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Heat Recovery From Corrosive Flue Gas
Heat Recovery From Corrosive Flue Gas
D
uring the conversion of
primary energy, approxi-
mately 5-10% of the
energy used is lost via hot flue
gas. There is no need to
emphasise that significant
savings are within reach when
60-70% of refining operational
costs consist of energy costs.
Nowadays, many petrochemi-
cal companies are focusing
their efforts on improving
energy efficiency in order to
remain competitive. Waste heat
recovery from flue gas is the
most cost effective way to
contribute to this target. This
article introduces an air
preheater technology for relia-
ble waste heat recovery from Figure 1 Tube bundles consisting of multiple connected tubes
corrosive flue gas.
plates and tubes. Breakdown the heat exchanging surface,
Corrosive flue gas goes unnoticed for a while, but which results in a flue gas side
The corrosiveness of flue gas is the shortcut between combus- surface temperature below the
the main reason why the tion air and flue gas leads to acid dew point.
energy efficiency of furnaces, energy loss (reduced flue gas
fired heaters and steam boilers temperature at flue gas inlet), Existing technologies
remains poor. Flue gas origi- more power to the combustion In order to lower flue gas
nating from sulphur containing air fan and limited throughput outlet temperatures and
fuel becomes corrosive below a because of a maxed-out improve energy efficiency,
temperature of approximately combustion air fan. These cold several techniques have been
150°C (acid dew point corro- spots already occur when the applied with mixed success.
sion). Local cold spots in metal flue gas bulk temperature is as When cooling down flue gas to
air preheaters will lead to rapid high as 250°C because of cold approximately 170°C, recycling
corrosion and breakdown of ambient air at the other side of of heated combustion air to the