%).
 In high temperature heaters the radiant
heat duty drops down to 50% of the
total duty.
May 19, 2017 17
AIR AIR
STACK
CONVECTION
RADIANT
BURNER

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Major Refinery Heaters
 Four major building blocks
 Atmospheric heater
 Vacuum heater
 Coker heater
 Catalytic Reforming heater
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19. www.heatflux.com
Atmospheric Heater
 Crude or topping heater
 Inlet temperature: 400-600°F
 Outlet temperature: 625-725°F
 Outlet pressure: 25 psig
 Pressure drop: 100-200 psi
 Typical run lengths: around 3-4 years
 Avg. Radiant heat flux:10,000-12,000
Btu/hr ft2
 Coil material-
 5 Cr -1/2 Mo
 CS for sweet crudes, low temp. service
May 19, 2017 19
GAS
SEPARATOR
ATMOSPHERIC
FRACTIONATION
DESALTER
Heavy naphtha
Kerosene
Light gas oil
Heavy gas oil
Crude oil
Gas
Gasoline
Furnace
Residuum
Gas (butane and lighter)
+
Gasoline (light naphtha)
Pump

20. www.heatflux.com
Coker Heaters
 Converts all the bottom of
the barrel in to gases,
naphtha and coke.
 Coke is shipped to other
countries for burning in
powerplants.
 Very popular high
gasoline demand
 Endothermic reaction-
heater supplying the heat
20May 19, 2017
Feed
Pump
Fractionator
Coker
Heater
Gas Oil
Stripper
Steam
C4 & Lighter
Reflux Drum
Naphtha
Gas Oil
Coke
Drums
Petroleum
Coke
DruminDecoking
DruminOperation

21. www.heatflux.com
Reformer- Furnace Radiant Section
Fue
Hydrocarbon
Steam
Reformed GasConvection
Section
Stack
ID Fan
Radiant Furnace Side
Process Side Catalyst-Filled Tubes
CCHH44 ++ HH2200 33HH22 ++ CCOO
RReeffoorrmmiinngg
SShhiifftt
CCOO ++ HH2200 HH22 ++ CCOO22
l

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Typical Operating Conditions
 Steam to Carbon Ratio of 2.5 to 4.5
 Radiant section
 Temperature, in / out - 950/ 1560 F
 Pressure, in / out - 330/290 psig
 Radiant section efficiency: 45-50%
 Overall thermal efficiency: 88-92%
 Typical tube diameter-3-5 inches
 Typical lengths - 25-45 ft.
 High Chrome Nickel tubes
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Down Fired Steam Reformer
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Pipe Support
Inlet Pigtails
Burner
Pent House
Observation
Doors
Flame
Inlet Manifold
Outlet
Pigtails
Tubes w
catalyst

24. www.heatflux.com
Pyrolysis-Cracking Furnaces
 Breaking the molecule with fire or
heat
 Heavier parafinnic hydrocarbons
are heated to a high temperature at
a low pressure to produce
ethylene, propylene, butadiene etc.
 Tubular furnace in the presence of
steam.
24May 19, 2017

25. www.heatflux.com
Historical data for cracking heaters
Year 1940 1970 1990
Max TMT 1400 F 1950 F 2050
Avg. Flux 14400 25000 30000
Tube Matl 321 H Cast 310 3545Cr Ni
Arrngmt. Horizontal Vertical Vertical
Burners Wall&Roof Floor& side Floor
Heater Size 30 MMBtu 200 MMBtu 400 MMBtu

26. www.heatflux.com
Furnace Configuration
 Vertical coils fired from both sides
 Tubes are supported from top by
spring hangers
 Burners are located on floor and
side walls
 Radiant flux density, Btu/hr ft2
 Ethane /Propane - 20,000-26,000
 Naphtha - 24,000-30,000
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STACK
DAMPER
CONVECTION
SECTION
RADIANT
SECTION
TO TLX
ECONOMIZER
FEED
PREHEATER
HP STEAM SUPER
HEATER
MIXED FEED
PREHEATER
ID FAN
Floor Fired

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Air Pollution by Fired Heaters
 Nitrogen Oxides
 50% of total NOx emissions are
from industrial processes
 2 types of NOx produced:
• Fuel NOx (due to fuel bound nitrogen)
• Thermal NOx (due to high temperature)
May 19, 2017 27

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Air Pollution by Fired Heaters
 Carbon Dioxide
 Generally 200,000 BPD capacity refinery emits 1.5 million
tons/year of CO2 (2/3rd is from Fired Heaters)
 Carbon monoxide
 produced by incomplete combustion
 EPA limit is 50 ppmvd
 Sulfur Oxides
 By-products of combustion
 Fuel gas contains upto 160 ppm of H2S
 Others– trace amounts of VOCs, PM10 and PM2.5
May 19, 2017 28

29. www.heatflux.com
Typical NOx emissions
 Gas firing- 0.05-0.2 lb./MMBtu
 Oil firing-0.2-0.4 lb./MMBtu
 A 100 MMBtu/hr gas fired heater will emit approx.....
5.5-22 lb./hr or 20 -80 tons /year.
 A typical refinery having 40 heaters will be emitting
approx......--- 8,00-3,200 tons/year.
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30. www.heatflux.com
Low NOx/ Ultra Low Burners
Low NOx Burner Development History
0
50
100
150
Standard Staged air Staged fuel Internal Flue
gas
recirculation
New Generation1984
1986
1992
2001

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Selective Catalytic Reduction Systems
 Nitrogen Oxides are reduced to
Nitrogen by of Ammonia in the
presence of catalyst.
 First tried out in Japan in 1963
 First commercial installation
began in 1978.
 Most proven technology for
reduction of NOx ( can accomplish
greater than 95% reduction)
May 19, 2017 31
FIRED HEATER
BURNERS
STACK
DAMPER
WASTE
HEAT
RECOVERY
UNIT
CATALYST
BED
AMMONIA
INJECTION
GRID
INDUCED
DRAFT FAN

32. www.heatflux.com
How to reduce air pollution
 Improving heat recovery in the
heat exchangers to minimize the
heat duty
 Improving fired heater efficiency
to 90+% to minimize the fuel
firing
 Car pooling/Electric Cars
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33. www.heatflux.com
Coking in Tubes
 Coke deposits on the inside of heater
tubes
 Pressure drop goes up
 High tube metal temperature
 Exceeds design limit- time for decoking
 Run length 9-12 months
 How to clean the tubes?
 Pigging vs. decoking vs. on-line spalling
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34. www.heatflux.com
Energy Consumption
 Typical Refinery
 44 MMBtu/ BBL of oil
 67% of the energy used in Fired
heaters
 134,000 BPD ( Average Size)
 Fuel Cost-$3/MMBtu
 Energy Bill $4.32 Billion/Year
 Efficiency improvement 1%= 43.2
Million Dollars
A dollar saved is a
dollar earned.
May 19, 2017 34

35. www.heatflux.com
Fired Heaters Efficiency Improvement
 Fired Heaters Efficiency can
be improved by:
 Installing Air preheater
 Waste Heat Steam Generator
 Efficiency improvement
potential of 8-15%
 Low energy prices do not
provide good payback
May 19, 2017 35
COLD
AIR
HOTAIR
FD
FAN
ID
FAN
HOT FLUE GAS
COLD FLUE GAS
RADIANT
SECTION
BURNER
CONVECTION
SECTION
DAMPER
WITH
ACTUATOR
STACK
AIR
PREHEATER

36. www.heatflux.com
New Developments
 Better design correlations- still using 70 years old design
methods
 CFD Modeling of the burners and heaters
 Better materials for tubes and refractory
 Better flue gas analyzers
 Better burner management systems and controls
 IIoT-Industrial Internet of Things
 Sensors
 Advanced analytical capabilities
36May 19, 2017

37. www.heatflux.com
CFD Modeling of Heaters
May 19, 2017 37
0 ft
Height in
Feet
19 ft
36 ft
50 ft
[ft/sec]
Existing Case
with Vertically Fired
Burners
Proposed Case
with Inclined Firing
System

38. www.heatflux.com
Thank you very much!