Split Flow Technology
When refiners wish to increase the capacity of their fired heaters, “Split Flow” aims to improve the utilization of thermal energy for process heating.
This objective is achieved by splitting the process fluid into two parallel streams:
Main Stream: The fluid in the first stream is heated predominantly by the convective and radiant heat transfer mechanism.
Split Stream: The fluid in the second stream is heated predominantly by the convective heat transfer mechanism. The streams are then combined at the heater outlet.
This technology has been used very successfully for capacity increase revamps of fired heaters particularly in Platformer heaters. It is suitable for increasing the capacity of a heater by 15‐30%.
Other advantages of the Split Flow Technology include:
Higher heater efficiency
Longer tube life
Lower process pressure drop
Lower firing rate
Lower firebox temperatures
Lower radiant heat fluxes