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U.S. Department of Energy
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Industrial application fluidized bed combustion. Category III. Indirect fired heaters. Quarterly technical report No. 5, July 1--September 30, 1977. [Optimum tube size and spacing; hydrocarbon coking]

Technical Report ·
DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6697922· OSTI ID:6697922

A program has been initiated to evaluate the technical and economic potential for the application of fluidized bed combustion technology to refinery and petrochemical plant indirect-fired process heaters. The strategy for the program is to build on the available boiler-oriented FBC technology. Areas common to both steam generating boilers and process heaters will not be intentionally advanced by this program. However, the results of complementary programs in the boiler area will be considered in the assessment of potential heater applications. Two pertinent areas not being addressed in the on-going boiler oriented programs and which are being investigated here concern the effects 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 have been completed on tube bundle arrays of 2-inch and 6-inch diameter tubes and with tubes on nominal 2-diameter, 3-diameter and 4-diameter horizontal spacing. Conductive/convective heat transfer coefficients as a function of tube size, location and surface orientation have also been obtained on these same bundle configurations and on isolated single tubes. A Process Stream Coking Test Unit has been assembled to study the primary process parameters affecting coke laydown on the internal surfaces of hydrocarbon containing tubes. Design and preliminary planning is complete for the third laboratory facility which will be a coal-fired, fluidized-bed combustor. This facility will be used to study overall heat transfer coefficients and combustion performance.

Research Organization:
Exxon Research and Engineering Co., Florham Park, NJ (USA). Engineering Technology Dept.
OSTI ID:
6697922
Report Number(s):
FE-2471-15
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English