Revamps & Rehabilitation
Due to the complexity of modifying an existing process unit, it is often more desirable to design a new heater for a specific purpose. But practical considerations—including project cost, limited plot-space and the efficiencies that can be created for an existing unit—often prompt our clients to revamp, retrofit, and/or repair existing heater units.
The OnQuest companies specialize in precisely this sort of precision design of heaters and furnaces. Nearly half our business is focused on revamping and retrofitting existing fired heaters. To address specific needs, we can provide design engineering services only, we can design and supply materials, or we can provide a full turn-key revamping solution.
Project costing for revamps and retrofits is also a strength of our experienced revamp team. We base our cost estimates on a practical assessment of potential field costs for the project scope, relying on our significant experience in this type of work.
A sampling of OnQuest's revamping projects demonstrates the range of our expertise:
- Critical Furnace: Our customer requested that we keep a critically important furnace—one in need of significant mechanical upgrading—on-line for nearly six months until its scheduled turnaround. As a result, OnQuest performed numerous upgrades and revamps while the furnace remained on-line, including "re-skinning" parts of the heater casing as well as refractory repairs. All our field fixes were implemented over a five-month period, and with a perfect safety record.
- CCR Platformer: Along with metallurgical upgrades for tubes and fittings, this recent upgrade project included resolving a capacity bottleneck that resulted in a 25% increase in operating performance, lower NOx emissions, and increased thermal efficiency.
- Ammonia Plant Steam Reformer: OnQuest recently implemented a 40% production capacity improvement on a steam reformer first brought on-stream in 1965. Our design allowed the customer to increase the reformer's reliability, on-stream factor, and fuel efficiency, along with ensuring minimal operational downtime. Despite significant mechanical modifications to the furnace, much of the repair work was prefabricated and pre-assembled; field requirements were all accomplished in their normal turnaround schedule.
- Coker Furnaces: OnQuest recently simultaneously revamped three coker furnaces on a turnkey basis (EPC) incorporating such design benefits as:
- New convection sections to improve fuel efficiency
- Re-tubing and coil configuration that increased process and operational efficiency
- Radiant section modifications to avoid flame impingement
- Breeching and hip redesigns for improved flue gas distribution and flow
- Ultra-low NOx burners to achieve lower NOx levels
The project also included improvements to the process pressure drop, flue gas draft, tramp air, and refractory. All these modifications were installed in a 15-day field schedule, resulting in a completely revamped and upgraded set of coker heaters.
OnQuest's professionals have decades of experience in providing novel and approaches and innovative solutions to problems associated with heaters that have new capacity, environmental, or service requirements.
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