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3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

Abstract
This section discusses the more common types of waste heat recovery. The discus-
sion includes the advantages and the disadvantages of the various systems and the
predicted efficiency improvement.

Contents Page

3210 Introduction 3200-3


3220 Heat Recovery From Process Streams 3200-3
3221 Example Evaluation
3230 Heat Recovery From Boiler Stack-Gases 3200-5
3231 Economizers on Boilers
3232 Air Preheaters on Boilers
3240 Heat Recovery From Fired Heater Stack Gas 3200-11
3241 Differences Between Fired Heaters and Boilers
3242 General Considerations, Waste Heat Recovery in Fired Heaters
3243 Economizers on Fired Heaters
3244 Air Preheaters on Fired Heaters
3250 Heat Recovery From Gas Turbine Exhaust 3200-14
3251 Background
3252 General Description
3253 Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG), Refinery Type
3254 Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG), Enhanced Oil Recovery Type
3260 Heat Recovery on Offshore Platforms 3200-21
3261 Waste Heat Recovery with a Reciprocating Engine
3262 Consideration of Engine Fuels
3263 Waste Heat Recovery with a Gas Turbine
3264 Waste Heat Recovery With High Pressure Steam

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3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery

3265 Waste Heat Recovery With Organic Heat Transfer Fluids


3270 Power Recovery Turbines 3200-25
3280 Condensation Heat Recovery 3200-26
3281 Direct Contact
3282 Indirect Contact
3290 Other Waste Heat Recovery Types 3200-27

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Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery 3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

3210 Introduction
Initially, waste heat recovery should consider process to process exchange. Process
opportunities almost always offer the best payout. After all of the process recovery
is optimized, the priority of waste heat recovery should be focused on what equip-
ment, (boilers, fired heaters, etc.) is in the plant. The ability to install cogeneration
with heat recovery steam generators is a very important waste heat recovery alterna-
tive. The major areas of waste heat recovery that follow are:
• Heat Recovery from Process Streams
• Heat Recovery from Boiler Stack Gases
• Heat Recovery from Fired-Heater Stack Gases
• Heat Recovery from Gas Turbine Exhaust
• Heat Recovery in Offshore Platforms
• Power Recovery Turbines
• Condensation Heat Recovery
• Other Types of Waste Heat Recovery

3220 Heat Recovery From Process Streams


Water, sea water, or air-cooled process condensers and process coolers reject waste
heat to the atmosphere from many process streams. In the search for energy effi-
ciency, they continue to be candidates for waste heat recovery.
Process waste heat recovery from the effluent of exothermic reforming fired heaters
and from FCC regenerators, are two major waste heat recovery areas. On the water
side, these units are similar. They transfer heat from a hot stream to incoming boiler
feedwater and/or generate steam at pressures and temperatures required in the plant.
This type of waste heat recovery is done in all of Chevron's Hydrogen Plants,
Ammonia Plants, and Type IV FCC Units.
Steam is generated in some process units because of process considerations. These
would include Isocracker reactor effluent exchangers (to remove exothermic heat of
reaction), hydrogen reformer effluent (high temperature of process stream and the
need for steam within the unit), crude unit pump-around circuits (for ease of
control), and the vacuum residuum product exchanger (simplicity of operation).
The following calculation evaluates the alternatives of air cooling a process stream
versus heating makeup boiler feedwater with it.

3221 Example Evaluation


Assume a Unit has a 20,400 BPD process stream being cooled from 360°F to 160°F
on its way to storage. Also, there is a 300 GPM, 60°F make-up treated water stream
on its way to a deareator, where it must be heated (with steam) to a temperature of
260°F. The process stream has a density of 7 pounds/gallon and a specific heat (Cp)
of 0.6 BTU/(LB)(°F); the water has a specific heat of 1.0.

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3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery

Heat Recoverable From the Process Stream

20,400 BBL × 42 GAL × DAY × 7 LB LB


M = ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- = 250,000 --------
( DAY ) ( BBL ) 24 ( HR ) ( GAL ) HR

Q = M Cp ( T in – T out )

250,000 LB × 0.6 BTU ( 360 – 160 )F


Q = ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ = 30 MMBH ( MMBTU/HR )
( HR ) ( LB ) ( F )
(Eq. 3200-1)
The potential fuel value saved at the boiler, for fuel at $20 per barrel.

30MMBH × BBL × $20 8760HR × 0.96 Op. Factor


-------------------------------------------------------------------- × -------------------------------------------------------------------- = $1,001,000/YEAR
6.3MMBTU ( HHV ) ( BBL ) ( YEAR ) × 80% eff ( HHV )
(Eq. 3200-2)
Note the fuel saved must be carefully evaluated to ensure a payout is achievable.
For example, most deareators use low-pressure steam to heat the feedwater. If the
effect of such a project is to reduce the use of low-pressure steam which is in excess
supply already, then there will be little or no payout.

Operating Costs, Exchanger Sizing, and Investment


To achieve a savings, the plant needs to install heat exchanger(s), piping, and
controls in order to transfer heat to the treated water. Incremental pumping costs,
exchanger sizing, and investment need to be evaluated to ensure an acceptable
payout.
Additional pumping capacity may be required to route the water through the
exchanger(s) on its way to the deareator. A study of the plot plan, structures,
platforms, foundations, instrument and electrical needs would become part of a cost
estimate for this project.
For this example there would be a savings on electric power for not running the fin
fan on the cooler.
If additional pumping is required, the incremental pumping cost to be charged to
waste heat recovery would only be (assume an increase of 30 PSIG in pressure drop
losses):
At $0.10/Kilowatt-Hour, and from Horsepower =

GPM × PSI
-----------------------------
1714 × eff.

Cost 300GPM × 30PSI × 0.746W 8760HR × $0.10 × 0.96 $4400


----------------- = ---------------------------------------------------------------------- × --------------------------------------------------------- = -----------------
YEAR 1714 × 75% (eff) ( HP ) ( YR ) ( KWH ) YEAR
(Eq. 3200-3)

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Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery 3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

Even at a cost of 10 cents/kWH, this pumping cost is insignificant to the fuel


savings, discussed above. This example illustrates the economic advantage of
pumping liquids to “where the heat is.”

Exchanger Sizing
The exchanger is the most costly item for this waste heat recovery project. The
manufacturer's price for the heat exchange equipment can be estimated as shown in
Figure 3200-1.
From the Cost Estimating Book, two low pressure exchangers, with 1852 square
feet of surface area each, would be about 24 inches in diameter; and the purchase
price would be $30,000 each from the manufacturer.
Even for low fuel values, this type of waste heat recovery project could have a
payout in less than a year, depending on the fuel savings.

Fig. 3200-1 Cost Estimation

Using Equation 3100-1,


Q = 30 MMBH = U A F LMTD; and
A = Q/U × F × LMTD
LMTD = 100
U = 100 Per G-CE-172, E Section of Cost Estimating
Book.
F = 0.81 for a two shell pass with four or more tube
passes.
Therefore,
Q 30MMBH
A = -------------------------------- = ----------------------------------- = 3704 SQ FT
U × F × LMTD 100 × 0.81 × 100
(Eq. 3200-4)

3230 Heat Recovery From Boiler Stack-Gases


Waste heat energy in any stack gas consists of:
1. The sensible heat going out the stack with the flue gases, other than water
vapor, and
2. The latent and the sensible heat in the water vapor.

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3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery

Steam temperatures corresponding to the pressure levels used in most of our boilers
are shown in Figure 3200-2.

Fig. 3200-2 Corresponding Steam Temperatures


Pressure, PSIG Temperature, °F
1500 598
900 534
600 489
250 406

The temperature of the flue gases leaving the boiler is related to the temperature of
the boiling water. For heat to transfer to the steam generating surfaces, the flue
gases have to be at a still higher temperature. For typical boilers, this is in the
600°F to 800°F range.
An economizer or an air preheater recover heat from these high temperature flue
gases in a steam boiler.
For industrial boilers, a dual installation using both an economizer and an air
preheater is rarely economical or installed.
An economizer takes boiler feedwater (BFW), on its way to the boiler at 225°F to
275°F, and lets it absorb much of the heat in the hot flue gases with substantial
improvement to overall efficiency.
An air preheater recovers the heat from flue gases and increases the temperature of
the combustion air to the boiler. The air preheater improves the boiler efficiency by
reducing the stack gas temperature and returning the heat to the combustion air,
thereby reducing fuel consumption.
Depending on the cost of fuel, an economizer or air preheater for water-tube boilers
are typically not attractive for the following conditions:
• Water-tube boilers operating under 150 PSIG
• Water tube boilers operating below 30,000 to 40,000 pounds/hour of steam
production
• Any size boiler that will normally run at reduced capacity
For a preliminary evaluation, the following investments, based on 1983 costs
(EDPI) can be used to estimate a payout:
• New Economizer, Convection Section:
$ = 6000 × (Q MMBH)0.9
• Combustion Air Preheater:
$ = 53,000 × (Q MMBH)0.7

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Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery 3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

Economizers payout far better than combustion air preheaters. Further details on
economizers and air preheaters are covered below and in the Fired Heaters section.

3231 Economizers on Boilers


An economizer is a heat exchanger that transfers heat from flue gases on the
outside of the exchanger tubes to boiler feedwater on the inside.
Boilers with economizers generally cool the flue gas temperatures from the 600°F
to 800°F range to stack temperatures of about 300°F to 350°F.
A stack temperature of 300°F is also near the minimum temperature to avoid corro-
sion from sulfuric acid condensation in the cold end of the unit. These minimum
temperatures are determined by the sulfur content of the fuel, the excess air, and the
moisture of the flue gas.
Figure 3200-3 illustrates the effects of adding an economizer to a typical gas fired
boiler. It assumes the boiler is making 150,000 pound/hour of 650-PSIG, 750°F
steam. Fuel is natural gas, with 2.0% excess oxygen, and 60°F ambient:
• Check, using the rule-of-thumb of 1% efficiency improvement per 40°F of
reduced stack temperature:

750°F – 300°F = 11.25% efficiency improvement.


--------------------------------------------------------
40°F/1% improvement Checks very well with efficiencies
shown in Figure 3200-3

Fig. 3200-3 Effects of Adding an Economizer


Without Economizer With Economizer
Stack Exhaust Temperature °F(1) 750.0 300.0
Boiler efficiency HHV, %(1),(2) 73.1 84.2
Boiler Feedwater, °F 250.0 250.0
Temperature of BFW to drum, °F 250.0(1) 372.8(3)
Fuel Consumption, MMBH 237.7 206.3
(1) “Guarantee” basis
(2) From Combustion Efficiency Tables
(3) See Equation 3100-2 for calculation

Evaluation of Figure 3200-3


Fuel Savings: (Fuel fired = Heat Released)

Steam rate (LB/HR)


Fuel fired = ------------------------------------------------ × ( h of steam - h of boiler feedwater )
Efficiency
(Eq. 3200-5)

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3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery

where:
h is the enthalpy of the steam/water (BTU/LB), from steam tables.
• Without Economizer, the heat released

LB ( h steam - h bfw )BTU 150.000 ( 1376.3 – 218 )


--------------------------------------------------------------- = -------------------------------------------------------- = 237.7MMBH
HR × Boiler eff. LB 73.1%
(Eq. 3200-6)
• With Economizer, the heat released

LB ( h steam - h bfw )BTU 150.000 ( 1376.3 – 218 )


--------------------------------------------------------------- = -------------------------------------------------------- = 206.4MMBH
HR × Boiler eff. LB 84.2%
(Eq. 3200-7)
• Savings in Fuel With Economizer

237.7 MMBH - 206.4 MMBH = 31.3 MMBH

• Annual Savings at $20/Equivalent Barrel

31.3MMBH × BBL × $20 $836,500


---------------------------------------------------------------- × 8760HR × 0.96 op. factor = ----------------------
6.3MMBTU BBL YEAR YEAR
(Eq. 3200-8)
Investment. Careful evaluation of installed costs are necessary for situations
involving low fuel value, small boilers, boilers running at reduced capacity, or retro-
fits. For example, an investment for the economizer above would typically have an
acceptable payout if it is a new installation, has a fuel value of $15 to $20 per
barrel, and the boiler normally runs at high capacity.
• Heat given up by flue gas
To evaluate the economizer on this boiler further, look at the flue-gas flow. The
basis continues to be natural gas firing, with 2% excess oxygen, and 60°F:

*719LB × 1.095 × AIR 787.3LB AIR


-------------------------------------------------------- = ----------------------------------
MMBTU MMBTU
(Eq. 3200-9)

*1LB × 1,000,000BTU 45.7LB FUEL


-------------------------------------------------------- = -----------------------------------
21,869BTU MMBTU MMBTU

833.0LB FLUE GAS


TOTAL = ----------------------------------------------------
MMBTU
(Eq. 3200-10)
With the Economizer, the Flue Gas side Q = M Cp (Tin - Tout), Equation 3100-1.
* Note: See Flue Gas Flow and Duty in Section 3100

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Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery 3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

833.0LB ( 206.4MMBH ) 0.25BTU ( 750°F – 300°F )


Q = ------------------------------------------------------------- × -----------------------------------------------------------------
( MMBTU ) ( LB ) (F)
(Eq. 3200-11)
Q = 19.34 MMBH
where:
0.25 BTU/(LB) (°F) is an average value from Figure 3100-1.
• Temperature increase of boiler feedwater
Equation 3100-2, Water side Q = M Cp (Tout - Tin) = Flue Gas Q. Knowing
that the flue gas duty equals the water side duty, and that the BFW flow needs
to include 5% blowdown from the steam drum, the BFW temperature out of
the economizer will be:

150,000LB/HR × ( 1 )BTU
19.34MMBH = 1.05 (for b/d) × ---------------------------------------------------------------- × ( T out – 250 )°F
LB ( °F )
(Eq. 3200-12)
Tout = 372.8°F
This temperature out of the economizer is more than 100°F below the boiling
temperature of 600 PSIG steam. Therefore, there will be no undesirable
“steaming” in the economizer.

Estimate Cost to Evaluate the Payout


Knowing all the duties and the economizer inlet and outlet temperatures, the second
basic equation of waste heat recovery (Equation 3100-3) can be used to determine
the size of the economizer.
Heat transfer coefficients may be obtained, and the area calculated. A cost estimate
can then be obtained and the payout evaluated.
Figure 3200-4 shows another example of an efficiency improvement from 77.5% to
88.8% for a boiler, by reducing the flue gas temperature from 800°F to 325°F by
using an economizer. The basis is No. 6 Fuel Oil, 3% excess oxygen, and 60°F
ambient. The savings shown in Figure 3200-4 is calculated in the same manner as
the previous example.
The economizer has cooled the flue gases in the stack from 800°F to 325°F, while
heating the incoming BFW from 250°F to 385.5°F.
For a comparison of the merits of economizers and air preheaters, see Section 3232.

Chevron Corporation 3200-9 March 1989


3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery

Fig. 3200-4 Efficiency Comparison: Boilers

3232 Air Preheaters on Boilers


Air preheaters transfer heat from stack gases to incoming combustion air. In
comparing an air preheater to an economizer, the following factors should be
considered:
1. Is there an alternative source of heat for the BFW? If there is, the air preheater
would become the better choice.
2. Is there a limitation on NOx? An air preheater, with its hot combustion air
produces more NOx at the burner than if it were firing air at ambient
temperature.
3. How much sulfur is in the fuel? What is the acid dewpoint? Heating ambient
air in a preheater (70°F typically) or makeup water (60°F typically) in an econ-
omizer, will cause the exchanger metal temperatures to be lower than heating
BFW from a deareator (225°F typically). See Section 3421 for a discussion of
a dewpoint.
4. At the pressure selected, will an economizer with an arbitrary approach, i.e., a
difference in the flue gas exit temperature and the economizer inlet tempera-
ture of say 50°F, recover more heat than an air preheater that may have an
outlet-temperature restriction due to the burner or NOx control?
5. Investment and operating costs for each. This would have to include any oper-
ating horsepower for fans to overcome incremental draft losses. Economizers
have a significant edge with lower investments. (See Section 3230.) They also

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Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery 3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

have lower draft losses; flue gases normally have to be ducted to an air
preheater at grade and then back up to the stack.
6. All boiler manufacturers have arrangements that can satisfy either an econo-
mizer or an air preheater on new boilers. They can also add them to existing
boilers.

Types of Air Preheaters


There are two types to consider: regenerative and recuperative.
There is no cost advantage for either type, although domestically the regenerative
type is the most frequently used, with the recuperative type most popular in Europe.
Regenerative. This type has a record of successful operation, and is referred to as a
Ljungstrom design. It has a compartmented rotor contained in a rotor housing
supported by bearings, each filled with metallic heating elements. The rotor slowly
rotates, alternatively through the gas and air streams. Hot flue gases flow through
one side of the rotor and heat the elements. Air flows through the other side where
the stored heat is released to the air stream. The air and gas flows are separated by
diaphragms in the rotor and seals between the rotor and the rotor housing. While
this design has little fouling and no heat transfer losses due to soot deposits, it does
require a motor driver and there is some leakage around seals between the incoming
air and the exhaust gases.
Recuperative. This is a fixed air-to-air flue gas, with no moving parts. It is a
bundle of tubes expanded into a tube sheet and enclosed in a casing. Flue gases
flow through the tubes, and air to be heated flows over the tubes. Alternatively,
extended surface tubes may be used with flue gas flowing over the tubes while the
air to be heated flows through the tubes. While soot deposits can lower the heat
transfer and increase draft losses, these units are stationary and there is no leakage
between the incoming air and the exhaust gases.
Examples of combustion air preheaters on process fired heaters are shown in
Section 3300. For further information on combustion air preheaters, see
Section 430 of this manual.

3240 Heat Recovery From Fired Heater Stack Gas

3241 Differences Between Fired Heaters and Boilers


Most of the information in Section 3230 (economizers and preheaters on boilers)
also applies to fired heaters. The differences are:
1. On a fired heater an economizer can generate steam as well as preheat water.
On a boiler, it only preheats boiler feedwater. In economizers on fired heaters,
the steam pressure levels can be optimized with the available flue gas tempera-
tures and steam balance. Where more steam is being generated than the plant
can use, air preheaters may be preferred if steam cannot be used elsewhere.

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3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery

2. On a fired heater the economizer will heat the process as a first priority if the
flue gas and process stream temperatures permit. After all economic process
heat has been recovered, economizer sections can be added to make steam.
They also can be added to heat water or intermediate heat transfer fluids.
3. On a fired heater, the temperature available for waste heat recovery is not a
constant amount above some boiling temperature. On fired heaters, it is deter-
mined by the temperature of the hydrocarbon in the fired heater tubes. For
example, in an Atmospheric Crude Unit fired heater, this stack temperature
would be (without heat recovery) about 750°F to 850°F; for the Vacuum fired
heater, 900°F to 1000°F; and in a Hydrogen Plant fired heater, about 1500°F.
Without waste heat recovery, these would be the stack outlet temperatures.

3242 General Considerations, Waste Heat Recovery in Fired Heaters


The example in Section 3120 has 12 process fired heaters and three power boilers.
The fired heaters range from 425 MMBH to 25 MMBH of absorbed duty. The
generation of steam in economizers and the use of air preheaters was investigated
for each process fired heater. From an economic standpoint, the rankings of the
waste heat options are:
1. Generation of 150 PSIG steam
2. Generation of 600 PSIG steam
3. Air Preheaters
The reason that the 150 PSIG generation has an economic advantage over the
600 PSIG is that per dollars invested, more heat and energy are recovered. This is
due to its lower temperature and resulting lower investment required to generate
150 PSIG steam.
As mentioned in Section 3150, a steam balance must be developed to support any
waste heat recovery project. This is particularly critical for fired heaters, if steam
generation, boiler feedwater, or make-up water are involved. As discussed in the
boiler section, air preheaters do not have the payouts that economizers do.
However, once the steam system is at maximum capacity, the air preheater can be
an economical alternative.
From a practical standpoint, several considerations should be reviewed when
comparing steam economizers to air preheaters on fired heaters. Some specific
guidelines are:
• The use of air preheaters in a multi-box fired heater (such as a rheniformer) is
not recommended. This is because of the complexity of the control systems to
maintain the correct air/fuel ratio in the fire boxes. Additionally, a rheniformer,
with its 1000°F stack temperature can provide steam at the highest pressure
that is made in the plant.
• The use of air preheaters with stack temperatures above 900°F to 1000°F
presents expansion problems in the rotating elements of regenerative

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Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery 3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

exchangers. On this basis, air preheaters are not normally used in hydrogen
plants and rheniformers.
• Steam generation of less than 10,000 pounds/hour is impractical in large
process units. The additional auxiliary facilities, maintenance, laboratory
testing, and operator attention cannot normally be justified.
• Depending on the cost of fuel, air preheaters for fired heaters would typically
have a marginal payout for absorbed duties of 25 to 35 MMBH and less.

3243 Economizers on Fired Heaters


Figure 3200-5 illustrates how economizers can reduce fired heater flue gas tempera-
tures from a range of 700°F to 1200°F to the range of 300°F to 700°F.
The flue gas outlet temperature depends on:
• The pressure of the steam generated in the economizer, and
• The need to burn higher sulfur fuels as a back-up in the future. Lower tempera-
tures could cause corrosion in the cold end of the waste heat recovery
equipment.

Fig. 3200-5 Typical Fired Heater Economizer

3244 Air Preheaters on Fired Heaters


Sections 3230 and 3232 on air preheaters on boilers applies to air preheaters on
fired heaters. Air preheaters are more attractive on fired heaters because there may
be other sources of low pressure steam and the deareator make-up water may not be
as handy. However, when steam is needed in the process, the fired heater is the
ideal place to generate it.
For further information on combustion air preheaters, see Section 430 of this
manual.

Chevron Corporation 3200-13 March 1989


3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery

3250 Heat Recovery From Gas Turbine Exhaust

3251 Background
Another significant area of waste heat recovery is the Combustion Gas Turbine
(CGT), used either as:
• A direct mechanical drive for process equipment. In some instances, the hot
turbine exhaust is used as combustion air for a fire heater in the plant where the
mechanical drive machine is located.
• Part of a “Cogeneration” System. In these plants, the gas turbine shaft
produces electricity, and steam to operate the plant is produced from the hot
CGT exhaust.
For both situations, the CGT produces hot exhaust gases, typically in the 950°F to
1000°F range. This exhaust is used as:
• Preheated combustion gas for fired heaters, or
• Hot gases to a Steam Generator. The exhaust is almost always supplementary-
fired, up to 1600°F and 1700°F, to normally produce both dry (saturated) and
superheated steam at different pressures for the operating center, or in the case
of producing, a 60% to 80% quality steam for downhole injection.
Production of electricity and steam from one fuel source is called Cogeneration,
which cuts the amount of energy necessary to make electric power to nearly one-
half. This is based on an economic amount of steam and electrical power being
required at the plant.
Public Utilities typically furnish electric power to our operating centers at an effi-
ciency of 32% to 35%.
Steam is typically generated in most of our plants at efficiencies of 70% to 75%
without waste heat recovery, and 85% to 90% with it (all on a HHV basis).
The overall weighted efficiency for power purchased from a public utility power
plant and steam produced at a Company facility is in the 60% to 70% range. This
results from averaging the electric power at its low efficiency (from the power
plant) with the higher efficiency for steam produced (in the Company facility).
By using an on-site gas turbine to simultaneously generate both electric power and
steam, the overall “weighted” efficiency can be improved to the 75% to 85% range.
Figure 3200-6 compares the efficiency of Cogeneration with the conventional way
of making steam at the plant and purchasing electric power from the utility.

3252 General Description


The CGT uses natural gas or process gas in most of our applications. For all cogen-
eration projects, the waste heat boiler transfers heat from the hot exhaust to
incoming boiler feedwater, plus generates steam to whatever conditions are

March 1989 3200-14 Chevron Corporation


Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery 3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

Fig. 3200-6 Efficiency Comparison: Electric Power and Steam Generation

required in the plant (including super heated steam). These waste heat boilers are
commonly referred to as heat recovery steam generators, (HRSG). The exhaust
gases in all Chevron's installations are supplementary-fired in the HRSG to further
improve overall efficiency. This is being done at Pascagoula, Port Arthur, Gaviota,
El Segundo, and shortly, at Belvieu. Richmond has already ordered the CGT and
HRSG for a 100 MW Plant. Hawaii is at the Appropriations Request stage, and El
Paso is evaluating the economics.
In Chevron's producing fields where steam is used for enhanced oil-recovery, the
only difference is that the steam generator does not make superheated steam, as
required in most refineries, chemical plants, and terminals. In producing, the waste
heat boilers produce a 60% to 80% quality steam from the exhaust gases. For these
applications, the unit is normally a multipass economizer design. We have many
of these units in the California oilfields and they are being installed in Caltex in
Indonesia.
An alternative to a HRSG is to route the turbine exhaust to a process fired heater. In
these instances, the fired heater burners fire supplementary fuel which combusts
with the remaining oxygen in the turbine exhaust. This can achieve optimum effi-
ciency, when the fired heaters flue gases are down to 10% to 15% excess air.
Section 3500 contains a simplified evaluation of the economics for a Cogeneration
installation. It also gives a quick method for evaluating whether the Cogeneration
plant should export power to the Local Utility.

3253 Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG), Refinery Type


Figure 3200-7 summarizes gas turbines and waste heat recovery applications at
Pascagoula in 1979. This figure illustrates several diverse applications.
In the early 1980's, a General Electric mechanical-drive CGT was installed in the
Hydrogen Plant of the Pascagoula Resid Conversion Project. Its exhaust was ducted

Chevron Corporation 3200-15 March 1989


3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery
Fig. 3200-7 Gas Turbine Installations (Pascagoula Refinery)
March 1989 3200-16 Chevron Corporation
Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery 3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

into the reforming fired heater. In 1980, there were five units generating electric
power and two direct mechanical drives. Three exhaust streams are routed to fired
heaters, and four to heat recovery steam generators.
Note Figure 3200-17 is a foldout appearing at the end of this section.
Figure 3200-17 tabulates data for General Electric's combustion gas turbines,
Frame 3 through Frame 9, plus the LM2500 and LM5000. Figure 3200-8 lists the
key design parameters for each machine.

Fig. 3200-8 Key Design Parameters for GE CGT’s


895#, 830°F(1)
General Gas Flow Exhaust Steam Produced
Electric Frame KW (iso) Lb/Hr Temp. °F Lb/Hr
3 (MS3002J) 9,090 398,400 1,004 94,000
5 (MS5001P) 22,340 926,400 939 219,000
6 (MS6001B) 33,770 1,045,600 1,027 247,500
7 (MS7001E) 73,130 2,203,000 1,080 722,000
9 (MS9001E) 100,760 3,043,000 1,080 722,000
LM2500 19,370 503,900 980 119,600
LM5000 27,040 887,600 820 210,500
(1) For supplementary-firing the exhaust gases to 1600°F.

Figure 3200-9 is a worksheet for a General Electric Frame 6 Gas Turbine-Heat


Recovery Steam Generator. It calculates the overall efficiency for this unit on
natural gas when making 895 PSIG and 830°F steam. The exhaust from the Gas
Turbine to the Heat Recovery Steam Generator is fully fired with a stack condition
out of the HRSG of 10% excess air and temperature of 300°F.
It shows the efficiency of the cycle and the equivalent barrels of fuel that can be
saved per year. This savings is based on backing off power boilers that are assumed
to be 84% efficient on a HHV basis. Most plants do not have boilers operating at
this high an efficiency, so a little more fuel would be saved. Note that 10,000
BTU/kWH is the heat rate assumed for the fuel consumed at the Utility Plant. This
heat rate is very close to the average of most utility fossil fuel fired plants.
Figure 3200-10 uses the procedure in Figure 3200-9 to calculate efficiencies and
energy savings for the popular General Electric Frame 5 and Frame 6 CGT's. Each
size is evaluated for making 895 PSIG and 830°F steam where the exhaust gases
from the gas turbine to the Heat Recovery Steam Generator are:
• Unfired
• Supplementary-fired to 1400°F
• Fully fired to 10% excess air and a stack temperature of 300°F
The numbers shown in Figure 3200-10 were calculated from data on Figure 3200-17,
previously discussed.

Chevron Corporation 3200-17 March 1989


3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery
Fig. 3200-9 Gas Turbine – HRSG Worksheet, Fully Fired, Frame 6
March 1989 3200-18 Chevron Corporation
Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery 3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

Fig. 3200-10 Efficiency Calculation and Energy Savings


Case Frame Status %Eff. Hhv Bbl/year Saved
1 6 Unfired 69.35 166,000
2 6 Suppl.-fired to 1400°F 77.26 201,000
3(1) 6 Fully fired 84.37 247,200
4 5 Unfired 63.45 66,000
5 5 Suppl.-fired to 1400°F 76.12 109,000
6 5 Fully fired 84.22 153,000
(1) See Figure 3200-9.

With the gas turbine manufacturer, data similar to what is shown on Figure 3200-17,
the efficiency of a “Cogen” project can be calculated. From there, the next step is
evaluating the operating savings and payout.
Note Figure 3200-18 is a foldout at the end of this section.
Figure 3200-18 is a detailed balance for each section of a proposed Heat Recovery
Steam Generator for a Brown Boveri, Type 8, gas turbine, generating about
50,000 kW. Important features are:
• Initial cooling of the exhaust gas across the superheater prior to supplementary-
firing the exhaust gases. This minimizes the amount of desuperheating.
• Shock tubes installed after supplementary-firing that have a saturated
steam/water mixture in the tubes.
• Supplementary-firing to 1476°F.
• Production of two steam levels with superheating.
• The preheater at the cold end, cooling the stack gases from 299°F to 218°F will
not be installed due to the high cost of piping the make-up water across the
plant from the deareator location, plus the cost penalty for alloy materials for
protection against corrosion.

3254 Heat Recovery Steam Generator (HRSG), Enhanced Oil Recovery Type
Oil field cogeneration projects are identical to refinery projects, as far as the CGT-
generator is concerned. Where they differ is in what they do with the supplemen-
tally fired gas turbine exhausts. In the refinery type, (HRSG) normally dry (satu-
rated) and superheated steam are required.
In the oil field, (HRSG), 60% to 80% quality steam is required for injecting into
wells at pressures in the 1000 PSIG range to assist in enhanced oil recovery.
Figure 3200-11 is an isometric of a proposed six-parallel-pass, steam generation for
enhanced oil recovery. The design for this project is 220,000 pound/hour of 60%
quality steam at 775 PSIG, (from 180°F boiler feedwater), by supplementary-firing

Chevron Corporation 3200-19 March 1989


3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery

the gas turbine exhaust to 1394°F. Flow in the preheater is counter-current; flow in
the boiler is co-current. Description of finning, size of tubes, number of tubes in
height and in depth, and the heat balance equations for both boxes are shown. A
sketch on the top summarizes the heat transfer conditions for the preheater and the
once-thru boiler.

Fig. 3200-11 Proposed 60% Quality Steam Generator

Figure 3200-12 is an isometric of the rough outline dimensions for a waste heat
recovery type behind a General Electric LM-2500 gas turbine for a producing field.
This unit is also rated as a 220,000 pound/hour, 775 SIG outlet, once-through,
60% steam generator for enhanced oil recovery. Units of this type have multipass

March 1989 3200-20 Chevron Corporation


Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery 3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

parallel flow. This unit has four passes. There are no steam drums or mud drums.
The passes are heated as in any economizer.

Fig. 3200-12 60% Quality Steam Generator Behind LM-2500 CGT

3260 Heat Recovery on Offshore Platforms


The two main sources of waste-heat on offshore platforms are combustion gas
turbines and reciprocating engines. These engines provide power for compression,
pumping, and/or electrical power. A portion of the fuel consumed by these engines
is rejected as heat in their exhaust or cooling system. This waste-heat can be recov-
ered and put to use in a variety of ways to improve the platform's overall efficiency,
such as heating process fluids or glycol regeneration.
These units are required, and must operate whether the waste-heat is recovered or
not. From a safety aspect, waste heat recovery units can be used in place of fired
heaters to provide platform heating requirements. This eliminates fire hazards asso-
ciated with fired heaters.
Waste heat recovery systems may need some backup heat source if the main heat
source is to be shut down while the users of the heat are still operating. The backup
system may be an independent heating system or duplicate heat recovery systems if
enough heat sources are present. A detailed study of the platform operations and
heat balances under various operating schemes must be made to provide an
adequate system.

Chevron Corporation 3200-21 March 1989


3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery

The heat energy from either a combustion gas turbine or, reciprocating engine is
usually recovered by an intermediate heating medium such as water, steam, or
heating oil.
Steam and gas turbine exhausts have been discussed in detail in the previous two
sections.

3261 Waste Heat Recovery with a Reciprocating Engine


Reciprocating engines convert 20% to 40% of the fuel energy they consume into
shaft horsepower. The remainder is removed with the cooling system and rejected
in the exhaust. A waste heat recovery system on the engine's exhaust can increase
fuel thermal efficiency to around 55%. If the cooling system energy is recovered as
well, the efficiency may be increased to about 75%.
The exhaust temperature of reciprocating engines varies from 800°F to 1350°F
depending on the size, efficiency and whether it is supercharged. Because recipro-
cating engines do not use large amounts of excess air, the combustion products
constitute a larger percentage of the exhaust. The specific gravity of reciprocating
engine exhaust gases is shown, along with that of air, on Figure 3200-13.

Fig. 3200-13 Specific Heat Versus Temperature, Air and Reciprocating Engine Exhaust

March 1989 3200-22 Chevron Corporation


Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery 3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

For reciprocating engines, a variety of systems and combinations of systems can


be used, depending on the heating medium, and the temperature required by the
heat user.
Figure 3200-14 shows a typical hot water system in which the engine jacket cooling
water has been replaced by the hot water heating fluid. Additional heat energy is
then recovered from the hot exhaust gases.

Fig. 3200-14 Hot Water Heat Recovery System

3262 Consideration of Engine Fuels


Oil fueled engines have dirty exhausts, particularly during rapid load changes or
when the air/fuel mixture is out of adjustment. Reciprocating engines consuming
low sulfur natural gas have clean exhausts. Fuel oils and gases containing sulfur
compounds should not be used for waste heat recovery due to the extremely corro-
sive exhaust gases that they produce.

3263 Waste Heat Recovery with a Gas Turbine


Figure 3200-15 shows how a hot pressurized water system, utilizing the unfired
exhaust from a combustion gas turbine, can be used economically to recover waste-
heat and to transfer the heat to various users. Most hot water systems (treated
water) operate at 230°F to 280°F, which requires a minimum system pressure of
60 PSIG. Water can be used at higher temperatures, up to 400°F, but higher pres-
sures are required to prevent boiling. The water is heated by the hot exhaust gases
while flowing through the tubes. The water temperature is controlled by diverting a
portion of the turbine exhaust. High water temperature or low water flow causes the

Chevron Corporation 3200-23 March 1989


3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery

entire exhaust to be diverted. An expansion tank is included in the water system to


allow for the thermal expansion of the water. The pressure in the expansion tank is
maintained with nitrogen gas to prevent the formation of steam. The process load
shown can be a single user or a combination of many users. A system for using
heating oil is similar.

Fig. 3200-15 Closed-System Water Heater Schematic

3264 Waste Heat Recovery With High Pressure Steam


Heat recovery through steam generation is not commonly used offshore. However,
high pressure steam can be generated from turbines or reciprocating engine exhaust
gases. Since this type of system does not provide engine cooling, higher pressure
steam may be generated ranging from 100 to 450 PSIG.
The most common high-pressure steam system used offshore is the hybrid
steam/water waste heat recovery system. This type of system uses forced circula-
tion of water through a waste heat unit, as with the water system shown in Figure
3200-15. The outlet of the waste heat exchanger flows to a steam separator vessel
where a portion of the water vaporizes to generate steam. This steam maintains the
pressure in the steam separator at a level to preclude the need for a gas blanket
system. A pressure controller on the steam outlet of this vessel controls the steam
pressure and, consequently, the water temperature. Hot water from this separator
can be pumped to nearby users, as with a water system. At the same time, steam
may be used to provide heat to nearby users.

March 1989 3200-24 Chevron Corporation


Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery 3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

3265 Waste Heat Recovery With Organic Heat Transfer Fluids


A variety of organic fluids are available for use in heating or waste heat recovery
systems. These liquids offer the advantage of low-pressure liquid-phase heat
transfer at very high temperatures. Therefore, these systems involve small piping
and low design pressures.
For specifics on the physical properties and system designs, consult the manufac-
turer of the specific fluids. The following summarizes organic fluids:
Mineral Oils. They are noncorrosive, low cost, and can be used from -15°F to
600°F. However, they have low heat capacities and are subject to high temperature
thermal cracking.
Diphenyl-diphenyl oxide. It is used over a temperature range of 54°F to 750°F.
This fluid offers a high specific heat but boils at 496°F. Consequently, a pressurized
system may be required. Extreme care must be taken with seals, packing, and
fittings. If this fluid leaks out, there are problems of fluid loss, odor, toxicity, and
clean up. Dowtherm A is an example of this type fluid which may be used as either
a liquid or a vapor heat- transfer fluid.
Glycols. These are used in aqueous solutions for temperatures from -50°F to 350°F.
For temperatures over 212°F, some slight pressurization is required. Glycols in
water act as a corrosion inhibitor and as an antifreeze.
Polyethylene glycols. These heat transfer fluids have good thermal stability to
555°F. They are easy to pump because of low viscosity. Pressurized systems are not
required since these glycols do not boil.
Aromatic based fluids. These fluids may be used over a wide range of operating
temperatures and are thermally stable. However, their heat capacities tend to be low
and the high temperature versions may require steam tracing.

3270 Power Recovery Turbines


A hydraulic turbine can be considered a “waste heat” recovery unit. It actually
recovers energy when letting down high-pressure streams to lower pressures.
As an example, in a Hydrocracker there are process pressures that must be dropped
from 2500 PSIG to 120 PSIG, and to 40 PSIG. This let-down energy can furnish
about one half the power required to pump the incoming feed up to the process
pressures.
Figure 3200-16 illustrates the principle. A full size motor and a full size spare
should be installed. As power recovery takes over, the load on the electric driver is
reduced.
Section 3320 shows how this is applied in a Hydrocracking Plant.
For details on costs and economical pressures, contact the Mechanical and Elec-
trical Systems Division of ETD.

Chevron Corporation 3200-25 March 1989


3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery

Fig. 3200-16 Energy Comparison: Hydraulic Turbine

3280 Condensation Heat Recovery


It has long been desired to lower the temperature out of waste heat streams to below
the 250°F to 350°F range. With existing technology, this has been considered to be
the minimum exhaust temperature range due to the condensation of acid from
combustion products.
Condensation heat recovery cools the exhaust gases below the water dewpoint, and
can recover a large percentage of the water-vapor latent, and sensible heat. While
the Company has done very little of this to date, it is an evolving heat recovery
type. In Europe, these systems have been used for several years, in hundreds of
applications. There are two approaches, both discussed below.

3281 Direct Contact


This brings water directly into contact with the flue gases to remove the heat. The
water becomes acidic and a secondary heat exchanger is used to transfer the recov-
ered heat in a recirculating loop to a clean water stream.
Direct contact is also referred to as Non-condensing waste heat recovery. Direct
contact usually reduces the waste heat recovery stream temperature to around
150°F. The acid condition prevails at a pH of about two, and there is little water
condensation from the flue gases. Therefore, there is little latent heat recovery. This
approach saves an additional 3% to 4% of sensible heat from a waste heat recovery
stream, (for either an oil or gas fired exhaust stream), when cooling it from around
300°F to 150°F.

3282 Indirect Contact


In this approach, a corrosion-resistant heat exchanger is placed directly in the flow
of the waste heat flue gas. There is no contamination of the fluid receiving the heat.

March 1989 3200-26 Chevron Corporation


Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery 3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

This fluid can be a process stream or a utility stream that needs the heat. It can also
be fluid that is transferring the heat to other users in the plant in a recirculating
closed system.
Indirect contact is also referred to as Non-contact or Condensing. Condensing is
usually done to a temperature below 100°F. The acid condition prevails and the
water in the flue gases condenses, diluting the acid.
For this type of heat recovery, we can use the following guidelines. How many addi-
tional efficiency points could be gained if we cooled the hot fluid in the waste heat
recovery unit all the way to ambient temperature? For this condition, we are
looking at the absolute maximum recovery. By reducing the temperature from
150°F, (discussed in Section 3281), to ambient, we could save the following addi-
tional fired unit efficiency points:
• On gas: 2% of sensible heat and about 10% latent heat
• On oil: 2% of sensible heat and about 5% latent heat
The above variation in efficiency for gas and oil is due to the lower hydrogen
content in oil (less water vapor in the gas).
Condensation systems are reported to reduce particulates and sulfur dioxide
emissions.
Manufacturers of glass, pyrex, borosilicate, and teflon are actively trying to develop
corrosion-resistant heat exchangers for this type of waste heat recovery.
It will be some time before industry adopts this “almost ambient” stack philosophy.
Note that when stack temperatures become cooler, the penalty for firing with excess
air is decreased.

3290 Other Waste Heat Recovery Types


Other waste heat recovery opportunities include the following:
• Steam boiler and process steam generator blowdown systems
• Steam condensate return systems
• Steam trap, trap maintenance and steam leaks
• Venting of excess low-pressure steam
• Compressor horsepower reduction from using chilled waters in compressor
suction coolers. (In warmer climates, using 50°F chilled water instead of
ambient 80°F water (cooling incoming suction temperatures from 120°F to
80°F), reduces compressor horsepower 7%.)
• Gas Expanders where higher pressure gases are available for energy recovery
in dropping to lower pressures. (See Section 3270 for Power Recovery
Turbines.)

Chevron Corporation 3200-27 March 1989


3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery

• Capacity control of rotating equipment by variable speed control of the drivers


• High efficiency motors and steam turbines
• Completely automatic boiler and fired heater combustion control
• Control of Oxygen, draft, and leaks in skins of equipment
• Capacity control of reciprocating compressors by automatic unloader control
versus spillback
• Automatic temperature control (on-off, variable speed) of cooling tower and air
cooler motor drivers
• Low Temperature Rankine Cycle Waste Heat Recovery versus air or water
cooling of process streams
• Vacuum pumps versus steam jet ejectors
• Vacuum deareation versus low pressure steam deareation
• Insulation installation and maintenance
• Hot feed to process units. (An example is that the Hydrocracker feed from the
Vacuum Unit could be fed directly to the Isocracker to avoid cooling for inter-
mediate storage, oxidation, and to conserve energy.)

March 1989 3200-28 Chevron Corporation


Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery 3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

Fig. 3200-17 Steam Generation and Fuel Chargeable to Power with Gas Turbines and Exhaust Heat Boilers Gas Fuel

Chevron Corporation 3200-29 March 1989


Fired Heater and Waste Heat Recovery 3200 Types of Waste Heat Recovery

Fig. 3200-18 Proposed HRSG for a 50,000 kW Gas Turbine Generator

Chevron Corporation 3200-31 March 1989

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