HINDUSTAN PETROLEUM

CORPORATION LTD
Mumbai Refinery

ENERGY CONSERVATION
HANDBOOK – Fired Heaters

ENCON SECTION

TECHNICAL DEPARTMENT
 Energy Conservation Hand Book-2010

INDEX
Sr. No. Subject Page No.

1 Introduction 3

2 Classification of Furnaces 6

3 Furnaces Efficiency Calculations 9

3 Furnace Design Data 11

4 Furnace Tuning 12

5 Factors affecting Furnace Parameters 14

6 Burner Management 16

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 Energy Conservation Hand Book-2010

Industrial Fired Heaters

An industrial furnace or direct fired heater is equipment used to provide
heat for a process. Furnace designs vary as to its function, heating duty, type of
fuel and method of introducing combustion air. However, most process furnaces
have some common features.

1. Introduction:
Fuel flows into the burner and is
burnt with air provided from an air
blower. There can be more than one
burner in a particular furnace which can
be arranged in cells which heat a
particular set of tubes. The flames heat
up the tubes, which in turn heat the fluid
inside in the first part of the furnace
known as the radiant section or firebox
(Fig 1.1).
In this chamber where combustion
takes place, the heat is transferred
mainly by radiation to tubes around the
Fig 1.1
fire in the chamber. The heating fluid
passes through the tubes and is thus heated to the desired temperature. The
gases from the combustion are known as flue gas. After the flue gas leaves the
firebox, most furnace designs include a convection section where more heat is
recovered before venting to the atmosphere through the flue gas stack.

 Radiant Section:
The radiant section is where the tubes receive almost all its heat by
radiation from the flame. In a vertical, cylindrical furnace, the tubes are vertical.
Tubes can be vertical or horizontal, placed along the refractory wall, in the middle,
etc., or arranged in cells. Studs are used to hold the insulation together and on the
wall of the furnace. They are placed about 1 ft (300 mm) apart in this picture of
the inside of a furnace. The tubes, shown below, which are reddish brown from
corrosion, are carbon steel tubes and run the height of the radiant section; The
tubes are a distance away from the insulation so radiation can be reflected to the
back of the tubes to maintain a uniform tube wall temperature. Tube guides at the
top, middle and bottom hold the tubes in place.

 Convection section:
The convection section is located above the radiant section where it is
cooler to recover additional heat. Heat transfer takes place by convection here,
and the tubes are finned to increase heat transfer. The first two tube rows in the

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bottom of the convection section and at the top of the radiant section is an area of
bare tubes (without fins) and are known as the shield section, so named because
they are still exposed to plenty of radiation from the firebox and they also act to
shield the convection section tubes, which are normally of less resistant material
from the high temperatures in the firebox. The area of the radiant section just
before flue gas enters the shield section and into the convection section called the
bridge zone. Crossover is the term used to describe the tube that connects from
the convection section outlet to the radiant section inlet. The crossover piping is
normally located outside so that the temperature can be monitored and the
efficiency of the convection section can be calculated. The sight glass at the top
allows personnel to see the flame shape and pattern from above and visually
inspect if flame impingement is occurring. Flame impingement happens when the
flame touches the tubes and causes small isolated spots of very high temperature.

 Burner
The burner in the vertical,
cylindrical furnace as above is
located in the floor and fires upward
(Fig 1.2). Some furnaces have side
fired burners, such as in train
locomotives. The burner tile is made
of high temperature refractory and
is where the flame is contained in.
Air registers located below the
burner and at the outlet of the air
blower are devices with movable
flaps or vanes that control the shape
and pattern of the flame, whether it Fig 1.2
spreads out or even swirls around. Flames should not spread out too much, as this
will cause flame impingement. Air registers can be classified as primary, secondary
and if applicable, tertiary, depending on when their air is introduced. The primary
air register supplies primary air, which is the first to be introduced in the burner.
Secondary air is added to supplement primary air. Burners may include a pre-
mixer to mix the air and fuel for better combustion before introducing into the
burner. Some burners even use steam as premix to preheat the air and create
better mixing of the fuel and heated air. The floor of the furnace is mostly made of
a different material from that of the wall, typically hard cast-able refractory to
allow technicians to walk on its floor during maintenance.
A furnace can be lit by a small pilot flame or in some older models, by hand.
Most pilot flames nowadays are lit by an ignition transformer (much like a car's
spark plugs). The pilot flame in turn lights up the main flame. The pilot flame uses
natural gas while the main flame can use both diesel and natural gas. When using
liquid fuels, an atomizer is used; otherwise, the liquid fuel will simply pour onto

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the furnace floor and become a hazard. Using a pilot flame for lighting the furnace
increases safety and ease compared to using a manual ignition method (like a
match).
 Soot blower:
Soot blowers are found in the convection section. As this section is above
the radiant section and air movement is slower because of the fins, soot tends to
accumulate here. Soot blowing is normally done when the efficiency of the
convection section is decreased. This can be calculated by looking at the
temperature change from the crossover piping and at the convection section exit.
Soot blowers utilize flowing media such as water, air or steam to remove deposits
from the tubes. This is typically done during maintenance with the air blower
turned on. There are several different types of soot blowers used. Wall blowers of
the rotary type are mounted on furnace walls protruding between the convection
tubes. The lances are connected to a steam source with holes drilled into it at
intervals along its length. When it is turned on, it rotates and blows the soot off
the tubes and out through the stack.

 Stack
The flue gas stack is a
cylindrical structure at the top
of all the heat transfer
chambers. The breeching
directly below it collects the
flue gas and brings it up high
into the atmosphere where it
will not endanger personnel
(Fig 1.3).
The stack damper
contained within works like a
butterfly valve and regulates
draft (pressure difference
between air intake and air exit) Fig 1.3

in the furnace, which is what pulls the flue gas through the convection section. The
stack damper also regulates the heat lost through the stack. As the damper closes,
the amount of heat escaping the furnace through the stack decreases, but the
pressure or draft in the furnace increases which poses risks to those working
around it if there are air leakages in the furnace, the flames can then escape out of
the firebox or even explode if the pressure is too great.

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2. Classification of Furnace

 Classification based on furnace draft

Natural Draft:
In this the buoyancy of the hot flue in the stack & furnace provides the suction
to pull combustion air into the furnace (Fig. 2.2 C)

MR Natural Draft Furnaces

Sr. Furnace Service

No.
1 LR VPS RCO
(F101)
2 SEU I Extract/Raffinate
(F201/02)
3 SEU II Extract/Raffinate
(F3201/02)
4 SEU III Extract/Raffinate
(F4201/02)
5 IOH Hydrofiner
(F401)
6 DHDS Raw Diesel & Hydrogen
(71F1)
7 NHT CCR Charge Heater Naphtha & Hydrogen
(102F1001)
8 CCR Charge Heater Naphtha & Hydrogen
(102F2001)
9 CCR No. 1 Inter Heater Naphtha & Hydrogen
(102F2002)
10 CCR No. 2 Inter Heater Naphtha & Hydrogen
(102F2003)
11 CCR No. 3 Inter Heater Naphtha & Hydrogen
(102F2004)
12 NHT ISOM Naphtha & Hydrogen
(103F1001)
13 Prime G+ Naphtha & Hydrogen
(105F1001)

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Forced Draft:
Use of a fan to supply combustion air to the burners and to overcome the
pressure drop through the burners; This is in contrast to natural draft, where the
buoyancies of the column of hot flue in the stack and furnace provide the
“suction” to pull combustion air into the furnace. (Fig. 2.2 B)

MR Forced Draft Furnaces

Sr. Furnace Service

No.
1 NSU Naphtha
(101F1001)

Balanced/Induced Draft:
Use of a fan on the flue gas side of the furnace, to provide the additional draft
required over that supplied by the stack to draw the flue gas through the
convection section. (Fig. 2.2 A)

MR Balance Draft Furnaces

Sr. Furnace Service

No.
1 FR APS Crude
(11F1/11F2)
2 FR VPS RCO
(12F1)
3 FRE APS Crude
(31F1)
4 FRE VPS RCO
(32F1)
5 FCCU CAT Feed
(14F1X)
6 PDA Asphalt Heater
(F4101)

 Classification based on furnace size

Vertical-Cylindrical furnace (Fig. 2.1 A)
These furnaces are probably most commonly used furnaces with heat duties up
to about 150 MM BTU/hr. In the radiant section, tubes stand or hang vertically in a
circle around the floor mounted burners. Thus firing is parallel to the radiant

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section tubes. These furnaces are designed either with or without a convection
section. Most of vertical cylindrical furnace is being provided with a horizontal
convection section located above radiant section. In small sizes under about 120
MM BTU/hr, these furnace are more economical& in sizes larger than about 150
MMBTU/hr the vertical tube box furnaces is more economical . Also these
furnaces require less plot area.

Horizontal tube cabin furnace (Fig. 2.1 B)

These furnaces have been built with the heat duties up to about 500 MM
BTU/hr. The radiant section includes horizontal tube surface on the side walls
&the slopping roof of the cabin. The convection section extends over the entire
length of the radiant section. Burners are floor mounted in a row down the center
of the cabin & are fired vertically. This firing is normal to both radiant &convection
tubes.
Horizontal tube box furnace
(Fig. 2.1 C)
The radiant & convection
section are separated by a wall
called bridge wall. Larger box
furnaces have two radiant
sections with a common
convection section located
between them. Burners are Fig 2.1
usually located in the end walls &
fired towards the bridge wall. The furnace tubes all lie horizontally &firing is
normal to the tubes.

Fig 2.2

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3. Furnace Efficiency calculation

 There are two methods to calculate furnace efficiency.

Direct method
 Heat absorbed by Process Fluid = m * cp * (COT-CIT)
 Heat Fired by Fuel = m FO/FG * Calorific value of FO/FG
Heat Absorbed
 Efficiency =( ) ∗ 100
Heat Fired

Indirect Method
 Heat Release by FG mmkcal/hr = m FG * LHV FG
 Heat Release by FO mmkcal/hr = m FO * LHV FO
 Total Heat Release mmkcal/hr = Heat Release by FG + Heat Release by FO
C/H FO∗ m FO C/H FG ∗ m FG
 Total CO2 kg moles = +
C/H FO +1 C/H FG +1
(C/H FO∗ 3 )∗1000
 Theoretical air FO kgmoles =(
C/H FO +1)∗12∗0.21
(C/H FG∗ 3 )∗1000
 Theoretical air FG kgmoles =(
C/H FG +1)∗12∗0.21

 Total theoretical air Kgmoles =(Theoretical air FO kgmoles * m FO )

+ (Theoretical air FG kgmoles * m FG)
m FO m FG
 Total H2O kgmoles =( + ) ∗ 1000/12
C/H FO +1 C/H FG +1

 Total N2 kgmole = (Total theoretical air ) * 0.79

Total CO2 + Total H2O + Total N2
 Total flue gas O2 kgmole = O2%*( )
100− O2%/0.21

 Actual air kgmole = Total theoretical air + (Total O2 kgmole

/0.21)
 Total Air Nm3/hr = Actual air kgmole *(22.4/24)
 Total air T/D = Actual air kgmole * 29/1000
 Total air m3/hr = Total Air Nm3/hr *((273+35)/273)
Actual air kgmole− Theoretical air kgmole
 Excess air % =( )
Theoretical air kgmole

 H2O kgmole due to humidity = Actual air kgmole * 0.022 *29/18

 Total flue gas kgmoles =(Total CO2 + Total H2O + Total N2

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+ Total O2/0.21 + Atm steam*1000/18

+ H2O kgmole due to humidity)
 Flue Gas avg molecular weight =
(Total CO2 ∗ 44 + (Total H2O + H2O kgmole due to humidity) ∗ 18 +
Total N2 ∗ 28 + Total O2/0.21 ∗ 28.84) + Atm steam ∗ 1000 )ual air kgmole − Theoretical air kgmole
( )
Total flue gas kgmoles

 Total Flue Gas Nm3/hr = Total flue gas kgmoles * 22.4/24

Total flue gas kgmoles∗Flue Gas avg molwt
 Total Flue Gas T/D =( )
1000

 Total Flue Gas m3/hr = Total Flue Gas Nm3/hr *((273+ T)/273)
 Flue Gas Heat loss mmkcal/hr =
Total Flue GasT/D ∗ 1000 ∗ 0.245 ∗ (stack temp – Ambient air)
( )
24 ∗ 106
Flue Gas Heat loss MMKcal/hr
 % Heat loss to flue gas =( ) *100
Total Heat Release MMKcal/hr

 Setting loss mmkcal/hr = (Radiation loss * Total heat release)/100

 Actual furnace efficiency = 100 – (% Heat loss to flue gas) – (%Setting
loss) – (% loss due to APH) – (%Setting loss) – (% loss due to APH)

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4. Furnace Design Data

 FR/FRE Block

Temperature profile O2 Profile &

Efficiency
Furnace CIT COT BWT HAT Stack O2 η
°C °C °C °C °C % %
11F1 262 361 830 333 160 2.5-3.0 90.7
11F2 262 361 830 333 160 2.5-3.0 90.7
12F1 340 416 800 388 221 2.5-3.0 87.7
31F1 270 355 940 354 160 2.5-3.0 90.7
32F1 318 410 951 230 160 2.5-3.0 90.7
14F1X 270 390 694 280 165 2.5-3.0 90.0

 LR/LRE Block

Temperature profile O2 Profile &

Efficiency
Furnace CIT COT BWT HAT Stack O2 η
°C °C °C °C °C % %
F101 238 410 993 NA 329 4.5-5.0 83.5
225 327 858 4.5-5.0
F201/02 NA 330 84.0
210 357 782 4.5-5.0
225 327 841 4.5-5.0
F3201/02 NA 330 84.0
210 357 782 4.5-5.0
225 327 858 4.5-5.0
F4201/02 NA 330 84.0
210 357 782 4.5-5.0
F4101 81 260 550 204 180 4.5-5.0 90.0

 GFEC Block

Temperature profile O2 Profile &

Efficiency
Furnace CIT °C COT °C BWT HAT Stack O2 η
°C °C °C % %
101F1001 147.1 151.1 766 154 200 2.5-3.0 89.8
102F1001 279 341 765 NA 685 4.5-5.0 64.3
102F2001/02 464/437 549/549 758 NA 206 4.5-5.0 89.3
102F2003/04 481/498 549/549 760 NA 215 4.5-5.0 92.1
103F1001 258 310 630 NA 325 4.5-5.0 82.5
105F1001 285 345 730 NA 335 4.5-5.0 82.4

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5. Furnaces Tuning

 Natural Draft Heater Tuning Guide

Check flame characteristic

 Open all peepholes then check flame pattern.
 If there is bad flame then increase air flow.
 Then see whether flame is OK if it is No then shut down burner, clean burner
and then light up.
 Recheck flame pattern.
 If it is Good flame a)Check arch draft b)Check Excess O2
 Close all peep holes.

Check arch draft

 Read arch draft
 If ok then Arch draft = 0.1’wc
 If high then close stack damper check flame characteristic & check Excess O2.
 If low then open stack damper, then check flame characteristic & check excess
O2.

Excess O2
 Read Excess O2.
 If Ok then Excess O2=3% & Heater is tuned.
 If low then open burner registers. Check flame characteristic.
 Then check Arch Draft & then Excess O2 =3%.
 If excess O2 is high close burner air registers.
 Check flame characteristic & then Check Arch draft then Excess O2 = 3%.
 Heater is tuned

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 Balanced Draft Heater Tuning Guide

Check flame characteristic

 Open all peepholes then check flame pattern.
 If there is bad flame then increase air flow.
 Then see whether flame is OK if it is No then shut down burner, clean burner
and then light up.
 Recheck flame pattern.
 If it is Good flame a)Check arch draft b)Check Excess O2
 Close all peep holes.

Check arch draft

 Read arch draft
 If ok then Arch draft = 0.1’wc
 If high then close ID fan damper & check flame characteristic & check Excess
O2.
 If low then open stack open ID fan damper & then check flame characteristic &
check excess O2.

Excess O2
 Read Excess O2
 If Ok then Excess O2=3% & Heater is tuned
 If low then open FD fan damper. Check flame characteristic
 Then check Arch Draft & then Excess O2 =3%.
 If excess O2 is high close the FD fan damper.
 Check flame characteristic & then Check Arch draft then Excess O2 = 3%.
 Heater is tuned

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6. Factors affecting Furnace Parameters

 Excess Air (high/low):

Effect: Excess air in the heater will result in poor heater efficiency. With a constant
stack temp of 530oC the heat loss @20% excess air is 3 times of that at 10% excess
air.
Measures taken: Adjust dampers, Adjust air registers maintain optimum air/fuel
ratio.
Results: 10% drop in excess air amounts to 1% saving on fuel fired.

 Deposits on convection tubes:

Effect: Less Heat transfer
Measures taken: Regular soot blowing
Results: 3 mm spot deposit increase fuel consumption by 2.5%

 Open peep hole doors:

Measures taken: Close peep hole doors when not in use.
Results: Unwanted air entry reduces excess air

 Low oil temp to burners:-

Measures taken: Maintain correct oil temperature.
Results: Normally in the range of 110-120 C ensures proper atomisation and
complete combustion of oil.

 Oil Dripping from burners:-

Measures taken: attend leaks at joints and clean burners.
Results: Ensures good housekeeping and saves oil.

 Wet steam and condensate to burners:-

Measures taken: Check steam superheat.
Results: Results in steady flame and proper fuel atomization.

 Damage to burner tips & plugs

Measure taken: Use proper wire brush & maintain correct alignment during
installation.
Results: Well maintained tips will ensure good combustion and flame pattern.

 Liquid Condensate To Gas Burner:

Measure taken: Proper draining of condensate in fuel gas line.
Results: Avoids backfires, ensures steady pattern and safe conditions in furnace.

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 Incomplete Combustion In Furnace Box

Ways to be ensured: Maintain proper flame pattern, Maintain correct excess air,
Maintain proper atomisation for oil Burners.
Results: Results in high efficiency & reduced fuel consumption.

 Air Preheater Bypass Open

Ways to be ensured: Keep always closed.
Results: Reduces heat loss. Entry 22C drop in air preheat temperature amounts to
1% loss in efficiency.

 Non Uniform Firing In Furnace

Ways to be ensured: Adjust burners for uniform firing.
Results: Avoids localized heating resulting in faster coking in tubes and / or failure
of tubes.

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7. Burner Management
The following practice is being followed in our refinery with regard to burner
management system

Daily Weekly Monthly Semi Annually

annually
Check Check fuel and Inspect Check oil Clean
combustion air linkage burner preheater fireside
visually surface

Check Check indicating Analyze Inspect Clean

general lights ad alarms combustion refractory breaching
burner
operation
Check operating Inspect for Clean oil Check oil
and limit fuel gas pump storage
controls leaks strainer & tanks.
filter
Check safety and Inspect for Reset Check fluid
interlock hot spots combustion level and
controls hydraulic
valves

Check for leaks, Check Remove

noise,vibration combustion and
unusual air supply recondition
conditions safety
Check operations valves.
of all motors.
Check general Check all
burner operation filter
elements
Check flame Check fuel
scanner system.
assembly.

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