Indirect Heating Systems

Heat process streams without direct flame contact

BENEFITS Schlumberger provides four types of indirect heaters employing NATCO separation technology.
■■ Simplified maintenance—The standard In each system, heat is liberated in a separate chamber and then transferred to the process stream
designs of indirect heaters employing through a medium such as water, water and glycol, steam, salt, or flue gas to deliver furnace output
NATCO* separation technology provide ratings ranging from 50,000 to 50,000,000 Btu/h.
maximum heat transfer efficiency and
operating simplicity. Burner equipment The primary advantages of indirect heating are that the heat medium transfers heat evenly and the
and process coils are easily accessible coil’s inside wall temperature is lower than that of direct heaters, which reduces scaling, coking,
for inspection and maintenance. and plugging.
■■ Economy—Maximum heat transfer Indirect heaters are widely applicable to the petroleum industry and in power generation and
efficiency and reduced fuel consumption industrial systems. NATCO technology means that they operate reliably and efficiently in both
are hallmarks of the pilot and standard and custom applications.
burner designs.
Water bath heater
■■ Safety enhancement—The heat transfer
Operating range
media provide constant heat for reliable ■■To 10 million Btu/h and 180 degF
unattended operation. Additional safety
features are available on all models. Applications
■■ Adaptability and dependability—A wide ■■Heating high-pressure gas, oil, or both in oilfield production
variety of standard and custom models ■■ Preventing hydrate formation by heating high-pressure gas from wellheads and main
is available with heater sizes from 50,000 gas distribution stations prior to pressure reduction
to 50,000,000 Btu/h. These designs ■■ Heating natural gas at city gate stations from main gas pipelines
have been proved through hundreds
of applications.
■■ Heating highly viscous oils to reduce pumping pressures and improve pumping efficiency
■■ Heating oil-producing well streams

In the water bath heater, the vessel is filled with Typical Water Bath Heater Sizes
water or a mixture of water and glycol. A fire Duty, Btu/h Vessel Size, OD × Length
tube and process coil are submerged in the bath, 50,000 123/4 in × 3 ft 0 in
which transfers heat to the process stream in the 100,000 18 in × 5 ft 0 in
coil. Typical heater sizes are shown in the table.
250,000 24 in × 7 ft 6 in
500,000 30 in × 10 ft 0 in
750,000 36 in × 12 ft 0 in
1,000,000 42 in × 15 ft 0 in
1,250,000 48 in × 15 ft 0 in
1,500,000 48 in × 17 ft 6 in
1,750,000 60 in × 15 ft 0 in
2,000,000 60 in × 17 ft 6 in
2,500,000 60 in × 20 ft 0 in
3,000,000 60 in × 22 ft 6 in
3,500,000 72 in × 22 ft 6 in
4,000,000 72 in × 25 ft 0 in
4,500,000 72 in × 30 ft 0 in
5,000,000 84 in × 22 ft 6 in
6,000,000 84 in × 30 ft 0 in
7,000,000 96 in × 30 ft 0 in
8,000,000 96 in × 30 ft 0 in
10,000,000 96 in × 30 ft 0 in
Water bath heaters.
Indirect Heating Systems
Propane vaporizer The steam bath heater is similar to the water bath heater, but only the fire
tubes are immersed in a water bath. The process coil is located above the
Operating range
water level and is enveloped by saturated steam, which transfers heat to
■■250 to 10,000 galUS/h
the process stream.
Applications Salt bath heater
■■Fuel provision

Schlumberger designs water bath heaters to vaporize light hydrocarbon Coil bundle Eutectic
liquids. These
Coilpropane
bundle vaporizers provide industries and municipalities with
Eutectic salt
salt also Out
a reliable, primary fuel source where natural gas is unavailable. They
Out
supply fuel for standby or peak-shaving periods. In
In
The process stream enters the coil bundle as a liquid, is vaporized, and
then leaves the heater as a superheated vapor. The vaporizers meet Factory
Mutual (FM), Factory Insurance Association (FIA), and OSHA standards as
required. The vaporizing coils are ASME Code and National Board stamped.
Salt bath heater filled with eutectic salt surrounding the coils. The fire tube is immersed
Standard vaporizers range in size from 250 to 10,000 galUS/h. in the steam bath heater’s water bath, with the coil above the water level.

Steam bath heater

Operating range
Steam Typical Salt Bath Heater Sizes
■■To 13.5 million Btu/h and Duty, Btu/h Coil bundle
Vessel Size, OD
Steam
Coil bundle 700 degF × Length
Out
Out 150,000 18 in × 5 ft 0 in
Applications 200,000 24 in × 5 ftIn0 in
■■ Regeneration gas service at
In 300,000 24 in × 7 ft 6 in
Water
high process temperatures 400,000 24 in × 10 ft 0 in
level
Water
level ■■ Vaporization of hydrocarbon 500,000 30 in × 7 ft 6 in
liquids in Fire
stabilization
tube service 750,000 30 in × 10 ft 0 in
Fire tube 1,000,000 36 in × 10 ft 0 in
Salt bath heater vessels are filled
1,500,000 36 in × 15 ft 0 in
Fire tube immersed in the steam bath heater’s water bath, with the coil above the with eutectic salt that melts at
1,750,000 42 in × 15 ft 0 in
water level. approximately 288 degF. High
process outlet temperatures 2,000,000 42 in × 17 ft 6 in
Operating range are attainable because of the 2,250,000 48 in × 15 ft 0 in
Typical Steam Bath Heater Sizes
■■To 8 million Btu/h and high degradation temperature 2,500,000 48 in × 17 ft 6 in
Duty, Btu/h Vessel Size, OD
215 degF × Length of the salt. The proven vessel 3,250,000 54 in × 15 ft 0 in
250,000 24 in × 7 ft 6 in designs with serpentine coils or 4,000,000 60 in × 15 ft 0 in
Applications 500,000 36 in × 7 ft 6 in multitubular coils for high rates 4,500,000 60 in × 17 ft 6 in
■■Heating high-pressure gas, oil, 750,000 36 in × 10 ft 0 in and low pressure drop increase 5,250,000 60 in × 20 ft 0 in
or both in oilfield production 1,000,000 48 in × 10 ft 0 in unit life for operating at high 5,750,000 72 in × 17 ft 6 in
■■ Preventing hydrate formation 1,500,000 48 in × 12 ft 6 in bath temperatures. Typical salt 6,500,000 72 in × 20 ft 0 in
by heating high-pressure gas 2,000,000 48 in × 15 ft 0 in bath heater sizes are shown in 7,500,000 84 in × 20 ft 0 in
from wellheads and main gas 2,500,000 60 in × 15 ft 0 in the table. 10,800,000 84 in × 22 ft 6 in
distribution stations prior to 3,000,000 60 in × 20 ft 0 in 13,500,000 96 in × 24 ft 0 in
pressure reduction
4,000,000 72 in × 22 ft 6 in
■■ Heating natural gas at city 6,000,000 72 in × 24 ft 0 in
gate stations from main gas 8,000,000 96 in × 24 ft 0 in
pipelines
■■ Heating highly viscous oils to
reduce pumping pressures and improve pumping efficiency
■■ Heating oil-producing well streams
■■ Low-pressure steam generating (without process coil)
■■ Maintaining flow temperatures for heavy hydrocarbons in storage
Indirect Heating Systems
NATCO CHF controlled-heat flux heater

Blower
Stack

350 degF
Gas
and air
Inlet

Outlet 1,100 degF

Burner
Control Control
3,000 degF

NATCO CHF controlled-heat flux heater with 1,000-degF process outlet Forced draft system of the NATCO CHF heater.
temperature capability.

Operating range
■■To 50 million Btu/h and 1,000 degF

Applications
■■Heating regeneration gas for adsorption processes
■■ Vaporizing and superheating LNG and LPG
■■ Heating pipeline, crude oil, and oil-water emulsions
■■ Generating steam
■■ Pre- or postheating gas in conjunction with pressure reduction
■■ Heating fluids used in heat transfer systems
■■ Heating sensitive fluids or gases where close bulk-to-film
temperatures are critical
■■ Providing combination waste-heat exchange with alternative
source capability

The NATCO CHF* controlled-heat flux heater significantly advances indirect

heating by employing a forced draft system in which the products of
combustion act as the heat transfer medium. As shown in the cross section,
the heat generation and heat transfer sections are separate.

Heat is transferred to the extended surface area of the coil bundle by

means of forced convection. The flue gas circulates from the burner section,
across the coil bundle, to the stack. Part of the flue gas is recirculated to
the burner section from the stack, where it reduces the flame and flue gas
temperatures, eliminating radiant heat transfer.

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