DESIGN PRACTICES

FIRED HEATERS Section Page

SUBSECTION L VIII-L 1 of 5
EXXON INERT GAS GENERATORS Date
ENGINEERING PROPRIETARY INFORMATION — For Authorized Company Use Only December, 1995

CONTENTS
Section Page
SCOPE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
BACKGROUND . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Description of Inert Gas Desired . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Cooling Water Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2
Type of Service . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Control Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Fuel Considerations . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Utility and Owner Options . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Table 1 Check List for Inert Gas Generator Duty Specifications . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Figure 1 Typical Inert Gas Generator and Post-Treatment Equipment . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

Revision Memo

12/95 1. Consolidated English and Metric units.

2. Omitted references.

EXXON RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY — FLORHAM PARK, N.J.

 DESIGN PRACTICES
Section Page
FIRED HEATERS
VIII-L 2 of 5 SUBSECTION L
Date INERT GAS GENERATORS EXXON
December, 1995 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION — For Authorized Company Use Only ENGINEERING

SCOPE

This subsection provides technical information and guidelines for preparing duty specifications for combustion-type inert gas
generators. It is restricted to complete package units which can be shop tested and demonstrated before shipment. Such units are
generally limited in size to about 100,000 SCFH (800 dm3/s). Design specifications for large, field-erected units, or units combining
subassemblies which cannot be demonstrated before delivery, must be developed from individual component technology as any
other process unit.

BACKGROUND

Inert gas generators are infrequently specified, and there is a strong economic incentive to purchase off-the-shelf, vendor standard
units. Therefore, this type of equipment should be procured via duty specification, rather than design specification. To assure
acceptable equipment quality, we normally specify two procurement safeguards:

Equipment must be purchased from vendors who have demonstrated satisfactory operation with similar units.

A complete shop test of the specific unit being purchased is required. Combustion-type inert gas generators (see Figure 1)
produce an inert gas mixture consisting mainly of nitrogen and carbon dioxide, with less than 5% volume oxygen and unburned
hydrocarbons, by burning a gas or light, clean liquid fuel at near-stoichiometric fuel/air ratios. Depending on the quality of gas
required, these relatively inert products of combustion can be used as produced, or they can be compressed, dried, and treated
in auxiliary equipment to achieve any desired gas quality. Naturally, the more treatment, the higher the investment and operating
costs. The following table describes typical combustor gas qualities obtainable without any post-treatment:

ÁÁÁÁÁÁÁ
ÁÁ
ÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁ
ÁÁ
ÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁ
Type of Fuel Minimum O2 Content (Vol%) in Effluent

ÁÁÁÁÁÁÁ
ÁÁ
ÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁ
Liquid (kerosene)

ÁÁ
ÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁ
Gas (average)
1.0

0.2 to 0.5

ÁÁÁÁÁÁÁ
ÁÁ
ÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁÁ
Gas (high quality) 0.1 to 0.2

Package units include all controls, the combustor, compressors, filters, dryers, and auxiliary treatment facilities. Such units can be
shop tested and preset for the desired operating conditions. Table 1 is a checklist of the items normally specified by the
design engineer.

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS

DESCRIPTION OF INERT GAS DESIRED

The quantity of inert gas required should be stated in volumetric units on a wet (saturated) or a dry basis. One alternative available
is to specify two or more smaller package units which can be used together to provide the required total gas volume. This
arrangement provides a necessary degree of reliability, and assures partial capacity during downtime of one unit for maintenance.

The quality of inert gas required must be clearly specified, as detailed in Table 1. It is not necessary to specify the inert gas
composition at a unique stoichiometric ratio; only the allowable limits for each constituent are required. The vendor determines
which items establish the constraints for his equipment.

COOLING WATER CONSIDERATIONS

Cooling water is required both to cool the combustion chamber and to cool the effluent gas from the combustor. The combustor
water jacket design assumes a clean, low resistance heat path from metal surface to the water. Fouling of the water side can cause
distortion and eventual failure of the combustor. High quality water can be conserved by provision of a closed cooling water loop
circulating through an auxiliary exchanger designed to be cooled by lower quality water.

EXXON RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY — FLORHAM PARK, N.J.

 DESIGN PRACTICES
FIRED HEATERS Section Page
SUBSECTION L VIII-L 3 of 5
EXXON INERT GAS GENERATORS Date
ENGINEERING PROPRIETARY INFORMATION — For Authorized Company Use Only December, 1995

DESIGN CONSIDERATIONS (Cont)

The concentration of oxygen in the generator effluent gas is affected by the type of aftercooling used. If direct contact cooling is
used, the oxygen concentration in the generator effluent can be higher than in the combustor effluent because the gas picks up
oxygen from the cooling water. If deaerated water is used, the increase may be as low as 50 to 100 ppm. However, if cooling tower
water or similarly aerated water is used, the increase can be as high as 600 ppm.
Special corrosion-resistant materials of construction must be used for portions of the inert gas generator that are exposed to the
flue gas (inert gas) at temperatures below the dewpoint. Suitable materials are Type 316 stainless steel and plastic-lined or
rubber-lined carbon steel. Direct cooling cuts down the corrosion rates because the cooling water tends to scrub out the corrosive
materials. In severe services, adjustment of the pH of the direct cooling stream can be used. If a refractory-lined combustor is used
instead of a water jacketed combustor, the average chamber temperatures must be maintained below 2700_F (1480_C) to minimize
formation of oxides of nitrogen, which will increase the corrosivity of the inert gas.

TYPE OF SERVICE
The type of service establishes the type of control required. Generally, units are required for either intermittent or continuous service,
depending on their function in the process scheme.
Continuous service applies where demand may be constant or may fluctuate over a wide range, but at least some continuous
minimum would be required for long periods of time, such as weeks or months. Intermittent service is any demand limited to
relatively infrequent periods such as hours or days, during unit maintenance, decommissioning, surging, etc., and where there
would be zero demand during the interim periods. For situations that do not clearly fall into either category, the designer should
determine the economics of venting inert gas for interim periods vs. a costlier control system, and specify controls accordingly.
For intermittent service, the fuel and air rates are set manually to produce inert gas at a fixed flow rate. Gas composition is
automatically controlled at this preset flow rate. To compensate for lower than design gas demands, inert gas would be vented. For
prolonged or major changes in desired gas quality or flow rate, manual readjustments of fuel and air set points are necessary.
For continuous service, the generators are generally capable of providing inert gas of a specified composition through a production
range of 100% to 25% of specified maximum flow rate. This requires that the burner be capable of stable combustion, that the fan
and regulators be able to provide stable flow conditions, and that the control scheme provide proper response and stability
throughout the range of operation. If capacity requirements differ significantly from this typical range, the duty specification should
state the desired rangeability and control options.

CONTROL SYSTEMS
Previous experience has shown that typical vendor control systems, analyzers, instruments and safety systems have a high
probability of being difficult to commission. Sometimes, in the extreme, they are inoperative. Therefore, a shop test is required to
verify operability. This test should include the appraisal of any compressor equipment and controls being supplied, in addition to
the combustion control system.

FUEL CONSIDERATIONS
The fuel gas specification should provide both the design gas composition and the expected variations in composition. The use
of refinery gas that is subject to changes in composition should be avoided because the resulting off-spec inert gas will require more
expensive post-combustion treatment to maintain inert gas quality. If two widely different but constant gas suppliers are provided,
dual regulators may be required. For units with direct contact cooling, sulfur in the fuel should be less than 5 ppm.
Steam tracing and fuel preheating may be required for gas fuel to avoid condensation. Condensate, even in small percentages,
can form soot in the combustor.
Liquid fuels should be limited to kerosene. Other fuels, such as naphtha, have not been demonstrated and would require
development in cooperation with the vendors.

UTILITY AND OWNER OPTIONS

Typical design specification details for the electric supply and Electrical Area Code, steam availability (especially if the compressor
is to be steam driven) and instrument air availability must be given.
Owner options are sometimes required in addition to the basic package unit. In order to integrate these package units into an
operating plant certain remote controls, alarms or automatic features may be required in addition to the vendors’ standard controls.
Details of those special requirements must be supplied.

EXXON RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY — FLORHAM PARK, N.J.

 DESIGN PRACTICES
Section Page
FIRED HEATERS
VIII-L 4 of 5 SUBSECTION L
Date INERT GAS GENERATORS EXXON
December, 1995 PROPRIETARY INFORMATION — For Authorized Company Use Only ENGINEERING

TABLE 1
CHECK LIST FOR INERT
GAS GENERATOR DUTY SPECIFICATIONS
1. Quantity of inert gas required, SCFH saturated or dry basis (dm3/s Std)
D Number or size of units desired
2. Quality of inert gas desired
D Maximum allowable concentrations (vol%) of O2 or H2, CO, hydrocarbons
D If desired, specify percent N2 or CO2 required (maximum, minimum or range)
D Pressure, psig (kPa gauge)
D Temperature, _F (_C)
D Dewpoint, _F (_C)
3. Cooling water
D Combustor cooling water should be of boiler feedwater quality
D Temperature and pressure
4. Type of service
D Continuous or intermittent
5. Fuel Specification
D Include all possible variations in fuel gas composition
D Indicate the expected frequency of these variations
6. Utilities
D Electric supply (voltage, no. of phases, Hz) and Electrical Area Code
D Steam temperature and pressure, _F, psig (_C, kPa gauge)
D Instrument air temperature and pressure, _F, psig (_C, kPa gauge)
7. Miscellaneous options
D Remote operation
D Degree of automatic vs. manual
D Indoor or outdoor location

EXXON RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY — FLORHAM PARK, N.J.

 DESIGN PRACTICES
FIRED HEATERS Section Page
SUBSECTION L VIII-L 5 of 5
EXXON INERT GAS GENERATORS Date
ENGINEERING PROPRIETARY INFORMATION — For Authorized Company Use Only December, 1995

FIGURE 1
TYPICAL INERT GAS GENERATOR AND POST-TREATMENT EQUIPMENT

Safety
Shutdown
Pilot Supply and Controls
Fuel Filter
Gas Pressure and
Flow Control

Filter Air / Fuel

Air Pressure and Ratio Control
Flow Control (Carburetor)

Cooling Water
Source
(If Acceptable
Quality)
Flame
Arrester
Water Jacket

Combustion
Burner Chamber

Cooling
Water Water

Indirect Type of
To Drain (or Contained Exchanger or
Cooling Water System) Direct Spray Chamber

Water

Compressor Filter
Users
Dryers
Cooled Inert Gas
from Generator Surge
Tank
Aftercooler Other Treatment Steps to
Obtain Extremely Pure Gas
i.e. – Catalytic Units
– MEA Scrubbing

Note:
This figure describes typical inert gas system components, specific systems may differ in type and arrangement of components.

EXXON RESEARCH AND ENGINEERING COMPANY — FLORHAM PARK, N.J.