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HTM Section (Area Code 3008)

HTM SYSTEM
There are two HTM systems:
1. Primary HTM System
2. Secondary HTM System

Primary HTM system


The Primary HTM System provides the total heat requirement of the Poly-
Condensation and spinning plant by liquid heat transfer media.
In order to achieve this, the liquid HTM is heated in the HTM furnaces 3008-
F11/F12/F13 to a constant feed temperature of 3250C. The required heat is
generated by combustion of fuel oil or fuel gas.
The primary HTM pumps 3008-P11/P12/P13/P14 are used to circulate the HTM
via the primary heating circuit. There are total three furnace at Polymer Process-lll
among which two are in operation and one is at standby. Capacity of each furnace
is 11528 kW (41.5GJ/hr).
Secondary HTM system
HTM circulation in the polymer building through HTM Pumps located at 8.0
meters and 16 meters is called the Secondary HTM System.
HTM from the supply header is distributed into several loops including Santotherm
and Dowtherm cycles.
HTM used
HTM stands for "heat transfer media". It is used as a source of heating in different
units of plants. As the both esterification / poly-condensation reactions are
endothermic so large amount of heat is required to bring the reactors to the reaction
temperature (> 250 C). For this purpose, two phases of heat transfer are used:
1. Santotherm (Liquid Phase)
2. Dowtherm (Vapor Phase)
SANTOTHERM
Santotherm is partially hydrogenated terphenyl in liquid form. The trade name of
Santotherm is Thermoinal-66. It is used for primary heating. It is heated in coils of
furnace by natural gas. Then at temperature of 325ᵒC is sent to reactors where it is
used to heat secondary heating media after that secondary loops and exhaust return
at temperature of 270ᵒC and heated again.
Properties
Santotherm is the world’s most popular high temperature, liquid-phase heat
transfer fluid. It is pumpable at low temperatures and offers high-temperature
thermal stability.
Average Molecular Weight 240 C
Density at 200 C 1002 kg/m3
Pour Point < -10 C
Flash Point 170 C
Boiling Point 340 C
Auto Ignition Temperature 380 C
Color Clear, Pale yellow liquid
Specific Gravity 1.012
Maximum Moisture Content 150 ppm

Applications
Santotherm is produced by Eastman Chemical Company.
It is used in a variety of applications, including:

 Hydrocarbon processing (oil and gas, refining, asphalt, gas-to-liquid, etc.)


 Alternative Energy and technologies (concentrated solar power, biofuel,
organic Rankine cycle, desalination, etc.)
 Plastics processing
 Chemical processing (pharmaceutical, environmental test chambers, etc.)
 Food and beverage processing
 Heat transfer system maintenance
PROCESS DESCRIPTION
Furnace is used to heat HTM (Santotherm). Currently advanced technology
furnace having 5 coils is in operation working on coil system. HTM is in coils of
furnace. It has three passes (primary, secondary and tertiary) for flue gas. Duel
nozzles are used for HFO and natural gas and duel fuel burners are installed
vertically at the top of furnace. At plant site, furnace is in continuous operation it
only stops during shutdown.

Combustion
To increase temperature of Santotherm in furnace we require combustion.
Combustion occurs by three important elements.

Pilot Flame
A pilot light is a small gas flame, usually natural gas or liquefied petroleum gas,
which serves as an ignition source for a more powerful gas burner. Ignition start
from electrode sparking and flame eye detects the pilot flame. Then LPG (liquefied
petroleum gas) which is in cylinder is used to further ignite spark.

HFO CYCLE
HFO is pumped towards the furnace with the help of low pressure pumps 3008-
P22/P23. It has a heating system in its shell which pre-heats HFO to ~100oC before
being pumped by low pressure pumps which increase its pressure to ~9 bars. It
than goes to the suction of high pressure pumps 3008-P18/P30 which increase the
pressure energy to ~35 bars. The discharge passes through a pre-heater which uses
25 bar steam as a heating medium. HFO then enters the furnace and it is atomized
with the help of an atomizer.
It is important to pre-heat the HFO, otherwise, cool HFO will disturb the
temperature profile of the furnace. Thus disturbing the whole process.
HTM Heating Process
HFO and natural gas are used as fuel. Force draft fans are used to send air to the
top of furnace by taking air from the atmosphere. Discharge of FD fans goes to
economizer having shell and tube arrangement. Air enters at temperature ~49ᵒC in
the economizer at the shell side while flue gases from furnace enters at temperature
~315-330ᵒC in tube side. Economizer trips when the temperature rises up to 420ᵒC.
The flue gas after circulating through economizer enters in stack at temperature of
200ᵒC. Flue gases contains maximum amount of CO2 which goes to vent through
stack at height of 35m. The discharged air from economizer went to the furnace
where Santotherm is heated and discharged from the furnace at 325ᵒC. HTM from
furnace is then divided into secondary loops for use in different reactors and
evaporators.

PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM


DOWTHERM
Diphenyl/Diphenylether is used as dowtherm. It is secondary heating media which
is used in vapor form. It is heated by primary HTM coming from furnaces then It
is used to heat reaction vessels (ES-1, ES-2, PP-1, PP-2, DRR etc.) by staying in
the jacket of these vessels.

Properties
Dowtherrm have low boiling point around 2500C-2600C and hence used as
secondary HTM in vapor form.
Average Molecular Weight 165.7 C
Density at 200 C 1062 kg/m3
Freezing Point 12.3 C
Flash Point 115 C
Boiling Point 258 C
Ignition Temperature in Air 615 C

DOWTHERM EVAPORATORS
In Dowtherm evaporators 8181-E01, 8383-E01 HTM (Santotherm) is used in coils
as liquid and in vessel boundaries as vapors. Santotherm is used in the primary
cycle where it is heated in the furnace. This Santotherm then moves in coils to a
secondary cycle where it is used to convert Dowtherm into vapor state in an
evaporator. This Dowtherm is used in the linings of the vessel to maintain the
temperature of the mixture and to make sure efficient heat transfer throughout. All
reactors heating through coils (ES-l, ES-ll and PP-l) and jacket (DRR) and product
transfer line heating is done through secondary HTM pumps.
EQUIPMENTS
Furnace
A furnace is a device used for high-temperature heating. The heat energy to fuel a
furnace may be supplied directly by fuel combustion by electricity such as the
electric arc furnace or through induction heating in induction furnace.
Furnace is there to heat the santotherm which is our HTM to a temperature of
325oC from 270oC. The Furnace is operated with Heavy Furnace Oil (HFO) or
another source of fuel for the Furnace is natural Gas, Natural Gas is being provided
by Utility Department at the required temperature and Pressure. HTM is heated
with Conduction, Convection and Radiation mode of heat transfer.
Conduction

This Mode of heat transfer is effective in those coils which are in direct contact
with the burner.
Convection
This mode is effective when the flue gases moves in bulk due to density and
momentum difference.
Radiation
This mode is effective in the whole body of furnace.
Blower
Blower is used to supply air for combustion it convert pressure head to kinetic
head and increases the flow rate for effective combustion. There are three blowers
3008-K11/K12/K13 from which air is taken from atmosphere for the three furnaces
separately.
Economizer
Economizer 3008-E11/E12/E13 is also a pre-heater that uses the flue gases and
pre-heat the air coming from blower before providing to the furnace in order to
have the maximum utilization of waste heat.
Atomizer
It is an instrument for reducing a liquid to spray or vapor for disinfecting, cooling,
medical use or perfume spraying. Atomizer works on venturi effect which converts
jet of fuel to fine spray in order to increase effective surface are throughout
furnace.
Damper
Natural gas and warm air is added to damper that maintains a specific air to fuel
ratio depending on oxygen contents for maximum oxidizing flame. Until the
reducing flame will cause more toxic emissions that needs to be processed before
emitting into the air.

Stack (Chimney)
It is a structure that provides ventilation for hot flue gases or smoke from a boiler,
stove, furnace or fireplace to the outside atmosphere.
Stack has variable area to reduce emission of solid contents and increase kinetic
head of gases. It is used for emission of flue gases after economizer.
Pre-Heater (HFO)
Pre-Heater is used to maximize the efficiency of the process. The purpose of
preheater is to preheat HFO by 6 bar steam followed by 25 bar. It helps to save fuel
for maximum heat economy.
Expansion Vessel
It is used to absorb the pressure fluctuations. Here low boil HTM is recovered.
Level of vessel is maintained at 50%. Stability of expansion vessel is 95% and
about 5% annually losses are calculated. 1 bar nitrogen is given to vessel. It is
basically a storage tank to maintain head.

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