Infrared Thermography for furnaces

Downstream the preheat train – where PETROVAL tube inserts can be installed in heat exchangers – the unit Heater is another potential bottleneck for a unit.

Performing a test run on furnaces via PETROVAL Infrared thermography survey is an efficient way to debottleneck the furnace by several percent. It consists in increasing gradually the furnace duty while checking step by step with Infrared Thermography the tube skin temperatures and ensuring they are below the metallurgy temperature limit. 

If conditions allow, the furnace duty can be increased beyond the maximum heat duty allowed in the heater, thus making possible an increase of several percent of furnace capacity.

The test run requires high end Infrared camera and must be performed by Infrared Thermography and process experts to ensure the reliability of the measurements.