CHAPTER

Furnaces
9
9.1 BASIC OPERATION
Furnaces are also referred to as heaters. They are one of the main pieces of process
equipment in a facility.
A furnace is used to raise the temperature of a gas or hydrocarbon liquid to meet
specific processing requirements. A furnace can also be used in a pyrolysis applica-
tion as a “Reformer Furnace” where it causes a chemical or physical change to the
medium.
The most common types of Furnace or Heater are the “Circular” or “Box Type.”
Other types of furnace are “Pyrolysis” and “Reformer”

Heaters

9.2 PRIMARY PROCESSES

Catalytic reforming is a chemical process used to convert petroleum refinery, naph-
tha’s, typically having low octane ratings, into high-octane liquid products called refor-
mates are components of high-octane gasoline (also known as high-octane petrol).

The Engineer’s Guide to Plant Layout and Piping Design for the Oil and Gas Industries.
https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-814653-8.00009-6
243
# 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
244 CHAPTER 9 Furnaces

Basically, the process rearranges or restructures the hydrocarbon molecules in the

naphtha feedstock’s as well as breaking some of the molecules into smaller mole-
cules. The overall effect is that the product reformate contains hydrocarbons with
more complex molecular shapes having higher octane values than the hydrocarbons
in the naphtha feedstock. In so doing, the process separates hydrogen atoms from the
hydrocarbon molecules and produces very significant amounts of byproduct hydro-
gen gas for use in a number of the other processes involved in a modern petroleum
refinery. Other byproducts are small amounts of methane, ethane, propane, and
butanes.

STEAM REFORMING
This process is quite different from and not to be confused with the catalytic steam
reforming process used industrially to produce various products such as hydrogen,
ammonia, and methanol from natural gas, naphtha, or other petroleum-derived feed-
stock. Nor is this process to be confused with various other catalytic-reforming pro-
cesses that use methanol or biomass-derived feedstocks to produce hydrogen for fuel
cells or other uses.
 Off gas
Net hydrogen
Condenser
Hydrogen
5–45 atm Recycle gas Reflux
Compressor drum
38°C
Recycle gas

Reflux LPG
495–525°C 495–525°C 495–525°C
Fixed-bed Fixed-bed Fixed-bed
reactor reactor reactor Pump
Pump
Stabilizer
PC

Vapor
Reboiler
Gas
separator
Fired heater Fired heater Fired heater Steam or hot oil
38°C

Cooler Liquid Reformate

Preheated naphtha and hydrogen
Recycle gas

Depentanized or Bed of catalyst

Dehexanized Hydrocarbon liquid
FEED
Naphtha atm = atmosphere of pressure
Pump PC = pressure controller
PFD (process flow diagram) — Steam reforming

9.2 Primary processes

245
246 CHAPTER 9 Furnaces

Stack

Damper
-.7"
DG

Breeching

Steam in
Convection
section

Pressure Superheated
reading steam out
(Typical)
-.4"
DG Product
in
Tubes

Radiant
section
Insulation

Peep door

-.1" Heated
DG
product out
Air Burner
Fuel

= Draft gauge DG

Heater—Basic operation
 9.3 Types of furnaces 247

9.3 TYPES OF FURNACES

• Box furnace—houses rows of horizontal or vertical tubes in the radiant section,
here gas can pass in an upward or downward flow. The convection section is
located downstream from the radiant section where the flue gas passes in an
upward or downward flow. The primary source of heating is burners in the radiant
section.

Stack

Convection section

Header box

Radiant section

Box furnace

• Circular furnace—houses tubes mounted vertically or helically in the radiant

section. This type of furnace is generally used for small duties or as a startup
heater or reboiler. The inlet and outlet connections are located at the top or bottom
of the radiant section depending on the product being heated, and are located at
one end of the convection section.
248 CHAPTER 9 Furnaces

Stack

Convection section

Radiant section

Circular furnace

• Pyrolysis furnace—the tubes on this type of furnace are housed in the center of
the radiant section. This is due to the short residence time, high heat transfer rate
and need for even temperature distribution in the tubes.
9.3 Types of furnaces 249
250 CHAPTER 9 Furnaces

Stack
Steam drum

Boiler feed-
water coil

Transfer line
Steam super exchanger
heat coil (TLX)

Mixed feed
preheat
coil
Radiant
section

Convection
section

REFORMER
In a reformer preheated process fluid flows through catalyst-filled tubes, which are
located in the center of the radiant section. A reformer can have single or multiple
compartments. The burners may be mounted in the roof, wall, or floor. Heat recovery
systems can be used by the use of waste heat boilers or convection section steam
generation coils.
 9.4 Burners 251

Burners

Convection
section

Pigtails

Radiant section

Reformer

9.4 BURNERS
The determining factor in the choice of burner is:

• Furnace structure.
• Heat release requirements.
• How are the burners to be fired by gas or by liquid?
• What will be the burner configuration? Burners come in a variety of
configurations.
252 CHAPTER 9 Furnaces

Burner

Burner
(A)
Burner Burner-layout

Roof fired

Catwalk Penthouse
Scanner Test air
Purge air position connection
connection Combustion Wall fired
air inlet
Air intake
flange
Radiant
section
Pilot gas
Platform
inlet
Block w/ Spark Main gas
sleeve ignitor connection
Floor fired
Burner
(B)

Burner

Fuel gas Pilot gas

Contractor
vendor

Fuel
To control
Gas in
panel

Pilot gas

Burner schematic
 9.4 Burners 253

CL Burners

CL Burners
Burner piping
bank

Burners CL
CL Burner piping bank

Burner skid
Section “A-A”

Locating
datum

Control panel
Fuel gas line Burner management
remote location
Locating

skid
datum

Locate minimum of
60'/18.0 from furnace
Pipe rack C
L
Burner piping layout
254 CHAPTER 9 Furnaces

BURNERS
9.4 Burners 255
256 CHAPTER 9 Furnaces

RADIANT COILS
The main compartment of a furnace is the radiant section. In the radiant section pro-
cess streams are heated, usually in vertical tubes by heat from burners mounted in the
walls, roof, or floor.

Pigtail

Inlet header
Radiant
tubes

End view

Pig tail

180° Short radius Nozzle

return bends CL Heater & stack

Plugged
connections

Header
box
(typical)

Tube
Heater insulation support
(typical)

Radiant tubes
 9.5 Combustion air preheating systems 257

9.5 COMBUSTION AIR PREHEATING SYSTEMS

Thermal efficiency of a furnace can be improved if the air entering the radiant section
around the burners is preheated.
The two most common preheating systems are:

• Regenerative
• Recuperative

REGENERATIVE
Hot flue gas leaving the convection section is diverted through a duct to a heat
exchanger (air preheater) the incoming air is heated and Sent to the burner plenum
by a force draft fan. The fan draws the flue gas through the preheater, and sends
cooled gas back into the atmosphere through the stack.
258 CHAPTER 9 Furnaces

Stack

Cold flue
gas
Damper
Hot flue
gas

Fo Air preheater
rced
dra
f
fan t
Burner
plenum
Fresh
air
Burners

Ind
uc
ed
dra
f
fan t

Regenerative

Combustion air preheating systems

RECUPERATIVE
Oil is circulated through the convection section tube is heated and sent through the
Inlet air duct, where it releases its heat. Hot air then enters the burner for combustion,
and the hot oil is recirculated to a storage tank for recycling.
 9.6 General arrangement of furnaces 259

Convection
suction
tubes

Hot oil
storage tank

Pump

Fresh air

Coil releases heat

to combustion air Hot air

9.6 GENERAL ARRANGEMENT OF FURNACES

There are two primary factors that determine the furnace elevation:
• Location of the burners
• Air preheating ducts if needed
 260
CHAPTER 9 Furnaces
Access areas
Stack

Side wall

Point of
Upper plan support

Ducting

mounted burners 8'-0'' (2400)

Platforming Lighting

3'-0'' (900) With wall-

ports Air register
Upper plan
Lower plan

Setting furnace Auxillary Oil gun

elevation equipment removal Grade
area

Lower plan Elevation

General arrangement of furnaces

9.6 General arrangement of furnaces 261
262 CHAPTER 9 Furnaces
SOOT BLOWERS
Convection section
tubes

Steam or air
header
Fixed

Convection section tubes Soot blower mechanism

Retractable
264 CHAPTER 9 Furnaces

INDUCED DRAFT FAN

If an induced draft fan is required, platforms should be designed to enable adequate
operation and maintenance.

Stack

Electronic motor or
steam turbine drive

Convection section
9.7 PIPING LAYOUT FOR FURNACES
266 CHAPTER 9 Furnaces
 9.7 Piping layout for furnaces 267

Steam piping

Product inlet

Product outlet

Burner manacement
package

Box type furnace

Furnaces - piping layout
 268
CHAPTER 9 Furnaces
Steam drum

Trolley beam

Riser
Head removal
Downcomer for tube
maintenance
TLX
Exchanger
point of
support
Crossover
Convection Product
section outlet

Product Radiant
inlet section

Side view End view

Transfer line exchanger piping

 9.8 Tail gas incinerator and waste heat Units 269

9.8 TAIL GAS INCINERATOR AND WASTE HEAT UNITS

TAIL GAS INCINERATOR
Waste gases that contain liquids must be disposed of.
For safety and environmental reasons they cannot be directed to the flare system.
These gases must be burned in a “Tail Gas Incinerator”

WASTE HEAT UNITS

Use the waste gases (800–1200°F/425–650°C) from a gas turbine to generate high-
and low-pressure steam for plant use.
 270
CHAPTER 9 Furnaces
Stack

Feed water
heater
Deaerator
Low-pressure High-pressure
steam drum steam drum
High-pressure
superheater Bypass
Economizer outlet stack
Low-pressure
In Out
superheater
Feed water outlet
primary Gas burners
inlet

Silencer
Secondary
inlet
Duct from
turbine

Low-pressure
boiler

Low-pressure C
L High-pressure C
L High-pressure
unit unit boiler

Waste heat recovery unit