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Engineering Design Guide

Carbon Formation in Mixed Feed Preheat

Coils

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 Carbon Formation in Mixed Feed Preheat Coils
Maximum Mixed Feed Pre-heat Temperature

What follows is a crude but effective routine, which evaluates the maximum
possible temperature allowable to prevent excessive carbon laydown in the
mixed feed pre-heat coil.

The method assumes that 100% CH4 mixed with steam (S/C =3) could in theory
be heated-up with steam to 645oC. As heavier hydrocarbons are added, this
temperature will fall. As hydrogen is added, or S/C increased, the temperature
can increase. A table of indices for the calculation is as follows:

Component Index
[X]
C1 0.05
C2 1.2
C3 1.5
C4 1.7
C5 1.55
C6 1.65
C7 1.75
C8 1.8
H2 -0.5
N2, CO, CO2 etc 0
S/C (molar) 10

Each component composition in the feed (mol %) is then multiplied by the

respective index number [X] and totalled. The S/C ratio correction is then
calculated by subtracting the S/C ratio from 3 and multiplied by the index number
[X = 10]. The total summation of these numbers is then subtracted from 650oC to
yield the maximum allowable pre-heat temperature.

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 Example 1 (NG)

NG composition......
C1 86.0 mol %
C2 6.6 mol %
C3 3.6 mol %
C4 1.5 mol %
C5 0.4 mol %
H2 2.0 mol %
N2 1.0 mol %

S/C ratio 3.3

So maximum pre-heat temperature

= 650 - [(86 x 0.05) + (5.5 x 1.2) + (3.6 x 1.5) + (1.5 x 1.7) + (0.4 x 1.55) +
(2 x -0.5) + (3 - 3.3)x10]

= 632oC

Example 2 (LPG)

LPG composition......
C3 0.47 mol %
C4 83.52 mol %
C5 0.35 mol %
H2 15.66 mol %

S/C ratio 3.3

So maximum pre-heat temperature

= 650 - [(0.47 x 1.5) + (83.52 x 1.7) + (0.35 x 1.55) + (15.66 x -0.5) +

(3 - 3.3)x10]

= 518oC

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 Note: This approach takes no account of pre-heat coil positioning, size,
counter/co-current etc. notwithstanding the other approximations.

However, even a crude approach may help in recommending maximum pre-heat

temperatures.

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Activation Reduction In-situ Ex-situ Sulfiding Specializing in Refinery Process Catalyst Performance Evaluation Heat & Mass
Balance Analysis Catalyst Remaining Life Determination Catalyst Deactivation Assessment Catalyst Performance
Characterization Refining & Gas Processing & Petrochemical Industries Catalysts / Process Technology - Hydrogen Catalysts /
Process Technology – Ammonia Catalyst Process Technology - Methanol Catalysts / process Technology – Petrochemicals
Specializing in the Development & Commercialization of New Technology in the Refining & Petrochemical Industries

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