Ruichang supplies fire-tube waste heat boilers for Claus sulfur recovery units. Installed at the reaction furnace outlet, the boiler cools the hot process gas and recovers heat as steam before the gas reaches the first sulfur condenser.
For a new SRU or a replacement boiler, the starting point is the process duty: gas composition and flow, the required outlet temperature, and the plant’s steam conditions. The quotation needs to cover both the heat duty and the connections to the existing plant.
Where the waste heat boiler fits in a Claus unit
Hot gas leaves the reaction furnace and enters the boiler tubes. Heat passes to the water side to generate steam. The cooled gas then flows to the sulfur condenser, where further cooling condenses sulfur for collection.
Ruichang’s equipment handbook describes an example duty of cooling process gas from about 1,300°C to 315°C while producing steam. These temperatures describe that duty; the required temperatures and steam pressure for an individual boiler must follow the project’s heat and material balance.
Furnace connection and inlet protection
The inlet tubesheet connects the furnace to the boiler. The mechanical connection and refractory protection need to be designed together.
The arrangement described in Ruichang’s handbook uses ceramic ferrules at the tube inlets, ceramic-fibre sealing and refractory castable over the inlet tubesheet. The ferrules and refractory protect the inlet region from the hot process gas. The detailed arrangement, material grades and lining thickness must be confirmed for the operating conditions.
For a replacement, include the furnace outlet drawing and existing tubesheet details with the enquiry. A boiler that meets the heat duty still needs to match the available space and the furnace connection.
Information needed for a technical quotation
- Process gas composition and flow at normal, minimum and maximum operating loads.
- Gas inlet temperature, required outlet temperature, operating pressure and allowable pressure drop.
- Required steam pressure and boiler-feedwater conditions.
- Equipment design temperatures and pressures, the required design code and the project specification.
- Furnace outlet, gas outlet, steam and water connection drawings, together with support locations and site space limits.
- Whether the enquiry covers the boiler alone or related equipment and interfaces within a wider SRU package.
Mark any preliminary data in the enquiry. State whether each pressure is gauge or absolute, and give the reference conditions for any gas flow quoted in normal or standard cubic metres.
Replacing an existing SRU boiler
For a replacement, send the existing equipment datasheet and general arrangement drawing. Include inspection findings and the reason for replacement, along with any planned change in feed gas, throughput or steam conditions.
The review should cover nozzle orientation, support positions, the furnace interface and access for installation and inspection. Confirm which existing components will be retained and which are included in the replacement scope.
Design code and inspection requirements
Specify the applicable design code and inspection requirements for the steam/water side and the process-gas side in the enquiry. Material documentation, welding requirements, heat treatment and pressure testing should be agreed against that specification. Code compliance and certification must be confirmed for the particular equipment and contract.
Discuss your waste heat boiler duty
Contact Ruichang about your SRU waste heat boiler. Include the process duty and any existing equipment drawings. For the surrounding equipment scope, see our sulfur recovery equipment overview.
