Fuel Oil Combustion and

Efficiency Calculations
(FPS)

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 Design Basis
❑ Ambient air temperature: 80°F
❑ Excess O2: 5% (wet basis)
❑ Fuel oil temperature: 349°F
SERVICES

❑ Flue gas stack temperature: 450°F

SERVICES

❑ Radiation heat loss: 1.5%

IMPROVEMENTS
IMPROVEMENTS

Fuel Oil Properties

❑ Fuel °API: 10
❑ Fuel specific gravity: 1.0
FURNACE

❑ C/H ratio: 8.06

FURNACE

❑ Total impurities: 2.75%

❑ Atomizing steam temperature: 365°F
❑ Mass of steam / mass of fuel oil: 0.5 lb
/ lb fuel oil

Our Motto – Do it once, Do it right 2

 Design Basis Contd.
Fuel Oil Composition
❑ Carbon=86.52% =0.865 lb / lb fuel oil
❑ Hydrogen=10.73% =0.107 lb / lb fuel oil
SERVICES

❑ Sulphur=1.8% =0.018 lb / lb fuel oil

SERVICES

❑ Inert= 0.95% = 0.0095 lb / lb fuel oil

FURNACE
FURNACE IMPROVEMENTS
IMPROVEMENTS

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 Combustion Reactions
Carbon Combustion
Basis: 1 lb of fuel oil
C + O2 = CO2 (Combustion rxn)
SERVICES

12 + 16*2 = 44 (Molecular weight)

SERVICES

1 + 2.66 = 3.66 (Divided by carbon M.W.)

IMPROVEMENTS
IMPROVEMENTS

❑ We understand that 1 lb of carbon needs

2.66 lb of oxygen to form 3.66 lb CO2
❑ We can calculate the amount of
FURNACE

combustion air required if we know the

FURNACE

amount of oxygen
1 lb of air = 0.23 lb of O2 + 0.77 lb of N2
0.23 lb of O2 requires 1 lb of air
2.66 lb of O2 requires 11.56 lb of air
❑ 1 lb of carbon needs 11.56 lb of air for
complete combustion
Patented Technologies: Inclined Firing – Split Flow – Smart Stack Damper 4
 Combustion Reactions
❑ Carbon present in 1 lb fuel oil : 0.865 lb
❑The amount of O2, N2, and air required
for the complete combustion are as
SERVICES

follows:
SERVICES

1 lb C --- 2.66 lb O2 0.865 lb C --- 2.3 lb O2

IMPROVEMENTS

1 lb C --- 8.9 lb N2 0.865 lb C --- 7.7 lb N2

IMPROVEMENTS

1 lb C ---11.56 lb air 0.865 lb C --- 9.99 lb air

❑The amount of CO2 formed after

FURNACE

combustion is as follows:
FURNACE

1 lb C --- 3.66 lb CO2

0.865 lb C --- 3.16 lb CO2

We will repeat the same steps for all fuel oil

components

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 Combustion Reactions
Hydrogen Combustion
H2 + ½ O2 = H2O (Combustion rxn)
2*1 + 0.5*(16*2) = 18 (Molecular weight)
SERVICES

1 + 8 = 9 (Divided by H2 M.W.)
SERVICES
IMPROVEMENTS

❑1 lb of hydrogen needs 8 lb of oxygen to

IMPROVEMENTS

form 9 lb H2O
❑ The amount of combustion air required
FURNACE

0.23 lb of O2 requires 1 lb of air

FURNACE

8 lb of O2 requires 34.78 lb of air

❑ 1 lb of hydrogen needs 34.78 lb of air for

complete combustion

Our Motto – Do it once, Do it right 6

 Combustion Reactions
❑ H2 present in 1lb fuel oil : 0.107 lb
❑The amount of O2, N2, and air required
for the complete combustion are as
SERVICES

follows:
SERVICES
IMPROVEMENTS

1 lb H2 --- 8.0 lb O2 0.107 lb H2 --- 0.85 lb O2

IMPROVEMENTS

1 lb H2 --- 26.78 lb N2 0.107 lb H2 --- 2.87 lb N2

1 lb H2 ---34.78 lb air 0.107 lb H2 --- 3.73 lb air
FURNACE

❑The amount of H2O formed after

FURNACE

combustion is as follows:

1 lb H2 --- 9 lb H2O
0.107 lb H2 --- 0.965 lb H2O

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 Combustion Reactions
Sulphur Combustion
S + O2 = SO2 (Combustion rxn)
32 + 16*2 = 64 (Molecular weight)
SERVICES

1 + 1 = 2 (Divided by carbon M.W.)

SERVICES
IMPROVEMENTS

❑ 1 lb of sulphur needs 1 lb of oxygen to

IMPROVEMENTS

form 2 lb SO2
❑ The amount of combustion air required
FURNACE

0.23 lb of O2 requires 1 lb of air

FURNACE

1 lb of O2 requires 4.34 lb of air

❑ 1 lb of sulphur needs 4.34 lb of air for

complete combustion

Maximize profits by revamping fired heaters with FIS 8

 Combustion Reactions
❑ Sulphur present in 1lb fuel oil : 0.018 lb
❑The amount of O2, N2, and air required
for the complete combustion are as
SERVICES

follows:
SERVICES
IMPROVEMENTS

1 lb S --- 1 lb O2 0.018 lb S --- 0.018 lb O2

IMPROVEMENTS

1 lb S --- 3.34 lb N2 0.018 lb S --- 0.06 lb N2

1 lb S --- 4.34 lb air 0.018 lb S --- 0.078 lb air
FURNACE

❑The amount of SO2 formed after

FURNACE

combustion is as follows:

1 lb S --- 2 lb SO2
0.018 lb S --- 0.036 lb SO2

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 Combustion Reactions
❑ The combustion calculations is
summarized in the table below:
SERVICES

lb in Combustion Presence Air Req.,

Compounds
Fuel Oil Products, lb of N2, lb lb
SERVICES
IMPROVEMENTS

C 0.865 3.16 CO2 7.69 9.99

IMPROVEMENTS

H2 0.107 0.965 H2O 2.87 3.73

S 0.018 0.036 SO2 0.06 0.078

FURNACE

Total 10.62 13.79

FURNACE

Our priority is customer satisfaction 10

 Excess Air Calculations
❑ lb of excess air / lb of fuel:

(Air weight * %O2) x [N2(Formed/M.W.) +

SERVICES

CO2 (Formed/M.W.) + H2O (Formed/ M.W.)

SERVICES

+ (SO2 Formed/M.W.)]
IMPROVEMENTS

(20.95 – %O2)
IMPROVEMENTS

(28.85*5)x[(10.62/28)+(3.16/44)+(0.965/18
)+(0.036/64)]
FURNACE

(20.95-5)
FURNACE

= 4.58 lb excess air/lb fuel

❑ Excess air % =lb of excess air/lb of fuel*100

lb of air required

Patented Technologies: Inclined Firing – Split Flow – Smart Stack Damper 11

 Excess Air Calculations

= 4.58 lb of excess air/ lb fuel oil *100

13.79
SERVICES
SERVICES

❑ Excess air = 33.2%

FURNACE
FURNACE IMPROVEMENTS
IMPROVEMENTS

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 Flue Gas in Heater
❑ Amount of water in flue gas:
H2O Formed + Atomizing Steam =
0.965 + 0.5 = 1.465 lb/lb of fuel oil
SERVICES
SERVICES

❑ Total amount of flue gas:

IMPROVEMENTS

Flue gas/lb Fuel oil = CO2 + SO2 + H2O + N2 +

IMPROVEMENTS

Excess Air
= 3.16 + 0.036 + 1.46 + 10.62 +4.58
FURNACE

❑ Flue gas = 19.86 lb/lb of fuel oil

FURNACE

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 Calculation of Heat Losses
❑Stack temperature= 450°F
❑ Flue gas enthalpy @450°F = 101.5 Btu/lb
(from graph below)
IMPROVEMENTS
FURNACE
FURNACE SERVICES
SERVICES
IMPROVEMENTS

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 Calculation of Heat Losses
❑Stack mass heat loss (hs):
= (Flue gas/lb fuel oil) x Enthalpy of Flue Gas
SERVICES

= 19.86 lb / lb fuel oil x 101.5 Btu/lb

SERVICES
IMPROVEMENTS

hs = 2,015.8 Btu/lb fuel oil

IMPROVEMENTS

❑Radiation heat loss(hr):

FURNACE

= (Heat loss %) x Fuel oil LHV (hL)

FURNACE

= 1.5% x 17,273 Btu/lb

hr = 259.1 Btu/lb fuel oil

Our priority is customer satisfaction 15

 Calculation of Heat Losses
❑ Total heat losses:
= hs + hr
= 2,015.8 Btu/lb fuel oil + 259.1 Btu/lb fuel
SERVICES

oil
SERVICES

Total heat loss = 2,275 Btu/lb fuel oil

IMPROVEMENTS
IMPROVEMENTS

hs = 2,015.8 Btu/lb
fuel oil
FURNACE
FURNACE

hr = 259.1 Btu/lb
fuel oil

SS SS

Patented Technologies: Inclined Firing – Split Flow – Smart Stack Damper 16

 Fuel Oil Heating Values
❑ Fuel oil HHV (hH):
= Σ(enthalpy) i * % i
= (14,580 Btu/lb*86.52% C) +
SERVICES

(52,200 Btu/lb*10.73% H2) +

SERVICES

(4,500 Btu/lb*1.8% S)
IMPROVEMENTS
IMPROVEMENTS

hH = 18,296.7 Btu/lb of fuel oil

FURNACE

❑ Fuel oil LHV (hL):

FURNACE

= hH – (H2O formed*H2O enthalpy)x(H2%))

100
= 18,296.7 Btu/lb of fuel oil – ((9 lb H2O/lb
H2)*(1,060 Btu/lb)*(10.73%))
100
hL = 17,273 Btu/lb of fuel oil

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 Sensible Heat Correction
❑ Air sensible heat correction:
Δha = Cpa x (Ta – Td) x ma/mf
= 0.24 x (80 – 60) x (13.87 + 4.58)
SERVICES
SERVICES

Δha = 88.6 Btu/lb of fuel oil

IMPROVEMENTS
IMPROVEMENTS
FURNACE

❑ Fuel sensible heat correction:

FURNACE

Δhf = Cpf x (Tf – Td)

= 0.48 (349 – 60)

Δhf = 138.7 Btu/lb of fuel oil

Our Motto – Do it once, Do it right 18

 Sensible Heat Correction
❑ Atomizing steam heat correction:
Δhm = ∆E x mst/mf
= (1,195.9 – 1088.4)) x (0.5)
SERVICES
SERVICES

Δhm = 53.7 Btu/lb of fuel oil

IMPROVEMENTS
IMPROVEMENTS

❑ Total heat input:

hL + Δha + Δhf + Δhm = 17,273 Btu/lb +
FURNACE

88.6 Btu/lb fuel + 138.7 Btu/lb fuel +

FURNACE

53.6 Btu/lb fuel

Total Heat Input= 17,554 Btu/lb fuel

Our priority is customer satisfaction 19

 Heater Efficiency
❑ Net thermal efficiency, e
= Total heat input - Total heat loss
Total heat input (LHV)
SERVICES
SERVICES

= (hL+ Δha + Δhf + Δhm) - (hr + hs)

IMPROVEMENTS

(hL+ Δha + Δhf + Δhm)

IMPROVEMENTS

= (17,554 Btu/lb fuel oil) - (2275 Btu/lb fuel

FURNACE

oil)
FURNACE

17,554 Btu/lb fuel

Net thermal efficiency (e) = 87.0 %

Design highly reliable fired heaters with Furnace Improvements 20

 Heater Efficiency
❑ Gross thermal efficiency, eg
= Total heat input - Total heat loss
Total heat input (HHV)
SERVICES
SERVICES

= (hL+ Δha + Δhf + Δhm) - (hr + hs)

IMPROVEMENTS

(hH+ Δha + Δhf + Δhm)

IMPROVEMENTS

= (17,554 Btu/lb fuel oil) - (2,275 Btu/lb fuel

FURNACE

oil)
FURNACE

18,578 Btu/lb fuel

Gross thermal efficiency (eg) = 82.3 %

Patented Technologies: Inclined Firing – Split Flow – Smart Stack Damper 21

 Heater Efficiency
❑ Fuel efficiency, ef
= Total heat input - Total heat loss
Fuel combustion heat input (LHV) (hL)
SERVICES
SERVICES

= (hL+ Δha + Δhf + Δhm) - (hr + hs)

IMPROVEMENTS

(hL)
IMPROVEMENTS

= (17,554 Btu/lb fuel oil) - (2,275 Btu/lb fuel

FURNACE

oil)
FURNACE

17,273 Btu/lb fuel

Fuel efficiency (ef) = 88.4 %

We provide low-cost solution for revamping the fired heaters 22

 Heater Efficiency Table
Excess O2 in
Flue Gas Temperature (°F)
Air Flue
(%) Gas% 300 400 500 600 700 800 900 1000
SERVICES

15 3.00 91.7 89.1 86.4 83.6 80.6 78.1 75.3 72.4

SERVICES

20 3.82 91.5 88.7 85.9 83.1 80.3 77.4 74.4 71.4

IMPROVEMENTS
IMPROVEMENTS

25 4.56 91.3 88.4 85.5 82.6 79.6 76.6 73.6 70.4

30 5.24 91.1 88.1 85.1 82.1 79.0 75.9 72.7 69.5

FURNACE

40 6.46 90.6 87.4 84.2 81.0 77.7 74.4 71.0 67.6

FURNACE

50 7.49 90.1 86.8 83.4 79.9 76.43 72.3 69.3 65.6

❑Table gives the net heater thermal

efficiency based on the flue gas temperature
and flue gas oxygen content (assuming a 2%
heat loss)
Our Motto – Do it once, Do it right 23
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