Use of CFD in Evaluation Pyrolysis Furnace Design

Paper from the AFRC 2014 conference titled Use of CFD in Evaluation Pyrolysis Furnace Design by B. Adams.

This paper examines the usefulness of CFD modeling in evaluating burner and furnace performance in new or retrofit pyrolysis furnaces. A CFD model of a new furnace is often the first evaluation of how the furnace will perform when integrated with burners and process coils. Model results allow burner and furnace vendors to review performance and identify any sub-optimal design elements before construction or retrofits. The paper will include a brief review of the CFD model capabilities required for accurate furnace simulation, followed by examples drawn from a decade of modeling experience demonstrating how predictions have been used to identify and improve sub-optimal designs. Examples will include impacts of burner-end wall spacing, ultra-low NOx premixed burner implementation, and burner design trade-offs for flame shape, heat flux profiles, and NOx emissions.