Fired Heaters, including Steam Methane Reformers, have the greatest running cost on your site. If any one of these heaters is 1 or 2% inefficient it can consume an additional $1m in fuel over a year or result in $millions in lost revenue.
IGS Steam Methane Reformer (SMR) Solutions deliver:
Environmental Services for Steam Methane Reformers:
High-Emissivity Ceramic Coatings for Refractory
Cetek provides a distinct benefit in treating refractory surfaces with a high emissivity ceramic coating, increasing the radiant heat transfer inside Steam Methane Reformers over design. The coating increases refractory emissivity which results in fuel savings and a more uniform heat flux which may help to mitigate process tube hot spots.
The refractory linings of Steam Methane Reformers are designed for structural integrity and insulating properties, to contain the high processing temperatures.
The refractories used have relatively low emissivity and consequently are not efficient at handling radiant heat, which is the major heat exchange mechanism inside the furnace.
Cetek’s High Emissivity Ceramic Coating system increases the radiant heat transfer inside Steam Methane Reformers, delivering optimum performance and reducing CO2 and NOx emissions.
The Benefits
Read: ‘SCR Efficiency in SMR Optimized’ Case Study
Engineered Convection Section Cleaning
Tube Tech’s Steam Methane Reformer convection section cleaning service is recognised by world-leading refining and petrochemical companies as the most effective technology to achieve OEM performance clean fired heaters.
95% clean guarantee even on the most fouled assets.
Fouling
Steam Methane Reformer fouling is a costly problem for refineries around the world. Heater intake collects 1 ppm airborne particulate whilst in service, which results in deposits of 2.5 tonnes over 12 months either landing in or travelling through the heater.
These deposits most commonly land:
Fouling results in:
Tube Tech’s Steam Methane Reformer (SMR) convection section cleaning service is recognised by world-leading refining and petrochemical companies as the most effective technology to achieve OEM performance clean SMRs.
Traditional cleaning methods are only able to clean 30-45% of the total fouled area. Tube Tech, backed by multi-million-dollar European funding, has developed a Rover system that penetrates deep between tube rows to remove even the most stubborn fouling.
The Benefits
Read: Fired Heater Convection Bank Cleaned Robotically at German Refinery
The Problem
Fine particles from loose refractory and insulation can plug the catalyst and dramatically reduce production, shorten catalyst life, and even cause forced outages. Simply increasing the catalyst pitch is expensive, reduces the catalyst life, and typically does not eliminate the build-up.
IGS SCR Screens allow plants to effectively utilize proper pitch without build-up concerns.
The Solution
IGS Base Filtration Screen Technology is designed to catch refractory and insulation fibers before they reach the catalyst. Key features of this solution include:
The Benefits
The IGS patent-pending flow mixing system is designed to maximize ammonia mixing prior to the catalyst to reduce ammonia usage and ensure an even ammonia concentration distribution through the catalyst, which improves DeNOx and preserves the catalyst reactivity. This can be installed in conjunction with the filtration screen or even as a standalone improvement.
Online Maintenance & Emergency Services (During the Heater’s Normal Operation)
Hot-tek™ is the industry leader in hot maintenance and online Steam Methane Reformer repair and cleaning techniques and holds multiple patents on the approach, methods, and tools used to carry out these services. The approach is customized for every client’s needs. Often, multiple Hot-tek™ Services are employed simultaneously during an application to achieve the best results.
The Problem
Failure of refractory material can lead to energy wastage, poor performance and even complete shutdown of your Steam Methane Reformer.
The Solution
Hot Refractory Repair Services may be made gaining access through the heater steel shell directly behind the damaged area. Minimal openings are used to insert specially designed components to support the repair material. This technique offers a semi-permanent repair method lasting at least until the next planned turnaround.
The Benefits
The Problem
Sometimes, an issue can arise in high temperature fixed equipment, but you can’t see the cause or the exact location of the problem. We designed and developed Cetek’s Lancescope™ fired heater inspection tool for just this situation. It allows a high-temperature furnace inspection to be carried out to determine the scope of the problem, often avoiding an expensive shut down of the heater.
The Solution
Cetek’s Lancescope™ system provides real-time, close-up, or wide-angle views of virtually any area inside a fired heater, or other high-temperature equipment while it is still in operation.
The hot inspection system uses a state-of-the-art digital camera system, which provides clear, detailed images of problem areas up to 3000°F (1650°C). The furnace inspection system can be inserted into openings as small as 2.75” (7cm) and reach up to 30ft (10m). In applications below 1000°F (540°C), the heater inspection system provides illumination via a high-temperature light source for optimum clarity.
Thorough inspection provides data needed for other Hot-tek online services.
The Benefits
The Problem
Over time, debris such as ceramic fiber inorganic dust and combustion by-products entrained in the flue gas accumulate on the upstream face of the SCR catalyst. This debris hinders gas flow through the catalyst increasing the pressure drop across the SCR unit. To overcome this effect, the induced draft fan utilization must be increased consuming extra energy. After the fan has reached max capacity, production must be reduced to decrease the pressure drop across the SCR.
The Solution
IGS’ Hot Vacuum Service cleans catalyst banks in SCR units to Steam Methane Reformers and other fired heaters. SCR catalyst banks are cleaned during operation with no interruption to production, offering a rapid payback on associated costs.
Our online SCR catalyst cleaning service removes pluggage and fouling from SCR screens, immediately improving catalyst reduction system efficiency.
The Benefits
Read: ‘Hot Vacuuming Prevents Emergency Shutdown’ Case Study
