Title: Welcome to Fired Heater Training!
1Welcome to Fired Heater Training!
- The course is designed to give you some
background information needed to operate a fired
heater
2Agenda
- Introduction
- Air/Fuel Ratios
- Fundamentals of Burners
- Fundamentals of Furnaces
- Furnace Tuning and Use of Analyzer
- NOx and Advanced Burner Design
- Field Tuning of Heaters
- Q A and Wrap-up
3Heater and Burner Operation
4Course Objective
- To ensure that everyone fully understands how
burners and heaters work.
5Course Topics
- Combustion Essentials
- Basic Burner Designs
- Furnace Types
- Draught
- Heater Tuning
- Low NOx Burner Designs
6Combustion Essentials
7What is Combustion?
- A chemical reaction between fuel and oxygen
producing heat. - Air is usually the source of oxygen.
- The chemical reaction produces flue gases
8What Is Required For Combustion?
- Three Elements
- Fuel
- Air
- Source of Ignition
9Fuel Components
- Gas, Oil and Coal are all basically a mix of
Hydrocarbons. - During combustion these break down progressively
as some parts burn more easily. - The most important components are Carbon and
Hydrogen compounds.
10Other Components
- In addition to the Carbon and Hydrogen many fuels
contain Sulphur. - Sulphur also burns but produces hazardous
products. - Liquid and solid fuels can contain other
non-combustibles which form ash. - Nitrogen may be present as a gas or in compound
form in liquid/solid fuels.
11Chemical Formulas
- In formulas we will use the following basic
components - Carbon C
- Hydrogen H2
- Oxygen O2
- Nitrogen N2
- Water H2O
- Carbon Dioxide CO2
- Methane CH4
12Note on Calculations
- Each component in a formula is a Molecule (of
gas) - A Molecule of any gas occupies the same Volume
- The number of Molecules is therefore the same as
the number of Volumes - All calculations are therefore Volumetric,
including measured Gas Analyses - e.g. 2 CO 2 volumes of CO
13Examples Of Combustion For Typical Fuel
Componentswith Oxygen
- C O2 CO2
- 2H2 O2 2H2O
- S O2 SO2
14Heat
- Where does the heat come from?
- Heat
-
- C O2 CO2
15But we dont have Pure Oxygen available
Oxygen in Air (by volume)
Air 21 O2 79 N2
Ratio 1 O2 3.75 N2
The other main component in air is Water Vapour.
In humid conditions this can be 5 or more and
affects efficiency
16Examples Of Combustion For Basic Fuel Components
with Air
- C O2 3.75N2 CO2 3.75N2
- 2H2 O2 3.75N2 2H2O 3.75N2
- S O2 3.75N2 SO2 3.75N2
17Example - Combustion Of Methane
- CH4 2O2 7.5N2 CO2 2H2O 7.5N2
- Heat
18Stoichiometry
- The technical term used to define the theoretical
amount of air or oxygen required for complete
combustion of a fuel is the Stoichiometric ratio. - e.g. - for a typical Natural Gas the
Stoichiometric Ratio is approximately 10 volumes
of Air to one of Gas.
19Excess Air
- Because of many factors, including imperfect
mixing, extra air is always needed to ensure
complete combustion. - The extra air above the Stoichiometric amount
required is known as the excess air.
20Stoichiometric Air Example
- CH4 2O2 7.5N2
- CO2 2H2O 7.5N2 Heat
- Note no Excess Oxygen in Flue Gas
21Excess Air Example
- CH4 (2 0.4)O2 (7.5 1.5)N2 ? CO2 2H2O
9N2 0.4O2 Heat - 0.4/2.0 0.2 or 20 excess air
- 0.4/(1290.4)0.032 or 3.2O2 in flue gases
(wet) - 0.4/(190.4)0.038 or 3.8O2 (dry)
22Fuel Rich Examples(Sub-stoichiometric)
- 3C O2 ? 2 CO C heat
- 4H2 O2 ? 2 H2O 2H2 heat
- Products include Combustible Gases and free
Carbon (soot)
23Some Dangers of operatingbelow Stoichiometric
- Flue gases contain combustibles.
- When these gases find a supply of air they will
burn. - If this happens in the convection tubes it can
damage the tubes. - Pockets of gas can build up in ducting and cause
explosions. - Flames eventually back out of burners.
24Heater Control Problems with Sub-Stoichiometric
Combustion
- Increasing fuel flow will reduce heat to the
process as more combustibles are generated. - This can lead to total loss of control and very
high levels of unburned gases in the heater.
25How do you get out of this situation?
- Do not open up air suddenly, as this will cause
unburned gas to burn rapidly and possibly
explosively. - Reduce the gas flow slowly until temperature
starts to recover. This allows unburned gases to
disperse safely.
26Flue Gas Analysis
- We control the excess air by measuring the excess
Oxygen in the Flue Gas - The amount of excess air we need to know is what
goes through the burners. - The ideal sample point is at the exit of the
firebox, as there should be little or no air
leaks in this box.
27Sample Points
28On-Line Analysis
- The oxygen analyser is located in the stack.
- This analyser measures in the gas stream, so it
indicates what we call a WET analysis since
water vapour is present. - Air leaks between the firebox and stack affect
the readings.
29Portable (off-line) Analysis
- Portable analysers can be used to check gases
wherever a test point is available. - They draw a sample through a cold line so water
condenses out. The analysis is therefore known as
DRY. This gives higher O2 readings but standard
compensations can be made. - Analysers can also measure CO and NOx for
combustion efficiency and emissions checks.
30Flue Gas Losses
- The gases passing out of the stack are above the
ambient temperature, so they carry unused heat
into the atmosphere. - Increasing Flue gas temperature increases these
losses. - Increasing Excess air increases the amount of
flue gases, giving even more loss.
31Units Of Heat Flow
- British Thermal Unit BTU/hr
- Kilocalorie 1 KCal/hr3.938 BTU/hr
- KiloJoule 1 KJ/hr 0.9478 Btu/hr
- Kilowatt 1 KW 3,413 BTU/hr (1W 1J/s)
32Gross and Net Heating Value
- Higher (Gross) Heating Value (HHV)
- The total heat theoretically available from
combustion of a fuel. - Lower (Net) Heating Value (LHV) the HHV less the
latent heat used to convert the produced water to
vapour.
33Heating Values (Btu/Ft3)
- LHV HHV
- --------------------------------------------------
------ - Methane (CH4) 911 1012
- Ethane (C2H6) 1622 1773
- Propane (C3H8) 2322 2524
- Butane (C4H10) 3018 3271
- Hydrogen (H2) 275 325
- Carbon Monoxide (CO) 321 321
34Wobbe Index
- This is a factor used in the design of Premix
Burners only. - It is based on Calorific Value and Density.
- If 2 gases have the same Wobbe index they should
work equally well in the same premix burner.
35Products Of Combustion
- Water Vapour - H2O
- Carbon Dioxide - CO2
- Sulphur Dioxide - SO2, SO3
- Carbon Monoxide - CO
- Unburned Hydrocarbons - UBC
- Nitrogen Oxides - NO, NO2
36Flame Speed
- Another important factor in Combustion is the
Flame Speed - Each gas burns in air at a particular speed under
reference conditions - A stable flame is produced when the Flame Speed
and gas/air mixture velocity correspond
37Typical Flame Speeds (ft/sec)
Methane 1.48
Ethane 2.30
Propane 2.78
Butane 2.85
Hydrogen 9.30
Carbon Monoxide 1.70
38Other Gas Characteristics
- All fuel gases will burn within a mixture range
both below Stoichiometric and above
Stoichiometric. - The flammability range varies between gases,
and is another indicator of how easily a gas will
burn. - Gas density affects burner design as heavier
gases have higher pressure drops though gas jets.
39So why have burners?
40Basic Objects of a Burner
- The burner must mix the fuel and the air
effectively to ensure complete combustion. - The flame must be stabilised in a fixed position
so that its heat can be absorbed effectively. - The flame shape must be controlled to suit its
working environment.
41Process Heater Burners
42Basic Burner TypesNatural Draught
- Premix
- Raw Gas (Nozzle Mix)
- Combination Oil Gas
43Natural Draught
- Air is pulled through the burner by draft created
by the heat in the furnace and stack (explained
in a later section). - Since air velocity is low we need to use the
energy in the gas (typically at 1 barg) to
improve the gas/air mixing. - We have 2 basic ways we do this.
44Premix Burners
- Fuel pressure drop occurs in the gas jet.
- Gas velocity in venturi induces part of the air
so air flow adjusts with gas flow. - Fuel and primary air mix before the nozzle.
- Secondary air mixes in burner throat.
- All domestic gas burners are premix, including
cooking appliances.
45Basic Burner TypesPre-Mix Heater Burner
GAS NOZZLE
46Pre-Mix Burner Advantages
- Large fuel gas discharge orifice.
- Large ports in firing nozzle.
- Small flame volume.
- Automatic variation of air flow with varying fuel
rates.
47Premix Burner Disadvantages
- Can only accept small variations in gas quality
without adjustment (n.b. unless Wobbe Index is
maintained) - Limited turndown.
- Difficult to adapt for combination gas/oil firing
(but not impossible) - Maintenance more difficult.
- Hard to reduce NOx.
48Raw Gas Burners(Nozzle Mix)
- Gas and air are kept separate until discharged
into the combustion zone. - Fuel pressure drop occurs at the combustion zone.
- The energy in the gas helps mix fuel and air.
49Basic Burner TypesNozzle Mixing Gas Burner
GAS NOZZLE
BURNER THROAT
FLAME HOLDER
50Basic Burner Types
51Zeeco Burner for United
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53Test Burner Flame
54Nozzle Mixing Gas Burner Advantages
- A high turndown ratio
- No possibility of flashback
- The ability to burn a wide variety of fuels with
differing heating values - Flame shape can be controlled as required by gas
tip and tile design. - Can be adapted many ways to reduce NOx
55Nozzle Mixing Gas Burner Disadvantages
- Small fuel discharge ports
- "Large" flame volume
- Fuel/air ratio is dependent on operators
56Raw Gas Combination
- Designed to burn gas and fuel oil either
separately or together. - Inner tile stabilizes oil flame with controlled
primary air. - Gas burners stabilize in secondary tile throat.
- Oil guns remove easily for cleaning while gas
burners are in service. - Gas burners can also be maintained while oil
burners are in service.
57Combination Natural Draught Gas and Oil Burner
GAS TIPS
PRIMARY TILE
58Combination Burner Limitations
- Oil guns need frequent maintenance.
- Oil firing problems can cause fouling of gas
tips. - Total capacity of burner is set by air flow
available, so firing gas and oil at the same time
requires both fuels to be limited to give correct
total Heat Flow.
59Forced Draught Burners
- Basically similar to Natural Draught Raw Gas
Burners (including Combination Oil/Gas Burners). - Higher air velocities give better mixing and
smaller flames. - Air can be preheated, using various types of heat
exchanger. - Flames are hotter, giving higher rates of heat
transfer.
60Gas pilots
- Most process burners use a pilot to provide the
basic source of ignition. - Pilot is usually fully premixed.
- Pilot can be ignited manually or have a built-in
spark ignition. - Some pilots have flame rods to check flame is
alight.
61Pilot Burner
62Burners are only part of the system
63Furnaces
- A furnace is basically an insulated box lined
with tubes containing the process fluid. - We fire burners inside the box to heat the tubes
by a mixture of radiation and convection heat
transfer. - There are many different furnace designs
depending on the process application and the
companies involved. - The next 2 slides show some basic types.
64Heater Types
65Heater Types
66Heater Parts
67Burner Locations
- Depending on the heater layout burners may be
installed up-fired, side-fired, end-fired and
down-fired. - Most heaters are up-fired, except for special
types such as Ethylene Crackers and Reformers.
68Heat Transfer(a) - Radiation
- In the firebox we get heat transferred initially
by direct radiation from the flames to the tubes. - Additional heat is radiated to the back of the
tubes from the hot furnace walls. - Radiant efficiency depends on the emissivity of
the flame and of the tube surfaces, plus the
temperatures of both.
69Heat Transfer(b) - Convection
- Hot gases passing over tube surfaces heat the
tubes mainly by Convection. - Away from the Flames most heat is transferred by
Convection. - A Convection Bank is a section of the Heater
where Radiation is insignificant, normally just
below the Stack. -
70Process Flow
- In most heaters the coolest fluid is exposed to
the coolest heat source. - Fluid passes first through the Convection Tubes,
where available. - Fluid exits near the burners.
71Furnace Draught
- Natural Draught burners depend on the air flow
being created by the difference in air pressure
between the inside of the heater and outside. - The reason the pressure is different is that the
air inside the heater is hotter than the air
outside. - Since hot air is lighter it rises and reduces the
pressure inside the heater.
72Furnace Draught
- Typically the temperature in a firebox is 500 -
800C. - At this temperature the draft increases by about
2.5 mm water for every 3 metres of firebox
height. - If we have a convection section we need more
draught above it to overcome the pressure drop
through the tube bank.
73Where Draught comes from
10ft column of cold air 0.15w.g.
10ft column of air at 1000degF 0.05w.g.
DRAUGHT 0.1 /2.5 m.m.
74Furnace Draught
- The temperature in the stack is lower, so we need
more stack height to give us the required
draught. - The next chart shows what happens in our heater
with a convection bank and a stack damper
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76More on Draught
- We need just enough air to burn our fuel
properly. - We do not want any air to get in except through
the burners. - Any air which does not pass through the burners
just absorbs some of the heat available and
throws it away up the stack.
77Even more on Draught
- We need to keep draught negative all the way
through the heater. - If we get a positive draught then hot gases will
find small holes and make them bigger. - The critical point is usually at the top of the
firebox look at the chart again. - Many heaters have alarms for positive pressure.
78Smallest Draught
79Heater Tuning
80Before Tuning
- Before tuning make a full check of the burner
conditions. - Ensure air doors are open equally and gas valves
open completely. - Check flame appearance / stability. Close all
peep doors. - Keep in Radio touch with panel operators.
81Heater TuningDraught Calculation / Setting
- For a typical heater as in the sketch we should
have about 2 mm draught at the arch. - If the heater is 10 metres high we can expect an
additional 8-9 mm at the floor - This gives us 12 mm total.
- Burners should have been designed for slightly
less than this theoretical draught, so we close
the air doors to control the excess air through
the burners. - After we close the air doors we may need to
adjust the stack damper to maintain 2 mm at the
arch. - We check O2 and draught and repeat adjustments
until we get both figures correct.
82HEATER ADJUSTMENT FLOW CHART
TARGET DRAFT 1 to 3 mm water
TARGET OXYGEN 2 3
START
CHECK DRAFT
LOW
HIGH
CHECK O2
CHECK O2
TARGET
LOW
HIGH
HIGH
LOW
CLOSE STACK DAMPER
OPEN AIR REGISTERS
CLOSE AIR REGISTERS
OPEN STACK DAMPER
RETURN TO START
RETURN TO START
CHECK O2
HIGH
LOW
ON TARGET
CLOSE AIR REGISTERS
OPEN AIR REGISTERS
RETURN TO START
RETURN TO START
GOOD OPERATION
83HEATER ADJUSTMENT FLOW CHART
TARGET DRAFT 1 to 3 mm water
TARGET OXYGEN 2 3
START
CHECK DRAFT
TARGET
CHECK O2
HIGH
LOW
ON TARGET
CLOSE AIR REGISTERS
OPEN AIR REGISTERS
RETURN TO START
RETURN TO START
GOOD OPERATION
84Heater TuningDraught Control General
- There are differences in approach depending on
the type of burner, if the heater has a
convection bank, and if there is a stack damper. - If the burners are in a plenum and have their own
air doors then we have an extra adjustment point.
In such cases the individual burner air doors
should be fixed open unless a burner is stopped,
when they should be shut. - Sinclair has almost every combination possible,
so we have to look at all the possibilities.
85Heater TuningDraught Control Raw Gas Burners
- Basically the Flowchart given applies to this
type of burner. - If there is no stack damper we need to monitor
the arch Oxygen assuming that the furnace leaks
have been fixed. - We must still check that Draught is negative as
putting too much air through burners can cause
draft to go positive at the arch.
86Heater Start-up
- During start-up draught is low as temperatures
are low. - Pilots self-inspirate so should work normally.
- High excess air is used to control furnace
temperature rise. - Individual Burner light-off should be done with
air doors nearly closed, so gas lights more
smoothly. - Increase air opening slowly so burner heats up
quickly and flame can stabilize properly.
87Heater TuningFuel Gas Valves
- Valves fitted upstream of each burner are for
isolation only. - The only time a valve should not be opened fully
is during light-off. - If any valves are not completely open then the
burners are not all firing at the same rate. - Gas pressure trip settings are established on the
basis that valves are fully open. - If a trip setting interferes during normal
operation it should be checked and may be
changed, provided that the burner stability is
checked at the revised setting. - If an individual burner gives a problem with the
valve open then the problem should be
investigated. On many burners there are small gas
jets which can plug easily and will affect flame
stability.
88What can go Wrong?
- O2 falls too low Temperature control is lost as
fuel does not burn flames search for air and
blow back through registers Puffing CUT
BACK ON FUEL FIRST - Draught goes positive gas leaks out of any gaps
and causes damage, but O2 still looks OK. Heaters
should have an alarm for high pressure.
89Heater TuningFlue Gas Analysis
- In general a good target for excess Oxygen is 3
- We need this level in the firebox that should
mean we are getting the right amount of air
through the burners. - Gas samples taken above convection banks include
any air which leaks in around the tubes. - These leaks should always be minimised as they
affect the convection bank efficiency. - In serious cases the leaks can exceed our 3
target, so we could actually be firing below
stoichiometric.
90Heater TuningFlue Gas Analysis
- One way to check what is really happening is to
also measure CO levels. - Typically it is safe to run with a maximum of 50
ppm of CO in flue gases. - Older burners will start producing CO at around
2 excess Oxygen, so we have a good indication of
the actual excess air through the burners. - On-line CO analysers allow burners to be run
safely right down to their minimum achievable
levels of excess air.
91Heater TuningSummary
- We are aiming to have 3 excess oxygen in the
firebox. - We need all the burners in each heater to be
operating with the same amount of fuel and air. - This means air doors set equally, gas valves full
open, and clean gas tips. - If there is a stack damper, it should normally be
set to give a draft of 0.1 maximum at the heater
arch. - Some heaters may still need more draft to get
enough air through the burners.
92Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) Formation
93What is the Problem?
- All combustion processes produce some Nitrogen
Oxides - In the atmosphere these oxides can form Nitric
acid and fall as acid rain - They react with other gases and sunlight,
producing ozone and smog
94NOx Formation in Combustion
- In ambient conditions Nitrogen is an inert gas
95NOx Formation in Combustion
- In hot flames we get
- Thermal NOx
- Fuel NOx
96Thermal NOx
Created from atmospheric Nitrogen Formation
controlled by the breaking of N2 molecules to
reactive nitrogen atoms by the supply of heat.
The N atoms then react with available Oxygen to
form NO. Thermal NOx formation rate is
dependent on peak flame temperature and oxygen
availability.
97Controlling ReactionsThermal NOx
98NOx definitions
- The primary component formed in a flame is NO.
- In the atmosphere this NO converts to NO2, which
is the harmful form. - We define limits as NOx, where all measured
levels are treated as having converted to NO2. - Fired Heater limits are always expressed as the
equivalent levels of NOx at 3 excess Oxygen. - EPA bases limits on lbs/million Btu rather than
on percentages.
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100Fuel NOx
- Some fuels contain fixed Nitrogen as compounds.
Liquids and Solids contain more of these than
most gases. - These compounds break down in the combustion
process and release the Nitrogen in a form which
reacts easily to form NOx. - Nitrogen as a gas component is not significant.
- NOx levels increase in direct proportion to the
fixed Nitrogen in the fuel. - NOx reduction techniques are also effective in
reducing Fuel NOx.
101How can we reduce NOx?
- Reduce the Flame Temperature
- Reduce the Oxygen available
- Flue Gas Treatment
102Reducing Flame Temperature
- Slow down fuel / air mixing
- Inject cooler inert gases into the flame (steam
or recycled flue gas) - Increase the excess air
- Reduce air below stoichiometric
- Unfortunately all of these things conflict with
our requirement to get maximum heat from the
flames to the process
103Reducing Available Oxygen
- Reduce the excess air
- Inject Inert gases into the flame to reduce the
oxygen concentration available (recycled flue gas
again)
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105Low NOx Burners
- Staged Air
- Staged Fuel Low NOx
- Internal Flue Gas Recirculation
- Combination of Features
106Staged Air Burner Features
- Sub-Stoichiometric Primary Combustion
- Presence of CO and H2
- Flame Cooling in Second Stage
- Works with Gas or Oil
107Staged Air Burner
108Staged Air Burners Disadvantages
- Long Flames
- Complicated Air Adjustment
- Fuel Composition affects Performance
- Higher Excess Air Required
- Limited NOx Reduction
109Staged Fuel Low NOx Burners
- Features / Advantages
- Disadvantages
110Staged Fuel Burner Features
- Two Stage Fuel Injection
- Good Heat Transfer from Secondary Flame
- Combustion Product Injection
- "Compact Flame
- Tolerates gas variations
1111. Two stage fuel injection
- Primary gas burns with high excess air, cooling
the flame - Secondary gas mixes into flame above the burner,
where oxygen level is low, so burns at a lower
temperature
1122. Heat Transfer from Secondary Flame
- Secondary Flame burns slowly above the burner
- Maintains uniform radiant Heat transfer further
up the furnace
1133. Combustion Product Injection
- Secondary gas pokers are above the burner tile
- They induce furnace gases into the Secondary
flame - Oxygen is reduced but temperature increases,
maintaining flame dimensions well
1144. Compact Flame
- High excess air primary flame gives strong core
to flame - Controlled secondary mixing and recirculation
keeps flame relatively compact
1155. Tolerates Gas variations
- Balance of primary to secondary gas is fixed
(typically 30-40 primary) - Stoichiometry is not affected by fuel properties
-
116Staged Fuel Burner
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119Staged Fuel Burner Disadvantages
- Turndown is limited
- Stability sometimes a problem
- Small Gas Port Size
- Effectiveness of NOx reduction depends on fuel
properties
120Low Emission Burners
- Combination of Staged Fuel and Internal Flue Gas
Recirculation
121Low Emission Burner
- Based on Staged Fuel Burner
- Primary Gas induces furnace gases into Primary
Flame - Zoning of air in burner throat gives high
stability - Self compensates for gas changes
122Internal Flue Gas Recirculation
Recycle Gas
Flue Gas
Burner
Recycle Gas
Furnace
123Flue Gas Recirculation
- Hot flue gases rise fast up the centre of the
furnace - Cooler gases travel down wall around tubes to the
floor - Gases have only Excess Oxygen and relatively low
temperature - Lighter fuel gases run at higher pressure /
velocity, maintaining recirculation levels
124Flame Retention
- Primary gas induces inert gas into the burner
throat. - Flame holder mixes limited air with fuel and
recirculated gases to give a fuel-rich zone
around the outside of the flame holder for high
stability - Balance of air passes through centre of flame
holder to mix into the primary flame
125Staged Fuel
- Staged fuel induces more inert gases into flame
- Mixing is delayed by the fuel-rich zone on the
outside of the primary flame
126Internal Flue Gas Recirculation Burner
127Relative Process Heater Burner NOx Levels for
Conventional and Low NOx Burners
- Conventional - 0.12 NOx/MMBtu, 100 ppmv
- Staged Fuel - 0.06 NOx/MMBtu, 50 ppmv
- Low Emission - 0.03 NOx/MMBtu, 25 ppmv
128Boustead International Heaters.
END