Refinery process heater NO/sub x/ control by staged combustion air lances

Journal Article · Fri Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1988 · J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1115/1.3240100· OSTI ID:6623504

Hunter, S C; Hall, R E

A vertically fired natural-draft petroleum-refinery crude-oil process heater was modified to reduce oxides of nitrogen (NO/sub x/) emissions by installing staged combustion air lances. Baseline NO emissions firing refinery gas before modification were measured to be 100 to 125 parts per million by volume, dry, corrected to 3 percent oxygen. Staged combustion air lances were installed by bypass combustion air around the burners to achieve staged combustion. With the modification, an average reduction of 64 percent in NO emissions was observed over a 30-day test period, with NO emissions of 25 to 50 ppm, dependent on the excess air. This method of combustion modification can be applied to most vertically fired process heaters where flame length increased by a factor of 2 to 4 would not cause flame impingement.

• Research Organization: KVB, Inc., A Research-Cottrell Co., Irvine, CA (US)
• OSTI ID: 6623504
• Journal Information: J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power; (United States), Journal Name: J. Eng. Gas Turbines Power; (United States) Vol. 110:2; ISSN JETPE
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
020400 -- Petroleum-- Processing
025000 -- Petroleum-- Combustion
42 ENGINEERING
421000* -- Engineering-- Combustion Systems
AIR FLOW
BURNERS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COMBUSTION
DESIGN
EMISSION
FLUID FLOW
GAS FLOW
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN OXIDES
OXIDATION
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PETROLEUM REFINERIES
STAGED COMBUSTION
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES