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Calculating heat loss and heater size for a tank Heat loss and the heater surface area to compensate for the heat loss may be calculated using the following procedure: Step 1. Establish the bulk temperature for the tank contents. Fix the ambient air temperature and the wind velocity normal for the area in which the tank is to be sited. Step 2. Calculate the inside lm resistance to heat transfer between the tank contents and the tank wall. The following simplied equation may be used for this: h c = 8.5( t/)0.25 where h c = Inside lm resistance to wall in Btu/hr sqft F. t = Temperature difference between the tank contents and the wall in F. = The viscosity of the tank contents at the bulk temperature in cps. The heat loss calculation is iterative with assumed temperatures being made for the tank wall. Step 3. Using the assumed wall temperature made in step 2 calculate the heat loss to atmosphere by radiation using Figure 13.8. Then calculate the heat loss from the tank wall to the atmosphere using Figure 13.9. Note the temperature difference in this case is that between the assumed wall temperature and the ambient air temperature. Correct these gures by multiplying the radiation loss by the emissivity factor given in Figure 13.8. Then correct the heat loss by convection gure by the factors as described in item 4 below. Step 4. The value of h co read from Figure 13.9 is corrected for wind velocity and for shape (vertical or horizontal) by multiplying by the following shape factors: Vertical plates Horizontal plates 1.3 2.0 (facing up) 1.2 (facing down)

Correction for wind velocity use Fw = F1 + F2 where Fw = wind correction factor F1 = wind factor @ 200 F calculated from: F1 = (MPH/1.47)0.61 F2 = Read from Figure 13.10 Then the corrected h co is: h co shape correction Fw.

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Figure 13.8. Heat loss by radiation.

Step 5. The resistance of heat transferred from the bulk of the contents to the wall must equal the heat transferred from the wall to the atmosphere. Thus: Heat transferred from the bulk to the wall = a = h c from step 2 where t in Btu/hr sqft.

t in this case is (bulk temp assumed wall temp)

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Figure 13.9. Heat loss to atmosphere by natural convection.

Figure 13.10. Plot of F2 v ersus surface temperature.

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Heat transferred from the wall to the atmosphere = b = (h co + hr ) t in Btu/hr sqft where t in this case is (assumed wall temp temp). air Step 6. Plot the difference between the two transfer rates against the assumed wall temperature. This difference ( will be negative or positive but the wall a b) temperature that is correct will be the one in which the difference plotted = 0. Make a last check calculation using this value for the wall temperature. Step 7. The total heat loss from the wall of the tank is the value of or calculated a b in step 6 times the surface area of the tank wall. Thus: Q wall = h c t ( Dtank tank height) in Btu/hr.

Step 8. Calculate the heat loss from the roof in the same manner as that for the wall described in steps 27. Note the correction for shape factor in this case will be for horizontal plates facing upward, and the surface area will be that for the roof. Step 9. Calculate the heat loss through the oor of the tank by assuming the ground temperature as 50 F and using; h f = 1.5 Btu/hr sqft F Step 10. Total heat loss then is: Total heat loss from tank = Q wall + Q roof + Q oor . Step 11. Establish the heating medium to be used. Usually this is medium pressure steam. Calculate the resistance to heat transfer of the heating medium to the outside of the heating coil or tubes. If steam is used then take the condensing steam value for h as 0.001 Btu/hr sqft F. Take value of steam fouling as .0005 and tube metal resistance as 0.0005 also. The outside fouling factor is selected from the following: Light hydrocarbon = 0.0013 Medium hydrocarbon = 0.002 Heavy Hc such as fuel oils = 0.005 1 h+R where R = rsteam fouling + rtube metal + routside fouling . Step 12. Assume a coil outside temperature. Then using the same type of iterative calculation as for heat loss, calculate for as the heat from the steam to the coil a outside surface in Btu/hr sqft. That is The resistance of the steam to the tube outside = a = h
ti

Calculate for as the heat from the coil outside surface to the bulk of the tank b contents. Use Figure 13.11 to obtain ho and again bis h o to where the to is the temperature between the tube outside and that of the bulk tank contents. Make further assumptions for coil outside temperature until a = b. Step 13. Use aor bfrom step 12 which is the rate of heat transferred from the heating medium in btu/hr sqft and divide this into the total heat loss calculated

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Figure 13.11. Convection heat transfer coefcient.

in step 10. The answer is the surface area of the immersed heater required for maintaining tank content bulk temperature. s An example calculation using this technique is given as Appendix 13.1 at the end of this chapter. Product blending facilities Blending is the combining of two or more components to produce a desired end product. The term in renery practice usually refers to process streams being combined to make a saleable product leaving the renery. Generally these include gasolines, middle distillates such as: jet fuel, kerosene, diesel, and heating oil. Other blended