Careers 10+ Years Efficiency in a CCR Fired Heater with Cetek® Coating Before First Fire
A major full-conversion refinery in Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, processes approximately 400,000 barrels of crude oil per day into transportation fuels and refined products. As part of the original refinery construction, Cetek® high-emissivity ceramic coating for fired heaters was applied to the UOP CCR Platformer radiant tubes and refractory surfaces in 2014 before commissioning.
Unlike the more common practice of coating heaters after years of service, Cetek® was applied before first fire to prevent oxidation scale on the radiant tubes from forming. This established a protected baseline from startup, supporting long-term radiant efficiency, reliable tube temperature monitoring, and preservation of tube condition.
H14-6293
Project at a Glance
| Location | Yanbu, Saudi Arabia |
| Facility | Major full-conversion refinery |
| Capacity | Approx. 400,000 barrels per day |
| Asset | UOP CCR Platformer fired heaters |
| Application | Radiant tubes and refractory surfaces |
| Solution | Cetek® high-emissivity ceramic coating |
| Applied | 2014, before commissioning and first fire |
| Service history | 10+ years |
| Result | Continued protection against external oxidation and wall thinning |
The Challenge: Preventing Oxidation Scale in a New CCR Fired Heater
In many fired heaters, oxidation scale develops on radiant tubes over time, reducing heat transfer efficiency and increasing tube surface temperatures. This can lead to higher firing demand, uneven heat distribution, elevated tube metal temperatures, and accelerated tube degradation.
For this new-build CCR Platformer, the objective was to prevent these issues from the outset by protecting fired heater radiant tubes and refractory surfaces before commissioning.
Key challenge: Protect CCR fired heater surfaces before first fire to maximize efficiency, reliability, and asset life.
Cetek® High-Emissivity Coating Applied Before First Fire
Cetek® high-emissivity ceramic coating was applied to the CCR fired heater radiant tubes and refractory surfacesbefore commissioning. The process tube coating was applied at the manufacturer’s workshop prior to installation, while the refractory coating was applied on-site before startup.
This proactive approach was designed to prevent oxidation scale formation, improve radiant heat transfer, support accurate tube temperature monitoring, and maintain fired heater efficiency from first fire.
10+ Years of Cetek® Performance in a CCR Fired Heater
More than ten years after startup, the original Cetek® high-emissivity coating remained in excellent condition and continued to protect the CCR fired heater radiant tubes from external oxidation and wall thinning. The coating helped maintain clean tube surfaces, reliable temperature monitoring, and efficient radiant heat transfer throughout the operating period.
This case demonstrates that applying high-emissivity ceramic coating to fired heater tubes before first fire can preserve heater efficiency, tube integrity, and operational reliability for over a decade, while extending coating life and reducing the urgency of future recoating activities.
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