Industrial application fluidized bed combustion: category III indirect fired heaters. Quarterly technical report No. 12, April 1-June 30, 1979

Technical Report · Mon Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1979

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/5715120· OSTI ID:5715120

A program is underway to evaluate the technical and economic potential for the application of fluidized bed combustion to refinery and petrochemical plant indirect fired process heaters. Two pertinent areas which are being investigated concern the effect of larger tube size and hydrocarbon coking. Phase I of the program consists of the design, construction, and operation of three laboratory facilities to carry out these studies. Fluidized bed performance studies, including bed mixing and density measurement, were completed on six alternative tube bundle configurations ranging from 2-in to 6-in dia tubes arranged on nominal 2-dia, 3-dia, and 4-dia horizontal spacing. Conductive-convective heat transfer coefficients as a function of tube size, location, and surface orientation were also obtained on these same bundle configurations and on isolated single tubes. Finally, evaluations were made on the effect of altering the tube-to-grid dimensions and of operating with limestone beds of different particle size distributions. A Process Stream Coking Test Unit was used to study the parameters affecting coke laydown on the internal surfaces of hydrocarbon containing tubes under conditions of high temperature and heat transfer rate. The data analysis shows that in addition to film temperature, mass velocity is an important parameter in controlling coking rate. No coke laydown occurred in any tests run at a mass velocity of 600 lb/sec ft/sup 2/ at heat fluxes up to 60,000 Btu/hr ft/sup 2/. A complete analysis of the test results is presented. Construction of the High Temperature Heat Flux Test Unit was completed. The Economic Assessment of the Program is now underway. If these assessments plus the technical data obtained in the laboratory R and D phase of the program indicate favorable commercial potential, the program will be advanced to the demonstration phase.

• Research Organization: Exxon Research and Engineering Co., Florham Park, NJ (USA). Engineering Technology Dept.
• DOE Contract Number: EX-76-C-01-2471
• OSTI ID: 5715120
• Report Number(s): DOE/FE/2471-39
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

32 ENERGY CONSERVATION, CONSUMPTION, AND UTILIZATION
42 ENGINEERING
FLUIDIZED-BED COMBUSTORS
RESEARCH PROGRAMS
PETROLEUM INDUSTRY
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
COAL
DESIGN
ECONOMICS
FLUIDIZED-BED COMBUSTION
PERFORMANCE TESTING
PROCESS HEAT
CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
COMBUSTORS
ENERGY
ENERGY SOURCES
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
HEAT
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
INDUSTRY
OXIDATION
TESTING
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
320303* - Energy Conservation
Consumption
& Utilization- Industrial & Agricultural Processes- Equipment & Processes
421000 - Engineering- Combustion Systems