Aspen Fired Heater™

Simulation or operational troubleshooting of gas or oil fired process heaters

Additional Resources

Product Brochure

Aspen Fired Heater is a simulation program for the fire box and the convection sections of fired process heaters. It can be used to troubleshoot operational problems by identifying tube burnout or to identify best operating conditions given changes in feedstocks or product specifications. Aspen Fired Heater is a core element of AspenTech’s aspenONE® Process Engineering applications.

Features

Research Based Correlations: Models and correlations are based on more than 35 years of Aspen HTFS proprietary research, providing the user with assurance of reliable designs.
Firebox Calculations: Firebox radiation modeling using either a simple “well stirred” model or a more detailed zone model. Supports cylindrical fireboxes with helical coils or vertical tubes; cabin or box heaters, with horizontal or vertical tubes, either refractory backed or as a single or double central row, and optionally with roof tubes. Single or twin cabin fireboxes.
Convection Banks: There can be up to 9 convection banks and up to 10 process fluids, each flowing through one or more banks.
Calculation Options: A performance calculation predicts stream outlet conditions for a given firing rate. A rate calculation determines the firing rate needed to achieve a given set of outlet process conditions for a stream in the firebox.
Fuels, Oxidants, and Combustion: Supports mixtures of up to 4 fuels and 4 oxidants. Specify either excess air or oxygen in flue gases. Flue gas composition reported on both wet and dry bases.
Physical Properties: Properties can be transferred from AspenTech’s steady state simulators, or retrieved from Aspen Properties®, Aspen HYSYS Thermodynamics COM Interface, or the heritage Aspen B-JAC™ database. More than 15,000 components and 30 vapor liquid equilibrium methods are available.

Benefits

Improved Design: Aspen Fired Heater is a comprehensive, easy-to-use tool for the design of fired process heaters. It enables the more efficient design of new heaters and cost-effective revamp studies.
Improved Process Operations: Integration with process simulators allow the effect of phenomena such as pre-heat exchanger fouling to be properly evaluated. Major operational savings can be achieved with the use of a comprehensive heater model based on sound firebox radiation modeling, providing a rational basis for day-to-day optimization of plant performance with changing product specifications. The rigorous modeling of Aspen Fired Heater is vital for proper investment appraisal where retrofit process modifications are proposed to optimize product yields.
Increased Engineering Efficiency: Aspen Fired Heater can be used to investigate the relationship between stack temperatures and safe operating limits for tubes to optimize cleaning schedules. Savings of several hundred thousand dollars have been realized.