Design and Rating of Fired Heaters

CL405
Process Equipment Selection

Credit Structure 2-2-0-4
Design and Rating of Fired Heaters

Recommended Reading:
Walas, S. M., Fired heaters, Chemical Process

Equipment, Selection and Design, Butterworth-
Heinmann, 1990
 The design and rating of a fired heater is a

moderately complex operation
 Even the relatively elaborate methods (for
example by Lobo and Evans is able to predict
actual performance only within a maximum
deviation of 16%.
 Rating calculations are much easier than the
design calculations due to several design
variations that are available
 Designs are generally proprietary and licensed.
Equations and Other Relations for Fired Heater Design
(Reference: Walas)
(Reference: Walas)
(Reference: Walas)
(Reference: Walas)
(Reference: Walas)
Procedure for Designing (by Rating) of a
Fired Heater
Procedure for the Rating of a Fired Heater
Example Problem
Flowsketch
of Process
Example Problem
 Basic specifications on the process are the total heat

release (102.86 MBtu/hr), overall thermal efficiency
(75%), excess air (25%), the fraction of the heat release
that is absorbed in the radiant section (75%), and the
heat flux (10,000 Btu/(hr)(sqft).
 In the present example, the estimated split of 75% and a
radiant rate of 10,000 lead to an initial specification of 87
tubes, but 90 were taken. The final results are quite close
to the estimates, being 77.1% to the radiant zone and
9900 Btu/(hr)(sqft) with 90 tubes. If the radiant rate comes
out much different from the desired value, the number of
tubes is changed accordingly.
Example Problem
Example Problem
Example Problem
Example Problem
Example Problem
Example Problem
Example Problem
Example Problem
Example
Problem
Tube and box

configuration
of the fired
heater of
Example
Furnace Thermal Efficiency
 Furnace thermal efficiency is usually defined as

the percent ratio of the total heat absorbed by the
process fluid to the total heat input.
 The total heat input is the sum of the calorific
value of the fuel (gross or net) and the sensible
heat of all incoming streams including combustion
air, fuel and atomization steam (if used).
 Heat losses calculated from the difference
between the heat input and heat absorbed
comprise both stack heat losses and radiation
heat losses through furnace walls.
 Stack heat losses are sensible and latent heats

carried by the hot flue gases discharged through
the stack. They are a function of the flue gas flow
rate and temperature.
 Of these two factors, flue gas temperature is the
main factor in furnace heat losses, and the
thermal efficiency may be greatly improved if the
flue gases are cooled before being discharged
from the chimney.
 In order to cool the flue gases, a cold fluid must

be available that needs to be heated.
 Flue gas cooling is limited, however, by corrosion
problems caused by sulphuric acid condensation
due to the presence of sulphur compounds in the
fuels burned.
 If the fluid to be heated is at a temperature that is
too high to give a sufficiently low flue gas
temperature, i.e., a satisfactory thermal efficiency,
other options may be used.
 If the fluid to be heated is at a temperature

that is too high, the options could include:
 (1) Steam production, which does not reduce
fuel consumption, but is advantageous if the
steam can be exploited,
 (2) Recycling the flue gas and utilizing its heat
for preheating the combustion air.
Furnace Thermal
Efficiency
Furnace Thermal
Efficiency
Temperature
profiles for
combustion gases,
tube wall, process
fluid, and
absorbed
heat per layer in
the convection
section
 The results of the heat balances carried on fired

heaters are often represented by means of
Sankey diagrams where all the heat transfers in
the heater are summarized and represented by
means of arrows or lines whose thicknesses are
proportional to the amount of heat transfer.
 Sankey diagrams are widely used in technology
where material and energy balances can be
easily visualized making it easier to fully
understand all the process steps and their
interrelationships.
Sankey Diagram for the Energy Balance of a
Fuel Oil Fired Heater

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CL405

Process Equipment Selection

Design and Rating of Fired Heaters

Walas, S. M., Fired heaters, Chemical Process

 The design and rating of a fired heater is a

 Basic specifications on the process are the total heat

Tube and box

 Furnace thermal efficiency is usually defined as

 Stack heat losses are sensible and latent heats

 In order to cool the flue gases, a cold fluid must

 If the fluid to be heated is at a temperature

 The results of the heat balances carried on fired

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