Air Preheat Systems

FH/3-1
 Section Outline

„ APH vs. No APH

„ APH Exchanger Styles
„ Flue Gas Dew Point
„ Ductwork
„ Fans

FH/3-2
 Natural Draft Heaters – no APH

„ APH not economic with

Absorbed Duty less than
70 MM Btu/hr (21 MW)
„ All radiant charge heater
„ Flue gases ducted to
reboiler heater
„ 85%-87% Fuel Efficiency
„ Low NOX production
„ Blind in duct for
regeneration
FH/3-3
 Air Preheat System

„ Process Duty greater than

70 MM Btu/hr (21 MW)
„ 92% Fuel Efficiency
„ Two year Payout
„ Multiple Heaters on one
system
„ Forced Draft Burners
require two combustion
fans (high unit availability
vs. low fan cost)
„ Increased NOX production
FH/3-4
 Regenerative Air Preheater

„ Ljungstrom Rotating
Element
„ 1970’s design
„ 10-25% Air Leakage
„ Prone to fires
„ Replace with Cast
Iron Type

FH/3-5
 Recuperative Air Preheater

„ By-Cast or Deka Cast

Iron Elements
„ Most Reliable Design
„ Use 3 skin TI’s at cold end
„ Use steam-air heater
upstream
„ Do not use glass tubes

FH/3-6
 Recuperative Air Preheater
„ By-Cast or Deka Cast Iron Elements
„ Fin Height controls element Temperature
„ Flue gas flows down center
„ Air Flows across top fins

FH/3-7
 Recuperative Air Preheater

„ Glass Tubes below Cast

Iron Elements
„ Used when steam-air
heater is not used and
either fuel oil is fired or
fuel gas with >100 vol-ppm
H2S is fired
„ High breakage Rate
„ Teflon Seals Fail
„ Acid Condensation fouls
the ID Fan
„ UOP no longer specifies
this design
FH/3-8
 Signs of a Bad Air Preheat System

„ Single FD fan with natural

draft dropout doors
„ Compromises FD burner
performance (particular
relevance for low NOX
retrofits)
„ Poor air distribution to
natural draft burners
„ No steam air heater
„ Passing though acid
dewpoint in air preheater
results in high maintenance
cost
FH/3-9
 Flue Gas Sulfur Dewpoint

„ Process Inlet to Convection Section

– 25°F (14°C) Above Dewpoint
– Prevents acid condensation on convection tubes
„ APH Cold Elements
– 25°F (14°C) Above Dewpoint
– Prevents acid condensation on elements
„ Stack Inlet
– 75°F (42°C) Above Dewpoint
– Prevents acid condensation in stack

FH/3-10
Sulfur Dewpoint - Fuel Gas

FH/3-11
Sulfur Dewpoint - Fuel Oil

FH/3-12
 Ductwork

„ Bad Air Supply Duct

Transition
„ Supply Duct should be
designed for the lower of
25 fps or duct velocity
head shall not exceed 10%
of burner drop

FH/3-13
 Steam-Air Heater

„ Steam-Air Heater
„ Located in front of flue
gas air preheater to
heat air to 140°F-170°F
(60°C-76°C)
„ Eliminates glass tubes
„ Eliminates Acid
Condensation in Air
Preheater and ID Fan
„ Standard UOP Design

FH/3-14
 Combustion Air Fans

„ Two Required (one

Spare)
„ Variable -Inlet-Vane
or Inlet Box Damper
for Turndown
„ Outlet Damper for
switching Fans
„ 115% Overage with
132% Head Margin

FH/3-15
 Induced Draft Fan

„ Radial Blade or Radial Tip

Blade to prevent fouling
„ One Required (stack acts
as backup via bypass line)
„ Inlet Box Damper for
Control
„ 125% Overage with 156%
Head Margin
„ A 100°F (56°C)
Temperature margin for
air preheater fouling
FH/3-16
Class Exercise – name the components

HTR-R00-1
IRP-R01-220 FH/3-17