FURNACE

Furnace

 Derive from Greek word “fornax” which means oven

 An enclosure in which energy in a nonthermal form is converted to heat, especially such an enclosure
in which heat is generated by the combustion of a suitable fuel.
 An industrial furnace used in extraction of metal from ore or in oil refineries and other chemical plants,
for example as the heat source for fractional distillation or for providing heat to chemical reactions
for processes.

Parts of Furnace

1. Igniter
 There are two different types of igniters used for furnaces: the older pilot light systems and the
newer electric hot surface igniters. The pilot light uses a continual connection to the gas used by
the furnace itself, while the hot surface igniter needs an electrical current and a filament.
2. Burner
 The key objective of a furnace burner is to burn the fuel as efficiently as possible and to produce
the optimum heat flux to the product. It should be noted that different processes require different
heat fluxes, so a burner is optimum for one process is not necessarily suitable for a similar
process.
3. Radiant Section
 It is where the tubes receives almost all its heat by radiation from the flame
4. Convection Section
 The convection section is located above the radiant section where it is cooler to recover
additional heat. Heat transfer takes place by convection here, and the tubes are finned to
increase heat transfer.
5. Shield Section
 The first two tube rows in the bottom of the convection section and at the top of the radiant
section is an area of bare tubes (without fins) and are known as the shield section
 So named because they are still exposed to plenty of radiation from the firebox and they also
act to shield the convection section tubes, which are normally of less resistant material from the
high temperatures in the firebox.
6. Bridgezone
 The area of the radiant section just before flue gas enters the shield section and into the
convection section
 7. Crossover Tube
 A crossover is the tube that connects from the convection section outlet to the radiant section
inlet. The crossover piping is normally located outside so that the temperature can be monitored
and the efficiency of the convection section can be calculated.
 The purpose of a cross over tubes on a gas burner is so that the fire ignited from the main burner
can make contact with the the gas coming from the other burners.
8. Breeching Section and Stack
 The transition from the convection section to the stack is called the breeching. By the time the
flue gas exits to the stack, most of the heat should be recovered and the temperature is much
less.
9. Stack Damper
 The stack damper contained within works like a butterfly valve and regulates draft (pressure
difference between air intake and air exit) in the furnace, which is what pulls the flue gas through
the convection section. The stack damper also regulates the heat lost through the stack.
10. Heat Exchanger
 The heated fluid is circulated round the whole plant to heat exchangers to be used wherever
heat is needed instead of directly heating the product line as the product

11. Soot Blower

 Soot blowers are found in the convection section. As this section is above the radiant section
and air movement is slower because of the fins, soot tends to accumulate here.
 Soot blowing is normally done when the efficiency of the convection section is decreased. This
can be calculated by looking at the temperature change from the crossover piping and at the
convection section exit.
12. Ductwork and Flue pipe
 Ductwork is responsible for the distribution of heat from the heated fluid
 Flue pipe is used as an exhaust for the byproducts of combustion

Types of Furnace
 VERTICAL CYLINDERED FIRED HEATER
 HORIZONTAL CYLINDERED FIRED HEATER
 HOOP TUBE CABIN FIRED HEATER
 VERTICAL TUBE BOX FIRED HEATER
 HORIZONTAL TUBE BOX FIRED HEATER