Fired Heaters

General Background

Why use fired heaters

Most processes need fluids heated to elevated temperatures Steam is the primary heating medium for heat exchangers but it has a low upper temperature limit due to the corresponding pressure levels required. 600 psig (41 Bar) steam is at 490F (255C) and can only heat fluids economically to about 425F (220C) as an example. For the next higher level for heat exchanger heating services is Hot Oil. These fluids are typically special and expensive chemicals that degenerate at temperatures above 700F (370C). Heating fluids in heat exchangers to about 525F (275C) is about the limit. For any fluid requirement above these temperatures or when a hot oil system is not economical, then a Direct Fired Heater is needed. Many direct fired heaters are found in oil refineries. In petrochemical plants there are few applications for fired heaters in our size range and they are typically special designs.

Direct Fired Heater

Large Direct Fired Heater for aromatics plant

Fluid temperatures 1000F (535C)

Heaters vs. Exchangers

Passes
Exchanger passes are the number of times down the length of the tube Heater passes are the number of parallel fluid flow circuits

Tube Sizes
Exchangers use small diameter tubes (19 mm) and 1 (25mm) Heaters use nominal pipe sizes from 3 (88.9 mm) up to ~10 (273 mm)

Data Sheet Information

Exchangers are well defined by a sized data sheet, TEMA designation and applicable Code (ASME for instance) Heaters have great degrees of variability in design even with a completed data sheet (which is rare) and API 530/560 design requirements

Design Criteria
Exchangers are designed by determining the overall coefficient U or K and the LMTD Heaters are designed with a Heat Flux (Duty/Area) client selected based on experience with the process fluid

Basic Fired Heater Design

Radiant section-controls the heat released from the burner flames to the process inside the tubes using radiant heat transfer Convection section- recovers some of the remaining heat from the flue gases leaving the radiant section to process or other fluid service tubes using convection heat transfer Breeching or ducts- collect the flue gases into a exit pipe (stack) Stack height- provides the draft to maintain the entire flue gas side of the heater below atmospheric pressure Burners- provide the high temperature radiant heat and hot flue gases to transfer heat to the tubes

Heater Flow Paths

Process Inlet

Convection Section

Radiant Section

Flue gas path

Process Outlet

Burners

Basic Fired Heater

Stack Flue/Breeching Convection Section Radiant Section

Types of fired heaters

Vertical Cylindrical
The most common direct fired heater The tubes are vertically oriented around the periphery of the cylindrical radiant section connected top and bottom by 180 U-Bends to the adjacent tube. Requires the least amount of plot space since no tube pull space needed for maintenance Usually the least costly design and seen mainly in small and medium size heaters in nonfouling services

Vertical Cylindrical

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Vertical Tube Advantages/Disadvantages

Small plot are required No additional tube pull space needed Heat flux varies from top to bottom- can impact operations No set burner to pass firing control Static head impacts low pressure design/operations Can be single or double fired depending on process characteristics Radiant coils are not drainable

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Horizontal Tube Box

The most versatile direct fired heater The tubes are horizontally oriented along the walls of the radiant section connected each end by 180 U-Bends to the adjacent tube. Requires the most amount of plot space to accommodate the tube pull space needed for maintenance Has complete range of sizes from small to very large and can be designed for satisfactory operation of fouling/coking process services
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Horizontal Tube Box

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Horizontal Tube Advantages/Disadvantages

Capable of very large capacity More uniform heat flux distribution Burners can be designed for individual pass control Requires more plot space Requires additional tube pulling space Can be single or double fired depending on crude characteristics Radiant coil is drainable

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Arbor Type

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Arbor Type Advantages/Disadvantages

Capable of very large flow capacity Low pressure drop Burners can be oil or gas fired Manifolds on the bottom so coil supported separately Longer piping runs to reactors Can be single or double fired depending on crude characteristics

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Inverted Arbor Type

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Inverted Arbor Type Advantages/Disadvantages

Capable of very large flow capacity Low pressure drop Burners can only be gas fired Opposed firing of burners limits release or coil coverage Manifolds on top add to the weight the structure has to support Shorter piping runs to reactors Can be single or double fired depending on crude characteristics

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Refinery units using fired heaters

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Refinery configuration
LPG

LPG Merox

LPG
H2
Lt Nap

Coker Naphtha H2 SFG

Naphtha ISOM
Isom C4s

CDU

Nap

Naphtha Splitter

LPG

Naphtha HDT

H2

FG
Ref

Reformate Splitter

CCR
Hvy Nap

Hvy Ref

H2
Kero Diesel

SFG H2 SFG

Kero HDT
H2 SFG

Jet

Diesel HDT
LPG LCO Naphtha

H2

Atm Res

SFG

VGO

FCC

VDU
Naphtha
DCO V Res

FCC Nap HDT

LPG SFG
Gas Oil VGO

Treated Gasoil

Hydrogen Coke

Delayed Coker

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Fired heater refinery units

Not all refinery units need direct fired heater The main areas requiring fired heaters are the distillation areasCrude and Vacuum Units. The distillate hydrotreating and hydrocracking all require fired heaters. Residue treatment units like SDA, visbreaking and delayed coking require heaters, the last 2 require specially designed heaters. Reforming (CCR, Platformers etc) require many reactor feed heaters and these can be large high temperature applications. FCC or RFCC units have large amounts of waste heat and potential un-burnt CO from the regeneration process. The Flue Gas coolers or CO Boilers are good applications. Steam Reformers for Hydrogen production are the largest and most complicated fired heater in a refinery.
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Foster Wheelers strength

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Delayed Coker/Visbreaker Heaters

Foster Wheeler license both processes In support of Foster Wheelers licenced processes in delayed coking and visbreaking, require a Foster Wheeler supplied heater. These designs are robust with unique features to provide the client long run lengths to achieve the highest profitability. Foster Wheeler Fired Heaters are world renown in the Delayed Coker Industry as the best heater available

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Delayed Coker Heater Design Criteria

Thermal Cracking tendencies: Outlet Temperature F: Pressure drop psi: Target Mass Velocities lb/ft2-s Radiant Heat Flux Btu/hr-ft2
Single fired Double fired

High 920 to 940 350 to 400 350 to 450

8000 to 10,000 12,000 to 15,000

Minimum cold oil velocities ft/s

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Single verses double firing

Single fired is the most common firing for all heaters Single firing means that the tubes see flames on one side only Double firing means that the tubes see flames on both sides Double firing reduces the coil length or surface area for the same maximum tube metal temperature Double firing also means more burners are required as well as more radiant box volume. Single verses double firing is usually selected based on the severity of the process fluid and operating conditions.

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Single firing

Tubes Observed Heat Flux

Burners

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Double Firing

Burners Tubes

Burners

Observed Heat Flux

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Steam Reformer
Proprietary Terrace Wall Reformer Hydrogen Plants Foster Wheeler licenses hydrogen technology and again the steam reformer supply by the Fired Heater Division is required for process guarantees. The design is a unique design providing a compact plot and high turndown capability. TW reformers can operate in natural draft mode- the only large scale reformer designed to do so

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Crude and Vacuum Heaters

Crude, Atmospheric, Bitumen can be interchangeable for the same heater service. Crude Heaters can be Vertical Cylindrical, Horizontal tube or Vertical tube box types Vacuum Heaters usually are horizontal tube box types Usually required 9Cr-1Mo tubes but special crudes require 300 series stainless

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Crude Heater Design Criteria

Thermal Cracking Tendency: Outlet Temperature, F: Pressure Drop, psi: Target Mass Velocity, lb/(sec-ft2): Radiant Heat Flux, BTU/(hr-ft2):

Low 625 to 700 150 to 250 250 to 350 10,000 to 12,000

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Vacuum Heater Design Criteria

Thermal Cracking Tendency: Low/Slight Outlet TemperatureF: 715 to 800 Pressure Drop, psi: 50 to 75 Target Mass Velocity, lb/(sec-ft2): 250 to 350 (except outlet tube) Radiant Heat Flux, BTU/(hr-ft2): 9,000 to 12,000 Size outlet tubes for less than sonic velocity.

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CCR Platforming Heaters

Reformer plants CCR Platforming heaters are typically licensed with specific requirements from the licensor Larger sizes use U or inverted U shaped coils inside large fireboxes Coils can be single or double fired. Inverted U are used for oil burning designs U coils have shorter manifold runs to stacked reactor designs

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Hydrotreating/Hydrocracking Heaters

Hydrocracker heaters are typically licensed with specific requirements from the licensor Hydrotreaters can be licensed or open art designs. Hydrotreaters/Hydrocrackers can be simple Vertical cylindrical to special double fired designs Typically high pressure and temperature with high metallurgy are seen in these services
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CO Boiler/Heater - Flue Gas Cooler

Depending on the presence of CO burner firing may not be needed FCCU Regeneration flue gases provide much of the high pressure steam in a refinery. When CO is present in the flue gas then a CO Boiler is needed as in a partial burn FCCU When CO is fully combusted in the regeneration then a flue gas cooler (waste heat boiler) is all that is needed. FCCU applications have catalyst fines entrained in the gas, special designs are required to address these fines
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CO Boiler

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Flue Gas Cooler

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Petrochemical Fired Heaters

Most applications require very high temperatures Steam superheating is used in chemicals and petrochemical plants. Steam Superheaters for Styrene Monomer plants is one application where Foster Wheeler has supplied units. EDC (ethylene dichloride) Cracking furnaces are in VCM plants used to make PVC. These are licensed units and the licensors have restricted bid list which FW is usually on. These are special designs as thermal cracking occurs inside the tubes and the vendor must guarantee performance. Ethylene Cracking Furnaces are licensed units but most licensors supply the furnace. There are a few occasions where a coil design is supplied and we can bid our expertise. These however are very few

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EDC Cracking Furnace

Licensor restricted bid lists These are horizontal tube units with high alloy tubes (347SS, Alloy 800) and high process temperatures (900F-480C). Cracking occurs in the tubes and deposits coke on the inside walls of the tubes. A proper design provides a longer run before decokes than a improper design hence licensor requires experienced suppliers

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EDC Cracking Furnace

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Other Fired Heaters

DRI plants for Iron Ore Reduction requires a special high temperature Gas Heater. Production Heaters for the oilfield require fired heaters. Many applications are better suited for an indirect heating solution due to boiling off contaminants in crude/produced water. These services typically only require heating the fluid to a low temperature 280F (140C). Waste Heat Recovery applications off gas turbines Low Btu gases combusted for heating any service can be put in our CO combustor and coupled with a convection section.

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Air Preheat (APH)

Most new heaters consider APH Air preheater is an external heat exchanger recovering heat from the flue gas preheating the air to the burners Lowers fuel use increases FUEL efficiency Causes higher NOx emissions Not cost effective or long pay backs on smaller heater duties Can be designed to still operate in Natural Draft mode Requires an Forced Draft (FD) fan for conveying the combustion air through the air preheater to the burners Requires an Induced Draft (ID) fan to induce the flue gas through the air preheater to direct it to the exhaust stack

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Heater with APH System

ID fan on left- APH on right

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Efficiency
The same stack temperature is not the same performance when Steam Generation is compared to Air Preheat 92.5% Calculated Fuel Efficiency 350 F Stack Temperature 100 MM Btu/hr Absorbed Process Duty Steam Generation Design 124.4 MM Btu/hr Fired Duty 111.4 MM Btu/hr Total Absorbed Duty APH Design 113 MM Btu/hr Fired Duty 100 MM Btu/hr Total Absorbed Duty
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