Ruichang supplies burners for the thermal reaction, process gas reheating and incineration duties in sulfur recovery plants. The selection starts with the gas stream and its place in the process. An acid gas reaction furnace burner, an in-line heater and a tail gas incinerator burner perform different jobs.
For a new sulfur recovery unit or a replacement burner, send the feed composition, flow range and furnace data. We use these data to review the burner duty and its connections to the plant.
Choose the burner by process duty
| Burner type | Duty and selection basis |
|---|---|
| Acid gas reaction furnace burner | Introduces acid gas and combustion air into the Claus thermal stage. Review H2S content, ammonia and hydrocarbons, mixing, flame geometry and the reaction furnace. |
| In-line heater burner | Burns fuel gas to heat a process stream before a downstream reactor. Specify the required outlet temperature, mixing duty and allowable oxygen carryover. |
| Tail gas incinerator burner | Provides heat for oxidation of residual sulfur compounds in tail gas. Review gas composition, fuel demand, chamber conditions and the emissions basis. |
| Direct acid gas incineration burner | Serves a direct incineration duty where the selected process oxidizes acid gas. Specify the acid gas load and downstream flue gas treatment requirements. |
Claus recovery produces elemental sulfur. Incineration converts reduced sulfur compounds to sulfur dioxide; it does not itself recover sulfur or remove the total sulfur load. The incinerator and any downstream treatment must be assessed against the project’s emissions requirements.
Match the acid gas burner to the reaction furnace
Ruichang’s SRU equipment handbook shows an end-mounted acid gas burner with a gas gun, air swirler, burner throat and refractory lining. Mixing takes place at the burner and continues in the reaction furnace. Specify the burner and furnace together.
Ammonia-bearing feeds and hydrocarbon contaminants affect that review. Burner mixing, furnace temperature and residence time all matter. Review these conditions for each feed case, including the ammonia destruction duty where applicable.
For a revamp, review the existing burner opening, refractory interface, furnace dimensions and connection to the waste heat boiler. Include the cases that differ from normal operation, such as low load or a change in feed composition. CFD can support the review of gas distribution and temperature within the burner and furnace when included in the engineering scope.
What the handbook parameters tell you
The Ruichang handbook lists the following turndown ratios for its illustrated burner families. They are catalogue references, not guaranteed operating ranges for every gas composition or installation.
| Illustrated duty | Listed maximum-to-minimum ratio |
|---|---|
| Acid gas reaction furnace burner | 10:1 |
| In-line heater burner | 5:1 |
| Tail gas incinerator burner | 10:1 |
Check the in-line heater duty against the inlet requirements of the catalytic reactor. Use the process design to set temperature and oxygen limits for that service.
Burner management and control interfaces
The burner package and the plant burner management system need an agreed scope. Define responsibility for ignition equipment, flame detection, fuel isolation valves, purge facilities, permissives, trips and control signals. The handbook drawings identify ignition and flame detector connections, but they do not establish a universal control sequence.
Purge duration, ignition timing and flame-failure response must follow the approved project control philosophy, applicable requirements and equipment instructions. Set them for the installed equipment and operating cases.
Send the data needed for burner selection
- Gas composition for each stream, including H2S, NH3, hydrocarbons, water and expected variations.
- Minimum, normal and maximum flows, with units and reference conditions; gas temperature and available pressure at the burner.
- Fuel gas composition and heating value, combustion air conditions, allowable pressure loss and required turndown.
- Furnace drawings, burner mounting details, refractory interface and available maintenance space.
- Process duty, emissions requirements, control-system scope and any replacement or shutdown constraints.
Discuss an SRU burner requirement. For a wider supply scope, see SRU equipment and package selection.
