Fired Heaters

An Introduction
First session:
Key concepts
• Combustion
• Radiation
• Convection
• Conduction
• Mechanical design
Introduction
VERTICAL-CYLINDRICAL FIRED HEATERS
• The most common type
• Duties up to about 45 MW
Introduction
HORIZONTAL TUBE CABIN FIRED HEATERS
• Not economical under about 35 MW
• Duties up to about 145 MW
• Rather large footprint
• Only for special services
Introduction
VERTICAL TUBE BOX FIRED HEATERS
• Two-side fired tubes
• Suited for the large forced-draft burners
• Steam reformer fired heaters
Introduction
Introduction
Heat balance:
Introduction
Heat balance:
Burners
Types:
• Premix
• Raw-gas
• Staged (low NOx)
Burners
Flame:
• Luminous
• Non-luminous
 Radiant section
Radiant heat transfer: α + γ +τ =
1
• Thermal equilibrium, Kirchoff’s law:
ε =α
• Emissivity:
E
=ε = , Eblack σ T 4 2
(W / m )
Eblack
Radiant section
Simplifications:
Hottel’s well-stirred model
• Single temperature Tg
• Combustion gas is grey
• Surface of heat sink is grey
• Negligible convection
• Speckled wall assumption
• TBW= Tg − ∆
Radiant section
Refractory:
Radiant section
Refractory:
• Internal insulation
• Re-radiation
Convection section
Cross flow H.E.
Convection section
Shield and bare tubes:
• 2 rows shield tubes
• At least 3 bare rows
Convection section
Extended surface tubes:
• Increase H.E. area
• Up to 12 times
Draught
Compensate for pressure drops:
• Natural draft
• Forced draft
Tube design
Tube metal temperature
Tube design
Elastic design:
• Elastic allowable stress
• Thermal stress

Creep rupture:
• Rupture strength for a design life
Tube supports
Radiant section
Tube supports
Convection section