F.3.1.

1 Net Thermal Efficiency

the net thermal efficiency (based on the lower heating value of the fuel) can be
determined by the following equation
Total heat absorbed
Efficiency = ----------------------------------------------- ´ 100
Total heat input

Total heat absorbed

Efficiency = ----------------------------------------------- ´ 100
Total heat input

(LHV + Ha + Hf + Hm) – (Qr + Qs)

Efficiency = ----------------------------------------------- ´ 100
(LHV + Ha + Hf + Hm)

where:
e = net thermal efficiency, expressed as a percentage.

LHV = lower heating value of the fuel burned, in British thermal units per
pound of fuel.

Ha = air sensible heat correction, in British thermal units per pound of fuel
= Cp air x (Tt – Td) x (Pounds of air per pound of fuel), or the enthalpy
difference multiplied by pounds of air per pound of fuel.

Hf = fuel sensible heat correction, in British thermal units per pound of fuel,
= Cp fuel x (Tf – Td)

Hm = atomizing medium sensible heat correction, in British thermal units per

pound of fuel,
= Cp medium x (Tm – Td) x (Pounds of medium per pound of fuel), or the
enthalpy difference multiplied by pounds of medium per pound of fuel.1

Qr = assumed radiation heat loss, in British thermal units per pound of fuel.

Qs = calculated stack heat losses (see Stack Loss Work Sheet, Appendix F.B),
in British thermal units per pound of fuel.
Gross Thermal Efficiency
The gross thermal-efficiency of a fired process heater system is determined by
substituting, in Equation F-1, the higher heating value, HHV, in place of LHV
and adding to Qs a value equal to 1059.7 British thermal units per pound of
H2O multiplied by the number of pounds of H2O formed in the combustion of
the fuel:

(HHV+Ha+H f +Hm) (Qr+ Qs+ H2 O formed ´ 1059.7)

Egross =-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------* 100
(HHV + Ha + H f + Hm)

However,
HHV = LHV + H20 formed x 1059.7

(LHV + Ha + Hf + Hm) – (Qr + Qs)

Egross =------------------------------------------------------------------------ * 100
(LHV+Ha+Hf+Hm) +H2O formed´ 1059.7

(LHV + Ha + Hf + Hm) – (Qr + Qs)

Egross =------------------------------------------------------------------------* 100
(HHV + Ha + Hf + Hm)

where:
egross = gross thermal efficiency, expressed as a percentage,
HHV = higher heating value of the fuel burned, in British thermal units per
pound of fuel.

Ha = air sensible heat correction, in British thermal units per pound of fuel
= Cp air x (Tt – Td) x (Pounds of air per pound of fuel), or the enthalpy
difference multiplied by pounds of air per pound of fuel.

Hf = fuel sensible heat correction, in British thermal units per pound of fuel,
= Cp fuel x (Tf – Td)
Hm = atomizing medium sensible heat correction, in British thermal units per
pound of fuel,
= Cp medium x (Tm – Td) x (Pounds of medium per pound of fuel), or the
enthalpy difference multiplied by pounds of medium per pound of fuel.1

Qr = assumed radiation heat loss, in British thermal units per pound of fuel.

Qs = calculated stack heat losses (see Stack Loss Work Sheet, Appendix F.B),
in British thermal units per pound of fuel.

Pounds of medium per pound of fuel” may be an assumed value if it is not

measured.
Fuel Efficiency
The fuel efficiency of a fired heater is found by dividing the total heat absorbed
by the heat input due only to the combustion of the fuel. The fuel efficiency can
be determined by eliminating the sensible heat correction factors for air, fuel,
and steam from the denominator of Equation F-1.
Therefore,

(LHV + Ha + Hf + Hm) – (Qr + Qs)

E Fuel = ----------------------------------------------- * 100
(LHV )

where:
efuel = fuel efficiency, expressed as a percentage
Oil-Fired Heater with Natural Draft
In this example,
the ambient air temperature (Ta) is 26.67°C (80°F),
the air temperature (Tt) is 26.67°C (80°F),
the flue gas temperature to the stack (Te) is 232.22°C (450°F),
the fuel oil temperature (Tf) is 176.67°C (350°F),
and the relative humidity is 50 percent.
The flue gas analysis indicates that the oxygen content (on a wet basis) is 5
volume percent and that the combustibles content is nil.
The radiation heat loss is 1.5 percent of the lower heating value of
the fuel.
The analysis of the fuel indicates that the
fuel’s gravity is 10°API,
its carbon-hydrogen ratio is 8.06
, its higher heating value (by calorimeter) is 42,566 kilojoules per kilogram
(18,300 British thermal units per pound)
, its sulfur content is 1.8 weight percent,
and its inerts content is 0.95 weight percent.
The temperature of the atomizing steam (Tm) is 185.56°C (366°F) at a pressure
of 150 pounds per square inch gage;
the quantity of atomizing steam is 0.5 pound of steam per pound of fuel.
Appendix F.C contains the work sheets
from Appendix F.B filled out for this example.
The fuel’s carbon content and the content of the other components
are entered as weight fractions in Column 3 of the
Combustion Work Sheet (see Appendix F.C) to determine the
flue gas components. By entering the fuel’s higher heating
value (HHV) and its components on the Lower Heating Value
(Liquid Fuels) Work Sheet (see Appendix F.C), the fuel’s
lower heating value (LHV) and carbon content (as a percentage)
can be determined. Using this method,
LHV = 40,186 kilojoules per kilogram of fuel (17,277 British thermal units
per pound of fuel).
The radiation heat loss, Qr, is determined by multiplying
LHV by the radiation loss expressed as a fraction of LHV.
Therefore, Qr = 0.015 x 17,277 = 602.9 kilojoules per kilogram
of fuel (259.2 British thermal units per pound of fuel).
The stack heat loss, Qs, is determined from a summation of
the heat content of the flue gas components at the exit flue gas
temperature, Te (see Stack Loss Work Sheet, Appendix F.C).
Therefore,
Qs = 4788.4 kilojoules per kilogram of fuel at
232.22°C (2058.5 British thermal units per pound of fuel at
450°F).
The sensible heat corrections—Ha for combustion air, Hf
for fuel, and Hm for atomizing steam—are determined as follows:
Ha = Cpair x (Tt – Td) (Pounds of air per pound of fuel)
where:
Pounds of air per pound of fuel = the sum of the values
from equations (b) and (e) on the Excess Air and Relative
Humidity Work Sheet (see Appendix F.C).
Ha = 0.24 (80 – 60) (13.86 + 4.896)
= 90.0 British thermal units per pound of fuel
= 209.3 kilojoules per kilogram of fuel
Hf = Cpfuel x (Tf – Td)
= 0.48 (350 – 60)
= 139.2 British thermal units per pound of fuel
= 323.8 kilojoules per kilogram of fuel
Hm = Enthalpy difference x (Pounds of steam per
pound of fuel)
= (1195.5 – 1087.7) x 0.5
= 53.9 British thermal units per pound of fuel
= 125.4 kilojoules per kilogram of fuel

**The net thermal efficiency can then be calculated as follows

[see Equation F-1]:
(17,277 + 90.0 + 139.2 + 53.9) – (259.2 + 2058.5)
E = ----------------------------------------------------------------- * 100 = 86.8 percent
(17,277)

** The gross thermal efficiency is determined as follows [see

Equation F-2]:

(17,277 + 90.0 + 139.2 + 53.9) – (259.2 + 2058.5)

E gross = ----------------------------------------------------------------- * 100 = 82 %
(18,300 + 90.0 + 139.2 + 53.9)
** The fuel efficiency is determined as follows [see Equation F-3]:

(17,277 + 90.0 + 139.2 + 53.9) – (259.2 + 2058.5)

E Fuel = ----------------------------------------------------------------- * 100 = 88.2 %
(17,277)