Advanced Radiant Combustion Systems for Petrochemical Process Heaters

Porous surface radiant burners manufactured by Alzeta are used in applications as diverse as commercial cooking equipment, residential hydronic heaters, and industrial water tube boilers. Over the past 12 years, 60 thousand radiant burners have been sold by Alzeta, and sales of both the Pyrocore®ceramic fiber burner and the pyromat™ metal fiber burner continue to grow. Demonstrated benefits provided by porous surface burners include uniform and controlled heat transfer to the process, low emissions of NOx and CO, and increased radiant section efficiency, but these benefits have been limited to applications with peak process temperatures below approximately 1000°F. The Advanced Radiant Combustion System (ARCS) project represents a major development effort by Alzeta that will: 1) increase the temperature capability of porous surface radiant bumers, and 2) demonstrate these improved radiant burners in intermediate to high temperature process heating applications. Alzeta has completed development of the high temperature radiant burner, the Pyrocore HT, and has been conducting limited field tests of the burner for the past 12 months. The goal of the ARCS project is to demonstrate the new burner in a high temperature application, and steam-methane reforming has been selected as the first use of this technology. A field test site has been identified, and demonstration of the ARCS is planned for 1995.