Optimize Fired Heater Performance

In most facilities, alternative fuels are chosen because they’re cheaper, and that usually means variability of quality and energy value. Most fired heater combustion control systems use a volumetric flow or pressure to control combustion. Measuring heat content of the fuel is faster and more efficient. This can be solved by using Emerson’s Micro Motion Coriolis mass flow meters or a Rosemount Gas Chromatograph in the fuel supply. Pairing either measurement with precise flow controls, including Fisher control valves, allows for an optimized solution.

Measuring residual oxygen is critical to make sure there is the optimal amount of air as too much combustion air, reduces efficiency and too little makes the process unsafe.
 

Thermal efficiency is the ratio of useful heat output to the total fuel energy input. It can be improved by several methods, such as pre-heating the combustion air, recovering waste heat, or optimizing burner performance.
 

In the chemical industry, various types of fired heaters are commonly used for heating applications. Pyrolysis furnaces are versatile heaters used in cracking applications such as ethylene production.  Reforming furnaces are employed in catalytic reforming processes like those found in hydrogen production via steam methane reforming (SMR). Steam boilers produce high-pressure steam for power generation and heat exchange. Thermal fluid heaters use a heat transfer fluid for precise temperature control.  Incinerators are used for waste disposal, while regenerative heaters recover and reuse waste heat. Direct fired heaters directly expose the process fluid to the flame. The choice of heater depends on process requirements, fuel availability, and environmental considerations.