Training Services

Troubleshooting
Field Evaluation
of Heaters
FH/10-1

Section Outline

Process Considerations
Data Collection
Visual Observations - Combustion
Visual Observations - Firebox
Process Heat Balance
Flue Gas Heat Balance
Radiant Flux Rate
Bridgewall Temperature Evaluation
Efficiency
FH/10-2

Data Collection- Control Room

BWT- (Radiant Flux Rate)

Stack Temperature-(Cold End Approach, Efficiency)

Flue Gas O2- (Firing Quality, 2% minimum)

Burner Pressure-(High Pressure=High Firing Rate)

Process Flow Rate-(Over Design=High Duty)

Process Delta Temperature-(Process Duty, Flux Rate)

FH/10-3

Typical Furnace Temperatures

Stack
Temperature
400F- 204 C

Flame Temperature
Depends on Fuel

Composition

HTR-R00-22

Bridgewall
Temperature
1450F - 788 C

Radiant exit or Bridgewall

Temperature

Flame Temperature
3300F
1816C

Depends on Tube
Temperatures and
Heat Flux

FH/10-4

Bridgewall Temperature
Evaluation

How hard is the heater operating?

1400-1500F (760-815C) is normal
1600-1650F (871-900C) is approaching maximum limits

Fouling of tubes

Every 100 fouling raises the BWT 50

It is rare to find heater problems with BWTs below 1300F

(705C)

FH/10-5

Low BWT

Dark Box

BWT below 1300F (705C)

Low Firing Rate

Rare to find problems

FH/10-6

UOP Method Crude Heater

Bridgewall Temperature, F

1700
1600
1500

1/16 Scale
1/32 Scale

1400

Clean Tubes

1300
1200
1100
5000

7000 9000 11000 13000 15000

Radiant Flux Rate, Btu/hr-ft2

HTR-R00-29

FH/10-7

Typical Furnace Temperatures

Stack
Temperature
400F- 204 C

Bridgewall
Temperature
1450F - 788 C

Flame Temperature
3300F
1816C

HTR-R00-22

Use the UOP fuels program

to determine radiantconvection split
Use the fuel meter to
determine the heat release
and radiant flux rate
Compare actual BWT to
predicted from the flux
chart
FH/10-8

Bridgewall Temperature
Evaluation

If actual BWT higher than predicted?

Fouling of tubes (insideor outside)?
Flame height is too high?
Short Firebox Height?
Combustion Problems?

If actual BWT lower than predicted?

Heater is performing very well

FH/10-9

Typical Furnace Temperatures

Stack
Temperature
400F- 204 C

Use Cold End

Approach=(Flue Gas OutProcess Inlet)

Use convection charts to

determine predicted cold
end approach

Bridgewall
Temperature
1450F - 788 C
Flame Temperature
3300F
1816C

HTR-R00-22

FH/10-10

Cold End Approach

450F Process Inlet - Fuel Oil - NPS 6
Cold End Temperature Approach, F

450
400
3 fins/inch, 0.75 high, 0.10 thick

350
300
250
200

0.4 lb/ft2-sec.

150

0.3 lb/ft2-sec.

100

0.2 lb/ft2-sec.

50
0

7
8
9
10 11
Number of Tube Rows

12
FH/10-11

HTR-R00-53

Convection Tubes

Sootblowing LaneHeater is in operation

with gas temperature at
800F (427C)

Light brown material is

ash

Ash reduces heat

transfer and results in
high cold end approach

Grey tube areas are

clean

FH/10-12

High BWT

High Radiant Flux Rates

High TWTs
High Corrosion Rates

FH/10-13

High BWT

Refractory Damage

FCC Catalyst Fines

Cover Tubes

TWT is 200F Hotter

Higher Firing Rate

Bright color indicates

hot firebox

FH/10-14

Visual Observations - Firebox

Coloring of Refractory and Tube Supports

Appearance of Tubes
Bowing
Scale
Hot Spots

Appearance of Refractory
Smoke from Stack

FH/10-15

Color in Relation to Temperature

of Steel
Temperature

Color

990F

(532C)

Black red, dark blood red

1050

(566)

Dark red, blood red, low red

1175

(635)

Dark cherry red

1375

(750)

Cherry red

1550

(850)

Light cherry, light red

1650

(900)

Orange

1725

(950)

Light orange

1825

(1000)

Yellow

1975

(1080)

Light yellow

2200

(1200)

White
FH/10-16

Visual Observations - Combustion

Color of Flame
Evidence of Incomplete Combustion
Flame Impingement
Flame Shape and Stability
Burner Air Register Settings
Fuel Pressure
Draft

FH/10-17

Color of Refractory

Vertical Cylindrical Floor

Bright Refractory Color

Heater is Overfired

Floor is normally 12001600F (650C-870C)

Actual Floor is 2000 F

(1100C)

High Maintenance

FH/10-18

Color of Refractory

Hydrogen Reformer
(Terrace Wall)

Bright Refractory Color

Tube is 1697F(925C)

Floor is 1790F (977C)

Sidewall is 1840 F
(1005C)

One of the hottest heaters

FH/10-19

Color of Refractory

Hydrogen Reformer
(Side Fired)

Bright Refractory Color

Tube is 1770F(966C)

Floor is 1890F (1032C)

Sidewall is 1909 F
(1043C)

One of the hottest heaters

FH/10-20

10

Color of Tubes

Hydrogen Reformer (DownFired)

Hot Spots on Tube 1706-1742F(930-950C)

Coke due to naphtha feed with poor steam/HC control

FH/10-21

Troubleshooting

Tube Support
Temperature indicates
Gas temperature and Flux
rate at that point

Bright Refractory Color

indicates low excess
air(2% O2)

High excess air would

have stiff blue flames and
no refractory color

FH/10-22

11

Color of Tube Supports

Look for hot spots and heat maldistribution on

tube supports

Colder tubes
near the floor

Hot tubes in
the middle

FH/10-23

On-Line Inspection

Tube Guide Temperature

indicates Gas temperature
and Flux rate at that point

Colder Color at wall on

guide

FH/10-24

12

Portable Instruments

Infrared Pyrometer-(Minolta-Land Model

339)

Portable O2 Analyzer( O2 and CO)

UOP uses Testo Model 342-3 (O2 ,NOx, CO,

Temperature)

Temperature Probe

FH/10-25

Infrared Pyrometer

Minolta-Land Model
339(Furnace Pro)

Obtain Tube Surface

Temperatures

Obtain Firebox
Temperatures

FH/10-26

13

Infrared Pyrometer

Shock Tube Support

Temperature indicates
BWT (flue gas exit)

Obtain Radiant Flux Rate

Shot from side view port

on Vertical Cylindrical
Crude Heater

FH/10-27

Floor Viewports

Floor Observation (6) recommended on vertical tube heaters

Needed to view all tube surfaces

FH/10-28

14

Infrared Pyrometer

Floor Observation
(3-75mm) Opening on
Vertical Cylindrical
Crude Heater

Shoot roof refractory

temperature, if no tube
support available

Obtain BWT and Flux

Rate

FH/10-29

On-Line Inspection

Oil fired Crude Heater

tubes

White tubes covered with

ash were 1000F

Dark tubes were 1240 F

with 7-10 mm coke

Very dark front face is

where oil ash has melted
due to high temperature

Dark tubes are bowed

FH/10-30

15

Infrared Scan to Detect Hot Spot

Monitor at least every 3 month

1111.8F

SP01

1000
SP02: 942.7F

800

600
538.7F

FH/10-31

Infrared Scans
Plot TWT , firebox temperature, feedrate

1325
1325 1290
1285 1285
1275
1225 11651230
1300
1280
1150
1250
1250
1250
1150
1175
1150
1180
1225
1225
1220
1220
1210
1200
12751300
1185
1190
1270
1270
1150
1270
1
225
1135
1110
1110
1185
10101075 1080
1120
1120
1090
951950
950950925925925
900900900
825847 800851850
810
800761800
750
675
650

1400

1000
800
600
400

FIREBOX
MAX TUBE

./

R/A CHG. (BPH)

200
7/17/03

1/9/03

10/28/02

10/16/02

10/14/02pm

10/11/02

10/9/02

4/15/02

7/26/01

5/7/01

0
11/6/00

Temperature F

1200

Date of Scan

F-1 Furnace

FH/10-32

16

On-line Inspection

Flames Are Too Long

Flame Height Should be

50% of Firebox Height

High BWT

Hot Roof Supports

Poor Revamp

FH/10-33

Tube Supports

API 560

Increasing temp. From

1500F to 1600F decreases
strength 31%

Increasing temp. From

1600F to 1700F decreases
strength 41%

Older heaters usually

designed for 1600F

FH/10-34

17

Damaged Shock Tube Support

Severe creep and
yielding of pin and
support
Small web thickness
5/8 (13 mm) Need
19-25mm web
Sigma phase
embrittlement of
25Cr-12Ni Material

FH/10-35

Tube Supports

Unifrax Fiberfrax LDS

Moldable Ceramic Fiber

Air Hardens

Protects Tube Supports

Good for Oil Firing

Protection

Sacrificial Coating

Phone 716-278-3800

Fax 716-278-3900

FH/10-36

18

Tube Support Inspection

Broken Supports
Bowing or Yielding
Cracks
Oxidation
Corrosion
Replication Test (normally not performed)

FH/10-37

Broken Tubesheet
Crack in tubesheet
Is support binding
on refractory ?

FH/10-38

19

Combustion Monitoring

Flue Gas O2 2-4%on Gas Firing

Operating Excess Air = 12%-26%
New Unit Design = 15%
Flue Gas O2 4-6%on Oil Firing
Operating Excess Air = 26%-44%
New Unit Design = 25%

FH/10-39

Combustion Monitoring

Low O2 = Bad Combustion

Afterburning
Flame Impingment
Tube Failures
Refractory Damage
Tube Support Failures

FH/10-40

20

Burner Problems

Poor Oil Flame

Burners Need Air

Oil Haze impinging on

roof tubes

Unburned Fuel burning

in convection section

Burned off extended

surface

FH/10-41

On-Line Inspection

Brickwall- Improper interlaced

expansion joint

Brickwall- expansion joint gaps

are too small

High Maintenance problems

FH/10-42

21

On-Line Inspection

Brickwall- Improper interlaced expansion joint

Marked for removal at 10 Lean

FH/10-43

Troubleshooting

Platforming Heater- 9 Cr tubes

Heavy Scale

Increased fuel firing

Yellow scale 1750 F

Average surface 1350 F

FH/10-44

22

UOP Method Platforming Double

Fired U Tube Heater
2000

Bridgewall Temperature, F

1900
1800
1700

1/16
Scale

1/32
Scale Clean
Tubes

1500
1600
1400
1300
10000 14000 18000 22000 26000
Radiant Flux Rate, Btu/h-ft2

HTR-R00-32

FH/10-45

Troubleshooting

Use walnut shells to

blast loose scale off
tubes on line

Reduced fuel firing

Only recommended
for loose scale

Cetek does this

service
FH/10-46

23

Establish Work Scope of Turnaround

On-line Inspection
Operational Data
Past Inspection Reports
Code or Jurisdictional Requirements
Projected Service

FH/10-47

Troubleshooting

Most Heater Accidents Occur

During Lightoff

15-20 Minute Purge

Test for Combustibles?

Good Operating Instructions

Burner Management Systems

FH/10-48

24